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at the Virginia State Archives in Richmond, was actually compiled by Powhatan
Moncure, Esq., after Reverend John Moncure became rector upon the death of
Reverend Alexander Scott in 1738. All the “original” entries are in the same
handwriting, that of Powhatan Moncure. It was he who began a systematic
record of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. While the Register covers
the years from 1723 to 1758, the period from 1723 to 1738 was cobbled
together from fragmentary records. William F. Boogher, Esq., who published
a transcription in 1899, warns in his Preface that the Register “contains
innumerable errors and omissions. ... The presence of many blank spaces and
pages for the period 1723-1738 strengthens this assumption.”
There are said to be handwritten sheets done by Allred family members that
give the wedding date as 11 June 1728. This would make perfect sense, as
Ann was no older than nineteen, and recently orphaned, on 11 June 1728.
Her entire inheritance consisted of her mother’s two gold rings, her wearing
clothes, her silver bodikin, and her warming pan. Although her mother
attempted to provide for her education, Ann Hambleton (Anne Hamilton)
remained unable to read or write, as evidenced by her mark on the Warranty
Deed dated 24 January 1784 (Recorded in Randolph County Deed Book 2, Page
76), when John Aldred and Lillie Ann Aldred sold their 330 acres of land on
Polecat Creek in North Carolina. We also know that at least three of her
four sons were born before 1738: Solomon no later than 10 March 1731, John no
later than 15 March 1734, and William no later than 13 November 1735. This
is known from dated entries for land grants in North Carolina, for which the
entrant had to be at least 21 years of age. All of these things point to an
early wedding date for a very young woman with almost no worldly possessions.
SEARCHING FOR GRACE HAMBLETON
Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. But the
earliest surviving marriage records for Westmoreland County begin 30 August
1786 (http://files.usgwarchives.org/va/westmoreland/vitals/marr001.txt), and
early birth records are likewise nonexistent. There is no record of the
maiden name of Grace Hambleton, wife of James Hambleton Sr.
However, many wills, dating back to 1654, were recorded and have survived.
Only one woman named Grace, of the appropriate age range, is listed in any
of these wills. She was Grace Price, youngest daughter of Merriday Price
of Washington Parish, whose will is dated 14 April 1708, and was recorded
on 24 November 1708 (Westmoreland County, Virginia, Will Book 3, Page 164).
The will is transcribed at http://gedcom.surnames.com/burgess_jim/np73.htm
In his will, Merriday Price states: “I give to my daughter Grace one bed and
furniture that she now lieth on,” and “I desire that my daughter Katherine
may have the keeping of my daughter Grace.” This suggests that Grace was
still a minor; but a web posting estimates that Grace Price was born 1677
and “died before 1726” (http://gedcom.surnames.com/burgess_jim/i0001037.htm),
only one year before the will of Grace Hambleton was dated and recorded.
Merriday Price Sr. sailed from Bristol, England on 10 August 1661. His name
appears in “Servants to Foreign Plantations” (Bristol Archives, Volume I).
He and his wife Mary had six children, all named in Merriday’s will: Mary
Cole, Thomas Price, Merriday (Mereday) Price, John Price, Katherine Butler,
and Grace. (http://gedcom.surnames.com/burgess_jim/np73.htm)
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