Nathaniel Ragland

Notes:

Evidence strongly indicates that he was the eldest son of Thomas Ragland and Jane Morgan of St. Decuman's parish, Somerset, England, and that he was born in that parish in 1656.

In 1670, Evan Ragland, from Somerset, arrived in Virginia. He was 14 years old, and with his cousin John Davis had been abducted (shanghaied) from the dock of the port town of Watchet in Somerset, a common practice at the time. The Raglands lived in Stogumber and St. Decuman's parish near Watchet, and the boys had taken a stroll on the dock.

English sources estimate that between 1640 and 1680 up to 100,000 children may have been kidnapped in Britain and sold to the highest bidders in America. This is a surprisingly high figure but it's stated that in periods when the British were reluctant to emigrate, captains of ships bound for the colonies would simply kidnap children for sale on their arrival. Protests and increased interest in voluntary emigration brought the practice to an end around 1679, in which year a captain was hung for kidnapping an eleven year old boy.

In Virginia Evan was sold as an indentured laborer (slave) to Stephen Pettus. After five to seven years, due to his superior education, Evan was able to buy his freedom. He married Susannah Pettus, his former master's daughter, inheriting the 500-acre plantation and acquiring wealth.

Stephen Pettus was a moderately wealthy planter living along the Chickahominy River in New Kent county, Virginia. Although unrecorded, the marriage of Evan Ragland to the daughter of Stephen Pettus probably took place around the year 1680. From 1689 when Evan Ragland first appears in the vestry minutes of St. Peter's parish, New Kent county, until his death, his name appears at irregular intervals in the rent rolls of New Kent and the vestry minutes and register of St. Peter's. These records, aside from the patent records, are the only documents which have survived from this period. The last known mention of Evan Ragland is a simple notation in the register, "Evan Raglan Departed this Life may ye 30th, 1717." Although the records tell very little about his life a few "facts" can be established and certian assumptions made which shed some light on his activities and condition.

He does not appear to have acquired any additional land in New Kent beyond the 500 acres inherited from his father-in-law and already in his possession in 1689. While he and his sons obviously worked their own plantation the register revels that he owned slaves, although in what number is not known. Nowhere in the records was he accorded the title of "gentleman" nor does it appear that he ever served on the vestry board or in any important county office. These facts would seem to infer that socially he was of the "middle class." The death of his wife is not recorded in the register; however he is known to have left at least four sons and a daughter.

Evan married Susanna Pettus in 1680 in Saint Peter and Paul Parish, New Kent, Virginia, USA. Susanna (daughter of Stephen Pettus and Katherine Morris) was born in 1656 in Saint Peter and Paul Parish, New Kent, Virginia, USA; died on 30 May 1717 in Saint Peter and Paul Parish, New Kent, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Thomas Ragland of St. Decuman's par., Somerset, was the eldest son of Thomas Ragland and Marie Ingram. He was born in Stogumber parish, Somerset in 1628 and inherited a farm from his father in St. Decuman's parish. In 1654 Thomas married Jane Morgan, daughter of Evan ap James Morgan of Barry, South Wales According to the parish records he died in St. Decuman's in 1684. Thomas Ragland and Jane Morgan had six children.

Thomas married Jane Morgan in 1654 in , , Somerset, England. Jane was born in 1628 in Blarry, South, Wales; died in 1728 in , , Somerset, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Marie Ingram. Marie was born in 1605 in , , Somerset, England; died in 1633 in Somerset, Wales. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Alice Kingsonn in 1564 in , , Somerset, England. Alice was born in 1543 in St Decumans Parish, Somerset, England; died in 1640 in , , Somerset, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]