Individual Details

Margery, or Margaret, has been said to be the daughter of Thomas Henshaw of Basset's Fee in England. Not likely. This Thomas is said to have been admitted to the Inner Temple, London on 23 Nov 1581, at which time he would have had to be a mature man. Married (1) to Jane Wistow, the only daughter & heir of Richard Wistow of London, surgeon to Queen Elizabeth and 2nd to Katharine Gower on 2 Jul 1618, St. Lawrence Pountney Church, London. Katharine was the daughter of Walter Gower of Worester. This same Thomas is said to be living on the Otterdam in Surry Co VA by 1638 when is property is mentioned as being adjacent to Capt. William Brocas. Given that he might have been age 30 in 1581, he would by 1638 be close to age 90 - I suspect we are dealing with two different Thomas Henshaws. There was also no Surry Co until 1652 when it was formed from James City Co. A Thomas Henshaw was granted land in Virginia under the charter of King James I on 23 May 1609, but there was no man by this name in Virginia when the Muster of 1624 was held. It is possible that Margery was the daughter of Thomas Henshaw found on the Otterdam in 1638, but highly unlikely this is Thomas Henshaw of Basset's Fee.
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From CAVALIERS, Vol I
p.83 12 Apr 1638 Capt. William Brocas, Esqr, one of the Council of State. 1621 acres. At a meadow, land belonging to the Mills on the East, running to head of the Otterdams, bounded on West side 2 miles in length, containing 1514 acres. And 107 acres belonging to the Mills, bounded on East side with a Swamp, at the house of THOMAS HENSHAWE. Said land, and 29 acres not yet taken up, due for transport of 33 person.
p.166-167 20 Jun 1646 Joseph Croshaw, 700 acres in Charles River County. Begin at Mill Swamp near lands of Richard Major & John Davis for transport of 14 persons to include THO. HINSHAW. [Of course transport could be claimed many years after the event]

A birthdate of 18 Feb 1614/1615 is given for Margery, which if correct would mean that she certainly was not a daughter of the above Thomas Henshaw & Katharine Gower who did not marry until 1618. It is likely that Margery did not marry John Gilliam until about 1650 - it's highly unlikely that a lady of this era would not marry until she was 35. I suspect she was much younger and not a child of the Thomas Henshaw who married Katherine Gower.

The Mabry website does present further research into the land records, concluding that by 1638, Thomas Henshaw was living north of the James River in Warwick River Co, near the line of Charles River Co. The Gilliam family may have been fairly nearby, because John Giliam Sr. died a few years later in Lower Norfolk Co just across the James River.

There is another possibility. There is said to have been a record of a William Henshaw who came to Virginia in 1635 aboard the same ship as John Thomas Gilliam. Another source shows the same year but that they came on different ships. No additional records of this William have been located.
I did find this:
On 21 Aug 1635, the ship "The George" departed London for Virginia. Jo. Severne, Master. Hotten's Lists, p.124-126 include the following:
Gillam, Jo. age 21
Gillam, Thomas age 18
William Hinshawe, age 20. [The age would make him a contemporary of John Gilliam. John would have married a much younger wife if he married a daughter of this William Hinshaw. Could John Gilliam have married William's widow at some time within the next few years?]

Not only did Elizabeth Gilliam, daughter of John & Margery, have a son named after "Hinshaw" - she also had a Gilliam brother of that name.

John Gilliam died prior to 1761 in Prince George Co VA. Sometime between 1678 and 1681, Margery then married Henry Briggs.

Surry Co VA Deeds, Book II, p.296
5 Sept 1681. Henry Briggs and wife Margery sell to Thos. Blunt, planter, land that was sold to Briggs by Sm. Stinton, late of James City County, who died before acknowledging the sale. Francis Lord married the relict of said Stinton and confirmed by Francis Lord for 150 acres of land.


Henry Briggs died in Surry Co - his will, dated 26 Sep 1681, probated 6 Jul 1686, left property to his sons Henry, Charles, George & Samuel, his "son-in-law" (actually his stepson) Thomas Blunt, his daughter Marie Briggs and his wife Margerie.

By 1688, she had also died.
SURRY CO VA DEEDS 1684-1733 & OTHER COURT PAPERS, by Wm Lindsay Hopkins p.17/53 Surry Co D&WB 4
18 May 1688 Bond of John Gilliam, Francis Mabury of Charles City Co, Hinshea Gilliam, Thomas Blunt and James Jordan as admin of estate of Margery Briggs, dec'd. [Francis was married to Elizabeth Gilliam. Some of the above - at least John, Francis Mabury & Hinshea - were Margery's heirs. Were the other two men husbands of daughters or were they security for the bond?]
Wit: Wm Edwards & Wm Foreman Signed with his signature.
p.19/84 Surry Co DB 4
29 May 1688 Francis Maybury in right of his wife, Elizabeth Maybury, over the estate of Margery Briggs, dec'd. Rec. 20 Oct 1688

Marriage	Bet 1678 and 1781	Henry Briggs
Death	27 May 1688	Surry County, Virginia
Marriage		JOHN Gilliam

Spouse	JOHN Gilliam (1614 - 1673)
Child	ELIZABETH Gilliam (1654 - 1715)
Child	John Gilliam (1665 - 1737)
Child	Charles Gilliam (1664 - )
Child	Henshaw\Hinshiah Gilliam (1666 - )

Spouse

Henry Briggs ( - 1688)