Thomas and Sarah Jackson Tinsley: My paternal and maternal 7th great grandparents.
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| Map created by David Benbennick; Widkipedia; Creative Commons license |
Thomas Tinsley is my 7th great grandfather. Actually it could be said that Thomas and his wife Sarah Jackson Tinsley are my ancestors two times over. He was born about 1660 at St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, Virginia. His parents Thomas and Elizabeth Randolph Tinsley were immigrants from Yorkshire, England. They arrived at Jamestown in 1638. Sarah's father was Isaac Jackson who immigrated from Lancashire, England.
Thomas and Sarah settled in St. Anne's Parish in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia after their marriage. They had eight children: David, Phillip, John, Thomas, Ann, Edward, Mary, and Isaac. I descend from two of their sons - John and Edward. It's not unusual for us to have double relationships in our lineage due to intermarriage between cousins but in this case it was not cousins. John is my maternal 6th great grandfather and his brother Edward is my paternal 6th great grandfather. My parents are cousins to each other, they are my cousins, and I am my own cousin!
Old Rappahannock County is known as Essex County today. Thomas owned a transport ship. It is not known if he was the ship master or if he hired someone. He probably was a merchant and used to the ship to transport merchandise. He definitely transported people.
Thomas was granted land on at least two occasions for transporting people to the Colony. One grant was for fourteen-hundred acres for transporting twenty-eight people. The other grant was for one thousand acres for transporting twenty people to the Colony. The names of those he transported are listed on the grants.
Their property was on a southern branch of the "Portobacco Creek" which was given it's name for the Portobacco Tribe. It was a perfect location for Thomas and his family. They had access to the waterways that were used for shipping tobacco and transporting people to the Colony.
The nearest church was Vauter's Church which still stands today. A wing was added on in 1731.
In April 1714 Thomas Tinsley, planter of Essex County, sold several pounds of tobacco and several tracts of land totaling one thousand twenty-five acres.
He made his Last Will and Testament on November 25, 1715 naming his wife Sarah as executor. His will was proven by Sarah on February 22, 1715/16.
If I were a child again I would say I have "bunches and bunches" of Tinsley dna.
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| Beam me up Cathy - (back to top) |
What an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI have a Roy Edward Tinsley (b 27-Feb 1880, Virginia, d ?) in my family tree. He married Cora Padgett (1881-1962) . They one daughter, Annie Tinsley (1901-1967) before Roy and Cora divorced. Roy's father was James Tinsley (b abt 1858, d ?). I wonder if they are ancestors of your Tinsleys?
I don't have him in my tree. Some of the other trees on Ancestry show him with my Tinsley's. I have not researched your Roy or proven the trees. Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting story. Thanks for sharing with all of us. My line of Franklin's, Edward and his brother Lawrence, both born around the late 1690's in Essex Co. VA., is where my Franklin roots come from.
ReplyDeleteSteve Franklin
Hello,Cathy!
ReplyDeleteI am descended from Thomas Tinsley through Thomas II's daughter Ann. Ann married John Goff. Their daughter, Martha, married Henry McDaniel, and that is my family line. I had known some of what you wrote here, but your entry was enlightening on many levels. Thank you for contributing this story!
Martha McDaniel
Glad you enjoyed it. It's always nice to meet cousins!
DeleteCathy
Hello cousin, Thomas Tinsley, 1618-1702, is my 8th great grandfather. On my father's side, I am descended from Isaac, a brother of John and Edward. I, too, am a double descendant, this on my mother's side and her father and mother were descended from sisters, Sallie and Susan Butler, who were their great grandmothers.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great post..and happy to meet you, cousin! Cerelle Bolon
Hi Cerelle. It's always nice to meet cousins!
DeleteCathy - what a wonderful article! I, too, have a Thomas Tinsley of Essex County in my family tree. He married a "Martha" and they had a daughter, also Martha, in 1713. Many call my Thomas "Thomas Tinsley II" - and I have seen many people claim he is the son of your Thomas. I have not yet found "proof" - but am keeping this information on your Thomas for the future, I hope! Thank you for such a fun, well-documented article!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cara and good luck with your research!
ReplyDelete