Early Records

From the early records of immigrants to the Virginia Colony there can be found a lot of information which results in creating the confusion of just who did what and when.  Robert Rockwell/Rockhould did, on 19 August 1637, receive a grant of two hundred fifty acres land in Norfolk, Nansemond County, Virginia Colony.  The patent is not very legible in the copy I have but it appears to be for the transportation of five (50 acres per person):  Robert himself, his wife Sarah or Hanah, daughter Mary, one Thomasin Rockwell, and Mary Sayor/Hayor (probably a servant).  This Thomasin might be a son, later called Thomas but I believe it is actually Robert’s mother and that Thomas the son was actually born in Virginia, as was Robert Jr. and John.

This patent, 19 August 1637, is the earliest known record.  Considering it is the actual grant of land and not just the authorization for the land, it may have been issued some time after the family actually arrived in Virginia.  It was not unusual for several months, even a year or so, between the arrival and the actual claim for land being made.

If you have anything before this, or some clarification of this patent I sure would like to know about it.  I have it in . PNG format and will gladly email it to you if you want to view it better than on this blog.  Or, if you have a better copy or what you believe to be a good transcript of it, let me know.