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From the records of old Rappahannock County VA (Essex after 1691), it appears that a John Sharp(e) married Judith and they had 4 known children. Mary was the "eldest" daughter, Ann(e) was the youngest, and Judith the middle daughter. The other child was a son, John Sharpe Jr. After the death of her husband, John Sharpe, the widow Judith married second Thomas Harwar(e).
Mary Sharpe married William Talbut by whom they had a son Thomas Talbut. Judith Sharpe married John Dyke. Anne Sharpe married first Thomas Roberts by whom she had a daughter, Judith Roberts. Anne Sharpe married second Thomas Gillett by whom she had two children: 1. Elizabeth who was baptized in Christ Church parish, Middlesex County, VA on 27 Feb 1686/87, and 2. Ann(e) who married Richard Cawthorne. After Thomas Gillett died, Anne Sharpe married thirdly Vincent Vass of Essex (c. 1655-1727).
That John Vass was a son of Vincent seems to be proved by a legal case from 1730 called Legan vs. Vause vs. Latany. This case is from "Virginia Colonial Decisions" based on cases in the General Court of Virginia, as compiled from about 1726-1743, and reported by Sir John Randolph and Edward Barradall Esq. These court cases are contained in a 2 volume set "Virginia Colonial Decisions" by Major R.T. Barton (Boston, Mass Book Company, 1909).
We know that Vincent Vass (c. 1655-1727) lived in the lower portion of Essex County, near the border with Middlesex. By his marriage with Anne Sharpe, Vincent Vass acquired 500 acres of land on the Rappahannock River, just north of the Middlesex County line. This 500 acres was devised to Anne Sharpe under the terms of the will of John Penne of old Rappahannock (Essex) (Penn, Pen, Pin, Pinn, etc.) written 13 Jan 1676/7 and proved 2 May 1677. The abstract of this will reads: To Anne Sharp, d/o John my plantation which I now live on plus 50 pounds sterling money of England; to Judith Sharp, d/o John, 50 pounds sterling money of England; to Elizabeth Harware, d/o Thomas Harware 50 pounds sterling money of England—all to be delivered at day of their marriages. Also personalty to Edward Dracas, Thomas Cocker, Mary Peyton. Thomas Harware named executor. Give unto Thomas Talbutt, s/o William Talbutt, mare. If Anne Sharpe d. w/out issue, her share to Thomas HARWARE. Signed John Penne. Wit: Peter Hopegood, Joseph Price.
By a deed of 10 Feb 1692, Vincent Vause of Essex and Anne his wife devised to Edward Thomas "a parcel of land containing 250 acres where Vincent Vause and his wife lately lived. The tract containing 250 acres +/- being the one moiety of a tract of 500 acres bequeathed to the said Anne by the last will and testament of John Penne late of the county aforesaid." Incidentally, in his will of ca. 1699, Edward Thomas left this 250 acres of land to the parish of South Farnham to be the glebe land of the parish.
Vincent Vass first appears in the Virginia records when a Middlesex County court of 6 Mar 1681/82 granted judgment to Thomas Haselwood against Vincent Vas for ye summe of fifteene hundred twenty eight pounds of good & well sorted sweet scented tobacco and caske according to specialty, with costs.
Given that Vass first appears in the Middlesex records, and given that his name appears in some early records as Vaus and Vause, it is possible he is related to the line of John Vause of Middlesex. This John Vause had several children including a son named John Vause whose name appears in the Middlesex records as Vaus and Vass. This later John Vause married twice. His first wife was Lettice Obert. After she died, John Vause married secondly, on 19 Jan 1687/88, Elizabeth Weekes, widow of Francis Weekes, who was a son of Abraham Weekes as shown in his will dated 8 Sep 1691. John and Elizabeth were the parents of Agatha Vause, who was christened in Christ Church parish on 8 Sep 1689. Agatha was still an infant when her father died, so the court appointed, as her guardian, a man by the name James Blaise. Later, when she was grown, Agatha married, on 27 Dec 1708, James Curtis, son of James Curtis who married Elizabeth Obert the sister of Lettice. In some of these guardianship proceedings, Agatha's name is spelled Vass.
Now, there was a John Jones who married Millicent Weekes, daughter of Abraham Weeks of Middlesex. John and Millicent had no issue. Abraham Weekes was chosen a vestryman of Lancaster parish in 1657. He was a justice of Lancaster County, 1666, and of Middlesex after it was split off from old Lancaster. There is a deed recorded in Middlesex, dated 30 Jun 1688, from Abraham Weekes of the county of Middlesex, gent. and Millicent his wife, conveying to Mr. Henry Williamson, of Rappahannock County, and Catharine his wife (daughter of the said Weekes), part of a tract of land, the remainder of which had been conveyed to Francis Weekes, son of said Abraham Weekes. Mr. Abraham Weekes was a justice of Middlesex, 1676. His will was dated January 1691/92 and proved March 1691/92. Legatees were son Francis, daughter, Mary, daughter Letty Lidford, niece Katharine Collins, daughter Elizabeth Whaling, and son-in-law John Jones. Mr. Mathew Lidford, Mr. Francis Weekes, and Mr. Henry Williamson were named as executors. Francis Weekes married Elizabeth (unk.) and after his death, his widow Elizabeth married John Vause of Middlesex County who was the son of John Vause (Vaux) of Middlesex. By her husband Henry Williamson, Catharine Weekes had issue Frances and Catharine Williamson, both of whom were devised land by Capt. Edward Thomas of Essex County. Catharine married three times. Her first husband was Capt. William Young of Essex who in 1719. Her second husband was Thomas Montague, son of William, who died in 1721. Her third husband was Richard Tyler Jr. who married secondly Ann by whom he had a daughter, Frances Tyler, who married Richard Gatewood Jr.
Recently, I found some information that helps locate where James Blaise (guardian of Agatha Vaus(e)/Vass) lived. This comes from the will of Thomas Meriwether dated 1708. This will reads: "I give unto Ralph Shelton & his heires forever the Sixty five acres of Land Granted to me by Patent joyning to the Land of Rice Jones, (Toslees) & the Land formerly belonging to Capt. Edward Thomas."
This 65-acre tract appears to be one granted to Meriwether on May 2, 1706, described in patent as follows: " Sixty five acres of Land part of a patent of four hundred and fifty acres in Essex formerly Rapp. County bounded as follows (Vizt) beginning at a decayed walnut and a great mulberry tree marked by it (at the upper extent of a devident of Land belonging unto John Jones, orphan) standing by the Dragon swamp side in the point of an old field just below the mouth of a great branch and running thence North East by sd Jones. land . . . to a red Oake in John [Vasses'] Line thence . . . to the main run of the Dragon swamp . . .sd Land formerly granted Edward Thomas Gent by patent dated 20th of Oct., 1691, and by him deserted and since granted sd Meriwether by order of the genll Court dated 25th of Oct., 1705."
The will and patent descriptions place this land on the Essex-Middlesex boundary line. This location is further indicated by a description of Middlesex County written April 14, 1700, which reads in part, ..." said County is bounded on the head with the lower part of the land of John Jones dec'd which runs up from Rappahannock River on the upper part of Cock's [Cocke's] Bay next above ye land of James Blaise and so crossing the Ridge along the land of Thomas Tosley including the same from the outline of Thomas Toseley' s land down a great Branch dividing the land of Edward Thomas dec' d and the land of Rice Jones dec'd, including the said Rice Jones dec's Land to the dragon swamp."
This shows that the land of James Blaise, who was guardian of Agatha Vass, was very near or adjacent to that of the Edward Thomas and John and Rice Jones.
The name Thomas Vaux also appears in the records of Middlesex County when he, along with John Walker and William Downing, witnessed the will of William Daniel of Middlesex on 8 Oct 1694. This is the William Daniel who married Constance Vause, son of John Vause of Middlesex County, VA. This is the second John Vause who dated his will 8 Sep 1691. It mentions daughter AGATHA VAUSE, wife Elizabeth, nephews and nieces, William Daniel the son of my sister Constance, and James Curtis, Averilla Curtis and Chichley Curtis, children of my loving sister Elizabeth Curtis by James Curtis. The will also mentioned nephew Christopher Robinson. Witnesses: Christopher Robinson, Abraham Weekes. The records of Christ Church parish Middlesex record the birth of AGATHA VAUSE on 28 Feb 1688. This William Daniel had a son, Richard Daniel, who died in Essex County in 1727. An inventory for Richard Daniel’s estate was returned 19 Sep 1727 and signed by William Daniel (Richard’s son). The witnesses were John Vass, William Brooke and Hugh Williams.
It is possible this Thomas Vaux or Vause is the "Thomas Volve" [sic]who is mentioned in the register of Christ church parish, Middlesex County. The transcribed entry reads: Thomas Volve dyed Jan 15 and was buried Jan 17 1715/16. I have never seen the name "VOLVE" in any Essex or Middlesex records, which suggests the transcriber made an error and the name is actually Vause or Vaux or some similar variant.
Additions or corrections appreciated.
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