|
a.
|
Note: Write up with Trial Chart of the Descendants of Francis Poythress Prepar ed April 1977 by R. Bolling Batte found in Virginia State Library, Archiv es Division Accession Number 29493 transcribed by John M. Poythress:
27 Peter Poythress
m. 1711 in Charles City Anne_____, a widow, whose own maiden name and t he name of her first husband are unknown. He was sometimes referr ed to as "Peter Poythress of Flowerdew Hundred" to distinguish him from h is nephew (and son-in-law) Peter Poythress "of Branchester".
---------------------------------
On some of Mr. Batte's index cards ( see Poythress, Card 1 )this Peter w as referred to "142 C" and his nephew Peter as "142 CAB" which refers ba ck to Mr. Batte's own surname family. Later Mr. Batte adopted the (P-1) s ystem and ordered this Peter as "BG" and the nephew as " BHA" In later ge nerations, both notations are found.
---------------------
Diaries of William Byrd of Westover, courtesy of John M. Poythress:
Mr. Byrd was an obsessive diarist, chronicling the most minor events in h is life almost daily. Byrd wrote his diaries in code so he was not partic ularly writing for an audience and thereby gains a measure of credibilit y. The code was his own and was easily deciphered in the years followi ng Byrd's death. The diaries were published as two diaries: The Secret Di ary of William Byrd of Westover, 1709-1712; and the second titled Anoth er Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover, 1739-1741. Both were edit ed by L. B. Wright and Marion Tingling and published by the Dietz Pre ss in Richmond in 1940 and 1941.
There is minimal mention of contacts with the Poythress family as follows:
The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover, 1709-1712
8 Sep 1711 (p. 418)
"��After dinner we sat in council concerning the Indians and some of the T ributaries came before us who promised to be very faithful to us. It w as agreed to send Peter Poythress to the Tuscaroras to treat (with) them a nd to demand the Baron Graffenriedt who was prisoner among the Indian s. It was also resolved that the militia of Prince George, Surry, and Is le of Wight should rendezvous at Nottoway town on Wednesday next and t he Governor [Spotswood] be there with them to show some part of our streng th to the Indians. In the evening came several gentlemen and Mr. Bland am ong them with letters from the Governor of Carolina which told him how bac kward the people of that country were to (advantage) themselves. Abo ut 10 o'clock we went to bed. Colonel Ludwell and I lay together. I negl ected to say my prayers but had good health, good thoughts, and good humo r, thank God Almighty".
Footnotes to passage above:
Peter Poythress: "An Indian trader and interpreter."
Baron, etc: Baron Christopher de Graffenriedt, a Swiss, who was instrumen tal in settling Swiss and Palatine Germans in North Carolina. He, with Jo hn Lawson, surveyor-general of North Carolina, was responsible for the set tlement of New Bern, North Carolina. When the Tuscarora Indians revolt ed in 1711, De Graffenriedt and Lawson were captured. De Graffenriedt w as later released by Lawson was burned at the stake.
Nottaway town: Isle of Wight County.
9 Oct 1711, (p. 424)
" About 3 o'clock the Tuscarora Indians came with their guard and Mr. Poyt hress was with them. He told the Governor that the Baron was alive but th at Mr. Lawson was killed because he had been so foolish as to threaten t he Indian who had taken him. About 6 o'clock we went to dinner and I a te some roast mutton."
[The Indians were "treated with" and dispersed].
21 Jan 1712, (p. 472)
" I rose about 7 o'clock and read a chapter in Hebrew and some Greek in Lu cian. I said my prayers and ate boiled milk for breakfast. I danced my d ance. The weather was clear and pretty warm. I was out of humor becau se I missed a book out of the library which I thought my wife had taken f or Mrs. Dunn without my knowledge, but she denied it. Mr. Peter Poythre ss came to our house and brought me a letter from my brother Curtis who to ld
me the Governor was angry about what I had said concerning the L 20,00 0. He stayed and dined and I ate roast mutton for dinner.
5 Feb 1712 (p. 481)
"��..In the afternoon I ordered my sloop to go to Colonel Eppes' for so me poplar trees for the Governor [Spotswood] and then I went to visit Mr s. Harrison that I found in a small way. She entertained me with apples a nd bad wine and I stayed with her till evening and then I took a walk abo ut my plantation. When I returned I learned Peter Poythress had been ther e. At night I read some Latin. I said my prayers and had good health, go od thoughts, and good humor, thank God Almighty��."
4 Mch 1712 (p. 495)
"��I rose about 7 o'clock and read some Hebrew but no Greek because I prep ared to go to the wedding of Mrs. Anne B-k-r��we set out in the coach a nd got to Colonel Hill's before 12 o'clock. We did not find much compa ny there but only the relations and some neighbors. About 12 o'clock M r. Poythress and Mrs. Anne B-k-r were married and about 2 we went to dinn er and I ate some boiled tongue for dinner."
Footnote (by editors) : "Probably Peter Poythress. In Wm. Q., XV, 45-7 1, there is a detailed study of the Poythress family. The name of Peter 's wife is unknown. But he had an only daughter and heir named Anne bo rn December 13, 1712."
11 Mch 1712 (p. 499)
"��In the evening Peter Poythress came with 14 of the Tuscarora Indians wh om he was going to conduct to the Governor. They told us the Carolina m en had killed no more than about 20 old men and women of their people a nd had taken about 30 children prisoners when all the young men were n ot at home, that the Tuscaroras could (cut) them all off but that they s aw some
English among them which hindered them and their business with the Govern or was to give the reason why they could not perform their articles a nd to inquire whether they might defend themselves in case they're attacke d. We were merry till about 9 o'clock and then retired. I neglected to s ay my prayers but had good health, good thoughts, and good humor, thank G od Almighty."
16 Mch 1712 (p. 501)
"��.In the afternoon Peter Poythress came over and told me the Governor re ceived the Tuscaroras very coldly and ordered them to go and help the peop le of Carolina cut off Hancock town, which they all said they would." ["ov er" is likely over the river from Flowerdew Hundred Plantation, then the h ome of Governor Spotswood].
|
