Joshua "Major" Wynne

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1675, , , Virginia, USA
• Residence: 1678, , , Virginia, USA

Notes:

Following information was posted by Rootsweb, an Ancestry.com community

General Notes: Joshua served as Justice in the Charles City County court, Sheriff of Prince George County 1705-1712, and commanded various militia units in the Virginia Colonie. He made serveral trips to England trading tobacco, responsible for treaties with Indian from New York to Virginia, and mentioned numerous times as a close family friend of the Byrds of Westover (Colonel William Byrd H's diaries). Joshua was assassinated by American Indians.

June 4, 1694: Joshua was sworn in as County Sub-Sheriff, and was reappointed on June 3, 1695. Joshua was a member of the House of Burgesses for Charles City County, Virginia from 1702-1704.Joshua and his brother, Thomas were Indian interpreters for the Nottaway, Meherrin, Nansmond, Pamukey, and Chickahominy Indian tribes and were asked to go north with these tribes to help nogotiate a treaty with the Senacas. He devoted many years to keeping peace among the Indians and represented them by presenting their grievances to the Council of Virginia; (remember, the Wynne children and the Poythress children were 1/2 brothers and sisters as they shared the same mother). Joshua was shot and killed by Saponey Indians because a servant of Major Wynne's had killed one of their great men.

Major Joshua Wynne lived among the Indians in the Virginia Colony. In 1703, the Nottoway, Nansmonds, and Meherrin tribes requested that Joshua and his brother, Thomas Wynne, be appointed Indian Interpreters for the tribe. When a Chief of these tribes was taken prisoner by the Senecas, the Wynne brothers were begged to accompany the Indians on this long and dangerous journey, as without them "nothing could be accomplished". This journey was undertaken and their Chief was retrieved, temporarily averting a tribal war.

Joshua Wynne married Mary Jones, the daughter of Major Peter Jones, commander of the Fort built at the falls near present day of Petersburg, Virginia, and Margaret Cruse. Margaret Cruse was the step-daughter of Maj. General Abarham Wood, Commander of Ft. Henry and leader of the first English expedition into the Mississippi Valley. General Wood was the official negotiator of the British Fur trade with the Cherokee Nation. Wood also testified against Nathaniel Bacon who was the leader of "Bacon's Rebellion" who led a rebel army that massacred friendly Indians in Colonial Virginia among other devious acts.

"On March 29, 1715 Major Joshua Wynne was shot and killed by Saponey Indians because one of Joshua's servants had killed on the the Indian's 'great' men. Upon trial of the Indian, the Indians pleaded that the Wynnes were then equal, each having lost a great man. To avoid more bloodshed the Indian was pardoned." [The Saponey or Saponi were of the Siouan linguistic stock, related to the nearby Tutelo tribe. They were unreleated to the Iroquoian speaking tribes Nottoway, Meherrin and the Algonquian speaking Powhatan Confederacy Tribes, Pamunkey, Nansemond, that the Wynne brothers enjoyed friendly relations with.

Joshua Wynne's parents were Colonel Robert Wynne and a former widown, Mary Frances Poythress, maiden named believed to be Sloman. Robert Wynne was speaker of the House of Burgesses and served longer than any man in Virginia's history, from Marh 13, 1661-1675. Robert died on Oct 8, 1675. His will dated July 1, 1675, and proved August 15, 1678 at Jordan's Parish or Charles City (present Prince George County) shows an Estate in Canterbury, England of two houses and a farm in addition to his 600 acre Virginia Estate south of the James River.

The Wynne family name, often spelled Winn, continued to be carried down as a first name in the Williams family for generations. The Wynne name is also one of the most common surnames among Native Americans living in Eastern Virginia, although the genealogical relationship is not known.

Joshua was overseer of the Berkley Plantation during Bacon's Rebellion, was a member of the Governor's Council, and a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. After building Fort Henry in 1646, he and three other Virginians, two servants, and a guide explored what someday would become Tennessee and Kentucky, and being the first Englishemn to set foot there. After this, Joshua lived in Prince George County, Virginia.

Notation: Joshua married Mary Jones, daughter of Peter Jones and Margaret Wood, on Jul 6, 1685 in Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia. Mary Jones was born on May 13, 1665, in Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia and died in 1718 in Henrico County, Virginia.

Joshua Wynne was born in Jordan's Parish, Charles City County, Virginia about 1663. He was the son of Col. Robert Wynne and his wife, Mary Frances Sloman, the widow Poythress. Joshua married Mary Jones about 1687 in Virginia. Mary Jones was the daughter of Major Peter Jones and Margaret "Wood" Powell. Margaret Powell's step-father, General Abraham Wood was the head of Virginia's fur trade under Royal Governor Sir William Berkeley and was the official who negotiated the British fur trade with the Cherokee Nation. General Wood also testified against Nathaniel Bacon, leader of Bacon's Rebellion. General Abraham Wood was also Commander of Ft.Henry and the elader of the first English expedition into the Mississippi Valley. Major Peter Jones was Commander of the fort built near present Petersburg.
Joshua lived a varied life and was said to have been a "fearless adventurer". He inherited property in England from his father consisting of a house and oatmeal mill on Dover Lane in St.George's Parish, Canterbury, commonly called the "Lily Pot", as well as two houses adjoining a ropermaker and one Rawlins were former tenants. Joshua's grandfather, Peter Wynne of Canterbury had left these properties to Joshua's father in 1638. Joshua also received the plantation called Georges in Virginia along with the tobacco houses.
Joshua made several trips to England trading tobacco and probably checking on his properties in England.
We first read of Joshua in Henrico County recoreds 1 Feb 1681/82 when Thomas Chamberlayne appointed Joshua as his attorney.
He was a Justice in Charles City 23 Feb 1698 and he was also sheriff of Prince George County, VA after the area became Prince George County 1705-1712. Joshua was also a member of the House of Burgesses 10 Dec 1700-1704, as was his father before him.
In March 1701/02, Joshua signed the Loyalty Oath.
In 1704, Joshua was listed in the Tax Roll with 860 acres.
He commanded various militia units in the Virginia colonies. He was Captain of the militia for Charles City County with over forty men.
Joshua was a close family friend of the Byrds of Westover and with Colonel William Byrd in particular.
As was his brother, Thomas, Joshua was also an Indian interpreter. In 1704, Joshua was enlisted by the governor to accompany the Nottoway, Meherrin, Nansemond, Pamunkey and Chickahominy Indians north in order to ransom the Nottoway king taken prisoner by the Seneca tribe the summer before. The Indians had specifically requested that the governor allow Joseph and his brother, Thomas, to accompany them "without whose consent and approbation they were to conclude nothing".
He was commissioned in 1707, along with Captain John Poythres Sr., Colonel John Hardyman and Captain Francis Mallory to be part of a commission to investigate the Virginia-North Carolina border. They were to examine under oath "such ancient inhabitants of Prince George, Surry, Isle of Wight and Nansemond Counties and discover the truth as to the said bounds between the said colonies." They were also to ask the "ancient and intelligent Indians of the Nottoway, Meherins and Nansemond nations" what they knew about the area. Among the old inhabitants of Prince George County deposing were: Robert Bolling, Gentleman, aged 61, who "hath known the Nottoway River for 37 years or more... and "Major Wynn's quarter is on the sight of the old Nottoway Indian Town." Captain Wynne became Major Wynne by 1708.
Joshua devoted many years to keeping peace with the Indian tribes and represented them by presenting their grievances to the Council of Virginia.
In late August of 1711, a rumor spread throughout the James that there were fifteen French ships entering the river. The militia officers lit their warning bonfires, donned their uniforms, leaped on their horses and dashed to Westover for news. It turned out that the ships were English and everything was quiet again.
Joshua was responsible for treaties with the Indians from New York to Virginia.
Joshua and (the husband of his niece Mary), Robert Malone were paid of a bounty of £200 to kill wolves.
On 29 Mar 1715, Joseph was shot and killed in Dinwiddie County in revenge by Saponi Indians after one of Joshua's servants killed one of their "great" men. The accused Indian claimed that the white men were the aggressors and that they never rest without revenge and that now they were equal, having each lost a great man. In order to avoid more bloodshed, the accused Indian was pardoned.
The Saponi Indians were of the Siouan linguistic group, related to the nearby Tutelo tribe. They were unrelated to the Iroquoian tribes (Nottoway, Meherrin) and Algonquin speaking Powhatan Confederacy tribes with whom the Wynne's had friendly relations.
The earliest known location of the Saponi tribe was an "extensive village site on the banks of the Rivanna in Albemarle County." The Saponi is identical with the Monasukapanough, which appears on John Smith's map as though it were a town of the Monacan, which it may have been. Before 1670, they moved southwest, settling on Otter Creek, when visited by Thomas Batts. Shortly thereafter, they moved to an island in the Roanoke River in present Mecklenburg County, VA in order to escape the Iroquois. For the same reason, they again moved south in 1701 to the Yadkin River in present Salisbury, NC. Soon afterwards they again moved toward the white settlements in Virginia and crossed the Roanoke River before the Tuscarora War of 1711, establishing themselves about 15 miles west of present Windsor in Bertie, NC. A little later, they, along with the Tutelo and a few other tribes, were near Fort Christanna about 10 miles north of the Roanoke River near present Gholsonville in Brunswick County, VA. The name, Sappony Creek in Dinwiddie County, dating to 1733, indicates that they sometimes extended their excursions north of the Nottoway River.
Joshua's will was probated 30 Mar 1715, shortly after his death by his son, Peter. The estate had debts in the amount of £359 and credits of £283. He was in debt to Richard Bland, Col. Edward Hill, Maj. Charles Goodrich and John Hardyman among others. On 30 Mar 1715, a suit was brought against Peter Wynne as administor of the estate of his father.
Joshua Wynne's Signature
Joshua and Mary had children: Peter who married the daughter of Col. Edward Hill and later the widow, Frances Anderson Herbert; Joshua who married Mary Sloman; Robert who married a Hamlin and secondly Sarah Knibb; William who married Frances Read; Francis; Mary who married John Worsham and Margaret who married Edward Goodrich.
His widow, Mary, married William Randolph. She died in 1718 in Henrico Co., VA.

Family/Spouse: Mary Woodlief Jones. Mary was born on 13 May 1668 in , Charles City, Virginia, USA; died on 12 Aug 1718 in , Henrico, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Peter Wynne was born in 1688 in Jordans Parish, Prince George, Virginia, USA; died on 8 Mar 1736 in Bristol Parish, Prince George, Virginia, USA.
2. Mary Wynne was born in 1692 in , Charles City, Virginia, USA; died in 1724 in , Prince George, Virginia, USA.
3. William "Colonel" Wynne was born in 1699 in Monks Creek, Dinwiddie, Virginia, USA; died on 26 Nov 1778 in , Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA; was buried in , Tazewell, Virginia, USA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1670, , , Virginia, USA
• Arrival: 1678, , , Virginia, USA

Notes:

Abstract of The Will of Col. Robert Wynne
Robert Wynn of Jordan's Parish of Charles City County, in Virginia. Dated 1 July, 1675.
To be buried in Jordan's Church as near as possible to my son Robert. My estate in England as follows: To my eldest son Thomas Wynne one farm in White Staple Parish in Kent near Canterbury, and commonly called Linebett Banckes; if he dies, to my son Joshua, and if he dies, to my daughter Wodlief. To my son Thomas two houses in Canterbury in St. Mildreds' Parish in the same form as the said farm. To my youngest son Joshua Wynne one house and oatemeale mill lying in Dover Lane without St. Georges in Canterbury, commonly called the Lilly Pott, and two houses adjoining where a ropemaker and one Rawlins were formerly tenants. Touching my estate in Virginia, to my son Thomas all the cattle of his own mark except one cow called Moll which is to be killed for provisions; to my son Joshua my plantation called Georges withal the tobacco houses; to my daughter Wodlief, one servant of fewer years to serve the next shipping after my decease; to my grandchild and godson young George Wodlief one filly foal. All the rest of my estate in Virginia and England to my wife and executrix Mary Wynne. Overseers: Thomas Grendou, Merchant, and my son-in-law (step-son) Capt. Francis Poythress. Witnesses: Tho. Brome, Jno Burge.

Col. Robert Wynne (1622-1675? 8?) and Mary Frances Sloman [Poythress] (ca. 1618-ca. 1675)Robert Wynne was born 1622 and was baptized at St. Dunstans in Canterbury. He arrived in Virginia in 1651, and had a 600-acre plantation south of the James named "Georges." (12 headrights). He was granted to keep two Indians for service. Mary Frances Sloman was the widow of Francis Poythress and the mother of Francis Poythress (whose son John married Christian Peebles and granddaughter Mary married John Woodlief IV) as well as Jane (m. Thomas Rolfe ca. 1644, son of Pocahontas), Thomas, and John Poythress. Note that two men named John Sloman are among the 12 listed for Robert Wynne's headrights. Robert was Speaker of the House of Burgesses during the Long Parliament, 1662-1674 and lived in Jordans Parish, Charles City County and owned much property in England (5 houses, a farm, and a mill). In his will, dated 7/1/1675, Robert Wynne (who died in 1678) left land in England to eldest son and his plantation to Joshua; he left daughter Woodlief a servant of four years and left grandson and godson George Woodlief one filly foal.
Children:
Robert (died before 1675)
Capt. Thomas (1657-1717), Indian interpreter, m. Agnes Stith: Thomas, Lucy, Mary (m. Nathaniel Malone), Robert m. Mary: Lucretia (m. Joseph Tucker), Martha (m. Matthew Parham), Angelica (m. Wm. Raines), Cornelia (m. Jefferson Raines), Martha (m. Benhamin Bell), Anne (m. Thomas Butler) Information from William Lindsey: (1657, Charles City Co.-1718, Prince George or Surry Co., VA), m. 1)---- and 2)Agnes STITH and had issue: Joseph (m. ----LLEWELLYN), and Sloman (m. Elizabeth STITH) by first spouse; Thomas (m. 1]Ann, d/o Robert BOLLING and Ann STITH, 2]Martha, perhaps widow of his brother Joseph), Robert (m. 1]Martha JEFFERSON, 2]Mary PHILIPSON), Mary (m. Nathaniel MALONE), and Lucy (m. John COX), these by Agnes STITH.
Major Joshua (ca. 1663-1715), Indian interpreter m. Mary Jones: daughter married Thomas Goodrich and inherited "Raceland" in Petersburg (horse breeding plantation) built by his grandfather, Peter Jones; Joshua was killed by the Indians in revenge (after his servant killed one of their "great men"): Joshua, Robert, William, Peter (m. _Hill) Information from William Lindsey: m. Mary, d/o Peter JONES, and had issue: Peter (m. 1]d/o Col. Edward HILL, and 2]Frances ANDERSON HERBERT), Joshua, m. Mary SLOMAN, Robert (m. 1]----HAMLIN and 2]Sarah KNIBB), William (m. Frances READ), Francis, Mary (m. John WORSHAM), and Margaret (m. Edward GOODRICH). For more on this family, see Randy Treadway's site.
Mary (m. John Woodlief)
Peter Wynne (ca. 1593, Canterbury-1638 Kent) and Martha Coppin (1595----, married 12/8/1620)Martha Coppin was the daughter of William Coppin (1563-) and Jane [or Sarah Jenkins?]. William was the son of John Coppin ((ca. 1530-20/5/1581) and Mary Denne. Mary Denne was the daughter of William Denne and Agnes Tufton. Their children were Robert and Sarah.
Robert Wynn (1563-1609) and Frances Wattmer (ca. 1590-1609)They married around 1590. Robert was a woolen draper and later Mayor of Canterbury, 1596-99. They both died from the plague and were buried in St. George's Parish, Canterbury Co, Kent. England.Children were :Thomas Wyne (1592-), m1. Mary Wickham, m2. Ann Nichols, Peter (see above), Elizabeth, Anne, Robert, John Frances Wattmer was the daughter of:
William Wattmer (1535-) and Johanna HartchWilliam was the son of William Watmoughe (1510-) and Margaretta Sparkes

Robert married Mary Frances Sloman on 11 Dec 1653 in Canterbury, Kent, England. Mary was born in 1618 in London, London, England; died on 8 Oct 1675 in , Charles City, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Peter married Martha Coppin on 12 Aug 1620 in Canterbury, Kent, England. Martha was born on 1 Jun 1595 in Canterbury, Kent, England; died in 1638 in Canterbury, Kent, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]