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Facts and Events
WINF: Y
Notes for WINFREY:
"The first Winfrey's in America were French Huguenots. An excerpt from the autobiography of William Powhatan Winfree, Dec. 6, 1920, states, 'My Winfree progenitors were refugees from France after the St. Bartholomew Massacre under the reign of Queen Catherine De Medici.' (Note: They obviously didn't come to America immediately after 1572, but most likely went to England first, perhaps for a generation or two). The autobiography continues: 'They settled at Bartholomew Springs, Powhatan Co., VA, about 30 miles from Richmond. My great grandfather, John Winfree, and my grandfather, Woodson Winfree, lived to old age and died and buried near Bartholomew Springs.'
The two most common spellings today are Winfree and Winfrey, but one also notices Winifree, Wimphrey and other versions in the records. The name Winfree/Winfrey is an Anglo-Saxon name, meaning 'A friend in peace'.
The immigrant ancestor to America has not been determined. We begin to find positive records on the family in the Virginia records, commencing with William Winfree, 1636, William Winfrey, 1651, Henry Winfrey, 1676. Charles, Jacob and John Winfree (or Winfrey) were living in New Kent Co., VA in 1688 and perhaps earlier. A William Winfrey who lived in Chesterfield Co., VA, could have been a fourth brother as he was related. A John Winfrey and wife, Sarah, came from England and left a will in 1697, Norfolk Co., VA. Two Johns, two Jacobs; and two Charles Winfreys had children but to whom each belonged has not been determined. Sixteen Winfree/Winfrey men served in the War for Independence from the Colony of Virginia." ("The Batchelor-Williams Families and Related Lines", by Lyle K. Williams, 1976)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Donald Leroy Winfrey. Ancestry Chart of James Oscar Winfrey. (E-mail from Don Winfrey with Ancestry Chart attached, 22 Mar 2006).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Donald Leroy Winfrey. William Winfrey (Winifrett) Research. (E-Mail from Don Winfrey, 22 Apr 2006, FGS attached).
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