Two Esdras Theodore Edzard Sr. sons appear to have lived into
adulthood, or at least until 1762 (1762 will identifies two Edzard sons). These sons were Esdras Theodore Edzard Jr.
and James Edzard. They were born in England. Esdras Theodore Edzard Jr. was baptized in
Norfolk County, England and the date and location of James Edzard’s birth is
unknown. Their father left for the
America colonies in 1726 and, as previously discussed, the boys likely remained
in England. In 1734, their father died
and left an estate in Maryland. The probate
(there was no will) mentioned that he had no children in Maryland which
certainly indicated his family’s location in England.
Another question that is unanswered is whether Esdras
Theodore Edzard Jr. and James Edzard shared the same mother. Esdras Theodore Edzard Jr. was the son of
Esdras Theodore Edzard Sr. and Elizabeth (unknown surname). We do for sure know that James Edzard was the
son of Esdras Theodore Edzard Sr. (Esdras Theodore Edzard Jr. will of 1762). Esdras Theodore Edzard Jr. names “Isable Odle”
as his mother in his 1762 will and since she was still alive, she must have
also been James Edzard’s mother (if James Edzard has a different mother, Esdras
Theodore Edzard Jr.’s mother would have been deceased). Rebecca and Mary were also named as sisters
but to whom they belonged is unknown.
James Edzard was probably born between 1719 and 1726
(because his father left England in 1726).
He was presumed to have grown up in Norfolk County, England. Between 1734 and 1754, James Edzard arrived
in America (probably closer to 1754 since there are no records prior to 1754). The first positive identification of James
Edzard in America was when he appeared in Overwharton Parish, Stafford County,
Virginia Colony in 1754 – James Edzard would have been about 30 to 35 years of
age. His wife was Eleanor Grinnan and
they were married on 25 November 1754.
Exactly nine months to the day after their marriage their son Esdras
Edzard was baptized, also in Overwharton Parish, Stafford County. He was likely born some time shortly before
his baptism.
No land records have been found for James Edzard but he is
known to have owned land in Stafford County and Orange County, Virginia
(Virginia General Assembly record, 1789).
If he had stayed in Stafford County, records for his remaining children
would have been recorded. They were not
and so James Edzard may have moved. The
likely location of his movement was to King George County but he also may have
been in Orange County or Culpeper County, Virginia.
Virginia County boundaries from 1754 to 1765
James Edzard had at least two sons who were born between
1756 and 1764. Son James Edzard Jr. was
born between 1756 and 1759 (first child Esdras Edzard born in 1755 and James
Edzard Jr. mustered into Revolutionary War service in 1777 and could not have
been less than 18 at that time).
Sometime soon after James Edzard Jr.’s birth (or during childbirth), his
first wife Eleanor Grinnan-Edzard died (likely between 1756 and 1760). James Edzard Sr. then married Margaret
(unknown surname, called “Peggy”).
Together, they had at least one son whose name was William Edzard, born
1760 to 1764.
From court records in King George County, James Edzard Sr.
died about 1764 (or possibly 1763 since records are from 1764). This death year would have made James Edzard
Sr. only about 40 to 45 years of age. He
did not have a will and therefore died intestate (Virginia General Assembly
record, 1789). His estate inventory was
admitted to the King George County court in 1764 (some histories state
1767). Also in 1764, a guardianship bond
was recorded in King George Fiduciary Accounts and widow Peggy Edzard
petitioned for administrator’s bond in King George County Fiduciary Accounts
(these records have not been seen, only an index).
From a later record, James Edzard Jr. appeared to have been
placed under the guardianship of Daniel Grinnan (likely Eleanor Grinnan’s
brother) after his father’s death (his mother Eleanor Grinnan-Edzard was
already deceased). James Edzard Jr. was probably
raised in Culpeper County, Virginia Colony with the Daniel Grinnan family
(family histories place Daniel Grinnan in Culpeper County). William Edzard’s guardian was to be James
Saffarly (spelled this way in record, may have been Saffery; District Court
Records, City of Fredericksburg, 1790, CR-CV-V, 673-131). This man was obviously connected to James
Edzard Sr.’s second wife Peggy, possibly a brother or father (which would mean
Peggy’s surname was Saffery or an alternate spelling. No record of son Esdras Edzard is found and he
may have died young.
NOTE: A connection between the Edzard and Saffery surnames
can be found in England around this time.
A 1747 Larling, Norfolk County, England sale and purchase agreement reveals
the surnames Edzard and Saffery (and one other). In another Larling, Norfolk County, England
record, a property description mentions surnames Edzard and Saffery on a deed
(probably a land description). The date
for this record was 1767 to 1816.
Neither of these records have been seen in their entirety.
How James Edzard Sr.’s assets were divided after his death
is unknown. Widow Peggy Edzard may have
retained use of her husband’s land though at some point, eldest son James
Edzard Jr. claimed title to his father’s land.
NOTE: records indicate that James Edzard Jr. was owner of his father’s
land (1789). In 1776, young James Edzard
Jr. was an officer in a Revolutionary War company. Land holdings led to officer positions. The ownership of James Edzard Sr.’s land by
his second born son James Edzard Sr. is further indication that oldest born son
Esdras Edzard had died young (at least before 1777). Apparently some of the land James Edzard Sr.
owned was a part of Peggy’s dower. Peggy
Edzard may have remarried, causing her husband’s land to come under the ownership
of James Edzard Jr. She was alive in
1789 (Virginia General Assembly record, 1789) and died at an unknown date and
location.
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