John Blake (abt. 1629 - 1682)

Born about 1629 in England

Descendants

Died 1682 at about age 53 in Nansemond, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

John Blake is a Qualifying Ancestor of the Jamestowne Society

John Blake was a Virginia colonist.

Col. John Blake^[1] was born 1629, in England, and died 1682 in Virginia, probably in Nansemond County.

Col. John Blake and Mary Francis were married before 1654, unknown whether in England or Virginia.^{[citation needed]} Blake was in Virginia by December 1654 when he was granted a patent for 300 acres in Nansemond County. This included head rights for transport of 6 persons, including John Blake and Willm. Blake (brother?).^[2] There is no grant for a wife recorded.

Blake served as Sheriff in Nansemond County. At the Assembly of 1655-1656, Capt. John Blake was Burgess for Nansemond County. Col. John Blake served as Burgess at the session of 23 October 1666.^[3]

Col. John Blake, while he was a sheriff, did not treat the Quakers in Nansemond well.

• Quaker Thomas Jordan II stated, "Presently John Blake took away my three servants and left my wife in a distressed condition with a young child at her breast---" His servant was kept away for nine weeks and only released on order of the Governor. John Blake even took "two feather beds, two feather bolsters, and furniture..." The amount came up to 3,907 lbs of tobacco. A serving man was also taken, this was an indentured man who still had three years to serve. Also, ten heads of cattle were taken by Sheriff Thomas Godwin. Thomas Jordan, Chuckatuck signed his testimony, 1st month of 1661. ^[4][5]

Land Transactions

• Dec 1654 - John Black [Blake], 300 acs. in Mathews Cr., a branch of the Southern branch of Nansemum Riv., 14 Dec. 1654, p. 216. Trans. of 6 pers: John Blake, Willm. Blake, Tho. Woodyard, John Jenkins, David Kerny, Anne White.^[2]
• Oct 1662 - Jno. Blak (Blake), Esq. 300 acs. in Mathews Cr., a branch of the S. br. of Nancimond Riv. 30 Oct. 1662, p. 150, (22). Renewal of his patent dated 14 Dec. 1653/4.^[2]
• Mar 1663 - Col. John Blake, 399 acs. Low. Norf. Co., 8 Mar. 1663, p. 304, (277). In Deep Cr., a br. of the S. br. of Eliz. Riv., beg. at Manimass Cr, running E. by S. &c. Trans. of 6 pers: [see source for list]^[2]
• Feb 1664 - Lt. Col. Jno. Blake & Mr. Edward Ison, 2500 acs. Nancimond Co., 20 Feb. 1664, p. 154, (28). Trans. of 50 pers: [see source for list]^[2]
• Feb 1673 - Col. John Blake and William Cadogen patented 3,000 acres of land in the Upper Parish of Nansemond County at a place called 'Wickhams' on 25 February 1673. ^[6] His daughter Mary Blake Baker left this land to her son William Baker in her will. ^[7]

Research Notes

He is believed to be the son of William Blake IV (1594-1651) and Martha Nosworthy of Somerset, England. Research would need to be done to confirm this. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Blake, John - A902; Nansemond Co.: 1666-76 (Burgess). accessed 7 December 2021
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Nugent, Nell Marion, Abstracted and Indexed by. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800. In Five Volumes. Richmond, VA.: Press of the Dietz Printing Co., 1935. Pages 280, 443, 444, 492
3. ↑ Stanard, William G. and Mary Newton Stanard. The Colonial Virginia Register. Albany, N. Y.: Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers. 1902. Pages 72, 79
4. ↑ Source: Geni, they didn't have a record of where this came from
5. ↑ Harrison, Fairfax, The Harrisons of Skimino, 1910, pp24-32, WikiTree Thomas Jones Jr.
6. ↑ Patent Book 5, pg 501
7. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett. Southside Virginia Families. in 2 volumes. Redwood City, Calif., Pacific Coast Publisers, 1955- Volume 1, Page 6
8. ↑ https://www.myheritage.com/site-205686631/blake Brian P.T. Blake research, sources lacking

See also:

• Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Volume I. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company 1915. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008. Page 188.