Person:Henry Culpepper (1)

Biography*: Henry Culpepper (Culpeper / Colepeper) is probably an ancestor of most American Culpeppers. He may have been the son of John Culpeper (born 1606), who was the son of John Culpeper of Feckenham and Ursula Woodcock, but this is far from being proven. While there is some evidence to suggest that the name of Henry's father was John, it has not been possible to prove that this John was the one just mentioned. But he seems to be a good candidate, since he was the right age to have been Henry's father, was known to have been abroad from England, and belonged to a family with other connections in Virginia.

It has also been suggested that Henry might have been a son of Thomas Culpeper (1602? -- 1652?), son of John Culpeper of Feckenham and Ursula Woodcock. Although several of Thomas's children are known from baptismal records in England, one cannot necessarily conclude that the list of known children is a complete list, since neither Thomas nor his wife left a will.

It is also possible that Henry might be related to Sir Edward Culpeper, Knight, who signed the Third Virginia Charter in 1612.

Or that Henry was the Henry Colepeper baptised in Westminster Parish, at Saint Margaret's Church, London, England, 20 Feb 1632, the son of William Colepeper. William Colepeper was probably from some branch of the Bedgebury Colepepers. Col. Thomas Colepeper of the Bedgebury family was buried at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, London, in 1708. The given names used in the Bedgebury branch of the family are similar to the names used in early Virginia, such as Henry, James, Thomas, William, Elizabeth, Mary, and so forth.

Whatever his ancestry might have been, Henry was probably born in England, perhaps around 1633, and came to Virginia as a young man, in May 1653 or prior. One cannot be certain of the exact date of his arrival, as Henry apparently paid for his own voyage, and then sold his claim to 50 acres of land (his headright) to Captain Nathaniel Hurd. He might have arrived some time prior to selling his headright, perhaps even years earlier. There is no evidence that Henry paid for his voyage by becoming an indentured servant to Captain Hurd. Only five years later (1658) Henry is mentioned as a Planter, and so seems to have been someone of means.

On 7 Dec 1658, "Henry Colepepper, Planter" sold a cow in Lancaster Co., VA ("Virginia County Court Records: Deed & Will Abstracts of Lancaster County, Virginia, 1654-1661"] p. 94). The fact that Henry was listed as a "Planter" indicates that he had chosen to make Virginia his home, that he owned land, and that he was apparently making a living raising cattle. Exactly what land he owned, where, and how and when he acquired it, has not been determined. A check of early Lancaster County tithable records does not reveal anyone named Culpeper, Culpepper, or Colepeper. This does not mean that Henry did not live in Lancaster County, just that he was not taxed for being a property owner.

On 14 Sep 1659, a "John Colepeper" was also noted in Lancaster Co., VA deed records witnessing a deed which set parish boundaries. ("Virginia County Court Records: Deed & Will Abstracts of Lancaster County, Virginia, 1661-1702"] p. 88 (recorded 9 May 1660 p. 374))

This same document is also referenced in Beverly Fleet's "Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 1, Lancaster County, Record Book No. 2, 1654 - 1666. John Colepeper served "as a witness to a meeting of the parishoners of Lancaster Parish and Pieankitank for the final ordering of all differences betwixt the 2 parishes concerning the bounds of the sd parishes should be and extend according to an order of the County Court bearing date 10th day of Sept 1657." This meeting was recorded on 20 May 1660.

The area of discussion at the meeting is the part of Lancaster County across the Rappahannock River in what is now Middlesex County. Middlesex County was formed from Lancaster County in 1673. The Pianketank River (just mentioned) divides present Middlesex County from Mathews County. The records of Mathews County were burned during the Civil War, but Middlesex County, on the other hand, has excellent records, including the Christ Church Parish records. The Middlesex records are probably too late to be of much use.

Lancaster County records have survived, for the most part, from the beginning of the county in 1652, and should be studied further. Lancaster County, at the tip of the Northern Neck, was a home base of the Northern Neck Proprietary. Bill Russell has suggested that Thomas Culpeper, son of John of Feckenham, may also have lived in the Lancaster County area from 1649 until his death in 1652. For most of this time the area would have been in Northumberland County, the parent county of Lancaster County. Thomas was one-seventh proprietor of the Northern Neck under the charter of 1649.

A Henry Culpeper and a John Culpeper were both listed as "Shippers by the Defence," which was bound from London for New England 10 May 1664 - 30 June 1664. Also mentioned was Sir William Peake, who was perhaps the Sir William Peake who was Lord Mayor of London a few years later, in 1667. ["The Complete Book of Emigrants 1661-1699"], p. 64 by Peter Wilson Coldham, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc].

It is difficult to say which John Culpeper this might have been, who was traveling with Henry. There were as many as three Johns in Virginia and neighboring Albemarle, NC, about this time: John (born 1606), John (born 1633, son of Thomas and Katherine), and John (born 1640's, of Albemarle). But it doesn't necessarily matter which John it was, as all three may have been related, and this record seems to connect Henry to this branch of the family, which is the descendants of John Culpepper of Feckenham (born 1565) and and his wife Ursula Woodcock.

No record has been found of Henry's marriage to Elizabeth. But evidence suggests that her maiden name was probably Greene.

By 1667 or prior, Henry had moved to Lower Norfolk County, VA. The following is what we have been able to glean about him from the early Lower Norfolk deed records.

1667 -- Deed Bk E, p 25. Henry Culpepper from Thomas Fulcher

1668 -- Deed Bk E, p 24a. Henry Culpepper for payment of 355 pounds of tobacco.

The following is only the last part of the copy of a document pertaining to the estate of Richard Russell contained in The Lower Norfolk County Virginia Antiquary, Peter Smith, NY, 1951, Vol. 4, pp. 112-113.

"Wee the Sub-Scribrs being by ordr of Lower Norfolk County Court ordered to Appraizer the Estate of Richard Russell decd have accordinly to the best of Or Judgmts appraized Soe much as was Shewed to us to ye Som of Seaventeen thousand Eight hundred & Sixty pnds of Toba & Caske whereunto wee have Sett or hands this 7th April 1668

This is a true Inventory of my husband Richard Russells Estate to the best of my Knowledge

     Signm
     Anne Russell Wm WA Andrews
     Wm Green
     Jno Lownes
     Henry H Culpeper

An cco of debts due to the Estate Mr ffrancis Sayer, by bill 1638 Jno White by bill 1650 Batt. Ingobritson by bill 2600

     ____

Batts bill 4 barrell Ind Meale 5888

Juriat in Cur 16th Jany 1668 Test Jno Okeham Cl Cur

(The editor noted that the WA in the name Andrews and the H in the name Culpeper were their marks)

1.   The text on this page and the ancestral linkage was copyrighted in 1998 by Culpepper Connections (Warren Culpepper and Lew Griffin) and has been copied to this page by an unknown person without permission and without attribution. Please know that Culpepper Connections is in a continual process of updating and revising its content and theories and the current content on this page is out of date.