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Featherston continued
It was several miles from the home plantation of Charles Featherston to the court
house, which was then at Varina, and he had to cross a ferry at that point from the south
side of James River. This did not seem to
hinder them if something of interest was on hand, and we find that an ordinary or tavern
was kept at the plantation of Mr. Thomas Cook who lived at Malvery Hill. There was an alley for playing ninepins there
(Vol. 1, p. 191). Crosse (?) and pile was
another game played and I find that John Pygott won 700 lbs. of tobacco in one
night playing with one John Milner. Aside
from this they raised horses and had cocke fights. However,
life was not all drinking and gambling. These
were habits brought from the mother country and hard to get away from all at once. When alarms were sounded that an Indian raid was
expected, all was excitement and worry as to the fate of family and home. Men were sent to give the alarm and get the
Militia together to drive the savage back. Pirates
also often came into the great rivers, causing great alarm.
Yorktown, Jamestown, and Hampton were fortified against pirates for many years, but
they would land at plantations to steal and frighten planters.
I do not find a will of Charles
Featherston, but at August Court, 1692 (Marie Rutledge: “typed as Mrs. Fothergill has it
typed - it obviously is an error.”) Rebecca Featherston was granted
administration on the estate of her husband Charles Featherston,
deceased. (Vol. 1, p. 225) There is no statement as to who she was, but her
son was quite young at the time of his father’s death; he must have married her after
coming to Virginia. She did not long remain a
widow, as she had married one Samuel Newman by October 1683. (Vol. 1, p. 150)
At a court held at Varina for ye
county of Henrico ye second day of October by his Majesty’s Justices of ye Peace for
ye said County, in ye thirty fourth year of the Reigne of our Sovereign Lord Charles
ye Second by ye grace of God Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of ye
faith, etc.; and in ye year of our Lord God 1682: A
true and perfect inventory of the estate of Charles Featherston deceased taken
and appraised by John Steward and Thomas Webster, Appraisers thereunto
appointed and sworn before Mr. Richard Kennon one of his Majesties Justices of
the Peace this 22 day of August 1682. Vis: one Feather bed, Boulster, Pillow, two Blanketts,
one Rugg, one pair of Sheets with Dinerminister Curtains, and Vallance and Bedstead, L
2-0-0, one small feather bed, boulster, pillow, blankett, 7 pair of sheets, L 1-0-0. One chest, 1 Wainscott chair, 1 long table, a
forme, 2 joint stools. Two iron potts, one
iron kettle, one pair of racks with pot hooks, one pair of tongs, a brass ladel, five
gunns unfixt, 1 fixt gunn, a cutlass, two Buck skins, one Box iron, one cross-cut saw, two
hand saws, one Broad-an (Broad-axe?), two adese, Four Augers, two Chissles, one drawing
knife, one frow, one Hammer, Fifteen pounds of old pewter, one brass mortar, one iron
pestle, pieces of gunns, one Couch and 2 small chairs, one old trunk and case, one
powdering tubb, and other lumber, one Diaper Table Cloth, 13 Diaper Napkins, 2 Diaper
Towells, 2 pair of old sheets, Six old pillow cases, Eight Course Napkins, two small
course table cloths, one Blankett, one old Holland sheet, one very old Bible, three books,
three little old pillows, one looking Glass, Three orters of Course Broadcloth, two yards
of Flannel, two yards half of Norwich stuff, About 60 head of Hoggs running in ye woods. Totall: L
15-04-08. Eight Cowes, one three year old
Heifer, three three year old steers, two steers two years old, one Bull three years old,
two yearling heifers, three yearling Bulls, and one young Cow calf. Two seven year old mares, two young Horses, one
Mare two years old, one Mare foal one half a year old.
Signed John Steward and Thomas Webster.
Debts were due the estate by Abraham
Womack, William Bevin, and Timothy Allen.
Due out to the estate: John Baugh,
John Davies, Mrs. Lown, Edward Stratton, Jr., Robert Bolling, Peter Rowlett for Lewis
(Vol. 1, p. 226)
10 October 1683, a horse running at
Puckett’s belonged to Charles Featherston.
He and Joseph Tanner had traded horses and he was looking for it in
company with Christopher Branch at Appamattock.
(Vol. 1, p. 150)
At a court held in October 1682 it
was stated that Samuel Newman had married ye widow of Charles Featherston. (Vol. II, p. 150)
Some of the old records of Henrico
County were destroyed so we cannot find out who all of the children of Charles &
Rebecca Featherston were, but we find that Henry, one of the orphans of Charles
Featherston deceased was upwards of 21 years of age when he discharged his guardian
from further service on Aug. 20, 1702. This
was Samuel Newman who had married his mother Rebecca (Orphans Court,
Henrico Records, Vol. 4, p. 45). This
indicates that Henry was born about 1681 so was likely the youngest child. He appears as Henry and as Charles
Henry.
On January 19, 1715,
Charles Henry Featherston was one of the witnesses to the will of Richard
Walthall as well as to that of his daughter Diana Walthall on Oct. 5 of the
same year (Vol. 1714-18, pp. 27-23. Marie Rutledge: “Mrs.
Fothergill says pp. 27-23”)
We note that Richard Walthall
mentioned a son Henry in his will to which Charles Henry Featherston was
a witness in 1715; that the same Henry Walthall in his will 1760 stated that he
was of great age; that his daughter Phoebe Featherston was dead and made
provision for her children. We find that one Henry
Featherston - seemingly his son - seems to have died without wife or children, so Phoebe must have been the
wife of Charles Featherston of that period.
Aug. 20, 1743, Sir
William Gooch, Governor of Virginia, granted Charles Featherston 247
acres of land lying in Henrico County at Richard Wood (a corner oak, Joseph Red’s
line, to Epps’ line, Owen’s line and Middle Creek Road). He is to improve 3 acres of every 50. (Land patents XXI, p. 486)
Jan.
22, 1745, Charles Featherston purchased from Henry Randolph 120 acres of
land which was described as lying on Timbury Run and Sarah Stewart’s Spring
Branch. The witnesses to the deed were Henry
Newman, Henry Featherston and John Chumbly. (Deeds 1744-48, p. 135). L 45, price.
Charles Featherston of Dale
Parish, Henrico County, sold to Henry Featherston of the same parish and county,
for the sum of L 5 current money of Virginia, a tract of 300 acres of land lying on
Timbury Run adjoining Charles Featherston and Henry Randolph;
it being part of 720 acres which belonged to Charles Henry Featherston the
grantee, 28 September 1747. Witnesses: Henry and Grief Randolph, Benjamin
Ratcliss. (Records 1744-48, p. 324)
This was a deed of gift or its
equivalent since 5 pounds would have been just about sufficient to pay recordation fees
and surveyor’s charges. We note that Henry
Randolph paid him L 45 for 120 acres of the same tract on Timbury Run.