Gc M.i- 929.2 B3456S 1235103 GENEALOGY COLLEICTION ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00669 3615 o\^ o(. - A HISTORY OF Two Virginia Families TRANSPLANTED FROM COUNTY KENT, ENGLAND THOMAS BAYTOP TENTERDEN 1638 JOHN CATLETT SITTINGBOURNE 1622 3F DR. AND MRS. WILLIAM CARTER ^TUBBS NEIV ORLEANS. LA. —'^ TO THE MEMOEY OF MY GEANDPAEENTS, CAPT. JAMES BAYTOP, OF SPKINGFIKLD, GLOUCESTER COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND HIS WIFE, LUCY TALIAFEEEO CATLETT, OF ""TIMBERNECK/" GLOUCESTER COUNTY, VIRGINIA, THIS PAMPHLET IS MOST LOVINGLY DEDICATED. William Carter Stubbs. PREFACE. 1235103 For many years the author of this pamphlet has been collecting data relative to the Catlett family of the United States. So far as our extensive investigations have been made, the only immigrants of this name to this country at any time were Col. John and his two minor sons, Nicholas and Thomas, who came over in 1650 and settled on the Eappahannock Eiver in Virginia. Therefore every one bearing this name must trace his descent back to Col. John or his two minor sons. Mr. W. G-. Stannard, Editor of the Virginia Historical Magazine and Secretary of the Virginia Historical So- ^.., entertains Y ciety—the highest authority on Virginia genealogies— )^ the same opinion. With this opinion, every one bearing this name, ^- wherever found, has been requested by letter (sometimes several), to give all the information possessed or obtainable, of her or his branch and its history. Many of these letters are still unanswered, and therefore no additional information obtained. It is reasonably certain that a goodly number of families of this name scattered throughout the country are still unrevealed, and therefore cannot be named in these pages. In all, several hundred letters have been written and many responses obtained. In addition, court records, land books and family Bibles—yes, even cemeteries, with their almost forgotten tombstones—have been levied upon for information. With all these aids, much valuable data have been collected and arranged, and, while thoroughly conscious of incompleteness, it is deemed best to publish what has been obtained. AVhen this investigation began it was deemed an easy task. Since beyond our immediate branch, few members of the Catlett names were known to us, but, as our researches extended, family after family, branch after branch, were revealed, until our correspondence extended to nearly every State in the Union. With the revelations already made, it is safe to say that the number of descendants of the original immigrant. Col. John Catlett, now living in this country reach far into thousands. The name is purely English, — ii Preface. derived from Catt's lot—upon which the first of the name settled passing through the various changes: Catts' lot—Catelot—Catlett. Its history is given in the extracts from English records published elsewhere. It is impossible to give the names of all those who have aided us in this work, since their number is too large, but we wish to return here grateful thanks to every one who has contributed in any way towards the accomplishment of the work herein presented. The hope is entertained that the recital of the deeds and virtues of our ancestors may inspire every living member with fresh determination to excel in every good work which goes to make "perfect men and women." : THE IMMIGRANT. Col. Jolm Catlett came in 1650 to Eappahaunock county, Vir- ginia (now Essex county), from Sittingbourne, County Kent, Eng- land, naming the parisli in which he located for Sittingbourne, his birthplace. His home place, "Green Hill" was at the mouth of Golden Vale Creek (now Essex county). With him came his son, Nicholas Catlett, and half-brothers, Ealph and Edward Eowzie, followed later by his son, Thomas Catlett. (See patents.). Catherine and Sarah Eowzie, wife and sister of Ealph Eowzie, came later as headrights of Capt. Thomas Lucas, English Eecoeds. The family was seated in County Kent, England, as early as 1464, when John Catelot bequeathed "fourpence for the light stand- ing in the middle of Bearsted Church before the high cross." The will of John Catlott, 1499, bequeathed twenty shillings to the reparation of the steeple of Bearsted Church, The Virginia Historical Magazine contains the following from the History of County Kent, England, printed by Harris in 1917, in three volumes: "Catts Place, with the manor belonging thereto, called Catletts, otherwise Salmon, is situated in Brenchley parish, about a mile northward from Brenchley Town, but within the Hundred of Twy- ford, being held of the manor of Yalding. The mansion was anciently the residence of Hugh de Catte, from whom it acquired its name. His descendants continued to possess it until tlie Eeign of Henry VI (1442). (Vol. Ill, 223.) "Sittingbourne lies about the middle of the north side of Kent, in the road between Eochester and Canterbury, and about a mile southward from Milton, in the Bailiwick and Hundred of Milton. It is the Deanery of Sittingbourne and Diocese of Canterbury, a Vicarage valued in the King's Books at £10 per annum. The church, a large and handsome building in good repair, is dedicated to St. Michael. In it are several Memorials of the name of Cate- LET. (Vol. I, p. 28Jf.)" History of County Kent, Hasted^ Vol. II, 369, contains the following "Catts Place, with the manor belonging to it, called Catlcfs Salmon, is likevrise situated in Brenchley parish, within the Hun- dred of Twyford, The mansion, situated about a mile north from the village of Brenchley, was anciently the residence of Hugh de Catte, who implanted his name upon it. His descendants con- — N \ 2 Descendants of Col. John Catlett. tinued in possession nntil the Reign of King Henry YI" (1442) (page 369). "Lawrence Catlote, of the parish of Great Chart, ])y his will, proved 1469, devised his messuage called The Place, in Chart street, on the death of Joane, his wife, to John, son of ISTicholas Phylipp. * * * About the same time, Eowland Clarke sold twent.v-one acres to William Catlett, who. Trinity Term, Anno 4th Elizabeth (1562), levied a fine of his estate here. He died, Anno 5th Elizabeth, possessed of 100 acres of land and twenty acres of wood in this parish (Tong), of which Thomas, his son, levied a fine in Easter term, Anno 5th Elizabeth (1563). Rowland Clarke sold a moietv of this manor onlv." (Hasted's Kent, Vol. II, page 60J,.) The Virginia Historical Magazine, Yol. Ill, p. 63, contains the following from Chancery Proceedings, Charles I, C. C. 39, 20th April, 16JfS: "Humbly complaining, sheweth unto y'e honour yo'r orrators: George Catlett ve elder, of Blackwell, in County Middlesex, gent., Judeth Catlett," Thomas Catlett, William and Edward Catlett, sonnes of ye s'd Judeth and of Thomas Catlett, late of Sitting- bourne, in ye County of Kent, deceased, by ye s'd Judeth Catlett, their mother and guardian, George Catlett ye younger, of Sand- wich, in ye County of Kent, marriner, and John Catlett, sonne of John Catlett ye younger, yo'r orrators, George Catlett ye elder, and Thomas Catlett, deceased, George Catlett ye younger, being all sonnes of John Catlett ye elder, late of Sittingbourne, in ye County of Kent aforesaid, gentleman, deceased, "Whereas, heretofore, yt. abt. Easter, 1646, George Catlett ye elder, and Thomas Catlett, George Catlett, ye younger, and John Catlett ye younger, did exhibit their Bill of Complaynt against Silvester Herlakenden and Roger Herlakenden, thereby shewing yt. Walter Herlakenden, late of ]\Iole Ashe, in County Kent, gent., deceased, father of the s'd Silvester and Roger, was lawfully seized in his demesne as of fee in ye manor of Uston, with all ye lands and tenements thereunto belonging, lying and being in ye several parishes of Tunstell Borden, Milton als Middleton, and Sitting- bourne in County Kent, and also of and in all ye tenement called Sollimans, and lands thereunto belonging to Tunstall afs'd, and also of certaine lands in greate Sittingbourne field, conta.yning 32 acres in one close, 3 orchards, and certayne lands in Milton, con- tayning 20 acres and of and in other houses and yeards in 3^e Borth street in Milton, and of one messuage and marsh landes and tene- ments belonging in Brensett in ye s'd county; and ye s'd Walter Herlakendon, being thereof seized by Indenture 12th July conveyed unto John Catlett ye elder, for security of £69, all his estate, title, interest in ye manor of Uston, on condition neverthe- less that is Katherine Trollop, widdowe, her ex'orr or assigns, or : : : Descendanis of Col. John Catlett. ye s'd Walter Harlakendon, his ex'orr and assigns, pay unto John Catlett ye elder, his heires and assigns, in ye South Porch of ye Church of Sittingbourne ye some of £69, in instalments at certain tymes, ye s'd Indenture sh'd be voyd, and your complanients shewed that noe part of the said money was paid, and the property descended unto ye complainents, George Catlett ye elder, Thomas Catlett, deceased, George Catlett ye younger, and to John Catlett ye younger, father of ye compl't, John Catlett." [This last was John Catlett, of Virginia.] John Catlett^ ye elder, of Sittingbourne, County Kent, Gent.—Issue George- Catlett, John^ Catlett, Thomas^ Catlett. George Catlett, ye elder, of Blackwell, ye younger, was dead of Sittingbourne, was ye younger, of Sand- in County of Middle- 1624, whei dead in 1648 ; wife, wich, in ye County sex, gent., and living widow, Sarah, mar- Judith, was daughter of Kent, Mariner. in 1648. ried (II) Lodowick of Gawen Heard, of Living in 1646. (Chancery Suit.) Rowzie, of Ashford, Maston, County aged 36, by whom Kent.