{"id":277,"date":"2011-10-28T05:20:13","date_gmt":"2011-10-28T09:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/perquimans\/?p=277"},"modified":"2014-09-25T04:49:20","modified_gmt":"2014-09-25T08:49:20","slug":"ratcliffe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/perquimans\/ratcliffe\/","title":{"rendered":"RATCLIFFE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Capt John Ratcliffe arrived at Jamestown with Capt John Smith, in Discovery, April 26, 1607, with 20 other passengers. After Edward Maria Wingfield was expelled for wasting the \u201cstores\u201d he was elected president in his place. John Ratcliffe was one of the Council, \u201cwhen the Colonists first reached shore\u201d on their crossing to Accomac Co. (History of Accomac Co.) He was living at Jamestown May 23, 1609. (Browns Gen. to America.)<\/p>\n

Roger Radclife was living \u201catt West, and Sherlew hundred\u201d Feb 16, 1623. (Hotten.) He arrived in Va, in \u201cGeorge\u201d May 1619, with his wife Ann, age 40, and son Isaac 9 years old. He gave his own age as 44.<\/span><\/p>\n

Charles Radcliffe had land grt him, in Accomac Co, July 10, 1664.<\/span><\/p>\n

The History of Grant Co Ind, shows that James & Mary Ratcliffe came from England to Bucks Co Penn, with five children, as follows: 1 Richard, b April 8, 1676\u20142 Edward, b Aug 14, 1678\u20143 Rachel, b Feb 16, 1682\u20144 Rebecca, b Nov 11, 1684\u20145 James, b 1686\/7.<\/span><\/p>\n

The theory has been advanced that the Richard (s of James & Mary) is the identical one who was such a prominent Quaker in Isle of Wight County Va, but if one will stop to investigate the date thoroughly, it would be seen immediately, that such could not possibly be the case. The Richard in Penn, was only ten years of age when the Richard in Isle of Wight, made his will 1686. May we not more plausibly surmise, that Roger of West and Shirley hundred, might be the progenitor of Richard of Isle of Wight, for certainly propinquity would lend color to that version. Again he could have been a descendant of John Ratcliffe of Jamestown, however the records do not give any positive proof.<\/span><\/p>\n

Richard Ratcliffe, first in Isle of Wight Co, made a will in sd county, which was Ack in Court Mar 4, 1686\/7. Son Richard (2) to whom he bequeathed 200a of land, \u201cif he die to s Cornelius\u201d son John, dau\u2019s Elizabeth, Sara, Mary, & Rebecca, wife Elizabeth, & John Copeland Exrs. Test\u2019 Daniel Sandbourne, Wm Outland, Edmund Belson.<\/span><\/p>\n

The children of Richard are given in Chuckatuck Friends Reg, Nansemond Co, as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Elizabeth, b 21, 7mo 1668, m James Jordan (s of Thomas, & Margaret, of Chuckatuck Nansemond Co) 9, 12mo 1688\u2014<\/li>\n
  2. Sarah, b 19, 9mo 1670, m Joseph Kennerly, of Dorchester Co Md, 20, 7mo 1696\u2014<\/li>\n
  3. Richard (2) b 13 7mo 1672, m Elizabeth Hollowell (d of Henry dec\u2019d of Isle of Wight Co) 18, 7mo 1700\u2014<\/li>\n
  4. Cornelius, b 15, 1mo 1674, m Elizabeth Jordan, widow (thought to be Elizabeth Sanborn, wid of Joshua Jordan) of Isle of Wight Co) 3, 9mo 1721\u2014<\/li>\n
  5. Mary, b 5, 2mo 1679, m Thomas Newman, 13, 2mo 1699\u2014<\/li>\n
  6. Rebecca, b, 3, 5mo 1684, m Richard Jordan (s of Thomas of Chuckatuck) 2, 8mo 1706. The marriage Banns name her as \u201cd of Richard Ratcliff of Trerasco Neck\u201d and her father appears among the witnesses to the m certificate.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Richard Ratcliffe Sr attended a \u201cmeeting at Leavy\u2019s Neck, 13, 4mo 1708.\u201d Richard and John Ratliff are named in the m certificate of Rebecca (Jordan) as \u201cbrother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    How to account for the fact that Richard Ratcliff (1) made a second will in Isle of Wight Co 8, 8mo 1713, p Oct 27, 1718, but from the fact that he names the identical children, and that they had the same husbands, we are led to conclude it was certainly the same Richard who made a will 1686, although a period of 27 years intervened. The 2d Richard could not have had a child ofr marriageable age, at the time the sons and dau\u2019s of Richard Ratcliff did marry. Also the issue in the second will is in exactly the same sequence as the first, but the text of the will is different. Will of Richard Ratcliff of Lower pish Isle of Wight Co, p Oct 27, 1718, gives to son \u201cRichard plan\u2019 whereon I now live,\u201d after the death of his wife Elizabeth, to her he left 5 negroes for her \u201cNatual life,\u201d to be equally divided between his children: Richard, Cornelius, John, Mary, Rebeccah, & the \u201cchildren of my two dec\u2019d dau\u2019s Elizabeth, & Sarah, a childs pt to be divided among them.\u201d Son-in-law Thomas Newman (husband of Mary) Richard Jordan (husband of Rebeccah) \u201ca part of my Estate.\u201d Test\u2019 Wm Best, Humph\u2019ry Marshall, Tho. Copeland.<\/span><\/p>\n