Sturdivant Family by C. T. Smith Jr.
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The antecedents of John Sturdivant are not known. The surname is English. The only family of the name to appear in the visitation of the various English shires is that of Sturdivant of Nowell in the Visitations of Nottingham 1569-1614, published by the Harlean Society of London. Thier arms were described as:Gules, a lion rampant, argent; a border of the last;charged with eight arrows, sable. In this pedigree, the given names of John and William predominate. In addition, the International Genealogical Index lists many Sturdivant entries for the County of Nottingham but none with any immediate reference to the man who came to Virginia.
Hotten lists a Roger Sturdivant age 21 who sailed for Virginia in the Bona Venture in 1634. At the time Virginia was loosely applied to any destination in the new world. Roger settled in the Barbadoes where his will, dated 1650, mentioned wife Dorothy and sons John and Roger. In the Will, he referred to himself as the oldest son of John Sturdivant of the Parish of Chippin in County Lancaster, England. According to the Parish Register of Chippin, filed in the IGI, Roger was christened in 1612. No relationship between this Roger and John Sturdivant of Virginia has been found.
Nor does John appear to be related to Mary Sturdivant who was listed as a headright by Laurence Baker in Surry County VA in 1665 or to Thomas Sturdivant who was a Headright of Edward Rogers and Charles Hoyle in Stafford in 1669. These are the only other persons of the name who appear in the early Land Patents.
Of more interest, as John had a son by that name, is the appearance of a Daniel Sturdivant as a juror in Surry County Oct. 29, 1663. There is no other reference of any kind to this Daniel.
On Dec. 8, 1664, during John Sturdivant's active period in Charles City, the Court ordered William Sturdivant to pay a sum to John Beauchamp, merchant. As William does not appear again in any other compemporary record, this may represent a clerical error, and the name John intended. |
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Cavaliers and Pioneers --Virginia Patent Bk 3, P 172 Feb. 23, 1652-53
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Christopher Robinson and John Sturdivant
600 acres Henrico County upon the head of the eastern run of Swift Creek known by the name of Mr. Hatcher's Run.
For transportation of 12 persons
(Among them was James Sturdivant who is not identified) |
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The Sturdivant Family by C. T. Smith Jr.
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(The above Land Grant) was in the present Chesterfield County. In the Grant, neither man was credited for his own adventure and John Sturdivant does not appear as a Headright in any other Land Grant. Sturdivant and Robinson did not develope the property, and in 1671, the Patent having lapsed, the 600 acres was included in a larger Grant to Henry Randolph. Joint Grants rarely indicated a relationship. By 1663 Robinson had died and his widow had married Francis Burrell. On Aug. 31, 1663 Burrell gave bond for his performance as Robinson's Administrator and John Sturdivant was one of the men who inventoried the property and put up security for the bond. |
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Charles City County Order Bk
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1659…John Sturdivant…Jury |
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Charles City County Virginia Order Bk 1655-65, P 240 Sept. 14, 1660
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Quietus estate was granted to John Sturdivant of the Estate of Samuel Woodward, he having given bond for overplus for the use of the orphans, and releasing him from the Administration obtained by his wife in her widowhood. |
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This record proves that John Sturdivant had married Sarah Hallom by Sept. of 1660. Sarah Hallom had been granted Administration on the Estate of her husband Samuel Woodward Feb. 3, 1658.
Charles City County Virginia Order Bk 1661-1664, P 374 April 20, 1663
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Charles Webb ordered to pay John Sturdivant 300 Pounds tobacco due. |
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Charles City County Virginia Order Bk 1661-1664, P 377
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Peter Jons servant to John Sturdevant, absent. Ordered to make good. |
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Cavaliers and Pioneers
Virginia Patent Bk 5, P 350 Nov. 29, 1663
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Hercules Flood 72 acres 3 rods 24 poles on the South side of Appomattox River beginning nigh the line of Samuel Woodward, running South Southeast 56 perches, thence E 186 perches to John Sturdivant his lyne which runneth to the head of Citty Creek, then Northwest by North 96 perches then West and by South 178 perches to the beginning.
Transportation of 2 negroes. |
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The Sturdivant Family by C. T. Sturdivant Jr.
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The name of City Creek was later changed to Bull Hill Creek and runs north into the Appomattox River at the western boundary of the present city of Hopewell. The line of John Sturdivant is also referred to in other grants in the area of City Creek. |
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Hopewell is on the northern border of the present County of Prince George. Thus John Sturdivant lived in what is now Prince George County VA. Prince George County was formed 1702-1703 from Charles City County.
Virginia Colonial Abstracts
Prince George County Land Patents 1666-1719 by Lindsey O. Duvall
Bk 6, P 327----Oct. 15, 1670
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Mr. Michael Hill 200 acres, 16 poles on the South Side of Appomattock River. Bounded at a corner tree of Walter Brooks his land to John Sturdevant's land to the beginning. The said land was due by Transfer of 5 persons---John Armstrong, William Inks, Mary Greene, Robert Dyamond, Derry Grymes. |
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The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. 3, P 1467
Virginia Land Patent Bk 6, P 452----May 17, 1673
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Henry Randolph patent for 244 acres at the head of a dividend of land
formerly surveyed for John Sturdevant, formerly granted to John Gilliam.
Sept. 3, 1663 and by him deserted. |
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Virginia Colonial Abstracts
Prince George County Land Patents 1666-1719 by Lindsey O. Duvall
Bk 6, P 480----Oct 28, 1673
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Henry Batts and Mr. John Sturdivant 3,528 acres on the South Side of
Appomattock River. Bounded on the Second Branch of Blackwater in
Charles City County to the beginning.
The said land was due by the Transfer of 71 persons. |
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Second Branch of the Blackwater later became known as Second Swamp. Second Swamp is in Prince George County due south of Citty or Bull Hill Creek in central Prince George County. This section of Prince George County is referred to as Blackwater District.
Charles City County Virginia Court Orders, Fragments, 1672-74 P 513
April 3, 1673
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It is agreed between William Williams plaintiff and John Sturdevant defendant that the defendant have his 200 acres laid out first and the plaintiff have his 400 acres next. |
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The Sturdivant Family by C. T. Smith Jr.
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Samuel Woodward, the first husband of Sarah Hallom, was the son of Christopher Woodward. On Oct. 8, 1650, Samuel Woodward as heir to Christopher Woodward, sold 450 acres on the South Side of the Appomattox River in Charles City County to Anthony Wyatt. This was part of a larger tract of 600 acres that had been granted to his father in 1637.
A later Court suit suggests that Sarah Woodward's dower had never been clarified at the time of the 1650 sale. Anthony Wyatt sold the land in 1655 to Robert Burgess who in turn sold it in 1660 to William Williams. In Charles City County Court on April 3, 1673 it was agreed between William Williams plaintiff and John Sturdivant defendant that the defendant have his 200 acres laid out first, and the plaintiff 400 acres next. This undoubtedly pertained to Sarah (Woodward) Sturdivant's dower. On April 8, William Williams obtained a Grant for his share of the land in which the title was recited. |
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John Sturdivant’s involvement in Bacon’s Rebellion
For information on the history of Bacon’s Rebellion visit these sites:
Adventures of Purse and Person, P 351
Colonial Records, Vol. 1, P 39
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John Sturdivant had been a sympathiser with Nathaniel Bacon and was exempted from pardon in a Proclamation of Sir William Berkeley Feb. 10, 1676/7 which was revoked by the King's Commissioners. |
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Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 3, P 132, 342.
Charles City County Grievances---1676
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He the said Edward Hill procureth warrants----for the seizing and securing the persons and estates of dyvers in this County that had and that he knew had layd hold of and were pardoned by the Government and the King'd proclamation aforesaid vis namely John Sturdivant (and others). |
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The Sturdivant Family by C. T. Smith Jr.
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At the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, Charles City County and Henrico County were Virginia's western frontier. Nathaniel Bacon himself was a citizen of Henrico County. Substantial people in the area, including William Byrd I of Westover, were among the supporters. So was John Sturdivant. It is not clear how deep was his involvement in the rebellion. He was mentioned frequently in the petition of grievances from the residents of Charles City to the Commission sent out from London late in 1676 to investigate the causes of the uprising.
Col. Edward Hill was Sir William Berkeley's main supporter in Charles City. The Governor had ordered him to seize the persons of several Bacon men, among them John Sturdivant and to secure their property. These men later claimed that Col. Hill had extorted bribes from them to plead their cause with the government, concealing the fact that both the King and Berkeley had already issued a pardon.
In Col. Hill's emotional defense before the Commissioners, he particularly singled out John Sturdivant, saying Sturdivant should be made to swear that he had “been out to gratify my wife for begging his life”, that he had “made an offer of I know not what” and that he had voluntarily given Hill 5 hogsheads of tobacco out of gratitude. At one point in the hearings, Judith Randolph testified that while she was at the house of John Sturdivant, she had heard John Pygott curse those who would not swear loyalty to Nathaniel Bacon. |
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Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. V, P 212
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There is a record in Henrico County of a Deed recorded April 1680 from John Sturdivant and Sarah his wife of Charles City County to Samuel Woodward, conveying a tract of land at Turkey Island, Henrico County, patented by the relict of Mr. Robert Hallam and granted by her to the daughters and heirs of said Hallam, viz, the said Sarah Sturdivant and her 2 sisters. The whole tract containing 1000 acres.
There was also recorded at the same time a Power of Attorney to Col. Edward Hill from Samuel Woodward, son and heir of Sarah Sturdivant, daughter of Mr. Robert Hallom and formerly wife of Samuel Woodward deceased of Charles City County. |
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Henrico County Virginia Order Book
Jan. 25. 1681
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Power of Attorney from Eusebius King of Charles City County to William Randolph.
Wit: Robert Bolling, John Sturdivant |
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Charles City County Virginia Order Bk 1672-1774, P 505
1673
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John Sturdevant received permission from the Court “to entertain Indians”. |
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Death of John Sturdivant
Adventures of Purse and Person, P 351
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John Sturdivant seems to have been an Indian trader in the employ of William Byrd I of Westover, who wrote April 29, 1684 from James City to Thomas Grendon in England.
“Old Sturdivant, his son, Millner, Shipy, Womacke and Hugh Cassell were all killed by the Indians in their returne from the westward, about 30 miles beyond Ochanechee, what prejudice it is to mee you may guesse, they having (had they come well in) made a very advantagious journey.” |
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The Correspondence of the Three Williams Byrds of Westover, Virginia 1684-1776
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Letters of administration on the estates of John Milner, Thomas Shippy, Richard Womeck (and John Davis) were granted to their widows at the same Henrico County Court Aug. 1, 1684.
All of these men's inventories shows some connections with the Indian trade: Indian boys and girls, trading knives, a tomahawk, Indian baskets.
The Occaneechee Trail or Path led from Fort Henry (Petersburg) through Occaneechee Town (near present Clarksville, Mecklenburg County), close to the Forks of the Dan and Roanoke rivers 20 miles west of what would be present Person County NC. |
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Virginia Colonial Abstracts
Prince George County Lant Patents 1666-1719 by Lindsey O. Duvall
Bk 8, P 60
Feb. 19, 1690
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Mr. Henry Randolph, Mr. James Cock, John Golighty and Solomon Creek 647 acres Charles City County, Parish of Bristoll and at a place known by the name of Second Swamp. Bounded at a corner white oak belonging to the line of John Sturdivant, thence West by North - -crossing by the Second Swamp - - to Mr. Sturdivant's corner white oak thence on his line North Northwest 1/2 West. The said land was due by Transfer of 13 persons. |
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This record was some 6 years after the death of John Sturdivant. His estate was just beginning to be settled in 1690. Note that the land is listed as on Second Swamp rather than Second Branch of Blackwater.
Charles City County Order Bk 1687-95, P 322
Jan. 1690/91
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Letters of Administration granted to Daniel Sturdivant on behalf of himself and brothers on the Estate of their mother Sarah Sturdivant. Daniel Sturdivant and Robert Bolling gave Security for 20,000 Pounds of tobacco.
Virginia Quit Rent Roills…1704
Prince George County
Chichester Sturdevant…214 acres
Daniell Sturdivant…850 acres
Matthew Sturdevant…150 acres
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Theory on the Children of John Sturdivant
The oldest son of John Sturdivant was probably the one who was killed with him by the Indians. Daniel Sturdivant was the next oldest son. He had considerably more land in 1704 than either Chichester or Matthew Sturdivant.
Probably John Sturdivant had a 4th son who was not listed in the Quit Roll named Llewellyn Sturdivant. In the Bristol Parish Vestry in 1729, “Llewellen” Sturdivant was declared exempt from the parish levies. This meant that he was old, infirm or destitute. He was very probably the father of Llewellyn and Biggin Sturdivant whose children's births appear in the Bristol Parish Register. Llewellyn Sturdivant was named for his mother's step-father. After the death of Robert Hallom, his widow Ann married a third time to Daniel Llewellyn.
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