Person:Robert Coleman (33)

Court Records in Virginia (from Coleman¹)

1660s
On May 20, 1663, Robert Colman, Sr., by deed of gift, conveyed to his son, Robert Colman, Jr. "part of my land on the South side of the Appomattox River, I know not the quantity of it." This deed recited that "Robert Colman, Senr" was a resident of "Apamatick" in Charles City County. It was further recited that the "bredth" of the land lay upon the river (Appomattox) between the lands of Robert Burgesse and two marked oaks "which stand at the West end of my now dwelling house." Robert Coleman, Senior, signed this deed by the mark "RE." This was the same mark used by so many other Robert Colemans in later years, including that Robert Coleman who died, one hundred and sixty three years afterwards, in Fairfield County, South Carolina (1795-6). [Charles City Co., 1661-1664, p. 500.]

October 20, 1665. Charles City County Patent Book 5, Page 435. ROBERT COLEMAN, Junior. 450 acres, Charles City County. South of Appomattox River, beginning at head line of land of Robert Coleman, Sr.

1670s
On April 20, 1670, James Thweatte obtained a patent to 600 acres of land in Charles City, Virginia, on the Appomattox River adjacent to land of Robert Coleman, Jr., and on Baylis Creek. [6 VLP, 286.]

On March 15, 1672, Thweatte was granted 550 acres adjacent to his other land and extending to the Black Water. [6 VLP, 447.]

Bailey's Creek flows into the south side of the James River, about a mile below the point where the Appomattox flows into the James. The City of Hopewell, formerly City Point, is at the junction of the Appomattox with the James. The location of these original Coleman lands in America is thus absolutely certain. It was just outside the city limits of Hopewell and about eight miles Northeast of Petersburg, Virginia. This was originally in Charles City County, but since 1702 it has been in Prince George County. Petersburg was not founded until 1733.

1680s
In December, 1688, John Coleman, "the orphan of Robert Coleman, Chose his brother, Robert Coleman to be his guardian." [Chas. City CO, 1687-95, p. 180.] This further confirms the death date of Robert Coleman, Sr. as occurring in 1688.

In December, 1688, Robert Coleman, Jr. is ordered to receive letters of administration on the estate of Warner Coleman. [Chas. City CO. 1688. p. 180] [Note: why he did not carry it out is unknown?]

In September, 1689, Francis Tucker was appointed the Administrator of the Estate of Warner Coleman, deceased [uncle of Francis Coleman]. [Chas. City CO. 1688. p. 242.] Francis Coleman and Jarvis Dix made his bond in the amount of 50,000 pounds of tobacco and the goods and chattels were directed forthwith to be delivered to Francis Tucker. It must be noted that at the same time Robert Tucker had charge of the estate of Robert Coleman, Sr.

1694
In 1694 (Page 555 of the Deed Books), Robert Coleman (Jr.), Robert Tucker, and Elizabeth Tucker, his wife, deeded fifty acres of land to Francis Hobson and the deed recited that David Sanborn sold said fifty acres to Robert Tucker in 1676.

1700s
Robert Coleman, Jr. is not listed in the Prince George County Quit Rent Rolls of 1704, although John Coleman, Francis Coleman, George Coleman, and William Coleman, Jr. are so listed. Yet, an entry in Prince George County Deeds for October 4, 1721 (Page 493) described the lands of John Mayes as bounded on one side by the lands of Robert Coleman.

On November 10, 1717, Robert Coleman, Jr., on his own motion was acquitted from paying the county levy for the future. [Prince George County Order Book, 1714-20, p. 143.] Presumably this would be because of age or infirmity.

By entries at Pages 5, 6, and 11 in the Bristol Parish Vestry and Register Book, we see that on September 17, 1721, William Tucker stated that Robert Coleman "Iys at his house in a very weak, helpless condition & has been so these six months past which proves very changeable & troublesome to the S'd Tucker, tis ordrd that Wm. Tucker take care of the fores'd Robert Coleman & find him such necessities as is convenient and at the laying of the next Levie, the S'd Tucker to bring his account to the Vestry & what is thought just to be allowed from the P'rsh." Significantly, it was further ordered that the Church Wardens inquire how the aforesaid Robert Coleman "gave his estate to Robert Tucker Sr., and upon what terms." Surely, this was the same Robert Tucker mentioned thirty-two years previously, back in September, 1689, when Robert Tucker was Administrator for the Estate of Robert Coleman senior.

Unfortunately, the Bristol Parish Register contains no further report from the Church Wardens, so the reason for giving the estate to Robert Tucker is left clouded in mystery. We do find, however, at Pages 7 and 11 of the Register, that William Tucker was paid 400 pounds of tobacco for keeping Robert Coleman three months, and on another occasion (for which no date is shown) Joseph Tucker was allowed 1400 pound tobacco "on account of Robert Coleman." Thereafter, the Register mentions no further allowance for the benefit of Robert Coleman. No doubt he died, relieving the Parish of further necessity of supporting him.

At least, we make out that prior to 1704 Robert Coleman (the Junior of 1663) had given his estate to Robert Tucker, Sr. in such of the Prince George records as escaped destruction in the Civil War, we can find no deeds of conveyance or will from Robert Coleman, Jr. Most of Prince George County Records were destroyed in the Civil War. If these records were yet available we very likely would be able to find a documentary answer. Sufficient records have survived, however, to give us dependable knowledge of what really happened.

We have already noted that Robert Tucker (Sr.) was the Administrator of the estate of Robert Coleman, Sr., in 1688. In 1680, Robert Tucker patented land on the North side of Blackwater River in what is now Prince George County. [11 VLP 258.] The headwaters of Blackwater are situated only a few miles southeast of Petersburg, and about eight or ten miles South of the James. In 1694 (Page 555 of the Deed Books), Robert Coleman (Jr.), Robert Tucker, and Elizabeth Tucker, his wife, deeded fifty acres of land to Francis Hobson and the deed recited that David Sanborn sold said fifty acres to Robert Tucker in 1676. If the land had been sold to Tucker, as recited, it is difficult to see why it should have been necessary for Robert Coleman (Jr.) to join in the conveyance.

1. ↑ Family Recorded, in Coleman, J. P.. The Robert Coleman family from Virginia to Texas, 1652-1965. (Ackerman, Mississippi: J. P. Coleman, 1965)
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