Eggleston

Descendants of Richard Eggleston

Generation 1

1.

Richard Eggleston.

Richard was born in 1611 or 1619 in England.  He was one of two Richard Egglestons that came to James City County, Virginia in July 1635.  Robert B Eggleston's Papers give the following account of Richard's life:

"Richard Eggleston, whoever he was, made his way to London and probably made contact with one of the middlemen of London who assembled prospective Virginia servants.  The passage to Virginia cost about £6, but the average laborer made only £4 a year.  Richard would have signed a contract specifying his term of service and would have been given clothes for his journey and fed until the ship was ready to sail.  His ship was sailing in July so as to arrive in Virginia in the fall; this allowed the captain to load this year's tobacco crop for the return voyage.  Most importantly it allowed the servants to spend their first months during the cold weather, reducing somewhat the alarming mortality rate among new arrivals.  At the dock Richard's contract would have been offered for sale for about £16."

"Thomas Hampton, who had purchased Richard Eggleston's services, was the minister of the Jamestown church and owned land adjacent to the town.  He received bureaucratic credit for indenturing on 19 May 1637, almost two years after the departure of Richard Eggleston from London.  [There are many explanations for this time gap, but they must all remain as conjectures.]  He received 50 cares of land from the crown for paying for Richard Eggleston's passage.  During the term of servitude he had full control of Richard's time and person.  Richard could not marry and could not vote.  On the other hand, he could own property and he had civil rights, allowing him to go to court to avoid maltreatment.  Thomas Hampton may not have been an easy master, since court records show that he was accused of maltreating two boys who were his wards, stealing their inheritance and failing to feed and clothe them."

"At the end of Richard's term as a bonded servant, by custom, he would have received from Mr. Hampton a small sum of money and tools.  He could have hired himself as a free worker or, if he were more enterprising, he could have rented land and farmed on his own, since the capital investment for tobacco farming then required land, a hoe and a strong back.  If he had a good year or two and did not die of malaria or other diseases he was on his way.  The expanding planter had only to pay the passage of other emigrants to receive land; these emigrants would become his servants, helping him to plant more land and pay more passages.  Another quicker way to success was to take advantage of the sky-high mortality rate by marrying a rich widow."

"Beginning in 1652 Richard's name began to appear on land rolls and other records.  He founded Powhatan Plantation near Williamsburg, was a captain of militia and he had indentured servants of his own.  He acquired tracts of land whose location can best be seen on a map in the 'William & Mary Quaterly' 20:476, 1940.  He is first mentioned when in 1652 John Flood got land 'bordering on Richard Eggleston's at Powhatan,' indicating he was already established there. Then on March 9, l653, he bought 900 acres 'on North side of James River, beginning Southerly on George Gilbert's development, westerly and northerly on Poetan Swamp and Easterly on Lady Lunsford's land,' from Eliza Wetherell.  The original patent on this land has been lost but Robert Wetherell in 1645 had land which was probably the same tract."  He eventually amassed land holdings of over 1,300 acres.

"Richard evidently had a military career, although the records of the campaign are unclear.  In 1656, the militia of Charles City County were sent to meet an Indian force near Richmond, where the Virginians were soundly defeated at the Battle of Bloody Run just north of Richmond.  The extant records are mainly concerned with the aftermath, when Richard received compensation for a horse lost in the campaign.  This could mean only that Richard supplied a horse, but it probably indicates that he was a volunteer.  Other mentions of Richard Eggleston are in 1664 when Thomas Warburton received land next to his and when he was paid a debt in 1669."

Richard's spouse is unknown, no records have been found showing her accompanying him from England.  From that it can be assumed that he married here, perhaps a widow with land but that is pure speculation. What is known is that they had at least one child; however, whether there were more children is unknown because the earliest records of James City County were destoyed during the Civil War.

2.

i.

Benjamin Eggleston.

Generation 2

2.

Benjamin Eggleston.

Benjamin was born about 1652; d. after 1708.  Eggleston's Papers continue the account of the Eggleston's:

"We now bein to find mention of a Benjamin Eggleston, who was probably Richard's son.  With all wills destoryed (along with the rest of James City County records) during the Civil War, it is impossible to be certain but in 1704 Benjamin paid quit rent on 1,375 acres; the similarity of size of this tract to Richard's 1662 acquisition is highly suggesstive.  For the sake of the story and because there had to be an intermediate generation between Richard Eggleston and Joseph Eggleston (the owner of Powhatan until 1730) we shll assume Benjamin Eggleston received Powhatan as the heir of Richard, just as we will assume further on that Benjamin's heir Joseph was his son."

"Benjamin must have been born about 1652 because in 1673 he was of age and ran afoul of the law."  The following account of that incident is taken from The J D Eggleston Papers at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond and the Eggleston History from the book James City County by McCartney, p. 111.  "In April 1670, Virginia's 64 year old Governor William Berkeley married Frances Culpepper Stephens, the 36 year old widow of the governnor of Albemarle.  With the wealth that came with this marriage the Berkeley's expanded the Green Spring house into a large mansion  …   Berkeley's advancing age and lengthy tenure in office appear to have made him somewhat testy, arrogant, and possessive of his privileges.  In 1673, he had Benjamin Eggleston of James City County hauled before the General Court for having 'presumptously and impudently entrenched upon the prejorative of and abused the authority of the Right Honorable Governor'.  For that offense, Eggleston received 39 lashes at Jamestown's whipping post and a heavy fine [3,000 lbs. of tobacco]."  Robert B Eggleston's Papers continue Benjamin's story.  "This was a year of unrest; as a prelude of Bacon's Rebellion three years later meetings were held to refuse tax payment.  Perhaps it was at such a meeting that Benjamin, speaking beyond himself as young men are prone to do, earned a public whipping."

"Where were the Eggleston's in Bacon's Rebellion in 1676?  Green Springs was the scene of a battle and was fortified by both sides of this vicious little civil war.  As aggrieved next door neighbors, the Eggleston's would not have been expected to side with the majority Bacon faction, yet they were not among those who were made to suffer after the Berkeley faction ended as winngers."

"Benjamin's spirit evidently recovered after his brush with the law in 1673 for he went on to prosper as a planter.  He too patented land; on 23 Oct 1690, he received 595 acres on the south side of the Chickahominy River for transporting twelve persons.  This land may or may not have adjoined Powhatan Plantation; he did not keep it long for in 1694 it was deserted and awarded to another planter.  On 26 Apr 1698, he also patented, 1,670 acres on the east side of Powhatan Swamp (presumably adjoining his other land) for transporting six people."

"We know that Benjamin had a close friend in William Broadribb, who owned land adjacent to his.  Broadribb appointed Benjamin as legatee in his will of 1703 and mentioned him as his 'loving friend'.  Other mentions of Benjamin on legal documents date from 1680, 1686 and 1708; both he and his son Joseph were listed as militia officers."

Benjamin's first wife, the mother of his two sons, is unknown.  He later married Elizabeth Hartwell before 1713.  They had no children.  His children by his first wife are:

3.

i.

Benjamin Eggleston, Jr.

4.

ii.

Joseph Eggleston.

Generation 3

3.

Benjamin Eggleston, Jr.

Benjamin, Jr. was born about 1673.  Eggleston's Papers continue with history of Powhatan Plantation:   "Powhatan seems to have been divided in two in the first quarter of the 18th century, probably after the death of Benjamin Eggleston.  The northern half was owned by 'Benjamin Eggleston, Jr.', who must have been a son of Benjamin.  The southern half of the plantation continued with the name Powhatan and was in the hands of Joseph Eggleston.  Benjamin, Jr. had a daughter Elizabeth who married Richard Taliaferro at which time the plantation was again split; the 1768 tax record shows that Benjamin's widow Elizabeth owned 450 acres while the Taliaferro's owned 975 acres.  This portion remained in the Taliaferro family for several generations; the imposing Georgian house, which still stands, was built by the Taliaferro's in the 1740s.  There are remains of the brick foundations of another house, facing on the old Jamestown-Williamsburg road which was perhaps the site of the earlier Eggleston home.  Benjamin, Jr. witnessed a will in 1736 and was an inspector at College Landing in 1752.  Elizabeth Eggleston, the widow of Benjamin, Jr., continued in the portion known as Mt. Pleasant which was willed to her son Joseph and several Eggleston generations after."

He married Elizabeth Eggleston and they had two children:

i.

Elizabeth Eggleston, m. Richard Taliaferro.

ii.

Joseph Eggleston, b. about 1705.

4.

Joseph Eggleston.

Joseph was born about 1684 at Powhatan Plantation, James City County, Virginia.  One source says that he was the son of Richard Eggleston; another says that he was the son of Benjamin, son of Richard.  Eggleston's Papers say that this Joseph Eggleston was born in 1678.  In another passage, his Papers quote a prayer book notation written by Joseph, II stating "Joseph Eggleston of Powhatan [a residence], James City County, departed this life October 24th Anno Dominini 1736, aged 52 years."  This would make the year of his birth 1684, six years later.

In furtherance of the story, the Papers give the following account:  "Joseph seems to have been a prominent citizen of James City County.  He served James City County in the House of Burgesses from 1727 to 1732.  The journal of the House records his presence at various sittings, but on 02 Jul 1730, he and another member were taken into custody by the Sergeant-at-Arms for 'absenting themselves from their duty'.  They were seated the next day after paying a fine.  Joseph also served as justice of the peace for the county in 1726."

"After his death his estate was probaly divided with cash provisions for the children, since all of the sons bought land shortly after his death.  Two sons, John and Edmund, went to Hanover County, perhaps because of their mother's Pettus family connections.  Richard, William and Joseph went west to Amelia County."

Joseph was married twice -- his first wife is unknown; they had a son named Benjamin who was born before 1720.

Joseph later married Anne Overton Pettus (b. 1702, d. 1736) the daughter of John Dabney Pettus and Anne Overton.  They had seven children:

5.

i.

Richard Eggleston, b. bet. 1720-1730.

ii.

William Eggleston, b. 1720; d. 1791.

iii.

Anne Eggleston, b. bet. 1720-1730.

iv.

Joseph Eggleston, II, b. 1721; d. 02 Dec 1792.

v.

Elizabeth Eggleston, b. 22 Apr 1723; m. William Wyatt; d. 13 Jun 1787.

vi.

John Eggleston, b. 1725; d. 1800.

vii.

Edmund Eggleston, b. 1729; d. 1809.

Generation 4

5.

Richard Eggleston.

Richard's exact date of birth is unknown, however it is probably between 1720-1730.  He moved to Louisa County and then to Cumberland County.  He married Rebecca Clough (b. 1730 in Hanover County, d. 09 Feb 1781) the daughter of Richard Clough and Anne Poindexter. They lived in that part of Cumberland County which later became Powhatan County and raised twelve children:

i.

Anne Eggleston, b. 1750.

ii.

Richard Eggleston, b. 1752; d. 1796.

iii.

William Eggleston, b. abt. 1752; d. 1777.

iv.

Mary Eggleston, b. 1756.

6.

v.

Joseph Eggleston, b. abt. 1758.

vi.

John Eggleston, b. 1760; d. 1784.

vii.

Richard Clough Eggleston, b. 1763; d. 1808.

viii.

Rebekah Eggleston, b. 1765; m. Critcher Baugh in 1781.

ix.

George Eggleston, b. 1769; d. 1810.

x.

Elizabeth Eggleston, b. 1770; d. 1833.

xi.

William Trent Eggleston, b. 1771; d. 1845.

xii.

Edmund Eggleston, b. 1773; d. 1840.

Joseph Eggleston, II.

Joseph II was a brother of Richard (#5) of this genealogy.  Although he is not a direct ancestor, he is included because he is referred to earlier in Robert B Eggleston's account of the original Richard's life.

Joseph, II was born in 1721 at Powhatan Plantation.  He married Judith Segar (b. 1729 in Middlesex County, Virginia; d. 1806 in Amelia County) the daughter of Oliver Segar and Jane Daniel.  They had six children:   (i) Joseph, Jr., b. 1754; d. 1811; he was a Major in the Continental Army, (ii) Jane Segar, b. 1756, (iii) Anne, b. 1758; m. Daniel Hardaway, (iv) Mary, b. 1758, (v) Judith, b. 1761; d. 1772, and (vi) Elizabeth, b. 1764.  Joseph, II died 02 Dec 1792 in Amelia County, Viginia.  His will was written 01 Mar 1791 and probated 24 May 1794.  He left all of his land to his son, Joseph Jr.

Joseph moved to Amelia County in about 1750 and built "Egglestton" on 200 acres on the upper side of Knibbs Creek.  This house is now on the Virginia Historical Landmarks and on the National Register of Historic Places.  Egglestton has been a working plantation since it was established about 1750.  Among its many Eggleston owners was Maj. Joseph Eggleston, Jr., second-in-comman to "Lighthorse Harry" Lee in the American Revolution, and a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and of the fifth and sixth U.S. Congress.  The plantation remained in the Eggleston family for many generations.

In 1762, Joseph, II bought 600 acres in Raleigh Parish on Flatt Creek adjacent to lands of William Eggleston.  In 1773, he also bought 200 acres which was the remaining half of a tract on the upper side of Knibbs Creek.  He was a farmer all of his life.

Generation 5

6.

Joseph Eggleston.

Joseph was born about 1758 and died about 1815.  He married Mary Duke and they had at least one child:

7.

i.

Richard Clough Eggleston, b. 1786.

Generation 6

7.

Richard Clough Eggleston.

Richard was born about 1786.  The following transaction appears in Louisa County, Va. Deed Records Book "T", Page: 167, Grantor: Richard C. Eggleston, Grantee: Jude and Mieure, Date: 04-Apr-1831 Richard C. Eggleston of Louisa 1st, Jude and Mieure of City of Richmond 2nd, and William F. Toler 3rd.  Eggleston indebted to Jude and Mieure for $163.66.  In trust he placed slaves, wagon and four horses.  Witnesses:  Nelson L. Hines, Alexander Mitchell, Richard B. Hall. Recorded: 14 May 1831.  Later, sometime before 1839, he moved his family to Monroe County.

He married Dorothea (Dolly) Luck the daughter of Richard Luck; they had ten children:

i.

Hardenia Eggleston, b. bet. 1804-34.

ii.

Joseph Eggleston, b. bet. 1804-34.

iii.

Gassaway Gay Eggleston, b. bet. 1804-34.

iv.

Mary P Eggleston, b. 1832.

v.

Van Buren Eggleston, b. bet. 1804-34.

8.

vi.

James Monroe Eggleston, b. 19 Apr 1839; d. 10 Mar 1910.

vii.

William T Eggleston, b. abt. 1819; d. 1894.

viii.

George Eggleston, b. abt. 1819; d. 1904.

ix.

Richard Clough Eggleston, b. 26 Dec 1825; d. 27 Feb 1901.

x.

Virginia Eggleston, b. 1834.

Generation 7

8.

James Monroe Eggleston.

James was born 19 Apr 1839 in Monroe County, Virginia; died 10 Mar 1910 in Monroe County, West Virginia; he enlisted in Co. A, 60th Virginia Infantry on 15 Apr 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia.  He was present in his unit until he entered the Charlottesville Hospital with an injured right arm 26 Sep 1864; he returned to his unit and saw battle until the end of the war; he was paroled on 12 Jun 1865.  James is described as  age 24, 5'11" tall, blue eyes, dark hair.

James enlisted with his older brother Richard Clough.  They served together throughout the war.  Richard was hospitalized 01 Aug 1864 and returned to the line before the Battle of Winchester 09 Sep 1864.  He was taken prisoner on that date and sent to Pt. Lookout in Maryland where he stayed until he was released in a prisoner exchange 01 Nov 1964.  Whether he returned to his company is unknown, he was paroled with James on 12 Jun 1865. Richard is described as age 39, 6'1" tall, blue eyes, black hair.

"The 60th Virginia Infantry Regiment was organized 13 August 1861.  The unit, consisting of ten companies was originally known as the 3rd Regiment of the Wise Legion.  The regiment served the state of Virginia and the Confederacy until it was disbanded, 12 Apr 1865."

"Company A was organized in Lewisburg, Virginia in June of 1861, primarily of men from Monroe County.  The unit was originally assigned as Company B of the 59th Virginia Infantry.  It was known as the Beirne Sharpshooters, and later as the Monroe Sharpshooters."

The 60th Virginia saw action up and down the Shenandoah Valley including engagements at Winchester, Cedar Creek, New Market and Antietam.  The 60th was with General Early when he made his march on Washington, D.C. through Harrisonburg, Woodstock, Winchester, Martinsburg and eastward.  "Early had only 15,000 men under his command, but he was determined to go to Washington.  Grant so far had only had to fight an offensive war, but now he knew that Early was on the loose in the Shenandoah Valley and anything was possible."

"The Confederate cavalry forced the Federals from Frederick, Maryland, and the Union army under General Lew Wallace fell under attack at Monocacy Junction on July 9. … As for his [Early's] infantry, they marched into the suburbs of Washington on 11 Jul 1864.  The citizens were in a panic, and Grant was pulling men out of the lines near Richmond to hurry them north. … Early knew of the Union re-enforcements and ordered his cavalry to return as he prepared to withdraw from Washington.  Early was said to remark, 'We haven't taken Washington, but we've scared Abe Lincoln like hell.'"

"Although statistics cannot pretend to measure the suffering endured by the men of the 60th Virginia during the war, they can show some of the effects of the war.  Of the nearly 1,900 men and boys whose names appear in the roster of the 60th Virginia, 109 are known to have died as the direct result of battle.  This is approximatley 6% of those who served.  At least 92 members of the regiment died from disease.  An additional 62 men died in service from unspecified causes, and one member is known to have died from an accident.  Among the 430 men who were captured and imprisoned in the North, at least 42 of that number died there.  In total, no fewer than 306 members of the regiment died in service.  That is more than 16% of those involved.  Hundreds were wounded; the exact number can never be determined."

Source:  60th Virginia Infantry.

James married Margaret Virginia Wickline (b. 22 Apr 1844, d. 12 Nov 1920) daughter of William Wadkins Wickline and Mary Virginia Blaker on 07 Dec 1865; they had four children, all were born in Sweet Springs, Monroe, West Virginia:

i.

Virginia Eggleston, b. 1866; d. 1873.

ii.

Ella Eggleston, b. 1868.

9.

iii.

Joseph Alexander Eggleston, b. 26 Jul 1872; d. 16 Apr 1923.

iv.

Delilah Catherine Eggleston, b. 13 Oct 1875; m. Lewis A Jones.

Generation 8

9.

Joseph Alexander Eggleston.

Joseph was born 26 Jul 1872 in Sweet Springs, Monroe, West Virginia; died 16 Apr 1923 in Loudoun County, Virginia.  He married Mary Virginia Hepler (b. 21 Nov 1871; d. 21 Jan 1942) the daughter of James W Hepler and Wilsonia Caroline Carson on 23 Feb 1898 at Snake Run, Allegheny, Virginia.  The following is an article that appeared in the The Monroe Watchman:

"On 23 Feb 1898, the residence of Mr. J William Hepler, Snake Run, Alleghany County, Va., was the scene of a pretty wedding in the presence of a moderate number of friends at 6:20 p.m., Miss Virginia C Hepler was united in marriage to Mr. Joseph A Eggleston of Sweet Springs District, Monroe County, WVa, Rev. C M Neff officiating.  There was no maid of honor, nor best man, but all was neatly and beautifully presented.  An excellent and bountiful supper was partaken of by those assembled.  At 1:07 p.m. 24 Feb [sic], the bridal party arrived at Mr. James M Eggleston's and at 2 p.m. partook of the abundance of good things provided for the occasion." [signed] T J W [Thomas Jacob Wickline].

Joseph and Ginny had ten children, all were born in Sweet Springs, Monroe, West Virginia:

i.

Lottie Grayson Eggleston, b. 20 Apr 1899;
m. William Curtis Parrish 26 Jan 1947; d. 13 Oct 1973.

ii.

Leslie Cecil Eggleston, b. 05 Aug 1900;
m. Gaynelle Jessee 11 Aug 1928; d. 24 Jul 1967.

10.

iii.

Russell Vie Eggleston, b. 03 Oct 1901;
d. 25 Dec 1990.

iv.

Vera Vivian Eggleston, b. 23 Jan 1903;
m. Jesse M Bell 25 Dec 1940;

v.

Bertha Chloe Eggleston, b. 23 Sep 1904;
m. George Benjamin Keene 26 Sep 1925; d. 29 Jan 1926.

vi.

Joseph Carl Eggleston, b. 28 Jun 1906;
m. Lottie Ruth Jessee 05 Jul 1930; d. 25 Oct 1961.

vii.

Ora Glenna Eggleston, b. 30 Jul 1907;
m. John C McDonald 22 Oct 1937; d. 28 Nov 1965.

viii.

Wilsonia Virginia Eggleston, b. 26 Apr 1909;
m. Clarence Russell Valler 16 Jan 1960; d. 18 Feb 1974.

ix.

James Atlas Eggleston, b. 10 Sep 1911;
d. 01 Dec 1911.

x.

Ella May Eggleston, b. 05 Aug 1912;
d. 10 Jun 1976.

Generation 9

10.

Russell Vie Eggleston.

Russell was born 03 Oct 1901 in Sweet Springs, Monroe, West Virginia; m. Mamie Belle Eschbacker (b. 08 Apr 1908; d. 27 Jun 1998) the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Eschbacher and Dora Della Cokeley of Wood County, West Virgina on 09 Apr 1927. He died 25 Dec 1990 at his home in Hillcrest Heights, Prince George's, Maryland and was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Suitland, Prince George's, Maryland.  Russell and Mamie had three children:

11.

i.

Living Eggleston, b. 1928.

12.

ii.

Living Eggleston, b. 1930.

13.

iii.

Living Eggleston,b. 1949.