On ancient English and early American records the name is found in various forms of Logge, Logg, Loge, Lodgge, Lodgg, Lodge, and others, of which the last spelling mentioned is that form most generally in use in America today. Families bearing this name were to be found at early dates in the English Counties of York, Somerset, Oxford, Surrey, Suffolk, Warwick, and Salop, as well as in the city and vicinity of London, England, and in Carnarvonshire, Wales. These families appear to have been, for the most part, of the landed gentry and yeomanry of Great Britain. It is probable that the family is of Saxon descent and that it was present in England long prior to the time of the Norman Conquest, about the year 1066 A.D. The frequent use of the French prefixes "de la" and "del", meaning "of the" are, of course, due to the fact that those who wrote records were under the Norman influence or of Norman descent. Among the earliest known records of the name in England are those of Roger de la Logge, who was living in the thirty-second year of the reign of King Edward, I of England, about the year 1304; those of William atte Logg, of Somersetshire, in the year 1379, and those of Johannes or John del Loge, of Yorkshire, in 1379. These records, however, are fragmentary. One John Logge was living in the Manor of Wyke, Parish of Worplesdon, County Surrey, before 1450. He was the father of at least one son, named John, who was the father of William, who had, probably among others, a son and heir named Geffery, who left only two children, Alice and Mary, and had no male issue. Of the Yorkshire branch of the family, one Lodge (Christian name unknown) was living with his wife, Catherine, and sons Thomas and Ralph, about the beginning of the sixteenth century. Thomas, the elder brother, is recorded as a "spurrier" of York. He died in 1552, leaving issue by his wife, Margaret, of Thomas, Joan, and Allison. Of these, Thomas Lodge, a merchant of York, married Matilda Blake in 1563. Ralph Lodge, the younger of the two brothers of Yorkshire, resided at Barlby, and is recorded as a "yeoman". He was the father of at least two sons, John and Richard, of whom the first died in 1587, leaving issue of Ralph and Thomas, of whom the latter had issue by his wife Matilda of a son named William. Ralph Lodge, the elder son of the last mentioned John Lodge, was the father at Barlby, of Ralph, George, William, and John. Of these, Ralph was the father by his wife Elizabeth, of John, George, Brian, FRANCIS, Mary, and two other daughters whose Christian names are not in evidence; George's records are not complete; William was the father of Thomas, FRANCIS, William, John, Nathan, Mary, Ann, Alice, and Elizabeth; John had issue by his wife Elizabeth of at least one son, named John. In the latter seventeenth century one FRANCIS LODGE was living at Welburn, near London, England, and was the father of, among other children, a son named John, who resided at Ripon and was married in 1733 to Elizabeth, daughter of the Reverend James Metcalf. Most of the above information was taken from Manuscript Number 1615, prepared by The Roots Research Bureau, Ltd. It is possible our FRANCIS LODGE is connected to the above. The repetitive use of the given names is an indication this is the same branch of the Lodge family. The records of the "Virginia Company of London" show that a FRANCIS, Luke, and Peter Lodge were part of their attempt to settle Virginia. The company's records contain their names in 1618 and 1620 as "adventurers". These were people brought from England to settle in America. They were given freedom by the Virginia Company to obtain as much land as possible before the Spanish and Dutch "adventurers" became established. One Joice Lodge was a stockholder in the Virginia Company. It is most probable that our FRANCIS LODGE (1740) is connected to this group. Further research is needed to obtain verification. Research has shown that the Lodge family came to America primarily through two routes. The first group sailed directly to the coast of Massachusetts or Virginia and the other sailed from England to the West Indies and then to the East coast landing in Virginia or North Carolina. More than likely our Lodges came through the West Indies. Most of those in Massachusetts migrated north into New York and Canada. Those in Virginia tended to move south to North Carolina and eventually, Georgia.
NORTH CAROLINA, LODGE, EDGECOMBE COUNTY Some of the descendents of these families migrated to Edgecombe County, North Carolina in the 1700's. About 1754 we find Lucas Lodge listed in a Militia District in Edgecombe County along with a John Davis ( A John Davis transported Thomas Lodge to Virginia in 1638. This John is possibly a descendent ), and Lucas is possibly a descendent of Luke. This record establishes Lucas's birthdate about 1730. Lucas Lodge is the first known Lodge resident in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. He is listed in a Militia District about 1754 giving him an estimated birthdate of about 1735. Also listed were William and John Davis, Moses Surgenor, John Griffin, and other Davises.
VIRGINIA COLONY, LODGE The earliest record found on a FRANCIS LODGE is in 1624 living in Virginia Colony. There is also a Luke (1607) and Peter (1624). Thomas Lodge appears in James City Colony, Virginia on August 26,1637. A John Davis received land for transporting Thomas and four others. A George Lodge appears on July 24, 1638 as being tranported by Randall Crew to Upper Norfolk Colony, Virginia. Randall Crew received 750 acres land for transporting George and 14 others.
The next Lodge records appear when John Lodge was a witness to a Power of Attorney in Charles City County, Virginia on February 1, 1664. George Lodge proved the Will of Evan Williams in Richmond County, Virginia 0n February 6, 1695, with Stephen Fennell. There is a record of an estate inventory by John Lodge in 1710 in Henrico County, Virginia.
The principle given names at this point are: Luke, Francis, Peter, George, John, and Thomas. All these Lodges were residing in Virginia in the 1600's. With exception to Peter and George, these names appear in later generations.
The earliest records of the Lodge family in America are as follows:
1) 1607--Luke Lodge, resident of Virginia Colony 2) 1624--Francis Lodge, resident of Virginia Colony 3) 1624--Peter Lodge, resident of Virginia Colony Source from LDS Ancestry File on Peter Lodge Event(s): Christened: 10 Jan 1591, London, Saint Christopher Le Stocks, London, England Parents: Father: Frauncis LODGE Source Information: Batch number: P020641 Unknown whether this is the same Francis and son Peter LODGE in Virginia Colony in 1624.
4) 1637--Thomas Lodge, James City Colony, Virginia, transported by John Davis 5) 1637--Thomas Lodge, James City Colony, Virginia, Transported before August 26, 1637. John Davis received land for transporting Thomas Lodge and four others. 6) 1638--George Lodge, Upper New Norfolk Colony, Virginia, transported by Randall Crew.
