Capt. Henry Isham

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First Reading

David Quidnunc  •  Link

(c. 1593-1668)

Henry Isham was the brother of Edward Mountagu's stepmother, Ann, who married Sidney Mountagu in 1644.

He lived most of his life in the Canary Islands and in Portugal. By 1657, when he was about 64, he was serving under Mountagu, probably as a volunteer in the navy.

-- Latham & Matthews edition of the diary, Companion volume (10).

Emilio  •  Link

He's a figure who often turns up in Pepys's 1660 voyage. It's not clear which ship he captained, though - perhaps the Swiftsure, which is where Pepys and Montagu both stayed until the flagship, the Naseby, was ready.

David Ross McIrvine  •  Link

Captain Henry Isham and the FFV

Isham's daughter Mary was to marry into one of the most powerful Virginia families--the Randolphs: this makes Captain Henry Isham the ancestor of some of the most important people in colonial and Commonwealth Virginia. Here is data on Captain Henry Isham from a genealogy page.

http://www.americancarroll.com/ht…

Capt. Henry ISHAM was born 1593 in London, Northampshire, , England. He died 1668 in Bermuda Hundred, , Virginia. Henry married Catherine BANKS.

Catherine BANKS was born 1593 in Canterbury, Kent, Canterbury Prov., England. She died 1 Dec 1686 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia. Catherine married Capt. Henry ISHAM.

Other marriages:

ROYALL, Joseph

They had the following children:

F i Mary Royall ISHAM was born 1659 and died 1735.
M ii
Henry ISHAM.
F iii
Anne ISHAM.

Gary Stella  •  Link

Henry Ishams wife, Catherine Banks, in my mind, is one of the most fascinating, yet unknown, of early Americans. If my initial research is correct, she is a great grandmother to both Thomas Jefferson, and his wife Martha Wayles (through the Eppes line). The interconnection through marriages of cousins by the early Virginians has come as a great surprise to me.

Russell Kimmerly  •  Link

If Henry is your ancestor you have made a royal flush.
Burke's Presidential Families of the USA runs his ancestry back through King Henry I of France to Charlemagne and beyond.

Russell Kimmerly  •  Link

The Belcher genealogies have Phoebe Isham listed as a daugher. they also have her born on either Turkey Island, VA in 1648 or Charles City, VA in 1650. Henry is not supposed ot have arrived until 1656 and did not marry Katherine Banks Royall until after her first husband's death in 1658. Katherine did not list her or her offspring in her will.
What do we do with Phoebe?

David Lathrop  •  Link

It seems to be a little confusing just who was who, but there seem to have been two Captain Henry Ishams, Certainly not an impossibility. Anne's father was Gregory Isham, but that doesn't work, because the Captain Henry who is in the line of the Randolph, and eventually Jefferson family, was the son of William Isham, whose father was Sir Euseby Isham, and Mary Brett. This is according to "Ancestors of American Presidents" by Gary Boyd Roberts. Now, if anyone has information to untangle this mess, it would be appreciated.

Pedro  •  Link

The Ishams...

I think we have got a little mixed up here as David says. The Captain Isham here would not be the one with all these great connections as he spent most of his time in Portugal, and appears in Sandwich's Journal again in September 1664 and would be about 70.

I think the confusion comes from the Isham below who seems to have immigrated about 1656...

Generation Nine

9. Capt. Henry Isham (William8, Euseby7, Gregory6, Euseby5, Thomas4,
William3, Robert2, Robert1); b. circa 1628 at Northamptonshire,
England; m. Katherine Banks, daughter of Christopher Banks; 2nd
husband; d. circa 1675; d. circa 1676.
He immigrated circa 1656 to Henrico Co., VA. He resided at
Bermuda Hundred, Henrico Co., VA.

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ma…

Roger Bigod  •  Link

The Ishams were solid but mid-level gentry based in Northamptonshire (Midlands). Henry was a second son. Katherine Banks probably wasn't gentry, nor was Royall. The basis of his wealth was receiving land grants for transporting colonists. It was easy for women to marry up, because there was a big male excess in colonial Virginia. From her will, she sounds like a totally charming person.

The Randolphs were minor to mid-level gentry who had lived various places in southern England and were residing in Warwickshire at the time William emigrated. Warwickshire is in the Midlands, just west of Northamptonshire. There had been marriages between Randolphs and Ishams over the centuries.
William was a second son.

I've never seen an estimate of William's cash when he arrived at age 18. His uncle was Clerk of the colony and on good terms with the Governor, but he died soon after William arrived. William started as an undertaker (general contractor), is listed on tax rolls as a merchant and acquired land by purchase, receipt of a rebel's confincated estate, transport, special grant and marriage. (Mary Isham was a rich heiress whose only brother died on a voyage to England.) He was a Col of militia and a founder of W&M. In short, he seems to have made about as full use of his talents as any human does.

William left large plantations to his oldest four sons. The fifth was a highly successful lawyer in Williamsburg. One of the two younger ones was a sea captain who resided in England. This seems to have been a common pattern for younger sons, and probably accounts for the background of Pepys's Captain Isham.

The Ishams who produced Henry the immigrant resided at a place called Pychley. There's another Isham place on the internet in Northamptonshire, a tasteful but somewhat unfriendly pile based on money made in London. It might be possible to trace Pepys's Henry Isham back to one of these places.

Keith Lance  •  Link

The Capt Henry Isham in Pepys' Diary and Capt Henry Isham of Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, were second cousins once removed, both being descendants of Sir Euseby Isham of Pytchley (b abt 1491, d 1546) and his wife Anne Pulton.

The Pepys Henry Isham's line from Euseby and Anne is:
- Henry Isham (b abt 1527-30, d aft 1596) m Joan Brisley
- Gregory Isham (b abt 1555) m Elizabeth Catelyne
- Capt Henry Isham (b 1592, whose sister Ann m 1644 Sir Sidney Montagu)

The VA Henry Isham's line from Euseby and Anne is:
- Gregory Isham (abt 1520-58) m Elizabeth Dale
- Sir Euseby Isham (1552/3-1626) m Anne Borlase
- William Isham (b 1587/8) m Mary Brett
- Capt Henry Isham (b 1628) m Katherine Banks, widow of Joseph Royall

Source: Edward Paul Isham, An Index of the Ishams in England and America: Nine Hundred Years of History and Genealogy (Nov 1984), pp 16-50.

thomas rooney  •  Link

Yes I agree Katherine banks has been overlooked by historians, She is also Chief justice John Marshalls third great-grandmother and Robert e.Lees fourth great-grandparent, I know because she is also my tenth great-grandparent thru my maternal side of family. Joesph Royall is my tenth great-grandparent

Donna-Sue  •  Link

I am looking for information on a person by the name of Phoebe Isham, repordedly the oldest daughter of Capt. Henry Isham. Any information would be appreciated.

Bay  •  Link

I read today that Henry Royall Isham was a descendant of John Rolf and Pocahantas and that this connection helped him establish a profitable fur trade with the Indians. Please help me confirm this connection.

Melissa Royall  •  Link

Like Thomas, Katherine Banks is my 9th Great-Grandmother, and Joseph Royall is my 9th Great-Grandfather. Several sources state that Katherine and Joseph were cousins when they married. Can anyone confirm? If Katherine was also a great-grandmother of Thomas Jefferson, and he was born from the Banks/Isham/Jefferson line, the only way I can figure that the Royalls are still related to Thomas Jefferson, is if Joseph and Katherine were relatives when they married.

Thoughts?

Melissa Royall  •  Link

To my previous post: The additional way, as I see it, that the Royalls are still related to Thomas Jefferson, is because Mary Isham was a half-sister (shared the same mom, Katherine Banks, as the Royalls) when she married Col. Randolph. Right?

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

Melissa you are on right tract, Mary Isham is the daughter of Henry Isham and Katherine Bank's Royall. Mary is my 9th great aunt. Her sister is Katherine Royall Perrin who was daughter of Joesph and Katherine Bank's Royall, They are half sisters! Katherine Perrine is my 9th great grandmother that is our connection to Jefferson, Lee, and Marshall family, Joesph Royall died and Katherine married Henry and had three children, Henry who died at sea Mary who married William Randolph and Anne who married Francis Eppes the first great grandparents of Martha Shelton the wife of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

Mary Isham and William Randolph were the first great grandparents of Thomas Jefferson, Second great grandparents of John Marshall and the third great grandparents of Robert e. Lee. Mary Isham mother was Katherine Bank's Royall Isham who is my 10th great grandmother! Mary is Melissa's great aunt as well!

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

Sorry the the last name of Katherine was not correct the correct last name is Perrin sorry about that! Thomas, Katherine Royall daughter of Joesph and Katherine Royall married Richard Perrin my 9th great grandparents!

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

This is my line> Joesph Royall m Katherine Bank's> Katherine Royall m Richard Perrin> Mary Perrin m Robert Napier> Robert jr. Napier m Mary Hughes> Ashford Napier m Mary Stables> Susann Napier m her first cousin Thomas Napier> Juble Napier m Tirecy Wiggins> John p. Napier m Martha Barbee> Lula Napier m Harvey Doss> Meadie Doss m Coy Wooten> Jewell Wooten m Tilmond Perdue? Claris Perdue married my father William Rooney! Thomas Rooney!

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

Henry and Katherine Isham also had son named Henry who was lost at sea 1678-1681.

Mike Lee  •  Link

My wife descends from Henry Ishan and Katherine Banks. I have read that her father sent her a coach from England and that it was used for several generations and then retired but kept as an artifact. Does anybody have any information on this? Might it still exist in a museum somewhere? I also see her name listed on the Find-A-Grave website as being buried in the Randolph family cemetery in Henrico County. Does anybody know if her grave is marked? Also, her husband is not listed in Find-A-Grave. Does anybody know where he may have been buried?

Thomas K. Rooney  •  Link

The coach was given by her father for marriage, I think to Joesph Royall and Katherine as wedding present it was one of the finest coach's of its time! I have no clue to what happened to it?

William Farrar  •  Link

Katherine Banks was also the ancestress of many Barnetts and Farrars, Particularly those Barnetts and Farrars descended from the marriage of Maj, Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin married Nov 20, 1686. Katherine Perrin was the daughter of Richard Perren and Katherine Royall and Katherine Royall was the daughter of Joseph Royall and Katherine Banks.

Thomas Farrar was the grandson of Councillor William Farrar, who arrived in Va 1618 and Cecily widow Jordan on whom was bestowed the title of Ancient Planter, as she was amongst those arrived in Jamestown before 1610, as an unindentured person. Their descendants are legion
(see Vol 1 of Adventurers of Purse and Person).

Mark Casey  •  Link

Looking for any linkage and info for John Isham (1654-1713)in Barnstable, Ma. to Captain Henry Isham. He may have come from Virginia and/or England and have been a boy or young man working on a ship around the same time Henry was active. Could he have been an earlier son of Henry before his marraige to Katherine Banks?
Mark Casey
map1(at)mapinternet.com

Donna-Sue  •  Link

To Mark: Not sure where the info/theories come from regarding the link below. It seems these people did exist despite the lack of formal documentation to be found... and who is the person Ms. Banks/Isham married after Henry??

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsw…

(Henry Isham of the ancient house of Pitchley emigrated to Virginia. Who his first wife was is unknown: several references to her suggest her name to Elizabeth. Phoebe Isham is a daughter from this marriage and a son, Edward or Edmund.
He had no surviving son by his second wife Kathrine:(Henry jr. died at an early age), daughters Mary and Ann Isham from this marriage.
"The Virginians themselves are inclined to suspect that Henry had more children by his first wife Elizabeth???
son Henry by his second wife mentions only his immediate family in his will. Philip Alexander Bruce says there is a possible daughter who married a Cherstain--otherwise he cannot account for an Isham Cherstain, except as a fancy name.
Phoebe, that married Robert Belcher, shows up in Virginia b: 1649-50 there in Henrico county, the only possibility of being Henrys daughter
,the other daughters and son henry were not born til around 1660. Katherine out lived henry and married again and had other children this leads us to believe Henry was older and Katherine Younger.
when he married her, giving rise to the fact he was married before.
Edward Isham a son by the first marriage:
possible descendents
John Isham in Henry County in Nansemond, further west toward Kentucky--he very likely from Edward; Ann Isham Gordon as late as 1796
(will) of Prince George county, near Bermuda Hundred.
....................
24. HENRY ISHAM (William, Sir Euseby, Gregory, Euseby), date of birth and death unknown; married #1 unknown #2 Katharine Banks, daughter of (???) Banks of Canterbury. Her will was proved Dec. 1, 1686, in Virginia. She had married second, Joseph Royall or Ryal, and perhaps had issue by him.
As Captain Harry Isham of Bermuda Hundred, he is named in the will of John Smith of Bristol in 1676, and he was also a legatee in the will of Sir Edward Brett of Bexley.

Children:
Worthy to note here:
Henry is reputed to have had other Children by his first wife: Several sons and a daughter:
Many genealogies have Phoebe Isham listed as the first daughter born: This Phoebe Isham was married to Robert Belcher.
She was not mentioned in her stepbrothers will nor was any other earlier children of Henry's.)

Keith Curry Lance  •  Link

The claim that Katherine Banks Royall Isham remarried after the death of Henry Isham is incorrect. Someone must have confused Joseph Royall and Henry Isham, her first and second husbands respectively. I would be very interested in knowing of any evidence that Henry was married before Katherine or that he and an earlier wife had any issue. PLEASE cite sources for genealogical claims here and elsewhere. Undocumented claims are little use.

Keith Curry Lance  •  Link

The statement in an earlier entry that Katherine Banks Royall Isham's second husband Henry Isham was 'Henry Royall Isham' is incorrect. Royall is the surname of her first husband Joseph Royall. The only place I know of where this incorrect name for Henry appears is in a book titled America's Secret Aristocracy by Stephen Birmingham. It is not a good genealogical source--at least for the Ishams. If anyone knows of another published source for this name that doesn't rely on Birmingham, please advise.

Wanda Nelson  •  Link

Thomas K. Rooney on Sat 3 Apr 2010, 08:17pm

This is my line> Joesph Royall m Katherine Bank’s> Katherine Royall m Richard Perrin> Mary Perrin m Robert Napier> Robert jr. Napier m Mary Hughes> Ashford Napier m Mary Stables> Susann Napier m her first cousin Thomas Napier> Juble Napier m Tirecy Wiggins> John p. Napier m Martha Barbee> Lula Napier m Harvey Doss> Meadie Doss m Coy Wooten> Jewell Wooten m Tilmond Perdue? Claris Perdue married my father William Rooney! Thomas Rooney!

Thomas, Mary Tarelton Hughes (wife of Robert jr. Napier ) is a direct descendant of Princess Nicketti, daughter of Cleopatra, sister to Pocahontas... in case you weren't aware :). I am descended from the Hughes line, as well as the Royal & Isham lines. My various grandmothers were :
Anne Hughes Pollard
Kathryn Royall Perrin (Ann Perrin)
Phoebe Isham Belcher

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Thank you for the info I had no clue about that. Thank you so much. Its so wonderful to have such people in our family tree! Thank you again Wanda!

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Wanda could you share how you got this info on Mary Hughes. That is great news I sure would like to see the line! Thomas

Wanda Nelson  •  Link

Thomas I amswered you lol but it must have vanished with the wind..... email me starinelson@gmail.com

Wanda

Donna-Sue  •  Link

Keith Curry Lance on Thu 16 Sep 2010, 02:34pm. Flag this
"The claim that Katherine Banks Royall Isham remarried after the death of Henry Isham is incorrect. Someone must have confused Joseph Royall and Henry Isham, her first and second husbands respectively. I would be very interested in knowing of any evidence that Henry was married before Katherine or that he and an earlier wife had any issue. PLEASE cite sources for genealogical claims here and elsewhere. Undocumented claims are little use."

I agree with you, and I have no idea where evidence of those claims came from as I've never found nor seen any. But that doesn't mean there isn't any truth at all in what is out there. I just don't know.
Just like we don't really know if someone is the actual progeny of someone else unless a dna test is done.

For all any of us know, Henry Isham was sterile and 'his children' aren't really his children at all.... it's almost impossible to actually prove anything as far as historical geneology goes, short of digging up someone's bones and comparing the dna to living persons...

thomas Rooney  •  Link

The first marriage was to Joesph Royall then Henry Isham. I have never seen anything that states otherwise after eight years of searching!

Donna-Sue  •  Link

I've found the same, Thomas, Joseph 1st and Henry 2nd.

In "The Virginia magazine of history and biography, Volume 4 By Virginia Historical Society" I find this, supposedly a paraphrased quote from Katherine's will: '...to son Joseph Royall, all of her land; to her executors, the whole crop of corn, except enough to buy tombstones for her and her deceased husband'.

So if she requested those, then where are the graves? Anyone know? From what I've ever found, Henry Isham seemed to *poof* disappear. Supposition I've seen has him hanged for his participation in Bacon's Rebellion, and MIA as far as his body is concerned.

thomas Rooney  •  Link

I have read two accounts of the Rebellion and in both It has Richard Crews and Henry Isham, both are mentioned as the men who convinced Nathaniel to lead the rebellion also that Richard Crews was hung, The other account ends with Henry may have also been hung yet there is no record that I am aware of. I believe he was indeed hung for his role in rebellion that's my gut feeling only not backed by solid evidence yet if you take into account what the King said of the Governor and I quote That fool Berkeley hung more men in that naked country then I did for the murder of my very own father its seems very possible!

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Its funny that their is no mention of how her husband Henry died? I have searched for clues for five or six years on Henry Isham and then you Have Henry Jr. Who was lost at sea that's another mystery? Two deaths with no record!

Donna-Sue  •  Link

Yes, I tend to concur with your gut feeling about Henry. As far as Henry jr., I've seen the lost at sea theory, as well as him becoming 'sick' and dying. Was he then buried at sea?
Here is a family who was 'supposed' to be loyal to the crown, but Henry not only participating in Bacon's Rebellion, but being a catalyst in the rebellion as well makes me wonder about the deaths of both Henry's.
Katherine is supposedly buried in the Randolph family cemetary on Turkey Island, yet I've never seen a photo of her grave. I came across someone's blog who'd gotten permission to access the cemetary #it's on private property# and she did rubbings of the headstones. Katherine was not listed in her rubbings. Someone in the area needs to go check this out. I would but I live on the opposite side of the country.

Then there's the mysteriously missing Phoebe, who is said to have married into the Belcher family who were definitely not loyal to the crown and would be the political opposite of the Randolph's...

Did you ever notice how William Randoph seemed to end up with a huge bulk of the benefits from both these men and the Isham family?? From wikipedia "Randolph acquired property by purchase, headright, marital interest and land grant. His early acquisitions were in the neighborhood of Turkey Island, located in the James River about 20 miles southeast of present-day Richmond. This land had been settled for decades, and was held by several owners, from whom he purchased. Possibly his first purchase was 591 acres (2.39 km2) of land on Swift Creek, south of the James.[9]

In 1676, the colonist Nathaniel Bacon rebelled unsuccessfully against the colonial government, and his estate, was forfeited. This was Curles, located near Turkey Island. Randolph made an assessment of the property for Governor Berkeley and was allowed to buy it for his estimated price, adding 1,230 acres (5.0 km2) to his land holdings.[10] This conflict of interest was criticized by his neighbors.

In 1678, Mary Isham's brother died, making her the heiress to her father's large estate. William Randolph married her before her brother's death, because his will refers to her as "Mary Randolph".

Around 1700, when Randolph's political career was at its peak, he received land grants to almost 10,000 acres (40 km2) of newly opened land in the vicinity of Richmond; a 3,256-acre (13.18 km2) tract at Tuckahoe Creek and a 5,142-acre (20.81 km2) plot at Westham.[9] This land became the basis of the Tuckahoe and Dungeness Plantations founded by two of his sons.

William Randolph owned a considerable number of slaves. This reflected the rise of slavery during his business career. Around 1675, Governor Berkeley reported that the population of the colony was 40,000, with 4,000 indentured servants and 2,000 slaves. But as the supply of indentured servants declined late in the 17th century, the planters turned to slaves for work in the labor-intensive business of tobacco culture.

It is difficult to determine the acerage or number of slaves he owned at his death. His will has been transcribed and a copy appears on the internet, but portions are missing. One estimate is that he had 20,000 acres (81 km2). He paid property taxes on 1,655 acres (6.70 km2) in Surry County and 19,465 acres (78.77 km2) in Henrico County in 1704.
Randolph held multiple official appointments.[11] At the local level, he became clerk of Henrico County Court in 1673 and held the position until he was asked to serve as a justice of the peace in 1683. He also served as sheriff and coroner."
William Randoph's background: "William Randolph was baptized in Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire, England on 7 November 1650, the son of Richard Randolph (1621–1678) and Elizabeth Ryland (1625–c1669). Richard Randolph was originally from Houghton Parva, a small village east of Northampton, where his father was a "steward and servant" to Edward la Zouche, 11th Baron Zouche (1556–1625), having previously served in that same capacity to Sir George Goring, a landowner in his native Sussex.[2] Elizabeth was the daughter of John Ryland of Warwick. William was the second of seven Randolph children, all born in Morton Morell between 1647 and 1657.[3]

There is no record of how William spent the years between ages seven and 22, when he surfaced in Virginia. Although his father's older half-brother, the poet Thomas Randolph, attended Westminster School and Cambridge University, he did so largely on scholarship and there is no record of any other members of William's family having attended either public school or university.[4] At some point in the late 1650s or 1660s, his parents moved to Dublin, where they both died, his mother around 1669 and his father in 1671, so William may well have spent the bulk of his formative years in Ireland.[5] It is also known that William's uncle, Henry Randolph (1623-?), in 1669 traveled to Britain from Virginia, to which place he had emigrated around 1642.[6] It is not unreasonable to assume that Henry encouraged his nephew at that time to return with him the Chesapeake. In any case, William Randolph was in the colony by 12 February 1672 when he appears in the record as witness to a land transaction.[7]
The Chesapeake economy was centered around the staple of tobacco grown within the English mercantile system for export to markets in Britain and Europe. Randolph appears to have arrived in the province with little capital and few transatlantic connections. One historian suggests that he started off in the colony as an "undertaker" building houses, but there is no evidence for it.[8] Somehow by 1674 he had acquired enough money to import 12 person into the colony and thereby earned his first of many land patents (Between 1674 and 1697 he imported 72 servants and 69 slaves for which he collected patents for more than 7000 acres). In later years Randolph became a merchant and a planter, partnering with others in the ownership of several ships on which to transport tobacco to England and goods back to Virginia and helping to establish several of his sons as merchants and ships captains.

Around 1675 he married Mary Isham, whose father, Henry Isham, was from a gentry family in Northamptonshire. After his arrival in Virginia, Henry had married the wealthy widow, Katherina Banks Royall."

This all makes me really wonder about Mr. Randolph...

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Yes We are on the same page, Either William Randolph befriended the family or somehow he was against Henry and sided with the Governor either way Randolph came out way ahead! I hate to think of the third possibility and that is Randolph was somehow behind both deaths?

Donna-Sue  •  Link

The fact that William Randolph also ended up with Bacon's property suggests to me that he and Gov. B. were buddies. That would make him an enemy of the very family he married into given Henry's quite public stance and participation in the rebellion. Not to mention the jobs he held and the position those jobs would put him in.
So yes, Thomas, I fear we're thinking right along the same track...

thomas Rooney  •  Link

I have looked for everything written about Henry Isham and Henry Jr. I have written a story and in my story Henry gets hung by the Governor! Yes William Randolph ends up being the exe on Henry Jr Isham will as well. Also Katherine lets him control the money if you read the will you will see what I am talking about.I will keep believing that Henry was hung till I see prove otherwise!

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Also in will that Katherine Isham left behind she seems to favor all the Randolph children over the rest of the grandchildren? They get all her money and the other children get cows and furniture and cloths, The Randolph children are clearly favored for some reason? To bad their is no record of what really happen to Henry? I will keep looking just the same.

Donna-Sue  •  Link

I’d be very interested in reading your story! I started thinking along this line after reading about the rebellion and Henry’s support of it; reading what’s written about both Mr. Randolph (not what is written via an ancestor who puts a positive twist on all, but a dry commentary just stating known facts); and Gov. Berkeley who is reputed to have had the nature of extending one hand in friendship whilst pulling the knife from behind his back with the other hand.

The gist on W.R. in my opinion – he appears to have been a climber. Born to a father who was a servant of la Zouche may have started him on the path of resentment of those who he considered more privileged at a young age. His parents die, then he disappears for awhile, only to turn up in the colonies. He obviously manages to insert himself into the lives of the Isham family whom I’m sure he knew the history of, not to mention that Katherine was wealthy via her first husband. It’s also interesting that he shows up in the colonies at the least in early 1672, and by 1674 was able to pay to import 12 people! That’s pretty fast work to be able to do that in what appears to be less than two years. And then ends up married to Mary Isham around 1675. Where is he getting all the money so quickly?

I noticed the same with Katherine’s will and how it was distributed, as well as Henry Jr.’s. Quite interesting isn’t it?! Ambition can be a very good thing – unless it’s twisted. Then it’s just spooky. Back at that time women were still regarded as chattel and to be owned… who knows what kind of influence W.R. may have had over her. Maybe she knew something about his involvement with Gov. B, and what we kind of suspect may have happened with the Henry’s….

Reading between the lines of various accounts I’ve read on the family, it seems the children were encouraged to ‘marry well’. Almost like W.R. was encouraging the practice of the arranged marriages he’d probably witnessed while growing up.

There’s also a story out there about who I believe is his granddaughter Mary and how she ran off with the son of an overseer. The Randolph family finally found them and descended upon them to snatch her back and run off the young man. Part of the story also has them basically murdering the young child of this union! I don’t know the veracity of the story, but it’s not pretty and she apparently went quite mad. She also supposedly later got involved with a clergyman of some type – and again the family disapproved and put an end to it.

In any case, if what I suspect about W.R. and Gov. B. being friends/associates – there are a lot of not very nice possibilities…….

thomas Rooney  •  Link

Very interesting what you have written about William Randolph and In fact my story is that he became friends with young Joesph Royall and Francis Eppes first then somehow helped them avoid the Governor's revenge against all the rebels, Remember he took Nathaniel's land, Did he take any other property? Seems like Katherine Isham was able to keep her land and no trouble from the Governor that I am aware of.

Donna-Sue  •  Link

Other than the fact that he ended up with much property in the end, I've not seen any other outright taking with the exception of Bacon's. I haven't really looked for that to be honest.
and yes, Katherine did seem to end up keeping her property. Tho her request, per her will, to be buried on her own place with her husband doesn't seem to have happened?
It sure would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall back then! ;)

Don Matson  •  Link

Does anyone have any info. on the ancestry of James Isham b. ca. 1710-27 (Amherst Co.,Va.?) who married Dorcas Stinnett & he died bef. July 1, 1765 Amherst Co.,Va.?
Thanks
Don Matson donmatson@hotmail.com

Vincent Begley  •  Link

Trying to unravel the mystery of John Isham b. 1654 who can be traced to Barnstable, MA, but there seems to be no trace of his parents. One source said he was a des. of Euseby Isham, but there appears to be a problem with dates. Wondering if it's possible that John was the son of the Euseby b. 1626 (brother of Capt Henry Isham) who died in 1654? Perhpas he did marry and had a spon who was taken in by Capt. Henry.

Aaron  •  Link

I am descended from Joseph Royall and Katherine Banks Royal Isham...I am going to be visiting Virginia in August and was wanting to take photographs of their home Dogham and the cemetery...I am also wanting to Visit Turkey Island now the presquile national wildlife refuge to take photos of the Randolph home site and cemetery..do any of you know contacts for the owners of Dogham or a contact for Turkey Island..Please email me at Amann10392@aol.com
Thanks for your help
A. Mann

John Jackson  •  Link

I am related to Katherine Banks through two interesting family lines. I am related to her and her first husband Joseph Royal via the Farrar connection. I am also related to her and her second husband Henry Isham via Isham/Royall/Hudson/Wingfield. My maternal grandmother(Isham side) and grandfather (Royall side) are descendants of these two separate family lines and they were from two totally different states (Louisiana and Tennessee.) What are the chances of that?

B. E. Rawls  •  Link

I descend from Katherine Banks/Henry Isham thru their daughter Anne who married Francis Eppes III and, in turn, their daughter Elizabeth Eppes who married Henry Randolph III (grandson of Henry Randolph I who was uncle of William Randolph). Some of my primary references for my genealogy work are: (1) PEDIGREE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF HENRY RANDOLPH I (1623-1673) OF HENRICO COUNTY, VIRGINIA by Wassell Randolph, pub. Memphis, TN 1957 (2) ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS OF FRANCIS EPES I OF VIRGINIA (EPES-EPPES-EPPS), VOL. ONE (pub. 1992), TWO (pub. 1999) & THREE (pub. 20040), ed. by John Frederick Dorman, pub. by Society of the Descendants of Franicis Epes I of Virginia. Some info about Royalls and Ishams can also be found in (3) WITHERS FAMILY OF THE COUNTY LANCASTER, ENGLAND. . , presented by Mr. Robert Edwin Withers, Sr. of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (1947), The Dietz Printing Co., Richmond, VA.

My ref (1) can be found in the Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA. and, I believe, through Heritage Quest thru local libraries. Reference (3) I also found thru Heritage Quest online. Reference (2), several copies available at Lib of Va, and can be checked out to in-state residents. Wassell Randolph has several other published genealogies, including one on George Archer of the Umberslade Archers and two on the Reverend George Robertson, as well as one on William Randolph. Wassell Randolph was a descendant of the Henry Randolph line (maybe of the Wm. Randolph line, as well). Many good sources, including original wills, are sighted by these authors. Many early wills of Virginia colonists are available on microfiche at Lib of Va.

Katherine Banks left a will dated 10 Oct 1686 (Henrico Co. Deeds & Wills 1677-92, p.392).

B. E. Rawls  •  Link

My previous post (corr): Katherine Banks Royall Isham left a will dated 10 Oct 1686 (Henrico Co. Deeds & Wills 1677-92, p.392).

Walter Jenny  •  Link

I am descended from the Ishams through Henry's daughter Ann, who married William Arthur Smith in Surry Co. VA around 1716; they were my sixth-great grandparents. I am enjoying the discussion and would appreciate hearing from anyone else with this Smith connection. Thank you.

Michael Mankin  •  Link

Greetings to all. Very interesting discussion. I enjoyed reading it. I am descended from a Henry Isham b. 1731 Va & Catherine Isham b. 1733 Va. (Must have been cousins) They married in 1751 in Va. and had a daughter Mary Rachel Isham b. 1751,Va., d. 1827, Ky. who married Thomas Vincent Hardy b. 1748, Va., d. 1812, Ky. With the similar Isham names, I have searched for a connection for a long time, to no avail. Any ideas or suggestions. Thank you.

Michael Longmire  •  Link

Interesting discussion indeed. I have been studying this topic off and on for several years. A connection between the Brett/Britt family of Goochland Co and the Ishams first entered my purview some time back when reading Sir Edward Brett's will. William Britt of Goochland witnessed Jane Randolph's will in 1760 (with Rev Henry Patillo). Some years later he is found on a jury charged with escheating the lands of "British" subjects. Lo and behold "Dungeness Plantation" is first on the list, yet is retained by Thomas Randolph. Makes one wonder ...

A comment was made earlier in this discussion regarding the Randolph children seemingly receiving more than their share of Katherine Bank's estate. Perhaps some inheritance issues were settled just after the death of Joseph Royall?

Would like to share correspondence regarding this topic and that of the Alexander Marshall family who lived nearby to the Randolphs. Am also interested in finding out who Maiden Mascherel/Marshall was and how he related to the Randolphs. To the west of the former site of "Dungeness" is an area called Maidens in Goochland Co, Va. Anyone know of a possible connection?

Second Reading

Sandra Freeman  •  Link

Vincent Begley - The John Isham you speak of was my 7th gr-grandfather and I have spent 7 years (off and on) trying to trace his ancestry. I know there was an account passed down in our line from generation to generation of John Isham having been descended from Sir Euseby. I'd be very interested in hearing any information you have and would be happy to share mine with you.

Alice Akin Startup  •  Link

ISHAM is a frequently recurring GIVEN name in my Akin family. I'm pretty certain my Akin lineage originated with James Akin Sr. who settled in Henrico County Virginia c. 1665 and had a great-grandson named ISAHM Akin born 1722 in Henrico Co. VA. My great-grandfather was ISHAM Akin born in 1828 Pike Co. Georgia to John Akin and Elizabeth Dingler Akin. Other than the two above mentioned men named Isham Akin, there are numerous others named Isham (Isom) Akin.

There MUST be a marriage between an Akin and an Isham in early Virginia for the name to keep cropping up! Any information will be appreciated!

Claudia Clark  •  Link

Like Walter Jenny, I have an ancestor Anne Isham married to William Smith 1734. I have also found what must be another Anne Isham married to Francis Epps around 1716. I've yet been able to connect these two Annes. Anne Isham Epps appears to be the daughter of Henry Isham and Catherine Banks. This information found in Family Data Collection-Births, Find A Grave, and Millennium File. Any information to clear up my muddled mess is greatly appreciated!

smontgomery  •  Link

hello all, i have recently started my family tree and have come to a phoebe isham {1650} ..i have seen several mentions of a father as henry isham and a mother elizabeth unknown. does any one know any good source fact checking sites publications etc? i have read the earlier posts and unfortnatly i am just very confused as to which henry was her father if someone could email me at xavierpsmommy@gmail.com and dummy walk me thru it it'd be very much appreciated! thanks so much

ariel val  •  Link

very helpful info thank you - I have found a line from Janet Isham to Katherine Banks to Anne Isham to Mary Anne Eppes to Cassandra Meredith to Sarah Sallie Abney who is my ggggg grandmother if you have confirmation on Meredith being Sarah Abney's mother pls advise - having a hard time confirming that...any info very much appreciated thank you!

StaciG  •  Link

I am a descendant of Henry Isham (the 1626-1676 one who emigrated to VA) and saw a side note somewhere that the Ishams were related in some way to Samuel Pepys, so I did a search and found this discussion. I was really into the Pepys diary 20 years ago or so, so I am interested in this possible connection! I was not aware of my Isham ancestors at that time, so would not have noted, and do not remember, any mention of Henry Isham in the diary.

So, if I understand the posts here correctly, there were 2 Captain Henry Ishams living around the same time, and Pepys was related to the other one? So, no relation to me? It seems like the two Henry’s must have been related in some way.

Can anyone clarify Pepys’ connection to the Ishams?

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

1660

1661

1662