Rootes of King and Queen County

The Rootes family seat is believed to have been in the County Sussex, England. In 1732 Captain Philip Rootes was a vestryman in Stratton Major Parish. He died 17 Aug 1756, his Last Will and Testament dated 13 Aug 1756; probated 12 Oct 1756. His tombstone is situated about a hundred paces from the site of the house on the Mattapony River, a point called Rosewall. The provisions in the will of Philip Rootes were explicit concerning his burial. He desired that a coffin be made of planks already at his house, that four negroes carry his body to the grave, and a few friends and neighbors attend, without pomp or funeral serman, and the family should not go into mourning.
Underneath this stone Lies the Body of Philip Rootes Obiit August 17 1757 Aged 63 Years.
He devised the plantation he called Rosewall on Heartquake Creek (known by the name of Spencers) to his wife, and after her decease to son, Philip Rootes. Also, the plantation known as Red House. He was married to Mildred, the daughter of Thomas Reade of Gloucester.

Philip Rootes Jr., a Tory, resided at Rosewall until his death in 1778 or 1779. He owed a great debt to the estate of John Robinson, and was thus insolvent. He also owned 700 acres in King and Queen County and the 1786 tax returns reveal that property was transferred to Thomas Moore. The remainder of the estate appears to have disposed of by 1808 when several hundred acres were sold off.

Thomas Read Rootes received under the will of his father the tract of land purchased of Mr. Porteus, 358 acres on 18 September 1752. Also, he owned the Rosewall estate. He also owned land on the Mattapony River where he was living at the time of his death in 1766. He was married to Martha Jacqueline Smith, daughter of John Smith of Middlesex County on 8 Feb 1763.

Thomas Read Rootes, Jr. resided at Rosewell and continued the administration of his father's estate.