In my last post we were still in England, where John Grigsby fought with the Puritans against the Monarchy and won...for a short time at least. The Monarchy was put back in place in 1660, and I can only imagine that John must have been a little fearful, knowing that he fought with the army that beheaded the father of the current king. John married for the first time in about 1650, but other than that we don't know anything. Perhaps John was fleeing not only the country, but his wife?
John arrived in the colonies in September of 1661, but he didn't apply for land until September of 1685. So where was he all that time? If he came over as an indentured servant, he would have paid for his passage in 5 to 7 years, not 24 years. So maybe he signed on as a sailor, and went back and forth between the colonies and England during those years.
After he arrived, he married Jane Rosser, or Prosser, and proceeded to have at least 6 children, all who lived to relatively advanced ages. Old John himself lived to ripe old age of 106!
John owned his first recorded land (100 acres) in King George County, which is due south of Washington DC about 40 miles and on the southern bank of the Potomac River. In 1699, John bought an additional 887 acres situated on the branches of Paspitanzy Creek in the county of Stafford, Virginia, which is just north and west of King George County.
When Old John wrote his will in 1728, he had 18 slaves, much land, hogs, and cattle, which he divided amongst his 6 children.
In the name of God amen, I, John Grigsby of the Parish of St. Paul's in the County of Stafford being in good health of body, sound, perfect, and disposing mind and memory, thanks be returned to God for same, yet being sensible of the uncertainty of this mortal life, do make, publish, and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) first and principally I recommend my soul into hands of Almighty God, hoping through the meritous death of my Blessed Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ to receive full and free pardon and remission of my sins and to inherit everlasting salvation, and my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereafter mentioned as touching the disposition of such temporal estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth (viz):
Item: I give unto my son John Grigsby his heirs part of tract of land I bought of Nicholas Battain from his spring branch to upper comer tree by William Smith's old field, and likewise I give him three negros, named Sambo, Thorn, and Dick.
Item: I give unto my son Charles Grigsby all that parcel of land from the swamp to Mr. Chandler Fowke's line whereon he now lives, it being in the pattern I bought of Nick Battain, and likewise I give unto him two negros, Robin and James, and to him and his heirs the land and negros.
Item: I give unto my daughter Mary Anne four negros: Jemmy, Will, Joney, and Bess, to her and her heirs.
Item: I give unto my son James Grigsby and his heirs all that parcel of land whereon he now lives from Jones Branch up his own spring branch and to across to his brother John's spring branch, and likewise I give him three negros: Jack, Ben, Dall and her increase forever to him and his heirs.
Item: I give unto my son William Grigsby, and his heirs all that parcel of land whereon he now lives, it being part of that patten I bought of Nicholas Battain from James* spring branch and up Jones Branch to my head line and soe along the line to his Brother John's land and likewise I give him three negros: Allow, Jane and Grace, their increase to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give unto my son Thomas Grigsby all the remainder part of that pattain I bought of Battain from the end of Wolf Pit Point up Jones Branch to my head line on the east side of the branch; also I give him the said tract of land whereon now I live to him and his heirs and likewise I give him three negros: Nan, Genny, Mary, and their increase to him and his heirs forever and likewise I give unto my son Thomas Grigsby all my hogs belonging to me and likewise I give him half my cattle and the other half of cattle to be divided between my other four sons and daughter and likewise all my other part of my moveable estate to be equally divided between my six children, and further I doe desire
that my estate may not be brought to an appraisement, and further I doe appoint my two sons John and Thomas Grigsby to be my executors of this my last will and testament to see that everything equally divided between themselves revoking all former wills as witness my hand and seal this 17th March, 1728/9.
Signed and sealed in the presence of us and delivered: John Grigsby
Old John's son Charles (1682-1740) married Sarah Wilkerson and had 8 children. One of those children, John (1720-1794), also known as Soldier John, will be the subject of my next tale.
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