MARGARET widow of John Prosser
get documentation to fill in the story.
THE STORY AS I KNOW IT
There are a lot of Margarets in the late 17th
century and they married many times. Following their
trail is an adventure. Identifying the correct Margaret
is difficult. We can only guess that she was born
about 1650, but could have been in Virginia or England.
Margaret, married
John Prosser about 1669 in Virginia. He had
previously been married to Martha, birth name
unknown, who had died. Martha
herself had been widowed by William Goffee. John Prosser
died and his will was proved June 30, 1677, Rappahannock
County, Virginia Book 5W(1) 111. As usual we
only have the women's names as given to them by husbands.
Margaret had "sons" by
Mr. Prosser of Golden Valley, only one is clearly
identified, ie Anthony Prosser.
The Ancestral World Tree lists this John Prosser born about 1632, died 1677 in Rappahannock VA. It also says, "Spouse unknown". The children listed for him were Mary, John, Samuel, Roger, Anthony, and an unnamed child. We may assume that the younger sons would have been Margaret’s.
There is no documented birth name for our Margaret. If you have it please, CONTACT US.
Margaret Prosser married Symon Miller shortly
after John Prosser
died. Symon Miller
was a shipbuilder, large landowner and hero. Tyler's
Quarterly Magazine, Vol. 12 contains an article, "Simon
Miller, Captain in Bacon's Rebellion" written by Rev.
Arnold Harris Hord of Germantown, PA. He states that
the will of Symon Miller
included bequests to the "sons of John Prosser" whose
names are unknown. They may have be the sons of Martha,
Mr. Prosser's first wife. But He and Margaret
were married about 7 years, plenty of time to have had
more than one son, Anthony.
Then Mr. Hord lists the children of Symon and Margaret Miller.
They were all in Symon's will, note below.
1. Simon, born 1668 (if there were 2 son's Simon,
the first must have died soon after childbirth)
2. Simon, born 1670 (Colonel)
3. William, born 1670
4. John, born 1675
5. Margaret, born Feb.16, 1678/9 twins, wed James
Hord
6. Isabella,
born Feb.16, 1678/9 wed William
Triplett
7. Susannah, born 1681 wed Henry Brice
Symon Miller died
in 1684. His will was proved in Old Rappahannock
County on May 2, 1684.
Margaret married
a third time in 1686 to Hugh
French. from
Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock and Exxes
counties by Eva Wilkerson, book D 18 page 326
This became her longest marriage, nearly 15
years. Mr. French
made a will dated Jan 20, 1700, probated Dec. 3, 1701
naming his wife Margaret
as his executor.
Wills of Richmond County, page 8, by Robert Kirk
Headley. It stated he was of St. Mary's Parish
in Richmond County. St. Mary's Parish dates from
1677 and was in Old Rappahannock County. The County
was divided in 1692 in Richmond County and Essex County.
Richmond County is on the East side of the Rappahannock
River, not near Richmond the city. So Margaret
probably lived her life out near where she was born though
its name was changed.
The will of Hugh French included the names of his
children:, listed below. As Margaret Gaines, etc
French was only about 35 when they wed some of
these may well have been her children.
Hugh French
Mary French
Daniel French
Mason French
Margaret French
Recently Kathy
Jones-Kristof sent me a list of the sources that
supported the story of Margaret's
marriages. Some I had, some were new to me. It
included the great title,
Married Well and Often: Marriages of the Northern Neck
of Virginia, 1649 - 1800 by Robert K Headley. On
page 245 it lists her 4 marriages and states her
final wedding was on 9/5/1705 to John Sommerville. I can find no
other documentation for this marriage. I doubt that
they had children. I would love to know how many children
our Margaret did have in her lifetime. .
It is not known when Margaret
?? Prosser Miller French Sommerville died.
One Ancestral guess was 1717. It is not known where
she is buried.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
If you know the answer please CONTACT US
1. Find documentation for her maiden name?
2. When and where did she marry John Prosser?
3. What were the names of the Prosser children Margaret
bore?
and why only 2 if they were married 7 years?
4. Did she have children with Hugh French?
5. Find documentation for her marriage to John
Sommerville.
6. When did she die and where is she buried?
7. Find a real birth date and birth place.
Maier_Associates: © Copyright 2014
Doc; gbgai010.html
Date created : 8/21/2011
Date edited 12/10/2013
Date edited 10/23/2014