Mr. John White's Lands near Beaverdam Creek and Chickahominy River - Green Community
The early Green Community property owners included John White, Edward Clark, Charles Fleming, Capt. Nathaniel West, Thomas Massey/Massie, Thomas Bailey, Richard Melton, and William Macon (son of Mr. Gideon Macon). When we check the 1708/09 St. Paul's Parish processioning records, these names are conspicuously missing. However, the 1708/09 processional record is missing entries for precincts 31 and 32. It is very likely that the Green Community comprised one of these missing precincts. By analyzing the 1711 to 1719 procession records in the below chart, the Green and Yellow communities were consistently listed as precincts 18 and 19 implying that they were near one another, if not adjacent. Since the Yellow community in 1708/09 made up Precinct 33, it is very likely that the Green community was either precinct 31 or 32.
Locating the Green Community
The primary key to locating the general location of the Green Community is Mr. John White's 1705 land patent . As described in the patent, this land contained 211 acres and was located on the east side of Beaverdam Creek, south of Brandy Branch and north of the Chickahominy Swamp. An important identifier in the property description is the adjacent property owner along the entire eastern boundary of the 211 acres, Mr. Gideon Macon. A simplistic illustration of the 1705 land patent location is provided below.
An excellent description of Mr. Gideon Macon's lands, known as his Powhite and Fairfield Plantations, can be found in C. Macon's blog. It should be noted that all of these lands (Macon's and White's) fell within the bounds of Mr. John White's area of responsibility for maintaining roadways, as discussed previously.
It would appear that Mr. John White may have also owned other land within the Green Community. As early as 1712, there is reference to Mr. John White's mill in St. Paul's Parish Vestry Record, page 57:
Originally, Mr. John White's mill was located on the west side of Beaverdam Creek, later known as White's Mill. Although there is no known record for Mr. John White having obtained land on the west side of Beaverdam Creek, it is very possible that this property was one of the two lands owned by John White as listed in the 1704 Quit Rent Roll for New Kent County. It should be noted that this land fell within the boundaries of a 1687 land patent issued to a John Robinson.
The next known reference to "White's Mill" The next mention of White's Mill was in 1760. At that time, Anthony Winston (son of Isaac Winston) owned land to the north of White's Mill. Winston desired to rent out his property but was unable to do so. Winston claimed that Barrett White was overflowing the White's Mill pond and flooding Winston's land. Below is the record of Winston's claim:
How Barrett White came into possession of Mr. John White's mill is the topic of a future blog entry. The important point from Winston's claim is that Barret White was operating White's Mill which implied ownership.
In 1835, Thomas G. Clark and Edward Sydnor sued George W. Truehart who purchased White's Mill and pond from Dr. John Adams. Clark and Sydnor claimed that Truehart drained the mill pond; which created 50 acres of new meadow, and then relocated the mill house to the east side of Beaverdam Creek. Truehart answered the claim that the "old mill house had been carried away by a flood" and he rebuilt the mill at a new location, on the east side of Beaverdam Creek. The original location of the White Mill House is shown in the below 1819 survey map for the 51 acres in question (50 acres for the pond and 1 acre for the mill operation). Point A on the survey map indicates the original location of White's Mill House. Point B was the location of the new mill house,
The new location for the mill house on the eastern side of Beaverdam Creek is illustrated by this civil war image - the mill now being referred to as Ellerson's Mill. Water flow for the new mill house was provided by a mill race which Truehart had built on the east side of Beaverdam Creek. The mill race redirected Beaverdam Creek waters, affecting surrounding landowners Clark and Sydnor, resulting in the above mentioned court case.
On page 25 of the court case, it is implied that the original ownership of the White Mill may have at one time been in question with this statement, "This mill was legally and properly erected and however at one time the regularity of its erection may have been questioned, yet for at least eighty years the entire county has conceded the right to the mill and the milling privileges to have been acquired according to law."
It is possible that the question of White's Mill "regularity" arose during Anthony Winston's 1760 claim against Barrett White's flooding of the mill pond. And it is also very possible that it was this question of "regularity" that prompted Barrett White to apply for a land patent for the land in question in 1765. Barrett White received a 273 acre land patent for which 200 acres which had previously been granted to John Robinson in 1687. The description of Barrett White's land patent reads:
Beginning at a gum by the mouth of a branch on the N side of the main run of Chickahominy Swamp, thence up the said branch by the watercourse to Lee’s corner pine, thence S 64 degrees E 12 poles to the three red oaks by the edge of an old field in a valley, thence S 46 degrees E 50 poles to a drain or small branch, thence down the same to Beaverdam swamp, thence up the said swamp to a hickory on the South side of the said White’s Mill Pond, thence N 70 degrees 30 minutes W 208 poles to the head of Robinson's branch, thence down the same to a large gum by the edge of the sunken ground of Chickahominy swamp, thence S 18 degrees 30 minutes W 32 poles to the main run of the said swamp, and thence down the same to the first station. 200 acres grant first being formerly granted to John Robinson by letters patent bearing date the 21st day of October 1687, the right and title whereof is since become vested in the said Barrett White and 73 acres the residue never before granted.
The description implies that since the time of the original 1687 land patent issuance to John Robinson, Barrett White was entitled to the land as he was the person vested in the property. In other words, Barrett White (and his White fore fathers) had improved and worked the land but had somehow never obtained proper title. Below is a simplistic map illustrating the approximate location of Barrett White's 1765 land patent in relationship to Mr. John White's 1705 land patent.
Summary
The Chickahominy River ran along the southern border of the Green Community. The northern, western, and eastern boundaries of the Green Community are much less precise. The eastern portion of the community incorporated part or all of the Macon plantations. And the western portion included Barrett White's 1765 land patent. How far north the Green community extended is uncertain, but it certainly included Brandy Branch. Information providing the general locations of the Massie, Melton, and Meredith properties would certainly help firm up the Green Community boundaries. Below is an approximate location of the Green Community drawn on the same map used to outline the 1695 New Kent County court order describing the area where Mr. John White was to maintain the roadways.
The next entry will analyze the lands of Mr. John White located in the Yellow Community which was located in the Cold Harbor or Elder Swamp area of St. Paul's Parish.
copyright@2018 Deborah Thurman Parks
Procession Years and Precincts for Mr. John White's Lands
Locating the Green Community
The primary key to locating the general location of the Green Community is Mr. John White's 1705 land patent . As described in the patent, this land contained 211 acres and was located on the east side of Beaverdam Creek, south of Brandy Branch and north of the Chickahominy Swamp. An important identifier in the property description is the adjacent property owner along the entire eastern boundary of the 211 acres, Mr. Gideon Macon. A simplistic illustration of the 1705 land patent location is provided below.
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| John White's 1705 Land Patent and Neighboring Land Owners |
It would appear that Mr. John White may have also owned other land within the Green Community. As early as 1712, there is reference to Mr. John White's mill in St. Paul's Parish Vestry Record, page 57:
Originally, Mr. John White's mill was located on the west side of Beaverdam Creek, later known as White's Mill. Although there is no known record for Mr. John White having obtained land on the west side of Beaverdam Creek, it is very possible that this property was one of the two lands owned by John White as listed in the 1704 Quit Rent Roll for New Kent County. It should be noted that this land fell within the boundaries of a 1687 land patent issued to a John Robinson.
The next known reference to "White's Mill" The next mention of White's Mill was in 1760. At that time, Anthony Winston (son of Isaac Winston) owned land to the north of White's Mill. Winston desired to rent out his property but was unable to do so. Winston claimed that Barrett White was overflowing the White's Mill pond and flooding Winston's land. Below is the record of Winston's claim:
How Barrett White came into possession of Mr. John White's mill is the topic of a future blog entry. The important point from Winston's claim is that Barret White was operating White's Mill which implied ownership.
In 1835, Thomas G. Clark and Edward Sydnor sued George W. Truehart who purchased White's Mill and pond from Dr. John Adams. Clark and Sydnor claimed that Truehart drained the mill pond; which created 50 acres of new meadow, and then relocated the mill house to the east side of Beaverdam Creek. Truehart answered the claim that the "old mill house had been carried away by a flood" and he rebuilt the mill at a new location, on the east side of Beaverdam Creek. The original location of the White Mill House is shown in the below 1819 survey map for the 51 acres in question (50 acres for the pond and 1 acre for the mill operation). Point A on the survey map indicates the original location of White's Mill House. Point B was the location of the new mill house,
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| 1819 George W. Truhart Survey for 51 acres including White Mill House and Pond |
On page 25 of the court case, it is implied that the original ownership of the White Mill may have at one time been in question with this statement, "This mill was legally and properly erected and however at one time the regularity of its erection may have been questioned, yet for at least eighty years the entire county has conceded the right to the mill and the milling privileges to have been acquired according to law."
It is possible that the question of White's Mill "regularity" arose during Anthony Winston's 1760 claim against Barrett White's flooding of the mill pond. And it is also very possible that it was this question of "regularity" that prompted Barrett White to apply for a land patent for the land in question in 1765. Barrett White received a 273 acre land patent for which 200 acres which had previously been granted to John Robinson in 1687. The description of Barrett White's land patent reads:
Beginning at a gum by the mouth of a branch on the N side of the main run of Chickahominy Swamp, thence up the said branch by the watercourse to Lee’s corner pine, thence S 64 degrees E 12 poles to the three red oaks by the edge of an old field in a valley, thence S 46 degrees E 50 poles to a drain or small branch, thence down the same to Beaverdam swamp, thence up the said swamp to a hickory on the South side of the said White’s Mill Pond, thence N 70 degrees 30 minutes W 208 poles to the head of Robinson's branch, thence down the same to a large gum by the edge of the sunken ground of Chickahominy swamp, thence S 18 degrees 30 minutes W 32 poles to the main run of the said swamp, and thence down the same to the first station. 200 acres grant first being formerly granted to John Robinson by letters patent bearing date the 21st day of October 1687, the right and title whereof is since become vested in the said Barrett White and 73 acres the residue never before granted.
The description implies that since the time of the original 1687 land patent issuance to John Robinson, Barrett White was entitled to the land as he was the person vested in the property. In other words, Barrett White (and his White fore fathers) had improved and worked the land but had somehow never obtained proper title. Below is a simplistic map illustrating the approximate location of Barrett White's 1765 land patent in relationship to Mr. John White's 1705 land patent.
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| Simplistic Map of 1705 and 1765 White Land Patent Locations |
The Chickahominy River ran along the southern border of the Green Community. The northern, western, and eastern boundaries of the Green Community are much less precise. The eastern portion of the community incorporated part or all of the Macon plantations. And the western portion included Barrett White's 1765 land patent. How far north the Green community extended is uncertain, but it certainly included Brandy Branch. Information providing the general locations of the Massie, Melton, and Meredith properties would certainly help firm up the Green Community boundaries. Below is an approximate location of the Green Community drawn on the same map used to outline the 1695 New Kent County court order describing the area where Mr. John White was to maintain the roadways.
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| Approximate location of Green Community |
copyright@2018 Deborah Thurman Parks
