Batte

Henry Batte was born in Okewell, England. He lived during the reign of King Henry VIII to the second reign of Queen Mary. During this time he purchased the Manor of Burstall, as well as other manors near Bradforddale, England. Issue:

I. Henry Batte was born in Bradford, England and married a daughter of Richard Wilkinson. Issue:

A. Robert Batte was born Bradford, England married Mary Parry, the daughter of John Parry who was born in Golden Valley, Hertsfordshire, England. Issue:

a. John Batte was born at Oakwell Hall in Hertsfordshire. John emigrated to America. In 1643 he patented land in Charles City County, and on 29 August 1668, Sir William Berkeley granted Thomas and Henry Batte, sons of Mr. John Batte, deceased, 5,878 acres of land located on the southside of the James River in Appomattock in Charles City County, beginning at the head of Jordan's land and Merchant's Hope, on the southern branch of Charles City Creeke, for the transportation of 118 persons into the Colony. Among those listed were the following: Roger Mallory, William Batte, Jr., Martha Batte, John Batte, Jr., John Batte, Sr., William Batte, Thomas Batte, Henry Batte, Philip Mallory, Nathaniel Mallory, Nathaniel Mallory, Jr., William Mallory, Thomas Mallory and Elizabeth Mallory. (Charles City Co., Virginia Land Grants, Vol. 6, p. 126)

Capt. John Batte married Martha Mallory. He died before 1668 in Charles City Co., Virginia. Issue:

1. Thomas Batte. SEE BELOW

2. John Batte drowned in the Irish Sea when returning from Virginia with his father. (Harleian Mss., No. 4630, Library of Congress).

3. William Batte.

4. Henry Batte was born ca 1642 at Oakwell Hall in Hertsfordshire and came with his parents to Virginia. He was married to Mary Lound, a daughter of Henry Lound of Chesterfield County, and they were the parents of seven children. Henry Batte served as a member of the House of Burgesses in 1685-6; 1691-2, and 1695. He died before 1 June 1700 when James Thweatt Sr. of Charles City County and Mary Batte of same, widow, conveyed 153 acres of land owned by Henry Batte, deceased to Matthew Sturdivant. In 1704 , Henry and William Batte, sons of Henry, paid taxes on 790 and 750 acres of land and his orphaned daughters on 1200 acres in Prince George County. His daughters married Ligon, Poythress, Stratton, Jones and Parham who all agreed on how to split the 1200 acres.

b. William Batte acquired 5,878 acres on Prince George County.

c. Henry Batte.

B. Henry Batte. Captain Henry Batte was granted 700 acres of land in Charles City County, Virginia (Patent Book No. 8), upon the branches and towards the south side of the head of Bayley's Creek; adj. land of James Waradin, called High Peake, now in the occupation of Mr. William Ditty and Robert Langman, 24 April 1695. Granted Robert West on 2 August 1652, deserted and now granted by order to import 14 persons. Also, granted 270 acres in Charles City County, Bristol Parish, on the south side of the Appomattock River, being all the wast lands between Christopher Woodward on the river, and land called Bayley's on the head of Mr. John Mays and James Hall; adj. Henry Newcomb; near the plantation called Hafford's; over Hafford's run to the King's Road, being part of 870 acres granted to Samuel Woodward on 20 April 1680, deserted, and Importation of 6 persons.

C. Richard Batte.

II. John Batte.

Thomas Batte, a son of John Batte and his wife, Martha Mallory lived on the northside of the Appomattox River in the present Chesterfield Co., Virginia, opposite the lands of Abraham Wood. His homeplace consisted of 1,862 acres of land which had been granted on 8 April 1674, being located on the north side of the Appomattox River, adjoining his land above the falls of the Appomattox Indian Towne to the Old Towne Creek. (Land Grants Vol 6, page 509, Henrico Co., Va) He later conveyed this land to Colonel John Farrar, who bequeathed it to Thomas Batte, Jr., who, in turn, conveyed it to William Byrd in 1684. (Henrico Co., Va. Records, 1684-1692. Thomas Batte was a Justice of the Peace, however,his commission to discover the South Sea brought him notoriety.

Here is the account of it:

On 1 September 1671, three Englishmen of the Colony of Virginia, Thomas Batte, Thomas Woods and Robert Fallam, having received a commission from the honorable Major General Wood to set out to attempt to discover the South Sea, accompanied by Perecute, a great man of the Appomatuck Indians, and Jack Weason, formerly a servant of General Wood, with five horses. They started out from Appomattuck Town, which was located on the north side of the river. Their journal provided the distances travelled each day, the Indian crops, descriptions of locations on streams, and hard climbs up the mountains. When they reached Teroto Town (Roanoke), they travelled on fot. For days at a time, they went without food, each hoping that the Indian Scouts would be able to find deer. At one point the scouts found nothing but wild gooseberries and haws. On 17th day of September they pitched their tents alongside a stream whose waters flowed into the Ohio River (thence by way of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico). It was here that they marked four trees - one for Majesty Charles II, one for Governor Berkeley, one for Major-General Wood, and the last (TB:RF:P) for Percecute. The trees were marked Peters Falls where the New River (then Woods River) breaks through Peters Mountain, near Pearisburg, in Files Co. Mr. Thomas Wood died on the expedition, as did his horse. On 27th day of September, they returned to Appomatuck Town, wet and hungry.

On 9 May 1692 Thomas Batte conveyed 240 acres of land to Peter Jones, now of Henrico Co. (formerly Bristol Parish), which was part of those plantations known by the name of "Old Town", bounded on the upper side by lands of Godfrey Ragsdale, on the lower side by lands of John Bevil, and on the other two sides by the woods and Appomattox River. 130 acres escheated in the name of Thomas Batte, 50 acres were purchased from Godfrey Ragsdale, as well as the other 60 acres lying at the heads. Consideration was a tract of land in Charles City County, now held by the said Peter Jones, which was surveyed by James Minge by Order of the Governor and Council. (Henry Co. Records, Vol. 5, p. 299)

Thomas Batte died in Henrico Co., Virginia. We know that Mary was his wife, as Mary Batte, Sr. gave power of attorney to Henry Randolph to relinquish her dower rights to land sold by her husband, Thomas Batte, Sr., who died in 1684, Henrico Co., Virginia.

Their daughter, Mary Batte married Major Peter Jones. Mary died after 1741 in Prince George Co., Va. She was mentioned in the LWT of Major Peter Jones dated January 1726, Bristol Parish, Prince George Co., Va. Also, deed, Mary the wife of Peter Jones, gave power of attorney to "my loving brother-in-law, James Cocke" to relinquish her dower rights to the land conveyed by her husband, Peter Jones to Stephen Cocke. (Henrico Co. Records, Vol. 1677-1704, p. 60-63).

Indian problems were prevalent in this area. From the Henrico Records, 1677-1704. The story was told by William Hatcher to William Puckett and Thomas Jefferson to the effect that Mrs. Bannister, the wife of Stephen Cocke, along with nine other persons, were hung to trees by tenter hooks by the Indians, and that Jack came last, an Indian belonging to Mr. Peter Jones, was drawn and quartered and thrown among them. That Mr. Cocke and Mr. Jones had gone aboard a vessel lying in the river. This story was proven false and Edward Hatcher was called before the Justices and tried for spreading false alarms.

On 25 October 1711, the Lt. Governor appointed lieutenants or commanders of the rangers of the frontiers, because of complaints that for years barbarous and lawless Indians had committed crimes on the frontiers. Capt. Peter Jones was appointed Lieutenant of the Rangers of Prince George County.

Mary Batte and her husband, Peter Jones had issue: Abraham, Mary, William, Ann, Margaret, Martha and Peter Jones.