John Tarpley II Family

Only known heir, child with Elizabeth Glasscock
John Tarpley III	b. abt 1695 North Farnham, VA	d. ca 1736 before his father died	1m. Elizabeth Travers (dau. of Samuel Travers and Frances Allerton) 2m. Elizabeth Ripping,(dau. of Edward Ripping)

There are numerous records of all types in the Virginia Colonial Abstract that have John Tarpley listed due to his being the sheriff. Other names that are here are also familiar and connected to the Tarpley family through marriage and friendship.

p. 58 Bond. 1 June 1694. On above. Signed Thomas Freshwater. Witnessed by John Tarpley and Wm Barber junr.

p. 58. Assignment. 13 Aug. 1694. Wm Yates and Elizabeth his wife to Tho Gill all right and title to Deed.
Wit:                                                        signed          Wm Yates
Joseph Dike                                                               Eliz: Yates
Wm Smyth              [Richmond County records, 1692-1704, Deed Book 2]

1701 -"To his Excellency Francis Nicholson Esqr his Maj'ties Lieut and Govern'r Gen'll of Virginia
                           The Humble Pet'n of William Smoote
                           Humbly sheweth that your pet'r haveing behaved himselfe in all Respects a Loyall Subject ought to do notwithstanding Cap't John Tapley high Sheriff of the County of Richmond did come to the house of your pet'r in your pet'rs absence upon the twenty sixth day of March Last past and there under pretence of seizing for publick dues which your pet'r had already paid but having no receipt the said Tarpley did beat your pet'rs wife very much and abuse her after a very Grievous manner and wounded her in several places and threaten her so much that shee is afraid to stay att home in your pet'rs absence and further may itt please your Ex'cy The said Tarply did afterwards breake open a doore of your pet'rs house that was fast nailed and itt was Gods great mercy that said Tarpley had not killed a young Child that was behind the doore your Pet'r have (sic) Applied himselfe to the County Court to for to Come to an Account and further may it please your Ex'cy the said Tarpley have retained all the attorneys that belong to the County Court thinking to Justifie his unlawfull doeings so that your pet'r being a poor man and haveing a great Charge of small Children and haveing no reliefe if not relieved by your Ex'cy therefore your pet'r humbly Implores your Ex'cys Relief and your pet'r as in duty shall every pray for your Exc'es Conservation
                                                               Recordat:   9 die May 1702 Test
                                                                         James Sherlock Cl Cur

p.13
                       May itt please your Ex'cy
                       I have Read the petition of William Smoot agt Capt John Tarpley Sherriff of the County of Richmond and have also Inquired into the Subject matter of the said petition and humbly Conceive that itt may be Expedient for your Ex'cy to referr the same to the County Court of Richm'd with Directions to Examine into the truth of the fact by Evidences upon oath and make returns thereof together with theire Opiniions therein to your Ex'cy to the end that such further proceedings may Be had thereupon as shall be agreeable to Law             Aprill 7th 1702                                     B: Harrison
                                                                           James Sherlock     Cl Cur

p. 13         Virginia Sot
                      Aprill the 7th 1702
I do hereby In his Maj'ties name Will and require to Justices of his Maj'tes County of Richmond to do according to the proposition of M'r Benjamin Harrison his Maj'ties Councill att Law and they are so soone as Possible to send theire proceedings therein to
                                                                                          Fr Nicholson

(editor's note: Just wait one moment. Before the descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Smoot (and there are many) rise in indignation at the treatment of their ancestors - jsut a moment. All this may never have happened at all. It looks very much as though it were one of the old Governor's petty little traps to catch the County Officials. It bears all the hall marks of his technique. First the cooked up disturbance. Then the noble Governor with much noise and damnation to the rescue. The offending officials put out in disgrace, only to be immediately replaced with the Governor's friends, or others of whom he knew why, if we do not. The sham became so eveident and was so universal throughout the colony that the profane old gentleman had to be removed from the Governship by Queen Anne with two or three years of this episode. Personally I would hesitate to shed one single tear, no not envy for the child nailed up in th room to same it's life. B. F. (Beverley Fleet) )

1701, May 28. Bond. Apparently he was not denied the office from the previous document. On this date John Tarpley, as Sheritff of Richmond Co., Dated 28 may 1701 for 100000 lb tobo. (tobacco) Appointment by Gov. Francis Nicholson dated 25th April 1701. signed John Tarpley, Wm Dowman, Wm Colston. Wit: James Suggitt {the name Wm Downman also appears as Wm Dolement in this entry.}

1704. Oct 4th - p. 25 "In obedience to the Within order we the Subscribers have mett (and have the best of our Judgement Layd out an acre of Land) on the within mentioned Land on the south side of the Runn with mentioned beginning att a beach by the swamp side thence down the swamp xx which said acre of land we have Valued to two hundred pounds of tobbo witness our hand s this 30th Day of Octob'r 1704. Will Barber, James Tarplery, October 1704. George Glascock petitions that he might be admitted to build a mill according to above. Also on the same page Capt. John Tarpley ditto.] [Richmond County Misc. Records, Book 1 p. 285]

1707, Sept 20. p. 47. Power of Atty. Jno. Naylor merchant to Capt Wm. Barber of Rd. Co. to collect a/cs. signed Jn'o Naylor. Wit: John Tarpley, Jno Spurstow. Rec. 4 Feb. 1707/8. [Richmond County Misc. Records, Book 1 p. 294]

1711, May - p.67. Richmon Ss In obedience to an order of sd Court bearing date may 2nd 1711 I was ordered that we the subscribers sometime between this and next Court should audit and state all accounts between Mr Thomas Hewlett as Guardian to one of teh Orphans of John Baylis dec'ed and john Jones and Elizabeth his wife in pursuance to which we have audited and stated the said account and find that the said John Jones and Elizabeth his wife stands Indebted unto the said Thomas Hewlett as guardian aforesaid in the smme of five thousand nine hundred and sixteene pounds of tobbo, given under our hands this 23d day of May 1711 John Tarpley Will: Woodbridge". Rec. 13 Aug. 1711. [Richmond County Misc. Records, Book 1 p. 299]

1714 - Anne Glasscock makes her will and leaves several items for her grandchildren and her daughter Anne Tarpley, 2nd or 3rd wife of Capt. John Tarpley.

1715-16 - p. 89. Power of Atty. 24 March 1715-16. Joseph Hincks of the County of Chester, mariner for self and Company of the ship Dalphin {sic] to master William Fantleroy of Richmond Co. to collect debts in Va and Maryland. Signed Joseph Hincks. Wit: Jn'o Tarpley, John Hipkings. Rec. 5 Dec. 1716. [Fleet p. 309]

p. 12. At a Court held 1 June 1715. Present: John Tarpley, John Tayloe, Edward Barrow, William Thornton, Richard Taliaferro, Gent Justices. "Whereas Margarett Richardson was by Warrant of John Tarpley Gent one of the Justices of this Court Com'itted to the County Goal on Suspiton of Murdering her Bastard Chile which by her own Confession she privately buryed and being now brought before his Majesties Justices here present was Examined by the Court as followeth Evidence includes: "Court, Who was the Father of the Chile" "Answ. One John Stanley" "Court. Was you ever marryed to the said Stanley" "Answ. No."[Fleet 326]

1721- The following suit is involved with Mary Carpenter estate, the apparent former Mary Glasscock. I'm not certain what this will means except that it links several families together - Glasscock, Tarpley, Barber, Griffin, Hipkins and Woodbridge. Mary (Glasscock) Carpenter apparently had a brother, Thomas, and two sisters, Anne Tarpley and Alice Griffin. Others mentioned here are apparently neices, nephews, and brothers and sisters-in-law.

1736 - John Tarpley (III) dies. His will is settled in 1745 dividing his estate among his children. He had five sons, John Tarpley (IV) (the oldest)Tertius Quintus (died before his father), 1738, Nov. 23 - John Tarpley(II) makes his will. His son, John Tarpley (III) has preceeded his father in death in 1736. Notes from Jenean Ray:

       In the name of god amen I John Tarpley of the County of Richmond & parish of North Farnham being Sick in body but of Perfect Sense & Memory do Constitute & Declare this to be my last Will & Testament in Manner of form following...

Imprimis:
       I give & Commit My Soul to Almighty god in whom and by those Merrits of Jesus My Savior, I trust & belief assuredly to Go Saved and my body to the Earth to Go Decently Buried at the Discretion of My Executors Hereafter Named...

Item: I leave my Well beloved wife Ann Tarpley [should be Ann Glascock] the use of these following Negroes Viz. Long Tom, His Daughter Mall, Bassaw, Noll, Will, George, Hannibal, Cato, Charles and Betty for & during her Natural Life in Lieu of her Dower of Negroes and the house wench black Nan during my said wife's life, and after her decease it is my will & desire the said house wench do make Choice of my grandson John Tarpley my grandson Travers Tarpley & My grandson James Tarpley which she shall think fit for her Master.

Item: I give to my said wife the Feather Bed & furniture she now lies on and her Choice of one other of My Beds & furniture (my own Excepted) one third part of all my Household Furniture that is not heretofore by Me given away.

Item: I give my said Wife my Horse Whale[?] Gone and one of My young horses when Broke during Her Natural Life.

Item: I give to My grandson, James Tarpley the Two Negroes George & Betty before given to my Wife after mys.d [my said] Wife's decease.

Item: I give My little Negro Eve, to my grandson Travers Tarpley's eldest Daughter Betty. [Betty was born 28 July 1738]

Item: I give to my grandson Tertius Quintus Tarpley My Negroes Anthony & Franklin.

Item: I give to My youngest grandson John Tarpley the Negro Boy Charles, Before given to My Wife after my said Wife's decease and a Negro girl Named Judy. [He may mean the youngest grandson named John, the son of Elizabeth Ripping.- note of John Norwood]

Item: I give to my grandson Travers Tarpley my Mill Called & Known by the name of the New Mill standing on Constable's Run at the Head of Farnham brook Together with the Land and all other the[?] Appurtenances thereto Belonging to him & heirs forever.

Item: It is my will and pleasure that all the Negroes given to my wife and after her Decease not given to my other grandsons be equally divided between my two grandsons Trav.s [Travers] & John Tarpley & Heirs forever.

Item: It is my Will that my said Wife shou.d live in My dwelling House with My grandson John Tarpley during Her Widowhood or otherwise if she She'd think fit it is my Will that she have my Plantation at the Head of the Moratico, which I got of M.rs Lawson, During Her Natural Life with all the Stocks of Cattle and Hoggs thereto belonging.

Item: I give to My grandson John Tarpley the Plantation whereon I now Live with all the Appurtenances thereto belonging to Him and the Male heir of His Body Lawfully begotten, and for want of Such to His Eldest Daughter & the Heirs Male of Her Body Lawfully to be begotten and for want of such Heir to My grandson James Tarpley & the Heirs Male of His Body Lawfully to be Begotten and for Want of Such Heir to My grandson John Tarpley.j.r [Jr.] and the Male Heirs of His Body lawfully to be Begotten & so on to the World's End. [John Tarpley was born to John and Ann Tarpley 13 Dec. 1738 about two months after this will was written. John Tarpley (1660 - 1739) had no great grandson when the will was written.]

Item: I give all the Rest of the Residue of My Estate both Real & Personal to My grandson John Tarpley & his Heirs forever.

Item: It is My Will & Desire that all & Singular the goods & Chattles given to My Wife, and it is my True Intent & Meaning that the Same be in Lieu of Her Dower.

Item: It is My Will & Desire that my Estate be not be appraised but Inventoried by My Executors, and Divided by Col. Charles Grymes & Capt. Leroy Griffin. A last of all, I do appoint &Constitute My two grandsons Travers & John Tarpley whole & Sole Executors of this My last Will & Testament In Testimony whereof Have Here unto Sett My Hand of Seal this 23d Day of November 1738.

Tests Thos Bluett
       Eleanor Bluett
       Rebecca Covington(?)
                            At a Court Held for Richmond County the                  Seventh Day of May 1739

       This Will was proved in Open Court by the oaths of Thomas Bluet one of the Witnesses thereto, who also Deposed that He See the other Two Witnesses Subscribe the Same which at the Motion of John Tarpley one of the Executors was Admitted to Record.
                            Test M. Beckwith ?

       At a Court held for Richmond County the first Day of October 1739 -
This will was proved in open Court by the oaths of Eleanor Bluett and Rebecca Covington Two of the witnesses thereto. [John Norwood posting on Genforum, March 12, 2005]

I have always suspected a connection to the story of the Burton Church Bell in Williamstown. The James Tarpley of my line are related as cousins. It seems the donated bell, known as the Plantation Bell, to the Bruton Parish church in Williamsburg, Virginia was given by James Tarpley "a prominent merchant of Williamsburg," who "was the son of John Tarpley, of Williamsburng and Elizabeth Ripping, of York county, and grandson of Colonel John Tarpley, of Richmond county, and Anne Glasscock, his wife". [Tyler 336]

The record of Bruton Parish Church, by Rev. William Archer Rutherfoord Goodwin, D. D. LL. D. , page 16, states: