Armistead Family History #10

                                                Build Up to the Revolutionary War


In the mid seventeen hundreds events in the colonies and in England started a slow but inevitable slide toward revolution in the colonies.  On " May 28, 1754, George Washington and his troops attacked Fort Duquesne, an initial action of the French and Indian War between the English and French, which began when French forces built and occupied Fort Duquesne in Pittsburgh and did not heed warnings to leave Virgina territory." (1)

French and Indian War-Map

Description:  Map of the French and Indian War
Date:  29 January 2014, 10:21:23
Source:  Own work
Author:  Hoodinski

George Washington received his early, and very valuable, training in the military during this war. The war ended in February of 1763 with a peace treaty that ceded Canada and the American Midwest to England.  "This signals and effectively tightens the control of Great Britain's colonial administration of North America." (2)  Although Great Britain came out on top in The French and Indian War or The Sevens Year War, as it was known by Britain, it proved very costly to Great Britain, draining large amounts of funds from the British treasury.  This war ended up having a contributory effect on the build up to the Revolutionary War. (3)

This portrait of Washington was painted in 1772 byCharles Willson Peale, and shows Washington in uniform as a colonel of the Virginia Regiment. The original hangs in Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. It is the earliest known depiction of Washington.

Charles Willson Peale - Washington-Custis-Lee Collection, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia And athttp://www.americanmilitaryhistorymsw.com/blog/536357-washingtons-mission/ Painting showing George Washington during his French & Indian War days. by Charles Volkmar, 1874, after Charles Willson Peale (Mount Vernon Ladies' Association)
http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/french-indian-war/ten-facts-about-george-washington-and-the-french-indian-war/

Over the span of 1763 to 1773 England would continue to tighten it's control over the American colonies with a number of unpopular acts passed by Parliament and directed straight at the Americans.  Before we take a look at each of the acts that were passed, let's first go across the water one last time to see who was King of England and learn a little bit about just who it was that would be directing all these unpopular acts against the colonies.

Occupying the throne of England in 1763 was King George the III.  Born in 1738, he was the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta, and his grandfather was King George II.  His father, Frederick, died in 1751 so when George II died in 1760, he was next in line and was crowned King George III.

Full-length portrait in oils of a clean-shaven young George in eighteenth century dress: gold jacket and breeches, ermine cloak, powdered wig, white stockings, and buckled shoes.

Artist:  Allan Ramsay (1713–1784); Details of artist on Google Art Project
Title:  King George III in coronation robes
Object type:  Painting
Date:  c.1765?
Medium:  oil on canvas
Dimensions:  Height: 236.2 mm (9.3 in). Width: 158.7 mm (6.25 in).
Current location:  Art Gallery of South Australia    
Source/Photographer:  vgGv1tsB1URdhg at Google Cultural Institute, zoom level maximum

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allan_Ramsay_-_King_George_III_in_coronation_robes_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

In 1761 he married Charlotte of Mecklinburg-Strelitz and they had fifteen children.  (I can not even imagine how a woman can give birth to 15 babies. WOW!!)

George III manipulated his ministerial council, Cabinet members, Prime Minister, etc and was able to gain back the prerogative lost by George I and George II.  Unfortunately for George, he was afflicted with a rare hereditary blood disease known as porphyria.*  "Bouts with madness and the way he handled the American Revolution eroded his support and the power of the Crown was granted again to the Prime Minister."  Never-the-less he ruled until 1811, when his condition worsened.  he remained King until his death in Jan of 1820, but he was not capable of ruling after 1811. (4)

An early act by Parliament was "The Royal Proclamation of 1763".  In it they set out "...guidelines for European settlement of Aboriginal territories in what is now North America. The Royal Proclamation...officially claim[ed] British territory in North America...  This proclamation forbade settlers from claiming land from the Aboriginal occupants, unless it was first bought by the Crown and then sold to the settlers."  This act allows the Crown to take more control over the colonies. (5)

Royal Proclamation of 1763

Royal Proclamation of 1763, First Nations Studies Program, University of British Columbia, copyright 2009, http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/royal-proclamation-1763.html 

We now have a dynamic in the colonies in the mid 1700s, where several generations, over more than 150 years, were born and lived in the Colonies.  Many people identified more with America than with England.  At the same time the Crown is attempting to exert more control over the Colonies and to also make them pay for the huge expense of the French and Indian War that just ended and for general operational expenses.  Britain's need for increased revenues and it's desire to gain more control over the colonists, would drive George III and Parliament to enact more and more laws that directly affected the colonists lives and how they made their living.

Map of the Colonies in 1775

"Map of territorial growth 1775" by Cg-realms; adapted from a scan from the National Atlas of the United StatesThis vector image was created with Inkscape. - Adapted from National Atlas of the United States scan uploaded by Kooma using File:Blank US Map.svg as a template. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_territorial_growth_1775.svg#/media/File:Map_of_territorial_growth_1775.svg

In April of 1764 "The American Revenue Act of 1764" or "The Sugar Act" as it was known was passed in England. Although it lowered the tax on molasses it "also listed more foreign goods to be taxed, including sugar, certain wines, coffee, pimiento, cambric and printed calico, and further regulated the export of lumber and iron." (6)  Colonists had been able to avoid paying the molasses tax in the past, but now England beefed up it's Navy presence to assure payment. The act disrupted the economy of the American Colonies because it reduced the amount of currency available, which then caused a reduction in markets for selling it's goods.  As a result, their ability to purchase British manufactured goods was reduced. (7)

In September of the same year the next hammer blow hit with passage of "The Currency Act".  Due to a shortage of currency to conduct trade and because the Colonies had no gold or silver mines, the various colonies issued paper money.  Values varied widely.  "The Currency Act" assumed control of the colonial currency system, prohibited issuing new bills, reissue of existing currency, and abolished all colonial bills.  This created more havoc for the colonies. (8)

"The Stamp Act of Feb 1765 is really quite unbelievable to read.  There were 54 everyday actions of life, such as various transactions at court, business transactions, probate filings, guardianship filings, and buying and selling of land, that were included in the act.  Anything that generated a piece of paper had to have a "stamp duty" or tax on it. (9)

These acts were enough to finally make the colonists stop complaining and take action.  In Oct of 1765 nine colonies held what they called a "Stamp Act Congress" in New York.  They began to push back a little against this deluge of new tax laws being passed by Parliament.  This "Stamp Act Congress" adopted a "Declaration of Rights against taxation without representation".  It seemed to have some effect because in March of 1766 the Stamp Act was repealed by Parliament. (10)

However, the pressure from Britain did not stop.  Another act, passed in 1765, was "The Quartering Act", which forced the colonists to house British troops and provide other accommodations.

In March 1766 passage of "The Declaratory Act" asserted even more control over the colonies, then in June 1767 the "Townsend Revenue Act" was enacted levying more taxes, including a tax on tea. Later some taxes would be repealed but not the tax on tea. (11)

John Adams

"US Navy 031029-N-6236G-001 A painting of President John Adams (1735-1826), 2nd president of the United States, by Asher B. Durand (1767-1845)-crop" by Asher Brown Durand - This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 031029-N-6236G-001 (next).This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_031029-N-6236G-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams#/media/File:US_Navy_031029-N-6236G-001_A_painting_of_President_John_Adams_(1735-1826), 2nd_president_of_the_United_States, by_Asher_B._Durand_(1767-1845)-crop.jpg


By 1770 the accumulative effect of actions by Great Britain, and the presence of British soldiers in the colonies, had created great tension and unrest amongst the Colonists. Conflict would soon break out between citizens of Boston and occupying British soldiers in what would become known as "The Boston Massacre".  On March 5, 1770 a crowd of people attacked a British sentinel by throwing snowballs, sticks and stones, etc., at the him.  The sentinel apparently feared for his life and was forced to call in additional soldiers. Continuing harassment of the troops by the crowd served to cause additional tension to build, even though no weapons were used.  (although, I guess a case could be made that sticks and stones can be considered weapons.) It was at this point, with tensions at a fever pitch, that the soldiers fired into the crowd.  Five people were killed and many wounded.  Both sides would later claim that the other side fired first and the troops would be later tried for murder.  A Boston attorney, John Adams, would take on the defense of the soldiers and they were found not guilty of murder. Although Adams would predict his defense of the soldiers would end his career as an attorney and ruin his reputation, his prediction would prove to be incorrect.  He would later become the second President of the United States.

"The Boston Massacre" led the people of Boston to demand the removal of the British troops and the Royal governor of Massachusetts evacuated the occupying army from the town of Boston.  It seems that maybe a fuse was now lit. (12)

Boston Massacre

"Boston Massacre high-res" by Engrav'd Printed & Sold by Paul Revere Boston. The print was copied by Revere from a design by Henry Pelham for an engraving eventually published under the title "The Fruits of Arbitrary Power, or the Bloody Massacre," of which only two impressions could be located by Brigham. Revere's print appeared on or about March 28, 1770. - http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.00174. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Massacre_high-res.jpg#/media/File:Boston_Massacre_high-res.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Tea_Party_Currier_colored.jpg

Meanwhile, Colonists were boycotting the buying of tea so as to keep from paying taxes.  When Parliament enacted "The Tea Act" of May 1773, another confrontation would inevitably take place. The act actually did not raise the tax on tea but instead the act sought to prop up the struggling East India Company, which had huge amounts of unsold tea. Under the act, the West India Company would be allowed to ship boat loads of tea to colonies at bargain basement prices.  This would undercut American tea and also, other taxes were still in place.  The colonist thought this was an attempt to get them to buy into all the new taxes and this would in effect acknowledge Parliament's right to tax the colonists. (13)

This little plan by parliament did not work.  In New York and Philadelphia colonists refused to let ships land.  In Charlotte they piled the tea in a warehouse and locked it up.  In Boston the colonists refused three ships to dock, but the Collector of Customs refused to allow the ships to leave without paying the Duty.  When this happened, a couple hundred men decided to unload the tea themselves, which they did, directly over the sides of the ships and into the water.  It took working all night but the men dumped all the tea from the three ships into the harbor. (14)

Boston Tea Party 

Description:  "The Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbor", lithograph depicting the 1773 Boston Tea Party
Date:  1846
Source:  http://www.octc.kctcs.edu/mmaltby/his108/Boston%20Tea%20Party.jpg[dead link]
Author:  Nathaniel Currier

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Tea_Party_Currier_colored.jpg

Reaction came quickly from England.  "The Boston Port Act" of march 1774, closed the Boston port until the East India Company was compensated for the loss of tea.

In June of 1774 "The Intolerable Acts" were passed.  This included reestablishment of the "Quartering Act" that required colonists to allow British soldiers in their homes, and effectively curtailing Massachusetts self-rule. Now things would happen quickly and on many fronts.  A majority of Colonists had enough of this. September 5, to October 26, 1774, the First Continental Congress was held in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. Calling for civil disobedience and boycotts of British goods, the congress also petitioned King George to stop regulation of Massachusetts. (15)

"Continental Congress". 

Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 16 Oct. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress/images-videos/Declaration-of-Independence-oil-on-canvas-by-John-Trumbull-1818/73663>
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress

On Sep. 21, 1774, George Mason and George Washington assembled about 100 men into the Fairfax County Militia Association.  This group was independent of British rule and was the start of an organized army.

By Jan of 1775, there were 37 newspapers in operation in the colonies.  These newspapers enabled the dissemination of information about what was happening throughout the colonies and kept the public informed of everything that was happening.  In February of that year Britain declared Massachusetts in rebellion and on March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry gave his famous speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses where he made the statement: "Give me Liberty or Give me Death." (16)

Patrick Henry's Speech

Description:  Peter F. Rothermel's "Patrick Henry Before the Virginia House of Burgesses", a painting of Patrick Henry's "If this be treason, make the most of it!" speech against the Stamp Act of 1765
Date:  1851
Source:  http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/r/p-rotherm2.htm
Author:  Peter F. Rothermel (1817–1895)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick_Henry_Rothermel.jpg

As tensions escalated, even though most colonists were still undecided about what should be done, they started stockpiling arms and powder as best they could in case it was needed if events led to war.

Portrait of Paul Revere

Artist:  John Singleton Copley (1738–1815)      
Title:  Portrait of Paul Revere
Date:  1768
Medium: ovo on canvas
Dimensions:  35 × 28.5 in (88.9 × 72.4 cm)
Current location:  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston    
Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch Gallery (Revolutionary Boston) - 123
Accession number 30.781
Source/Photographer:  http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/paul-revere-32401

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J_S_Copley_-_Paul_Revere.jpg

In April of 1775 British soldiers marched to Concord to destroy arms.  Paul Revere and William Dawes were sent out to warn the colonists.  Riding all night, Revere did warn the colonists, not with the shout that "The British are Coming" like we have been taught, but he quietly met with leaders of the towns to warn the patriots the British were coming. There were many people among the colonists that were supportive of Great Britain and there were also spies.  If he had proclaimed the news loudly he probably would have been stopped or arrested.  His warning was carried out across the area so the colonists were somewhat prepared. Armed resistance by the colonists at Lexington left 8 minutemen dead, but the British suffered 273 casualties on their return trip from Concord. (17)

Concord and Lexington Battles

Description:  This is a map depiction the outbound routes taken by Patriot riders and British troops in the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.
Date:  Unknown date
Source:  PDF was created in 2000
Source:  From the National Park Service: http://data2.itc.nps.gov/parks/mima/ppMaps/MIMAmap2.pdf
Author:  United States National Park Service

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Concord_Expedition_and_Patriot_Messengers.jpg

On June 15, 1775 George Washington was appointed by the Continental Congress as Commander-in-chief of a small contingent of unorgnaized militia in Boston that would make up the Continental Army.  Although the formal Declaration of Independence by the colonies would not come until July of 1776, the American revolution had begun.

"United States Declaration of Independence" 

by original: w:Second Continental Congress; reproduction: William Stone - numerous. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg#/media/File:United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence#/media/File:United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg

This was a very quick version of the run up to the beginning of the war, but I think it is important and very interesting to place events of history up along side our ancestors, so that we can see what they had to face in their lives. Now, before I cover the war, let's look in on the Armisteads in North Carolina.  I'll do that in the next post, so come on back to check it out.


*Porphyria:  a rare hereditary disease of the blood.  Symptoms include mental disturbance.

References:
(1) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1770.html
(2) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1770.html
(3) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1770.html
(4) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon55.html  
(5) http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/royal-proclamation-1763.html
Royal Proclamation of 1763, First Nations Studies Program, University of British Columbia, copyright 2009,
(6) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm
(7) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm
(8) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/currencyact.htm
(9) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/stampact.htm
(10) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/stampact.htm

(11) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/quartering.htm

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/declaratory.htm

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/townshend.htm

(12) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm
(13) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/teaact.htm
(14) "The Boston Tea Party, 1773," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002).  http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm
(15) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/bpb.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/intolerable.htm

(16) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1770.html 

(17) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1770.html 

Armistead Family History #9 - Armisteads in North Carolina

                                                   William Armistead Moves to Bertie County, NC

In 1663 Charles II issued a charter to eight of his favorites, called Lord Proprietors, for land that included the vast territory south of Virginia.  Their attempt to set up a feudal society in this area, called Carolina, however, resulted in chaos and rebellion.  By 1729 the proprietor's heirs had the land taken back by King George II, who then eased requirements for land purchases and set off quite a boom in settlers moving to North Carolina.  Most of the early settlers came from Virginia, moving south to find room for more land or to just find a place to get started.  My four time great-grandfather was one of those settlers. (1)

Title:  A new map of Carolina

Date Published:  circa 1690

Creator - Individual:  Lea, Philip, fl. 1683-1700.

Place of Publication:  London

Publisher:  Philip Lea

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

North Carolina Maps is made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina.
This item is presented courtesy of the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for research and educational purposes. Prior permission from the North Carolina Collection is required for any commercial use.

By 1750 North Carolina had a total population of 73,000.  Fertile lands, like the area located in the Coastal Plains of Eastern North Carolina, were a big draw.  This area is where the Chowan, Roanoke, and Cashie Rivers come together to empty into the Albermarle Sound.  These rivers contributed rich, fertile, soil to the lowland areas over thousands of years.

Bertie County was formed in 1722 right in the middle of these fertile lands.  Pronounced Burr-Tee, Bertie County is bounded on the east by the Chowan River, and on the south by the Roanoke River. The Cashie (Ca - shy or Cash - i) River begins and ends in Bertie County.  One description of the Cashie goes as follows ..."60 miles of blackwater, only about 25 miles of it navigable, that winds through Bertie County before emptying into Bachelor Bay and Albemarle Sound.  What the river lacks in length it makes up for in depth, with spots up to 80 feet deep.  Though not as large or well known as the Chowan River to the North or the Roanoke to the south, it was a major transportation artery before railroads and highways." (2)

North Carolina State Map - North Carolina Department of Transportation
http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/imgdot/DOTCountyMaps/PDFs/Bertie_CountyMap_Sheet01_Final_web.pdf    

So, besides the fertile land that this area offered, the rivers offered the same for transportation as super highways do today, a fast, efficient way to transport people, merchandise, produce, crops, etc. To move these various items in and out of the county via the river-ways, they needed places to facilitate this movement.  Landings or wharves, where ships could dock and unload or load, were constructed along the rivers at strategic locations. As one historian explained it, ..."remote landings were key points for shipping and trade at plantations and large farms along the river during the 1700s."(3)

Keep this in mind as we go forward. These landings will be important factors in establishing Bertie County and also important to my ancestors. 

Bertie County, North Carolina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertie_County,_North_Carolina#/media/File:Map_of_Bertie_County_North_Carolina_With_Municipal_and_Township_Labels.PNG                            

Fertile soil, deep running rivers and very little population (maybe around 2000 in the county) presented a great opportunity for settlers moving to Bertie County.  They could make a living through agriculture, fisheries, or import/export.  The river allowed their goods to be shipped into the county by way of the Cashie and then transported out to the rest of the county or into other counties for distribution. Likewise goods produced in the county could easily be shipped out to other colonies or to areas around the world via these landings.

I am going to go back over a little bit of the family that I wrote about last time, because I want to fill in a few new details.  Anthony Armistead (1691-1738) first married Jane, last name unknown, and had a son John, probably around 1721.  Jane died and Anthony then married Margaret Benit and had William (1730-1791), Benit, (1732-?), and Anthony (1736-abt. 1792).  Anthony Armistead, Sr. died in 1738 and his widow, Margaret, later married Edward Morgan, who then became guardian of her children.  William was 8 years old, Anthony 2 and the oldest, John was about 17.  Then, in 1745, the records show "that on the motion of John Armistead" Edward Morgan was removed from guardianship of William Armistead, "son of Anthony, deceased" and in Morgan's place the court appointed John Armistead.  I believe this John was William's older brother.  William was now 15 and John about 24. (4)

Work on a farm in North Carolina.
http://ushistoryimages.com/north-carolina-colony.shtm    

In 1754 a deed was granted to John Armistead for 417 acres on Roanoke River in the Northwest corner of Northampton County, North Carolina. (Now it is in Warren County due to boundary changes.)  My thought here is that William probably accompanied John to North Carolina.  On the 3rd of May 1755, John Williams conveyed to "William Armistead of Northwest Parish Northampton County" 150 acres.  I believe this to be my ancestor, because this is the same location we saw for John.  In the publication "Genealogies of Virginia Families" it states, "It will be noted that William appeared upon the records of North Carolina almost simultaneously with John."(5)

A year after this purchase in, 1755, William turns up a few miles southeast in Bertie County when we find a record showing he was married, March 18, 1756, to Sarah Jordan.  She is the daughter of Joseph Jordan and Ruth (Speight) Jordan who lived in Bertie County. (6)  I wonder how these two met? Did their families know each other from Virginia?  Did William move to Bertie County because Sarah was there or did they meet after he moved there?  I don't know how it came about but I do know they were married.

I have spent very little time researching my Jordan line, but I do know Joseph and Ruth Jordan were prominent land owners and early settlers.  I think William had some inheritance to start with and was a property owner, but I guess it never hurts to marry well, right?

Bertie County records state that Joseph Jordan built a house in Bertie County in the early 1700's. One date says around 1713, but another says 1738, which seems more likely.  I am not certain if the Joseph Jordan above is the one that built it or if it might have been his father or son. (He had a son named Joseph and I do not know his father's name.)  Anyway, the house is still there today and is known as the Jordan Plantation House. Fire destroyed the inside of the house in 1925 but the brick exterior survived.  The property stayed in possession of descendants and the inside was eventually restored.  In 1966 it was still owned by a descendant of Joseph Jordan and in use as a country home. Of course lots could have change since then.  I hope it is still in the family. (7)

Jordan House, ca. 1738.
Comprehensive Architectural Survey of Bertie County Final Report
Submitted by: Laura Ewen Blokker
Southeast Preservation, P.O. Box 1022, Elm City, NC 27822
April 30, 2010

The book where I obtained information about this house (See reference at bottom of page.) has a wonderful description of the home that I have to share with you here.  Mrs. Edythe Smith Dunstan published this book in 1966 and wrote the description as follows:

"Jordan Plantation house, located a few miles south of Windsor, N.C, just off the Cedar Landing Road, was built about 1700 by Joseph Jordan, great-great-great-great-grandfather of the author's husband, Frederick Miller Dunstan, Junior.  It is said to be a fine example of an English gentleman's 'fair county seat'.  Although the exact date of the house is not known, it resembles the 17th Century houses built in Virginia between 1650 and 1700, particularly the John Rolphe House in Surrey, VA., built in 1652.  A fine paneled interior was destroyed in 1925 when the house burned leaving only the thick brick walls standing.  It is constructed of ruddy brick, laid Flemish Bond style above the ground level and English bond below ground, with rubbed bricks at the water table.  It stands one and a half stories tall and rests upon a high basement, pierced by arched windows.  

There is a large interesting brick fireplace with herring -bone fireback, in the main hall, and there are large corner fireplaces in the dining hall and small nearby sitting room.  All sleeping rooms are on the upstairs level.  Tradition says that the date of  1713 could be seen carved on a basement wall on a brick prior to the fire's destruction.

The plantation is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gillam (nee Martha Rascoe) who are descendants of the Jordan Family.  The house is in a fine state of repair and is maintained as their country house, where many social gatherings are enjoyed by friends." (8)

Another record from a year later is a document titled, "A List of Taxables, taken by Joseph Jordan for ye Year 1757". Joseph Jordan is listed with sons Isaac and William, and four slaves as taxables. (Adult males and all slaves were taxed.)  There were a total of 59 taxables in Joseph's area of responsibility. Next district over, John Yeats includes on his list of taxables, William Armistead and an apprentice, Moss Armistead, and four slaves.  Next one down the list was Anthony Armistead with only himself as taxable.  I believe this was my William and his younger brother Anthony. Yeats' list had a total of 55 taxables. (9)

Also, in 1757 William and Sarah had their first child, John.

List of Taxables in Bertie County, NC
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/census/tax1757.txt    

In 1758 William's bother, Anthony, gave bond to marry Mildred Rhodes and in 1759 William and Sarah had their first daughter, Elizabeth.  In this year William also purchased 294 acres of land from his father-in-law, Joseph Jordan, located on the south side of the Cashie River in Cashie Neck called "Beauties Brother". (10)(11)

Individual Report for William Armistead by Family Tree Maker.

A second son, William, came along in 1762, followed by Anthony in 1764.  Another land purchase was made in 1765 for 124 acres, again on the south side of the Cashie River.  Additional purchases would be made over the years.

As William was building his large land holdings, he and Sarah were also building a larger family . Child number five was Robert, born in 1767, number six, Sarah, in 1770.  No offense to the other children but my favorite child came along as number seven in 1775.  Born during the year the American Revolution started, Jordan, is my three times great-grandfather.

William and Anthony were active in Bertie County during these early years.  Anthony was on the North Carolina Assembly and he and William were active in founding the town of Windsor and making it the county seat.  Established in 1766, the town was laid out in 1768 on 100 acres acquired from William Gray and located on the Cashie River.  The location was originally known as Gray's Landing.

Title:  A Plan of the Town of Windsor
Repository:  Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Date Published:  February 17, 1806
Date Depicted:  1806
Creator - Individual:  Bryan, Joseph W.
Abstract: Manuscript map of Windsor, N.C., showing numbered lots, streets and the names of some landowners.
Map Type:  ManuscriptProperty
Details:  Landowners
Subject - Geographic:  Windsor (N.C.) -- Maps.

http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ncmaps/id/3452/rec/1  

Named for the Windsor Castle in England, the town of Windsor was finally chosen as county seat in 1774.  This location was chosen for it's location on the Cashie where a landing could be established (Remember what I said above?) for ships to unload merchandise arriving from the West Indies and other places and then distribute it inland to all parts of the county by wagon. Windsor soon became the county's leading agricultural and mercantile trading center.  Tar, turpentine, lumber, barrel staves, shingles, timber, corn, wheat, and tobacco, were among the largest exports.  There were also fishery operations in the county. (12)

“Historic Windsor:  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Windsor was first known as Gray’s Landing in the early 1700s.  Over 250 years of history can be found in its Historic District, including the Bertie County Courthouse, (c.1887) and the Freeman Hotel (c.1840), a Greek Revival building and currently the home to the Windsor-Bertie County Chamber of Commerce.  Other sites include St. Thomas Episcopal Church (c.1839), The Gray-Gillam and J.B. Gillam Houses (c.1790), and Windsor Castle (c.1858).”   From the Windsor Chamber of Commerce site at: http://www.windsorbertiechamber.com/

I think most of William Armistead's large land holdings were located on the Cashie River, southeast of Windsor, not too far from where it winds it's way to the Albermarle Sound. This was a very advantageous location for William's property.  More to come on that later.

Google Earth Map of a section of Northeast North Carolina, including Windsor, Plymouth, and Edenton.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bertie+County,+NC/@35.9186954,-76.7756051,57938m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x89afa3ca27a02cb3:0x4ee346fe7765ab49!6m1!1e1

Here you can get a good overview of Windsor to the upper left, Edenton to the upper right, and Plymouth in the lower middle.  The Cashie River flows from Windsor southeast toward the Roanoke River where Plymouth is located. Albermarle Sound is in the center right.  Armistead children would eventually expand into these other cities and surrounding counties.  This overview is great for getting a better understanding of how the location among the rivers shaped the direction of commerce in Bertie, as well as all the surrounding counties.

So by 1775, William and Sarah had a family of seven children and large land holdings.  But the years 1775 and 1776 will prove to be a turning point in the lives of the colonists and the 13 Colonies. Each household will have to decide if they will be loyal to the Crown and mother country, Great Britain, or follow new leaders in the 13 Colonies that are preaching revolution and independence.

What will be their choice?

My next post will be about the build up to the start of The Revolutionary War.  If you are not interested in history you might want to skip it because there will only be American History in it, no family history.  I decided it was too much to put in one post, so instead of including it here, I am dividing it and will post that portion soon.  I hope you'll be back.

References:

1)  http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-colonial/1665
2)  http://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/previous-issues/2010-2/summer-2010/people-places-hidden-history-cashie-reveals-backwater-wharf
3)  http://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/previous-issues/2010-2/summer-2010/people-places-hidden-history-cashie-reveals-backwater-wharf
4)  McGhan, Judith, indx., Genealogies of Virginia Families, From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, IV Volumes, Original Article Contributed by William B. Newman, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Vol. I, pg34.
5)  Ibid. 
6)  Ford, Carol Lee, indx., Genealogies of Virginia Families, From the William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, V Volumes, Baltimore, MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Vol. I, pg 138-139.
7)   Dunstan, Edythe Smith, The Bertie Index, For Courthouse Records of Bertie County, North Carolina, 1720-1875, Edythe Smith Dunstan, 1966, Illustration #3.
8)  Ibid.
9)  http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/census/tax1757.txt
10)  Ibid., Ford
11)  Bradley, Stephen E., Jr.,Dr., abst’d, Early Records of North Carolina, Probates, Administrations, Inventories, Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr., Vol. I, pg. 27.
12)   http://www.livingplaces.com/NC/Bertie_County/Windsor_Town/Windsor_Historic_ District.html
 
 
Other References Used For General Information:

http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/613/entry

Armistead Family History #8 - A New Century Begins

                                         The Armistead Family and New Directions

As I get ready to move forward into the 18th Century telling the Armistead's story, I feel that I must first fill in a little bit more of what life was like for my colonial ancestors in the first 65 years of the Virginia Colony.

When the first colonists arrived in Virginia circa 1607, there were about 8,000 Indians or Native Americans living in the area. There were certainly confrontations as the colonists pushed into areas already inhabited by the Native Americans. There were ambushes and massacres and many dead on both sides.

"1622 massacre jamestown de Bry". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1622_massacre_jamestown_de_Bry.jpg#/media/File:1622_massacre_jamestown_de_Bry.jpg

Although an attack was always possible or considered a possibility, there were extended times of peaceful coexistence. During these times the Native Americans actually helped the new colonists to survive by teaching them how to cope with their new environment.  America was called an "earthly paradise", and with good reason.  Upon arrival colonists found an abundance of persimmons (a fruit new to the colonists) weighing down the limbs of the trees, wild strawberries were growing like a carpet across large areas.  Huge flocks of turkeys numbering as high as four or five hundred were roaming the woods, and flocks of ducks rising from the ponds at times would nearly block out the sun. (1)

In the early days of the colony the majority of the colonists did not own a gun or even know how to use a gun and therefore were unable to harvest the abundance of wild game.  This dynamic would change as the years passed and the colonists learned new skills and began to understand what they needed to do to utilize the abundance of this "earthly paradise".(2)

There were other things the colonists found in abundance in their new home. Wood, fast running streams, and vacant land were all in abundance.  This situation was very different from the one they had left behind in England.  The forests had long been cleared in England and the lumber used for building ships and other commercial uses, as well as for firewood. The price of firewood in England made it a precious and expensive commodity so it was used very sparingly in fireplaces.(3)

With these seemingly endless forests surrounding them, the colonists had plenty of wood to build homes and fences and to keep their home fires burning for warming their homes and cooking.  Fast running streams were ideal for building sawmills that could use water power to cut timbers into lumber rather than having to do this demanding chore by hand.(4)

This is not from the 1600s, but shows the workings of a sawmill.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/water-powered-sawmill-machinery-225212/    

I don't mean to imply that life was easy for the colonists, having all this abundance available to them. Life was difficult for them and their families. Their day consisted of hours of planting, cultivating, or harvesting. There were diseases, early deaths, surprise attacks, and confrontation with the Native Americans, etc. With this risk, however, came great opportunities for the industrious colonist to make a new start and a good life here in America.

Clearing the land of the dense forests so they could plant crops was one of the biggest challenges for the colonist. If they had attempted to cut down the trees and dig up the stumps by hand it would have taken decades to carve out small areas for their farms. It would be many years later before oxen were introduced to the colonies so grubbing stumps by hand was all they had available to them. To open the land up to farms the Virginia Colonists most likely emulated the Native American's practice of girdling the trees. (Girdling is the process of cutting off the bark of a tree in a broad band all the way around the tree.) The result of girdling causes the tree to die, the leaves and limbs decay and fall off, and this allows the sunlight to fall on the soil beneath.  This process allowed the farmer to plant around the tree.  At some future time he might cut down the dead trunks of the trees and burn them but for the present he had a large area that he could plant. Obviously he could girdle a large number of trees in a short period of time and thus open up large tracts of land much quicker. (5)

Building their first homes in the colonies.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16277/16277-h/images/096s.jpg  

Tobacco crop amongst the stumps.
http://b-womeninamericanhistory17.blogspot.com/2013/06/agriculture-in-17th-century-maryland.html   

A staple crop for the early farmers was the amazing plant, corn, or maize. It was easy to grow, was immune to most diseases, and was nutritious.  Every little bit off the plant was used.  Stalks made good feed for the cattle, husks to stuff mattresses, cobs for making jug stoppers and corn cob pipes, etc.(6)

Planting the corn.
http://www.heritage-history.com/?c=read&author=otis&book=plymouth&story=plymouth   

Native Americans taught the colonists all these things, as well as when and how to plant the corn, how to fertilize it with fish, (which was another thing in abundance), and how to plant pumpkins and bean seeds around the corn stalks, so there would be a pole for the beans to grow up, and shade for the pumpkin vines to grow under during the heat of the summer. In addition the colonists were shown how to harvest the corn, how to grind it, and then how to preserve it throughout the year.(7)

Description:  Pumpkins among the corn
Creator/Contributor: Homer, Winslow, 1836-1910 (artist)Date issued: 1878-08Physical description: 1 print : wood engravingGenre: Wood engravings; Periodical illustrationsNotes: Published in: Scribner's Monthly, Volume XVI, August 1878, p. 520.; Winslow Homer.; Signed lower right: H. Wolf.Collection: Winslow Homer 
CollectionLocation: Boston Public Library, Print DepartmentRights: No known restrictionsFlickr data on 2011-08-11:·
Camera: Epson Exp10000XL10000·
Tags: Winslow Homer·User:Boston Public Library BPL
Date 23 March 2011, 08:53:30
Source Flickr: Pumpkins among the corn
Author BPL
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus100 years or less.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pumpkins_among_the_corn_(Boston_Public_Library).jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_cultures_in_the_United_States#/media/File:Zea_mays.jpg  
Plows were not common in Virginia Colony until the 1670s, so these early farmers used only hand tools. These tools consisted of the shovel, spade, hoe, and mattocks which were all made of wood except a small sheath of iron on the cutting edge of the tools.  Colonists, of course, also had the felling axe, but it was cumbersome, unbalanced, made of brittle iron with a thin steel blade welded into it that required constant sharpening, and most colonists were not accustomed to using it.(8)

Wooden shovel.
https://dmacc55002.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/antique-farm-tools/  

An early mattock, not necessarily from the 1600s.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24505/24505-h/24505-h.htm   

Colonists in this time period brought with them many domestic animals, including pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, horses and cattle.  They also brought with them many unwanted guests, such as diseases, the black fly, the cockroach, the gray rat, and seeds of weeds unknown to America.(9)

Fences had to be built by the colonists for the livestock.  Not to keep them inside a fence, but to keep them out of their crops.  By building fences around their crops they could let the livestock roam loose in the woods.

Planting their garden.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16277/16277-h/images/096s.jpg

Tobacco , of course, became the big cash crop of the farmers in Virginia, but cattle were also raised and sold to obtain currency.  Orchards were planted as soon as possible by the farmers with the most preferred being peach and apple trees.  These fruits made excellent cider, applejack, and brandy.(10)

Tobacco plants, the colonist's first cash crop.
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/americas-first-cash-crop-tobacco/   

"1670 virginia tobacco slaves" by Unknown - http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/8850. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1670_virginia_tobacco_slaves.jpg#/media/File:1670_virginia_tobacco_slaves.jpg

Initially the colonists built their towns surrounded by their farms and their homes as had been the practice in England. This allowed them to be close at hand to their home, taverns, and church, as well as various craftsmen so that everything was within walking distance.  However, by the end of the 1600s, the town centered society was changing.  As more people arrived and as the next generation of sons and daughters came of age, more land was required to support these growing families. This required going farther and farther away from the towns to find more land.  When this started happening, they found they were no longer able to walk back to town from these distant farms, so they started building their homes on their new lands that were far away from any towns. The old town central idea no longer worked. They did not have access to the craftsmen in the town now so this dictated that the farmer and his family had to learn to do more and more of their own work, and they eventually became quite self sufficient on their farms and made few trips to town.  This isolation from town, in turn, led to a more family central, or family focused society with children, extended family members, cousins, in-laws, etc., all living on the same farm, in the same house, or on farms nearby. Family get-togethers became more and more common as their only social contact and they became more isolated from the towns. (11)

As the calendar turned from the 1600s to the 1700s, my Armistead family could claim 65 years of living in and being a part of the growth and maturity of the Virginia Colony.  Challenges of course were many, but progress inched forward. The New-Letter, a newspaper published by John Campbell in Boston was the first regular newspaper in the colonies. War seems to be ever present in our world and there was no exception in this time frame in the colonies. Queen Anne's War, (as it was called) (1701-1713) raged against the French and it soon invaded the colonies in Deerfield, MA. French and Indian forces attacked the colonists, killing 56 and carrying off over 100 that were captured. In Oct of 1710 British troops laid siege to the French fort, Port Royal in Nova Scotia as well. The war finally ended in 1713 with the French signing a treaty with England.(12)

Benjamin Franklin took his first step toward securing a prominent place in history when he bought an interest in the Pennsylvania Gazette, in Oct of 1729. In Dec 1732, he began publishing his "Poor Richard's Almanac" and published a total of twenty six annual editions with as many as 10,000 copies sold per year. In 1752 Franklin invented the lightning rod after earlier proving that lightning was electricity by flying a kite in a thunderstorm.(13)

Benjamin Franklin by Joseph-Siffrein Duplessis - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Joseph_Duplessis_-Portrait_of_Benjamin_Franklin_-_WGA06871.jpg  
http://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#/media/File:Benjamin_Franklin_by_Joseph-Siffred_Duplessis.jpg  

In 1718 French colonists founded the city of New Orleans and the famous pirate Blackbeard was killed off the coast of Ocracoke Island, N.C.(14)

In the 1700s Virginia and the other colonies would serve four more monarchs of England. William III died in 1702 and a new ruler was placed on the throne. Anne, the new Queen, was born in 1665 and was the second daughter of King James II and Anne Hyde.  Though she did not play a part in her father's reign, she did take an active part in siding with her sister, Mary, and brother-in-law, William, during the Glorious Revolution in 1688, which brought William and Mary to the throne. Anne married George, the Prince of Denmark. There were not many accomplishments to enumerate during Queen Anne's reign.  Most notable, probably, was the Act of Union in 1707, that created Great Britain by unifying England and Scotland.  (Ireland would not be added to the union until 1809.)(15)

Queen Anne
"Anne1705" by Michael Dahl - Purchased from [1]. National Portrait Gallery: NPG 6187While Commons policy accepts the use of this media, one or more third parties have made copyright claims against Wikimedia Commons in relation to the work from which this is sourced or a purely mechanical reproduction thereof. This may be due to recognition of the "sweat of the brow" doctrine, allowing works to be eligible for protection through skill and labour, and not purely by originality as is the case in the United States (where this website is hosted). These claims may or may not be valid in all jurisdictions.As such, use of this image in the jurisdiction of the claimant or other countries may be regarded as copyright infringement. Please see Commons:When to use the PD-Art tag for more information.See User:Dcoetzee/NPG legal threat for more information.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.English | Español | Français | Magyar | Italiano | Македонски | Türkmençe | +/−. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - 
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anne1705.jpg#/media/File:Anne1705.jpg

With the two party system continuing to struggle to find it's way in England, the Whig and Tory Parties became fully enfranchised in leading the country. Anne's death in 1714 marked the end of the Stuart Line. After her death, the Whig Party was successful in getting their candidate, George, Elector of Hanover (a German Province), installed as King.(16)  

Born in 1660, George I had served as Elector of Hanover since 1698.  He was the son of Ernest, also Elector of Hanover, and Sophia, granddaughter of James I. In 1682 he married Sophia, Princes of Zelle.  They had a son and a daughter, George and Sophia Dorothea.  George would later become George II and Sophia Dorothea would marry her cousin, Frederick William I, King of Prussia.(17)

"King George I by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (3)"
by Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller - National Portrait Gallery: NPG 544While Commons policy accepts the use of this media, one or more third parties have made copyright claims against Wikimedia Commons in relation to the work from which this is sourced or a purely mechanical reproduction thereof. This may be due to recognition of the "sweat of the brow" doctrine, allowing works to be eligible for protection through skill and labour, and not purely by originality as is the case in the United States (where this website is hosted). These claims may or may not be valid in all jurisdictions.As such, use of this image in the jurisdiction of the claimant or other countries may be regarded as copyright infringement. Please see Commons:When to use the PD-Art tag for more information.See User:Dcoetzee/NPG legal threat for more information.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.English | Español | Français | Magyar | Italiano Македонски | Türkmençe | +/−. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_George_I_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller,_Bt_(3).jpg#/media/File:King_George_I_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller,_Bt_(3).jpg

George I was all German in his character and mannerism, as well as his speech. In fact George I never even bothered to learn to speak English.  He also didn't actually settle in England once he became the King.  He barely spent half his time in England.  He did have this ruling thing down though.  When he arrived in England he had with him many friends, adviser's, and servants, and was intent on profiting from ruling England, (which he did).  He also arrived with two mistresses and sans wife, having imprisoned her back at home and charged her with adultery before he left the country.(18)

George's way of governing became obvious very quickly.  He basically left England to manage on it's own and stayed in Hanover as much as he could. Because of this the government in England began to move more toward what it is today. Cabinet members that the king appointed became very important.  They would come to represent the executive branch of government. Parliament was the legislative branch.  With the king "missing in action" most of the time, it was necessary to create the post of Prime Minister. This position was filled by the majority leader in the House of Commons and acted in place of the King. Robert Walpole became the first Prime Minister. His success in the early years cemented the position as well as his personal standing and he served for 20 years. As it turned out "...the reliance on an executive cabinet marked an important step in the formation of a modern constitutional monarchy in England."  George I ruled for 13 years, and died while traveling back to his beloved Hanover on Oct 11, 1727.(19)

George I was succeeded by his son that he had with Sophia. George II was born Nov 10, 1683 and spent all his earlier years in Hanover. George would be the last British Monarch to be born outside of Great Britain. In true royal fashion, George I and George II hated each other, so the father never gave his son an opportunity to take on any responsibilities during his reign. George II married Caroline Anspach, in 1705 and they had three sons and five daughters.
George II did have an advantage over his father, he took the throne in his 30s, whereas his father had been 54 when he assumed the throne. George was able to "absorb the English culture that escaped his father."(20)

"George II by Thomas Hudson" by Thomas Hudson
Scanned from the book The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings and Queens of England by David Williamson, ISBN 1855142287.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_II_by_Thomas_Hudson.jpg#/media/File:George_II_byThomas_Hudson.jpg

It is said that George II had a great passion for his army, music, and his wife, and was very brave on the battlefield. George II was the last British sovereign to command troops in the field. George II ruled until 1760, surviving a concerted effort in 1745 by the Tories to bring back a Stuart as king and also managing a few wars along the way. What's a king to do without a good war or two to fight, right? George II died of a stroke on Oct 25, 1760.(21)

With the passing of George II, and the ascension of George III to the throne, in 1760, I have at last gotten to my favorite king. I think it is probably quite apparent to most readers my reason for saying that. George III was the king in power when the American Revolution occurred, so he was the last monarch to rule over the 13 colonies in the Americas. That's why he is my favorite, he helped make us the United States of America. He ruled from 1760 to 1820.   Much more to come when I get to that next point in my journey.

As we all know, the 1700s proved to be years of change for the Virginia Colony, just as it would be for all the colonies. Growth in the colonies continued to climb upward with immigrants from many countries. Irish, Scottish, French, German, Swiss, Danish, Welch, African, and of course English all added to the increasing population in the 13 colonies. Of course, unfortunately, the increase in African immigration was not voluntary as slavery became more common. Virginia's population was 231,000 in 1750 and the total population of all the colonies passed the one million mark and stood at 1,170,800 in 1750.(22)

As I mentioned earlier, by the 1700s Virginia had become a more rural and agrarian based society, with daily life focused around the family unit and the family farm. We see this same pattern in the descendants of William and Anne Armistead as they begin to spread across Virginia.  As each succeeding generation was born, there were more and more male Armisteads that needed land to make a living. The map below shows approximately six counties where Armisteads were located.

Virginia counties.
http://www.waterproofpaper.com/printable-maps/

Eventually Virginia could no longer contain all the Armisteads and just as it happened with the general population, some of the Armisteads started leaving the state.  My direct ancestor left Virginia and moved to North Carolina in his quest to find a place to get some elbow room. North Carolina only had 73,000 people by 1750 so there was more land available.

Of the original founding family of Armisteads only one son was still living by the early 1700s. The parents, William and Anne, their eldest son, William, next oldest, John, and the only daughter, Francis, had all died. Anthony, my direct ancestor, was the only one still living by the1700s, but don't think that meant the Armisteads were disappearing. From the four second generation children came approximately 80 third and fourth generation family members that were living in the early 1700s.  The Armistead family was definitely off and running in helping to populate and settle America.

Captain Anthony Armistead, the lone surviving second generation Armistead in the early 1700s, and his wife Hannah Ellyson had five children.  I listed the children in a previous post, but I will include a chart below for continuity.

Family Tree Maker - 2012, Charts and Reports.

His son, Major William Armistead, married twice and had a total of 10 children.  I listed these children in my last post but a chart is also attached below.

Family Tree Maker - 2012, Charts and Reports.

Major William's son, Anthony Armistead, is a member of the fourth generation in the Virginia Colony.  He married first Jane (unknown last name) and had a son, John Armistead (abt. 1720-1791).  He married second, Margaret Benit, and together they had William Armistead (1730-1791), Benit Armistead (abt. 1732 -??), and Anthony Armistead (1736-1783).  (I have a question about the date of death for this Anthony.  His will was made out and dated in 1783 and I have that date in my chart.  However, I recently came across information that leads me to be believe that he died later. I'm still working on this date.)  The chart for this family is attached below.

Family Tree Maker - 2012, Charts and Reports.

I know this gets a little confusing at times...OK, it gets very confusing at times.  I will include a pedigree chart at the end of this post to help keep everyone straight. William Armistead, (1730-1791), is the next of my direct ancestors and is a fifth generation member in America.  William is the direct ancestor that left Virginia and moved to North Carolina.  He married Sarah Jordan (1739-1818) in 1756, probably in North Carolina but could have been Virginia.  They had eleven children, (chart attached).  Their first child was born in North Carolina in 1757.  Both William and his brother Anthony were active in 1758 in having the Bertie County courthouse located in Windsor, N.C.

Family Tree Maker - 2012, Charts and Reports.

This next period I will cover will take some time to put together because it covers the period of time that includes the American Revolution.  I will cover roughly 1750 to 1800.  I have put together my direct ancestors up to this point based on research that I have read and pieced together.  Other genealogists out there have different scenarios for the pedigree chart from William Armistead (abt 1610-1660) (the immigrant) to William Armistead (1730-1791) of North Carolina.  I would like to have some discussion about the chart up to this point with anyone that reads this and has something different. From William and Sarah Armistead on down I am very confident of my pedigree chart. It is backed with solid research and a family bible with many dates and names.  So attached below is the chart I would like to discuss with anyone that would like to either agree or disagree (just post a comment or write me at my e-mail at the top of the page).  My next post will cover the new home of the Armistead's in North Carolina.  

Family Tree Maker - 2012, Charts and Reports.

References:
(1) Hawke, David Freeman, Everyday Life in Early America, New York: Harper & Row, 1988, pg 13.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid, pg 17.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid, pg 33.
(6) Ibid, pg 37.
(7) Ibid.
(8) Ibid, pg 36.
(9)  Ibid, pg 17, 39.
(10) Ibid, pg 38.
(11) Ibid, pg 32.
(12) http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1700.html
(13) Ibid.
(14) Ibid.
(15) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon52.html
(16) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html
(17) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html
(18) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html
(19) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html
(20) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon54.html
(21) http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon54.html
(22) https://web.viu.ca/davies/h320/population.colonies.htm