Whence I Came

Three years after Elizabeth White became of age and acknowledged her right in the previously discussed deed , John White had a new wife named Mary. On January 21, 1705, both Joseph Brown ( also of the 1702 deed involving Elizabeth ) and Thomas Ellet signed deeds of gift to the couple. These two deeds of gift provide us with information about all the parties relationships to one another.  The first deed of trust was issued by Thomas Ellet who gave John and Mary White 150 acres of land plus five head of cattle. Ellet refers to the five cattle as, "... called by the name of daughter Mary's cattell...". Ellet also refers to John White as "... my well beloved son in law...". Ellet's deed of gift tells us that by January 21, 1705: 1.      John White was no longer married to Elizabeth, but to Mary 2.      Thomas Ellet, was "of" King William County, the father of Mary, and father-in-law to John White 3.      John and Mary White were gifted ...

There are a number of books and old genealogies which connect John White of early King William County as the ancestor of the Hanover County White family. These same books and genealogies also state that this John White was the ancestor to the White family of early Albemarle County. But this cannot be true as the two White families of Hanover and Albemarle Counties are genetically different based upon YDNA testing.  Placing books and old genealogies aside, it is time to dig into the original documents for John White of early King William County (hereafter just referred to as John White). The earliest records that this researcher could find pertain to his two wives - YES, TWO WIVES! So, for this entry, we will focus on the documentation for his first known wife, Elizabeth.   Disappointingly, in 1885 there was a fire at the King William County courthouse and many of the original records were burned. Fortunately some pages from the earliest deed books were saved and one such ...