Genealogy Data Page 595 (Notes Pages)

Note: (Aged 66)
He may have married Elizabeth Strickland at Cartmel Fell on 26/12/1826. They were of Undermilbeck at the time. The witnesses to this marriage were Ann & John Dickinson. There is, however, no cetain proof that Elizabeth Strickland i s the Betty (or Elizabeth) mentioned in the register as the mother of his children, except that their daughter, Elizabeth, seems to be shown in the 1851 census, living with her grandmother, Ann Strickland at Moor How, Cartmel Fell.

The mother of his son, Thomas, is noted in the register as Elizabeth (not Betty) and he is noted as a labourer. As the birth was at Gillhead, like his first two children, it seems probable that Thomas was William's son and that Elizabeth wa s Betty's proper Christian name.was William's son and that Elizabeth wasBetty's proper Christian name.

Occupation: Place: Waller (1829&1856) Labourer (1831) Stonemason (1834)

Burial: --Not Shown--

Change: Date: 28 JUL 2001

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OSMOND, Anthony James (b. --Not Shown--)

Change: Date: 31 JUL 1997

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BARHAM, Charles (b. ABT 1621, d. 1683)

Note: Sir Edward Filmer's grandson, Captain Charles Barham, (the son of Sir Edward's daughter, Katherine and Robert Barham) was also in Virginia by August, 1654 when he witnessed a bond by an Andrew Robinson to Dorothea Kew (Div. 1645-1715 p.43). I n 1663 Charles bought some 300 acres on Hog Island putting Bills of Exchange on his brother, Richard Barham of London. In 1664 he also witnessed a Discharge by Henry Filmer.

He later became Justice of the County Court of Surry (Div 1645-71 p. 388) and Sheriff of Surry (Div. 1672-1684 p.27). He died in 1683.

Source: (Baptism)
Title: Parish Register

Note: CHA
N

Baptism: JAN 1621/22 Barham, Kent

Occupation: Place: Captain

Death: 1683

Change: Date: 28 APR 2004

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ARGALL, Samuel Sir (b. NOV 1580, d. ?)

Note: The brother that had the most influence on the Filmer family was the fifth, Sir Samuel Argall - the early and colourful pioneer of Virginia.

He is recorded as being in Virginia as early as 1609, only two years after the first permanent settlement was established, and it was later, in 1612, whilst trading with the Indian king of Pastancy, that he devised his well-known stratagem for t he capture of the Princess Pocahontas.

Sir Samuel Argall recorded his plans as follows:

'I was told by certain Indians, my friends, that the great Powhatans daughter, Pocahuntis was with the great king Powtowneck, whither I presently repaired, resolving to possesse myself of her by any stratagem that I could use, for the ransomin g of so many Englishmen as were prisoners with Powhatan; as also to get such armes and tooles as he and other Indians had got by murther and stealing from others of our nation, with some quantitie of corn for the colonies reliefe.'

Apparently he then told the King of Pastancy, Pocahontas' uncle, that unless he delivered up Pocahontas to the English 'wee would be no longer brothers or friends', and possibly by the offer of a copper kettle by way of inducement obtained the h elp of the king to beguile Pocahontas on board Argall's vessel where she was taken prisoner.

As a result the English captives were restored and peace secured for the colony. Pocahontas regarded the incident as the happiest event in her life indicating that 'she would dwell with the English, who loved her best'.

Later, Argall explored the East shore of Chesapeake Bay and towards the and of the year, 1613, attacked the French settlements on the coast of Maine and at Port Royal, six miles below Annapolis, Nova Scotia, returning to England with the prisone rs he then captured, arriving in June of the following year.

In May, 1621 he again returned to Virginia as Deputy Governor and Admiral of the adjacent seas. His brother, John, accompanied him (Virg. Mag. Jan 79 p 66). He seems to have also acted as Governor. His conduct during this period was the su bject of much criticism and a suit was brought against him by his successor, Sir G. Yardley, which however collapsed.

A voyage of the Neptune, under Sir Samuel's command, in 1618-19 is most interestingly detailed in the depositions in the suits 'Lady Delaware v. Argall' and 'Argall v. Buckingham' (PRO C24/489) recorded by P.W. Coldham in his article in the Virg inia Magazine of January 1979.

In 1620/21 Argall served in an expedition against Algiers as the captain of a twenty-four gun merchantman, and in the June of the following year was knighted by James I at Rochester.

He died in January 1625/6 following an unsuccessful voyage to Cadiz whilst captaining the Swiftsure.

Sir Samuel Argall's will was proved 21st March 1625/6. It is reproduced in Water's Genealogical Gleanings in England Vol. 2. Boston 1901.

He left bequests: To his three sisters Lady Filmer, Batherst, and Lady Fleetwood. To Anne Percivall, wife of Samuel Percivall of London, chandler; To Sara Filmer, his niece: To Samuel Bathurst, his nephew; To Samuel Filmer, Sir Robert Filmer' s son; To his niece, Katherine Barham's son, his godson; To Judith Buckhurst, widow of Thomas Buckhurst, late of Staplehurst, Kent, gentleman; To his sister, Lady Argall; To Dorothy Buckhurst, one of the daughters of Judith Buckhurst and, to Ann e Buckhurst, another sister; To Samuel Argall, his godson and nephew, the son of his brother John Argall esquire; To his brother, John; To brother in law, Edmund Randolf esquire.

He left all his lands in Virginia to Anne Percivall.

He also left a sum to be distributed to the poor of East Sutton by his brother in law, Sir Edward Filmer, knight.

John Argall was to be executor with Nicholas Hawes, a friend, or Edmund Randolf, his brother in law, and Edward Batherst, brother to Judith Batherst.

The will was actually proved by Nicholas Hawes with power reserved to John Argall.

In court it was stated that his Virginia property consisted of little more than a few head of cattle.

Many writers have given Sir Samuel Argall a bad reputation, directly traceable to William Stith writing in 1747, although Beverley writing in 1705 does not do so. Neither does C.H. Coote, Argall's biographer in the Dictionary of National Biogr aphy.

Without doubt, however, his activities and enterprise, as will be seen, had a marked influence in directing the Filmer family's thoughts and those of their relations and friends towards the opportunities opening up in the New World.

He was Governor of Virginia in 1617

S P

Sir Samuel Argall born Nov 1580, East Sutton, Kent, England. Christened 4 Dec 1580 Canterbury, Kent, England. Occupation: mariner,adventurer,and Governor of Virginia. He died 24 Jan 1625/6, on board ship? buried at sea 28 Jan 1626. Knighted 162 2 at Rochester; not married. Came to VA as a trader in 1609; captured Pocahantas.
[Weis p. 97, Waters Vol II p. 925]

Christening: --Not Shown--

Change: Date: 8 MAR 2004

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ARGALL, John (b. 1577, d. 3 MAR 1641/42)

Note: The second brother, Richard, inherited the Argall family home, the manor of Walthamstow Bedyk, on the death of his grandmother, Lady Margaret Allington, in 1592. He also died without issue sometime between 1593 and 1599 when the manor devolve d successively to Thomas and then to the third son, Sir Reginald Argall, who also died without issue in 1611. His widow, Lady Anne, remained in occupation but the manor became the property of the fourth brother, John Argall. John Argall ha d also inherited the manor of East Sutton.

It seems that John Argall got heavily into debt around 1610. After a long period of negotiation with his brother in law, Edward Filmer, he sold East Sutton manor to him. Thereafter this was to become the Filmer family home.

In 1623 he also sold the manor of Walthamstow Bedyk to Elizabeth's fifth brother, Sir Samuel Argall. On Sir Samuel's death in 1626 it was left to John's third son, Samuel Argall, then a minor. (He later became a noted physician).

John Argall had married Sarah, a daughter of Edward Grant, a Doctor of Divinity, having four sons and two daughters. They eventually went to live at Much Beddow. He was one of the Justices of the Peace for Essex.

He was resident in Virginia around 1617

Amongst the Filmer papers at the Kent Archives Office at Maidstone is the will of John Argall, son of Richard Argall of East Sutton 1643 (T201/16). Several wills are also reproduced in the Virginia Magazine. Vol. 34, 1926.

John Argall born 1577 in East Sutton, Kent, England, died 3 Mar 1642, in Great Baddow, Essex, England and was buried there. Married 1604 in London, England, Sarah Grant; they had 3 children.

WILL of JOHN ARGALL

Amongst the Filmer papers at the Kent Archives Office at Maidstone is the will JOHN ARGALL, son of RICHARD ARGALL of East Sutton 1643 (T201/16). Several wills are also reproduced in the Virginia Magazine. Vol. 34, 1926.

Death: 3 MAR 1641/42 Great Baddow, Essex

Change: Date: 23 FEB 2004

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NEWTON, Elizabeth (b. , d. ?)

Change: Date: 23 AUG 1998

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FILMER, John (b. 1604, d. ?)

Note: He may have died in Virginia in 1624

THE FIRST FILMER IN NORTH AMERICA

Bruce J. Filmer

The earliest known record of any Filmer in North America is that of John Filmer who died in Virginia in 1624 - some seventeen years after the first colonists settled Jamestown. The early settlers faced difficult conditions. The reader is ref erred to an article in The Times of September 15th, 1978, about the hamlet of Wolstenholme on the banks of the James River, to appreciate what their life was like. The inhabitants were massacred by the Indians in 1622 and those that survived f led to Jamestown.

The Filmer interest in Virginia had undoubtedly been kindled by the exploits of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who married the heiress of Otterden Place, Anne Aucher, in 1570. Otterden Place was only a very short distance from the Manor of Herst where t he earlier Filmers resided. This interest was considerably reinforced by the marriage of Sir Edward Filmer to Elizabeth Argall in 1585. One of her brothers was Sir Samuel Argall, who was Governor of Virginia in 1617, and another, John Argall , was resident there around that time. The fourth son of Sir Edward Filmer, Reginald, was also "trading beyond the seas", most likely with his relations in Virginia.

Shortly after John Filmer's death a report was made by one George Fadom to the General Court held in Jamestown on November 1st, 1624, that:

" About the fourth July last past he had written a will for John Phillmore [Filmer] who 2signed and sealed it". But when Phillmore died the will could not be found. Fadom testified that "said Phillmore did give all of his estate to Elizabe th Peerce, to whom he was assured and meant to have married".

One Sully, to whom Fadom had read the will also said that Phillmore had bequeathed to said Elizabeth all of his "goods, lands and chattels".

Others gave the same testimony whereon the Court ordered that the guardianship and administration of the lands and goods of John Fillimore be granted to "any friende whome the said Elizabeth Peerce shal choose to her use".

Elizabeth "made choyce of Thomas Bennett, her father in law [stepfather]".
- Minutes of Court 27.

Three months later, Elizabeth married Anthony Barham, who lived with Thomas Bennett. They appear to have settled on Mulberry Island, on the North side of the James River, where a Thomas Pierce had a plantation. (Muster 1624/25)

Elizabeth Pierce had come to Virginia in the William and Thomas in 1618 and Anthony Barham in the Abigail in 1621. (Hotten)

Anthony Barham was the son of Thomas Barham baptised in 1595/6. Thomas Barham married twice - first to Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Merriweather of Sheperdswell and secondly to Anna, the daughter of Robert Shrubsole of Faversham.

Elizabeth Pierce was probably the daughter of Abraham Pierce, a citizen and dyer of London and who was a merchant of the Virginia Company. He was baptised in 1577 (The Voyage of the Neptune - Virg. Mag. Jan. 1979 p.64) and could be related t o Captain George Piecie, a younger brother of the Earl of Northumberland, whose picture currently hangs in Syon House.

But who was John Filmer? His status and friends would seem to indicate that he came from Kent and most writers have assumed that he was directly related to Sir Edward Filmer of East Sutton Place (which had been sold to him around 1610 by Joh n Argall). (It should be noted that Sir Edward Filmer's sister, Mary, married a John Merryweather of Eyhorne and Staplehurst, and another sister, Katherine, married Sir Thomas Gylbert of Sandwich).

Some have speculated that John Philmore (Filmer) was Sir Edward's son, John, baptised in 1590/91 at East Sutton. But this is clearly not the case as this John is mentioned in his father's will of 1629 and in that of his mother in 1638. His u ncle, Robert, also mentions him in his will of 1629. In actual fact, this son is thought to have married Mary Capps at St. Dunstan's, Canterbury, in 1618 and to have lived in Drury Lane, London. One has, therefore, had to look elsewhere to d etermine who John Phillmore was. Clearly the most likely possibility is that he was a son of one of Sir Edward's brothers and there are only two possibles, namely Henry, baptised in 1574 at East Sutton and Anthony. Both are thought to have l ived in Flixton in Lancashire. The Visitation of 1619 confirms that Henry was then in that County and a glance at the parish registers of Flixton confirms Anthony's residence there.

Henry was married at Flixton to an Elizabeth Newton on the 4th of July, 1599. No children of this marriage have so far been located and, indeed, it must be doubtful if he had any. His brother, Robert, who died in 1629 mentions in his will al l his nephews that he knew to be alive and none are mentioned for Henry. It is just possible that he may not have known of them, however, and there is an unconnected Ann Filmer, who married a William Jones in Flixton on the first of February , 1624. His children, if any, could have been baptised in Lancashire but in another parish so far untraced.

On the other hand, Anthony's children are well documented. His brother, Robert, in his will of the 11th April, 1629, mentions Antony's sons, Edward and Henry, and a daughter Frances. It looks likely that Sir Edward Filmer realised after hi s brother, Robert's death that his brother had omitted to give anything to another of Anthony's children, Dorothy, and accordingly mentions her in his own will, dated the 20th of October, 1629. The baptisms of Anthony's children are given in t he Flixton register starting with John, baptised on the 8th July, 1604, followed by Frances on the 9th February, 1606, and Edward on the 19th September, 1607. Henry and Dorothy's have not been traced.

John, therefore, clearly died before 1629 without issue, which points towards his being the John who died in Virginia in 1624. As he would have been around twenty when he proposed marriage to Elizabeth Pierce, this further reinforces the vie w that this John is the most likely candidate to be the first Filmer in Virginia. Certainly no others have been found that match his eligibility so closely.

Just for the record, his brother Edward became a member of the Drapers Company in London and married at St. Olave's, Bermondsey, in 1643/4, having just one son, Samuel, by his wife, Dinah, and baptised there on the 28th November, 1644. In th e register his name is spelt Philmore but he clearly is Edward's son and, no doubt, he called his son after Sir Samuel Argall.

What happened to John's other brother, Henry, is less certain. It looks likely that he also came to live in London and that three of his children by his wife, Mary - Henry, Richard and Thomas - were baptised at St Gregory by St Paul between 16 32 and 1637.

Bruce J. Filmer M.A., A.C.A. (4),
2, Broughton Gardens,
London N6 5RS

(Kent Family History Society Journal. Vol.7 No. 3 June 1993 p.86/87)

At a General Court held at Jamestown on November 1st 1624 George Fadom reported that:

'about the 4th of July last past, he had written a will for John Phillimore (FILMER) who signed and sealed it. But when Phillimore died the will could not be found. Fadom testified that the said Phillimore did give all his estate to Elizabet h PEERCE, to whom he was assumed and meant to have married.'

One Sully to whom Fadom had read the will also said that Phillimore had bequeathed to said Elizabeth all his 'goods, lands and chattells'. Others gave testimony whereupon the Court ordered that the guardianship and administration of the land s and goods of John Phillimore be granted to 'any friende whom the said Elizabeth peerce shal choose to her use'. Elizabeth 'made choice of Thomas Bennett, her father in law (stepfather)'. (Minutes of the Court 27).

Elizabeth was probably only a young girl, the legal marriageable age being only twelve years. Three months later Elizabeth Peerce married Anthony Barham (or Baram), who lived with the Bennetts. By 1624/5 Anthony and Elizabeth Barham are list ed as living on Mulberry Island, where Thomas Peerce had a plantation. (Southside Virginia Families - Boddie Vol. 1 Gen Pub Co.)

Anthony Barham was the son of Thomas Barham by his second wife, Anna, daughter of Robert Shrubsole of Faversham in Kent, being born 1595/6. Thomas Barham's first wife was a daughter of Edward Meriweather of Sheperdswell. Anthony Barham die d in 1641.

Christening: --Not Shown--

Death: --Not Shown--

Change: Date: 23 FEB 2004

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FILMER, Samuel (b. 1644, d. ?)

Note: His name in the register of baptisms is spelt Philmore, but he is clearly Edward Filmer's son.

On the 18th December, 1665, Samuel Filmer, then about 21 'of St. Olave's, Southwick, victualler' took out a licence to marry Jane Burgess, abt 18, of the same parish. Her parents were dead and she had no guardian. They were to be married a t St. Olave's. (Vic Gen of A. of C.).

Where Samuel and Jane set up home has not so far been determined.