Anthony HAGGARD

                   Historical information included in notes.


JAMES HAGGARD, A SCHOOL TEACHER (NOTE: These facts are copied this 17th day of August 1904 by Alfred M. Ha ggard and Finch Haggard from memoranda in the possession of Melvin Hagga rd Desoto, Iowa. He secured this from David Gentry Haggard within the la st 5 years.)A book by David Dawson Haggard Published in 1899 states that James Haggard is the first known Haggard in America. He migrated to America about 16 99 when he landed in Norfolk, Virginia. He is said to have been educat ed for the ministry but upon arriving in Virginia was put to teaching scho ol. Among his pupils was Elizabeth Gentry, born about 1685, a daught er of Nicholas Gentry, Sr. They eloped to North Carolina where they h ad a large family. Later they returned to Eastern Virginia.Some records show that James Haggard married Mabel Gentry, sister to Eliza beth, in 1721. That would imply that the last four children were from this union.1678 -- James Haggard, (identified in the book by David Dawson Haggard) "T he traditions of our fathers are that one James Haggard, born ca. 1678, Br adenham Hall, England, son of a wealthy aristocratic Lord of England, w as educated for the ministry. He joined the English Army as a private agai nst his father's wishes. Lord Haggard felt that the family's social stat us would warrant a commission) so Lord Haggard paid handsomely to have you ng James Haggard smuggled out of England aboard a merchant vessel bound f or Norfolk, VA. The unscrupulous captain knowing Lord Haggard would nev er admit to such a scheme threw young James Haggard in with other indentur ed servants and sold a contract for his services to a wealthy planter, th us collecting for James' passage twice. Young James Haggard landed in Norf olk, VA, ca. 1698 (prior to his 21st birthday)."The wealthy planter finding young James Haggard well educated put h im to teaching school. There was connected with this school a young wom an whose charms so impressed him that they eloped to North Carolina and we re married since it was illegal for a bonded servant to marry in Virgini a. They had a large family including: Nathaniel, Edmund, Zechariah, and Gr ay or Granville."James Hoggard/Haggard, H11, son of Anthony Hoggard, identified in 1723 Ove r-Wharton Parish, Stafford , VA, as a tobacco planter with three sons. Nea rest neighbors, also tobacco planters, were James French and William Ric e. The book by David Dawson Haggard identifies him as a schoolteacher wi th four sons. Records in the same area include two others believed to be b rothers of those named. Mr. Leland Gentry identifies James Haggard's wi fe as Elizabeth Gentry, baptized 29 August 1687, St. Peter's Parish, New K ent , VA, daughter of Nicholas Gentry I. (Undoubtedly there were daughte rs not shown.):