Thomas Godwin & Martha Bridger

Sally’s 8-great Grandparents:

Col. Thomas Godwin II ca 1626 – 1714 | his parents
& ca 1644 first wife| her parents
& 1679 Martha Bridger | her parents

of Chuckatuck, Nansemond Co VA


my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!


Thomas Godwin II ca 1626 -1714 seems to have had a first wife about 1644 as his son William was born 1645 -50 as William married 1666 Elizabeth Wright.

He was not a slave owner. He received none from his father who did leave his brother and sister slaves.

Col. Thomas Godwin II married about 1679 Martha Bridger dau of Col. Joseph Bridger I of Isle of Wight and Hester Pitt dau of Col. Robert Pitt.

Thomas and his brother Edmond were both members of the defiant vestry of Chuckatuck, in 1682, who denied the Governor’s right of induction.

Col. Thomas Godwin, speaker of the House of Burgess during the Bacon’s Rebellion built the present house ca 1690.

He was the Colonel commander of the Nansemond militia but because of a difficulty with the governor was removed in 1705. At the time of his death he was presiding justice of the county.

“A Majority of the Burgesses returned were much infected with the principle of Bacon, and their Speaker, Thomas Godwin, was notoriously a friend to all the treason and rebellion that distracted Virginia.”
from Bancroft’s History of the US.

In 1699 Thomas Godwin was sworn in as a Burgess and quietly took his seat in the House, but his opponent, Thomas Milner, contested the election successfully to win the seat by one vote.

Ma’am –
Hello from Watkinsville, GA.  I found your excellent site through ancestry.com — congratulations on solving a lot of puzzles.
I am descended from Col. Thomas Godwin of Nansemond.  Over the years, a good deal of confusion has been caused by an error in Boddie’s Isle of Wight book — his account has William Godwin (Thomas II, Thomas I) marrying Ann Pitt.
In fact, this William married Elizabeth Wright (there was another William, who did marry Ann Pitt, but that’s a different line).  My great uncle, John McCay Godwin, did excellent work on the subject in the ’90s, which I have attached for your review.  Hope it helps fill some holes.
Thanks,

John Branson (Bran) Parker

Child of Col. Thomas Godwin II and first wife unknown:
1.  William Godwin ca 1645 – 1720 Isle of Wight Co, VA
married 1666 Elizabeth Wright ca 1650 – 1727
a. William Godwin est 1670 – 1753 Bertie Co
Isles of Wight Co Deed Bk page 295 – On the 1st day of February 1749 between William Godwin and wife Sarah Godwin of Suffolk Parish in the County of Nansemond of the one part and Thomas Bullock of Newport Parish of the County of Isle of Wight of the other part. . .for 22 pound . . . a certain tract of parcel of Land lying and being in Newport Parish in the County of Isle of Wight est 100 acres + or – . . .being the Plantation whereon this William formerly lived bounding on the lands of Robert Driver, William Driver, Barnaby Godwin, and William Bullock the same Part of a Patent formerly granted to Godfry Hunt for six Hundred acres and by the sd Hunt conveyed to Henry Reves? of Rappahanock who did by Deed of Bargain of Sale bearing Date the 19th Day of December 1688 convey and will two Hundred Acres of the said land to Thomas Godwin of Chuckachuck in Nansemond and the sd Thomas Godwin decd by his last Will and Testament give and bequeath the the sd two hundred Acres unto his Son William Godwin, father of the aforesaid William Party to these presents — who did by his last Will and Testament bequeath the same to his two sons William and Barnaby Godwin which land has been divided etc . . .
b. john Barnaby Godwin
married Wilkinson
i. Lillyore Godwin d 1828 Warren Co GA
married Jonas Shivers Jr d 1826 Warren Co GA

Under William Godwin married Elizabeth Wright. Daughter Lillyore married Jonas Shivers Jr. not James [John] Shivers. Jonas died 1826 Warren Co. Ga. Lillyora died 1828 same place. Billy Shivers Longview, Tex. e-mail 19 Dec 2011

c. Elizabeth Godwin ca 1681 – rem. to Bertie County by 1716
married ca 1699 William Bridger 1658 – 1730
     will dated 2 Nov 1729, proved May 1730
d. Mary Godwin
married Arthur Whitehead ca1645 – 1710/11
e. Martha Godwin ca 1683 – aft 1732
married ca 1700 John Cotten ca 1661 – 1728
f. Jane Godwin nfi

 

Children of Col. Thomas Godwin II will dated 3 May 1712 – probated 17 May 1714
and Martha Bridger:

bequeathed “to my well beloved wife, Martha Godwzn, my new dwelling plantation houses and out houses, my mill and the apurtenances, etc.” He Left legaczes to each of his six sons and three daughters. Their names were Thomas, Joseph, Edmond, Samuel, William, James, Martha, Mary and Elizabeth.

1. Col. Thomas Godwin III ca 1680 – 1734/40
married Mary Godwin his first cousin
2. Joseph Godwin ca 1680/5 – 1761 Isle of Wight Co will
Burgess for Isle of Wight 1714, 1723; high sheriff and of the court in1719, 1720
3. Edmund Godwin ca 1680 – 1755
married Mary Mills ca 1686 – dau of Henry Mills
line being researched by Larry Smith
a. Jonathan Godwin ca 1705 – 1762
Parish of Suffolk, Nansemond Co Will dated 13 March and proved 20 July 1762
married 1725 Charity Holladay 1710 – dau of Col Anthony Holladay
i. Mary Godwin 1726 –
married Robinson
ii. Charity Godwin 1727 –
married James Riddick
iii. Clotilda Godwin 1731 –
married Christopher Godwin
iv. Ameliora Godwin 1730 –
married 1770 Anthony Godwin 1749 – of “Sleepy Hole”
v. Huldah Godwin
married 1743 William Wilkinson 1723 – 1796
1. John Wilkinson ca 1744 –
2. Amelia Wilkinson
married Joseph Godwin
a. Adeline Amelia Godwin
married Thomas Henry Pitt Godwin
vi. Jonathan Godwin
vii. Joseph Godwin
married Jane Arnette
married 2nd Mrs Anne Godwin, a widow
i. Robert Godwin dsp 1814 Suffolk VA lawyer
ii. Portia Godwin no issue
iii. Ann Godwin no issue
married 15 March 1792 William Townes
iv. Talbot Godwin
married 19 July 1797 Julia Hatton
1. Talbot Godwin dsp
2. Jonathan Lewis Godwin
married 1829 Julia Campbell dau of Gen Archibald Campbell
a. Gen Archibald Godwin CSA 1831 Chuckatuck – 1864 Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley
57th North Carolina Regiment, Brig. Gen. a native of Chuckatuck, born in 1831. He moved to California
at the age of 19 to be a rancher and miner. When the war started, he moved back to Virginia.
He led Hoke’s Brigade at Gettysburg and was named Brigader General on August 5, 1864.
Godwin was killed September 19, 1864 at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley by a shell fragment.

b. Augustus de Becque Godwin dsp Portsmouth VA
b. Col Thomas Godwin of Cherry Grove ca 1710 – will 1778/79
married Mary Pitt dau of Henry Pitt and his wife Mary West of Isle of Wight
i. Joseph Godwin studied medicine at University of Edinburgh and died there
married Robina Hamilton of Edinburgh Scotland
ii. Josiah Godwin
married 1st Miss Holladay
married 2nd Elizabeth Holladay dau of Thomas
1. Juliana Godwin
married 1st Alfred Hinson of Bermuda
married 2nd Thomas Stowe of Bermuda
iii. Henry Godwin
married Ann Groves 14 children
1. Sarah Godwin
2. Allen Godwin
3. Thomas Godwin
4. Henry Godwin
5. Julia Godwin
6. Marina Godwin
7. Elizabeth Slaughter Godwin
8. Priscilla Godwin
9. Mary Ann Godwin
married Sam Corbell
a. Julia Corbell
married 1st Thomas Gibbs
married 2nd Joseph Bunch
b. Mary Mills Corbell
married Dr. Edward Butts
c. Henry Corbell
married Miss Vaughan
i. Edward Pitt Corbell
married Elizabeth Murdaugh
iv. Mary Ann Godwin
married Col. Samuel Corbell
v. Edmond Pitt Godwin
married Elizabeth Mardaugh no children
vi. Allen Godwin
married Susannah Janet McRae Godwin
1. Janet McRae Godwin of Chuckatuck
married Joseph Holladay Godwin
vii. Mills Godwin 2 Feb 1760 – 1825 Cherry Grove
married 8 Feb 1780 SH Co Sally Blount 13 Oct 1758 SH co – 1835 Cherry Grove
dau of Thomas Blount and Ann Gray
1. Henry Blount Godwin 9 Dec 1781 –
2. daughter that lived only six days
3. Louisa Caroline Godwin 15 April 1784 –
married 1st John Randolph “from the North”
a. Eliza Kinsey Randolph
married Alex N Godwin
i. Margaret Godwin
married Albertson of NC
ii. Sarah M L J Godwin
married — Cutchin
iii. Miles Brewer Godwin
married and had issue
iv. Missouri Godwin
married — Dorsey
v. Eliza Randolph Godwin
vi. Fred Alex Godwin
married 2nd Dr. deBurgh Godwin no issue
married 3rd Frederick Hall
a. Frederick Hall
4. Ann Gray Godwin 23 Feb 1786 – 1856
married James Holladay 1784 – 1848
a. James Gustavus Holladay 1819 – 1886
married Georgianna Watts had issue
5. Thomas Henry Pitt [Holladay] Godwin 25 Dec 1788 –
married 1st Eliza J Godwin
a. Louisa Ann Godwin 1813 –
married Z T Connier of Macon GA
married 2nd A A Godwin
married 3rd Catherine Dixon Godwin

viii. Julia Godwin
married Col. Edwin Gray
ix. Louisa Godwin
married John Cowper, Esq of Stockley in Nansemond
1. Thomas Cowper
married Elizabeth Cowper
a. Mills Cowper
married Diza Saunders
2. Allen Cowper
3. John Cowper
married Martha Bullard
a. William Cowper
married — Rae of NC
4. Wills Cowper
married Grizzie Gray
a. Ann Eliza Cowper
b. Caroline Virginia Cowper
4. Samuel Godwin 20 May 1687/88 – 1741
married 19 Jan 1711 Mary Jessey 1 Feb 1696 – 23 Sept 1720
dau of Col James Jessey of Nansemond
a. Samuel/Lemuel Godwin 29 Mar 1712 – on Saturday – 1751
married 1748 Mrs Mary Richards widow of Richard
i. Sarah Godwin
married 1767 Bartholomew Lightfoot
b. Thomas Godwin 1 Feb 1714 – on Tuesday
married Elizabeth Wilkinson
c. Mary Godwin 11 Oct 1717 – on fryday
married Jacob Dickinson will 1749/50
i. Christopher Dickinson
ii. Chastity Dickinson
iii. Celia Dickinson
married 2nd Mr. Wilson
married 3rd Albridgeton Jones
d. “a sonne dead” 22 Sep 1720 on thursday
“My dear & loveing wife Mary Godwin departed this life a fryday morning about sunrize, itt being the 23rd day of Sept 1720”
married 2nd 19 Dec 1721 Catherine Scott
a. Martha Godwin 10 Oct 1722 –
b. Elizabeth Godwin 16 Feb 1723 –
c. Christine Godwin 23 Dec 1725 – 18 Sep 1726 a daughter
d. Joshua [Joseph] Godwin 27 Oct 1727 [18 Oct 1729] – ca 1743 Isle of Wight Co
e. Ann Godwin Sept 1729 –
f. Richard Godwin 10 Nov 1732 –
g. Edmund Godwin 29 Oct 1735 –
Bible record NCGSJ VI – 227
h. William Godwin – received share of Joshua’s estate in 1743
5. James Godwin
married bef 1734 Sarah Kinchen dau of William Kinchen of Isle of Wight Co
a. James Godwin
b. Martha Godwin
c. Matthew Godwin will 1776
married Charlotte Darley
i. James Godwin
1. daughter
married 1783 James Holladay
ii. Kinchen Godwin [capt in the Rev]
married dau of Bembridge Godwin
1. Wright Godwin
2. Burgh Godwin
iii. William Godwin
iv. Edwin Godwin
married 178x Elizabeth Hunter of Isle of Wight
married 2nd Nancy Stokley
v. Sally Godwin
married Joseph Corbell
vi. Charlotte Godwin
vii. Mary Godwin
viii. Rachel Godwin will 1801
ix. Amelia Godwin
6. Martha Godwin nfi
7. Mary Godwin nfi
8. Elizabeth Godwin 1693 – 1761 Halifax Co NC
married Capt Barnaby Kearney died 1733/37 Nansemond Co
married 2nd Mr. Davis

“So far, the conclusion we have drawn is that the Barnaby Godwin line and John Godwin (bridgebuilder) have been the only lines that have connected to the Thomas Godwin I line” from e-mail from Lori Godwin re results of DNA testing…

Sources:
John Bennett Boddie’s “Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia”
chapter XXV on the Godwin Family by Mildred M Holladay
Family History: Virginia Genealogies #1, pre-1600 to 1900s
Genealogies of Virginia Families III, Fl-Ha

Thomas Godwin of England and Nansemond County, Virginia 1-20


Sally’s 9-great Grandparents:

Col. Thomas Godwin ca 1605 – 1678 | his parents
& unidentified wife
of “Old Castle” Nansemond Co VA


my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!


“Capt. Thomas Godwin emigrated to Nansemond County when it was known as “Upper Norfolk”, then “Nandsamund” in mid-seventeenth century!”

1652 – represented Nansemond County in the House of Burgesses in 1652 and
other years.
1654 – Capt Thomas Godwin is a Burgess for Nansemond
1655 – Capt Thomas Godwin received his first grant in Nansemond at Chuckatuck.
His homestead was known as “Old Castle” and was on the border of Nansemond and Isle of Wight Co’s
1658 – Capt Thomas Godwin is a Burgess for Nansemond
1674 – “Nevertheless that the house and cleared grounds of Capt. Thomas Godwin, who hath bin an ancient inhabitant of Nansemond Countie Court, be, remain, counted and deemed in the County of Nansemond, anything in this act to the contrary, notwithstanding.”(2 Hening, 318)

1678 – He [or his son] was justice and coroner and Col. Commandant of the County
His will is dated March 24th, 1676-7. and proved in 1678.

Col. Thomas Godwin – 1678 will Nansemond Co, VA had:
1. Elizabeth Godwin 1718 will
married James Webb died 1675
a. James Webb Jr. [died 1719/20 no issue]
b. Patience Webb
married Mr. Milner
i. Patience Milner
c. Elizabeth Webb
married Col. William Wilkinson
d. daughter Webb [died before April 1717]
married George Norsworthy
son of Tristram Norsworthy II and wife Sarah Pitt
i. Elizabeth Norsworthy
ii. Martha Norsworthy
George married 2nd Christian Exum
married 2nd 1676 Joseph Woory died 1692 without issue
nephew of Sir John Yeamans and explored with him the Cape Fear section

married 3rd 1692 Col. Samuel Bridger died 1713 [will 1704 no issue]
son of Col. Joseph Bridger I
2. Edmund Godwin died 1713 Nansemond Co
 member of the Vestry Chuckatuck Parish ca 1705 was sheriff of Nansemond Co VA
married Sarah Bembridge
dau of Thomas Bembridge and wife Margaret
a. Mary Godwin
married Col. Thomas Godwin III ca 1680 – 1734/40
b. Joseph Godwin of Nansemond will 1756
married Elizabeth
i. Edmond Godwin
ii. Thomas Godwin
iii. Shemul Godwin
iv. Mary Godwin
v. Esther Godwin
c. Thomas Godwin will 1747
i. Edmond Godwin
ii. Thomas Godwin d bef 1747
1. Martha Godwin
married James Godwin
iii. Joseph Godwin
iv. Joshua Godwin
v. Burg Godwin
vi. Bembridge Godwin
Member of the Committee of Safety 1776; Lieut. in the Revolution
vii. Elizabeth Godwin
married Godwin
viii. Sarah Pitt Godwin
d. Edmond Godwin without issue
e. Elizabeth Godwin
married bef 1727 William Price
f. Sarah Godwin unmarried in 1727
g. William Godwin
h. Samuel Godwin
i. Martha Godwin
j. Patience Godwin
k. Margett Godwin
3. Col. Thomas Godwin II died 1714 will
married 1679 Martha Bridger
dau of Col. Joseph Bridger I of Isle of Wight

” Family tradition says that originally two Godwin brothers came to Virginia and owing to their different characteristics were called ‘Ruffle-shirt’ and ‘Osnaburgs’ Godwin respectively. The former being a sportsman and something of a coxcomb while the latter was an unassuming country gentleman. Tradition goes on to say that these two men afterwards won the nickname of English and Irish Godwin, Osnaburgs having married Miss Bridger and Ruffle-shirt having selected a lady of Irish descent. The tradition or the two men are mixed in some way. It was one of the second generation in Virginia that married Miss Bridger.”Mildred M Holladay’s account of the Godwins of Nansemond and Isle of Wight included in 17th Century Isle of Wight by Boddie.

Sources:
John Bennett Boddie’s “Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia”
chapter XXV on the Godwin Family by Mildred M Holladay
Family History: Virginia Genealogies #1, pre-1600 to 1900s
Genealogies of Virginia Families III, Fl-Ha


Who is this man?

Thomas Godwin ca 1610 – ca 1665 | his parents
& Ann Taberer? | her parents
of Isle of Wight County, Virginia


my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!


There was a Thomas Godwin who died intestate in Isle of Wight Co Feb 1665/6 who as Dr. Barry Hayes suggests may be the father of our William Godwin of Isle of Wight

godwintb1
the bond of Ann Godwin to administer her husband Thomas Godwin’s estate
signed the 9th day of February 1665/6 by William Berkley, Knight
copied from the original book by Lowell Avery

Dr. Barry Hayes writes: “. . .Thomas Taberer and Robert Kea were her bondsmen [in Chapman’s Isle of Wight wills p. 63] Ann was likely the daughter of Thomas Taberer. Boddie notes but does not speculate about the lineage of Samuel Godwin who was a “cousin[sic nephew] of Col. Samuel Griffin up on the Rappahannock where a Thomas Godwin first patented, as did Taberer, before their removal to southside Virginia. This Thomas Godwin patented on the Rappahannock with Richard Axom [sic: Exum] twice in 1650 one grant for 550 acres and another for 1,000 acres; one of the headrights on the first patent was a William Cotton. [likely the uncle of John Cotton whose wife was Martha Godwin.] This Thomas Godwin first patented in Nansemond in 1655 but so close to Isle of Wight that, given the border disputes which prevailed for over a century, the property could actually have been in Isle of Wight initially. Thomas Godwin assigned this patent to William Pope who renewed it in his own name in 1662 [Nugent I, 327]. From the family of William Pope came undoubtedly the William Pope [possibly a son] who witnessed the will [1710/20] of William Godwin, father of Martha Godwin Cotton, Elizabeth Godwin Bridger and Mary Godwin Whitehead.. . . .
“As a boy, William Godwin received a cow as a legatee of Humphrey Clarke in 1655 [Chapman, Isle of Wight Wills p2] He was to marry Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Thomas Wright. . .Thomas Griffin, who was very likely a kinsman of the aforementioned Col. Samuel Griffin on the Rappahannock, married Elizabeth Wright Godwin’s sister Anne: Griffin’s will of 1669/70 refers to William Godwin as his brother and had as witnesses William Godwin and Col. John Pitt …..”

“Captain Thomas Godwin, the original settler prior to 1616 and ancestor of Godwins of Nansemond County”

bk2-35 – 15 July 1675 Isle of Wight Co VA John Godwyn Dying intestate, the administration requested by his relict, Ann.

2 thoughts on “Thomas Godwin & Martha Bridger”

  1. Sally, Col. Joseph Bridger bought his land from John Perry, s/o Phillip Perry of Whitemarsh…. near Smithfield, VA. — Ernie Perry

    Deed of John Perry, son of Phillip Perry, of ye Whitemarsh, to Col Joseph Bridger, 1673.[7]”Isle of Wight County Records.” The William and Mary Quarterly. Vol 7, no. 4. 1899, p. 229.

  2. William Godwin was my great greatgreat great grandfather contact me my name is Josh Godwin son of George Godwin who is son of Herman f Godwin Esq.

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