Individual Details

This is what has been found about William Walters of Brunwsick, Lunenburg, Halifax Counties in Virginia:

The Scottish error:
William said to have come from Scotland between 1733-1736 to what would become Halifax Co VA. Parents said to be Archibald Walters & Elizabeth Aittken. Marriage record and baptisms of children found in South Lieth, Midlothian, Scotland.
Email of November 2002 from Bill Walters states the following:
"My name is William J. Walters of the lineage you have posted as being Scottish. I was researching our family roots in Scotland and found some disturbing information on this Wm Watters/Elizabeth Robertson family. I found Elizabeth's grave in a small town outside of Leith, Midlothian, Scotland. The town is called Restalrig. It has a small church w/ graveyard and Elizabeth's' tombstone is very well intact for it's age. It reads: "Her Lyes Elizabeth Robertson the wife of William Watters who died 6 Mar 1734 at the age of 32 Also four of her sons are buried with her James, Thomas, William, Last is Unreadable. Also Elizabeth Galloway the second wife of William Watters". at the bottom of the tombstone there is a "John Waters" The Parish Records show that William Watters went on to marry a third time to a Margaret Petrie. They had a son in Leith in 1736. This information will show that the William Walters father of our Thomas Walters was not this Scotsman."
"I was the one who found the parents of William Watters in Leith, Scotland in 1998. Archibald his father was the Newton Parish Clerk in Midlothian and kept very good records of his family. William Watters and Elizabeth Robertson were married in the Newton Parish Church, and not in Liberton. They had their "Marriage Bonds" read in Liberton prior to their marriage in Newton Parish. Elizabeth's father Rev. John Robertson was the Rector of the Liberton Parish. "Marriage Bonds" was a formal declaration to her home parish to make sure she was not already married to someone else.
I met a genealogest/historian by the name of Mr. Arthur in Leith, Scotland on my summer vacation, and we scoured the graveyards there to find more clues to this William Watters. We didn't find anything in Leith so we walked to a small town nearby called Restalrig (He wanted to show me the small chapel there) and that is where we stumbled across Elizabeth Robertson's headstone. I was not prepared for this type of a find!! I sat down in front of the tombstone in the wet grass and just shook my head. I am sorry we are not connected to this family, but I am glad we are getting the facts right. "
So the "Scottish connection" is an error. It was significant to me that in all cases this surname was spelled WATTERS in South Leith, but generally found as WALTERS in Brunswick/Halifax VA. Of course this also means that the christenings of the sons John, Archibald, William, James, Thomas, and at least two later Johns cannot be the baptisms of children of William Walters found in Brunswick Co VA



THE VESTRY BOOK AND REGISTER OF BRISTOL PARISH, VIRGINIA 1720-1789
Transcribed & published by Churchill Gibson Chamberlayne; Richmond, VA. Privately Printed. 1898.
p.386 Tho. Son of Wm and Eliz. Walter Born 16th Janr 1727.
and
p.340
Vadrey s. of Wm and Susana Macbie Born 23 Decemr 1734 Bapt 19 Apr 1735.

Brunswick Co Road Orders; 1730-46; by Pawlett [sent by email from Bill Walters]
p.12; 7 Feb 1733 It is ordered that William Walters & Joseph Dunmon with their tyths be added to Maclins Order.
Brunswick Co VA Court Orders 1732-1737
p.152 William Walters & Elizabeth his wife acknowledge deed to Drury Stith, Gent. [see deed and her release of dower below]
p.136 Samuel Holmes appointed overseer of road from Meherrin River near Walters to the Long Branch [land sold to Stith was on the Meherrin R]
p.12 6 Oct 1732 County Levy Court. Elizabeth Walters was paid a sum.
p.76 6 Dec 1732 William Walters was paid a sum by the county court.
p.111 4 Sep 1735 Joseph Dunmon & William Walters added to William Hogan's order.

BRUNSWICK CO VIRGINIA DEED BOOKS; VOL 1 1732-1745; Abstracted by Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr.
175 (216) Will of James Voughn written 12 May 1735; Probate 3 Jul 1735. Witnesses were William Maclin, James Mize and William Walters.
263 (313) 7 Apr 1737. [Same deed as following.] Elizabeth the wife of sd William Walters was examined. Proved 17 Apr 1737. Drury Stith CC

Land Transactions of William Walters:
William Walters [b. ??? - died c. 1762/3 Halifax Co VA]

Tract South of the Meherrin River 1730s

BRUNSWICK Co, VA, DB 1, p.313
Indenture made the 7th day of April, 1737, between William
Walters of St. Andrews Parish and Drury Stith, Gentleman, for 20
pounds, conveying 224 acres on South side of Maherrin River.
Signed: William (W) Walters
Witnesses were M. Cadet Young, Willm. Jones, and Cornelius Cargill.
7 Apr 1737 William Acknowledged and Elizabeth, his wife, relinquished dower.
William signed with his double W.

The above was purchased from Thomas Alistair after Sept 1728 and probably before 1732.
Prior to 1732, Brunswick records were kept in Prince George Co. The Prince George deeds after 1728 were destroyed in the Civil War.
Brunswick formed from Prince George circa 1720.

BRUNSWICK DB 3, p.182
Indenture made the 1st day of May, 1746 (MDCCXXVI), between Drury
Stith and James Parish and William Maclin, for 20 pounds,
conveying 224 acres on South side of Maherrin River, tract
formerly granted to Thomas Alister by Letters of Patent bearing
date of September 28, 1728 (MDCCXXVII) and conveyed from the said
Thomas Alister to William Walters to Drury Stith, Sr. Witnesses
were M. Cadet Young and Moses Dunkley. Acknowledged in Court by

VA Land Patent to Thomas Alester is in PB 14, p.90, and was for 224 acres in Brunswick Co on the S. side of the Maherrin River. Dated 28 Sep 1728.


800 Acres, Brunswick Co, 1740s

VA Land Patents
30 Jul 1742 William Walters, Brunswick Co. 400 acres South side Staunton River. Begin at Corner on the said River; to a Fork of Priss's Creek; down the Meanders of the River. Patent Book 20, p.355
25 Jul 1745 William Walters, Brunswick Co. 400 acres South side Staunton. Begin at John Nashes corner on the River, along his line, to his corner Gum; also follows the meanders of the River so was actually bordering the River. Patent Book 25, p.127

The above was mortgaged:
LUNENBURG CO VA DB 1, p.64-70 17 Feb 1745/46. Indenture between William Walters & William Maclin, Sterling Clack, James Parish all of Brunswick Co whereby at the special request of sd William Walters the others became liable for payment of several sums with interest computed at 5% from 15 Oct 1744 to Henry Embry, gent and to the said James Parish. Also at the request of sd William Walters, William Maclin, James Parish & Sterling Clack became answerable to the Sherrif for the appearance of William Walters at the the Capitol in Williamsburg on the 1st day of the next general Court then and there to answer William Russell on a plea of trespass upon damage of 100£ [deed continues but was not all copied by Mervin Walters] The above to be secured by land where Walters now lives, 400 acres, and also the tract containing 400 acres on South side Staunton R. Signed: William [W] Walters. Wit: John Clack, Wm Eldridge, John Thornton. Rec. 1 Sep 1746
William signed with the double W.



Entries from Drury Stiths Land Entry Book.
Entries are performed for the purpose of having the land surveyed and then patented. They may be sold or transferred or simply voided. It is not certain that a person who entered land ever actually lived on it or patented it.

p.85 Nov 1748 John Cobbs 400 acres on Priseys Crk beg. On Wm Waters's line thence up both sides the sd Crk. [Note that one of Walters' Patents above did mention Priss's Crk]
p.129 12 Aug 1752 Abraham Tally 400 acres adj Russels, Walters & Wm Walter's lines on the branches of Tobies Crk
p.129 12 Aug 1752 Will. Weatherford 400 acres on lower Double Crk beg at Will. Walters lower line thence down.

4. Jul 1759 John Cobb patent for 380 acres. In Halifax Co on Pr___s Creek. Begin Walters line on a corner red oak; crossing two branches; pointers on Walters line; crossing both forks of the Creek.
PB 33, p.586
Did not find patent for Tally; Weatherford patents in Lunenburg Co after Halifax formed


Property Lines From An Old Survey Book
Halifax Co VA 1741-1901
Roger C. Dodson
A survey is the second step in obtaining a patent. It may be transferred or sold. Some of the surveys in the book did indicate transfers.

p.16-C William Warters 5 Mar 1752 175 R [Halifax Survey Book 1, p.175, right hand side]
400 acres draughts of Double Crs. Bounded on George Carter, Thomas Walters, William Russell, Timothy Stamps, Jeremiah Villeto
Tfd. To Joseph Terry 10 May 1764
[map shows this also near the headwaters of Toby Creek, Lower Double Creek, near Pitty/Halifax line]
On the same page: William Weatherford 5 Mar 1752. 400 acres branches Tobies Crk. Tfd to Ralph Griffin on 26 Feb 1765.
William Russell 29 Nov 1750 400 a brs. of Toby Cr & Double Cr and another 400 acres br. Tobys Crk


p.20-I Does not show William Walters as being near John Cobbs, in the extreme NE corner of Halifax where I believe Prisss/Prices Creek was.
John Cobbs, Surv 10 Oct 1749, 380 Acres branches Prices Cr.
Next to John Cobbs on two sides:
John Waters 26 Nov 1757 275 acres branches Swan Crk
John Walters 2 Oct 1747 250 acres Swan Crk
And just a survey away is:
Thomas Waters 24 Apr 1780 314 acres brs. Stanton R & Swan Crk
Another land owner in this area mentioned with various surveys of John/Thomas is John Coles:
Maj. John Coles, decd Order of Council bordered the 250 acres tract of John Walters, the land of Mary Coles, his widow, was also next to John Walters. Maj. Coles also had 300 acres joining his Order of Council surv 16 Apr 1748



Possible Conclusions:

William Walters owned 224 acres on the Meherrin River in what was then Brunswick. He likely bought this land between 1728 after which year the deeds of Brunswick being kept in Prince George were lost and before 1732 when Brunswick begin to keep its own records. Walters sold this tract to Drury Stith in May of 1737.

He then took out patents, 1742 & 1745 on land South of the Staunton R, probably NE corner of what is today Halifax Co. Patenting was a lengthy process and he may have lived in this location for several years - he could in fact have been there since he sold out in Brunswick Co. He was forced to mortgage these tracts in early 1746. It is possible that he was never able to perfect these grants and may not have done the necessary cultivation and the land reverted to the King. The land may have been sold by the gentlemen holding the mortgage. It may have been sold by William Walters himself and we have never found the deeds of sale. This appears to be land near that of John Cobbs on Priss/Price Creek.
Both John Walters and Thomas Walters will enter and survey land in this same area. [Theirs could not be the exact land as that of William Walters unless it had reverted back and was no longer shown as belonging to anyone, since John & Thomas made entries.] Johns deeds of sale after he had gone to Kentucky appear to be some of this same land of his. I think Thomas likely did not ever live here - he may not have kept the land or used it for rental. John also entered land in the Birches Crk area near Robert but I dont think he ever lived there - perhaps further research in the deeds will eventually tell us more. Maybe the brothers looked after each other's investments.

Although not found in the Entry Book, William had 400 acres surveyed on Double Creek in May of 1752. This survey was near his son Thomas, as well as William Russell who had sued William Walters back in 1746. This survey was transferred to Joseph Terry in 1764, after the death of William - apparently William had never applied for the patent, but in all probability he lived on the land in the meantime. [Remember this: a settler did not owe tax on this land until it was patented - good reason for foot-dragging.] This explains why he was near enough to Thomas for the Parish to pay Thomas for keeping William in his last illness and burying him. Robert Walters appears on another page of the Surveys, living next to his father-in-law William McBee. His survey for 285 acres was on 18 Apr 1747. He was some East of the land of Thomas & William but not all that far. Given that John was in the extreme NE corner of the county some distance away, may explain why Thomas & Robert were given the care of the children of William Walters. They were simply near.


Later miscellaneous records of William Walters:

HALIFAX CO VA PLEA BOOK:
14/162 17 Jul 1753 William WATERS set levy free. [No explanation; perhaps age?]
90/360 1754 William WALTERS served on a jury for the case of Robert Wade Jr vs. Robert and Peter Hudson, executors of Peter Hudson, dec'd.

VESTRY BOOK OF ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY, VA 1752-1817
16 Jul 1753 Waters set Levy free.
On the Motion of William Waters and for Reasons appearing to this Vestry he is Exempted from the payment of Parish Levy's for the future. [probably now age 60]
28 Nov 1761 Antrim Parish made Dr. [debit, paid]
To Thos. Walters for takeing care of his father Wm. Walters 1000# [tobacco]
[And on the same day]
Ordered that Thomas Walters do keep his father & Provide for him and that he be allowed at laying the next Parish Levie two Thousand pounds Tobacco.
16 Feb 1763 Antrim Parish made Dr
To Thomas Walters for Maintaining William "Waters" for four months and burying him.

Four of William Walters' children were adopted out to Thomas and Robert Walters (Waters). Halifax County, Virginia, Orphans/Bound Children 1760-62 (part 1), March Court 1760: "Ordered that the Churchwardens of Antrim Parish do bind Elisabeth and Walter, children of William Waters, to Thomas Waters & William and Ruth, two other children of said William, to Robert Waters."
This does not say that William Walters was deceased. Possibly wife Elizabeth had died [her last record was in 1737 in Brunswick Co] and William was not able either because of age or disability to care for the children, who could have been any age up to 21.


William Walters' wife was named Elizabeth as evidenced by some of the early records. Her maiden name is unknown.

His proved children are Thomas, the son who provided his care as evidenced by the Antrim Parish Records. And the four children place in the care of Thomas & Robert Walters – Elizabeth, Walter, William, and Ruth. There were probably two other sons, the Robert named as put in charge of William and Ruth, as well as the John Walters who appears to have lived on part of the 800 acres patented by William Walters in the extreme northeast corner of Halifax County.



VESTRY BOOK OF ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY, VA 1752-1817
The Vestry minutes also contain the following processioning order:
16 Feb 1763
Walters Hogan & Cornelius to Procession.
Pursuant to an order of the County Court of Halifax bearing date the 18th day of Augt. last past for this vestery to appoint Processioners according to law where upon it is ordered that Robert Walters, Thomas Walters, James Hogan & William Cornelius Procession all the Pattent Land in the following bounds. Beginning at Sandy Creek bridge thence up the Creek to Harriss Road down the River to the Cuntry [county] line thence down the line Cain Creek thence up Cain Creek to Wynne Road thence down the Road to Terrys Ferry Road thence along the same to the Beginning place and that they begin the said work by the last day of December & Return to the Vestery by the last day of March Ensuing an account of every persons land they shall procession and the Persons present at the same and what land in the said Bounds they failed to procession & the reason of such failure.

Death	1762/63	Halifax County, Virginia
Marriage		Elizabeth [Walters]

Spouse	Elizabeth [Walters] ( - 1761)
Child	John Walters ( - )
Child	THOMAS WALTERS (1727 - 1796)
Child	Robert Walters ( - 1793)
Child	Elizabeth Walters ( - )
Child	Walter Walters ( - )
Child	William Walters ( - )
Child	Ruth Walters ( - )