Person:John Hardy (17)

Notes of Caution

• Page is in progress. Records are being assembled sorted out and posted. There is confusion between the families of this John Hardy and his father (supposedly Capt. John Hardy who m. Olive Council). There is a lot of misinformation out there, so proceed with caution.

Find A Grave entry 74219156 says "Recent researchers question whether a John Hardy Jr. existed, as John Bennett Boddie and some other early researchers believed, as all available records appear to refer to the same man." I haven't spotted a journal article supporting this statement, but a look at the data suggests that it makes sense.

The father of Olive was clearly born earlier than 1637, and the John Hardy who married Olive Council appears to be a contemporary of Alice (Tucker) Allen, and thus reasonable to assign as her second husband. The source for the children currently assigned to the John Hardy & Olive Council family seems to be the 1935 book Hardy and Hardie, past and present, which doesn't provide sources for its claims (and was given a lukewarm review in The American Genealogist 54(1978):184 upon its 3rd printing). It is certain that at least some of these supposed children lived in Virginia at the time (for example, there was a George Hardy, named George Hardy Jr in a 1654 will, in the Isle of Wight from at least the 1650's to the 1680's), but there appears to be no evidence to say they were the children of John and Olive.

It is entirely feasible that the John Hardy who married Olive Council had children Olive, Lucy, and Deborah by his first wife, and later married Alice (Tucker) Allen. There is no evidence that any of the other children currently assigned to him were his children, or that there was an additional John Hardy who married Alice (Tucker) Allen.

I plan to merge this John Hardy with the John Hardy who married Olive Council, and delete/remove the children not supported by John's will. If you disagree, please provide a reason/source. Thanks.--DataAnalyst 15:11, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

Land Records in Isle of Wight County, Virginia

1. Jul 1648 - 500a of Land Lyeing on the Easterly side of Lawnes Creek Exte (Source: Land Patents, Isle Of Wight Co., VA - 55 17 Jul 1648 VPB 2 p147 - NOT VERIFIED)
2. 5 Jun 1666 - JOHN HARDIE, 1150 acres, Isle of Wight Co., VA, adjoining Mathew Tomlin's "old land" and Wm. Westwary. (Patent 5, pg. 669 - NOT VERIFIED)
3. 21 Sep 1674 - JOHN HARDIE, 1390 acres, Isle of Wight Co., VA, adjoining Mathew Tomlin's "old land" and Wm. Westray. (Patent 6, pg. 521 - NOT VERIFIED)

Research Notes

Will of John Hardy

[TRANSCRIPT NOT VERIFIED. Source: John Lucas of Eastern North Carolina Descendants and Related Families ]

[Isle of Wight, Virginia, United States. Will Book 2, p 146]

In the name of God Amen, I John Hardy of the Lower Parish in Isle of Wight Co, VA, being sick in body but of perfect memory, praised be Almighty God for the same, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:

Imprimis. I do hereby comit my soul to my God and Savior Jesus Christ through whose merritts I hope to obtain eternal salvation, and my body to be buried in a decent manner.

Secondly. I give and bequeath my dau. Olive, the wife of Giles Driver, a parcel of land in the woods, being a part of a divident lying on the Northwest side of the swamp by the house Eastward to the Procoson running up the side of the Said swamp and running Westerly up along by a branch on the other side of the house to another little branch called the Miory Branch and so extending to the bounds of Matton Comlin's Market, and Wm. West on the other side, being a part of a divident of land I took up by pattent which parcel of land I do hereby freely give unto her and such heirs as she shall be leased to give it to, lawfully begotten of her body and their heirs forever.

Item. I give to my dau. Lucy Councill the wife of Hodges Councill one tract of land on the Southeast of the said Branch or swamp that the former land is joyned unto, extending in its full bounds to the line of Wm. West's and so running up the Pocoson to the said parcel of land. I do freely give and bequeath to her and to any of her heirs lawfully begotten of her body and to theirs forever.

Item. I give my dau. Debora Hardy one parcel of land lying and being about the house, beginning at the swamp formerly spoken of and running down the swamp to Wm. West's line and so along the said line till it comes to Matton Comlin's Cross and so along the said Comlin's line till it meets the land of my said daughter Olive Driver, which said parcel of land with the houses and edifices thereon now standing. I do freely give and bequeath unto her and either of her heirs lawfully begotten of her body and their heirs forever. But in case my said dau. Deborah Hardy should happen to dye without any issue lawfully begotten of her body that then my will is and I do freely give the said tract of land with the houses and edifices aforesaid unto my grandchild Hardy Driver the daughter of Giles Driver and to either of her heirs forever.

Item. My will is and I do hereby ordain and bequeath all the Pocoson that belongs to the devident to be equally divided for the said tracts to find them timber for the furnishing the several plantations thereupon, as occasion shall require, forever.

Item. I give to my son in law Giles Driver one draft brinded (?) ox called Swan.

Item. I give my son in law Hodges Councill a serge suit of my wearing apparall and my Back Sword.

Item. I give my grandchildren, that is to say my daughter Olive Driver's two children, each of them one ewe apiece, with their increase, and to the three children of my dau. Lucy Councill each of them a ewe apiece with their increase to be delivered unto them presently after my decease.

I give and bequeath unto my wife's grandchild John Johnson one cow to be delivered unto him when he comes of the age of seventeen.

I give and bequeath unto my well beloved looking wife Alice Hardy, my debts and funeral expenses being first paid and satisfied, all the rest of my worldly estate of what nature, quality, condition whatsoever, during her life to be at her disposing, and after her decease to be equally divided between my aforesaid three daughters and whom they think fit of their heirs, making her my whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament.

Item. I do give and bequeath to my son in law Robert Burnet my rapidr (?) and bolt, and unto Wm. Mayo all my silver clasps to my breeches and shirt, whom I shall request to see this my last will and testament performed.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 7th day of October 1676.
(signed) John Hardy, Seal
Witnesses: Richard Rennolds, Will Jenkins
Proved by Mr. Rennolds in Court June 9, 1677
Teste: John Bromfield, Clk Ct

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Will Abstract of John Hardy, in William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. (Omohundro Institute)
   Vol 7, No 4 (Apr 1899).

   p 239 -
   Will of John Hardy, of the lower parish, in the Isle of Wight co., in Va.:
   Dau. Olive Driver, wife of Giles Driver,
   dau. Lucy Council, wife of Hodges Councill,
   dau. Deborah Hardy;
   gr. child Hardy Driver, dau. of Giles D.,
   Olive Driver's two children,
   Lucy Councill's 3 children,
   wife's grand child John Johnson;
   wife Alice Hardy,
   son-in-law Robert Burnett;
   to William Mayo all my silver clasps to breeches and shirt.
   Dated 7 Oct., 167-; pr. 9 June, 1677.
   
   Will of Giles Driver:
   Sons Robert, Charles, Giles, John :
   dau. Hardy Driver,
   wife sole exx.
   Dated 29 Dec., 1676; pr. 9 June, 1677
   
   p 233 -
   Power of Alice Hardy, A her mark, of the Isle of Wight County, to her son-in-law Wm Mayo. 1680
   -----
   [20131203 cos1776 Note: abstracts verified correct from WMCQHM. Current theory is that both Robert Burnett at the time of the writing of the Will (1675) and eventually William Mayo were both married to daughters from Alice's previous marriage to Arthur Allen making them actually "step-sons-in-law" of John Hardy.]