Individual Details

Nov Court 1713
25 Nov 1713. I John Dunkin of Parish of Cople and County of Westmoreland am bound unto Wm. Rochester of the same place. Certain parcel of land, line which divides the land of John Jenkins from that which was bought of Randolph Rich by Peter Dunkin, father to the above named John Dunkin, is the same land mentioned in a deed of sale from John Jenkins to Nicholas Rochester, father of Wm Rochester bearing date the 26th Dec 1689.

William apparently married Phyllis Dunkin, daughter of John Dunkin - and she was the mother of the two sons.

Westmoreland Deed & Will Book
22 June 1716, John Dunkin of Westmoreland Co., planter, being weak in body; to my son Peeter Dunkin that tract of land he now lives on which was left to me by the will of my deceased father Peeter Dunkin, it being by estimation 150 acres which land I allso give to my son Peeter Dunkin . . . ; to my son William Dunkin that tract of land he now lives on which I bought of John Ginkons(?) for 300 acres; if William dies without heirs, his inheritance to go to my son James Dunkin; to my son William all his moveable or personal estate in any wise belonging to the said plantation he now lives on; to my daughters Elizabeth An and Ealis (Alice?) . . . .my grandsons John and William Rochester . . . .my daughter Phillis Rochester . . . . my grandson and granddaughter John and Elizabeth Dunkin the son and daughter of my son James Dunkin . . . .remainder equally divided among my sons Peeter, William and James Dunkin and also my beloved dau. Phillis Rochester and grandson John Dunkin son of Peter Dunkin. Exec. sons Peeter Dunkin and William Dunkin. /s/ John (ID) Dunkin. Wit. Frances Greace, George (CD) Dunkin, James (IS) Scot. Prob. 22 Feb. (ffebruary) 1726. G. Turberville, Clerk

November Court 1713: John Wright, John Wright, smith, Wm. Bayly, John Duncan, Humphry Pope, Sam'll Damouvell . . . George Harrison, sworn and charged . . . . on 25 Nov 1713 at Westmoreland Co., VA. He [who is "he"???? - apparently the above John Dunkin] left a will on 20 Jun 1716 at Westmoreland Co., VA . . . .Son Peter, land left me by my deceased father Peter Dunkin; son William; daus. Elizabeth, Anne and Alice . . . that I John Dunkin of the Parish of Cople and Co. of Westmoreland am held & firmly bound unto Wm. Rochester of the same place . . . .dated this 2nd day of November in the year of our Lord God Anno Domini 1726 ~. . . certain parcel of land . . . . . . .boundeth as follows . . . the line which divides the lane of of John Jenkins from that which was bought of Randolph Rick by Peter Dunkin father to the above named John Dunkin . . . is the same land mentioned in a deed of sale from John Jenkins unto Nicholas Rochester father of the above named Wm. Rochester bearing date the 26th of December 1689 . . . ~ John (his D mark) Dunkins

William Rochester also left a will.
Rochester, William, 23 Oct 1750; 30 Oct. 1750
Four negroes and 100 acres of land to son John; wife Frances and her son Daniel McKenny, two negroes for life; son William, one-third personal estate.
Wills of Westmoreland County, VA, 1654-1800, by Augusta B. Fothergill, GPC, 1973; p.129

In the name of God Amen, this 23rd day of October in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and fifty, I William Rochester of the county of Westmoreland in the parish of Copley being very sick and weak of body but of perfect sense and meaning thanks be Almighty God for the same, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as followeth, That is to say, first and principally I recommend my soul to God who gave it me and my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in such decent manner as my Executors shall think proper. Secondly, my will and desire is that my debts and funeral charges be first paid and discharged and what worldly goods it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I dispose of as followeth (Vizt.) ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son John Rochester the land where he now lives, in Machalock; it being one hundred acres to him and his heirs forever: ITEM, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Francis my two youngest negro boys named Peter and George during her natural life and after decease to fall to her son Daniel McKenney to him and his heirs for ever. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son John Rochester four negroes named Cate, Jenny, Peter, and Sarah to him and his heirs forever. ITEM, My will and desire is that all my moveable estate be equally divided between my loving wife Frances and my son John Rochester and my son William Rochester. ITEM, what ready money I have now by me I desire may maintain the lawsuit now standing between me and William Dunkin in the care of my son Rochester and what money is left after such suit ended, I desire may be divided into three parts too for my son John Rochester and one for my loving wife Francis. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son John Rochester my great blue coat and my new gingham coat and a white Holland Vest and a fine hatt. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son William Rochester my Camblet coat, vest and breeches. ITEM, my will and desire is that my son John Rochester be my Executor and my loving wife Francis be my Executrix, wholely and solely.
Signed, sealed and published to be my last will and testament in presence of us: Thomas Lewis, William Baker, Martha Sane. Recorded 6 November 1750 Signed: William Rochester (Seal)

The book Westmoreland County, VA: Marriage References and Family Relationships, 1653-1800, by F. Edward Wright, Colonial Roots, 2014, is an excellent book in many ways by presenting sources of various family relationship. However, on p.189, he completely missed the fact that William Rochester was married twice - had two sons by Phyllis Dunkin, John & William, then married the widow Frances McKinney late in life, and listed William as two different men.

The house built by William Rochester is on the National Historic Register. Application is here:
http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Westmoreland/096-0087_Rochester_House_1991_Final_Nomination.pdf
"The Rocester family owned the property from 1689 until 1798. English immigrant Nicholas Rochester and his son, William, for whom the house was built, settled in Westmoreland in late 1689. William's grandson, John, resided on the plantation from 1766 until his death in 1794. John was an active and influential resident of Westmoreland County, where he held positions in the militia, the church, and in public office. John's younger brother, Nathaniel, settled in western New York State where he founded the city of Rochester in the early nineteenth century."

Birth	Abt 1680
Death	Oct 1750
Marriage		Frances McKinney

Spouse	Phyllis Dunkin (1680 - 1716)
Child	John Rochester (1708 - 1754)
Child	William Rochester (1710 - 1767)

Spouse

Frances McKinney ( - )

Father

Nicholas Rochester (1640 - 1719)

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