Genealogy Ludwig » Col. John Armistead Esq. (1641-1697)

Personal data Col. John Armistead Esq. 

• He was born in the year 1641 in Elizabeth City County, Virginia Colony.
• He died on March 18, 1697 in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, he was 56 years old.

Household of Col. John Armistead Esq.

He is married to Judith Hone.

They got married

Child(ren):

1. William Armistead  1671-1711 
2. Mary Armistead  1680-1724 

Notes about Col. John Armistead Esq.

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Biography

John Armistead, Colonel "the Councillor"

Origin

John was born probably before 1639 and certainly before 1645 (using ca 1641).^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]} In August of 1660, when John made a power of attorney as executor for his brother, William, he was probably twenty-one at that time.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]} He was a son of http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-10">William Armistead and http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ellis-1066">Ann, of England. His parents immigrated to Virginia in about 1635, and settled at Elizabeth City County.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} So while it is possible John was born in England, he was probably born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia.

John's mother is often called an Ellis, but there is no proof, and Patricia Hatcher, in her 2011 article on Judith Hone, called her Anne ________.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

Much study has been devoted to this family, as John and Judith Armistead are ancestors of Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

Associations

• Robert Beverley (1635–1687), business partner in several different enterprises over the 1660's, and then John married Judith Hone who was Robert's sister-in-law.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

• Ralph Wormeley (d. 1701) married John's daughter, Elizabeth.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

• Robert "King" Carter married John's daughter, Judith.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

Hesse Plantation, Gloucester County, Virginia

John's father, William Armistead, had acquired substantial amounts of acres in both Elizabeth City and Gloucester Counties. John was not the oldest son, but he and his brother both received many acres which had originally belonged to their father. Possibly John's father sent him, when he came of age, to manage the plantation in Gloucester County. However it happened, in the 1650's, John removed to Hesse Plantation in Gloucester County, where he lived as a tobacco planter and "Councillor" for the rest of his life.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} John built the house at Hesse, as the date 1674 can be seen carved into the chimney, (as of 1910, when Virginia Armistead Garder wrote her book on the family).^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Gar">[3]} See drawing of Hesse.

House of Burgesses

Gloucester County lost almost all official records through multiple wars and fires. Therefore, we can only infer aspects of John's public and church service. Very likely he served as a vestryman of Kingston Parish. We know he served in both civil as well as military offices for Gloucester County. In 1670, he was a member of the County Court as well as a Colonel in the Gloucester County Militia.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} John served Gloucester County in 1676 and in 1680 as High Sheriff.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

John Armistead, known as "the Councillor," was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1680, and he attended the first meeting of the Assembly of 1680–1682. He attended again in 1685, and in 1688, Governor Francis Howard, baron Howard of Effingham, who was a friend and visitor to the home of John's son-in-law Ralph Wormeley, appointed John Armistead to fill a vacant seat on the Council. He was sworn in on October 18, 1688, but in 1691, following the Glorious Revolution, John refused "thro Scruple of Conscience" to take the oath of allegiance to the new monarchs of England, William and Mary, and relinquished his seat.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} On December 9, 1698, the Crown restored John's place on the Council, but he never took the oath. We do not know whether he had died by this date or was continuing his refusal to swear allegiance.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

Tobacco Plant-cutting Riots

Virginians were a proud and independent people, whether or not they owned property. As a result of the continuation of the aristocracy from England, and the indentured servitude system, there were limited opportunities for most to own land. Consequences of the recent Bacon's Rebellion, (1676–1677), were aimed at forcing obedience. For instance, suffrage had been the rule in Virginia since 1619; voting was not only a duty but compulsory.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Gar">[3]} After Bacon's Rebellion, the Governor suspended voting for a time as an attempt to gain control.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Gar">[3]} The more that England and the Council tried to insist, the more tensions mounted.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

Tobacco was the currency in Virginia, and when tobacco prices fell, the working people rebelled. They went into the fields of the large plantations and destroyed tobacco plants. This supposedly was an effort to drive up prices, but it was a symbolic gesture as much as anything else. From the planter's point of view, they were a "mutinous mob" whose actions were "wild and extravagant," going from farm to farm, tearing tobacco plants out by their roots. Governor Nicholas Spencer complained that the riotous "frenzy" destroyed tobacco plants at over 200 plantations.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} John was in agreement with the governor, as he too deplored the tobacco plant-cutting riots. as they came to be called.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} John was in favor of the strict policies and increased control implemented after Bacon's Rebellion. As sheriff, John arrested several women who were participating in the plant destruction.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]} Robert Beverley, the historian, was a member of the House of Burgesses and is sometimes called the instigator of the plant-cutting riots. He was outspoken in his opposition to the English policies of control, so he and John Armistead were at odds, politically and philosophically.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

Family

John married by say 1666, in Virginia, to http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hone-101">Judith Hone, daughter of Theophilus Hone and his 1st wife, name Unknown.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

Children:^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

1. Judith, oldest daughter, b ca 1669; mar Robert "King" Carter
2. Elizabeth b say 1667; mar 1) Ralph Wormeley, 2) William Churchill
3. William b ca 1671; mar Anna Lee
4. Henry b ca 1672; mar Martha Burwell

Death and Legacy

On 18 March 1696/7, John signed a legal document acknowledging a deed of gift, so we know he passed away after that date, probably at Kingston Parish, Gloucester, Virginia.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Hat">[1]}

The date and place of his death are not known.^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_note-Bil">[2]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_0">1.0 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_1">1.1 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_2">1.2 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_3">1.3 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_4">1.4 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_5">1.5 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_6">1.6 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_7">1.7 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Hat_8">1.8} Hatcher, Patricia, L.,http://www.americanancestors.org/PageDetail.aspx?recordId=234865553" href="http://www.americanancestors.org/PageDetail.aspx?recordId=234865553" rel="nofollow">"Identifying Judith Hone, Wife of John 2 Armistead of Virginia, with Hone and Aylmer Ancestry of Presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison", (2012, Pages 352-64 )American Ancestors Journal. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 -.) Web accessed July 10, 2014
2. ↑ ^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_0">2.00 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_1">2.01 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_2">2.02 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_3">2.03 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_4">2.04 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_5">2.05 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_6">2.06 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_7">2.07 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_8">2.08 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_9">2.09 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_10">2.10 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_11">2.11http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Bil_12">2.12} Billings, Warren M. and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography. http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Armistead_John_fl_1650s-1690s" href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Armistead_John_fl_1650s-1690s" rel="nofollow">"John Armistead (fl. 1650s–1690s)." Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, last modified July 8, 2013, Web accessed July 10, 2014.
3. ↑ ^{http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Gar_0">3.0 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Gar_1">3.1 http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Armistead-4#_ref-Gar_2">3.2} Garder, Virginia A., https://archive.org/stream/armisteadfamily100garb#page/6/mode/2up" href="https://archive.org/stream/armisteadfamily100garb#page/6/mode/2up" rel="nofollow">The Armistead Family. 1635-1910. (Pages 6-7, 21, 23) Richmond: Whittet & Shepperson, 1910, Web accessed July 11, 2014

See also:

• Hardy, Stella P. Colonial Families of the Southern States of America; a History and Genealogy of Colonial Families Who Settled in the Colonies Prior to the Revolution. Baltimore, Southern Book Co., 1958, Web accessed July 10, 2014

Acknowledgments

Thanks to http://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Schmidt-2405&action=edit">Kristin Schmidt, http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ward-3293">Marie Mills, and everyone who contributed to this profile.

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