William JUSTICE

                   One source names his place of birth as South Hampton, London, England.One source lists him as a member of the House of Burgesses.  One sourcelists him as the owner of the ship "Edward" that came from Bristol,England.   About 1650 William Justice came from Wales or England andsettled in Jamestown, VA.  One source shows him receiving 1190 acres onApril 26, 1656 for bringing 24 people from England.  This was called theKittewan, or Kittiewan Plantation, near Weyanoke, Charles City, VA.

Early Virginia Families Along the James River - Their Deep Roots andTangled Branches, Compiled and Published by Louise Pledge Heath Foley,Volume I, Richmond, VA 1974.  This source contains the following:
Abstracts of Land Patents of Henrico County and Goochland County,including selected patents from Charles City, Chesterfield and PowhatanCounties (1624-1723) , Vol 1 Pages 16-19:

"WM. JUSTICE, 21 A., 2 R., 11 P., in Weynock in Chas. City Co., on N.side of James Riv., 20 Oct. 1665, p 537, (657).  Beg. at a stake partinghis own & land of MARGARETT HEWES, running N. by W. 300 po. then S.W.along Kittawan Br. & c.  Being due & confirmed by order of the Genll. Ct.etc. dated 16 Sept. 1663."

"WM. JUSTICE, 143 A. 24 po. in Weynock at the heads on the other side ofKittawan in Chas. Citty Co., 20 Oct. 1665, p. 537, (658). Beg. at a stakeparting WM. JUSTICE & WM. LAURENCE, running N. by W. & c., joyning JNO.CANNON, thence E. &c.  Due & confirmed by order of the Genll. Ct. &c.,dated 16 Sept. 1663."

Vol II, Pages 27,

WILLIAM JUSTICE, 1,198 acs. Chas. City Co., neare Flower de hundred cr.,26, Apr. 1656,  p. 26, (41). Adj land of CHENEY BOICE.  Granted Capt.JOHN FRAME, 1 Sept. 1643, & due sd. JUSTICE as marrieinge the daughter &heyr of sd. Frame, as also for trans. of 24 pers: MARY SHERWOOD, RICH.LEE, JNO. BARBER, EDMOND JOYNER, MATHEW BAILE, WM. COLEMAN, WM. PHILIPS,JOSEPH ERRENCE, THO. HAISTWOOD, ALICE MITCHELL, REBECCA FRAME. FRA.NELSON, WM. ROCE, WM. LAWRENCE, MARY LAWRENCE TWICE, ANN. LAWRENCE,ARTHUR LAWRENCE, SARAH LAWRENCE, WM. BALLANCE, JOHN HATLY, ELIZ. HEATH,PEETER PLUMER, THO. WHITTER. (This is originally shown in the CharlesCity County Court Order Book, page 50, June 4, 1655.

Page 68:

Capt. JAMES BLISS, 138 acs. in low end of Weynoake Chas. City co. inWeynoak Par., 29 Apri. 1692, p 218.  Adj. his own & land of JAMESLAWRENCE,  through the Marsh SW., to mouth of Piney Is. Gutt, downKittawan Cr. to James River, & c., including 5 acs. at foot of 60 acs.sold by WILLIAM JUSTICE to Capt. PERRY, who sold to sd. Bliss, on line ofSAMLL.  MOODY,  bought of PETER EVANS, & c.  Imp. of 3 pers: RICHARDWELLS, JAMES BRAITHWITT & PENDOR, a Negro.

William Justice birth is estimated, partly by the following reference inthe Charles City County Court Order Book, page 108,  August 20, 1657:
"Page 108.  The deposition of Wm Justice aged 32 yeares or thereaboutssworne the 8th of Aprill 1657....."

In those same Charles City County Court Order Book, Page 207, 1659 :"Wm. Justice hath proved right by Indentures and testimony produced to1200 acres of land for the importacon of 24 persons Vidzt, Wm Edds, Tho:Atwell, Robt Midleton, John Crowe, Alex: Hewett, Wm Price, Edd Beck, MaryDurdaine, Elizab: Harris, Marian Chance, Richd Clark, Olliv'r Hunt, EddHanscome, Cornel' Clemence, Jo. Hatley, Tho. Llewellin, Peter Plumer,Mary Plumer, Alexander--, Ann Plumer, Mary Cooper, Ann Lucal, SaraStiles, Rebecca Heatham.

Deaths-Court Records: Court Orders- Charles City County Deaths, andBurials Book, page 403:
William Justice 2-3-1664/65, executrix appointed.
Notation:  Kittiewan called (kenwan) by Indians.  Five known burialsites...William Justice, an active member of the House of Burgesses atJamestown, acquired Kittiewan about 1640 and it stayed in this familyuntil 1768.  (This 1640 date does not work as other information indicatesthat William first arrived in the Colonies in 1650).  The present houseis believed to have been built before 1728, by the Justice Family, whosecemetary is thought to be in a clearing in the woods east of the house.William Justice died 2-3-1664/65 is possibly buried here.

Also John Frame dead by this court date 12-17-1655.  Actiontaken-probate.

Charles City County, Court Orders, 1661-1664, page 345:
Deed. 3 Oct. 1662.  Wm. Justice of the par of Weynoke in Cha. City Co.,Vl, planter, sells to George Potter of Jordans par in same Co., a parcelof land, 398 acres of fflower de hundred creeke at Crabtree Neck.  AdjsWm Harrison's land.  This 398 acres being part of a greater tract grantedto Capt John Ffreme now dec'd on 1 Sept 1643 "and derived to the saidJustice by right of mariage with the daughter and heire of the said Capt:ffreme", and further patent issued to sd Justice 25 may 1661.  Signed WmJustice, the seale.  Wit: Jno Holmwood, Edward Hill junior, Howell PryseCl. Recognit: in Cur per Mariam Justice   Presenti venditoris uxoremfebr. 3. 1662.  Test Hoel Pryse Cl. Rec febr: 7: 1662.

also from the same source:
p. 529.  Abstract.  Prob of will of Wm Justice decd to Thomas Capell whomarried the relict and extrx.  (note we were unable to find the originalon any microfilm from which this abstract was taken when we visited theCharles City County Historical Society.  There is a suggestion that areview of the Virginia State Library may have more on microfilm fromwhich this abstract may have been taken.  If more information on deathdate and children listed in the will had been available it would havelikely been shown in the abstract.)


Notes for WILLIAM JUSTICE:

Charles City County, Court Orders, 1661-1664

p.345 Abstract. Deed 03/Oct./1662. William Justice of the par of Weynokein Cha. City Co., Va., planter, sells
to George Potter of Jordans par in same Co., a parcel of land, 398 acresbeing part of a greater tract granted to Capt John ffreme now dec'd on 1Sept 1643" and derived to the said Justice by right of marriage w'th thedaughter and heire of the said Capt: ffreme", and further patent issuedto sd Justice 25 May 1661. Signed Wm Justice, the seale. Wit: JnoHolmwood, Edward Hill junior, Howell Pryse Cl. Recognit:in Cur per MariamJustice presenti venditoris uxorem febr. 3. 1662. Test Hoel Pryse Cl. Recfebr: 7: 1662.

p.317. Abstract. Deed. 11 May 1661. Wm Justice of Weynoke sells WillmHarrison of fflourd hundred, land "on the Western side of the Southernbranch of fflourda hundred Creeke". Signed Wm Justice. Wit: Thomas Crewe,Robert Exanes. Rec 24 Feb. 1661/2

p.333. Itt is ordered that Wm Justice be pd or secured 300 lb tobbo andcask in the first place out of the state of Wm Chamberlayne dec'd, wchsum the sd Justice obliged for to the Hono'ble Gov'nor for the sd
Chamberlaynes lycence. [Note: So Dr. Chamberlayne was to have had a boxwith several silver instruments and a license. B.F.]

Kittiewan the home of Wiliam Justice and Mary Frame Justice:

Tradition has it that "Kittiewan" originally called "Kenwan" by thenatives; and it was given by Chief Ope?anough, half brother and successorof Chief Powhatan, to Governor George Yeardly (early Governor ofVirginia).  It, at that time, consisted of over 1,000 acres.  However,according to Vol. 111 of the Records of The Virginia Company; GovernorYeardley  on Nov. 18, 1618; was given the land that now comprises"Kittiewan" and "Keynoke" in consideration of his long and faithfulservice.  He sold the improvements on the land to Abraham Peirsey about1626 and acquired 3700 acres in one tract located near Eastville,Virginia.  It was on the eastern shore.  Incidentally, Sir GeorgeYeardley came to Virginia in 1609, was Governor, and presided over thefirst Legislative Assembly held in the New World in 1619.  He is buriedbehind the chancel of The Old Jamestown Church.

In 1640(?) this place was granted to William Justice, in payment forbringing colonists to settle in the new world.  William Justice was alsoa member of the House of Burgessess at Jamestown.(?)  "Kittiewan"remained in the Justice Family until the early 1700's when the RickmanFamily came into ownership of the plantation.  Dr. William R. Rickmanmarried Elizabeth Harrison, the eldest sister of the first PresidentHarrison, of "Berkley".  On the 18th day of May 1776, a "continentalhospital was established in the Commonwealth of Virginia by Congress,then setting and on the same day, Dr. William R. Rickman of Virginia waselected (by the same Congress) as Director and Chief Physician of thesame."  In appreciation of his services; between that date and Oct. 21,1780; when his resignation was accepted he was granted 6,666 and 2/3acres; by Congress; which was located in Ohio and Indiana.  Dr. and Mrs.Rickman are buried within a double brick walled cemetery as requested byMrs. Elizabeth Rickman Edmundson, in her will.  The   ?   has provided amarble marker in honor and recognition of Dr. Rickman.

During the war between the States, the Federal Ships anchored in theJames River; as the troops came ashore - in small boats- by way of"Kittiewan" grounds.  They camped there and dug trenches and cannon pitsfrom the creek on "Kittiewan" to westward across    ? hbend" and "UpperWeynoke", to the James River.  They expected the Confederate Troops toattack them, from the North.  Remains of the trenches may still be seenon "Kittiewan".  Charles City County was occupied at various timesbetween 1860-1865 by Union Troops; under McClellan, Grant and Sherman.This area was probably under General Sheridan's Troops.

Three ex-slaves; Aunt Patsy Hilton, Aaron Hilton, and Pleasant Whitingstill survived when Mr. L. M. Clark purchased the place in Dec. 1909.They related some of their experiences of the war, when the place wasoccupied by Union Troops.  Aunt Patsey said that the Yankee Troops campednorth of the Old House to the main road.  She told how the soldiersstacked their guns like shocks of fodder.  To quote her "I tell you, themwas skeery times".  Pleasant Whiting, a small boy at the time of the warwas used by the Union Soldiers as a "Guinea Pig" in testing the water inthe well of the yard.  Water in some of the wells had been poisoned.After the soldiers observed no ill effects when the boy drunk the water,they would proceed to draw the well dry.  Under the direction of"Mistress" Harrison, Aaron Hilton planted hickory nuts in the house yard.The nuts had been sent to her from England.  Three of the trees thatsurvived are there, as a result of this planting.

"It has been an interesting experiment trying to reconstruct the image ofa person who has been dead three hundred years.  What information existsafter that length of time?  Where can it be found?  Well, all of theinformation about William Justice which still exists consists of a fewnotations in the land records of the colony of Virginia in 1656 and 1663which were recorded by the clerk of the council at Jamestown, and a fewothers entered in the court records of Charles City County.  From them wecan reconstruct a picture of sorts of our English ancestor.

First William was from a well-to-do family and was an educatedindividual.  These two facts can be deduced from his having appeared inVirginia as a leader of a party of twenty-four persons.  He was wellaware before he left home of the situation in the colony in which fiftyacres of land would be given for each person transported from England.He had personal prestige to persuade these people to make the trip underhis supervision, and last he had to have the money to pay ships passageacross the Atlantic for twenty four people.

The excerpt from the Virginia Colony Land Patent Book # 4, page 26follows:

THE PATENT TO WILLIAM JUSTICE' PLANTATION:

TO ALL TO WHOME THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I EDWARD DIGGS ESQR., GOVR. &CAPT. GENERALL OF VIRGINIA SEND GREETINGE IN OUR LORD GOD EVERLASTINGE.

WHEREAS BY THE ARTICLES DATED AT JAMES CITTY THE 12TH OF MARCH 1651CONCLUDED & SIGNED BY THE COMRS. APPOINTED BY AUTHORITY OF PARLIMENT FORTHE REDUCINGE, SETTLINGE & GOVERNINGE OF VIRGANITT WAS PROVIDED THAT THEPREVILEDGE OF FIFTY ACRES OF LAND FOR EVERY PERSON TRANSPORTED INTO THISCOLONY SHOULD BE CONTINUED AS FORMERLY GRANTED AND WHEREAS BY ACT OF AGRAND ASSEMBLY MADE THE 26TH OF APRILL 1652 IT WAS PROVIDED THAT ALLPATTENTS SHOULD HEREAFTER BE SIGNED UNDER THE GOVERNORS HAND WITH THESECRETARIES AND SHALL BE PROVIDED AND APOINTED.

NOW KNOW YEE THAT I SAID EDWARD DIGGS ESQR. (Diggs become governor March31, 1658) DOE WITH THE CONSENT OF THE COUNCELL OF STATE ACCORDINGLY GIVEAND GRANT UNTO WILLIAM JUSTICE ON THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHTACRES OF LAND BEING A TRACT NEAR FLOWER DE HUNDRED CREEK IN CHARLES CITYCOUNTY BOUNDING SOUTH SOUTH WEST INTO THE WOODS, NORTH NORTH EAST ANDNORTH EAST BY NORTH ON THE SAID CREEK, WEST SOUTH WEST A MILE IN BREADTHAT THE HEADS & EAST SOUTH EAST ON THE LAND OF CHENEY BOICE WITH MARKEDTREES ON EVERY STATION.  THE SAID LANDS BEING FORMERLY GRANTED BY PATENTUNTO CAPT. JOHN FRAME BEARING DATE THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER 1643 AND DUEUNTO THE SAID WILLIAM JUSTICE AS MARRIEINGE THE DAOUGHTER AND HYR. OF SD.CAPT FRAME, AS ALSO BY AND FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF TWENTY FOUR PERSONSINTO THIS COLONY.  TO HAVE AND TO HOLD THE SAID LAND WITH HIS DUE SHAREOF ALL MINES AND MINNERALLS THEREIN CONTEYNED WITH ALL RIGHTS ANDPRIVILEDGES OF HUNTINGE HAWKINGE FISHINGE AND FOWLELINGE WITH ALL WOODSWATERS AND RIVERS WITH ALL PROFFITS COMMODOTIES AND HEREDITAMENTSWHATSOEVER IN ANNIE WISE BELONGINGE TO THE SAID LAND TO HIM THE SAIDWILLIAM JUSTICE HIS HEYRES OR ASSIGNES FOR EVER IN AS LARGE AND AMPLEMANNER TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES AS IS EXPREST IN A CHARTER OF ORDERSFROM THE LATE TREASURER AND COMPANY DATED THE 18TH OF NOVEMBER 1618 OR BYCONSEQUENCE MAY BE JUSTLY COLLECTED OUT OF THE SAME OR OUT OF THE LETTERSPATTENTS WHEREON THEY ARE GROUNDED.  YEILDINGE & PAYEINGE UNTO THE RENTGATHERERS THERETO APOINTED FOR EVERY FIFTY ACRES OF LAND HERIN BY THESEPRESENTS GIBEN & GRANTED YEARELY AT THE FEAST OF SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FEE RENT OF ONE SHILLINGE WHICH PAYMENT IS TO BEE MADE SEAVENYEARES AFTER THE FIRST GRANT OR SEATING THEREOF & NOT BEFORE.  PROVIDEDTHAT IF THE SAID WILLIAM JUSTICE HIS HEYRES OR ASSIGNES DOE NOT PLANT ORSEAT OR CAUSE TO BEE PLANTED OR SEATED UPON THE SAID LAND WITHIN THREEYEARS NEXT ENSUEINGE THAT THEN IT MAY & SHALL BEE LAWFUL FOR ANYADVENTURET OR PLANTER TO MAKE CHOICE & SEATE THEREON.  GIVEN UNDER OURHANDS AT JAMES CITTY THE 26TH DAY OF APRIL, 1656.  THE TWENTY FOURPERSONS BEING MARY SHERWOOD, RICHARD LEE, JOHN BARBER, EDMOND JOYNER,MATHEW BAILE, WILLIAM COLEMAN, WM PHILLIPS, JOSEPH ERRENCE, THOMASHAISTWOOD, ALICE MITCHELL, REBECCA FRAME, FRANCIS NELSON, WILLIAM PRICE,WILLIAM LAWRENCE, MARY LAWRENCE (twice), ANNE LAWERENCE, SARAH LAWRENCE,WILLIAM BALLANCE, JOHN HATLEY, ELIZABETH HEARTH, PEETER PLUMER, ANDTHOMAS WHITTER."

This was the patent to William's plantation and he had it recorded atCharles City, the county seat of Charles City County.  It was recorded inVolume 10 of the Charles City County Court Orders (1655-1658).  We arelucky beyond imagination that the remains of this original volume stillexist and are preserved in the Virginia State Library at Richmond.  Theland patent volume of Charles City County just preceeding this and theone just after it have long since been lost.

When he recorded the patent at the county seat he took two witnessesalong.  They were probably friends just newly made for he had not yetsettled and they were not on the list of those who came with him.

"REC. 26 APRILL 1656

WM. JUSTICE HATH PROVED RIGHT BY TESTIMONY OF CAPT. THOMAS STEGGE ANDMRS. MARY FFITZGARRETT, TO 1200 ACRES OF LAND FOR THE CHARGE OFIGNOTA'CON OF:

MARY SHERWOOD, WM. PHILLIPS, ALES MITCHELL, THO. WHITTIER, REBECCAFFRAME, RICH. LEE, WM COLEMAN, FFRANCIS NELSON, JO BARBER, JOSEPH ERREENETHO. HAIPTWOOD, WM. LAWRENCE, MARY LAWRENCE, ARTHUR LAWRENCE, SARALAWRENECE, W. BALLANCE, JO. HALLEY, ELIZ. HEATH, PETER PLUMER.

The above is an abstract and your attention is called to a peculiarity ofrecords  on all the american frontier.  Phonetics in spelling were stillunheard of and many times the person keeping the record could barelyspell and perhaps the person whose record was being entere could notspell at all.  Therefore very surprising liberties were taken with namesfrom place to place, and