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Eppes Family:
William Randolph married Mary, daughter of Henry Isham (see ante) who
settled in Henrico County, was a merchant, militia officer and bore the
distinctive "gentleman" affixed to his name. Mrs. Randolph was also the
sister of another Henry Isham, who engaged extensively in merchandizing,
and of Mrs. Ann Eppes the wife of Colonel Francis Eppes (the third of his
name) who was a grandson of the first of the Eppes family in Henrico.

Of the English ancestry of the
Eppeses, all that may be definitely said is that Francis Eppes, the first
in Virginia, probably descended from a family of the name in County Kent.
The coat of arms used by the Virginia Eppses, almost from the time of
the immigrant, is that ascribed to Epes or Eppes, of Canterbury, Kent."

 

 

 

Francis Eppes, the first of his line in Virginia and in Henrico County,
was a member of the House of Burgesses, magistrate and in 1652 was elected
to the Governor's Council. His son John Eppes was a man of prominence in
Charles City County and his son Francis Eppes, the second (circa 1628-
1678) was for some years a magistrate in Henrico County and lieutenant
colonel of militia; he also engaged in merchandizing. The succeeding
generations of the Eppes family (residing in Henrico, Charles City,
Prince George and Chesterfield Counties) were prominent office holders
and people of substantial means(2).