The Virginia magazine of history and biography (Volume 21) online

GENEALOGY



THE EMPEROUR FAMILY OF LOWER NORFOLK.
(By G. Andrews Moriarity, Jr., A. M., Boston, Mass.)

One of the most prominent families of Lower Norfolk county
during the 17th century, was that of Emperour, and, although it has
long been extinct in the male line, its blood, transmitted through
females, still flows in the veins of many prominent Virginians and
the name still survives as a given one among many of the old
families of Norfolk and Princess Ann.

The original name appears to have been De Keyser and its first
members in England were Dutchmen, who, driven out of the Low
Countries at the time of the Spanish rule, settled in the Walloon
Colony that flourished in Norwich in the 16th century. The Norwich
records state that "Guilielmus De Keyser, lanificus, cum uxore et
sex pueris, quorum unus hie natus est, et cum ancilla, ex Brabantia
hue venit anno 1561." In 1567 a John de Keyser came to Norwich
from Flanders and in the town records the name is called "de
Keyser anglice Emperour." The records of the Dutch Church at
Norwick baund with references to the De Keyser, Lempereur and
Emperour family, as the name is variously spelled. In 1584, a
Francis Emperour, "from the dominions of the King of Spain," is
noted as living in Norwich; and in 1653 a Francis Emperour, a
tobacco merchant, was residing there.

With regard to the Virginia family the late E. W. James, Esq.,
collected considerable data, concerning its members, in his admirable
publication, "The Lower Norfolk Antiquary," but further investiga-
tion upon my part revealed so much new data, including very
valuable information which I discovered at Barbados that I have
decided to throw my notes into a regular pedigree form, as follows:

I 1. Emperour.

Probably of Norwich England; and perhaps the son of the Francis
Emperour, who was in Norwich in 1584, as having recently arrived
from the dominions of the King of Spain. lie had at least four
children:

2. Elizabeth married Horbin of Barbados.

3. Sarah married 1st Edward Oistin of Christ Church Barbados
and 2ndly William Leigh or Lee.



418 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

4. Capt. Francis of Lower Norfolk Va.

5. John of St. Michael's Barbados.

II 2. Elizabeth Emperour, probably born in England. Married
Horbin of Barbados, probably the brother of Joseph



Horbin of St. Michaels parish, a rich Barbadian planter, who owned
estates in Jamaica and South Carolina and whose wife was related to
the Seabury family in New England.

Elizabeth Horbin removed to Princess Anne County Virginia
and made her will there on 30 December 1693, proved 4 November
1696. She calls herself "late of Barbados, but now of Princess
Ann Co. Virginia." She bequeathes to her cousin Elizabeth Ramsden
daughter of "my sister Sarah Lee in Barbados" and to my cousins
Elizabeth and William Ramsden, children of my cousin Mrs. Eliza-
beth Ramsden ; • to my loving cousin, Mr. Francis Emperour, and
his son, Francis; to my loving cousin Mrs. Sarah Emperour, wife of
my cousin Francis Emperour; to my loving friend and kinsman
Mr. Tully Robinson and makes my loving cousin Mrs. Sarah Em-
perour my executrix. She states that her Barbadian property is
in the hands of Thomas Shearman and Joseph Hough at Barbados.

II 3. Sarah Emperour married, at Christ Church parish, Barbados,
on 1 March 1659, Edward Oistin gent., son of Edward Oistin, gen-
tleman of Christ Church parish, an early magistrate there in 1629.
Oistin's Town and Oistin's Bay, in Christ Church parish, derive
their name from this family, whose estates lay in the South West
part of the parish on the coast. Edward Oistin died in 1669 and
she married secondly William Leigh at St. John's parish, Barbados,
on 3 August 1670.

Issue by her first husband:

6. Elizabeth married 1st Henry Ramsden of Christ Church Barba-
dos and 2ndly Miles James of Christ Church about 1701.

7. Edward.

8. Sarah married her cousin, Francis Tully Emperour, of Lower
Norfolk, Va., on 25 September 1679, at Christ Church, Barbados.

II 4. Captain Francis Emperour. Born about 1628, died 1662.
of Lower Norfolk Co. Va. He appears to have come to Virginia about
1650 and on the 20 Jafluary 1650, Thomas Marsh gave him a
Power of Attorney. On 15 September 1652 he was given a certificate
for 300 acres for the transportation of himself, Mary Emperour,
Charles Emperour and others into the Colony. On 15 August 1661
he was granted land for the importation of Elizabeth and William
Emperour and Marcus Tully, while on 21 November 1673 his widow,
Mary, received land for the importation of herself, Capt. Francis
Emperour, William Emperour, Elizabeth Emperour, Markus Tuly
and Wanny, a negro.



GENEALOGY. 419

Capt. Francis Emperour settled on the Eastern Branch of the
Elizabeth River in Lynnhaven Parish in Lower Norfolk and was
a prominent Merchant and Master Mariner there, while he also
owned a large landed estate. He was a Commissioner for Lower
Norfolk County from 15 October 1652 to 15 February 1659 and on 21
December 1652 was sworn in as High Sheriff of the County. He
appears to have belonged to the Puritan party then very strong in
Lower Norfolk and Nansemond Counties and negotiated, as is shown
by certain documents, on file at Portsmouth and dated 19 November
1656, with "Mr. Moore, Minister of God in New England [Long
Island], when he was last at ye Mannadus" [i. e Manhattan],
concerning his coming to Virginia. On 25 November 1655 he signed
a letter to Capt. Thomas Willoughby relative to the procuring of
a Puritan minister for Lynnhaven.

The records of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, show that in July
1656 he was at Boston, probably on a voyage; for, on 15 July 1656,
he translated certain Dutch documents from New Amsterdam, for
the use of the Massachusetts Court, in the case of Gerardy vs. Kilvert;
thus confirming the fact that the family was of Dutch origin. On
17 November 1656 he sued Daniel Lane, of Salem, "Mr. of the
Ketch Dolphin," in the Lower Norfolk Court, for damage done his
goods on a voyage from Boston to Virginia (evidently his return
trip, after his stay in Boston, during the summer of 1656). He
states that the ketch sprang a leak off Nantasket and that they had
to put into Plymouth to refit. In this deposition he calls himself
"aged about 28 years." On 15 November, 1658 his voyage to the
Indies is mentioned. These entries make it certain that he was
a merchant of Puritan tendencies, who traded with New Amsterdam,
New England and the West Indies.

Besides the offices already referred to he was Surveyor and Col-
lector of the Western Shore of Lynhaven on 1 November 1653 and
Collector for both the Eastern and Western Shores and for Little
Creek on 19 November 1656. His Inventory was taken on 14 June
1662 and I cannot but consider it very significant that his tenure of
public office ceased in 1659, just at the close of the Puritan rule
in England.

His wife, Mary Emperour, was beyond all doubt a Tully of the
Eastern Shore family of that name. Two of their sons were called
Francis Tully and Tully Emperour, respectively, and Mary Em-
perour calls Tully Robinson her nephew. Mary Emperour, like the
Oistins in Barbados, was a Quaker and was frequently fined for
attending Quaker meetings. Her will, dated 20 April 1676. proved
3 July 1676, mentions her sons Francis, William and Tully Emperour,
her daughter Elizabeth Phillips and her three cousins [nephew
and neices] Tully, Elizabeth and Mary Robinson.



420 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

Issue:
9. Francis afterwards Francis Tully.

10. Tully.

11. William.

12. Elizabeth married Phillips.

13. (?) Charles probably a son. Alive 15 September 1652; prob-
ably died without issue before 20 April 1676.

II 5. John Emperour of St. Michael's parish [i. e. Bridgetown]
Barbados. He is mentioned, on 15 December 1657, by his brother
Capt. Francis Emperour in a case before the Lower Norfolk Court,
where he states the amount of sugar dispensed by him at Barbados
for meat for a ship in which Capt. Francis was part owner. Among
the Barbadian deeds at Bridgetown I found one of 4 August 1656,
wherein Lieut. Benjamin Reade of Barbados conveyed to Mr. John
Emperour of the same Island, his interest in four new servants, etc.,
together with 4,945 lbs. of good well cured muscovado sugar. This
is all I have been able to find about him. He must however have
been married and had issue, at least, two children; for there is no
other place to fit in Thomas and Martha Emperour of Bridgetown,
Barbados, except as his children. I therefore assume that he had



14. Thomas of St. Michael's.

15. Martha married at St. Michaels Cathedral Bridgetown on 22
June 1673 Thomas Farle.

Ill 9. Francis Emperour, gentleman, later called Francis Tully
Emperour of Lower Norfolk and Princess Ann Counties, Virginia,
and Christ Church parish, Barbados. Francis Tully Emperour v/as
born probably about 1655 and resided principally in Lynnhaven
parish. He was a Justice of Princess Ann in 1691-93. He appears
to have been a large planter and merchant and his title of "gentle-
man" indicates his position in the County. His place, which he later
sold to the trustees of Thomas Walke's estate became famous as
"Fairfield," the seat of the Walke family in Princess Ann County.
His large estates in Virginia lay in Lynnhaven parish, but he also
acquired, by marriage, extensive estates in Christ Church parish
Barbados. He appears to have resided both in Virginia and in Barba-
dos, but chiefly in the former colony. In 1696 the Princess Ann Court
found him to be temporarily deranged. His will, on file at Princess
Ann, is dated 26 May 1698, proved 20 July 1711. He leaves all his
property to his son, Francis, and, in the event of his death, all his
estates in Virginia were to go to the children of Tully Emperour
and his estates in Barbados to the children of Henry Ramsden by
Elizabeth Oistin. All the executors were gentlemen in Barbados.
(To be Concluded)



GENEALOGY. 421

THE TURNER FAMILY OF KING GEORGE COUNTY, &c.
(Continued)

25. Henky Smith" Turner, born at "Marengo," April 1st, 1811,
died Dec. 16, 1881; graduated .at West Point, 1834, promoted to Cap-
tain U. S. A. 1838, Brevet Major for gallantry in battles in California
and was wounded at San Pasqual; resigned 1848; settled in St. Louis,
Mo., and was a member of the House of Representatives of that
State 1859. He married Julia M. Hunt.

Issue: 71. Thomas Theodore'^ (of whom later); 72. Harry Bur-
gwyn', died in infancy; 73. Wilson P. Hunt', killed at the second
battle of Manassas, aged eighteen; 74. Julia' married William Hill
Lee, of St. Louis; 75. Henry Stephen', died in infancy; 76. William
Fitzhugh', died in infancy; 77. Charles Hunt", (of whom later);
78. Ann Eliza, died in childhood; 79. William Moffett', died aged
fifteen; 79. James Lucas' (of whom later); 80. Theodosia Hunt,
died in infancy; 81. Ann Theodosia, died unmarried, aged 27; 82.
Eliza Randolph, married George M. Paschall; 83. Henry Victor',
married Ada Semple Ames, and had a daughter Eliza Semple'; 84.
Mary Delphine', married (1st) Col. Edward M. Heyl U. S. A.; and
(2d) Col. Charles H. Heyl U. S. A.; 85. Wilson Pelham Hoxton
(of whom later) ; 86. Sara Virginia', married Dr. John H. Bryan.

30. Edward Carter" Turner, born at "Cloverland," Oct. 6, 1816,
married (1st) Sarah, daughter of Bradshaw Beverley, of Fauquier
County; (2d) Mary Lee, daughter of Robt Randolph Jr, of "Eastern
View," Fauquier, and sister of Rt Rev. A. M. Randolph.

Issue: (1st m.) 87. Rose Skinker, married Bradshaw Beverley;
88. Thomas Baynton', died without issue; 89. Jeanne, married Ed-
ward Carter; 90. Charles', died without issue; 91. Robert Fauntle-
roy', married first, Mary West Corse (and had issue Margaretta
Fitzhugh', and Edward Shirley') and secondly, Pocahontas Meredith
(and had Mary Boiling') ; 02. Edward Carter*, married Nannie
Carter (and had issue Richard Carter', Edward Carter' and Robert
Fauntleroy); 93. Mary Beverley, married Edward Turner; 94. Eliza
Randolph, married Jacqline Marshall; 95. Nathaniel Laughborough*,
married Lucy Green and had issue Nathan L'.

36. Carolinus" Turner, of "Bell Grove," King George County;
married Susan, daughter of Henry Rose, of Alexandria. Carolinus
Turner left "Bell Grove" to two of his daughters and it was sold
some years ago.

Issue: 96. George*, of "Nanzattico," married McGuire of

Feredericksburg; 97. Caroline, married, 1876, Dr. Jett;

98. Rohse, married, 1881, Judge Frederick C. S. Hunter, of King
George Court House; 99. Augusta, married, 1881, Robt. Robb; 100.
Alice, married George B. Matthews, of Washington, D. C.
(To be Continued)



422 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

THE ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS OF JOHN ROLFE WITH
NOTICES OF SOME CONNECTED FAMILIES

ROLLING OF YORKSHIRE AND LONDON
(Continued)
Tristram Boiling, the eldest son of Robert Boiling, the attainted
possessor of Boiling Hall, married Beatrix, daughter of Sir Walter
Calverley, of Calverley. He was a man of great courage, and was
most loyal to the Lancastrian party, so much so that he appears to
have idolized Henry VI. In his behalf he fought alongside his father
at Towton, but, being young, escaped further consequences than the
disastrous defeat of his party. He died at Chellow, near Manningham,
leaving an heiress, Rosamund, who had become the wife of Sir
Richard Tempest, of Bracewell. We give a copy of his will on
account of its quaintness of spelling and the information it con-
tains : —

Will of Tristram Boiling, of Chellow.

April 7, 1502. Proved August 2.

'I, Tristram Boiling, of Chellow, to be buryd in the high quere
of my parish church of Bradforth, and I bequeath in honour of my
mortuary my best horse wt. sadyll & brydll, jake, salet, bowe and
harnes, sword and bockler, as I went to the warr. I bequeath unto
the aulter of Synt Kateryn afore the image of King Henry the vj.
one vestment with albe preist iijs. iiijd. To one priest for saying
for my saule xxs. and li. wax to be brend upon my sepulture, and
iiijd. for the wast of every torch brynnyng about my body the day
of my buryall. To every man beyryng me to the church iiijd. I
will yt all my manners, lands &c., being my inheritance after the
decease of Robert Boiling my fader or any other tytU of right here-
after remayne after my decease unto Richard Tempest and Rosa-
munde my doghter and wyff unto the said Richard and to ther
heyrs forever mor. I will that my wyff Elyne during her lyve have
a yearly rent for her thirds out of my said maners, &c. To my son
Edward Boiling all my lands purchased in the toun of Bradford
except a messe. and one tenement lying beside the parich chirch,
which I will remayn unto Thos. Tempest, son of Richard Tempest
aforesaid. To the said Thos. Tempest one messe som tyme in the
holdynge of Alison Dyn-Gurd. To John Tempest, son unto ye said
Richard Tempest, one tenement called Rowley and one tenement in
Thornton beside Bradford newly bylded. I wyll that Edwd. Robert-
shaw take half a coile pytt at Clayton dewring one yere, and my
wyff the other half, and then the said coile pytt to remayne to the
foresaid Rich. Tempest and hys wyff. I order as executors Nicholas
Tempest, Edward Bollynge, and Cudberd Lenthrope, my son Richard
Tempest being superviseare.




Thk Boi.iiNc; AR.Mi



N'i'R.'itivt property of

U. P. Cook Photourapher

Riihnionil, V;i.



GENEALOGY. 423

GifFen at Chellow. Pro. 3 June, 1502.'

The estates of Tristram Boiling comprised the manors of Boil-
ing and Thornton, and lands in Little Boiling, Bradford, Clayton,
Allerton, Wilsden, Hainworth, Horton, and Denholme. He thus left
the bulk of his property to his daughter Rosemund, wife of Sir
Richard Tempest, although he had a son, Edward, by his second
wife, who succeeded him in the Chellow estates, which comprised
the manor of Chellow, and a substantial residence.

THE BOLLINGS OF CHELLOW.

Although by the marriage of Rosamund, the daughter and heiress
of Tristram Boiling, to Sir Richard Tempest, the ancient family
estates left the main branch of the Boiling family, it is evident
that the line was carried on at Chellow. Chellow is a hamlet of the
township of Heaton, and was a separate manor at the time of the
Domesday Survey. The Boilings continued at Chellow for a very
long period; Edward Boiling, the son of Tristram (father of Rosa-
mund), succeeding his father there, he in turn being succeeded
by his son Tristram.

The last of this branch of the Boilings in the male line was Wil-
liam Boiling, to whose memory a monument was erected in the
Bradford Parish Church. He was living at Chellow in 1698, but
appears to have removed to a little farmstead called the "Temple",
at the top of Crow Tree Lane, Manningham, which was also his
property, leaving Chellow Grange to his son John. William Boiling
married in 1688, Mary Lister, of Frizinghall, and died in 1730,
leaving a brother Edward and a sister Mary. His own son, John,
died in 1729, a year before his father. He rebuilt the old house at
Chellow, and inserted on a stone the record — I. B. 1720. Another
stone contained the initials W. B. and the date 1689."

It appears from a list made in the time of Henry VHI, that "Dame
Rosamund Tempest, late Wiffe of Sir Ric. Tempest, Knyght," had
in her household Edward, and Godfray Bollyng, who came both
equipped with "horse and harnes" (armor)

Dame Rosamund's relations with her half-brother Edward Boi-
ling, of Chellow, are somewhat ob'scure. From a deed pole dated one
year after the death of her husband, Rosamund makes over to him
property in Wilsden, as follows.
"31 Henry VJll, June 20

Rosamund Tempest, relict of Sir Rich. Tempest, Kt. gives to
Edward Bollyng, of Chellowe, one messuage, with buildings and
appurtenances, in Wylsden; and lands &c, called Wytham, in the
township of Allerton, abutting on the Hardyng Becke or Hardes
Broke on the South and North, on Cottingley Park on the east, and



424 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

on the high road from Bradford to Keighley on the west. To pay
one red rose in the time of roses should it be demanded.

Witness — Thos Bollynge,

Randolph Wilmait,
Laurence Rotds"

This property was afterwards confirmed to Tristram, son of Edward
Boiling.

One member of the Boiling family mentioned by Cudworth may be
noted. On November 12, 1494, William Boiling one of the Barons
of the Exchequer granted to Sir Richard Tempest, the remainder
of a lease of the corn and fulling mills at Bradford.

Boiling Hall is the most interesting relic of a past age in the
immediate vicinity of Bradford. Dr. Whitaker thus describes it.
"The Hall is a large majestic looking building with a centre and
two deep wings to the North, and has been built at different periods.
The South front opening to the garden is terminated by two square
towers of considerable but uncertain antiquity. The rest, I think,
may be safely assigned to the Tempests, in the reign of Elizabeth.
Within the towers are two deeply emb windows, and between them
the hall, which has one vast window of many square headed lights.
It is about thirty feet long and has a plain plaster ceiling which
probably covers a fine oaken roof." Ascending the oak stair case,
admission is gained to the "Ghost Chamber" which occupies the
Western bay, and here, it is said, the redoubtable ghost appeared
which struck terror into the heart of the Earl of New Castle the
royalist commander during the siege of Bradford and caused him to
forego his intention of putting the town to the sack. * * * The
chief feature of interest in the room, however, is the mantle piece,
which is of carved oak reaching to the full height of the room. It
is supported by two fluted columns, which support a canopy orna-
mented with oak & vine leaves, and contains two portraits painted
on panels, said to be those of Lady Rosamond the last of the
Boilings of Boiling and her husband Sir Richard Tempest. In
the work which has been quoted at such length are views of Boiling
Hall and of the mantelpiece and portraits.

Mr. Cudworth speaks of the Virginia Boilings, who descend from
a branch of the family, which had settled in London, as being now
the representatives of the ancient family of Boiling, of Boiling Hall.

The "Visitation of London," 1633-34, contains the following pedi-
gree of Boiling.



GENEALOGY. 425

Tristram BoUyng of Bradford in Com. Yorke



I

Edward Bollyng of Bradford in=Magdelene da. of Gabriell Greene
Com. Yorke, sonne and heir ( in Horsforth Com, Yorke

I — '

Robert Bollyng of London, Sadler^ Anne da. Tho. Clarke of
and Silk Throwster, now living 1633 I London

i i'" 1 \

2. Edward 1 John Bollyng eldest sonne 3. Thomas Annis
The arms which accompany the pedigree are the same of those of
the Virginia Boilings.

Following is a copy of the will of the Robert Boiling, of London,
who was living in 1633 and signed the pedigree. We are indebted
to Mr. Lothrop Withington for the copy. There can be no doubt that
Robert Boiling, the emigrant to Virginia was a son of John Boiling,
"eldest Sonne." An examination of the registers of All Hallows Bark-
ing would doubtless confirm this. And a thorough examination of
Yorkshire records might furnish proof as to the exact place in the
pedigree of the Boilings of Boiling Hall, of the Tristram Boiling of
the visitation pedigree.

In the name of God Amen, the Fift day of September Anno
Domini One thousand six hundred thirtie nyne and in the Fif-
teenth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the
grace of Gode Kinge of England Scotlande France and Ireland de-
fender of the Faith I Robert Bowlinge of the parish of Alhallowes
Barking Cittizen and Throwster of London, being att the present
sicke and weake in body, but of good and perfect minde and mem-
orie praised bee Allmightie God therefore Doe make and declare
this my present Testament conteyning therein my last will in
manner and forme following (that is to say) First and princi-
pally I recommend my soule into the handes of Almightie God my
mercifuU Father and Jesus Christ his onely sonne my blessed Sa-
viour and Mediator by whose pretious death, merittes and inter-
cession alone I trust and firmely beleeve to receave a full and free
pardon and forgivenes of all my sinnes, and life everlasting, my
body I comitt to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in
desent and christian manner In the parish Church of Allhallows
aforesaid. And my will and minde is that all such debts I shall
owe att the tyme of my death to any person or persons whatsoever
whether of right or conscience shalbe iustlie and truelle paid by
my Executrix hereafter named with the most convenient speede
that may bee And after my Debts and funerall charges paid and
deducted That small estate that the lorde in mercle hath lent ynto
me. I doe devide order and dispose according to the ancient and
laudable Custome of the said Cittie of London whereof I am a



426 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

Freeman Into three iust and equall partes whereof one full thirde
parte I give leave and bequeath vnto my deare and loveing wife
Anne Bowling as of right and according to the saide Custome
belonging to her; one other thirde parte thereof I leave and be-
queath vnto and amongst my children John, Edward, Thomas, and
Anne Bowlinge, to be equallie and indiiferentlie parted and devided
amongst them. The other thirde parte commonlie called and by
the said custome reputed the testators parte I doe give, bequeath,
order and dispose in manner and forme following (that is to say)
First I will and devise that my said wife Anne Bowlinge shall
have and enioy to her owne proper vse forever Twoe of my five
throwing milles wth all instrumentes and implemtes therevnto
respectively belonging And allsoe the other three Milles during
the tyme that my said sonn Edward shall have to serve mee by
his Indentures of Apprenticehood And the said three Milles with
all ymplementes tooles and appurten'nces to them respectively be-
longing I doe give and bequeath vnto the said Edward Bowling
willing my said wife to deliver the same unto him att the end of
the said apprenticehood. Item I give and bequeath vnto the said
Edward as a special legacie in regarde to his paines and indistrie
in my affaires the some of Fiftie poundes of lawfull money of
England. Item I give and bequeath vnto my eldest sonne John
Bowling and vnto my sonne Thomas Bowling Five and Twentie
pounds apeece of like money. Item I give and bequeath vnto my
loving daughter Anne Bowling the some of one Hundred pounds
of like money Item I give and bequeath vnto my sister Beatrix
Creswell Five poundes and vnto her husband Thomas Creswell