William TERRY James TERRY Benjamin M TERRY Stephen TERRY Joseph TERRY Champness TERRY Nathaniel TERRY Mary Diane ROYALL Sarah GROUPS Mini tree diagram
James TERRY

James TERRY3,6,4,5

16663,4,5,2 - 13th Jul 17443,6,5

Life History

1666

Born in Lunenburg County, Virginia.3,4,5,2

1666

Resident James was a witness to a land transaction in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.1,2

1688

Married Mary Diane ROYALL in Virginia.4

1690

Birth of son James TERRY.7

1700

Birth of son Benjamin M TERRY in Lunenburg County, Virginia.8,9,10

1702

Birth of son Stephen TERRY in Hanover County, Virginia.2

1707

Birth of son Joseph TERRY in Caroline County, Virginia.2

1720

Birth of son Champness TERRY in Pittslyvania County, Virginia.2

17th Mar 1725

Birth of son Nathaniel TERRY.2

13th Jul 1744

Died in Caroline County, Virginia.3,6,5

Other facts

 

Resident in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.2

Notes

  • I continue to investigate the details of Terry family relationships in the 1600s and 1700s, and have not sorted out all errors and false trails.  The connection of James Terry and his wife Diane Royall to a Benjamin Terry, often reported in popular genealogies as their son, is tenuous.

    Other information related to this connection and earlier ancestry seems to fit, however, so it is still uncertain that this paternal connection of James Terry to Ben Terry should be severerd.

    U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
    James Terry, Birth 1666 VA
    Spouse Mary Diane Royall
    Spouse Birth 1666; Marriage 1688 VA

    Here are some notes from researchers, data found in the Terry Family Historian newsletter.  Dates vary and it appears two or more James Terrys have been confused.  Little detail is available to sort this out.

    ------------------------------------------
    The Terry Family Bible was purchased by Nathaniel Terry Jr. at the 1806 estate sale and was taken to Logan/Todd County, Kentucky.  It was presented in Robertson Courthouse TN., as late as 1855.  It is unknown where it is today, but a transcription from a grandson Robert Y. Lewis, is available at the TN State Archives.  In the early part of the 1900’s a descendant out of one of the sons of Nathaniel Sr., who was from Virginia, mistakenly joined the SAR on the service of Nathaniel Terry Jr, who he did not descend from, he named a Miss Smith as Nathaniel Sr’s wife when Nancy Hopkins Smith was the wife of Nathaniel’s son Robert, and continued on back to Benjamin Terry who died in 1771, naming apparent siblings of his great grandfather, James A. Terry and Diana Royall Terry as the parents of Benjamin.  This has never been proven by any document and was done from family lore, but is often repeated.

    Source: Margie Brown  Mgbrown105aol.com

    Note by Robert "Mike" Terry:  At last count there were 37 user submitted trees on Ancestry.com for James Terry and Mary Diane Royal as the parents of Benjamin Terry d. 1771 and the list keeps growing. If you ask where this information comes from you will probably not get an answer. If they even bother to cite a source it is based on the erroneous information from the SAR record of Thaddeus McGee Terry. This same information was provided to me and appears in several publications in the 1980's. -- So like other beginning genealogists I just passed it along in old issues of the Terry Family Historian and it becomes carved in stone. PLEASE Correct your information on this family. [Posted in 2009]
    --  Terry Family Historian, http://www.terry-family-historian.com/SouthsideVA/Genealogy_and_Myth.htm
    ------------------------------------------

    It should be noted that just because some informaton comes from family lore does not by definiton determine it is false.  I agree that information needs to be verified with as many sources as possible, and formal records are often helpful.  They also, howver, cn be wrong.  We do know that individual and family memory can get confused, have important gaps that change meaning, time shifts and character shifts in how and when stories and events occurred, etc.

    Where records help correct and line out more clear timelines and relationships, these take precedence.  Simplistic and discmissive conclusions are not helpful.  We need to look for the scenario that will most completely account for the body of established facts.  Often we lack a key piece that is critical to a final conclusion.

    It should be noted that Margie Brown has put more time and more meaningful and informed effort into this question than anyone else.  So we do need to be careful about dismissing or countering her conclusions.  She is a careful and thorough researcher.

    Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850
    Book: C, transcribed by Ancestry.com
    1 Jul 1735 Spotsylvania Co., VA
    Property: 600 a. in St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co.
    Description: Thomas x Sartin of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., to Peter Gustavus of Par. and Co. afsd. 600 a. in St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co.-part of a tract granted sd. Sartin by pat. May 6, 1727. July 1, 1735. Mary, wife of Thomas Sartin, acknowledged her dower, etc.
    Witnesses William Waller, James Terry, Thomas Estes
    This land record was originally published in Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County, 1721-1800, Volume I, edited by William Armstrong Crozier.

    Another land transaction appears to involve this same James Terry, when he transferred a piece of land to John Holliday.

    Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850
    Book C, transcribed by Ancestry.com
    James Terry
    10 Oct 1737 Spotsylvania Co., VA
    Property 200 a, in St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co.
    This land record was originally published in "Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County, 1721-1800, Volume I" edited by William Armstrong Crozier.
    Remarks: James Terry of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., to John Holliday, Senr., of county and par. afsd. 20 curr. 200 a. Dec, 6, 1737.
    Description: Grantor

    James Terry
    NPFX: Captain
    Sex M
    Birth abt 1665 in Lunenburg Co., VA
    Death 1744 in Carolina Co., VA
    The Will of Captain James Terry was presented for probate July 13, 1744 in Caroline Co., VA Court
    --  King William County, Virginia, Records, compiled by Farmer Family Tree, Ancestry

Sources

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