52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 1- 2021
#52ancestors
Prompt: Beginnings
Godfrey Ragsdale
Most of my family beginnings are in
the early records of the new country, United States of America. Some go back to
the colonization time period with only one line coming to America in the late
1800s.
One of the earliest which seems as much myth as
fact concerns the Ragsdale family. The
Ragsdale family goes back to Robert Ragsdale born in England in 1484. His son, Henry, was born in 1510 in Kneeton,
Nottinghamshire, England. I don't have all the documentation to prove the line
back this far, but it is one of my goals this year to get the proofs back to
colonial times. William Ragsdale, born in 1738, is my original DAR ancestor.
Godfrey Ragsdale, Sr. was born in 1615 in Nottinghamshire,
England and was the first Ragsdale to immigrate to the new world.
Unfortunately, it did not turn out well for him and his wife, Mary.
In 1642, Godfrey bought land from John Butler
in Virginia near Old Town in Henrico County. In 1644, Opechancanough, chief of
Tsenacomoco, led the third assault against the English Colonists. There were approximately 400 colonials killed
in the attack on the outlying plantations around Jamestown . In the 1644 attack,
Godfrey and his wife, Mary, lost their lives there.
Family tradition is that Godfrey and Mary, hid
their son, Godfrey Jr. during the attack.
Their infant son was found after the attack and was raised by his
maternal grandparents. Godfrey Jr was
willed land in 1646 from John Cookney. Speculation is that John Cookney was
Godfrey Jr's maternal Grandfather, making his mother, Mary Cookney . There is some
disagreement in that some researchers believe the Cookney's were neighbors who
found the infant and raised him as their own as they had no children. It may
never be determined if his mother, Mary was actually a Cookney or was the
daughter of another colonist in the area.
Despite the harrowing circumstances of his
infancy, Godfrey Ragsdale, Jr. lived to the approximate age of 69. His will
was signed 27 April 1697, naming his wife, Rachell, and children, Godfrey the
3rd, Peter, Daniel, and daughter Rachell .
I am descended from the Ragsdales through my
paternal Grandmother, Evelyn "Eva" Maude Lamb.
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