Who Was Ann Read?

Was Rebecca Coggin related to Ann Read, the wife of Peter Read?

On 3 June 1673, a bargain of sale was endorsed on the back of a deed from Caesar Walpole to Dorrell Young that Dorrell and Ann Young assigned to Richard Dodd for 4,000 lbs. of tobacco, all land within mentioned, sold by Caesar and Elizabeth Walpole to Dorrell Young. The witnesses were John Coggin and John Drayton. Ann Read Young was the daughter of Peter Read and the widow of Dorrell Young who died in 1677 in Charles City Co., VA. Dorrell Young and Ann Read Young had four children: a daughter, Joan, and sons, John, Thomas and Dorrell, Jr. Joan (~1677-) was the youngest child. 

On 19 November 1677, Ann Read Young gave each of her sons, Dorrell, John and Thomas a heifer, a mare and a gun. The witnesses were Major Francis Poythress and John Stith (1625-1694). It is interesting to note that the witnesses for the Youngs in 1673 were John Coggin, father of Rebecca; John Drayton, husband of widow Elizabeth Peebles; and, in 1677, Major Francis Poythress, the first husband of Rebecca Coggin; and John Stith, the father of Agnes who married Thomas Wynne, Major Poythress’ half-brother. 

In December, 1685, Peter Read (~1633-1688) and Major Francis Poythress, were Joint administrators of the estate of Ann Read Young (~1660-1685). The estate was to be equally divided between the orphans of the deceased. Major Poythress and Mr. Robert Bolling (1646-1709) gave a bond of £60 Sterling. Mr. Peter Read and Mr. John Jean (Jane) gave bond in the same amount. Robert Bolling’s daughter, Anne, married Robert Wynne, the son of Thomas Wynne. John Jane was the husband of Elizabeth Tye the half-sister of Rebecca Coggin.

At Westover court in Charles City Co., 3 April 1688, Ann Read (~1640-) was granted administration of the estate of her late husband, Peter Read. Ben Traverse acted as security. James Wallis and Edmund Irby were appointed to inventory his estate. On 3 October 1688, the case of Nathaniel Bacon versus Peter Read's estate, was referred to the next court.

On 13 March 1739, in Prince George Co. court, on the complaints of William Poythress (~1720-aft. 1782), one of the orphans of John Poythress (~1681-1724), of Jordan's, deceased, who was bound as apprentice to Robert Simpson, of this county, for misusage and which complaints appeared to be just the said William was discharged from the apprenticeship and chose Charles Irby, his guardian, who had time until the next court to appear and give bond and security. Charles Irby was married to Susannah Hardyman, daughter of John Hardyman and Mary Epes. Mary Epes Hardyman’s 2nd husband was Charles Goodrich. Mary Epes was Littlebury Epes’ sister. Charles Irby and Susannah Hardiman may have been William Poythress’ uncle and aunt. Susannah Hardiman Irby may have been the sister of William’s mother, Mary. The above abstract and the following abstract from 8 May 1712, in Prince George Co., an inventory and appraisal of the estate of John Hardyman, deceased, was valued by R. Hall, John Poythress and Edmund Irby and presented by John Hardyman, the administrator. 

John Poythress, Jr’s son, William (~1720-aft. 1782), and his wife, Sarah, moved to NC. Their sons were William and possibly Dr. John Poythress. As a minor, John Poythress' son, William, asked for Charles Irby (1690-1763) to be his guardian. Charles Irby was the son of Dr. Edmund Irby, M. D. (~1670-1733). Dr. Irby had son, Dr. John Irby, M. D. (~1695-1747). This might suggest that William Poythress' possible son, Dr. John Poythress, M. D., might have been the son of William and Sarah Poythress. Charles Irby and John Poythress (1681-1724) were possibly brothers-in-law and married to Susannah Hardyman and Mary Hardyman respectively. It is also possible that Joshua Poythress (1688-1740) was another brother-in-law of Charles Irby and John Poythress, having married [Lucy] Hardyman. Another possible brother-in-law was William Irby, Jr., who may have married another of John Hardyman’s daughters. These same sentiments were mentioned by John Frederick Dorman in Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5, Volume 1, Families A-F, p. 863.

On 3 December 1688, at Westover court, testimony was elicited in the matter of the estate of Anne Young. Henry Reed exhibited his bill in chancery against Charles Bartholomew and Rebecca his wife, the Executrix of Major Francis Poythress. The plaintiff showed that Ann Young, the sister of the orator, had died intestate, and before commission of administration was sent forth, Major Poythress inventoried her estate and had it appraised at 5,664 lbs. of tobacco and was thereof possessed of the property. Thereafter, administration was granted to Major Poythress and Peter Read (-1688), the orator’s father. That the moiety that belonged to one of the orphans of Ann was in the custody of Peter Read. That Peter Read had of the moiety only a mare and a cow at a value of 950 lbs. of tobacco. There remained in the custody of Major Poythress 1,882 lbs. of tobacco, but he shortly afterward went to England and died in the nonage of your orator who begs recovery of 1,882 lbs. of tobacco, and prays that Charles Bartholomew and Rebecca his wife be subpoenaed to answer. Francis Poythress had gone to England to purchase certain items and goods that were consigned to the ship owned by Emberly. The consigned merchandise was mixed in with those of the Wynne’s. On 8 January 1688/9, four justices held court at the deceased Major Francis Poythress’ house and administration with will annexed was granted to Rebecca the widow of Major Poythress and she quit claimed the goods brought in Capt. Emberly’s ship that belonged to Thomas and Joshua Wynne and it was consented that the brothers would jointly possess the goods.

In probate, 3 December 1688, at Westover court, Henry Read and Daniel Higdon, gave a bond of £60 on the estate of John Young, orphan of Ann Young (-1685), deceased. Later Henry Read was ordered to deliver to John Blacke what estate he was possessed with belonging to John Young, orphan of Henry Read’s sister Ann. Henry objected to this order and did not comply. It was "ordered that the Sheriff keep Henry Read in safe custody till he gave security to appear at the next court “to answer what should be objected against him on his contempt of authority." Finally, Henry Read stood convicted of Capt. Perry's warrant and in open court made his humble submission and begged pardon of the court and Capt. Perry in particular, which the court and Capt. Perry accepted.

Daniel Higdon, Edmund Irby and Arthur Biggins completed the estate inventory of John Wall, deceased, that was presented in court by his widow Sarah Wall, will dated 14 January 1717 and proved 10 June 1718.

Two major wars destroyed many records so it is impossible to follow Peter Read's estate to a settlement.

In probate about six years later in 1694, Henry Read was still trying to protect his sister's children. He sued Major Poythress' widow over the estate of Ann Young. Henry Read, exhibited his bill in chancery against Charles Bartholomew and Rebecca, his wife, the Executrix of Major Francis Poythress. The plaintiff showed that Ann Young, sister of the orator died intestate before the commission of administration was sent forth. Major Poythress inventoried her estate and had it appraised to value of 5,664 lbs. of tobacco and was thereof possessed. Thereafter administration was granted to Major Poythress and Peter Reed, the orator's father. The moiety (part) that belongs to one of the orphans of Ann was in the custody of Peter Read. He had of the moiety only a mare and a cow valued at 950 fifty lbs. of tobacco. There remained in the custody of Major Poythress 1,882 lbs. of tobacco but he shortly afterward went to England and died in the nonage (under legal age) of the orator, who begged recovery of the 1,882 lbs. of tobacco, and prayed that Charles Bartholomew and Rebecca, his wife, to be subpoenaed to answer. (Several questions were asked of the Bartholomews regarding the estate, one of which asked if Major Poythress had in his custody any of the estate of the orphan John, an orphan of Ann Young). The Bartholomews were ordered to appear at the next court. Neither appeared and the case was dismissed. 

The 1694 court records record that Joan Young, orphan of Ann Young, who was 15, chose Henry Harman as her guardian. Henry Harman was referred to many times in the records. Was Ann, wife of Peter Read, related to Henry Harman or his wife? The fact that Ann's daughter, Joan Young, chose Henry Harman as her guardian instead of her uncle, Henry Read, who was still living, suggests a close family relationship. No further records have been located regarding this case.

In 1718, Dorrell Young, Jr., held land adjacent to Captain John Poythress, the nephew of Major Francis Poythress; Charles Bartholomew, the second husband of Rebecca Coggin; John Young, Dorrell’s brother; and, John Woodlief, the husband of Mary Wynne the sister of Thomas Wynne.

Was Ann Read a sister of Elizabeth and Frances Tye and half-sister to Rebecca Coggin or was there some other family relationship? As noted above, nine people had a relationship to Rebecca Coggin, Ann Read and Ann Read Young. The witnesses for the Youngs in 1673 were (1) John Coggin, father of Rebecca; (2) John Drayton, husband of widow Elizabeth Peebles the mother-in-law of John Poythress, Rebecca’s brother-in-law; and, in 1677, (3) Major Francis Poythress, the first husband of Rebecca Coggin; and (4) John Stith, the father of Agnes who married Thomas Wynne, brother-in-law to Rebecca Coggin. (5) Robert Bolling’s daughter, Anne, married Robert Wynne, the son of Thomas Wynne and nephew of Rebecca Coggin. (6) John Jane was the husband of Elizabeth Tye the half-sister of Rebecca Coggin. (7) Edmund Irby’s son, Charles, was the guardian of William Poythress, Rebecca Coggin’s grand nephew. The Young’s lived adjacent to (8) Charles Bartholomew, Rebecca Coggin’s second husband; John Poythress, Rebecca’s brother-in-law; and, (9) Mary Wynne Woodlief, Rebecca’s sister-in-law. These relationships can be reviewed at the Poythress.org website on the six generation chart of the Poythress family.

Were all of these instances coincidence or was there a family relationship? It does not appear that Ann Read was a Poythress or a Wynne unless she was an unidentified sister of Major Francis (1639-1688) and John Poythress (1640-1712). Was she a daughter of Cheney Boyce or Richard Tye or was there some other familial relationship, or was she and her husband, Peter Read, just really close friends to the Poythress family?