Richard Melton (abt. 1674 - 1730)

Born about 1674 in New Kent, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Ross) Melton — married about 1695 in Parish of St. Peter's and St. Paul, New Kent County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 17 Jul 1730 at about age 56 in New Kent, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Cynthia Melton [send private message] and Richard Melton [send private message]

Biography

Richard Melton was a Virginia colonist.

Birth

A Free Space Page has been created for Richard Melton. This is an old lineage, which has been researched for many years. Inaccurate research conclusions have been transferred to the FSP so this profile can be as factual as possible. Here is the FSP Link [1]

Richard Melton was the son of William Melton. Richard was born about 1674 in New Kent County, Virginia which was created in 1654.

If Richard Melton was married about 1695 and he was 21 at the time of his marriage, his birthdate would have been about 1674. This calculation of 1674 will be used as the birthdate for Richard Melton. His first child, Robert, was born in 1696, so the marriage would have been at least a year prior. Research may result in more accurate information, therefore, these dates may change.

Marriage

Two sources have been located for the marriage of Richard Melton.

Richard married Mary Melton in 1690 according to the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900.^[1]

A marriage date of 1690 would precede the birth of his first three sons:

1. Robert Melton b. 1696, Parish St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia
2. John Melton b. 1697, St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia
3. William James Melton b. 1698, Hanover, Virginia

Richard's first son was born in 1696, so his marriage to Mary would have been before 1696. Richard and Mary joined the Quaker Movement by 1700 when Richard signed a Quaker marriage certificate. Their son Thomas was born in 1700.

The 1690 marriage was five years before the conception of his first child, Robert. The marriage date may be incorrect, the couple may have been separated or there may be missing children born during the five years.

Quaker records list a marriage contract for Richard and his wife Mary married on 28 February 1700 in Virginia. A copy of the Quaker record is attached to this profile.

• Name Richard Melton
• Marriage Date on Image 28 Twelfth 1700
• Translated Marriage Date 28 Feb 1700
• Marriage Place Virginia
• Monthly Meeting Henrico Monthly Meeting^[2]

Death of Richard Melton

In 1704, Richard Melton had land in New Kent County, Virginia. The church was given the job of overseeing property line surveys. Every four years citizens & property owners were assigned to check boundaries. This was called "Processioning". "Processioners" were the freeholders who returned the accounting. The following Melton's are mentioned in these processing documents. Richard Melton in 1708, Richard Melton in 1711 One of the above tracts of Land is shown in William and John Melton's names by 1730. Which means Richard died before 1730

1731-1751 Robert Melton and Widdow Melton are listed. 1755 The tract of Land which had originally been Richards and fell to William and John Melton in 1730 is listed in the names of "William Melton's orphans" and "John Melton's orphans."

Children

The following is from the Vestry Book of St. Paul Parish, Hanover County, Virginia 1701-1786, page 289. [2] Richard is shown having two tracts of land in New Kent County.

Thomas Melton, son of Richard Melton, was baptized in 1700. Mary Melton, daughter of Richard Melton, was baptized in 1702. ^[3]

The children of Richard Melton and Mary are:

1. Robert Melton, b. 1696, Parish St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia
2. John Melton, b. 1697, St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia
3. William James Melton, b. 11 Dec 1698, Hanover, Virginia
4. Thomas Melton, b. 28 Apr 1700, St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia
5. Mary Melton, b. 10 May 1702, St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Virginia
6. Joel Melton, b. 1704, St Peters St Paul, New Kent, Virginia

In the Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706-1786. Richard is mentioned on pages 218, 226, 237, 250, 252, 259 and 261. ^[4]

Research Notes

Note: Richard was born in Virginia, not England. Richard did not leave Virginia. He lived on the same property he originally settled on but the county boundaries and names changed over time.

Over a 30-year period, from 1715 to 1745, these people could have held the same piece of land but lived in four different counties: New Kent, Hanover, Louisa, and Albemarle.

Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy [3]Hinshaw, W. Wade., Marshall, T. Worth. (1936). Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, Inc.

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage:
   "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900"
   Source number: 112.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: JEP
   Ancestry Record 7836 #825337 (accessed 15 July 2023)
   Richard Melton married Mary Melton in 1690.
2. ↑ Marriage:
   "U.S., Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol I–VI, 1607-1943"
   Volume: Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy Vol. VI
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 3753 #331236 (accessed 15 July 2023)
   Richard Melton's marriage to undefined on 28 Feb 1700 in Virginia.
3. ↑ The Vestry Book and Register of St Peters Parish 1684-1786 > Index > M: "New Kent County, Virginia St. Peter's Parish Vestry Book and Register, 1684-1786"
   The Vestry Book and Register of St Peters Parish 1684-1786 > Index > M
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 18 April 2024)
4. ↑ Index: "The Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706-1786"
   Index
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 18 April 2024)

See Also:

• Virginia Company of London[4]
• Church of England in Virginia [5]