I suggest, as others have, that there were various men named William Underwood in Virginia. The following notice gives account of two of them, and their intersection with the Catlett family of Kent.

On one level, they were connected previously; by a common religious/political view. John Catlett, as follows, was a tenant of Sir Paul Bayning, a “merchant prince” of London, whose epitaph in St Olave, Southwark, London, enthuses about how his enterprise in commerce brought about a common prosperity (to his fellow merchant class). The sermons preached at such churches as St Olave and Nicholas Acons were of the more extreme Protestant variety, which enthused parishioners such as the Baynings and Bennetts to conquer the New World; a case of “onward Christian soldiers”. Such religious/political persuasions were the common cloaks under which English kinship groups sheltered; each being different to some degree to the “cloaks” of other groups.

One such “soldier” was Thomas Jones, and these notes ask, who was he?

CATLETT AND UNDERWOOD

1. William Catlett, d.1563.
1.1. Thomas Catlett.
1.1.1. John Catlett, gentleman, m. Elizabeth Frauncis, on Oct. 29, 1588. He was a substantial tennant of the Baynings. June 7, 1625: Assignment from Sir Paul Bayning to John Fagge of Brensett, esq., in respect of a recognisance in statute staple, June 18, 1613, in £300, from John Catlett of Sittingbourne, yeo., to Paul Bayning, Sr., of London, now dec’d., and said Sir Paul, for the payment of an annual rent of £130 due upon lease, June 16, 1613. Bayning was the son of a namesake, a merchant of Bentley Parva, in Essex, and of London. Albery v Catlet. Plaintiffs: Thomas Albery. Defendants: John Catlet, Samuel Gibbes and Mary Gibbes his wife (executors of, n.b., Thomas Upton). Subject: messuage called Daniels in Greenhithe, and a tenement in Grays Thurrock, both in Essex, mortgaged to Henry Billedge. 1603-1625. (N.A., ref. C 2/JasI/A4/48).
1.1.1.1. George Catlett, m. Margaret Whitlocke, of Blackwell, Middlesex, Sept, 23, 1622, in Sittingbourne. For London hearth tax purposes, Stepney, Limehouse, and Blackwell were synonomous.
1.1.1.2. John Catlett, m. Sarah Hawkins, dau. of Ralph, of Canterbury, on April 10, 1623. She m. (2) Lodowick Rowzee, on Sept. 20, 1626. Thomas Beane of St. Dunstan’s, Canterbury, victualler; sureties, Ralph Hawkins of All Saints, Canterbury, beerbrewer and Peter Ford of Canterbury, baker. Aug. 4, 1610. (Kent History and Library Centre, ref. QM/RLv/227/4).
1.1.1.2.1. John Catlett, m. (as her third husband) Elizabeth Underwood, dau. of William Underwood, as follows.

1. Thomas Underwood, m. Isabel Weston. Admission of William Underwood, as heir of Thomas Underwoode. Manor of Weston Argentine, April 26, 1540. (Manor Court Roll (MCR). Hertfordshire Archives (Hertf. Arch.).
1.1. William Underwood, of Weston, Hertfordshire, b. circa 1519. Probate, National Archives (N.A.) 11/44/21, Jan. 23, 1561.
1.1.1. George Underwood. Admission of George Underwood as son and heir of William Underwood. Manor of Weston Argentine. Oct. 14, 1575. (MCR. Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/76981). Probate, N.A. 11/129/570, May 22, 1617).
1.1.1.1. George Underwood. Admission of George Underwood as son and heir of George Underwood. Manor of Weston Argentine. Oct. 2, 1600. (Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/76921). He m. Grace … July 23, 1589.
1.1.1.2. Constance Underwood. Feoffment for £80 and covenant to levy a Fine. 1. Edward Goodyer of Rochester (10 mls fr. Sittingbourne), Kent, gent, and Constance, his wife, dau. of George Underwood of London, milliner, son and heir of William Underwood of Weston, gent, Elizabeth Fish of Fetter Lane, London, widow, dau. of George Underwood. 2. John Underwood of Fetter Lane, gent. April 24, 1651. (Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/77165).
1.1.1.3. Elizabeth Underwood, m. … Fish (er?).
1.1.1.4. John Underwood, of Fetter Lane, gent, m. Marie Underwood, his cousin, as follows.
1.1.1.5. Edmund Underwood, Citizen of London, bapt Feb. 9, 1577, Weston, bur. June 22, 1631, St Christopher le Stocks, London, m., it is claimed, spuriously, Rose Fairclough, of Fairclough Hall, Weston. (Henry Chauncy’s Historical Antiquities of Hertfordshire, 1700, names the husband of Rose as Edward Underwood, with her sister, Dorothy, the wife of Robert Underwood; the same source giving the Fairclough Arms as or a lion rampant sable armed and langued gules between three flowers). Robert Cooke’s ‘Visitation’ pedigree (p. 72) agrees with Chauncey. Walter Mascall’s son, John (haberdasher, of London); m. (1) Mary, da of Robert Underwood, and Dorothy Fairclough, of St Stephen Walbrook.
1.1.1.6.1. William Underwood, bapt. April 12, 1612, ‘s. Edmund Underwood, grocer’, St Stephen Walbrook, London. It is reasonable (circumstantially) to suggest that he was the Virginia settler wo m. Margaret … who m (2) John Upton by Sept. 13, 1644, when “Captain John Upton and Margaret his wife” sold to John Mason, land patented by Upton adjoining William Wright (B. 1, P. 420). (3) Thomas Lucas, whose Will was probated March 24, 1674, leaving bequests to his “son in law” John Catlett, who had m. Margaret’s dau., Elizabeth; son in law Capt. Thomas Hawkins, whose first wife, Mary, was either a dau. of Thomas Lucas, Sr., or of Captain John Upton; grand child Mary Hawkins, son Thomas Lucas and sister-in-law Mrs. Margaret Plainnier; friend Daniel Gaines.
1.1.1.6.1.1. Elizabeth Underwood, m. (1) Francis Slaughter, of Rappahannock; (2) John Catlett, of Rappahannock; (3) Amory Butler. Her Will was proved June 16, 1673. (Virginia Magazine, iii., p. 64.).
1.1.1.7. Robert Underwood. Much concerning Virginian ancestries would be gleaned if Richard Coleman’s wife was of the family of the aforesaid John Mascall. Richard Coleman “patented 320 ac. on the north side Rappahannock River near the land of Wm. Newsome & now in possession Rice Jones and Coleman assigns his rights to Robert Mascall. Later that year (1653) Richard Coleman hath ordered a caveat for an administration of his brother in law Robt. Mascall estate”. Recorded June 4, 1655. B. 4, p. 245: Mr William Underwood, 882 acs. Rappa. Co., Sept. 10, 1658, 2784 acs. parallel to land of Thomas Whitlock, & Richard Coleman, by path leading to Nansatticoe. 1400 acs. granted to Wm. Smart, Mar. 15, 1657, assigned to Wm. Clapham, Jr., who assigned to sd. Underwood.

1.1.2. William Underwood. Feoffment: 1. William Underwood of Weston, yeoman. 2. George Underwood of Weston, yeoman, his brother. Orchard with fences and hedges, containing 4p, between the ditch next to the new barn end of George Underwood and the orchard of William Underwood. Witnesses to Livery of Seisin: Hugh Underwood, John Underwood, Edward Jordan. April 14,, 1598. (Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/77105).

1.1.2.1. William Underwood. Feoffment. John Harmer of Weston, gent, William Underwood, senior, of Weston, gent, and John Penn of Rabley Heath, Welwyn, gent, to John Clynton of Burley, Letchworth, yeoman. June 4,, 1649. (Hertf. Arch. DE/Pr/77420).

1.1.2.1. George Underwood. Pre-Nuptial Settlement and covenant to levy a Fine. On the marriage of George Underwood and Mary Feltham. 1. William Underwood of Weston, yeoman, and Katherin, his wife, George Underwood, son and heir of William Understood. 2. Harborne Feltham of Inner Temple, London, gent. Messuage (in which William Underwood now lives), close of pasture adj. the orchard of the said messuage, 6a of arable land in the common fields of Weston, 3 tenements in tail. £100 to be paid by Harborne Feltham to George Underwood. May, 10, 1616.

1.1.2.1.1. William Underwood. Discharge of Legacy. William Underwood of Virginia, America, merchant, to Thomas Reeve of Weston, gent, executor of William Underwood of Weston, gent, deceased, executor of Will of (his sister – MS) Grace Hopkins of Weston, widow, deceased, for £30, part payment of legacy of 100 marks, legacy bequeathed to William Underwood of Virginia by Grace Hopkins. August 20, 1647. (Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/77117).
1.1.3. Grace Underwood, m. … Hopkins.

William Underwood of Virginia (b. circa 1620), the tobacco merchant, who had ties to such fellow merchants as William Harris, who m. a sister of John Shepeard (TNA, Prob. 11/318/482, Will of John Shepheard, Grocer of Southwark, November 14, 1665), also recorded here: ‘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). This was, clearly, the William Underwood who m. Mary Moseley, July 27, 1648, in London, a relation of:

William Moseley, merchant, of Rotterdam, who m. the widow Susanna Blackmore (dau. of Ralph Burnet, citizen and draper of London), bef. Dec. 22, 1634, probably in Delft. On that date, as husband of Susanna, he was sued by the widow of Cornelius Michielsz van Ring for the rent of a house in Delft, rented by her late husband, Arthur Blackmore. She died in Virginia, Feb. 8, 1656. By Arthur Blackmore, she had issue, Susanna, who m. Humphrey Robbeson: The Will of Susannah Robbeson, Aug. 14, 1649, left her entire estate to her mother “Susanna Moesalaer” and if she should predecease her then to her “half brothers Willem and Arthur Moesalaer”, and if they should die before her then to her aunts “Lijsbet Cockeroff ” and “Hester Bornet”. Susanna Burnet had a younger sister Elizabeth, baptized at St. Benet Fink, January 6, I612; she m. another Merchant Adventurer, William Cockcroft, He died at Rotterdam bef. July 7, I653. William Corker m. (1), in March 1650, Susanna (Blackmore) Robinson, widow of Humphrey Robinson; their dau. Susanna, was named in the will of William Moseley as “my grandchild Corker”). B. 4, p. 384: Mr. Wm Underwood, 882 acs. Rappa. Co., Sept. 10, 1658, p. 245. Bet. some of the head branches of Pepetick Cr. & Mr. Popes Cr., beg. near Rappa. path, extending to the head of lands of Silvester Thatcher & Thomas Whitlocke & adj. land of Thomas Wright.

(William Corker: In 1660, Robert Spencer gave his age as thirty years. He m. (1) Anne Taberer (thus was kin of Thomas Harris, d. 1672); (2) Elizabeth, dau. of Captain John White of Surry Co., whose widow m. (as his second wife) Captain William Corker; and (3) Jane, dau. of Col. William Browne. William Corker and Elizabeth White had issue: Lucy Corker, who m. William Rose; Bartholomew Owen being a grantee to their children. A ‘continuation of association’, typical of the kinship system of these times, is evidenced thus: 1. Margaret … m. (1) William Underwood, d. 1644. (2) John Upton, d. 1652; his headright was Christopher Lewis. (3) Thomas Lucas Sr., d. 1674. His dau. m. John Catlett. 1.1. Elizabeth Underwood, m. Francis Slaughter. She m. (2) John Catlett, Sr. 1.2. Margaret Underwood, m. Humphrey Booth. 1.2.1. Catherine Booth, m. Robert Brooke. 1.2.1.1. Mary Brooke, m. Leonard Tarrant, sheriff of Essex Co; his Will made June 1718. 1.2.1.1.1. Leonard Tarrant, d. 1791? (who m. (1) Sarah; (2) widow Hargroves), father of Elizabeth Kirby, who m. David Kirby, son of John KIrby and Joanna Owen, granddau. of Bartholomew Owen. 1.3. Ann Underwood, m. James Williamson. The overarching connection seems to be that of Bennett).

1.1.2.2. William Underwood, b. circa 1596. PROB 11/193/135 Will of William Underwood, Gentleman of Weston, Hertfordshire 8 May 1645.
He m. Sarah Woodley, who remarried to Richard Brabourne. (“William Underwood of Weston in the county of Hartfordshire, gentleman, & Saragh Woodlie, dau of John Woodlie of Ickleford in ye aforesaide county, yeoman; by virtue of a lycence”, Apr. 26, 1621, Allhallows, London.

General Release for £17. Richard Brabourne of London, gent, to William Underwood of Weston, gent, Dorothy Underwood and Elizabeth Underwood of London, gentlewomen, sisters of William Underwood, and Mary Wells of London, spinster, for all personal and household stuffs etc of Sarah Brabourne, his wife, deceased, mother of William, Dorothy and Elizabeth Underwood July 21, 1660. (Hertf. Arch. DE/Pr/77124). William Underwood moved to London: William Underwood to be liable for taxation in London, and not in the half-hundred of Broadwater and hundred of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, the previous area of tax liability. 1641. (N.A, E 115/395/65).

1.1.2.2.1. William Underwood, bapt. Sept. 3, 1640, St Stephen Walbrook, London, m. Anne Honnor, July 7, 1658, St Vedast, London; d. 1680.
1.1.2.3. Marie Underwood. John Underwood of Weston, and Marie, his wife, to Thomas Reeve of Weston, gent, executor of William Underwood, gent, deceased for £200 bequeathed to Marie by William Underwood, her father. Hertf. 1 July, 1650. Arch. DE/Pr/77121
1.1.2.4. George Underwood, b. 1632. Admission of George Underwood as son and heir of William Underwood. (George Underwood being a minor of 14, Thomas Reeve admitted as his Guardian). Manor of Weston Argentine. June 26, 1646. (MCR, Hertf. Arch. DE/Pr/76924).
1.1.2.5. Susan Underwood.
1.1.2.6. Sarah Underwood.
1.1.2.7. Grace Underwood, m. William Cannon, of Southwark, Surrey, apothecary. Admission of Grace, wife of William Cannon, Mary, wife of John Underwood, Martha, wife of Roger Roberts and Sarah, wife of John Upshan, as sisters and coheirs of Susan Underwood, deceased. A fifth part of a messuage, croft and 12a called Horrells, and 3½a on Atterhill. Manor of Weston Argentine. April 27, 1660. (Hertf. Arch., DE/Pr/76926).
1.1.2.8. Martha Underwood. Martha Underwood. Discharge of Legacy of £28. 11. 5d. Roger Roberts of Crosse-Voile, Denbigh, to Martha Reeve of Weston, widow, and William Fisher,* citizen and goldsmith of London, executor of Thomas Reeve, executor of William Underwood of Weston, gent, for dividend of legacy of Susan Underwood, deceased, payable to Martha Roberts, his wife, under the Will of William Underwood, her father. November 28, 1659. (Hertf. Arch. DE/Pr/77123).

*William Fisher’s dau., Judith, m. Robert Thomas, evidently of Welsh extraction, of St. Nicholas Acons, London (its rector being John Jones*). His Will was proved on Oct. 12, 1610 (P.C.C. Wingfield 88). Their son, William Thomas*, m. Martha, dau. of William Bennett of London (br. Edward Bennett, of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, St. Olave, Southwark, London, and Virginia). Humphrey Thomas, second son, m. Jane, dau. of … Cotton, having issue, Robert Thomas, and John Thomas. From this family almost certainly came William Thomas, who m. Elizabeth Hill (dau. of Sylvestra Hill, dau. of the said Edward Bennett); having issue: John, who m. Anne Cotton, dau. of John and Martha (Godwin) Cotton. Elizabeth Hill was the sister of Mary Hill, who m. John Jennings, whose father and namesake witnessed the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, cousin of the said Edward Bennett. These are repeated familial relationships, the benchmark of determining relationships between members of English kinship groups in the absence of written, authentic, record.

(John Vassal (of a family of Stepney mariners), m. thirdly, Judith Burough, dau. of Stephen Burough (of Limehouse) and Joan Overye, of Stepney; their dau., Anne Vassall, baptised at Stepney, January 10, 1597, bur. at St. Nicholas Acons, July 24, 1640, m. *John Jones, rector of St. Nicholas Acons, London. Reverend John Jones, Rector of St. Nicholas Acons, October 27, 1612; Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, B.A, 1597; M.A, 1600; B.D, 1607; died at Highgate co. Middlesex, May 14; bur. in St. Nicholas Acons, May 15, 1636. ‘John Jones of St. Nicholas Acons, London, clerk’; his Will proved May 3, 1637: ‘To sons Allen Jones, Robert Jones, William Jones, Abraham Jones, Richard Jones, Samuel Jones, Thomas Jones, and Joseph Jones twelve pence apiece. All but Allen Jones to have their proportionate part of my lands which are to be sold. My wife Anne to have a double part and the rest divided among them (except Allen). Anne to be sole executor’ (Consistory Court, London, Allen 259.

Then, who was this Thomas Jones?

A pertinent point may be that a Thomas Jones “of Lymehouse maryner” m. Rachel Whitlocke, of St Hellens, London, on Jan, 4, 1647, in St Dunstans, Stepney. It may be reasonably presumed that he was the Thomas Jones who was a headright of Richard Hawkins, in 1650, in Northumberland Co.. B. 2, p. 206: Richard Hawkins, 100 ac. Northumberland Co., Jan. 30, 1650. Upon the W. side of Nominy, upon S. side of Potomeck Riv., on the Swd. side of a br. which divides this and the land of Thomas Waggett, thence to a marked oake dividing this & land of Thomas Ramsey. Trans. of 2 pers: James Knott, Thomas Jones.

Sept. 20, 1652. Richard Hawkins gave letter of attorney to Hugh Lee: Know all men by these presents that I Richard Hawkins do appoint my trusty friend Hugh Lee for me and in my name to ask and receive all such debts as are due to me from Thomas Hawkins in the Co. of Northumberland. Isaac Knight deposed that the said Thomas Hawkins being at Richard Hawkins house promised to deliver unto Richard Hawkins two sufficient milk cows with calves released at Chickacone. Isaack Knight, thirty years old.

Thomas Whitlock’s son, Thomas, bequeath(ed) my seat of land which my father, Thomas Whitlock, left me on ye north side of Rappahannock River unto my sisters, Sarah Rowzie, Elizabeth Rowzie and Catherine Rowzie, equally to be divided amongst them when they come of ye age of eighteen years or the day of marriage which shall happen first to them and their heirs lawfully begotten forever. R. June 13, 1678.

Thomas Whitlock and Edward Rowzie (who married the relict of the said Whitlock) sold this land to “Mr. Thomas Jones of this County also deced who dying Intestate the sd land doth decend to the said Elizabeth as right and only heire of the sd Thomas Jones which afore recited land and plantation is now in the occupation of John Richards. Witness, Hannah Hawkins. R. Feb. 11, 1684.

Among the patents issued by the Royal Govt was one to a Thos. Jones, Aug. 6, i655, for 400 a. of land on the n. side of the James river, and an abstract from the will of *Wm. Thomas, Jan. 2, i656 (Va. Hist. Mag.) recites that a legacy was left “To. Thos. Jones here in Va.”.

Morsels for thought?

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