• General Notes

  [Ralph Roberts.ged]
  
  immigrated 1663
  
  ---
  
  [Thomas Bledsoe.ged]
  
  Progenitor of the Beverly family in Virginia; homes was called "Barn Elms." Justice of Midlesex County; elected member of the House of Burgesses. Commanded the Virginia forces under Governor Berkeley. Acquired 50,000 acres of land.
  
  Justice: Middlesex County, Virginia.
  
  Virginia House of Burgesses: Clerk , 1670.
  
  He was granted land 8200 acres on both side one of the great Swamps or maine runns of Mattaponie River 14 Jan 1673.
  
  He was granted land 600 acres on the North side Mattapony River, on the back of Mr. Mady, the said land being formerly due unto John Pigg by Patent 3rd day of Jany 1667. 21 Sep 1674 in New Kent County.
  
  He was granted land 6500 acres 16 Nov 1674 in New Kent County.
  
  He was granted land 3000 acres on the South side of Rappahannock River and on the South side of the main swamp of a mill, formerly Andrew Gilsons Mill. 21 Sep 1674 in Old Rappahannock County,Virginia.
  
  He was granted land 6500 acres 16 Nov 1674 in Old Rappahannock County.
  
  He was granted land 600 acres on the South side Rappahannock County or river; and adjoining land of Henry Jermaine, William Gray and Thomas Page. 21 Sep 1674 in Old Rappahannock County,Virginia.
  
  Revolutionary War: In charge of the fortifications of the three main rivers of Virginia, 1681.
  
  Author: Robert Beverley on Bacon's Rebellion, 1704.
  
  Author: Historie and Present State of Virginia, 1705.  Beverley, Robert 1673-1722, Virginia colonial historian, author of The History and Present State of Virginia (1705).  A substantial planter and colonial official, he wrote his book after finding numerous errors in the manuscript of a book on Virginia written by an Englishman.  Vigorous, honest, and not without humor, his history was an immediate success; reprinted a number of times, it served to attract immigrants to Virginia.
  
  Robert Beverley was a wealthy planter who saw while in London a poor account of the colony by the British historian and pamphleteer, John Oldmixon, and undertook to write a better.  His book, a History of Virginia (1705), was hastily prepared without any study of documents or other respectable sources.  Its chief value lies in the shrewd and just observations the author made on Virginia life and history out of his own knowledge.  Toward nature: Nature is idealized as benevolent, bountiful, garden of Eden.  Virginia planter Robert Beverley expresses utopian ideal (History and Present State of Virginia, 1706) at height of thriving plantation culture.  Independent farmer becomes backbone of agrarian democracy in Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia (1785), based on pastoral ideal of bountiful nature and abundance of land and natural resources.
  
  In what may be one of the most appreciative descriptions of Virginia beyond the Tidewater region, Robert Beverley in his History and Present State of Virginia admonishes those who see only the flatness of the coast, because "a little farther backward, there are Mountains, which indeed deserve the name of Mountains, for their Height and Bigness."  Notable for its detailed natural historical descriptions, Beverley's History also offers an unusually sympathetic portrait of the Indians, whom Beverley considered fellow Virginians.
  
  Author: The History of Virginia, in Four Parts, 1722. The history of Virginia, in four parts
  
  I. The history of the first settlement of Virginia, and the government thereof, to the year 1706.
  
  II. The natural productions and conveniences of the country, suited to trade and improvement.
  
  III. The native Indians, their religion, laws, and customs, in war and peace.
  
  IV. The present state of the country, as to the polity of the government, and the improvements of the land, the 10th of June 1720.
  
  ROBERT BEVERLEY, the Immigrant, (of Middlesex) became known in Virginia history as "Major", and was probably the son of Peter Beverley, of the
  City of Hull and his wife Susannah Hollis.  He came to Virginia in 1663 and settled in Middlesex County.  It is obvious that he had acquired a
  good education for he was a lawyer and a surveyor. (Source: ESSEX COUNTY HISTORICAL, ESSEX COUNTY BICENTENNIAL, Tappahannock, Virginia,
  article from Vol II, dated May 1977, titled "Major Robert Beverley and His Three Sons: Peter, Robert and Harry.")  (Death date varies re files
  of Richard Peltway Winslow stated 1687.)  At the time of his death, through patents and purchase, he had become the largest landowner to that
  date in Virginia, over 38,000 acres of land.  (Ref: Above mentioned article.)
  "John Beverley, of England, adhered to Charles I, and at the Restoration his name appears in the list of those on whom it was intended to confer the Order of the Royal Oak. Maj. Robert Beverley (d. 1686), Lawyer; settled in Lancaster Co., VA; Justice, 1673; clerk House of
  Burgesses, 1670; married first, Mary Koeble (Keeble), widow (d. 1678).  Capt. Harry Beverley (1669-1731), his son was justice, Middlesex Co. 1700, surveyor King and Queen and King William counties, 1702-14; burgess, 1705-06; commanded the "Virgin", 1716, which was captured by the Spanish man-of-war; he escaped and came to VA 1717; was presiding Justice Spotsylvania Co., ca 1720; married ca 1700, Elizabeth Smith." (Family Group Records of Mary Ruth C. Spencer, Carmel, CA.)
  "Robert Beverley, who subsequently became known as MAJOR BEVERLEY, came to Virginia in 1663.  There is no doubt about the date because he wrote in the plea he hoped to make in court in 1683, "My abode in this country hath now been twenty years", (See Henings Statutes, Vol. II, p. 559.)  He settled in Middlesex County about twenty miles from Jamestown and soon became prominent in the colony.  He must have had a good education because in addition to growing tobacco, he was a lawyer and a surveyor.  He further said in his plea, "From the year 1668 to the year 1676, I served his Majesty in military and civil offices of trust with fidelity and approbation".  He was elected Clerk of the House of Burgesses in 1670 and 1673, he was a Justice of Middlesex County.  (See VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE, Vol. II, p. 405.)
  The following chapter on MAJOR ROBERT BEVERLEY is taken from THE BEVERLEY FAMILY OF VIRGINIA, by John McGill, Dec. 1951):
  "Whether or not he had done any military service against the Indians or in colony prior to the Bacon Rebellion is not known but he acquired the title of Major in that controversy and showed marked qualities of leadership and decision.  "This not the place to argue the rights or wrongs of the Bacon Rebellion.  As in most such matters, there was probably some right on both sides.  From the outset, Robert Beverley was a hearty supporter of Governor Berkeley and Bacon named him in his proclamations as one of the "wicked and pernicious councellors aiders and assistors (of Berkeley) against the Commonality in these our Cruell Commotions". (See VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE, Vol. II, p. 405.)
  "It will be recalled that Nathaniel Bacon was a young man of unquestionably great qualities as a leader and orator who after only about a year of residence in the colony, led an expedition against the Indians, defeated them, and then quarreled with Governor Berkeley and defeated him and burned Jamestown, and died of fever a few days thereafter.  When Jamestown was burned, Governor Berkeley with such forces as he had, fled to the Eastern Shore, Accomack and Northampton Counties
  
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Details of Robert's family with Catherine Armistead

Details of Robert's family with Margaret Boyd