Any Holmans of Virginia, connected to the Holmans of Southwark, London, would have been quite a specific family among many families so named. Their connections to the Harris family of St Saviour, Southwark, cousins of the Griffins and (probably) the Williamson families of Virginia, stems from a joint connection to the Arnold family of St Olave, Southwark, and two marriages: Robert Harris, married ‘Margaret Newcom’ (Newsam) on February 2, 1643, in St. Olave’s. William Harris, who, at St. Olave, Southwark, married (May 25, 1643) Elizabeth Arnell.

The business connection between the Holmans and Arnolds, etc., extended to moneylending:

Mortgage for £2,060: Thomas, Earl of Berks, to Dame Katherine Gargrave, widow, William Lenthall esq. (Speaker of the House of Commons), Edward Fetiplace of Lincolns Inn, esq., Acton Drake esq. and Hugh Woodward, gent.:– property as DD/P/21/2. Tenants specified -: Recites that the Earl of Berks. owes £2,060 to Henry, Earl of Danby: that the Earl of Danby has given £2,000 of the debt to Elizabeth Gargrave (daughter of Dame K.G.) for her marriage portion and £60, residue of the debt, to Dame K.G.; and that Dame K.G., W.L., E:F., A.D. and H.W. are bound in £1,000 to Thomas Arnold* and John Winch of London, gents. for the payment of £520 at the house of Michael and Richard Holman on Ludgate Hill and in £1,000 to Thomas Arnold for the payment of £520. Witn. Henry Stevens, Tho. Bennett, Richard Arnold. 157 DD/P/21/3.16 May 1642. (Michael Holman, ‘one of the most notorious moneylenders then doing business in London’ (Robert Wilcher, The Discontented Cavalier: The Work of Sir John Suckling, p. 50, 2007).

*’Thomas Arnold, by Will dated 14th June 1669, gave to the churchwardens of this parish (St Olave, Southwark) the sum of £40′. Thomas Arnold gift is administered by his son, George Arnold Esq. C 6/134/61: Fauntleroy v Arnold. Plaintiffs: Henry Fauntleroy. Defendants: Thomas Arnold and George Arnold. Subject: water supply St Martin Ludgate, London. 1657. Henry Fauntleroy was bapt. September 13, 1620, at Hedley, Hampshire. He was bur. at Isleworth, London, and was the br. of Col. Moore Fauntleroy, whose son, Col. William Fauntleroy was b. in 1650, in Rappahannock Co., VA. He m. Katherine Griffin, dau. of Col. Samuel Griffin. She m. (2) David Gwyn, (3) David Ridley, before February 6, 1694. In the records of Old Rappahannock County, Vol. 1, p. 33, an account of the Will of Francis Slaughter states: ‘to my brother-in-law, Coll. Moore Fauntleroy, my book entitled Hooker ‘s Ecclesiastical Policy’. Mrs. Margaret Underwood, herein accounted had daus. (probably by her first husband); including: Elizabeth, who m. Francis Slaughter, 2nd, Capt. John Catlett; Anne, m. James Williamson.

‘Peter Pope, notary public, in Rotterdam, Holland. That John Shepeard of Rotterdam appoints ‘his well beloved brother Wm Harris‘ to receive ac/s from Wm. Underwood or James Williamson, merchants, living in Virginia, particularly for all goods delivered the said Williamson in the absence of Underwood … late end of the year 1648 (Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstract).

The Holmans are also evidenced here:

Declaration of trust. Parties: Thomas Barnardiston of Ketton, Suffolk kt., John Buck of Hanby Grange in Lenton Esq. of the first part, Michael Armyne of Osgodby bart. of the second, Thomas Styles of Wateringbury, Kent bart. and Thomas Lyster of Coleby of the third part. Property: The manors of Pickworth East and West Hall and the advowson of the church of Pickworth … the following being declared: that £6450 was paid or secured to be paid by Sir Michael Armyne as part of the debts of Sir William Armyne deceased his brother totalling £8056 14s 4d of which Sir Michael Armyne has paid some and has entered into the following mortgages: To Mr. Lyster, £2500 and interest, £75 to date, also £2575 for which he, Sir Thomas Styles and Thomas Lyster stand bound, namely to Thomas Arnold Esq. £515, to Mr. John Pennington £515, to lady Albinia Wray and Sir Henry Vane £515, to Rowland Jewkes Esq. £309, to Thomas Arnold £309, to George Arnold esq. £206, to Jane Holman widow £206, which sum totalling £2575 was borrowed as above and paid for Sir William Armyne’s debts. RED 1/2/1/3. May 27 1658.

Christopher Holman was as likely of this family as not.

A Harris family of Hanover Co. had these connections.

copyright m stanhope 2016