*1st Capt. Richard Booker
Richard Booker was the first of the Thompson Booker family to marry and raise a family in the New World. His grandparents, Edmund Booker and Elizabeth Potts had lived in Nottingham, England. They were probably merchants. Richard’s father Edward had left Nottingham and gone to London where he was a merchant involved in trading with the New World colonies. He had married Elizabeth Glover when he was about forty nine. Elizabeth was about twenty. It is not clear where the marriage
took place, but it was almost certainly in England. Richard had been born shortly thereafter and named for his mother’s brother Richard Glover who was also his father’s business partner.
In the 1600's and 1700's, the counties along the James River in Virginia were tobacco producing areas. Almost all of the planters in the area were producing large amounts of a new form of tobacco that thrived in the area. The tobacco industry is what first brought the Booker family to Virginia from England. Richard’s father Edward was a tobacco trader who traveled often to and from Virginia buying tobacco from the Virginia planters and selling it in London. It appears that he had at least two residences, one in London and one in York County, Virginia. There is evidence of Edward’s staying in Virginia and subsequently staying in London for long periods of time. There is no evidence that shows whether Richard’s primary residence as a child was in London or Virginia. When Richard was about seven his mother died in York, Virginia. Several years later his father was living again in London.
Some time before 1670 when Richard was thirty, he and his father were living in York County, Virginia. In about 1671 Richard married Rebecca Leake who was the daughter of John Leake who was born in Pontesbury, Shropshire, England in 1602. He had settled in York County,Virginia.
Captain Richard Booker and his first wife Rebecca Leake lived in Gloucester County, Virginia which is located just north of the York River and the county just to the north of York County. Early Virginia records show that his family was one of the earliest to settle in the Abingdon Parish area of the county. The family lived “on the upper side of Fillgate Creek.” Richard Booker was the first of the Booker family to be a tobacco planter and plantation owner. Four of their six children were born in Gloucester County, and three of their six children are listed in the Abingdon Register as being baptized at Abingdon Parish Church: Edward on 2 Jun 1680;
Richard on 29 Oct 1688;
John 3 Aug 1690.
This church was on the site of the present day Abingdon Parish church which was built in 1755.
Richard Booker and Rebecca Leake had six children:
Judith b. 6 Mar 1677
Edward - twin (bapt 2 Jun 1680, Abingdon Register, Gloucester, d 2 Nov 1750, Amelia, Family Bible)
Richard- twin b. Jun 1680 d bef 1688.
Ann b 30 Apr 1683
John (bapt. 3 Aug 1690, Abingdon Register, Gloucester)
Edmund b. 1693(d 1757/8, Amelia)
In 1687 Richard acquired 140 acres of land in Gloucester County, Virginia. Five years later in 1692 he bought 250 acres in Rappahannock County, and in 1694 another 180 acres in Gloucester County.By 1680 he was a Captain in the Gloucester County Militia whose work in those years was primarily protection of the settlements from neighboring Indians. In about 1694 Richard’s wife Rebecca died not long after the birth of their youngest son Edmund. Rebecca was forty two.
Their son Edward Booker was thirteen years old when his mother died. Richard married for a second time to Hannah Hand. Together they had two children, Frances, and GeorgeIn 1698 Richard Booker had become a Justice of the Court in
Gloucester County. He apparently had become wealthy, because he continued to acquire large tracts of land throughout his life.
A document dated 20 July 1692 states, (Old Rappa Deeds)
“David Coghills of Rappahannock to Richard Booker of Gloucester 250 acres of land near the head of Port Tobacco Creek, Rappahannock County. ( Virginia Families , Vol. 1, p. 174)
In 1704 he bought 613 acres in Essex County, Virginia A record dated 20 Oct 1704 (Essex - VA Patent Book 9:617) states,
“20 Oct 1704. Capt. Richard Booker , 613 A, Beg. abt a mile from E'most br. of Portobacco Cr/, at land of Mr. Robert Paine, dec'd; over. Severall (paths?) that goes to Portobacco Towne; to land of Silvester Thacker; on the Indian line. Part of patent granted James Coghill, dec'd., 17 Apr. 1667, now in possession of sd. Booker.Trans. Of 13 persons: Thomas Farrell, Richd. Savor, Joseph Carran, Patrick McGray, Mary Ellis, James Gorley, Margt. Hinman, Thomas Lewis, John Hunt, Mary Hunt, Robt. Newton, James Welch, David Simpson. ( Virginia Families , Vol. 1, p. 174)”
Richard Booker was a member of the Abingdon Parish Church in Gloucester County where in future generations both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson worshipped. He was a contemporary of George Washington’s grandparents and would have worshiped at Abingdon Parish Church long before either George Washington or Thomas Jefferson were born but possibly at the same time as George Washington’s grandmother who was also a member of the parish.Richard Booker died in 1730 in Gloucester County, Virginia. He was ninety.
NOTE: Richard Booker’s second wife was Hannah Hand, the daughter of Richard Hand and Frances Purefoy. Hannah was a widow of Capt. William Marshall who was killed in 1692. He and Hannah had two additional children, Frances Booker and George Booker. Hannah was also the mother of William Marshall.
If he could speak to us today, Capt. Richard Booker I might describe his life as follows.
In February 1686/7 as Capt. Richard Booker, I secured a patent for 740 acres in Gloucester County. On 20 April 1694 I got an additional 180 acres there and, on 20 October 1704, was granted 613 acres in Essex County. I was a militia captain of Gloucester County and a justice of the court in 1698-1702. I married first Rebecca Leake, the daughter of John Leake of York County, and we were the parents of Edmund, Judith, twins Edward and Richard, Ann, Richard, and John. I married second Hannah Hand, the daughter of Richard Hand (c.1689) and Frances Purefoy. Hannah was then the widow of Capt. William Marshall who was killed in 1692. We had two children, Frances Booker and George Booker. Hannah was the mother also of William Marshall remembered in the 1751-will of her daughter Frances (Booker) Stokes.
Children of Richard Booker and Rebecca Leake
Edmund Booker I (-c.1758)
The son of Richard Booker and Rebecca Leake, lived in Essex County before moving to Amelia County. He evidently lived briefly in Henrico County for two patents for land on Saylers Creek in what was then Prince George County aggregating 741 acres placed him there 23 March 1733/4. In June 1736 Edmund Booker bought 400 acres on Knibbs Creek in Amelia County from his brother Edward. In the 1737 list of tithables, they charged him with five including himself and his son Edmund Booker. In September 1742/3 Edmund Sr. deeded 200 acres on Knibbs Creek to this son for £10, and in his will devised the remainder to his son Edward. Edmund Booker briefly was a member of the House of Burgesses, dying soon after the first session began (1758). Edmund died in Raleigh Parish of Amelia County 22 June 1758. In his will he called his wife Jane who may have been Jane Stokes (will dated 10 Nov. 1757, recorded 28 Sept. 1758).
Judith Booker,
The daughter fof Richard Booker1 and Rebecca Leake was baptized 5 March 1678/9.
Edward Booker I (1680-1750)
The son of Richard Booker I and Rebecca Leake, was baptized 2 June 1680. He moved from Gloucester County to Prince George (now Amelia) County and lived at “Winterham.” Old Homes and Buildings of Amelia County, Virginia, devotes a topic to this historic home. From 1728 to 1732, Edward obtained patents for 4,000 acres in Prince George County on both sides of Knibbs Creek: 2,050 acres in 1728 and 1,950 acres in 1732. Edward Booker was justice of Prince George County (1733), a justice of Amelia County (1735-50, 1753-57, 1768), and its first representative in the House of Burgesses (1736-47). On 10 July 1735 Edward gave his son Richard Booker 1,025 acres — one-half his 1728-patent. In June 1736 Edward Booker sold his brother Edmund Booker 400 acres on Knibbs Creek via deeds of lease and release. In the 1737 list of tithables in Amelia County, Edward was charged with fifteen including himself, Edward Booker Jr., and thirteen “Negro” slaves. No Amelia County landowner then owned more slaves than Edward. Edward registered his livestock earmark with the Amelia County clerk 8 August 1735.
Edward bought 200 acres in Brunswick (later Lunenburg) County from John Ellis of Amelia County 9-10 June 1737 and added a neighboring 494 acres by patent 20 September 1745, & all of which he deeded to James Hunt of Hanover County 1 October 1746. He got 401 acres on Couches Creek in Brunswick County 30 August 1745 that he sold to John Stovall 20 September 1745. Edward married first Mary Goode and they were the parents of five children. Before 1738, Edward married Judith Archer widow of Daniel Worsham. Edward and Judith had one daughter. Edward Booker died in Amelia County 2 November 1750, and they appraised his personal property at a value of £1,135.19.3½. He had on hand 12,732 pounds of inspected tobacco and 2,500 pounds of ground tobacco leaves. Because Edward was concerned that his wife’s first family might make claims against his estate, he ordered that if anyone, specifically Stith Hardaway who married his stepdaughter Martha Worsham, claimed any portion of his estate, his executors would defend the claim and charge the costs of the defense against his wife’s part of the estate (will dated 18 July 1750 recorded 16 Nov. 1750). Judith died 2 January 1750/1 soon after her husband. Her Amelia County will provided for her daughter, Judith, to live with “and under care and tuission” of Edith (Marot) Cobbs, wife of Samuel Cobbs (will dated 14 Dec. 1750, recorded 18 Jan. 1750/1). William Archer and Samuel Cobbs inventoried her estate April 1750.
Richard Booker, a twin to Edward, was baptized 1 July 1680, but died young
Ann Booker, a daughter Richard Booker and Rebecca Leake, was baptized 30 {31} April 1683
Capt. Richard Booker II (1688-1743)
The son of Richard Booker I and Rebecca Leake, was baptized 29 October 1688. His first wife was Margaret Lowry, the daughter of William Lowry and Frances Purefoy. Richard Booker was appointed a justice of James City County in 1731 and 1737. On 31 July 1732 Richard Booker of James City, County, Gent. secured a patent for 970 acres in Prince George (now Amelia) County. The land was next to his brother Edward and between Knibbs and Flat creeks. The Bristol Parish vestry of 26 February 1732/3 awarded Booker a contract to construct a new chapel on land belonging to Samuel Cobbs. They further agreed that Booker could, at his own cost, install a pew for his own family close to the communion table, leaving room for the communicants to knell between the pew and the communion table. They paid Booker £23.5, plus interest, in June 1734.
Capt.Richard Booker had a store credit in Henrico County in 1736, according to the account book of Sheriff John Nash. After Margaret died, Richard married Martha. On 16 September 1741, as “Rich’d Booker, of James City County,” he and Martha conveyed some lots at Queen Mary Post, Williamsburg. According to the John Booker family Holy Bible printed in 1712, Richard died 25 April 1743. He left a will in York County (will dated 21 April 1743, recorded 16 May 1743).
John Booker (1690-)
The son of Richard Booker and Rebecca Leake, was baptized 3 August 1690 as recorded in the Abingdon Parish Register
Children of Richard Booker and Hannah Hand
Frances (Booker) Stokes (Died 1752)
The daughter of Richard Booker and Hannah Hand, married a Stokes. She moved to Amelia County where she was charged on four tithes in 1737. In her will she left legacies to her nieces and nephews and their children because she had no children of her own. All received a prayer book and she set aside £25 for the poor of Raleigh Parish to be paid four years after her death (will dated 1 Nov. 1751, recorded 28 Dec. 1752). The total value of her personal estate was £806.8.6 including twenty-five “Negro” slaves.
George Booker I (c.1698-)
The son of Richard Booker and Hannah Hand, was born in Gloucester County about 1698. His first wife was Grace Richeson, the daughter of Peter Richeson and Sarah, his wife. As George Booker of Gloucester County he patented 750 acres on both sides of Knibbs Creek in Amelia County in 1728, to which he added a neighboring 750 acres in 1739 and got 573 acres on the upper side of Flat Creek. Four slaves were working Booker’s plantation in Amelia County in 1737. He was still living in Gloucester in 1751.
Son of George Booker 1 and Grace Richeson
1) George Booker II (5 Mar 1721/2 -1791) married Sarah Cobbs, the daughter of Col. Samuel Cobbs, in Amelia County 12 October (bond) 1745. Booker’s mother-in-law sold him 400 acres on Flat Creek in 1758. In 1782 Amelia County listed George head of a household of six whites and thirty-seven blacks. Four whites were in his family in 1785. George left a will in Amelia County, which John Catlin Cobbs and Peter Field Archer witnessed. He named sons George, Richardson, Efford, and daughters Sarah, Grace, and Judith. Grandchildren named were George Booker, Sally Richardson Hudson, Sally Marshall Booker, and Anne Booker (will dated 13 Oct. 1791, recorded 22 Dec. 1791). Richeson and Efford advertised that they would sell his land in Prince Edward County in 1792.
Other Booker's
George Booker III was a beneficiary of his father’s will. He evidently had left the area and his legacy was to go to him if he should “… return to this state …” He evidently did not and the property passed to his brother Richardson Booker who conveyed it to his nephew Richardson Booker. It was likely this George Booker who was second lieutenant of the Amelia County militia 28 August 1777.
Sgt. Richardson Booker ( 27 Oct. 1806 ) resided in Amelia County in 1782 next to George Booker. He lived alone and had four slaves. They sometimes spelled his name Richerson, although his will and that of his father had Richardson. He served in the Continental Line during the Revolution. Richardson Booker left a will in Amelia County in 1806.
Efford Booker married Mary Hudson in Amelia County 25 February (bond) 1783.
Edith Booker married William Booker Jr. in Amelia County 14 May (bond) 1768. They were residents of Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, when they deeded 90 acres on the south side of Crooked Creek to Samuel Haggard 24 September 1768, a neighboring 200 acres to David Dearden 10 November 1768, and 1,000 acres to his brother Lowry Booker 21 January 1773.
Grace Booker married Absalom Farmer in Amelia County 24 May (bond) 1787.
Mary Cobbs Booker married David Hudson in Charlotte County 23 November (bond) 1788. They were later in Elbert County, Georgia, where they reared nine children.
Judith Booker married Blackburn Hughes in Amelia County 22 December (bond) 1791. Her brother-in-law John Morris was surety.
Sarah Booker was likely the woman of this name who married John Childress in Amelia County 20 December (bond) 1780. He nominated two of her brothers as executors.
Elizabeth Booker married Burton Hudson in Amelia County 28 October (bond) 1779. Elizabeth married second John Morris in Amelia County 5 July 1791.
Richard Booker (c.1720-1764) married Martha Brunskill, the daughter of Rev. William Brunskill, of Caroline County, who left their sons John and Richard 400 acres in Goochland County. Richard left a will in Amelia County appointing executors his wife, Martha, George Booker, and “friend Thomas Mumford,” presumably Thomas Mumford, identifying eight children, and allowing Martha to live on the home plantation for eight years. The executors would then sell the land and divide the proceeds between his wife and the children (will dated 18 Jan. 1764, recorded 23 Aug. 1764). Martha was perhaps concerned that she would live more than eight more years and wanted to stay on the land. Consequently, she denied the will when it was probated and she retained her dower interests. Amelia County recorded the settlement of the estate of Richard Booker in 1784.
Capt. Samuel Booker served during the Revolution and was among the original members of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati. He married Martha Mumford in Amelia County 23 December (bond) 1784.
Peter Richeson Booker married, lived, and died in Buckingham County.
Capt. Edward Booker (c.1761-1800) married Edith Cobbs Anderson in Amelia County 17 October (bond) 1783. Edmund Walker was Edward’s bondsman. Edward Booker was living in Cumberland County in July 1784 when sold 200 acres in Amelia County to Thomas Branch Willson. Booker was head of a household of three whites in Cumberland County in 1784. Edward Booker died in Cumberland County in 1800 and his wife left an estate in Cumberland County in 1827. Both are buried at “Woodside,” their plantation in Cumberland County.
Mary Marshall Booker (c.1784-1846) married Stephen Cooke Jr. in Cumberland County 9 February (bond) 1805.
Richard Anderson Booker (c.1786- 12 Dec. 1867) married Elizabeth Davis in Cumberland County 21 April (bond) 1808.
Edward Marshall Booker (18 April 1794 -c.1882) and Elizabeth, ages 56 and 50, were residing in Patrick County in 1850 with seven children in their household.
James Anderson Booker ( died 1847).
Martha Brumfield Booker born 13 June 1796 and died 16 July 1853) married John Thompson.
Samuel Booker ( no information ) of this Samuel
William Booker (17 April 1789 - 2 April 1855) of “Woodside” married Nancy Dudley Agee (1799-1869). The parents of nine, they were residing in Cumberland County in 1850 with six children in their household.
Marshall Booker , who lived in Cumberland and Buckingham counties, married Patsy Gaines, the daughter of Maj. Bernard Gaines.
George Booker ( no information ) of this George
Richard Booker (-1818) married Lucy Hobson, a daughter of Adcock Hobson and Joanna Lawson, 15 June (bond) 1780. Richard Booker took the oath of first lieutenant in the Cumberland County Militia 28 July 1777, and both he and his brother Marshall were appointed justices of Cumberland County in 1789. His obituary was in the Richmond Enquirer 1 May 1818.
Grace Booker married John Walthall in Amelia County 3 January (bond) 1782. Surety was William Marshall Booker.
John Booker ( no information ) on this John
Edward Booker (-1761) married Hannah Clarke and made a will in Amelia County naming two children (will dated 10 Nov. 1760, recorded 25 June 1761). They appraised his estate for £1,905.9.0.
George Booker lived in Prince Edward County with sufficient estate to pay his debtd.
Lucy Booker married Richard Bibb in Prince Edward County 26 September (bond) 1773. William Bibb, her stepfather, was surety. Bibb, an officer in the Goochland County militia during the Revolution, was head of a household of five whites and 30 blacks in Prince Edward County in 1783, and seven whites in 1785. He represented Prince Edward County in the Virginia House of Delegates (1783-87). During the Revolution he provided support to the Army. They moved to Kentucky.
Sarah Booker was born 2 Jan 1722/3 and was baptized 23 Jan 1711/23. She married Thomas Minford Sr.
