From: Edna Barney
Subject: Major John Weir, 1650 Virginia
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2005 15:09:24 -0500
This is merely food for thought. I have often wondered if the early
WARE family of Virginia was connected to Amer VIA. Realizing that the
letters "W" and "V" were used interchangeably during the middle ages, we
really need to look for the name VIA under the "W" spellings also. I
came upon some DNA testings for the Virginia WAREs and they do not seem
to match the VIA DNA markers, so I had given up on that prospect.
I was perusing the on-line Virginia Patents at the Library of Virginia
and I came upon Captain (Major) John WEIR (WEIRE) of Rappahannock
County, Virginia. He had many land transactions during the 1660s in
that county and in Lancaster County also. There is even one deal with
Thomas BALLARD. Doing a bit of Internet research about Captain John
WIER, I found him in Gloucester County in 1650 and I even found the will
of his wife, Honoria (maiden name unknown). Honoria JONES had died by 4
Jan 1685/6 when her will, dated 21st Oct 1685 was recorded in *Old
Rappahannock County, Virginia*:
"Will of Honoria JONES, widow & Relict of Mr. George JONES, being
sick & weak of body, but ... to my Daughter Margaret BLAGG, that
seat... of land wch I purc. of Colnll. John VASSALL lying & being on
South Side of Rappa. River contaying Eleven hundred seventy & five
acres the sd land to be at her absolute sole disposall for ever...
to my Daughter Elizabeth GARDNER my Wedding Ring wch joyned me and
my Husband Majr. John WEIRE in Matrimonie... to my Son In Law Mr.
Abraham BLAGG 20 Shillings to buy him a mourning Ring... to my son
Richard GARDNER, a knife a ring of the aforesd value... to my
Grandchild Richard WATTS, one Silver .. Grandson, Edward BLAGG, same
aforesaid... to my Grandson Edward BLAGG same aforesaid... Grandson
Luke GARDNER the same ... Grandson Jno GARDNER the same... Daughter
Margrett BLAGG, Wife of Mr. Abraham BLAGG to be my sole Executrix..
S/Honoria JONES. Wits: James HARRISON, Andw. [AO] ONEBY, Michael
BASSEY, Prvd. 21 Dec 1685 by BASSEY, Wits. Henry AWBREY, Geo.
TAYLER. Rec. 4 Jan 1685/6." (Old Rappa. WB2:84-5, Old Rappahannock VA
Wills, Ruth & Sam Sparacio, McLean, VA)
Notice that a witness to her will is HENRY AWBREY! According to
Virginia Patent Book 6, page 565, William VIER was one of 102 persons
transported by Mr. HENRY AUBERY who recorded 5100 acres in Rappahannock
County, Virginia exactly ten years earlier in 1675.
When Major John WEIR died, he left a will in Maryland:
*7th May, 1671 - 28th Apr., 1678* (Maryland Wills, Liber 9, Folio
78) Will of Major John WEIRE of *Rappahannock Co., Va*. To wife
Honoria, dower rights. To daughter-in-law Margaret, wife of John
WATTS of Potomac R., and hrs., part of a tract of land, 1,108 A.,
bought of Henry RANDOLPH of Jamestown (½ of sd. tract having already
been sold to *Robert PAYNE*). To dau. Eliza: and hrs., "The Island"
at 21 yrs. of age. To son John and hrs., residue of lands in Va. and
elsewhere. Exs.: Son-in-law Jno. WATTS, Wm. MOSELY, Capt. Jno. HULL.
Test: Jno. BATES, Luke HUMBLETON, Jno. JEFFERY. (Maryland Calendar
of Wills: Volume 1, p. 208)
I suspect that the WILLIAM VIER who was transported by
Henry AWBREY in 1675, is likely the William VEALE who left a will, 29
May 1693 - 10 Feb 1693/4 in Essex County, Virginia. "May the 29th day
1693. /Will of William VEALE. In the name of God Amen. I William VEALE
of the County of Essex in the parsh of Sittingbourne being very sick and
weake but of perfect Sence and memory doe make and ordaine this my last
Will and Testament in matters and forms as followeth." (Orders, etc, No. 1 [Deeds and Wills] 1692-1695, pg 252-253.)
http://www.combs-families.org/combs/assoc/butler.htm#c-chas
To add more mystery to this, William VEALE's family married into
the BUTLER family and George JONES, Honoria's second husband, had been a
co-administrator in 1679 with Amory BUTLER. "Amory" is what I had always
suspected was the name that "Amor or Amer" VIA may have been.
The outstanding COMBS Family Research Report
(http://www.combs-families.org/combs/assoc/vassall.htm) has an excellent
treatise: *VASSALL and WARE/WARRE/WEIRE* Families
Edna Barney (www.ednabarney.com)
