General Notes

[Anderson,Richard.FTW]
[Anderson.FTW]
There were numerous people by the name of Anderson in Charles City
County, between 1650 and 1700 but examination of those individuals has
not yet assisted me in confirming the identity of Thomas' father.   No
birth record, contemporary or otherwise, is known for Thomas Anderson.
The Westopher Minister Reverend Charles Anderson owned land within a few
miles of Thomas in the period 1690 to 1711. I am investigating him as a
possible brother. It is very possible that the James Anderson named in
the 1693 cattle mark registration 9see below) was an older son of Reynard
Anderson born between 1662 and 1668 and the wording may imply some form
of relationship between them.  But as Thomas was in extreme eastern
Prince George County and James was on Bailey's Creek near Petersburg I
think it unlikely they were immediate family.      David Piebels
(Peebles) was a Royalist refugee from Fife County, Scotland.  He patented
land along Powell's Creek south of the James River in 1650 and again,
later,  on Birchen Swamp with Charles Sparrow.  He was an early Court
Judge of Charles City County in the 1650's.  His son William Peebles was
born in Scotland in 1635, (mother Elspeth Mackie) came to Virginia before
the time of his father's death in 1659 and again patented lands at the
head of Birchen Swamp in 1673. Birchen Swamp was the name given to the
small feeder creeks at the head of Powell's Creek. A grant to William
Peebles is recorded on page 182 of Virginia Land Patent Book Number 6.
The grant is for 862 acres in Charles City County, located on the south
side of the James River.  Of this 473 acres is located adjacent to Thomas
Newhouse and on Birchen Swamp.  388 acres is near the 'old towne' land.
The first tract is granted by patent dated 30 July 1670 and the residue
is for the transport of seven persons including Hen. Makeley, Roger
Cooke, Mary Bennet, Jno. Traharne, Eliz. Jettly, Mary Gibbons, Tho.
Anderson.      William Peebles's patent was between the head of the
Otterdam Creek and the headwaters of Powell's Creek, just a few miles
northeast of the site of Mr. Thomas Anderson's 1683 patent.  This patent
includes other surnames of well established Virginia families, (i.e.
Cooke, Bennett, and Gibbons) and it would appear therefore as a purchase
of headrights by Mr. Peebles. William Peebles married Judeth and had a
son William, he married again and had a son David, and a third time to
Elizabeth and had a son Henry.  His estate was named 'Burleigh'.
Because of the proximity in time and location to the 1683 patent of
Thomas Anderson along Cattail Creek, this headright in the name of Thomas
Anderson is probably our Thomas Anderson.  It is possible that he earned
this headright upon returning from England upon being educated, as he
could read and write.  As one was required to be of age 10 to qualify for
a headright, it would appear then that Thomas Anderson was born before
1663.      Thomas' son James was born ca 1683-1690. His recorded wife
Mary's surname has not been established by contemporary record or family
tradition, although from circumstances it is likely that she was a second
wife.      The Charles City County Court Orders for 10/03/1688 indicate
that Thomas Anderson was to be summoned before the next Grand Jury for
'planting tobacco on the Sabbath.'  No resolution of the charge is given.
Thomas Anderson, along with a James Anderson (this is possibly his son as
I know of no minimum age required to qualify for a cattle mark), recorded
his livestock earmarks on 04/13/1693.  Thomas Anderson 'Cropp and upper
hole in ye right, and upper hool in ye left'; and James Anderson 'The
same only an underhool on the left'.      Thomas witnessed a deed of
Ralph Jackson, Joseph Maddox and John Dowglas on 02/10/1692/3.      He
served to appraise the estate of Charles Williams on 08/03/1692, of
William Taylor (John Jane Executor) on 10/03/1693, of Morris Calagh