Sturgills in America

Stodgill, James

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Narrative

James Stodgill was born in Essex Co. VA where he married Ann Blackstone in 1723 and where they made their first home. In 1732 he bought a tract of 200a in present Greene Co. on Swift Run creek. This deed, recorded in Spottsylvania Co. DB-B-346/7, was witnessed by John Zachery, brother-in-law of James, and by Thomas Calloway who was a bro-in-law of his oldest son. Later in the same year (1732) James was given 400a by the will of Ambrose Madison which adjoined the above tract. As James was appointed a road overseer in the same area in 1732, James and Ann must have moved to Swift Run creek in 1732.

The Spottsylvania Co. deed describes the land as lying on the waters of the James river. Maps show that Swift run creek joins the Riveanna river in Albemarle Co which in turn joins the James river in Fluvanna Co. James died in 1752 and Ann in 1763. After her death their children divided up the estate which then included 1200 acres of land. It is believed that John Madison, brother of Ambrose, also gave James 400 adjoining acres but no record of this has been found. Deeds made in the division of the estate and other records indicate that all those listed following were children of James and Ann. -p. 30

NOTE: This is the James Stodgill whose estate is mentioned in the introductory notes, and is another point of disagreement between my father and me. I believe the Stodgell line is English. Dad claimed they were Scotch-Irish and pointed to the existance of a set of bagpipes in James' estate as proof. There is a much simpler explanation. In Colonial times, all property was considered to belong to the husband. Ann was the daughter of Argyle ( or Argoll ) Blackstone a scottish immigrant! The pipes were probably his, inherited by his daughter. - THS

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Ancestors