Two Land Patents of James Taylor I

Two Land Patents of James Taylor I

The map may be magnified by clicking on the 100% at the bottom right corner and choosing up to 400%.

These two land patents are at the Library of Virginia. With the help of Bob Allen, I found them online at the library's website. I then got the idea to draw them. The first problem with that is trying to read them. After hours of straining my eyes over them, I had enough of the information. I then emailed Bob and asked him if he knew how to draw land patents from the descriptions. He emailed back that he had drawn them years ago and he sent me his drawings. I then tried drawing them from scratch and checking what I drew against what Bob had drawn. I wanted to put the drawings on a map of the area. To do this, you must also locate the land patents of others, especially Maj. Thomas Walker because James I's later patent connects to Maj. Thomas Walker's patent and to "ye patent sd. Taylor now liveth on".

This map is the result of hours of work by both me and Bob. I then used the patent descriptions to label the points and the lines. I used some of Bob's wording when I did this. You will find that information in the key which is below the map. I also put together a chart to show the relationships of the different patents in the area that had a connection to the two patents of James Taylor I.

In researching this area of VA I stumbled onto the website of Jerry and Cecky Walker. Jerry is a direct descendant of Maj. Thomas Walker and lives on part of his patent which has been in the family for over 300 years. He helped me by answering questions about the area and also referred me to his sister, Virginia, who is the genealogist of the family. Virginia and I corresponded by emails and found that we are cousins through the Todds (Ann Hubbard who married James Taylor IV was a Todd granddaughter). On my trip back to the states this summer, I met Virginia and she showed me around King & Queen County including some of the places on this map: the location of Ft. Mattaponi, Locust Grove, Hillsboro, and Henley's Fork.

KEY FOR PATENT OF JAMES TAYLOR*

950 acres in the freshes of the Mattapony River being the dividend the said Taylor now liveth on

13 Oct 1686, patent book 7 / page 520

Point/Line	Description
A	begin at 3 pines in a meadow
A--B	104 poles, course not stated, by the line of George Weston
B--C	30 poles, course N 30 deg. E, land of Bagby
C--D	distance unstated, course N 40 deg. W
D	John Joy's corner red oake standing by a branch
D--E	332 poles, N 47 deg. E
E	hickary
E--F	235 poles, N 45 deg. W
F	Spanish oake
F--G	94 poles, N 45 deg. E
G	white oake
G--H	40 poles, N 78 deg. E
H	pine by the ridge path
H--I	350 poles, along the several courses of the ridge path (distance furnished by Joseph Haile patent (7 / 520), this line on the topographic map is 320 poles as other distances of the patent will not match if it is 350 poles, perhaps the Haile line extended 30 poles past the corner of James' land
I	two red oakes
I--J	128 poles, SW
J--K	93 poles, S 30 deg. E
K	red oake
K--L	146 poles, SE, line crosses over Torropin Swamp (Phillip Watkins' patent description has 145 poles)
L	red oake
L--A	370 poles, S 46 deg. W, an ancient line dividing this land from the land of Thomas White (Thomas White patent not found)

KEY FOR PATENT OF JAMES TAYLOR & JOHN NEAL*

209 acres, 20 Oct 1689, patent book 8 / page 16

Point/Line	Description
A	begin at a great pine in a marsh below James Taylor's plantation and two more great pines standing by it
A--M	147 poles, SW 4 deg. W, John Neal's line (John Neal or Neel patent for this adjoining land not found)
M	red oake in Col. Thomas Walker's line
M--N	68 poles, SE point E, Col. Thomas Walker's line
N	___?__ and a slooping red oake and a slooping hickary
N--O	180 poles, SSE, Col. Thomas Walker's line
O	pond to land of Col. Thomas Walker and Robert Jones (line O--H must have had a pond on it and this matches the topographic map)
O--P	no distance stated, N point E, line of Robert Jones (N by E a quarter point N 166 poles to a white oake on level ground--Jones' patent description)
P	great knotty white oake corner
P--Q	58 poles, E, line of Robert Jones (E by S a quarter E to another red oake on ye Wesoctan branch--Jones' patent description)
Q	red oake
Q--R	43 poles, N by E, line of Jones (N 59 deg. E 44 poles along a line of Col. Robert Abrahall to a small pine and oak--Jones' patent description)
R	red oake and small pine sapling by a path
R--S	49 poles (N NE 45 poles to a red oake--Jones' patent description)
S	red oake just under the hill
S--T	24 poles N W
T	Thomas White's corner being 2 small saplin red oakes and a saplin hickary (Thomas White's adjoining patent not found)
T--A	176 poles to beginning place

KEY FOR PATENT OF LT. COL. THOMAS WALKER*(also known as the Mattaponi Fort Patent; first issued to Edward Diggs, Esq.)

2600 acres, 20 Apr 1687, patent book 7 / pages 559

The color code to the above map for this patent = all of the letters are green except the blue N.

Point/Line	Description
A	Beginning at a corner small creek or run called Potapannica (there are several different spellings of this run in the various patents that describe this land)
A--B	and running down Mattaponi River ye several courses
B	to a corner oake standing by ye river above sunken ground
B--C	into ye woods NE 320 poles
C	to an oake
C--D	N 34 deg. W 320 poles
D	to a red oake under ye hill
D--E	N 62 deg. W 160 poles (this course from the patent of John Walker) the patent of Thomas Walker says N 82 poles which must be a mistake
E	to a pine and hickary in Toaconecan Swamp (there are several different spellings of this swamp in the various patents that describe this land)
E--F	N 85 deg. W 232 poles
F	to two pines
F--G	N 48 deg. W 160 poles
G	to an oake corner
G-- N	N 25 deg. W 320 poles
N	to an oake and hickary
N-- I	N 52 deg. W 160 poles
I	to two saplins, an oake and a hickary
I--J	N 76 deg. W (unknown distance)
J	to a red oake and Spanish (oak)
J--K	N 88 deg. W 88 poles
K	to two red oakes
K--A	South 160 poles by marked trees to ye aforsd run or creek to ye place it first began. Two thousand three hundred and fifty formerly granted Edward Diggs Esq.
X	Fort Mattaponi--the fort sits just in front of the cemetery on the river side towards Walkerton. It is approximately 40' x 80' with the long leg running parallel to the cemetery about 80' off the wall (of the cemetery)--this from John (Jerry) H. Walker III.

KEY FOR THE PATENT OF ROBERT JONES*

205 acres, 20 Oct 1688, patent book 7, pages 682-683

Point/Line	Description
O	beginning at a red oake on ye Weesoctan branch
O--P	and running N by E a quarter point N 166 poles
P	to a corner white oake on level ground
P--Q	E by S a quarter E (unknown distance)
Q	to another red oake on ye Wesoctan branch
Q--R	N 59 deg. E 44 poles along a line of Col. Robert Abrahall
R	to a small pine and oake
R--S	N N E 45 poles
S	to a red oake
S--N	S 62 deg. E 160 poles
N	to a head of a branch of Wesoctan branch by a red oake line supposed to belong to one Tho Seawell
N--M	S E 165 poles
M	to a corner red oake belonging to above sd Seawell and John Stark and Robert Jones on a hill side just over ye side of a deep valley
M--L	along ye line of Stark and Jones S W 160 poles
L	to a corner gum in a huckleberry pond/swamp or slash belonging to Robt Jones and John Walker
L--H	W three quarters N 260 poles along ye line of ye sd Walker and Jones
H	to a amll corner red oake of ye sd John Walker and Col. Tho Walker line
H--O	N 25 deg. W 45 poles to the beginning place

There are several discrepancies in the courses and distances of lines connecting P, Q, R, and S. I have drawn them as they may have been to connect to other known points using the information available.

KEY FOR THE PATENT OF JOHN WALKER*

560 acres, 21 Oct 1687, patent book 7, page 624

Courses and distances and descriptions taken from the patent map of John Walker drawn by Robert Allen (the handwriting on the original patent is very hard to read)

Point/Line	Description
H	beginning in Thomas Walker's N 40 deg. W line (from Bob Allen--this has to be a mistake by the surveyor. It has to begin in Thomas Walker's N 25 deg. W line for the point joining Thomas Walker's white oak corner at the head of his NW line)
H--L	E three fourths S 260 poles
L	gum corner belonging to John Stark in a meadow called Jones' meadow
L--O	SE 325 poles to a red oak adjoining John Stark's land, then SE 325 poles adjoining John Askin's land
O	to a white oak, hickory and a pine/pond
O--P	NE 67 poles
P	to a red oak close to the side of William and Thomas Camp's line
P--Q	S 43 deg. 90 poles adjoining Thomas Camp's land
Q	red oak in Thomas Camp's line belonging to Sylvester Allworth
Q--R	SW 100 poles
R	Spanish oak and a crooke hickory
R--S	NW 80 poles
S	small red oak
S--C	27 poles
C	Thomas Walker's white oak at the head of his NW line and at the end of his NE line (320 poles from the Mattaponi River)
C--D	N 34 deg W 320 poles (Thomas Walker's line)
D	red oak by side of land of Robert Spencer
D--E	N 62 deg. W 160 poles (Thomas Walker's line)
E	hickory and pine standing in Tomacomocon Mill Swamp
E--F	N 85 deg. W 232 poles (Thomas Walker's line)
F	two pines on falling ground
F--G	N 40 deg. W 160 poles, this boundary course and distance taken from Thomas Walker's patent
G	oak corner tree in Thomas Walker's patent
G--H	N 25 deg. W, this boundary course taken from Thomas Walker patent (distance was 320 poles in the Thomas Walker patent, this boundary course is also supported by Robert Jones' patent)

* descriptions of landmarks, distances and directions, and notes from the research of Robert M. Allen (a descendant of James Taylor I and Mary Gregory) and land patents at the Library of Virginia

Land Patent Chart

Showing some of the patents connected with those of James Taylor

Date	Patent Owner	Names in Description (all patents are north/northeast side of the Mattaponi River)	Acres	Book/Page
14 Sep 1668	JOHN ATKINS	A due mile from the river and backing a devident belong.g to EDWARD DIGGS, ESQR.	650	6 /210
28 Sep 1681	ROBERT SPENCER	Beg.g a due mile from said river backing a great dividend of EDWARD DIGGS, ESQR.	650	7 / 118
1 Jun 1653	EDWARD DIGGES	Mattapony Fort. Beginning at a small run called Pookatamanio	2350	3 / 16
26 Feb 1665	MAJ. THOMAS WALKER	Mattapony Fort. Beginning at a small run called Potataneno, formerly granted to EDWARD DIGGS ESQ. by patent dated 1 Jun 1653 and by him deserted.	2350	5 / 616
20 Apr 1687	LT. COL. THOMAS WALKER	Beg.g at a corner small creek or run called Potapannica & running down Mattapony River &c. 300 acres added to above patent for transport of 6 people to VA	2600	7 / 559
23 Apr 1681	ROBERT JONES	Adjacent to EDWARD DIGGS, beg.g &c. corner tree which stands by the side of Neescockan Branch.	250	7 / 79
20 Oct 1688	ROBERT JONES	Adjacent to above 250 acres and to ROBERT ABRAHALL, JOHN STARK, deep valley, Huckleberry Pond, JOHN WALKER and COL. THOMAS WALKER Walker	205	7 / 682-683
21 Oct 1687	JOHN WALKER	Adjacent toLT. COL. THOMAS WALKER, MR. JOHN STARKE, JONES' meadow, JOHN ADKINS (Atkins), close to William & Thomas Camp, Sylvester Alsworth, ROBERT SPENCER & Tommacorican Maine Swamp	560	7 / 624
20 Oct 1689	JAMES TAYLOR & John Neal(spelled Neel in next column)	Beg.g &c. in the marsh below JAMES TAYLORS plantation, adjoining land of John Neel, COLO. THO. WALKER, ROBERT JONES, & THOMAS WHITE *	209	8 / 16
30 Oct 1686	JAMES TAYLER	Freshes of the Mattaponi, being dividend of the said land on which TAYLOR liveth, adjacent to GEORGE WESTON, the BAGBY line, John Joy, the ridge path, Brovall (?) Crisp, Torropin Swamp & THOMAS WHITE, 200 acres of which was purchased from THOMAS REINOLDS on 3 Dec 1675, 100 acres from Joseph Haile on 25 Mar 1680, 400 acres from George Brooks on 30 Oct 1682, all three parcels being a part of 1500 acres granted to MAJ. MARTIN PALMER and MR. GEORGE CHAPMAN & residue for transport. of 5 persons to VA **	950	7 / 520
8 Aug 1658	GEORGE CHAPMAN	North side of Mattapony River beg.g at three pines in a meadow	1000	4 / 274-275
1 Sep 1658	GEORGE CHAPMAN	And on the eastward side of Whorecock (Hoarcock)* swamp. Adjoining his own land.	1500	4 / 277
20 Nov 1661	Elizabeth Kemp	Adjoining the land of MR. DIGGES. Formerly granted to Thomas Dale, Jany. 4, 1653; and by him deserted and afterwards granted to SIR GREY SKIPWITH, Octr. 11 1658 and by him assigned &c.	900	4 / 381
28 May 1673	ROBERT BAGGBY	Adjoining the land of GEORGE WESTEN, SR., GREY SKIPWITH, & GEORGE CHAPMAN	100	6 / 455
26 Sep 1678	COL. ROBERT ABRAHALL	Behind the land of Majr. Wm. Taylor (no relation) and EDWARD DIGGES. Beg.g at the creek dividing the land of the above said gentlemen	1000	6 / 654

*Thomas White is not listed on the summary of this patent at the Library of VA website (he is on the microfilm of the patent). This from Robert Allen's research.

** Thomas White is again on the microfilm of the patent but not on the patent summary. [The connection between Thomas White in the 1686 deed and Thomas White in the 1689 deed suggests that the two parcels were very close to each other, each touching the James Taylor Plantation and each touching Thomas White's land (from Robert Allen's research of James I)]

*** Spelled this way when the same land is transferred to Thomas Brereton 25 May 1661 Patent Book 4, page 477. This from a google search for Whorecock Swamp: "John Maddison was a great great grandfather of President James Madison. Whorecock Swamp, where this land was located, is present-day Garnett's Creek, now in King and Queen County, which was formed from New Kent County in 1691. Garnett's Creek flows into the Mattaponi River about five miles downstream from Walkerton and about 3 miles east of the town of King William.

IN MANY CASES ABOVE, I NEED TO SEE THE WHOLE PATENT AS NAMES SEEM TO BE LEFT OFF OF THE PATENT SUMMARIES AT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA. Several persons mentioned above have no patent records at the Library of Virginia and with some others who do, the patent summary does not contain any helpful information. Spellings are as found in the summaries used and in one case (John Neal) it is spelled two different ways in the same summary. Other spelling differences: Digges/Diggs, Weston/Westen, Baggby/Bagby, Stark/Starke, Reinolds/Reynolds, Brooks/Brookes, Haile/Hayley etc., Taylor/Tayler etc., Mattaponi/Mattapony

This information compiled by Steven B. Taylor and completed 23 Jan 2009. Thank you to Bob Allen for all of his help.

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