William Grinstead, III

Male 1685 - 1764  (79 years)


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  • Name William Grinstead 
    Suffix III 
    Birth 1685  Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 1764  Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • From Lita Wilcox. May 23, 2001. See https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/grinstead/77/

      Generation No. 3

      5.WILLIAM3 GRINSTEAD III (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born 1685 in Northumberland Henrico County Virginia.He married ELIZABETH UNKNOWN.

      Children of WILLIAM GRINSTEAD and ELIZABETH UNKNOWN are:
      i. HANNAH4 GRINSTEAD, b. June 26, 1716.
      7. ii. JOHN GRINSTEAD I, b. March 14, 1717/18, Northumberland Henrico County VA; d. July 11, 1791, Richmond Henrico County.
      iii. JANE GRINSTEAD, b. December 19, 1722.

      6.WILLIAM3 GRINSTEAD III (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born 1685 in Northumberland Henrico County VA.He married ELIZABETH UNKNOWN.

      Children of WILLIAM GRINSTEAD and ELIZABETH UNKNOWN are:
      8. i. JOHN4 GRINSTEAD, b. May 04, 1717, Northumberland Henrico County VA; d. July 22, 1791, Richmond Henrico County.
      ii. SUSANNA GRINSTEAD, b. January 12, 1710/11.
      iii. HANNAH GRINSTEAD, b. June 26, 1715.
      iv. GEORGE GRINSTEAD, b. February 16, 1718/19.
      v. JANE GRINSTEAD, b. December 29, 1722.

      From https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LCYQ-9QS:

      "WILL:

      The following will is on pages 425-26 of NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY RECORD BOOK NO. 6, 1762 -- 1766. I have used '&S' to represent a strange symbol that appears several times.

      In the name of God amen. I William Grinstead of Northumberland in the Colony of Virginia being very sick and weak of body, tho in perfect sence and memory, thanks be to Almighty God for the same do make and ordain this to be my last Will & Testament Revoking and Disannulling all other Wills by me heretofore made. Imprimis whereof I do give my Soul to Almighty God that gave it me, hoping through the merits of his only son Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour to Receive full Pardon and Remission of all my Sins, and as to what worldly goods or Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow on me, I give as followeth. Item, I Give or otherwise Lend to my Loving wife Grace Grinstead During her Natural life all my Estate Both Real & Personal to act and do as she pleases with &S.____
      Item, I give to my daughter Martha Anne Neal and her husband John Neale & their Survivors heirs &S. that part of my Land whereon I now live, Bounded as followeth on the Land of Joseph Power, George Garner and Thomas Webb, & from thence according to a line made and run by my self in the Presence of Mr. Neddy Barnes to the land of Mr. John Elford, and from thence to the beginning Land of Joseph Power. ____
      Item, I Give to my Daughter Leanor Edwards and her husband John Edwards and their survivors &S. that part of my Land called Taylour according to the bounds hereafter mentioned Viz't on the lands before given to my Daughter Martha Anne Neale and John Neale and the Land of Thomas Webb & the Swamp Leeding from Capt. Foushees Mill to John Elfords Mill & on the Lands of s'd Elford.____
      Item, I Give to my Daughter Hannah McGoon & to her heirs forever One Shilling Sterl. & no more.
      Item, I give to my grandson William Bailess & to the heirs of his body Lawfully begotton all that Tract of Land whereon John Neale now lives on, the s'd John Neale not to be Disturbed or Molested during my and my wifes Natural Life.____
      Item, I give all the Remainder part of my Estate after my wifes death be it of what kind or Quality soever to be Equally Divided between my two Daughters Martha Anne Neale & Leanor Edwards & their heirs forever, the s'd Hanah McGoon nor her heirs not to have any part or parcel thereof in any kind or shape whatsoever. I nominate & appoint my Loving Wife Grace Grinstead and my Son in Law John Neale my whole & sole Exec'x and Exec'r In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seale the 16th day of September 1763.____

      William ( his WG mark) Greenstead (seal)

      Sealed & Delivered in
      Presence of us. Sam'l Eskridge
      Neddy Barnes
      John Smith

      At a Court Held for Northumberland County the 11th day of June 1764. This Last Will and Testament of William Grinstead dec'd was Pesented in Court by Grace Grinstead the Exec'x therein named who made oath thereto according to Law. And being Proved by the oaths of Samuel Eskridge and Neddy Barnes two of the witnesses thereto was admitted to Record. And on the motion of the s'd Exec'x Giving Security Certificate is granted her for obtaining a Probate thereof in due form_____

      Teste. Tho. Jones

      ANALYSIS:

      The name 'William Grinstead' occurs several times in the public records of Northumberland Co. between 1705 and 1764. In 1706 he bought land and in 1705 he was chosen by his brother Thomas to be his guardian; in 1711 he proved a will. Between 1712 and 1733 7 children were born to him. He wrote his will in 1763.

      These references could be to one person or to two. For the moment assume one.

      In 1705 it is unlikely that he was younger than 18. If he was 18, he was born in 1687, and when he died in 1764 he was 77. In the 18th century 77 is quite old, so it is convenient to say that he was relatively young in 1705 and that if he was born before 1687, his birth year was not much before 1687. If he was born in 1685 he was 21 when he bought land, 20 when he became the guardian of his brother and 79 when he died. We know when Adam Grinstead was born (14 Oct 1674) and we know that he proved a will in 1704 (15 Nov) when he was 20.

      The parish records in Northumberland Co. indicate the name of the child and the name of the father. See pages 55 & 56 in Northumberland County, Record of Births, 1661 -- 1810; Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 1 compiled by Beverley Fleet (1988 reprint; originally 34 volumes 1937 -- 1949). There is no record of William's birth, but between 1712 and 1733 7 children were born to William Grinstead. For a woman 21 years is a reasonable period of time between the first and last child. If William were born in 1685 he would have had children between the ages of 27 and 48. The gap between Jane and Leannah suggests that William may have had 2 wives. The 7 births are

      Susana 21 Jan 1712
      Hannah 26 Jun 1716
      John 4 Mar 1718
      George 16 Feb 1719
      Jane 29 Dec 1722
      Leannah 26 Aug 1731
      Martha Ann 2 Feb 1733

      "Another William Grinstead was born in 1701. The children born in 1731 and in 1733 could have been his, and he might have been the William Grinstead who wrote his will in 1763. However, the will lists Leonor {the original Northumberlin Co VA birth record 1661-1810 source says Leannah not Lenore :notation mine} born in 1731 and Martha Anne born in 1733 AND Hannah born in 1716. It is very unlikely that William Grinstead born in 1701 was the father of Hannah. Thus he was also not the father of Leonor and Martha Ann and he was not the author of the will."

      The other William born in 1701 could have been Thomas' son (This William's cousin Thomas b. 1679, his uncle John son).
    Person ID I00232  McKenzie Genealogy
    Last Modified 29 Oct 2021 

    Father William Grinstead, II,   b. 20 Jan 1651, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Dec 1696 (Age 45 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Female Parse   d. UNKNOWN 
    Relationship natural 
    Family ID F00220  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elizabeth Grace Parse   d. UNKNOWN 
    Children 
     1. Susanna Grinstead,   b. 21 Jan 1712, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. UNKNOWN  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     2. Hannah Grinstead,   b. 26 Jun 1716, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. UNKNOWN  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     3. John Grinstead, I,   b. 4 Mar 1718, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Jul 1791, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     4. George Grinstead,   b. 16 Feb 1719, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1720 (Age 0 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     5. Jane Grinstead,   b. 29 Dec 1722, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. UNKNOWN  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     6. Leannah Grinstead,   b. 26 Aug 1731, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. UNKNOWN  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     7. Martha Ann Grinstead,   b. 2 Feb 1733, Northumberland County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. UNKNOWN  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F00219  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 29 Oct 2021 

  • Documents
    The William Grinstead Family in America (1974)
    The William Grinstead Family in America (1974)
    This copy is the original edition created by Gorrell Shumaker and John L.N. Grinstead
    The William Grinstead Family in America (Supplement)
    The William Grinstead Family in America (Supplement)


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