John Griffin – 5th Great Grandfather, @1690 Virginia – 1744 Virginia
Information on our Griffin line becomes more sound going forward with John. I believe John was born in Virginia although some claim he was born in Wales. The website Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties provides information on John Griffin, born before 1700 in King & Queen County (which had been New Kent County which bordered Old Rappahannock), and dying Feb. 3, 1743 in Orange County, VA. This website has him married twice. First to an Anne Harrison and second to Margaret Goode. This is the only reference I have found to Anne Harrison as wife to John. She is presented as the mother of John’s children: William, David, Catherine, Mary, Sarah, and John. Margaret is listed as the mother for James, Richard, Anthony, Margaret and Joseph. Most descendants name only Margaret Edna Goode as John’s wife:
Children of John Griffin are:
i. David Griffin, born 1720 in Rappahannock, VA.
ii. Sarah Griffin, born 1722 in Orange Co., VA.
iii. William Griffin, born 1725 in Wales, UK.
iv. Katherine Griffin, born 1726 in Orange Co., VA.
v. Mary Griffin, born 1727 in Orange Co., VA.
vi. James Griffin, born September 15, 1731 in VA.
vii. Richard Sr. Griffin, born November 10, 1734 in Wales
viii. Anthony Griffin, born 1736 in King and Queen Co., VA.
ix. John Griffin, born Abt. 1738.
x. Joseph Griffin, born Abt. 1740.
xi. Margaret Griffin, born 1742.”
The earliest documentation I have found on John and Margaret is a June 12 – 13, 1735 deed in which Patrick Welsh sells 210 acres in the north fork of Lake Anna in Orange County to John. It was called Terrys Run. The deed was witnessed on June 17, 1735.
These indentures do not use the term “sale” though that was the transaction. Indentures of “lease and release” literally meant the lease (tenancy) of non-tenanted property by its owner followed by a release (relinquishment) of the landlord’s interest in the property. This sequence of transactions was commonly used to transfer full title to real estate under real property law.
Terrys Run:
This Orange County, VA road record shows continuing development in the area:
John became ill in 1743 and passed away soon after. His will was written December 2, 1743. Margaret and son, David, were executors of the will and produced it in court on Feb. 23, 1743.
John’s estate was value at £87.0.8 which in A.D. 2017 converts to approximately $20,000. This does not include the sale of his land which would not occur until 1745.
John’s Executors sold the Terry Run property to a John Wisdom in July 1745. This is an abstract. The original source needs to be checked for the exact sales price of the property.
