| Notes |
- http://home.comcast.net/~davidmartin/ppl/a/b/abc80ae049c278e6c5d.html
"Soldier John" Grigsby, was born in 1720 in Stafford County. In 1740, "Soldier John" accompanied Lawrence Washington, brother of George Washington, to Carthagena (now in Columbia) as part of the Virginia militia under the command of Admiral Vernon. The expedition against the Spanish occurred during the administration of Governor Gooch. John Grigsby also commanded a company of Thirteenth Regiment of the Virginia Line during the early years of the American Revolution.[1]
In 1779, John Grigsby, his wife Elizabeth (Porter of Orange County), and other family members crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains into the Valley of Virginia. He was preceded to the Valley by his son James, from whom he purchased "460 acres in the Forks of the James River" on November 2, 1779.[1] When he arrived at "Fruit Hill" in Rockbridge, Co., VA, he was nearly 60 years of age and the father of 13 children. His last child, Reuben, was born there on June 6 of the following year. John Grigsby died April 7, 1794, and was buried in the cemetery of Falling Spring Presbyterian Church in Rockbridge Co., where the family worshipped. An historical marker at the church reads as follows:
FALLING SPRING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Oldest Congregation in the Fincastle Presbytery, the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, was organized before 1748. The Hanover Presbytery met here in October 1780. The present Gothic Revival church was constructed of slave-made brick during the Civil War. At the time of its dedication in April 1864, General Thomas L. Rosser's Cavalry Brigade was camped here. The first burial in the present cemetery was that of John Grigsby of Fruit Hill (1720- 1794).
In 1746, "Soldier John" married Rosanna Etchison, disposed of his holdings inherited from his father, Charles, in Stafford County, and moved with his young wife to Culpepper, Va. They had four (4) sons and one (1) daughter.
Rosanna died in 1762. In 1764, "Soldier John" married Elizabeth Porter; born 1734, died 1807. Elizabeth was buried in Falling Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery. All of their children were born in Culpepper except Reuben, who was born at "Fruit Hill" in Rockbridge County.
SOLDIER JOHN GRIGSBY'S WILL
IN THE NAME OF GOD, Amen I John Grigsby of Rockbridge County being
at this time in a low state of health but having the due exercise of
reason and knowing the uncertainty oflife and that it may please God to
call me hence do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament.
Item I desire that all my just debts be duly paid.
Item I give unto my eldest son James Grigsby five shillings
current money of Virginia over and above what he has already received.
Item I give unto my son John Grigsby five shillings current money
of Virginia over and above what he has already received.
Item I give unto my son Charles Grigsby thirty pounds Virginia
Currency, likewise a feather bed with furniture and a couple of sheep.
Item I give unto my son William Grigsby thirty pounds Virginia
currency.
Item I give unto my daughter Sarah Welch exclusive of what she
has already received twenty-five pounds Virginia currency.
Item I give unto my daughter Jane Paxton five shillings current
money of the State of Virginia over and above what I have already given
her.
Item I give unto my daughter Rachel McNut five shillings current
money of the State of Virginia over and above what I have already given her.
Item I lend unto my loving wife Elizabeth Grigsby all my estate
real and personal to have and to hold the same during her natural life in
joint trust discharging debts and gifts or legacies as above in a
reasonable time, and that she my said wife in joint trust with chosen
Executors herein mentioned do act discretionary with my younger sons and
daughters in manner following:
That Martha, Elizabeth and Franky shall have at age or marriage
equal to their sisters Jane Paxton and Rachel McNut including all they
received at marriage and my sons Joseph, Elisha and Reuben to have the
plantation whereon I now live divided equally amongst them by any three
or more neighbors whom they shall appoint and at the decease of my wife
the remainder shall be divided equally among my sons and daughters, viz:
Joseph, Jane, Rachel, Martha, Elisha, Elizabeth, Franky and
Reuben having no respect in the division to such sum as shall be given
to any of them either at age or marriage and further it is my will that
if any of my last named sons and daughters should die intestate his, her,
or their share of the estate as above mentioned shall be equally divided
among the survivor or survivors.
Lastly, I appoint and nominate my beloved wife Elizabeth Grigsby
Executrix and Joseph Grigsby Executor of this my last will and testament
hereby making nul and void any will or wills heretofore made by me
acknowledging this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this
eleventh day of May, Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety two.
Signed, sealed and acknowledged His
in the presence of: John X Grigsby (seal)
John Paxton Robert Snodgrass mark
His
William X Arnold David Willock
Mark A Copy Teste: Harry B. Wright,Clerk
from Henrietta Hamilton's book:
Many American families, particularly Virginians trace their descent from John Grigsby, whose ancestors were unquestionably of Welch origin, and who settled in this Country at a very early day, and were a potent factor in the social and intellectual development of the Communities in which they lived. As a people, they have been noted for their refined tastes, gracious manners, broadmindedness and liberality, and entire absence of anything like narrow clannishness, in religion or political matters, and for unswerving devotion to the interests of higher education.
The members of this family with which the present records deal, were two brothers, James and John, who emigrated to America about 1660, and settled in Stafford County Virginia where John Grigsby was born in 1720.
In the 1740s, John accompanied Lawrence Washington, in the forces of Admiral Vernon, on the expedition against Cartagena, South America, which was "one of the most important event of Gooch's Administration, as taken in connection with the other colonies, it was another step in the development of Union." See, "History of Augusta County", J. Lewis Peyton; and "Collections of the Virginia Historical Society," Volume IX.
Afterward he commanded a company in the thirteenth Regiment of the Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. This information was obtained from the old war records in the archives at Washington. Owing to participation in this Colonial War and in the Revolutionary War, he was afterward known as Soldier John.
Tombstone reads:
"Pause, reader, here, and look with solemn dread
upon the last dwelling of the dead,
Through numerous graves appear on every hand
This was the first of all the Silent Band"
[1] Darst, H. Jackson. The Darsts of Virginia. Williamsburg, Virginia: Privately printed. 1972
Source References
Barbara Miroslaw's GEDCOM @ RootsWeb.com [S0046]
Genealogy of the Grigsby Family [S0155]
Marriage Index: KY, NC, TN, VA, WV 1728-1850 [S0153]
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1720 - 1807 (86 years)
