By Jared L. Olar
January 2020
The Southern surname is an English toponymic name that designates a family that lived in the southern portion of a town, city, county, or shire. The name has numerous variants, including Souther, Southard, Sothard, Southward, Southworth, Suddeth, and Suddarth. Our own Southern ancestors were a family of Virginia colonists who lived in the 1600s and 1700s -- the family was headed by Thomas Southern (c.1670-1704) of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. Unfortunately Thomas' parentage and ancestry are unknown, but he may have been related to Capt. John Southern of Jamestown Colony. Most fascinating is that the male-line descendants of William Southern (1722-1794) of Stokes County, North Carolina, have been found to have a Y chromosome that is identical to that of the descendants of Thomas Southworth (or Southard) of Leiden, Holland, son of Edward Southworth, the Pilgrim of Leiden. Genealogical research had indicated that William Southern was a descendant of Capt. John Southern of Jamestown -- if that is true, then Capt. Southern may have been closely related to the Edward Southworth family. On the other hand, William Southern may not be one of Capt. Southern's descendants after all, but may instead be a descendant of Thomas Southworth. Could our Southerns also be related to the Pilgrim of Leiden?
In addition to Capt. John Southern of Jamestown, early Virginia colonial records show several other colonists bearing the Southern surname, any of whom could have been the father of our Thomas Southern. For example, a Thomas Southerne appears in 1635 at Warrasquinoake, Virginia, sponsored by William Clark. There is also a Thomas Southern who is mentioned in Charles City, Virginia, on 24 Nov. 1653 as an indentured servant of Francis Grey (see Mrs. Louise Foley's Early Virginia Families Along the James River: Their Deep and Tangled Branches, Vol. II). The same Thomas Southern appears again in Northampton, Virginia, in 1656, with Nicholas Waddilow as his sponsor. This Thomas Southern may have been a brother of Capt. John Southern. It is unclear whether or not these "Thomas Southern" records are all of the same man, but it is likely that they are, and it is possible that our Thomas Southern was his son. There was also an Edward Southern in Northampton, Virginia, in 1647, with Stephen Harsey and Nicholas Waddilow as sponsors. The same Edward Southern appears again in Northampton on 21 Nov. 1654, when he was assigned to the Edward Smith 300-acre land grant.
Since we cannot speak certainly of the ancestors of our Thomas Southern, we turn now to an account of his family:
1. THOMAS SOUTHERN, parentage and ancestry unknown, born circa 1670 probably in Richmond County, Virginia, died between 17 April 1704 and 2 Aug. 1704 in Richmond County, Virginia. Although Thomas' parentage and ancestry are unknown, it is possible that he was related in some way to the Southern family of Middlesex County, Virginia. In fact, many online family trees state without evidence that Thomas was youngest of the known children of Capt. John Southern of Jamestown Colony and his wife Memory Tucker, who were of the Middlesex County Southerns. On the other hand, the "Glassy Mountain Clan" family tree at Ancestry.com says Thomas was a nephew of Capt. John Southern -- the family tree says our Thomas' father was also named Thomas Southern, shown in the tree as Capt. Southern's brother, and that this earlier Thomas Southern is mentioned on 24 Nov. 1653 as an indentured servant of Francis Grey. Unfortunately the "Glassy Mountain Clan" tree does not provide evidence for this filiation of our Thomas Southern. Again, our Thomas' date of birth is unknown, but some online family trees state without evidence that he was born 1 May 1660. Be that as it may, the most that can be said is that Thomas was probably born circa 1670, a date that is arrived at by assuming that Thomas was at least 21 years old when his eldest known child was born in 1691. Thomas married probably circa 1690 in Richmond County, Virginia, to ELEANOR (NN), born circa 1673 probably in Virginia, died after 6 Aug. 1733 probably in Richmond County, Virginia. Thomas and Eleanor had three daughters and three sons.
The parish register of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, lists three children of Thomas and Eleanor Southern: Susanna Southern, born 19 March 1691, Winnefred Southern, born 8 March 1693, and Thomas Southern, born 4 Dec. 1695. Thomas also names two other sons, James and William, and mentions (but does not name) a third daughter.
In Richmond County Deed Book 2, page 144, is a deed by which Thomas Dusin sold land to "Thomas Southerne." The abstract of the deed reads as follows: "Sept. 7, 1695 -- Thomas Dusin and Susanne my wife of Co. of Richmond B. and S. unto Thomas Southerne of same Co. 30 acres part of patent granted to Thomas Dusin 21-7ber 1687 -- lying head of Totuskey Branches -- upon old Cone path formerly belonging to Daniel O'Neal xxx divides the land of Mr. Spencer -- corner red oak formerly belonging to Wm. Mathews xxx land formerly belonging to John Henly. Wit: Wm. Norris, Elizabeth Norris, Charles Dodson."
Thomas made his will on 17 April 1704 and died during the summer of 1704, perhaps as early as May but certainly no later than 2 Aug. 1704, when his will was proved and an inventory of his estate was taken. His will is recorded in Richmond County Will Book 2, page 70. An abstract of his will here follows:
April 17, 1704 - Aug. 2, 1704 -- Will of Thomas Sutherne of Richmond County -- son Thomas Sutherne, my dwelling plantation, etc. -- personal estate to be divided betw. Elinor Sutherne and her 3 daughters. -- 2 sons Wm. Sutherne and James Sutherne -- dau-in-law Mary Southing. Executrix: wife. Wit: Christopher Petty, Bartho. Richard Dodson, Charles Dodson, Sr.
Thomas' widow Eleanor survived him by at least 29 years, as is shown from her appearance in a real estate deed dated 6 Aug. 1733, by which Eleanor, her daughter Winnefred, and Winnefred's husband Abraham Dale sold land to Thomas Dodson Jr. The deed is recorded in Richmond County Deed Book 8, page 660. An abstract of the deed here follows:
Aug. 6, 1733 -- Abraham Dale and Winefred his wife and Ellenor Southern of the Parish of North Farnham, Co. of Richmond, to Thomas Dodson, Jr., of same County, for 600 lbs. of Tobacco, 30 acres more or less, being of a patent granted to Thomas Dusin, dated September 25, 1687 -- land located at head of Totuskey Branch, bounded by land of Daniel O'Neale, Mr. Spencer, Duson, Wm. Mathews, and John Henly. Signed: Winifred Dale, Eleanor Southern, Abra. Dale; Wit: Godfrey Willcocks, Chas. Dodson; Atty: M. Beckwith
The children of Thomas and Eleanor Southern were:
-- SUSANNA SOUTHERN, born 19 March 1691 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
2. WINNEFRED SOUTHERN, born 8 March 1693 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- THOMAS SOUTHERN JR., born 4 Dec. 1695 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- (DAU.) SOUTHERN, born circa 1697 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- WILLIAM SOUTHERN, born circa 1699 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- JAMES SOUTHERN, born circa 1701 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
2. WINNEFRED SOUTHERN, daughter of Thomas and Eleanor Southern, born 8 March 1693 in North Farnham Parish, Lancaster County (later Richmond County), Virginia, died circa 1763 in Richmond County, Virginia. Winnefred's birth is recorded in the parish register of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. In 1714 in Richmond County, Virginia, Winnefred married ABRAHAM DALE, son of Reuben and Elizabeth Dale, born 3 June 1693 in Lancaster County, Virginia, died 1740 (before 4 Aug. 1740) in Richmond County, Virginia. Abraham and Winnefred had seven sons and one daughter. The following overview of Abraham Dale and his family is presented at the website of a Dale genealogist named Joseph A. Payne called Descendants of Nicholas Dale -- Payne's account is correct in its essentials, but erroneously includes the name "Dellaware" as an alternate surname for Abraham and one of his sons:
Abraham Dellaware 4 DALE, (Reuben 3 DALE, Thomas 2 DELLAWARE, Nicholas 1 DALE) was born June 3, 1693, in Lancaster Co., Va., and in 1714 in Richmond, Va., married Winnefred SOUTHERN, daughter of Thomas SOUTHERN and ELEANOR, who was born March 8, 1692/1693 in North Farnham, Lancaster, Va. Abraham Dellaware died on Oct. 4, 1740 in Richmond, Va. Winnefred died about 1763.
Children:
+ William 5 DALE b.c. 1715 d. Jan. 1758
+ Ann DALE b. April 2, 1717
+ Reuben DALE b. Sept. 21, 1720 d. Jan. 1768
+ Francis DALE b. March 18, 1720+
+ Abraham DALE b. April 4, 1724
+ Isaac DALE b. Nov. 15, 1727
+ Thomas DALE b. April 20, 1730 d. 1772
+ Robert Dellewar DALE b. March 27, 1731 d. 1779
As noted previously, it is puzzling that this Dale family appears in one early record under the surname of "Dellaware" rather than "Dale." That has led many Dale genealogists, such as Joe Payne (above), to conclude that in this period "Dellaware" was either an alternate surname for the Dales, or else was used as a middle name. We can be reasonably certain that "Dellaware" was not a middle name, as formal middle names were all but unknown in English colonial families in the 1600s and most of the 1700s. The Dale genealogy found in Nicholas Dale to Elzadia Florence Dale includes the following discussion of the "Dellaware" question:
Dr. Lucille Dillinger Alexander reported that in the Register of North Farnham Parish, 1663-1814, Richmond County, Virginia, that an entry lists: Dellewar, Ann, daughter of Abraham and Winnefred Delleware, page 44, b. _ April 1717. Dr. Alexander further states: "That this is the only entry using Dellewar as the family name and evidently the family changed the name to Dale sometime between 1717 and the next entry in 1720. The next entry lists, Reuben Dale, born September 21, 1721." However, the deed above from John Simmonds (Symmons) also confirms that Abraham Dale was the son of Reuben Dale (the elder). About 1694 Reuben Dale (the elder) had died and John Simmonds willed his land to Abraham and Reuben Dale (the younger) because Elizabeth Simmonds Dale, daughter of John Simmonds, had been married to this Reuben Dale (the elder). The Dale family line was well established before this entry in the North Farnham Parish Register. The author reviewed the Register of the North Farnham Parish, 1663-1742 and on page 37 found the following entry: DALE SEE: DELLEWAR [!] PAGE 44. On pages 37 to 39 following the above entry are then listed forty-six entries for the Dale family. On page 44 the entry is: DELLEWAR SEE: DALE PAGES 37-39 which is then followed by: DELLEWAR, ANN daughter of Abraham and Winnefred Dellewar, 2 April 1717. This may have been an error in the register report. A Lord de La Ware was active in the local government and perhaps the family admired him or he was a family friend. The 3rd. Lord Delaware was Thomas West and who was named Lord in 1602. However, this line of Lord Delaware would not seem to be present at the time of Abraham Dalem but perhaps the family used this as a middle name. The author does not believe that there was a family name change based on records noted in this writing.
Since there is no evidence besides this single birth entry that our Dales ever bore the name "Dellaware," and English colonists in the 1600s and early 1700s did not have middle names, the only plausible explanation is that "Dellaware" is a copyist's transcription error. Presumably the original record of Ann's birth on which the birth register's compiler relied was difficult to read, resulting in the copyist writing down "Delle" (Dale) as "Dellewar." It should also be noted that no record ever refers to Abraham Dale's son Robert as "Robert Dellewar Dale," nor is Abraham's grandfather Thomas Dale ever called "Thomas Dellaware."
Besides the abovequoted passage on the "Dellaware" question, the genealogical account of our Dale family that is found in Nicholas Dale to Elzadia Florence Dale also offers the following very informative account of Abraham Dale and his family:
Abraham Dellaware Dale, the son of Reuben Dale, was born on June 3, 1693, in Virginia and died October 4, 1740, intestate, in Richmond County, Virginia. It is thought that he was born in Richmond County, Virginia, and lived his entire life there. In 1714 he married Winifred Southern, born on March 8, 1693. They lived on the head of Totuskey Creek that enters from the north side into the Rappahannock River in the Parish of North Farnham in the mid-portion of Richmond County, Virginia. Five sons are shown in the North Farnham Parish Register of Births, 1722-1800, Richmond County, Virginia, including William, Reuben, Abraham, Isaac, Robert and Thomas. It is also known that they had two daughters, Ann and Frances. The inventory of Abraham and Winifred Dale lists children as Rubin (sic), Abraham, Isaac, Robert, and Thomas.
In August of 1715 Abraham Dale received one-half of the plantation and land of John Simmon(d)s in Richmond County, Virginia. This land was bequeathed by the will of John Simmonds to Abraham Dale and his son, Reuben Dale (the younger). Reuben Dale (the elder), Abraham Dale's father, had married Elizabeth Simmonds, John Simmonds' daughter. John Simmond's will states "All thereof of my land I do give to be co-equally divided between Abraham Dale and Thomas Young with my plantation I now live upon after the decease of loving wife Elizabeth, to them and their heirs forever." Isaac Dale, son of Abraham, received one two-year-old heifer from the same will. Reuben Dale (the elder), who married Elizabeth Simmonds, was Abraham Dale's father and Reuben and Isaac Dale's grandfather. John Simmonds' will further states "My will and choosing is that she (Elizabeth, his wife) shall not go without during her life but all to remain as I leave it, that is that she shall have the use of it as long as she lives." John Simmons (Simmonds) also directed in his will six hundred pounds of tobacco per year to his mother to be paid by Abraham Dale, Thomas Glascock, Rawleigh Downman, and Thomas Young. On September 7, 1695, Thomas Dusin (Duson) and his wife, Susanna, deeded thirty acres of land in the Parish of Farnham in Richmond County, Virginia, to Thomas Southerne (sic). This land was described as same Co 30 acres part of patent granted to Thomas Dusin (Dusin) 21 [...]ber 1687 lying head of Totuskey Branches upon old Cone path formerly belonging to Daniel Oneal. This land from Thomas Southern is the same as the property deeded below on August 6, 1733, from Abraham Dale, Winifred Southern Dale, and Ellenor Southern to Thomas Dodson.
On August 12, 1726, Thomas Dale, son of Abraham Dale, was granted 126 acres of land in Richmond County, Virginia following an inquisition that was held on April 7, 1725. During this inquisition the Deputy Escheator, George Eskridge, granted the land to Thomas Dale based on the oaths of 12 freemen as witnesses. The men stated that there were no heirs to Thomas Dusin. This land was in the estate of Thomas Dusin (Duson) and the land claimed by Thomas Dale in 1774. Thomas Dale was to pay yearly rent. This acreage was part of the Northern Neck Fairfax Proprietary land that was granted to Thomas Dusin in 1694. The land was adjacent to land owned by a Mr. William Fletcher and a Mr. Wilks. On August 6, 1733, Abraham Dale, Winifred Southern Dale, and Ellinor (sic) (Ellenor) Southern (mother of Winifred Southern Dale) sold thirty acres of land in Richmond County, Virginia, to Thomas Dodson for six hundred pounds of tobacco. This land was originally part of a land patent granted to Thomas Duson (Dusin) on September 25, 1687, and was lying and being on the head of Totuskey branch beginning at a white oak corner tree standing upon old Conopath formerly belonging to Daniel Oneal thence along a line of marked trees that divides the land of Mr. Spencer and the above said Dusons (Dusin's) land till we come to corner red oak formerly belonging unto William and Ellinor Southern. Further information about Abraham, his wife, Elizabeth Southern Dale, and Ellinor (sic) (Eleanor) Southern, mother of Elizabeth, describes a tract of land containing thirty acres more or less being part of a tract of a pattent (sic) granted to Thomas Duson (Dusin) baring date September 25, 1687, to Thomas Dodson for six hundred pounds of tobacco. The deed was signed Winifred Dale (her mark), Eleanor Southern (her mark), and Abram (Abraham) Dale. The witnesses were Godfrey Willcocks and Charles Dodson. This land was further described as "The said land lying & being on the head of Totuskey branch beginning at a white oak corner tree standing upon old conopath formerly belonging to Daniel Oneal Then a long a line of marked trees that divides the land of Mr. Spencer & the above said Duson's (Dusin's) land till we come to corner Red Oak formerly belonging unto Will m Matthews thence a long the said Matthew's line to another Red Oak corner tree standing by the line of the said Mathews thence along a line now marked trees in the land of Thomas Dusons (Dusin) its ... courses till it come to another corner Hickory tree thence along the said ... line its several courses till it comes to a small black oak corner tree standing in the said Dusons (Dusin's) line thence along its said line till wee come to a line that divided the land formerly belonging to John Henly & the above Duson (Dusin) to along the said line to our first beginning."
"On May 28, 1741, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of great Britain Rubin (sic) Dale (the younger) sold to George Glascock twentyfive acres of land which had been granted to John Symmons (Simmonds) by the Honorable Robert Carter, Esq. and the (said) Symmons (Simmonds) gave the (said) land to Abraham Dale and Rubin (Reuben) Dale (the younger and son of Abraham Dale) his son being heir to his father." John Simmonds was the father-in-law of Reuben Dale (the elder and father of Abraham Dale) and the term father was often applied for a father-in-law. An additional sixty acres of land was also transferred by this same deed from "Rubin (sic) Dale" (the younger) and Abraham Dale to George Glascock. The Dales, Simmonds, and Southerns all had land connected to the Thomas Dusin (Duson) patent.
The abovementioned details of Abraham's life and family, and various other like details, are found in documents compiled or abstracted in Almon Edward Daniels' A Workbook on the Dale Families of Virginia (1958).
The date of Abraham's death and the names of most of his chldren are discerned from the date of the inventory of his estate, as recorded in Robert K. Headley Jr.'s Richmond County, Virginia, Wills, page p.370, which says, "Abraham DALE, inv; 4 Aug 1740. [Abraham and Winifred DALE had the foll. chil: Rubin (b.1721), Abraham (b.1724), Isaac (b.1727), Robert (b.1730 ?), and Thomas (b.1730). NFPR, pp.37-38.]" Since Abraham was dead by 4 Aug. 1740, he probably died within a month or two prior to the date of his estate inventory.
The children of Winnefred and Abraham Dale were:
-- WILLIAM DALE, born circa 1715 in North Farnham Parish, Lancaster County, Virginia, died Jan. 1758 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, married Frances Phillips.
-- ANN DALE, born 2 April 1717 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- REUBEN DALE, born 21 Sept. 1720 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- FRANCIS DALE, born 18 March 1721 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, died in infancy.
-- ABRAHAM DALE, born 4 April 1724 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- ISAAC DALE, born 15 Nov. 1727 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.
-- ROBERT DALE, born 27 March 1730 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, died 1778/9 in Prince William County, Virginia, married Elizabeth (Hanks?).
-- THOMAS DALE, born 20 April 1731 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, died 1772 in Richmond County, Virginia, married Alice Dodson.
Southern Genealogy Resources:
Ancestors of Alexandra Catlin Vaut, with purported ancestry of Thomas Southern of Richmond County, Virginia. Find-A-Grave memorial for Capt. John Southern, who is claimed to be father of Thomas Southern. A Workbook on the Dale Families of Virginia, with Particular Reference to the Branch which moved from the Northern Neck of Virginia to Woodford County, Kentucky (1958), by Almon Edward Daniels. Nicholas Dale to Elzadia Florence Dale, a detailed and informative account of the Dales of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. Descendants of Nicholas Dale, summary of Dale lineage. Descendants of Nicholas Dale, a more detailed summary of Dale lineage. Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties, showing Thomas Southern and his family. Winnefred Southern, wife of Abraham Dale.