Capt John Lightfoot

1622 - 1686  (64 years)

• Name	Capt John Lightfoot
  Birth	1622	London, London, England
  Gender	Male
  Death	1686	Surinam, Saint Joseph, Barbados
  Person ID	I19041	Master
  Last Modified	19 Jul 2012

  
  

  Father	John Lightfoot,   b. 9 Apr 1596, St Lawrence Parish, London, England d. 24 Mar 1648, London, London, England (Age 51 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Phillips,   b. 16 Feb 1601, Stepney, London, England d. 24 Dec 1683, , Northamptonshire, England (Age 82 years)
  Family ID	F4783	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Tayloe,   b. 1622, Stepney, London, England d. 1686, , Northamptonshire, England (Age 64 years)
  Children	+ 1. Philip Lightfoot,   b. 1643, London, London, England d. 30 May 1708, , Gloucester, Virginia, USA (Age 65 years) + 2. Colonel John III Lightfoot,   b. 1646, Grays Inn, Middlesex, England d. 28 May 1707, Saint Peter and Paul Parish, New Kent, Virginia, USA (Age 61 years)
  Family ID	F4780	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 1622 - London, London, England Death - 1686 - Surinam, Saint Joseph, Barbados  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Records show that John II followed briefly in his father's footsteps attending both Lincoln College and Gray's Inn Law School (1641-1643). He does not appear to have practiced law for any extensive period leaving the family profession to his younger brothers William and Richard. John II is identified as a Captain of the Royal Navy operating in the waters off Virginia in 1666. His ship was lost in that year. He also commanded the HMS Covertine of London which returned from a voyage to Virginia in 1670. He migrated with his two sons to America shortly therefater. On 10 June 1670, he was appointed Auditor General of Virginia to replace Thomas Stegge who had died in office. English records clearly establish that John II died in the West Indies (Surinam) or the waters therof in 1686. John Lightfoot II is probably the most elusive and mysterious link in the Lightfoot genealogy. His migration to America and profession as a Ship's Captain contributed to that somewhat. In addition, he was occasionally confused with his son John III by some early genealogy researchers. The inability of researchers to identify his wife is particularly vexing and curious. She apparently died young since they produced only two heirs ( John III and Phillip ) and since John II was identified as a "widower" at the time of his death in 1686. The records do show that John II followed briefly in his father's footsteps attending both Lincoln College and Gray's Inn Law School (1641-1643). But he does not appear to have practiced law for any extensive period apparently leaving the profession and family business to his younger brothers William and Richard. He apparently migrated with family ( sons John III and Phillip ) to America shortly thereafter. But his residence there is uncertain. John II is identified as a Captain of the Royal Navy operating in the waters of Virginia in 1666 when he lost his ship, and is also believed to have commanded the "Covertine of London" which returned from a voyage to Virginia in 1670. On 10 June, 1670 he was appointed the Auditor General of Virginia to replace Thomas Stegge who had died in office. In any case English records clearly establish that he died in the West Indies (Surinam) or the water thereof in 1686. His brother William (in England) was subsequently appointed executor of his estate in England to administer the goods etc. of the said deceased during the absence and for the use of the said children ( John III and Phillip ) living in parts beyond the seas (America). His sons would have been in their mid-twenties and presumably beginning their own careers at that time. John Lightfoot married Elizabeth Tailor, daughter of John Tailor of Maidstone, Kent, England. She died before him since he is listed as a widower who died at Surinam in the West Indies. We know that Capt John Lightfoot was in Virginia waters in 1666 when he lost his ship. We also think it is very likely he was the Captain Lightfoot who commanded a merchant ship, The Covertine of London, which had just returned from a voyage to Virginia in June 1670. He was known as the "Honorable" Captain John Lightfoot of Middlesex County, England and he died before 7 Mar 1687 in Surinam, West Indies as War Captain of his Majesty's Ship. A notation found in Herald's Visitation of London, 1687: John Lightfoot a Captain of one of the H.M. Ships, died at Sea: Anno.1682 Aet: Circa 55 years, 1682. He was admitted 18 Feb 1641 into Gray's Inn, aforesaid as the eldest son of John Lightfoot, one of the Fellows. We may assume that he was about nineteen years old at the time since that was the age at which his father was admitted to Gray's Inn.