The family of Rogers, of Bryanston, Dorset, had connections to some Virginia settlers.

Sir Richard Rogers sold the manor and advowson of Barwick to William Symes, of Chard, merchant.

The first wife of William Symes was Agnes Colendon, of Chard; their dau., Joan, m. Thomas Cogan, of Chard, who was certainly related to the John Cogan, witness to the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, in Virginia.

The ‘continuation of association’ between these families is exampled here: Indenture made Nov. 17, 1749, between Charles Sims of Brunswick County, and John Sims of same, £40, 130 ac., being part of tract granted to Adam Sims Sr. by pat. for 370 ac. Signed Charles Sims. Witnesses: Sampson Lanier,* Daniel Hicks, John Tomlinson. (ibid. p. 618). *Father-in-law of Walton Harris.

William Symes m. 2., Elizabeth, da. of Robert Hill of Pitminster, in Poundisford, landlords of the Fulgham family of that place and Virginia.

Tenants of William Symes, in Chard, included families of Barcroft and Atkins.

George Moore, of Bristol, aged 78 in 1710, m. Jane Barcroft, dau. of Charles Barcroft, whose family held land in Chard, alongside the Burridge and Cogan families. (Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset, transported Charles Barcroft, IOW, 1650).

The Fulgham family intermarried with that of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. (See previous notes. There is no evidence of a Fulgham intermarriage with the family of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, a cousin (probably 3rd.) of his namesake, aforementioned).

A deed of 1653 in Surry Co. refers to Richard Atkins as being from Chard, Somerset. He first settled at Mulberry Island, as a servant of Capt. William Pierce. (1. … 1.1. Eleanor Bennett, m. Richard Harris, Oct. 8, 1594, in Wiveliscombe; their grandson probably being the Thomas Harris, who d, in 1672. 1.2. John Bennett, b. March 1, 1566, d. 1601. 1.2.1. Thomas Bennett, b. ca. 1590, listed in the 1624 census on the south of the James River, near Lawne’s Creek. In that year, Elizabeth Pierce, dau. of his wife Alice, chose her stepfather, Thomas Bennett, as her guardian).

There is no record of Richard Atkins having a dau., Mary, purported wife of John Rogers (d. 1682), who is simply listed in a 1668 tithable list as living in the Atkins household, for whatever reason. Richard Atkins had two sons, Thomas and Richard. John Rogers had a son, William, who m. Jane Owen, relict of Bartholemew Owen. After Jane’s death, William m. Elizabeth Cartwright, dau. of Robert Cartwright, headright of Thomas Allen. ca. 1654.

John Rogers was granted 200 acs. in Surry Co., May 14, 1666, his headrights included Mary (sic) Eldridge, and Elizabeth Moore, p. 89. The former was very likely of the Elbridge family, merchants of Bristol, and “cousins” of George Moore, aforesaid (as I have given elsewhere); the latter was almost certainly of this Moore family.

Returning to the Rogers family:

1. …
1.1. Sir Richard Rogers of Bryanstone, d. 1604, m. a dau of Sir Andrew Luttrell, of Dunster Castle.
1.1.1. Andrew Rogers of Bryanstone, d. 1602, m 2. Mary Seymour, dau of Edward, Duke of Somerset.
1.1.2. Sir John Rogers of Bryanstone, d. 1613, m. 2. Mary West, dau of Sir Owen West, son of Thomas, Lord Delawarre.
1.1.3. Richard Rogers of Blandford (third son), m. a dau of Francis St. Aubyn, of Alfoxton, near Bridgewater, Somerset.
1.1.3.1. John Rogers, b. 1607, in Langton, Dorset, 1643? (a family holding).
1.2. Frances Rogers, m. Mathew Ewens, of North Cadbury, d. 1598, Baron of the Exchequer; his Will proved May 27, 1598, mentioned brothers, John, Thomas and Alexander, Alexander’s son, Mathew; John’s son, John (to whom he left his manor of Mudford, in Somerset; and his brother-in-law, Richard Rogers.

It is difficult to trace this family to any depth thereafter, other than a John Ewens m. Margaret Champion, May 2, 1636, in Butleigh (a family holding); her will proved June 30, 1657, naming a dau., Joane, wife of William Withers, and grandchildren, James and Richard Withers.

It may also be of interest to consider Nicholas Dixson’s patent of 1648, for 300 ac. in Nansemond. Trans. of 6 pers: John Person, Christian Mann, Jane Ewen, John Ewen, John Davis, Mary Davis.

Again, the family of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, are represented by association.

Everything here is Somerset, Dorset, and Bristol.

Bartholomew Ewens is probably hidden within.

copyright m stanhope 2018