William Poythress (aft. 1720-), son of Joshua Poythress (I), of Flowerdew Hundred, 4th Generation

R. Bolling Batte regarding William Poythress
[213 William Poythress]
Family
William Poythress, of Flowerdew Hundred, the son of Joshua Poythress, was born in the 1720s.

Inheritance
April 8, 1741, the Will of William’s father, Joshua Poythress, of Flowerdew Hundred, was proved by Richard Bland and Ann Bland. Joshua (I) appointed his brothers, William and Robert Poythress, and his friends and relations, Richard Bland, Thomas Poythress and John Woodlief, to divide the estate. He appointed his brother, Robert Poythress, and his cousin, Thomas Poythress, to be executors of his Will. He gave to his sons Joshua and William Poythress the land he lived on, that he bought from Mrs. Elizabeth Duke and Captain John Hardyman, to be equally divided. He also gave them his land on the Nottaway River, in Surry County, to be equally divided between them. He gave his son, Littlebury, 20 shillings, and asked his sons, Joshua and William, to keep him during his lifetime. All of the rest of his estate was to be equally divided between his wife and five children, Joshua, William, Ann Poythress, Elizabeth Poythress and Mary Poythress.

April 8, 1741, in Prince George County, the last Will and testament of Joshua Poythress, deceased, was exhibited into court by Robert Poythress and Thomas Poythress, his executors, who made oath thereto and it being proved by the oath of Richard Bland, Gentleman, and, Ann Bland, two of the witnesses thereto who also made oath that they saw Christian Poythress subscribe the said Will, a witness was ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said Robert Poythress and their giving Bond and Security according to law, certificate was granted them for obtaining a probate of the said Will in due form. Robert Poythress and Thomas Poythress, executors, of the last Will and testament of Joshua Poythress, deceased, with Richard Bland and William Poythress, Gentlemen, their Securities entered into Bond in the sum of £5,000 current money payable to Robert Bolling with condition for their faithful executorship and thereby acknowledge the same in court. It was ordered that Robert Poythress and Thomas Poythress, executors, of the last Will and testament of Joshua Poythress, deceased, present the said deed and its estate to the next court.

Civic activities

July 16, 1754, in the Surry County court, the Will of David Long, Gentleman, of Surry County, dated ______, and recorded ______. James Cocke and Henry Browne, Gentlemen, were the executors. Wife: Mary. Mentions: wife’s father, Colonel Benjamin Edwards, John Ruffin, _____ Poythress, Hartwell Cocke and Thomas Cocke, Gentlemen, swear to handwriting. March 9, 1755, in the Surry County court, Henry Brown, Gentleman, to Mary Long, by Will of David Long, Gentleman. The witnesses were William Poythress, Jr., Sarah Edwards and William Edwards.

In Surry County, the Will of Henry Browne, of Surry County, dated October 30, 1762, recorded December 21, 1763. William Browne, of Surry County, and John Edmunds, of Sussex County, were the executors. Wife: Hannah. Sons: William, Henry, Benjamin Edwards Browne (first of two not 21). Daughters: Mary and Elizabeth Browne. Friends: William Poythress, of Prince George County, and Hartwell Cocke, of Surry County. Mentions: land in Southampton and Brunswick Counties; lots in Cobham, Guilford and Petersburg. The witnesses were James Carter, John Hutchings, Jr., and John Collier.

Property: Land

Joshua Poythress sold 20 acres to Abraham Parham on n/s Monks Neck cr. bounded by Gum sw. adj. John Leeth & Abraham Parham, Albemarle parish, Sussex Co., 1763

Joshua Poythress sold 595 acres sold to Wm. Wilkerson & John Adams on Monkoneck cr. adj. Abraham Parham, Chas. Leath, Sr., Sir Wm. Skipwith & the county line, Sussex Co., 1763 [These two sales appear to sell all of the Monks Neck land that Joshua’s & Wm.’s father gave them in his Will.]

Adjoining Property

10 Sep 1760 Robert Tucker 132 ac. Dinwiddie County on the N side of the Birchen Swamp…along William Poythress’s line, etc. VPB 33, pp. 889-890.

Highlights:

William Poythress, son of Joshua Poythress (I), of Flowerdew Hundred, 4^th Gen.

– born after 1720

– his father, Joshua Poythress’ Will was proved, 1741

– inherited ½ of the land his father lived on that was bought from Mrs. Eliz. Duke & Capt. John Hardyman, also ½ of land on Nottaway R. In Surry Co., 1741

– Chas. Leath on n/s Nottaway R. bounded by Gum sw. at mouth of Wharreocko br. to thick place of br. adj. Joshua Poythress, Albemarle parish, Surry Co., 1745

– Witness to Will of David Long, Surry Co., 1754

– Jas. Draper btwn. Tommaheton sw. & Birchen swamps adj. Joshua Poythress “his corner” & William Poythress “at the county line,” Amelia Co., 1756

– listed as friend of Henry Browne in Browne’s Will, Surry Co., 1762

– Joshua Poythress sold 20 acres to Abraham Parham on n/s Monks Neck cr. bounded by Gum sw. adj. John Leeth & Abraham Parham, Albemarle parish, Sussex Co., 1763

– Joshua Poythress sold 595 acres to Wm. Wilkerson & John Adams on Monkoneck cr. adj. Abraham Parham, Chas. Leath, Sr., Sir Wm. Skipwith & the county line, Sussex Co., 1763 [These two sales appear to sell all of the land that Joshua’s & Wm.’s father gave them in his Will.]

– Wm. Cryer s/s Tommaheton sw. adj. John York & Joshua Poythress, Amelia Co., 1764 

– Benj. Hunnicut to Jas. Lewis, Cane & Straw meadow adj. Mary Poythress (previously Wm. Carter’s land), Sussex Co., 1784

Joshua Poythress (I) had: 100 ac. Queensland; 200 ac. adj. Fitzgerald; 300 ac. Monksneck; 333 ac. Monksneck; 200 ac. High Peak; 300 ac. Flowerdew; 250 ac. Flowerdew; and 382 ac. Tommaheton = 2,065 ac. Sold 100 ac. to bro. Wm. = 1,965 ac.

Joshua Poythress (II) sold 615 ac. Monksneck Sussex (1763); pd. taxes on (293 + 200 + 70 +18 =) 581 ac. Pr. Geo. = 1,196 ac.]

If Joshua (I) had abt. 1,965 ac. at his death & he divided the land btwn. his sons, Joshua & Wm., they should have both received a just under 1,000 ac. each. Joshua (II) had abt. 1,196 ac. Joshua (I) had abt. 633 ac. at Monksneck and Joshua (II) should have had half of that. Joshua (II) sold 615 ac. at Monksneck in 1763. Evidently Joshua (II) had all of the land at Monksneck. In 1756, Jas. Draper had land adj. to both Joshua & Wm. in Amelia Co. There is no other record showing William.

Joshua (II) should have inherited 982½ ac. or thereabouts from his father. He pd. taxes on 581 ac. in Pr. Geo. Co. & should have pd. taxes on 191 ac. (Tommaheton) in Amelia Co. He sold 615 ac. in Sussex Co. where he should have had abt. 316½ ac. Adding the Pr. Geo. Co., Amelia Co. & half of the Sussex Co. land adds up to: 581 + 191 + 307½ = 1,079½ ac., not very far from the 982½ ac. of the even split with his brother. It appears that he sold his land & his brother’s land at Monksneck. What happened to William Poythress and where did his inheritance go?

Neighbors: Charles Leath, Joshua Poythress, James Draper, Abraham Parham, John Leath, William Wilkerson, John Adams, Charles Leath, Sr., William Skipwith, William Cryer, John York