William Bobbet
Christening: 12 Aug 1647 Saint Mary, Woodbridge, Suffolk, England
Father: William Bobbet
Mother: Francisse
Parish registers,
1545-1910 Church of England. Parish Church of Woodbridge

Burial: Ferry Chapel S. of Petersburg, Bristol Parish, Prince George
near Dinwiddie border, Virginia

Ferry Chapel
The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia.

William Bobbet sold 95 of the 96 acres of his land granted to
him on 27 October 1673 near the present day town of
Hopewell and made this sale on 12 May 1703. William
Bobbet lived on that one acre of land until the time was right
and he bought land on 18 June 1712 south of the present day
town of Petersburg, Virginia.
Note: Hopewell and Petersburg are 20 miles apart, a little
more than a day's ride on a horse. Then it is another 11
miles from Petersburg to Jones Hole Swamp south of
today's Templeton.

William Bobbet purchased 90 acres of land on 18 June 1712
South side of Jones Hole Swamp on the Dinwiddie County,
Virginia border. As William Bobbet is buried south of today's
Petersburg, Virginia, then he died after his land purchase in
1712 as this land went to his son William Bobbitt Junior in
1712 and his son William Bobbitt sold the land and purchased
land in Rocky Run in 1718 and 1725.

Survey for William Bobbit
18 June 1712
Prince George County [Virginia]
90 acres on South Side of Jones Hole Swamp
Prince George County Virginia Surveys 1710-1724 page 2

According to the Cash/Malone/Wynne genealogy:
"Her father Thomas Wynne gave the couple 98 acres
"on ye south side of James Hole Swamp." In those
days "swamp" meant an area around a slow-moving
stream. It was a valuable piece of land."

Jones Hole Swamp is 20 miles East of Rocky Run
Jones Hole Swamp is a few miles south of
Templeton, Virginia.

Survey for William Bobbit
5 Dec 1718
on West Side of Rocky Run
Prince George County Virginia Surveys 1710-1724 page 2

Rocky Run is 20 miles West of Jones Hole Swamp
Rocky Run is near the today's town of Dinwiddie, Virginia

Survey for William Bobbitt
17 Aug 1725
Prince George County [Virginia]
254 acres on West Side of Rocky Run
Land Office Patients No. 12, 1724-1726, p. 278 [Reel 11]

Virginia County Boundary Changes:
1643-1701 Henrico, then Charles City, then Prince George County.

William Bobbet's son William Bobbitt Junior
1712 - received his father's land near Jones Hole Swamp
1718 - purchased land near Rocky Run
1725 - purchased land near Rocky Run

William Bobbet's son John of Chowan Bobbitt
1718 - received land in North Carolina

William Bobbet's son John [of Chowan] Bobbitt
North Carolina Archives
Chowan County, North Carolina Cross Index to Deeds - Grantees
1696 - 1878 Vol. B, Page 643
State Archives
Raleigh, North Carolina

Transaction: Deed of gift
1st Grantee Last Name: Bobbett
1st Grantee First Name: John
Grantor First Name: Jno
Grantor Last Name: Owen
Year: 1718

Note: The above can be seen on RootsWeb.com

Note: There are those who theorize that William Bobbit and his
wife were married in Glamorgan, Wales, but, there are no Bobbit
or Sturdivant entries on the Glamorgan pre-1837 Marriage Index.

"There are no Bobbitt or Sturdivant entries on the Glamorgan
pre 1837 Marriage Index, " Source: John Garath of the South/West
Wales Look-up Exchange, Glamorgan-L Archives, Rootsweb.com.

"Initially, Virginia was colonized under royal charters issued by
James I to the London Company. However, in 1624, the London
Company was dissolved and Virgnia became a Royal Colony under
the direct rule of the King. The basic doctrine of land tenure
throughout the colonial period was that all land was held immediately
by the King, to be dispensed by the royal officials of the colonial
government in accordance to the wishes of the King. Patients [grants]
to land in Virginia were issued in accordance with the "Headrights
system." Under this system, every person [or headright] who paid his
own way to Virginia would be assigned 50 acres of land, and if he
transported, at his own cost, one or more other persons/headrights,
he would, for each person whose passage he also paid, be awarded
an additional 50 acres of land."'
From Section 2 - Colonial Virginia Land Grants, Norfleets of
Colonial VA on the internet.

Immigration to Virginia Encouraged by:
Inflation and Population Explosion in England
Headright System - 50 acres/paid passage
Indentured Servitude - work of passage
From West Valley Education

1673 - Land Grant to William Bobbitt on October 27, 1673 is in the
Virginia State Archives in Richmond, Virginia. This record is from
Land Grants, Book 6, page 481. In London, England, October 27,
1673 William Bobbit paid for the land grant to guarantee his
passage to Virginia, so at his arrival, the date of his October 27,
1673 payment in London, England was recorded in Virginia.

A Land Grant purchased and paid for in London, England papers
have the date of that purchase written on a temporary Land Grant
to be given to the Governor of Virginia office upon arrival in
Virginia, then another document by the Governor of Virginia
office is drawn up with the original payment day on it.

William Bobbet's Land Grant:;

WILL BOBBETT, 96 A., 3 R., 24 P., Chas. City Co.
S. side Appomatock Riv, neigh. Mr. Whittington; on
Major Epes line; & the Cattale Br., 27 Oct. 1673, p.
481. Trans. of 2 pers: John Lead, Richard Tonstall.

Source: Book: "Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of
Virginia Patients and Grants," Vol. II, 1666-1695, by
Nell Marion Nugent, page 134.

Source below: THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA Web Site:

Bobbett, Will.
27 Oct 1673
Location: Charles City County
Description: 96 acres 3 r. 24 po. of the South side of
Appomattox River; adjoining the land of Mr. Whittington,
thence &c. nigh the Cattail branch.
Source: Land Office Patents No. 6, 1666-1679 [pt. 1 & 2,
p. 1-6921], page 181 [Reel 6]

On The Library of Virginia Web Site, the hyperlink above Will.
Bobbett's name takes a person to the handwritten William
Bobbett 27 Oct 1673 Charles City County, Virginia Land Grant

BOBBETT
96

To all &c: Whereas &c: Now know ye that by said Sir William
Berkeley Knit [Knight] Goverr [Governor] &c: Give and Granst
[Grants] unto the said William Bobbett a divident of Land
conteynning [containing] ninety six acres three rods 24 po
[poles]: on the said south side & off [of the] Appomattox River
in Charles City County extending as fflolloweth [follows] - 1 br
[branch] beginning at a point of a hickory nigh Mo [Mr]
Whittington his line and running no. [north]: said line; 1/3 said
line: 200 poles along mair [mayor or major] Cooper his line to
a corner to a corner: Continueing said same coursse [course]
40 po [poles]: to a small red oake nigh said Cattale [Cattail]
Stream along the line: by 80: 80 po [poles]: to a header of a
valley to a white oake &c marked four waise [ways], 80 degrees;
56 po [poles]: to Mr. Whittington his line then up his line ne
[northeast]: by 80: 296 po [poles]; no [north]: 6 po [poles], to
said place aforementioned the said ' Land due by and for ye
transportation of two p'sons [persons] into this Colony to have
and to hold &c: to he held &c: yielding and payding [paying]
&c: provided &c; Dated this said 27th day of October 1673.
John Leader and Richard Tonstall

It is questioned why on the internet one person thinks the
name on William Bobbet's 1673 land grant is John Lead
or Ladd when the correct name is John Leader.
Source: THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA HANDWRITTEN
1673 LAND GRANT

John Ladd is not the person on William Bobbet's 1673
land grant.

Facts about John Ladd:
Birth about 1648 in Lynnhaven Parish, Norfolk, Virginia
and died on 10 Feb 1680/1681 in Henrico County, Virginia
John Ladd was already in Virginia so he was not
transported from England to Virginia and would not be
the correct person on William Bobbet's 1673 land grant.

Note: It was not necessary in the transfer of 2 persons
John Leader and Richard Tonstall to be with
William Bobbet when they traveled from England to Virginia.

MAJOR FRANCIS EPES, 927 A., 2 R., 16 P., Henrico Co.,
N. side of Appomatock Riv., on Swift Cr., 27 Oct 1673,
Trans. of 20 pers.....

Source: Book: "Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of
Virginia Patients and Grants," Vol. II: 1666-1695, by
Nell Marion Nugent., page 134.

FRANCIS WHITTINGTON, 1200 acs., Chas. City Co.,
S. side Appomattock Riv., at the head of Baylye's Cr.,
30 Oct. 1673, p. 484, 900 acs. granted Tho. & Henry
Bates, who sold to sd. Whittington; 300 acs. for trans.
of 6 pers: Barth. Batts, Jno. Cumber, Robt. Mevill [?],
Jno. Collins, Mary Mahanes, Elizab. Wood.

Source: Book: "Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of
Virginia Patients and Grants, Vol. II: 1666-1695, by
Nell Marion Nugent, page 136.

Note:
27 Oct 1673 - William Bobbet
27 Oct 1673 -- Major Francis Epes
30 Oct 1673 - Francis Whittington

Question: Why was Francis Whittington on William
Bobbett's Land Grant 3 days Before he had his
own land grant on 30 Oct?

William Bobbet came from England to Virginia -
and arrived in 1674.
Major John Epes was already in Virginia Oct 1673
Francis Whittington was already in Virginia Oct 1673

The Library of Virginia, Land Office Grants
Whittington, Francis
29 July 1650
Grantee[s]: Yarrett, William; and Francis Whittington
Description: 580 acres.
Source: Land Office Patients No. 2, 1643-1651, p. 216 [Reel 2]

Francis Epes reportedly was born 19 Nov 1627 in London,
Middlesex, England or Charles City County, Virginia and
married Elizabeth Littleberry about 1660 in Henrico County,
Virginia and he died 2 Dec 1678 in Henrico County, Virginia.

Francis Whittington reportedly was born in 1624 in Nottingham,
England and married Elizabeth about 1647 in Virginia.

Below is one of the internet versions of William Bobbet's land
grant which is not quite corrrect. Each internet version is a little
different from the other.

"To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting to our Lord
God everlasting; whereas, it doth please our Soverign Lord King
Charles the Second; Now, know ye that, I Lord and Governor,
William Berkeley, appointed by the King, Governor of this
commonwealth,... Give, and Grant unto the said WILLIAM
BOBBITT, a divident of land, containing ninety six acres,.... The
said land being due by transportation of two persons into this
colony, to have and to hold etc. .Dated on this day, the 27th of
October, 1673, Witnesses: John Leader, Richard Tonstall

John Leader was not a witness, but was a transported person.

A possible John Leader on William Bobbet's 1673 land grant
but not in stone is:
John Leader chr 21 May 1653 Saint Giles Cripplegate, London,
London, England
Father: John Leader
Parish registers of St. Giles Cripplegate Church [London, 1559-1936
Church of England. St. Giles Cripplegate Church [London]

Richard Tonstall chr 26 Jan 1644 Rystone, Yorkshire, England
Father: William Tonstall
The registers of Fartham, Yorkshire, 1569-1812

William Tonstall's brother Anthony Tonstall b. 12 Sep 1598 St. Mary
Whitechapel, Stepney, London, England married Elizabeth Hutchinson
20 Dec 1648 in Saint Abchurch, London, England.

In contrast, if you can not pay for your Land Grant in England, but
have someone else pay your way to Virginia, you will have an
indentured Land Grant and when you arrive in Virginia you will
have an indentured Land Grant drawn up in Virginia by the
Proprietor of your county, not the Governor of Virginia.

This is the Indentured Land Grant of one of my Crabb family, not
related to the Bobbet's:

"The Right Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax Baron of Cameron
in that part of Great Britain called Scotland Proprietor of The
Northen Neck of Virginia, To all to whom this present Writing
shall come sends Greeting. Know ye that for good Causes for
and in Consideration of the confirmed and by these Presents
for me and my Heirs and Assignes do give, grant, and confirm
unto Edward Crabb of Berkeley County, a certain tract of Waste
and ungranted Land on the Middle Fork of Sleepy Creek
in the said County,.... dated the Sixth day of April 1778.
William Crabb Deed for 432A. Signed Fairfax"

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500's - 1900's
Name: Wm. Bobett
Year: 1674
Place: Virginia
Source: Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patients
and Grants, Vol. 2: 1666-1695. Indexed by Claudia B. Grundman.
Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library, 1977, 609 p,, Nell Marion
Nugent.
Page: 146

Note: Cavaliers are from England, not Wales. And, land patients or
grants were issued by the King of England, not Wales.

Note: The land patient books provide the date of the patient, number
of acres of land granted, general location of the land, and [when
granted upon a headright basis] the individual names of the
headrights/persons for whom the land was granted.

Late 1673 and 1674 Immigration: Ship "Martha" sail to Virginia from
London, England, stop in Wales.
Wm Bobett
Voyage Origin: Felixstowe, Suffolk, England to London, England
Voyage: London, England to Virginia

Abraham Wheelock filed a Will Aug 1673, "Being now
outwards bound on a voyage to the seas and with all considering
the dangers hazards..." Documents are found in the Public
Records Office in London stating that Abraham Wheelock was
the shipmaster of the Martha and the Good Hope. Will probated
11/372, Public Records Office, London, Documents E190/59/01
and E190/72/1, Public Records Office, London.

Abraham Wheelock - shipmaster of ships "Martha" and
"Good Hope"

Only passengers on the flyboat "Martha" 1673:
Wm Bobbet -
Abram Estes - Indentured to Thoroughgood Keeling,
who arranged and paid for passage from England
John Skinner -
The above was taken from later 2004 notes of the
Bobbet, Estes and Skinner genealogy.
This submitter still waiting availabilty of book temporarily
off the shelves - Virginia Section - Mesa Regional Family
History Center

John Skinner
Birth: 23 Jan 1653 Saint Gregory, Sudbury, Suffolk, England
Father: Richard Skinner
Mother: Ledea
Messages: Extracted birth or christening record
Parish registers, 1652-1872 Church of England. St. Gregory's
Church [Sudbury, Suffolk]
Microfilm of originals at the County Record Office, Bury St. Edmunds

Note: Even though George Cabell Greer's book: Early Virginia
Immigrants 1623-1666, does not include the years 1673 and 1674,
in the online Virginia Help List, William Meacham said:
"This is an alpabetical listing of ca. 20,000 immigrants with the
following information: name of immigrant, date [probably the year
in which "headright" was claimed, rather than the immigrant's
arrival date in Virginia, name of patentee or other party importing
the immigrant, county. Rarely, there is other information, such as
"his wife."

Thus, if William Bobbet had a wife with him, his land grant could
have been stated "his wife," instead, William Bobbet seemed to
travel alone, but he did have sufficient enough money to also
transport two others who were not on the ship with William
Bobbet, "The said land being due by transportation of two persons
into this colony, to have and to hold etc." And, to have and to hold is
not part of a marriage vow here.

The language "to have and to hold," means that at the time of
William Bobbet's purchase of his land grant in England, he was a
single man, for if he had a wife with him his land grant would have
read: "to have and to hold the said tract of land to the said William
Bobbet and his heirs by these present forever...." Instead in this
case "to have and to hold " means that if William Bobbet does not
marry and have heirs, his land goes back to the King of England.

William Bobbet did marry and had 3 sons.

"William Berkeley lead the military against the colony's remainng
Native Americans. He also organized the defence that prevented a
Dutch landing on the Virginia coast in 1673."
From Education of the Internet & Teaching History Online,
Immigration to the USA on www.spartacus.schoolnet.co,uk

Conclusion: The ship "Martha" had to be a British ship with British
crew and passengers.

Artist Jacob Knyff painted what he saw at the England port in late
1673. The ship, an English flyboat, loaded with guns, and a few
passengers, less than 5, was the ship "Martha."

Jacob Knyff: 1638 - 1681
Dock Scene at a British Port by Knyff
Date 1673
Materials: Oil on canvas
Measurements: Painting 965.2 x 1270 mm

Description
England and Dutch ships taking on stores or cargo at a port. The
activities relating to the loading has been closely observed. It has
been set in a harbor, with the tower of a gate and a quay visable on
the right, and the coast in the distance on the left. An England
flagship is on the right, firing a salute and flying the ensign from
the stern carved with the royal coat of arms. Beside the quay is
an English flyboat that, from her shape, was probably Dutch-built.
A royal yacht is arriving on the left and this has prompted the firing
of the salute. On the extreme left is the stern of a Dutch ship. On
the quay two bales of stores or goods with clear markings have
been positioned in the foreground. Men are involved in loading up
small craft. a horse dragging a barrel on skids to the water's edge
and there are several groups of gentlemen and women observing
the activities. A guard stands outside a sentry box in the gate-way.

From 1673 Knyff's output appears to have been mostly British
coastal or river scenes, with increasing emphasis on accurate and
colourful depiction of the great ships of the Stuart navy. Although
Dutch-born Knyff came to England when Charles II issued a general
invitation to Dutch artists and craftmen to work in England in 1672.
Although the two countries were at war, patronage for artists in
Holland had diminished and a number took advantage of this offer,
including the van de Veldes and Knyff.

Source: National Maritime Museum, London, England

Cockett's chapter on Jacob Wouterazoon Knyff in "Early Sea Painters"
contains a list of Knyff's 37 paintings, some colour illustrations and a
short sketch of Knyff's life and background. Jacob Knyff worked and
died in England. As Charles II ordered, Knyff's paintings must be
what he personally witnessesd.