Posted By:	Margaret Hodge
	Email:
	Subject:	SE Virginia - Whitmore - DNA and Counties of interest
	Post Date:	January 22, 2010 at 20:52:24
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/whitmore/messages/1280.html
	Forum:	Whitmore Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/whitmore/

Here is a summary of the counties that are of early interest regarding the SE Virginia Whitmores. The very first Whitmore was at James City, arriving in 1619 on the ship Duty. He was an indentured servant to a tobacco farmer, and they typically worked on the south side of the James River, in what became Surry County. This Whitmore survived, and was in the 1625 census - I believe he would have been free and eligible for a land grant in 1626. There is also a Whitmore genealogy book that references a Robert Whitmore, VA planter, and his bride, on a ship from England to VA in 1634 (I'm writing this from memory). The counties of interest are essentially south and east of Richmond, VA. The list below of adjacent counties may help understand how easily families crossed county lines. Also, if you check the counties in Wikipedia, it will show how these other counties were formed from the original Virginia Company designations - counties lines "moved." Also, I believe parish church boundaries changed, and, in particular, on Google, you can see/download the Bristol Parish Vestry Book - which lists a number of Whitmores. I have been collecting names -- quite a few! Some day we may tie more lines together. Most recently, there is a Whitmore line that has been holding a reunion each year. The gentleman who has championed it is Tom Whitmore, owner of Whitmore Chevrolet in West Point, VA, and he was born in Surry County. I have tested DNA from that family, and they are a close match for my Whitmore line, we may share a ggg or gggg grandfather - close, but no proof!! Surry County was formed in 1652 from James City Adjacent counties: * Charles City County - northwest * James City County - northeast * Isle of Wight County - southeast * Southampton County - south * Sussex County - southwest * Prince George County - west Prince George County was formed in 1703 in the Virginia Colony from a portion of Charles City County - which is north, across the James River. Adjacent counties / independent cities * Petersburg, Virginia - northwest * Chesterfield County, Virginia - northwest * Hopewell, Virginia - northwest * Charles City County, Virginia - north * Surry County, Virginia - east * Sussex County, Virginia - south * Dinwiddie County, Virginia - west Dinwiddie County was formed May 1, 1752 from Prince George County. Adjacent counties: * Nottoway County, Virginia - west * Amelia County, Virginia - northwest * Chesterfield County, Virginia - north * Petersburg, Virginia - northeast * Prince George County, Virginia - east * Sussex County, Virginia - southeast * Brunswick County, Virginia - southwest I will provide a new email with some of the names I have found in my search - I do not want this email to become too confusing. Maggie Hodge