Individual Details

On Feb 24, 1685 Mr. John Holt and his wife were fined for not going to church by the Surry County Court. (This may have been rather harsh as she most probably was pregnant.)Listed in the 1687 Cavalry of Surry County, Virginia. In 1703 he petitioned the Legislature to be Keeper of the Ferry settled on James River to Archer's Hope Creek on the north side. Appears on the 1704 Rent Roll for Surry County, VA On November of 1706 the Surry County Court Records state that "John Holt upon his petition is admitted to keep a ferry in Hog Island pursuant to a Law made to that purpose and for his better compliance therewith ordered that he forthwith provide and maintain one substantial flat bottom boat of at least fifteen feet by the keel for carrying over of horses as also one other boat of at least twelve or thirteen feet by keel for passengers with three able men constantly to attend the said service ant that he enter into a bond with good and sufficient security duly to perform the same. In May of 1710 John Holt petitioned the Court and they "exempted him from payment from his bond for keeping a ferry at Hog Island. (Surry County, Virginia Court Records, 1707-1711, Book VIBy 1704 the Holt family would own 2,768 acres in Surry County. Of this, 1,450 acres were controlled by Elizabeth Holt, wife of Randall Holt, Jr.. The remainder was owned by the sons of Randall and Elizabeth..On or about 1707 (or by 22 September 1705) John Holt "laid violent hands upon himself" (suicide), contrary to English Laws, and controversy resulted, as in a suicide the land of the perpetrator reverts to the crown. After much legal hassle John's sons John Jr., Charles, Benjamin, and Joseph attended the hearing. His other son David, had already received a substantial land grant from his grandfather David Crafford prior to David's twenty-first birthday. The deposition of the court read in part: "Having labour'd long under a very great Indisposition of Mind, and at last layd violent hands upon himself", a coroner's jury found that his estate was forfeited as "Felo de Se." Governor Edward Nott having represented the Crown "his Five Surviving Children are fit Objects of Our Mercy and Compassion.". Queen Anne commanded the restoration of his estate to them on 7 Jan. 1705/6. (taken from the book "Adventurers of Purse and Person".

Birth	1664	Hog Island, Surry County, Virginia
Marriage	Abt 1685	Virginia - Angeline Crawford
Death	1707	Suicide - Lawnes Creek Parish, Hogg Island, Surry County, Virginia
Burial		Lawnes Creek Parish Church Cemetery, Surry County, Virginia

Spouse	Angeline Crawford (1665 - 1700)
Child	David Holt Sr. (1685 - 1749)

Father	Major Randall Holt II (1640 - 1679)
Mother	Elizabeth Hansford (1640 - 1709)

Notes