• General Notes

  In the Virginia patent records, the first mention of John Rucker is in 1727 when he patented 977 acres of land, just to the south of Michael Holt. The only neighbor that John Rucker mentioned in his patent was Michael, and I tend to think that the neighbors most likely to get mentioned are of the same nationality. Michael was just to the south of John Broyles and these two are usually considered as the southern tier of the Robinson River German community, but perhaps we should extend our range to include the Ruckers.
  
  In this same neighborhood there was a John Venton with 1000 acres in 1728. He mentions as neighbors:
  
  
  Michael Raffer (Kaifer),
  Jacob Priall (Broyles),
  Michael Holt, and
  John Rucker.
  Three of these four men are known Germans.
  
  Peter died in 1743 and left several heirs, one of which was John, who is mentioned above. John was very active politically. He (John) had a sister, Mary, who married William Offill which sounds a lot like the German Apfel (i.e., Apple). A niece of John, Mary, married William Vawter, a family with connections to the Germans. John Rucker's sister, Margaret, married Isaac Smith (English), and this family had many German connections also.
  
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  In the year 1700 four shiploads carrying seven hundred passengers sailed f rom Gravesend, England, for the journey to the colonies. The ships land ed in Jamestown 1700. John and his brother Thomas were the leaders of t he passengers. The vessel in which John was sailing was wrecked in Jamesto wn Bay off the coast of Virginia and John floated for three days on a pie ce of driftwood, being picked up by a passing vessel. John's reward for h is role in bringing so many settlers to the new world was a grant from t he King of England of 5850 acres in what was then Orange County (now Amher st County including land that is now home to Sweet Briar College.)
  
  John became a naturalized citizen in 1702 by a proclamation of the Gener al Assembly.
  
  With John Lightfoot established St. Mark's Parish, in Orange County (now G reene County). Scott, in his History of Orange, says "John Lightfoot and J ohn Rucker were ordered to pitch on a place near some good spring" in 173 1. Scott ways this is the old church near Ruckersville in Greene County.
  
  John was a vestryman and very influential member of the church. He was a C aptain in the Colonial Militia of Orange County in 1740. He deeded land f or Rucker's Chapel in 1745.
  
  John had 12 children. In his will he left 1 shilling to his daughter Marga ret Smith. He greatly disapproved of her marriage to Isaac Smith.
  
  Feby. 6, 1734. John Rucker of St. Mark's Parish, Spots. Co., to Peter Ruck er, Elizabeth Rucker, Peter Rucker, Jnr., and Ephraim Rucker. 20 pounds st erling currency, 420 acres--remainder of a patent granted said John Rucke r, in St. Mark's Par., Spots. Co. "Peter and Elizabeth Rucker, during the ir Natural lives, and afterwards to Peter Rucker, Junr., and Ephraim Rucke r," etc. Witnesses: G. Home, Joseph Delaney, John Johnson.
  
  Feby. 6, 1733-4. John Rucker of St. Mark's Pa., Spots. Co., "to my siste r, Mary Rucker," love and affection and 1 pound sterling, To "Mary Ruck er and William Offall, her lawful husband," etc., etc. 100 acres in St. Ma rk's Parish Spots. Co. Dated, Feby. 6, 1730. Recd. Feby. 6, 1733-4. Witnes ses: G. Home, Joseph Delaney, John Johnson.
  
  March 5, 1733. John Rucker of Spots. Co. to Phillip Stockdale of St Anne 's Par., Essex Co. 21 pounds sterling 5 shillings currency and 6000 lbs. t obacco 703 acres--150 acres thereof part of a patent granted said Rucker A ugt. 17, 1727, and 553 acres part of a patent granted Thos. Rucker June 1 6, 1730, and sold and made over to said John Rucker, as by Deeds, Feb y. 5, 1732. In Spots. Co. Thomas Chew, James Cox, Charles Stevens, witness es. Susannah, wife of John Rucker acknowledged her dower, etc.
  
  His will:
  
  In the name of God Amen. I John Rucker of St. Marks Parish in the coun ty of Orange a Planter, being weak in body but of perfect mind and memo ry and knowing that it is appointed to all men to die once, do make and or dain this my last will and testament in manner and form following:
  
  Imprimis I do order that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid a nd satisfied . Item: I give to my well beloved wife Susannah Rucker four N egro by name of Bristol , Tony, Doll and Sue and one third part of my hous ehold and furniture and stock horses excepted, one horse I give to my wi fe named Roger. The four mentioned Negro to remain my wife's no longer th en her widowhood after to be sold and divided as the rest of my Estate her eafter mentioned.
  
  Item. I give to my son Peter Rucker one black horse called Jockey and h is choice of my guns.
  
  Item. I give to my son John Rucker one grey Horse called Oglesby and a g un the next choice after his brother.
  
  Item. I give to Thomas Wright Belfield one lot in Fred K urg No.5 to him a nd his heirs forever.
  
  My desire is that one half of my land on the branches of the James River m ay be sold by my Executors for six months credit to the highest bidder lik ewise my wagon and five horses and horse kinds in the same manner in ord er to pay my debts. I likewise leave my dwelling house and land thereun to adjoining to be sold at the direction of my Executors if my debts cann ot be complied with, if they can the dwelling house and land to rema in my wife's during her widowhood and if she marrys to be sold by way of a uction.
  
  Item. I give to my well beloved sons Peter Rucker , John Rucker , Ambro se Rucker, Benj. A. Rucker, Rueben Rucker, Isacc Rucker, Anthony Rucker a nd to their heirs forever half the land I hold in the branches of the Jam es River to be equally divided between the seven brothers.
  
  The rest of my Estate I desire may be equally divided between my beloved c hildren as follows: Peter Rucker, John Rucker , Sarah Rucker, Winifred Ruc ker, Ambrose Rucker, Benj. Rucker, Rueben Rucker, Isacc Rucker, Anthony Ru cker, Mildred Rucker, Phebe Rucker to them and their heirs forever.
  
  Item I give to my daughter Margaret Smith one shilling Sterl.
  
  And lastly I do constitute and appoint my beloved wife Susanah my Execut or and my beloved son Peter Rucker and my beloved friend George Tayl or my whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament hereby r evoking and disallowing all other wills and testaments by me made and conf irming this my last will and testament. In witness thereof I have now s et my hand and seal this XI day of January 1742.
  
  Signed and Sealed and Published in the presence of: Robert Seagre Joseph H awkins Richard Cross.
  
  John Rucker Seal
  

Details of John's family with Susanna Phillips