Her book is: We cousins (Virginia to Texas): A genealogy of several of the families comprising the Alabama settlement of Austin's Colony, 1830 and 1831, now Texas, and including the other Virginia lines of the Sutherland family. Volume II. San Benito, Tex., F. S. Hudson, c1957-.

This wonderful book gives much information on the early Hodges and Manning families in Norfolk County. It is well written, full of citations and genealogical reasoning. It is some of the best work I have seen. Unfortunately, the book is out of print, the publisher no longer exists and the author, born in 1900, is presumed deceased.

Thanks to Dorothy Bernay of Denver, Colorado for excerpting and transcribing the relevant pages.

WE COUSINS, VOLUME II

by Florence Sutherland Hudson

Located at Clayton Library, Houston, TX

 CHAPTER II

HODGES GENERATIONS

I          ROGER HODGES I) of Virginia m. MARY MANNING,

        daughter of JOHN MANNING I).

                         Other Early HODGES of Norfolk Co., Va.

 II       JOSEPH HODGES of Va., m. (1) SARAH _______; m. (2) MARY FEREBEE;  m. (3) MARTHA JORDAN MORATALL.

                         His Brothers of Norfolk Co., Va.

 III     JAMES HODGES, SR. of Va. and N.C. m. (1) MARY PORTLOCK;  m. (2) MIRIAM STOCKLEY, widow, probably MIRIAM LAMB.

 IV     JAMES HODGES, JR. of Va. and N.C. and Tenn. m. (1) ELIZABETH HODGESON;  m. (2) MARY (perhaps POPE).

                         His Brother, WILLIS HODGES

 V        DAVID HODGES of N.C., Tenn., Ala., and Miss. m. NANCY WARD, daughter of ROBERT.

 VI     JOHN WILEY HODGES of Tenn., Ala. and Texas m. (1) TALITHA ANN MORTON, dau. of QUIN;  m. (2) SUSAN LEWIS MENEFEE, dau. of THOMAS

 VII  to XII    The Texas descendants of JOHN W. HODGES.

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 CHAPTER II

 EARLY HODGES IN NORFOLK CO., VA.

 I ROGER HODGES - FIRST GENERATION

         Norfolk County, Virginia, originally called New Norfolk after its parent Co. in England was created in 1637 and at first included today 's Norfolk, Princess Ann and Nansemond counties. The first two were one and were referred to as Lower New Norfolk while Nansemond was called Upper New Norfolk until it was separated in 1642 and given its present name.

        These three counties occupy the extreme southeast corner of the State of Virginia and form a wedge between the North Carolina boundary, the James River and the Atlantic Ocean. When Princess Ann was organized  in 1691 out of Lower Norfolk, it claimed the Atlantic coast line but left to the mother county the excellently protected harbors off Hampton Roads and in Elizabeth River. This tidewater stream with its Eastern, Southern and Western Branches and many creeks spreads like an octopus through the entire upper two-thirds of Norfolk Co. providing it with easy communication by water.   

        The Northwest River must have been so named by the early inhabitance of what is now Currituck Co., N.C. for it flows through the southern part of Norfolk Co. and into Currituck Bay in North Carolina.

        New Norfolk and Isle of Wight Co. which adjoined it on the west, were the seat of most of the early HODGES in Virginia, who brought with them to these shores the culture, religion and customs of the Mother Country.

        "The HODGES Family is one of very great age "according to Sir EDWARD STARCHEY some forty years ago who was then in possession of their pedigree from King John down to 1660 (Wm. & Mary Quarterly Vol. 5 ( 1) p. 8).

        The HODGES in Virginia took up just about the time Starchey's Chart left off.

        In order to encourage immigration to its Royal Colonies, after 1619. England offered 50 acres of land the importation of each person into Virginia. Sometimes a Colonist paid his own expenses and, himself, received the land, but others found ship captains and speculators eager to transport them and receive the head right of 50 acres each. Usually the immigrants settled in the vicinity where the land was granted.

        These land patents up to the year 1669 and beginning when the system was inaugerated are listed in a valuable volume "Cavaliers and Pioneers" by Nugent; p. 61 & 83 JOHN HODGES came in 1637 and 1638, land granted in Chas. City Co., (County Records destroyed); p. 50 ROBERT HODGES in 1637 land to JOHN GOOKIN on Nancemond River; p. 229 RICHARD HODGES in 1653 land in Gloucester Co.; p. 150 JOHN HODGES @ 1648 land to PHILIP BENNETT Upper Norfolk Co.; p. 447 ROBERT HODGE transported in 1662 by THOMAS POPE.

        The Quit Rent Roll of 1704 included all counties of Virginia except those in the Northern Neck along the northern boundary of the present state, and is as near a census as is available until after the Revolution, although it is not without error.  The HODGES included in it were:

1.       ROGER HODGE - Isle of Wight Co. - 300 acres.

2.       ARTHUR HODGES - Essex Co. 100 acres.

3.       JOSEPH HODGES - Norfolk Co. - 50 acres.

4.       RICHARD HODGES - Norfolk Co. - 375 acres.

5.       ROGER HODGES - Norfolk Co. - 109 acres.

6.       THOMAS HODGES - Norfolk Co. - 50 acres.

7.       THOMAS HODGES - King and Queen - 250 acres.

8.       ROBERT HOGE - Isle of Wight Co. - 60 acres.

9.       JOHN HOGES - Norfolk Co. - 526 acres.

10.    THOMAS HOGES - Norfolk Co. 407 acres.

        In research, the compiler has examined the documents concerning all of these HODGES except ARTHUR of Essex and THOMAS of King and Queen Co., and is positive of at least one omission in Norfolk Co. and believes the entire report on HODGES from York and Gloucester Counties to have been left out.

        There were two ROGER HODGES in Norfolk Co. in 1704. The one listed on the Quit Rent Rod was ROGER, JR. ROGER HODGES, SR. had received by patents and deed before this date 1030 acres and had conveyed about 585. He should have been listed with about 450 acres.

        For the compiler and her large family connection, the HODGES story begins in Texas. The marriage there of THOMAS SHELTON SUTHERLAND and MARY ELIZABETH HODGES was recorded in the Family Bible of the parents of each. In the Bible of GEORGE and FRANCES MENEFEE SUTHERLAND it is simply and briefly stated  "THOS  S. SUTHERLAND and MARY E. HODGES was married on the 27th of January 1848."

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        In the Bible of JOHN W. HODGES, father of MARY ELIZABETH, who, at thirteen, had lost her mother.  TALITHA ANN MORTON, first wife of JOHN W. HODGES, it is written: "Thomas Sutherland and Mary Elizabeth Hodges was married on the 27th day of January, Eighteen Hundred and forty-eight  1848."

        Thus were joined in Texas, more than one hundred and fifty years after their arrival in the Colony of Virginia two families of the southern part of that state. The HODGES, as we have seen were originally from Norfolk Co. and their proven lineage dates back to the year 1666.  The first definite records of the Sutherland are found in 1698 in King William Co. but the third GEORGE SUTHERLAND migrated to  Southside Va. and we find him residing first in Halifax, then in Pittsylvania Co. about 1760.

        Furthermore, THOMAS SUTHERLAND and MARY ELIZABETH HODGES were second cousins, her grandmother ELIZABETH SUTHERLAND wife of QUIN MORTON being the sister of GEORGE SUTHERLAND, father of THOMAS.

        The HODGES family of Eastern Va. was said by Bishop MEADE to have been one of the leading ones of that section in his day.

        The first of that line, definitely established as an antecedent of JOHN W. HODGES was ROGER HODGES I) who was no doubt a resident of Norfolk Co. several years before the first document proving his residence and dated 1666, was effected. JOHN W.'s descent from ROGER is through his son, JOSEPH HODGES, SR. of Norfolk Co.; to his grandson, JAMES HODGES, SR., of Norfolk Co. Va. and Pasquotank Co., N.C.; to his great-grandson JAMES HODGES of Norfolk Co. Va. Halifax Co., N.C. and Smith Co. Tenn. to his great-great-grandson, DAVID HODGES and his wife NANCY WARD of Halifax Co. N.C., Smith Co. Tenn., Franklin Co., Ala., and Tishamingo Co. Miss.

        Thus we see that the generations from and including MARY ELIZABETH HODGES who married THOMAS SHELTON SUTHERLAND, Jan. 27, 1848, to ROGER HODGES, the immigrant of 1666, are seven. Her children are now all deceased since the death in 1952 of BELL SUTHERLAND FAIRES but the living descendants today include three, and sometimes four more generations.        

        Under date of April 15, 1666, we are introduced to ROGER HODGES of Va. who that day notified the court that he intended to be out of the country, (Norfolk Court Orders p. 32)  

        A deed, JOHN MANNING to MARY HODGES (Book E, p. 47) dated April 2, 1669) daughter to ROGER HODGES I) of Norfolk Co., Va. reads in part:     

                "JOHN MANNING of ye Suthern Branch of Elizabeth River, for the love and affection I                 have

                for my grand-daughter, MARY HODGES, being ye being of my daughter, MARY HODGES and

                her husband ROGER HODGES, do give all that land lying on a ridge adj. a swamp, being 20 acres

                lying in Julian's Creek of Elizabeth River it being part of 300 acres JOHN MANNING formerly

                bought of  THOMAS WHYTE and a house has been recently built on said land by ROGER

                HODGES, father of said MARY HODGES."
        A certificate was granted ROGER HODGE on Oct. 15, 1672 for 200 acres for importation of self two times.  Since only 50 acres per person was allowed he must have had a companion each time, perhaps his wife (p. 85 Court Orders of Norfolk 1666-1672). 

        Unfortunately for our HODGES research, many of the documents in Book 6 of Norfolk Records are not legible.

        A deed to JOHN MANNING, SR., from THOMAS WHYTE, (Book 6, p. 158), we believe, might well prove that THOMAS WHITE, who came to Virginia in 1637 with one THOMAS SAWYER who was granted land in the Lower Co. of New Norfolk on the eastern branch of Elizabeth River, was the father-in-law of JOHN MANNING, SR., father of his first wife MARY, mother of MARY MANNING, wife of ROGER HODGES. 

        There are several HODGES whose arrival in the Colony of Virginia are recorded in Nugents "Cavaliers and Pioneers" but ROGER'S is not unless he is the HODGES whose first name it blotted out.

        And, while ROGER'S land holdings in Norfolk had their humble beginning in the twenty acres given MARY, probably the first child of ROGER and his wife MARY MANNING, he was soon to acquire more from the same source as recorded in Norfolk Records Book 6, p. 209. This too is not readable due possibly to fading and damaged by water.        

        On Sept. 4, 1680, he patented 250 acres in Lower Norfolk Co., (Grant Book 7, Part I, p. 55) and in April 1693 ROGER HODGES, JOHN CREEKMORE and EDMUND CREEKMORE patented 1920 acres on the south side of the Northwest River in Norfolk Co. Va.       

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The account of the division of this tract was recorded in Norfolk Records Book 5 - p. 214 on March 15, 1693/4.

                "The surveyors having surveyed a tract of land about 1900 acres on the Southwest side of the

                Northwest River, and patented the same and having by procla­mation put on a sale of lots of the

                said land -- this is to say part of the said land is to belong to JOHN CREEKMORE, another part

                of said land is to belong to ROGER HODGES, and the lower part is to belong to EDMUND

                CREEKMORE.

                                                                                                                Signed:

                                                                                                                JOHN CREEKMORE

                                                                                                                ROGER HODGES

                                                                                                                EDMUND CREEKMORE"

        By profession ROGER HODGES, SR., was a cooper, and he seems to have been successful enough that several of his sons and grandsons followed his trade as long as they resided in tidewater Virginia. Tobacco was the medium of exchange in the Southern Colonies and making hogsheads in which to ship it to European markets was a satisfactory occupation to at least three generations of this HODGES family.

        Before his death in 1708 ROGER HODGES had acquired the distinction of being addressed as CAPTAIN ROGER HODGES but whether this title was one of respect, of a maritime nature or for military service, we do not know, although the fact that it seems to have been bestowed late in life would indicate it to be one of respect.

        The will of ROGER HODGES like many of those of early 1700's is destroyed. However, from other documents of Norfolk, we have reconstructed the family of CAPT. ROGER HODGES and his wife, MARY MANNING, daughter of JOHN MANNING, SR. who were married about 1665-1668 in Virginia, since the MANNINGS had lived there even before 1648.

                (Oct. 25, 1648; "200 acres granted to JOHN MANNING in Lower Norfolk Co. on the N. W. side

                of Gayther's Creek being a branch of the southwest branch of Elizabeth River running unto the

                lands of  MARMADUKE  MERRIMAN due unto said MANNING for the transfer of WM.

                BAXTER, CHRISTOPHER COLLINS, MARTHA BRICE and FRANCIS ROBINSON"

                "Cavaliers and Pioneers" p. 180.)    

I.     CAPT. ROGER HODGES of Norfolk Co., Va. and his wife MARY MANNING had issue:

1.       MARY HODGES born before 1669 died before 1703; Never Married.

2.       THOMAS HODGES, Cooper (Deed Bk. 7, p. 35 & 36, 1703).

3.       RICHARD HODGES who owned 375 a. in Norfolk in 1704 (Deed- ROGER HODGES to RICHARD HODGES Bk. 6, p. 115, illegible, 1679 will of RICHARD TAYLOR names godchild RICHARD HODGES.   ROGER HODGES was TAYLOR'S brother-in-law).

4.       JOSEPH HODGES, Cooper, of Norfolk Co. b @ 1671;   m. (1) SARAH before 1705;   m. (2) MARY before 1720; m. (3) MARTHA JORDAN widow before 1733, d. 1766.

5.       ROGER HODGES the younger, b. @ 1675, d. 1716 (Bk. 9, p. 541) m. before 1701 MARY, daughter of GEORGE BALLENTINE SR., of Norfolk Co. (McIntires-Wills of Norfolk)

6.       BENJAMINE HODGES - called brother of JOSEPH (Deed Bk. 22, p. 246)   Also spoken of as son-in-law by EDWARD DAVIS who married ROGER'S widow. Son-in-law usually meant stepson in that era.

7.       MARY WILLIAMS called daughter-in-law (step-daughter) by EDWARD DAVIS.

8.       Perhaps ELINOR, wife of JOHN PAGE (Elinor was a favorite name in the MANNING family. On Dec. 30, 1695 ROGER HODGES and his wife, MARY, for no stated consideration deed 50 acres adj. JOHN MANNING to JOHN PAGE (Bk. 6, p. 57).

9.       Perhaps JOAN, wife of JOHN ALDRIDGE, similar deed as one to JOHN PAGE (Book 6, p. 57) July 29, 1696.

        On page 11 of Bk. 8 Norfolk Co. records the minutes of the Norfolk Court of May 1708 are recorded. On that day "MARY HODGES, relick and widow of CAPT. ROGER HODGES, appeared and added to the inventory some small things omitted and forgotten in the inventory formerly given by her:

                                "to Bulton - gold one burlott

                                To JOHN MURPHRAY 2 piggins

                                To JOHN WILLIAMS..----

                                To EDWARD RICHARDSON part of a hide RICHARD HODGES had.

Virginia, settled 1607, was not more than sixty years old at the time ROGER HODGES and MARY MANNING were married, and although the former was probably a new-comer to the Virginia scene, during their thirty years of married life, they lived in a sizeable nest of his wife's relatives.

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        The will of her father, JOHN MANNING, as well as that of her husband is lost but later records of Norfolk Co. help to establish several members of the MANNING family, as they did the family of ROGER HODGES.

        The first of these, a deed from JOHN MANNING I) and wife LIDIA, disposes of 500 acres on Garths (Gayters) Creek in the southern branch of Elizabeth River which adjoined a tract of land belonging to MARMADUKE MERRINGTON and NICHOLAS ROBINSON (Book E. p. 38).

        This gives us the name of the last wife of JOHN MANNING I). She was LIDIA RICHARDSON. Bans. of matrimony for JOHN MANNING and LIDIA RICHARDSON were posted in the court of Lower Norfolk Co. in Feb. 1659. MANNING'S first wife was MARY, probably WHYTE and his children were by her. Their children were:

1.       MARY, wife of ROGER HODGES in 1669.

2.       JOHN MANNING who was his father's heir and of age before Feb. 15, 1672 (Bk. E., p. 136), married SARAH MORTON, daughter of WILLIAM and ANN MORTON (Wills of ANN MORTON (Book 4, p. 14) and of WM. MORTON, JR. (Book 7, p. 35 Norfolk Co. 1703/4)   He died 1716 leaving sons JOSEPH, JOHN III, WILLIAM and THOMAS MANNING.   (Norfolk Records Bk. 9, p. 570).

3.       MARGARET TAYLOR, wife of RICHARD who died in 1679 (Wills of Norfolk Co. 1637-1710 p. 65). In this will RICHARD names his wife MARGARET and children JOHN, RICHARD, MARGARET and SUSAN; his God-children RICHARD HODGES and ELIZABETH DAVIS.    The will was witnessed by ROGER HODGES and ELLINOR OWENS.

        In the same year, 1679, his widow, MARGARET, also died and left will which provides for the future care of her orphaned children:

        MARGARET was to be left in the care of brother, ROGER HODGES,

        SUSANNAH with brother THOS. MANNING,

        My sonne RICHARD, to friend, WILLIAM OWENS.        

        Son, THOMAS, at dispostion of overseers.           

        Son, JOHN, may choose whom he will live with. 

The first RICHARD TAYLOR, aged 50, came to Va., in 1608.   He was a member of the Convention of 1625 and of the House of Burgesses 1627/8).             

4.       THOMAS MANNING mentioned with ROGER HODGES husband of MARY MANNING as brother by MARGARET TAYLOR, probably married, first the daughter of FRANCIS NASH who in 1686 mention young THOS. MANNING in his will. THOMAS evidently married second, the mother of JOHN WATTFORD who in 1694 calls THOMAS MANNING his father-in-law (step father) and his (Wattford's) brothers, SOLOMON, THOMAS and JOHN MANNING, and sister SARAH MANNING (Book 5, p. 219).

5.       ELLINOR first wife of WILLIAM OWEN, SR. ELLINOR OWEN with ROGER HODGES witnessed the 1679 will of RICHARD TAYLOR.   The will of WM. OWEN, SR. (Book 9, p. 45 Norfolk Co.) names his three bros-in-law EDWARD DAVIS, RICHARD TAYLOR and RICHARD LEVELLING. (Dated Dec. 10, 1710).

        Before May 15, 1710, MARY HODGES, widow of ROGER HODGES had married EDWARD DAVIS (Deed bk. 8, p. 154).            

        At the time of his death WM. OWEN had wife, MARY, so we surmise that ELLINOR OWEN who signed the will of MARGARET MANNING TAYLOR was ELLINOR MANNING and OWEN'S first wife.

6.       The wife of RICHARD LEWELLING.

7.       Perhaps, NICHOLAS MANNING who married ELIZABETH, daughter of  JUDITH JOYCE ROSE (Will of JUDITH ROSE dated 1704 in Norfolk Co. Va.)

8.       Perhaps, JAMES MANNING, who in 1671/2 was given power of attorney by JOHN BRETT in Isle of Wight Co.

        There was a THOMAS MANNING in early Norfolk records who was a contemporary of JOHN MANNING I) who may have been father of No. 8 above.

        The first JOHN MANNING died before Jan. 18, 1670 on which date his neighbors NICHOLAS ROBINSON and MARMADUKE WARRINGTON app. his estate (Norfolk Court Orders 1666-72 p. 32). On Feb. 15, 1672, EDWARD NORRINGTON (probably MERRINGTON or WARRINGTON) and his wife LIDIA, deed to JOHN MANNING II) "a tract of land where I now live, being ye land my aforesaid wife had of her former husband, JOHN MANNING, dec'd, lying and being in a creek, commonly called Julian's Creek."

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        Before his death in 1708, ROGER HODGES and wife, MARY, in two separate deeds each dated March 3, 1682, conveyed for an unnamed consideration small tracts of land to THOMAS WILLOUGHBY and HENRY DALE. The fact that records show that in 1689 WILLOUGHBY had wife, MARGARET, indicates that MARGARET HODGES been the daughter of RICHARD and MARGARET TAYLOR, who was left in the care of her uncle, ROGER HODGES in 1679. Perhaps the wife of DALE was SUSANNAH TAYLOR, her sister, also now grown.

        While definite tracing of the lineage of ROGER HODGES I) beyond himself and that of his wife, MARY, beyond JOHN and MARY MANNING, does not seem possible at this time, we can say that indications are strong that there was an early connection to the "WILLIS" family.

        That there was also one to the WHITE family is less evident but more logical according to the records available to us.

        In fact, there are few WILLIS records in Norfolk and they do nothing to explain why WILLIS, as a given name appears in the early part of the eighteenth century not only persistantly in the HODGES connection, but also in the sons and grandsons of several of their close neighbors and associates.

        According to a reference in Norfolk Co., Court Records, Bk. D. p. 19B, dated Jan. 1658/9 JOHN WILLIS and wife MARY, were defendants in a suit with COL. THOS. LAMBERT. They would have been old enough to have been the foreparents of these numerous citizens called by the given name of WILLIS. There any no further records of them and the 1770 will of a late JOHN WILLIS of Princess Ann Co., fails to shed any light on the subject. It would have been the will of a grandson of the first JOHN and MARY.

        The first with this given names was WILLIS WILSON, a grown man in 1712, but neither his will nor that of his father or brothers indicate why about then or a little later, records introduce WILLIS ETHEREDGE, WILLIS CHERRY, WILLIS FEREBEE and between 1700 and 1750 at least three different WILLIS HODGES among the descendants of three different sons of ROGER HODGES I):

        One explanation could be that they descended from a common ancestor JOSEPH WILLIS the was transported to Va. in 1639 by GEORGE MENIFIE who received land in nearby Charles City County, the supposition being that the CHERRY S. FEREBEES and ETHEREDGES as well as the HODGES used the name JOSEPH in the first generations and then substituted WILLIS for the JOSEPH in the latter ones. Since we have no proof that ROGER HODGES I) was not born in the colony, it is possible that the WILLIS line came through him and he, himself, was reared in some nearby county whose records are destroyed. Gloucester Co. where an early RICHARD HODGES resided, was also seat of a WILLIS Connection.         

        On the other hand a relationship between the WHITE and MANNING families would certainly be logical was we know from the land patents extracted and printed in "Cavaliers and Pioneers" that JOHN MANNING, who was granted 200 acres on Gaythers Creek on the Southern branch of Elizabeth River in Lower Norfolk Co. moved into a neighborhood soon to be or already occupied by THOMAS ETHEREDGE, MARMADUKE MERRINGTON (or WARRINGTON) NICHOLAS ROBINSON and THOMAS WHITE all of whom were granted land on Gaythers Creek, before 1660.

        In fact, THOMAS WHITE was already living in Va. before he, with PETER SEXTON, were granted 450 a. at the mouth of Gaythers Creek in 1654 (p. 247 of "Cavaliers and Pioneers").  He was no doubt the THOMAS WHITE who was headright of THOMAS SAWYER 10 March 1637 when SAWYER patented 250 acres two miles up the East Branch of Elizabeth River for importation of WHITE and four others. MARY WHITE aged 17 in 1651 was probably unmarried and daughter of THOMAS (Witnessed will in Lower Norfolk).

        In 1639, "JOHN WHITE, gentleman, for his own personal adventure, received 50 acres in Lower Co. of New Norfolk adj. Julian's, his neck" (a neck was a narrow strip of land lying between two more or less parallel streams) (p. 111 of "Cavaliers and Pioneers.)

        Perhaps Gaythers Creek later became Julian's Creek, the name Julians being bestowed on one of the streams rather than the land.  

        It was land on Julian's Creek that was deeded by JOHN MANNING in 1669 and described as being part of 300 a. bought of THOMAS WHITE. It was also 160 acres on Julian's Creek that JOSEPH HODGES sold 1723 reserving a small plot where his father, CAPT. ROGER HODGES and other members of the family were of buried, and the 20 acres which JOHN MANNING gave to his granddau. in 1669, was on this same creek.

        It would be interesting to know if these WHITES: THOMAS, JOHN and RICHARD, who were living in Lower Norfolk in 1645, and NICHOLAS who was transported to near-by Isle of Wight Co. by Edward Rogers May 14, 1636 (p. 82 C. and P.) were sons or grandsons of JOHN WHITE who headed the ill-fated first English settlement in the North American continent in 1585. This was on Roanoke Island in Currituck Bay barely south of what is the Norfolk Co. Va., boundary.   VIRGINIA DARE, first white child born in America, was WHITE'S granddaughter and of course

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was lost with her father and mother and the entire colony while WHITE was in England pleading for ships to take food and relief to his settlers on Roanoke Island.

        In 1689, THOMAS WILLOUGHBY of the County of Lower Norfolk and wife, MARGARET, for £ 2 sterling, in to RICHARD CHURCH of the same county a small piece of land commonly called by the name of Whites Island in Curotuck in the county aforesaid bounded by that part of Currituck Bay which lies within the landbanks of the two Islands, Roanoke and Currituck, containing 2600 acres of land. The Islands formerly belonging to COL. LEMUEL MASON, COL. RICHARD FOSTER, THOS. JARVIS and my father, THOS. WILLOUGHBY decd. CHURCH to have 1/3 of White Island (Book 5, p. 104, Norfolk Co. Records).

        This deed is most interesting. This  THOMAS WILLOUGHBY is either son or grandson of the first THOS. WILLOUGHBY who came to Va. in 1610 aged 9 years, evidently with his father, THOMAS WILLOUGHBY; COL. LEMUEL MASON was son of FRANCIS MASON, who came 1613. Whites Island is hard by Roanoke Island and Currituck Co. N. C. was then considered (1689) a part of Lower Norfolk.

        Granting that MARY, or first wife of JOHN MANNING, was probably MARY WHITE, daughter of either THOMAS of Gaythers Creek, or JOHN Of Juliana Creek, it is not impossible that the WILLIS line also comes through her mother's side.  Both THOMAS and JOHN WHITE were men, grown when they came to Va., and no doubt married already or soon after.

        As we have already stated NICHOLAS WHITE was transported to Isle of Wight Co. 14 May 1636 (p. 82 C. & P.)

        NICHOLAS WILLIS was son-in-law in 1700 of EDWARD DAVIS of Princess Ann Co., formerly part of Lower New Norfolk (Book 1, p. 266 P.A. Records).         

        JOHN and MARY MANNING were probably parents of NICHOLAS MANNING son-in-law to JUDITH ROSE in 1704. 

        "Cavaliers and Pioneers" does not cover two years of land patents to Va. which are lost. Also it covers fragmentarily  the era of the "Ancient Planters" before land was given as a headright which would have been to April 1619.  And while neither this excellent book nor the Quit Rent. Roll of 1704, list numerous WILLIS families in this area, fragmentary records of Gloucester, York and Charles City Cos. prove they were there early and were numerous.  A RICHARD HODGES lived there at the right time to have been father of ROGER, who is not mentioned in "Cavaliers and Pioneers" as an immigrant.  MARY, dau. of JOSEPH HODGES, was christened in Gloucester Co.  We will see that  RICHARD, as a given name, is used even more frequently than WILLIS among HODGES men.

        So much for the possibility of relationship of HODGES to WILLIS or WHITE.  While this is not offered as a fact, we feel it  to be worthy of mention since it is doubtful if public records will ever yield any further proof in this direction.

        Early records of Norfolk, Princess Ann and Isle of Wight, still legible, have been thoroughly searched as well as those of early adjacent North Carolina. With records of Nansemond, Warwick, Chas. City, James City and Gloucester Cos. tragically destroyed and those of York partially so, there seems little likelihood of definite proof beyond the point we have already gone unless it is from private records, or the answer could lie in England.  

        While we have been unable to establish any definite relationship of ROGER HODGES to any other of that name in Va. there were others in the same area who were his contemporaries and at least one who preceeded him.

        II. The will of EDWARD HODGE, d. June 10, 1649, is recorded in Norfolk Co. Records, Book B. p. 119. In it he named his brother MR. SAMUEL HODGE, merchant, his friend MR. CORNELIUS LOYD and left to WM. ROBINSON his plantation in Lynn haven. There are no further records in Norfolk of SAMUEL.

        III. Another HODGE of Norfolk, whose career there was short lived is ROBERT HODGE born 1648, died 1681 who married ALICE, daughter of COL. LEMUEL MASON.  Since his wife was expecting their first child at the time of his death, there has been much speculation as to which HODGES family may have come from this marriage. Perhaps it will be disappointing to some to know that the records prove that this only child was a girl, MARY HODGES.  The will of ROBERT HODGE d. Sept. 10, 1681, p. Oct. 18, 1681 names:

1.       His wife, ALICE, who was with child,                    

2.       His father-in-law, COL. LEMUEL MASON,         

3.       Brother, ALEXANDER HODGE.            

4.       His brother, THOMAS HODGE.

5.       Brother JOHN HODGE of Dartmouth who had sons, ROBERT and JOHN (in England).

6.       His sister MARY SHEPHARD, wife of PETER.

Executors:  ANTHONY LAWSON and BENNONI BURRUS.

        Witnesses:   PAT ANGUS, ANTHONY LAWSON, BEN BURRUSS, DAVID WHITFORD

        (Vol. 1, p. 79 "Norfolk Co. Wills 1635-1710" - McIntosch).

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        From additional documents in Norfolk we are advised that ROBERT was preceeded in Va. by his brother WILLIAM and that his mother was BARBARA HODGE, widow, of Modbury in England, (Aug. 19, 1667, Book E, p. 29, Norfolk Records).

        On page 54 of the same book ROBERT JONES of Modebury in Co. of Devon "do appoint RONALD JONES of Linhaven in Co. Lower Norfolk Va. my attorney for the settlement of the estate of my brother WILLIAM HODGE in ye said county. May 22, 1669. (Book E. p. 47)

        JOHN HODGE of Dartmouth, In Devon, Eng. gave similar power of attorney to his well beloved brother ROBERT HODGE in 1671.

        ROBERT'S widow, ALlCE, married at least twice after his death. First to WM. PORTEEN and later to SAMUEL BOUSH, SR.

        Her will dated 1736 and probated 1748 mentions: MRS. MILLER'S children, the HAIRS, JOHN IVYS daughter, MARY, and SAMUEL BOUSH. (Book H, p. 233 Norfolk Co. Records)

        That ROBERT'S only Child was MARY HODGE, or HODGES, is proven by two documents in Norfolk.

(1)     Deed d. Feb. 16, 1682/3 "Benoni Burruss of Lynnhaven in Lower Norfolk to MARY HODGES, daughter of ROBERT HODGES, late of said co 200 acres sold by BURRUSS to ROBERT HODGE in his life-time. BURRUSS acting now as guardian of ROBERT HODGE'S child, grants and confirms unto MARY HODGE lawful daughter and heir of the above said, ROBERT HODGE, said tract of land." (Book 4, p. 135 Norfolk Records.)     

(2)     From a later record we are advised that MARY HODGES, daughter of ROBERT, lived to a marriageable age and about 1705 claimed the estate of her father in her own right (Book 7, p. 43).

        A later deed, dated 9-4-1720, identifies her as the wife of WILLIAM MILLER and in her will dated 3-22-1741 she names her children: sons, MATHIAS, HENRY and MASON; her daughters, MARY and ALICE IVY.

        IV. Another contemporary of ROGER HODGES was CAPTAIN THOMAS HODGE who appears in the Norfolk Co.  Records about  1676.

        It has not been determined whether there was any relationship between THOMAS HODGES and the family of ROGER HODGES I) of Norfolk or whether he was the THOMAS HODGES brother of ROBERT HODGE of Modebury, England and Norfolk Co. This is unlikely since THOMAS born in 1637 ("Va Colonial Executative Journal Vol. I p. 180) was 11 years older than ROBERT of 1681 will. He was in Va. before the death of ROBERT for in Aug. 1676, he served with JAMES JOSEY, EDMOND BILLSON, and ROBT. PULE (or POWELL) as Overseers of the estate of Governor RICHARD BENNETT, quaker, who resided in Nansemond Co. If older and in Va. at the time of ROBERT'S death, he would have settled his brother's affairs. Fortunately Bennett's will is among the few of Nansemond Co. which are preserved.

        Perhaps there was some connection between THOMAS, and a JOHN HODGES who was transported to Virginia in 1648 by MR. PHILIP BENNETT who received 515 acres in Upper Norfolk Co. for bringing JOHN HODGES and 9 others to the colony.

        Nansemond County adjoined Norfolk on the west and until 1642 was officially called Upper Norfolk Co. and the name evidently was in usage for some time thereafter.

        MR. THOMAS HODGES patented 707 acres in Lower Norfolk Co. on Oct. 6, 1684 (Land Grants Vol. 7 part I p. 430)

        The 1704 Quit Rent shows that he owned 407 acres in Norfolk Co. at that time. His son and heir JOHN HODGES owned 526 acres which were located on the Western Branch of Elizabeth River very near to the Nansemond Co. line.

        CAPT. THOMAS HODGES served for years and up until his death as a member of the County Court of Norfolk. In the last several years of this service he was joined by his son, JOHN HODGES, in this capacity.

        He also served on the Legislative Council of Colonial Virginia. On November 14, 1691, CAPTAIN THOMAS HODGES presented the following two bills:

1.       An act ascertaining the place for the erection of the College of William & Mary (read for first time).

2.       An act laying an importation tax upon skins and furs for the better support of the College of William and Mary.

(Legislative Journal of Council of Colonial Va., Vo. I, p. 144 and 205).

        Thus THOMAS HODGES of Norfolk had the distinction of presenting to the Colonial government the plan for founding the first college in Virginia and the second oldest university in the United States today.

        THOMAS HODGES married (1) ELIZABETH WILLIAMS daughter of EDWARD WILLIAMS and his wife ELIZABETH as shown by deed of gift from the WILLIAMS to their children. (Deeds and Wills of Norfolk Co. Bk 5 p. 128, dated April 23, 1690).

        Their only son and perhaps their only child was JOHN HODGES of the Western Branch of Elizabeth River (Norfolk Records Bk. 8, p. 143).

        JOHN married ELIZABETH MORE only daughter and heir of WILLIAM MORE (Book 9, p. 229 Norfolk Co.)

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        The only other indication of a relationship to THOMAS HODGES in the Norfolk records is contained in the will of ROBERT ROUSE dated 1687 and naming as his bros-in-law JOHN HODGES and THOMAS HODGES (Norfolk Co. Wills Vol. I, p. 109, McIntosch).  

        This will also mentions MARY HOLLOWELL as kinswoman.  The 1681 will of THOMAS HOLLOWELL, was witnessed by THOMAS HODGES, ROBERT BOWERS and HENRY BOWERS (Vol. I, p. 113).

        During this era there are no records in Norfolk to indicate that a JOHN HODGES resided there but he might have lived in adjoining Nansemond.

        Before his death in the summer of 1708, THOMAS HODGES married FRANCES _______, a widow.

        At the Norfolk Court of September 15, 1708, MRS. FRANCES HODGES is granted administration of the estate of MR. THOMAS HODGES (Book 8, p. 24).

        The inventory of the estate of THOMAS was begun 10 Feb. 1708/9 and finished 25 Feb. 1708/9. It takes 4 1/2 pages of a legal sized book to enumerate, beginning on page 53 of Book 8,

        On page 55 his slaves were listed as follows TONY, MOLL, CASEY, ROGER, COLLEY, BESS and PEGGY, and were divided by consent; TONY and MOLL for MRS. FRANCES HODGES and ROGER, COLLEY, BESS, PEGGY and CASEY for CAPT. JOHN HODGES.

        "Estate appraised for £95, 16 shilling 4 pense not including cattle, sheep etc. and old lumber divided by consent. Sworn to at ye Court by MRS. FRANCES HODGES Admx. to be a true inventory of ye estate of MR. THOS. HODGIS dec'd and hath been divided between and with the consent of JOHN HODGIS, his son, a sum of money and ye plantation."

        1.  Captain JOHN HODGES son of THOMAS was deceased within six years.   His will recorded in Book 9, p. 330 was dated May 27, 1714 and proved Aug. 20, 1714, made legacies as follows:

(1)     Dau. ELIZABETH - five negroes, stock.

(2)     Daughter MARY 2 negroes, stock, furniture. 

(3)     Daughter KATHERINE 2 negroes, stock, furniture. 

(4)     Daughter JUDITH 2 negroes, stock. 

(5)     Son WILLIAM, lands when he comes of age.

(6)     Wife, ELIZABETH, the manor plantation during her life and privilege of keeping and driving stock on my land above the head of the Western branch of Elizabeth River which I have in partnership with WM. POWELL.

(7)     Mother-in-law (step-mother) FRANCES HODGIS, widow of my father, slaves in her possession.

        All children were minors. Also a son, JOHN HODGES       

        ELIZABETH, widow of JOHN married in 1720 SAMPSON POWER.
        WILLIAM HODGES son of JOHN, had at least one son who was JAMES HODGES and who had wife, MARY.

        This JAMES lived for a while at least in Nansemond Co.  On Dec. 10, 1757 he sold to WILLIAM SHEPHERD also of Nansemond "all that tract of land lying and being in the county of Norfolk on the head of the Western Branch adj. ROBERT BOWERS, ABSALOM CIVIL and JOHN PURKENS" (Deed Bk. 18, p. 73).
        Before June 17, 1762, JAMES had moved his residence back to Norfolk.     

        "JAMES HODGES and MARY his wife, son of WILLIAM HODGES of the Western Branch of Norfolk Co. to JEREMIAH CREECH a tract of land on the headwaters of the Western Branch of Elizabeth River known by the name of Part of Beach Ridge containing 100 acres which sd. JAMES had of his father, WILLIAM." (Deed Bk. 20, p. 94).  

        This land had been deeded June 10, 1712 by LEWIS CONNER to JOHN HODGES and his wife ELIZABETH - a plantation commonly known by the name of Part of Beach Ridge and being at the head of the Westermost branch of Elizabeth River." (Deed Bk. 9, p. 230)

        Without doubt GENERAL JOHN HODGES of fame in the War of 1812 was of this line.

        "GENERAL JOHN HODGES descended from WILLIAM HODGES of Hodges Ferry Plantation on the Western Branch of Elizabeth River in Norfolk Co. Va.  The said WILLIAM HODGES had a son WILLIAM who married LIDIA THOMAS on July 4, 1760. They had a son WILLIAM who married SALLY DEANS and were the parents of GEN. JOHN HODGES. Born Dec. 31, 1786." (Va. Historical Mag. Vol. 17, p. 98).

        WILLIAM HODGES I) possibly married twice as indicated by the following Norfolk Co. Deed (Deed Bk. 1759- 1761, p. 195).

        "WILLIAM HODGES and wife ELIZABETH Of Norfolk Co. Va. to JAMES HODGES of same for £ 40 a plantation lying and being in the Western Branch of Elizabeth River opposite the plantation of JOHN HODGES adj. THOMAS HAIR."

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        The will of MRS. FRANCES HODGES, widow of CAPT. THOMAS HODGES was probated in Norfolk Co. July 17, 1730 but fails to mention any HODGES heirs. Through it we know that she had a daughter ELIZABETH wife of EDWARD THURSTON, a daughter FRANCES, wife of MR. THOMAS NELSON and a grand-son-in-law MR. JACOB WALKER, evidently married to one of the daughters of JOHN HODGES.

II SECOND GENERATION

I. JOSEPH HODGES, SON OF ROGER I)

        After the death of ROGER HODGES, his widow married EDWARD DAVIS, as proved in a deed recorded on page 154, Book 8 dated May 15, 1710.

        "EDWARD DAVIS as marrying MARY. HODGES, widow of ROGER HODGES dec'd did become in right of her dower of land, now in occupation of JOSEPH HODGES, son of the said ROGER and MARY HODGES.

        EDWARD DAVIS gives said land and title to JOSEPH HODGES."

Eighteen years previous, JOSEPH received by deed 50 acres of land adj. WM. ETHEREDGE from CORNELIUS ELLIS (Book 5 Part I, p. 185 . Jan. 17, 1692). This fixes the date of JOSEPH'S birth as not later than 1671. From this date until his death in 1766 JOSEPH lived an active life and transacted much business, even up to the year of his death although he was then at least 95 Years of age. However, this 50 acres which he purchased of CORNELIUS ELLIS, he sold July 17, 1693 to LAWRENCE COPPINGER but for some reason still owned this land in 1704. Since JOSEPH, like his father, ROGER, was a cooper, and not a planter, it was not necessary that he own a quantity of land to make a living."

        In Deed Bk. 7, p. 79, "JOSEPH HODGES of Elizabeth River in the County of Norfolk with the consent of my wife, SARAH HODGES, do sell to AMOS ETHEREDGE of ye Southern Branch 50 acres adj. WILLIAM ETHEREDGE."

        This was the land purchased by HODGES: in 1692 and this latter deed dated June 19, 1705 establishes the fact that he had wife, SARAH, at this time.

        SARAH was probably his first wife though at an earlier date, 1694, both JOSEPH and a REBECKA HODGES witnessed the will of JOHN BIGGS, SR.  If she was his wife she may have been either sister or daughter of CORNEUUS ELLIS, or a dau. of his wife. He was adm. of TIM. HARVEY @ 1670.

        On June 19, 1723 "JOSEPH HODGES of Norfolk Co. cooper and MARY, his wife, deed to WM. WALLACE of same Co. for 5 shillings, 129 acres of land and wood on the west side of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River adjacent to lands of THOMAS HERBERT and JOHN and JOSEPH MANNING, divised to said JOSEPH by the last will and testament of his father, CAPT. ROGER HODGES." (Book 2, p. 80) We are advised by this document that JOSEPH'S wife, SARAH, is dead and he is now married to MARY_______.

        Aug. 16, 1723 "recent indenture to verify another of JOSEPH HODGES and wife MARY for £ 25 money of Va. paid by WM. WALLACE whereby they acknowledge and confirm to WM. WALLACE said land in his possession, 129 acres except a piece of ground 34 foot by 10 foot where said JOSEPH'S father and others of said family have been buried here-to-fore" (Book 2, p. 81).

        In 1730 Tax List of Norfolk CO. JOSEPH HODGES and two sons are listed as taxable in the district between Suggs Mill and the Great Bridge. These sons had to be fourteen years of age or older to be included in the tax. None of the sons of JOSEPH showed up in independent households in this tax list (Va. Geneologist Jan.- May 1963)

        These two sons who were approaching maturity in 1730 were JAMES and probably JOSEPH, JR.

        In 1733 THOMAS JORDAN of Nansemond Co. released to JOSEPH HODGES of Norfolk Co. in right of HODGE'S wife, MARTHA, formerly wife of his father, THOMAS JORDAN, four slaves that is, TONY, SAM, PHOEBE, FRANK.

        Of these four slaves, PHOEBE and SAM were bequeathed, in 1758, to the children of JAMES, son of JOSEPH HODGES, in their father's will.

        Having established the first names of various wiles of JOSEPH HODGES, son of ROGER and MARY MANNING, b @ 1670; d. 1766; m. (1) before 1705 SARAH ____;m. (2) before 1720 MARY, probably FEREBEE; m. (3) before 1733 MARTHA widow of THOS. JORDAN (1) and MORTALL (2) every effort has been made to prove their family names but without success, except for wife MARY and certain information on MARTHA.

        (Will of JAMES JORDAN MORTALL d. 1742, mother exctr.

        Probate to MARTHA HODGES)

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        According to his will dated Nov. 1765, and proved August 1766; and other documents in Norfolk Co. and adjoining area, JOSEPH'S children were:

1.       JAMES HODGES, b. 1705-1710; d. 1758 in Pasquotank Co. N.C. m. (1) about 1735 MARY PORTLOCK, daughter of JOHN PORTLOCK, JR.; m. (2) before 1757 MIRIAM STOKELY, widow, probably MIRIAM LAMB  (Deed Bk. 18, p. 30)

        Proof:

(1) JAMES HODGES will d. Feb. 2, 1758, P. Mar, 1758 recorded in Grimes "Wills and Inventories of North Carolina" p. 253. (2) Deed JAMES HODGES, cooper, to JOHN EDMONDS, Feb. 13, 1736, signed JAMES and MARY HODGES. (3) Will of JOHN PORTLOCK, JR. d. 1742 p. 1743/4 names son JOHN III) daus. MARY HODGES and ANNE WHITEHURST, small children, wife SARAH). Also his estate settlement (Deed Bk. H p. 119) names JAMES HODGES and SMITH WHITEHURST as husbands of his daughters, (1744).

2.       JOSEPH HODGES, JR. business partner of his brother JAMES died in 1761, had wife LIDIA at time of death.

3.       WILLIAM HODGES died 1764, left wife ANN and children JOSEPH, ANNE, MARY, SUSANNE mentioned in their grandfather's will.

4.       FEREBEE HODGES, mentioned in the will of JAMES HODGES of Pasquotank and also in will of his father JOSEPH.  He was a blacksmith in Portsmouth and had wife MARY when he died in 1779.   Mentions only wife and one son, SAMUEL HODGES.

5.       MARY HODGES possibly only daughter of JOSEPH, named first in his will, was bapt. Oct. 18, 1717 in Abingdon Parish Gloucester Co. Va.; m. (1) WILLIAM BRESSIE before 1746; m. (2) PATRICK KEATON who died before November 15, 1752 and left a wife, MARY, and daughter, MARY and SARAH. Excts. JOSEPH HODGES, SR. and BENJ. HODGES, SR. (Wills of Norfolk Vo. II) On April 23, 1759. JOSEPH HODGES, signed the marriage bond of WILLIAM EVANS and MARY KEATON,  The 1766 will of JOSEPH HODGES names his daughter MARY EVANS and his grandson WILLIAM BRESSIE.

6.       Son, CHARLES to have home plantation.

7.       Son, STEPHEN, a negro boy named GEORGE. STEPHEN in 1769 had wife, MARTHA.

8.       Son, BENJAMINE, a negro boy named JAMMY.

        JOSEPH HODGES was of the second known generation of his paternal line in this country. Having produced with the help of three wives, seven sons to carry on his name, he had made a solid contribution to the history of the HODGES of America. In the next generation, we will follow only the direct tine from him to JOHN W. HODGES of Texas, except where additional data is needed for clarification.

        Since he had three, possibly four, wives and only the first names of these several wives art definitely known with no dates of their deaths, or his children's births it is almost impossible to place his children within the proper marriage.

        There are no records to prove that REBECKA HODGES who signed the 1694 will of JOHN BIGGS was the wife of JOSEPH who was also a witness but JOSEPH was of marriageable age at that time having been born not later than 1671, so there is a possibility she was his wife but if so we believe that they were childless or had only daughters who preceeded him in death. As we have seen his will mentions only one daughter but it also fails to mention two of his sons who were already deceased.   

        As for sons, however, the 1730 tax list of Norfolk County fails to list any of JOSEPH'S several sons in separate households and only two in his own were old enough to be enumerated in that of their father. These, who had to be sixteen years of age or older, were probably JOSEPH, JR. and JAMES. Since all of the sons of JOSEPH resided in Norfolk Co., we therefore believe that the first of them were by his wife SARAH to whom he was married in 1705 or earlier.

        The fact that CORNELIUS ELLIS bound himself in the sum of 7000 lbs. of tobo to deliver the said 50 acres to JOSEPH HODGES in Jan. 1692 could mean it was a deed of gift and of significance. CORNELIUS ELLIS was probably the brother of WM. ELLIS.

        Another wife's family name of which we have strong evidence is that of the wife, MARY, whom we believe to have been MARY FEREBEE, daughter of JOHN FEREBEE and his wife, ELIZABETH, who previously was the wife of WILLIAM ELLIS, SR. and of RICHARD POWELL who died 1657.

        JOHN FEREBEE lived in the vicinity of the ROGER HODGES family and his signature appears on many of the documents of this connection.

        A deed recorded in Norfolk Deeds & Wills Bk. 7 p. 62 dated Feb. 14, 1704, conveys to THOMAS and JAMES FEREBEE by their father JOHN FEREBEE to each 200 acres of land patented to him April 4, 1685. To JAMES then only eleven years old and the youngest of the FEREBEE children, "my plantation where I live it being 200 acres." It then provides that "if JAMES die before manhood the land is to revert to the donor and is then to go to his daughter, MARY FEREBEE."

        In the next century the name FEREBEE was a popular one for both boys and girls across Va. N.C. and Tenn. but FEREBEE HODGES, son of JOSEPH was the first to bear that given name

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        We believe that his mother was MARY the second wife of JOSEPH HODGES and that she was MARY FEREBEE, daughter of JOHN.

        MARY HODGES born 1717 may have been daughter of either SARAH or MARY. While she bore the name of the, second wife, we know that her grandmother JOSEPH'S mother was MARY MANNING. The will of JOSEPH HODGES, SR. names as a grandchild only WILLIAM BRASSIE but we know that MARY enjoyed two later marriages. The will of her second husband, PATRICK KEATON, names his wife MARY and daughters SARAH and MARY. SARAH named first was probably the older of the two and could have been named for the wife's mother. This was a common custom of that and many generations.

        WILLIAM HODGES who was married and had at least four children before his death in 1764 was also probably the son of this middle marriage to MARY FEREBEE.

        But, sons CHARLES, STEPHEN and likely BENJAMINE were more probably son of the JORDAN marriage which took place before 1733.

        It's possible that MARTHA, the widow of THOS. JORDAN who was JOSEPH'S last wife, was a MILES (or MYLES or MYALS).

        About the time of this last marriage of JOSEPH when he was about sixty years of age, he, with CAPTAIN R. JOLE, CAPT. JOHN SANDERS and MR. SOLOMON WILSON, were called to Williamsburg, to attend a meeting of the executive Council of Colonial Virginia and to testify, in a case of piracy, involving JOHN BROWN, master of the Brigatine, "Three Brothers." The case was dismissed (Vol. IV. p. 266).

        JOSEPH HODGES, his father, ROGER; his brother, THOMAS; and nephew, RICHARD; his sons, JAMES and JOSEPH, JR., and even, in their early years, JAMES son's JAMES, JR. and WILLIS, depended for their livelihood on the sea. Situated as they were at the entrance to: Chesapeke Bay, and in what is still today one of the great maritime centers of the world, they and many of their neighbors took fun advantage of this location. With the sea in front of them, innumerable protected harbors in every river and creek for crafts of that day and the forest at their back for an unlimited supply of lumber, they grew, packaged and transported tobacco, the then medium of exchange in the Colonies and a popular commodity in the European cities. We shall see that after they migrated West, the HODGES like their neighbors and friends in this new environment, were generally dependent on the land.

        II. THOMAS HODGES, SON OF ROGER I)

        Although the order of the births of the sons of ROGER HODGES I) and his wife, MARY MANNING, are not definitely established, it is probable that THOMAS was their oldest son.

        "ROGER HODGES of Elizabeth River for the love he has for his son, THOMAS HODGES, gives to him 120 a. of woodland ground on the southwest side of the Northwest River being part of a dividend taken up by JOHN CREEKMUER, EDMOND CREEKMUER and ROGER HODGES." (Deed Bk. 7, p. 35 Norfolk Co. Va. Nov. 11, 1703)

        This was part of the grant of 1920 acres which had been made to ROGER HODGES I) and the two CREEKMORES in 1693/4 and was deeded to THOMAS II) in exchange for his rights to other lands which his father owned. The fact that both he and his father recognized his legal rights to property still in his father's possession suggests that he was the eldest son and as such, heir to his father and the original holdings.

        By turning one page over from p. 35 in Bk. 7 to page 36, we find proof for this presumption.

        Nov. 15, 1703 "THOMAS HODGES, cooper, of the Northwest River in consideration of the land given me by my father, ROGER HODGES, in the North West River, I give all my rights, title and interest of all the land where my father lives to him to bequeath or give to whom he pleases especially the 20 acres formerly given by my grandfather, JOHN MANNING, dec'd unto my sister, MARY HODGES now dec'd." Wits: JOSEPH CHERRY, JOHN WILLIAMS, JOHN CREEKMORE (Bk. 7, p. 36).

        We do not know the name of the wife of THOMAS HODGES nor the exact date of his death, but we do know that he married and left sons and died before March, 14, 1715.

        On that date, "RICHARD HODGES, cooper, of Norfolk County, living on the Southwest side of the North West River, for the love and good will which he bears to his brother, FRANCIS HODGES, hath set over unto the said FRANCIS, 70 acres being part of a patent formerly granted to MR. ROGER HODGES dec'd and by his will given to his son, THOMAS HODGES, said land lying on the Southwest side of Northwest River now in possession of RICHARD HODGES, he being the proper heir of said land. And now, said RICHARD HODGES, of his own free will hath set over to the said FRANCIS HODGES the 70 acres joining land of MR. ROGER HODGES II) uncle to the aforesaid RICHARD and FRANCIS HODGES (Bk. 9, p. 481).

        Since deeds to RICHARD HODGES from his father ROGER recorded in Book 6, p. 110 and JOHN HARSELL to RICHARD HODGES p. 128 and 152 are all impossible to decipher, it is difficult to determine where RICHARD HODGES of the 1704 quit rent roll obtained the 375 acres on which he was taxed at that time and also equally as

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difficult to determine which RICHARD HODGES of later Norfolk Records was son of ROGER and MARY and which was son of THOMAS, and their grandson.

        Since these deeds in Book 6 were all made in the 1690's, RICHARD I), son of ROGER, must have been the grantee. And, because without benefit of either later grants or deeds of consequence, RICHARD HODGES of the 1750 will devised to his son and heir, RICHARD, JR., his plantation of 370 acres of land, this much and no more which at that time, seemed to constitute his entire land holdings, we believe RICHARD of the 1750 will, to have been RICHARD I), son of ROGER. No other acreage was mentioned in the will. Furthermore, the order of the sons of RICHARD as named in his will and SOLOMON'S will indicate that RICHARD was father of at least four sons, RICHARD, THOMAS, SOLOMON and ROBERT before 1714, in which year, ROBERT BURGESS mentions ROBERT, the son of his daughter, ELIZABETH, who was wife of RICHARD HODGES I). Perhaps two of his five daughters were also born before that date. This fixes the marriage of RICHARD I) to have been not later than 1700 and his birth not later than 1680 by close figuring. If RICHARD I) of the 1750 will had been the son of THOMAS son of ROGER, this would fix THOMAS' birth at not Later than 1660 and with a little leeway here and there to take care of later than teen-age marriages, it could easily have been as early as 1650-1660.

        Also because JOHN MANNING made deed of gift to MARY HODGES in 1669 of 20 acres on which ROGER HODGES had recently built his home, we believe that: (1) ROGER HODGES was a young married man in 1669 just beginning with a young family perhaps his first child in his first home; and 2nd, that his son, THOMAS, even though perhaps the first born son was not old enough to have fathered RICHARD I) a man grown and with family in 1704.

        Therefore, we will hereafter refer to RICHARD HODGES of the 1750 will as RICHARD HODGES I), son of ROGER; and RICHARD HODGES who moved to Currituck Co. before 1735 as R1CAHRD HODGES II), son of THOMAS.

        The latter "RICHARD HODGES" and wife FRANCES of the County Currituck N. C. deeded to WILLIAM HANBURY, JR. of Norfolk Co. Va. for £ 45 current money of Va., 100 acres of land lying on the south side of the North West River in Norfolk Co. adj. lands of EDWARD CREEKMURE dec'd and lands of WILLIAM and CALEB HODGES (sons of ROGER, uncle to RICHARD and FRANCIS sons of THOMAS).

        The tax list of 1735 published in the North Carolinan show that RICHARD HODGES owned 320 acres in
Currituck county at that time.

        Currituck Co. N.C. joined Princess Ann and Norfolk Cos. Va. on their southern boundary and at one time at least parts of it were considered to have been Virginia. On Feb. 11, 1747/8 JASPER LANE of Norfolk Co. Va. sold to RICHARD HODGES of Coratuck Co. in N. C. 75 a. lying in Princes Ann Co. Va. (Deed Bk. 7, p. 2 P. A. Co. Va.)

        In 1742 R1CHARD HODGES of Currituck served with FRANCES, widow of WILLIAM STAFFORD, as
executor of STAFFORD'S will.         

        On May 2, 1748/9 RICHARD HODGES of that County wrote his own will which names his wife FRANCES and daughters: FRANCES BOWIN probably wife of JOSIAH; SARAH BURNHAM probably wife of JAMES; MARY HODGES; ELIZABETH HODGES; UPHAM HODGES. No sons were mentioned, but without further research in Currituck and neighboring counties, there is no certainty that he did not have sons to whom he had already made gifts of land. His will was witnessed by CALEB WILSON, GEO. POWERS, and WILLIS ETHEREDGE, all good Norfolk County Virginia names.  Records of Currituck Co. are mostly gone.

        There are few records concerning FRANCIS HODGES, son of THOMAS and brother of RICHARD, beyond the deed in which RICHARD devised part of his inheritance, as eldest son of THOMAS, to FRANCIS.

        The 1730 Tax List of Norfolk Co. finds him on the Western Branch of Elizabeth River in the same household as RICHARD JOLIVE. Because of this information, we think it possible that FRANCIS may have married SARAH, the daughter of JOHN JOLLY of Norfolk who in his 1736 will named his daughter, SARAH HODGES (Norfolk Co. Wills Vol. II, p. 243).

        On May 14, 1733, FRANCIS HODGES deeded a tract of 200 acres located on the Southwest side of the North­west River to ROBERT HODGE (Book H, p. 150).

        At a later date 1741 ROBERT devised half of this land to WILLIAM HODGES, perhaps his son.

        On January 2, 1734 a FRANCIS HODGES witnessed the will of JOSEPH ABINGTON and on March 21, 1742 of ISAAC DAVIS in Currituck Co. N. C, but this was probably FRANCES, wife of RICHARD rather than FRANCIS, his brother.

        III.   RICHARD HODGES I), son of ROGER I)

        Second generation, RICHARD HODGES, married well before 1714 and probably before 1700, ELIZABETH BURGESS, daughter of ROBERT BURGESS. This, we know, from a deed of gift from ROBERT BURGESS dated May 21, 1714 to his daughters SARAH MALBONE, wife of PETER, and ELIZABETH HODGES, mother of ROBERT and to his son, EMMANUEL BURGESS, each a slave.

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        From other Norfolk Co. records of that era, we have been able to establish other members of the family of ROBERT BURGESS to have been LIDIA WILKINS, MARY MALBONE, wife of RODOLPHUS, and ISOBELLA, wife, first of JAMES WILSON II) and later of MATHEW GODFREY. (Will of JAMES WILSON, JR. Vol. II, Norfolk Co;.   Wills p. 69 and of MATHEW GODFREY Norfolk Records, Bk. 9, p. 591, Mar. 15, 1715).

        RICHARD HODGES, born about 1675 married about 1700 ELIZABETH BURGESS, died in 1751. His will dated Feb. 10, 1750 and recorded Nov. 21, 1751 in Will Bk. 1, p. 234 does not mention his wife, so we presume ELIZABETH was deceased.

        Their children were:

1.       RICHARD born about 1700-1705 married MARTHA RANDOLPH, dau. of GILES (Norfolk Will 1750) died before Sept. 18, 1766 (Will Book 1, p. 148, Norfolk Co.)

2.       THOMAS. HODGES, b.  1702-1708 died Feb. 1755 makes his brother RICHARD his executor. Given by his father's will £ 7 in full of his part.

3.       ROBERT HODGES born before 1714 died 1771.   Father's will leaves him two negro boys BRISTOE and SUNDAY presumedly descended from negro girl, JENNY, left to ELIZABETH HODGES and her son ROBERT HODGES by her father, ROBERT BURGESS May 21, 1714. EMMANUEL BURGESS mentioned in this paragraph but will is torn at this place.

4.       To my son WILLIAM HODGES, my best bed.

5.       SOLOMON HODGES deceased before Mar. 19, 1731. His will dated Aug. 14, 1730 and proven on the former date names his brothers THOMAS HODGES, ROBERT HODGES, and WILLIAM: HODGES and proves that he, too, of age in 1731, was born not later than 1710. He was probably just older or younger than ROBERT. Since SOLOMON mentions neither wife nor children we presume him to have been unmarried.   Not named in father's will.

6.       Daughter ISOBELL GODFREY £ 10

7.       ANN FITZACKERY, daughter, and her husband, MR. THOMAS FITZACKERY, one negro.

8.       Daughter MARY HODGES, one negro.

9.       ________ BROWN, mother of RICHARD BROWN, RICHARD HODGES' grandson.

10.    Daughter, who was mother of LIDIA PRICE.

11.    To grandson, RANDOLPH HODGES one negro. In case he should die before reaching the age of 21, sd. negro for my grandson, RICHARD.

        Several of the sons of RICHARD I) left wills which name their children. In that of RICHARD, JR. we find the names of his sons RANDOLPH and RICHARD identified as the grandsons in that of RICHARD I).

(1)     Will of RICHARD HODGES, JR. (Will Bk. I, p. 148, dated July 30, 1766,.p. Sept. 18, 1766).          "To grandson, WILLIAM HODGES, 100 acres lying on the Northwest River adj. CALEB WOODWARD and JAMES CREEKMUIR," This is probably the land deed to RICHARD I) by his father, ROGER I) and recorded in Norfolk County Records Bk. 6, p. 110.

        RICHARD, JR. divided his plantation between his sons RICHARD, RANDOLPH and WILLIS, his daughters ELIZABETH SMITH and 1/3 to his wife who was MARTHA, daughter of GILES RANDOLPH. His daughter RACHEL MOHUN had already had her part and to his daughter MATHEW HODGES he left one bed and furniture.

        His daughter, ELIZABETH SMITH, was possibly the wife of THOMAS SMITH to whom her 20 acres adjoined.

(2)     The will of THOMAS HODGES, son of RICHARD I), dated 12 Jan. 1755 and proved Feb. 1755 (Unre­corded Wills of Norfolk Co. p. 50) in addition to designating his brother RICHARD HODGES his executor names his sons SOLOMON, KADAR and SAMUEL and his daughter ANN HODGES.

(3)     The will of ROBERT HODGES son of RICHARD I), dated Dec. 22, 1770 and proved at the May Court 1771 identifies his wife MARY and only two sons JAMES and ROBERT and no daughters. We believe that he may also have had son WILLIAM as well as other sons and daughters and that his first wife may have been a daughter of JOHN SIMMONS of Princess Ann Co.

The will of JOHN SIMMONS of Princess Ann Co. which adjoins Norfolk in the Northwest River section de­vises to his grandson WILLIAM HODGES two slaves SIPPUE and PEG already made over to his mother and £ 5 when he comes of age. This will was dated Jan. 12, 1759 and recorded within two years in Norfolk Co.

        SIMMONDS names AMY WHITE, daughter of PATRIC WHITE in the next paragraph of his will and leaves her the negroes ROSE and TONY.

        In deed Bk. 13, p. 229 is recorded a deed, PATRICK WHITE and wife MARY of Norfolk Co. granted to ROBERT HODGES of the same Co. a tract of land containing 150 acres more or less lying on the West side of the

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North River beginning at the mouth of Splitt Ridge branch adj. MR. SAMUEL SWEENEY (April 15, 1745).  Wits: JOHN SMITH, MATHEW GODFREY, LUCY SMITH.

        When PATRICK WHITE died in 1761 his daughters were AMY BURGESS, PRUDENCE MILLER, ZELIA BUTT and LYDIA WHITE,

        As yet we have not placed WILLIAM HODGES, SIMMON'S grandson, in any HODGES family. Because of the association between SIMMONS, PATRICK WHITE, ROBERT HODGES named for his grandfather ROBERT BURGESS and AMY BURGESS daughter of WHITE we feel that there is a possibility that WILLIAM may have been a son of ROBERT by a first marriage and unnamed in his will. This is only a possibility and by no means the only one.

        A deed recorded in Book 16 on page 55 reveals an exchange between ROBERT HODGES from WILLIS JAMES of Norfolk Co.  The deed dated January 1752 conveys title to "a good feather bed and furniture, a cow and hiffer yearling which came by his wife; a sow, and six pigs, crops - and the rest of my goods and chattle, both within doors and without doors."

        This deed seems to indicate that the then wife of ROBERT HODGES was probably the step-daughter of WILLIS JAMES.

        Whether this was MARY, named as wife of ROBERTS 1770 will, we do not know.

        IV. ROGER HODGES, JR. SON OF ROGER I)    

        Fortunately, a deed from ROGER HODGES I) and his wife, MARY, is one of those in Book 6 which is still readable.   Recorded in Norfolk Records Book 6, Part I, p. 45 and dated July 15, 1696 it reads:

                "I ROGER HODGES together with MARY my wife grant unto ROGER HODGES the younger,                                        our tract of land in Norfolk Co. being the land of said HODGES bewix the land of EDMUND                                               CREEKMORE, JOHN PAIG and JOHN ALDRIDGE, 100 acres of land being part of a larger                                              tract etc."              

        The deed to JOHN ALDRIDGE, carpenter, dated 29 of July, 1696 and recorded on page 57 states that the land was part of the tract of 1920 acres patented in 1694 to ROGER HODGES, SR. and the CREEKMORE and states that the 100 acres deeded to ALDRIDGE was land on which the said ALDRIDGE was then already living.

        There are several wills recorded in Norfolk which reconstruct the family of ROGER HODGES, JR. The will of GEORGE BALLENTINE, SR. of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River dated 1700 and proved 1702 establishes the fact that ROGER HODGES, JR. like his father had wife MARY, who was the daughter of Ballentine who also, mentions his granddaughter MARY HODGES.

        Her father's will shows that MARY BALLENTINE HODGES was one of a large family, her father enumerating sons: THOMAS, WM., GEORGE, ALEXANDER, RICHARD, DANIEL, DAVID; and daughters: MARY HODGES, DOROTHY, wife of JOHN CREEKMORE and FRANCES wife of HENRY DEALE.

        The will of ROGER HODGES, JR. recorded in Book 9, p. 541 of Norfolk Records and dated Aug. 18, 1716, names the sons and daughters born to him and his wife MARY BALLENTINE. None had reached their majority at the time of their father's death. The will of his wife, MARY, recorded in McIntires Will of Norfolk Co., Vol. II p. 137 gives the married names of some of her daughters. This will was dated Jan. 10, 1736 and recorded May 21, 1736.

        The will of their son, EDWARD HODGES, recorded May 21, 1736 and dated April 14, 1736 suggests that he and his mother may have died of a common malady. This will adds nothing else to the family history other than that he was as yet, unmarried and that he left his plantation to his brother, CALEB.

        All this information is combined in the following listing of this family:

1.       Son WILLIAM HODGES - homes plantation with 100 acres.

2.       Son ROGER HODGES III) 100 acres.

3.       Son CALEB, 50 acres adj. his brother ROGER, and EDWARD.

4.       Son EDWARD, 100 acres adj. his brother ROGER.      

5.       Daughter MARY married before 1736 and was then MARY ECHOLS.   

6.       Daughter ABIGAIL mentioned in neither the will of her mother nor her brother, EDWARD, probably dec'd early.              

7.       Daughter DINAH was DINAH ULSTREE 1736.

8.       Daughter ANN was ANN WARREN 1736.   

9.       FRANCES HODGES named in will of her mother and brother but not in father's

10.    ELIZABETH HODGES named as her sister FRANCES.  

        The will of ROGER HODGES, JR. made his wife MARY his executor and was witnessed by RICHARD HODGIS no doubt his nephew, and WM. WILKINS, JAMES WILKINS and NATHANIEL NUSEN witnessed MARY'S will twenty yean later and the same year 1736. LEMUEL BRETT, WM. HODGIS, and JAMES WILKINS witnessed that of EDWARD HODGES, son of ROGER II) and MARY.

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V.    BENJAMINE HODGES, SON OF ROGER I)

        There are several documents in Norfolk Co. which prove that ROGER HODGES and his wife, MARY MANNING, had a younger son who with their second daughter by the name of MARY were no doubt minors at the time of their father's death.

        The first of these is a deed dated 1723 recorded in Bk. F., p. l0a from "JOSEPH HODGES and his wife MARY to BENJ. HODGES, both of Norfolk Co., a piece of woodland lying and being in the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River adj. HUGH HANLON, JOHN NICHOLS and THOMAS LEAKE part of 120 a purchased of HUGH HANLON dec'd and known as Bucks Ridge. ROBERT CANADY the privilege of getting light wood and timber."

        This date is too early to have been BENJ. HODGES the son of JOSEPH. No consideration is mentioned in this transaction so we suppose it to have been a deed of gift.

        The 1741 will of EDWARD DAVIS, second husband of MARY, widow of ROGER HODGES I), who must have been several years her junior leaves to his son-in-law (step-son) BENJ. HODGES, the great iron pot that was his fathers.

        In 1750 JOSEPH HODGES, SR.  and BENJ. HODGES, SR. were named executors of the will of PATRICK KEATON, a second husband of MARY, daughter of JOSEPH.  (Will Bk. 1, p. 290)

        Finally on Oct. 15, 1765, ten months before the death of JOSEPH HODGES, SR., and some four years after the death of JOSEPH, JR., "BENJ. HODGES, SR. of St. Brides Parish of Norfolk Co. to THOMAS HANBURY of same, for five shilling a certain parcel of land 83 acres adj. SAMUEL BRACIE and adj. JOSEPH HODGES to Hodges Road, between BENJ. HODGES and JOSEPH HODGES, his brother.

        We believe that the wife of BENJAMINE HODGES, SR. may have been the daughter of WILLIAM WILKINS who mentions his grandson LEMUEL HODGES in his 1745 will.

       On Aug. 20, 1755 BENJ. HODGES, JR., of Norfolk Co. to LEMUEL HODGES of same, a tract of land situated

above the great Bridge and bounded by lands of JOSEPH HODGES, JAMES HODGES and WM. NICHOLSON (Deed Bk. 17 p. 187 Norfolk Co. Va.)

       On Nov. 17, 1756 LEMUEL HODGES and wife RUTH of Norfolk Co. to ROBERT WILKINS a tract of land

near the Great Bridge devised to sd. LEMUEL HODGES by MR. CHARLES SWEENEY (Book 17, p. 275).

        Either BENJ. HODGES, SR. or JR. had wife COURTNEY HODGES. In 1746 ARCHIBALD TAYLOR left £ 200 to the dau. of MARY HODGES who lived at the Great Bridge when she becomes 20 ys. of age which she must have attained about that time for when the estate was settled COURTNEY HODGES received her £ 200 legacy. These COURTNEY HODGES were not likely the same.

III. THIRD GENERATION

JAMES HODGES, SON OF JOSEPH, SON OF ROGER

        JAMES HODGES I) lived all of his life except his last year in Norfolk Co. Va were; like his father JOSEPH and his grandfather, ROGER, he followed the trade of cooper. He is not named in his father's will, having preceeded him in death by almost nine years. JAMES HODGES' will was recorded in Pasquotank Co. N.C. February 1758 and that of JOSEPH in Norfolk County, Virginia in Sept. 1766.

        However, the will of JAMES mentions his father, JOSEPH HODGES, his former residence in Va. and his brothers JOSEPH HODGES, JR., FEREBEE and STEPHEN, the latter two of whom are named as sons in the will of JOSEPH HODGES, SR.  JOSEPH, JR., was also deceased before his father's death.

        We do not have the exact date of the birth of JAMES HODGES but from two documents we know he was born 1714 or earlier. He was listed on the 1730 tax list in the household of his father which indicated he was 16 years old or older. As a grown man he began to negotiate his own affairs as early as June of 1735 which proves he had reached his majority before that date.

        On June 19, 1735, JAMES HODGES of Norfolk Co. purchased from COL. ANTHONY WALKE of Princess Ann Co. for 5 shillings, land estimated at 80 sq. poles (rods) in Norfolk Co. near Norfolk town on the main road into town (Deed Bk. 12 p. 70).

        On Dec. 10, 1738, JAMES HODGES, Cooper, sold to THOMAS BLAIR, of the Borough of Norfolk Co., Perukemaker, 1/2 lot of land which said HODGES bought of COL. ANTHONY WALKE the other half lately sold to JOHN EDMONDS dec'd. - land lying without the town bridge (Book 12 - d. 1738).

        This deed was signed by both JAMES and MARY HODGES, as was the Feb. 1736 deed to JOHN EDMONS so we are introduced in these deeds to the first wife of JAMES HODGES I) who was MARY, daughter of JOHN PORTLOCK II) of Norfolk. We know this to be true because in his 1742 will, JOHN PORTLOCK, JR. names his daughter MARY HODGES, and in 1758 JAMES HODGES in his will names his son, PORTLOCK HODGES.

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        The PORTLOCK relationship will be further discussed at the end of this chapter.

        Beside carrying on his trade as a cooper, JAMES HODGES bought and conveyed numerous plots of land in the interval between his first deed from COL. WALKE and his but in 1757 when he removed to Pasquotank Co., N.C. His will and deed indicate that having acquired property on the Main Rd. and near the Great Bridge, from that advantageous location on this cross road of both land and water travel, he expanded his cooper business to include other merchandise.

        On July 15, 1747 "JEREMIAH SIKES deeded to JAMES HODGES a piece of land lying and being at the Great Bridge in Norfolk Co. being twenty five feet on the road and according to the bounds that THOMAS SIKES had, and also a certain piece of marsh that THOMAS SIKES bought of MR. JOHN WILSON lying on the Main road that goes to the above said great Bridge being part of Great Bridge Island according as it was bounded by the said JOHN WILSON to the said THOMAS SIKES" (Book 14 p, 43 & 44)

        Special notice should be taken of the above extracted deed because it will play an important role in the identifi­cation of JAMES HODGES, JR. to whom it was Left in his father's will.

        On January 18, 1757, JAMES HODGES bought in Pasquotank Co. from CALEB BURNHAM 200 acres of land on the Pasquotank River and moved shortly thereafter. We know this because on March 13, 1757, JAMES HODGES of Pasquotank Co. of the Providence of North Carolina sold to JOSEPH HODGES, JR., of Norfolk Co. 200 acres in Norfolk Co. above the head of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River - Great Bridge being the land I bought of GAMON, JOHN CURLIN, BENJAMINE and LEMUEL HODGES (Norfolk Deed Bk. 18, p. 30). This deed was witnessed by JOSEPH and FEREBEE HODGES and HENRY SIKES. It was signed by JAMES HODGES and his second wife, MIRIAM. Sometimes between 1747 when WILLIS HODGES, JAMES' son was born, and 1757, MARY PORTLOCK HODGES had died and JAMES had married MIRIAM STOKELEY, widow, who had a son JOSEPH STOKELEY by her first marriage. Since JAMES HODGES names in his will a minor son whose name was LAMB, and WILLIAM LAMB of North Carolina had in 1758 both wife and daughter named MIRIAM, we believe that this second wife of JAMES HODGES could well have been, before her first marriage, MIRIAM LAMB.

        The will of JAMES HODGES Senior is recorded in Pasquotank Co. North Carolina March 1758.  It is dated February 2, 1758 and is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of N.C. It was copied in "Grimes Wills and Inventories" and is given in full on pp. 253, 254, 255 and 256.

        We, too, fed it is interesting and important enough to be inserted here in full:

JAMES HODGES WILL

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the Second Day of February, one thousand Seven Hundred, fifty Eight. I, JAMES HODGES, of Pasquotank, North Carolina, being very Sick & weak in body but of Perfect mind & Memory, thanks be therefore given unto God, Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my Body and knowning that it is appointed for all Men once to Dye, do make and ordain this my last Will & testament, that is to say, Principally and first of all, I give & recommend my Soul, into the Hands of god that gave it; and my Body I Recommend to ye earth to be Buried in decent order, at ye Discretion of my Executors.

        Item.  I give & Bequeath to my Son. Josiah, that Plantation & Island on the N. E. Side pasquotank River Bridge to him & his heires for ever.      

        Item.  It is my Will & Desire that if my loving Farther, JOSEPH HODGES, has Willed any part or Parcel of his Estate to me, I humbly beg him to give & Bequeath it to my well beloved Son, JAMES HODGES, Jun., to him & his heires for Ever, & farther, it is my desire yt my loving Brothers. JOSEPH & STEPHEN HODGES shall collect all my Debts on the Great Bridge Books, and to Pay all my Just Debts that I owe in Norfolk & there Lawfull Commissions.

        Item. I give & Bequeath to my Son, WILLIS HODGES, wt. over Rush of my Book debts, if any Remaining, to him & his Heires for Ever.      

        Item. I Give and Bequeath to my loving Son, SAMUEL HODGES, Negro boy named PETER, to him & his Heires for ever.            

        Item. I also give a bequeath to my loveing Son, WILLIS HODGES, Negro boy Named SAM, to him, & his heires for Ever.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved wife, my writing Desk & bigest ovel Table, my Painted Chest & Seal Skin trunk, one Set of Silver Teaspoons & Tong's, & all my Pewter I brought out of Virginia. Two Frying pans, five Iron pots, & all ye Plantation utensiels, & Sufficient of household Meat to Support ye Family untel New years day, & fat.

        It is my Will that my Estate shall Pay for ye Building of a New Kitchen, with one small Brick Chimmey in room of the old woed Chimmey. And farther, I give & Bequeath to my loveing wife all Small Furniture, such as Earth'nware & Coopers, & c, and ten old chairs and Six red Do., & one Safe Bought of Timothy Hickson, one Iron Chafeing dish, and all ye aforsd. mentioned, to her and her Heires for ever. I likewise desire that none of my Children shall lay and Clame to any Part or parcel, or any part, of my Wifes Estate that she was Posest of before I married her.

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        Item. I give & Bequeath to my Loveing Son, JAMES HODGES, my lot of Land & Marsh on the west Side of road going to the Great Bridg accord'g to ye bounds that THOMAS MANNING formely held by, & give him my Storehouse standing by brick hous formerly belonging to MR. CHARLES SWENY, and I give him my Roan horse called Rock, & a dark bay Horse wch. I had in Swop of SOLOMON TIMPLE, & my Riding Sadle and housing.

        Item.  I give, bequeath to My loveing Wife, the use of my Negor Woman call'd Phebe, tell my Son, PORTLOCK attains to the age of Twenty one years, and then the sd. negro Phebe & her increase to return to ye sd. PORTLOCK & his heires for Ever.  I likewise give him ye Horse I bought of DAVID COOK, CaIi'd Ball, to be sold by FEREBE HODGES & the Money Laid out in Goods to support ye sd. PORTLOCK.

        Item. I give & Bequeath to my well beloved Wife, my horse call'd Dultage, to her & her Heires for ever, & the use of Sam & Peter tell my two Sons, WILLIS & JOSIAS HODGES comes to Lawful age; & it is my desire that my two sons, JOSIAS & WILLIS HODGES, shall not in any wise disannul my part of the sd. Clause before mentioned.

        Item. I Give & bequeath to my daughter KESIAH CURLIN, Negor girl call'd SARAH, & one feather bed & furniture, spinning wheel, pewter, one chest deliver'd to her when Marri'd, in full of her Portion, to her & her heirs for Ever.

        Item. I give & Bequeath to my Daughter, MOLLY, the Negro Girl call'd Rachel, to her & her heirs for Ever.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my Daughter, FRANCES HODGES, one negro Girl Call'd HANNAH, to her & her Heirs for Ever. I likewise give to ye use of my wife, ye use of the two Negro Gerles HANNAH & RACHEL, tell my two Children, MOLLY & FRANCES HODGES Comes to Lawful age.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my Son-in-Law, JOSEPH STOKELY, my new Survey over ye River on ye N.E. side Pasquotank River, & I give him Cash to Purchase a grant for ye sd. Survey of Land, to him & his heires for Ever, & I desire that my Exe'or or Executors to take out of the grant Soon after my decease.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my Daughter, MIRIAM HODGES, one Negro Girl call'd NAN, to her & her heires for Ever.       Item. I give & bequeath to my loveing Son, JAMES HODGES, my negro man Call'd BOATSWAIN, to him & heires for Ever.

        Item. I give & bequeath & it is my Will & desire, that my Brother, JOSEPH HODGES, Pay to Colo. ROBERT TUCKER, thirty Pound wch. I owe him upon Balce. of old Bond & ye Joint Bond Brother JOSEPH HODGES & I ower ye sd. ROBERT TUCKER, in Part of Eighty five Pounds that Brother JOSEPH HODGES owes to me, HODGES, & uppon Settlem't wn. I was Last in Virginia in December last; & I further desire, that my loveing Brother, JOSEPH HODGES, shall Com in here & take all ye Invoics that is in PardonShip between him & I, at Spraules, Newtons, Atchison, & Sum them up & see wt. the Amounts is, & then go to ye sd. Sproules, Newtons & Atchison, & take true Copys of what we have Paid in company & see if I fall in Debt to pay it, giveing me Credit for ye one half of all ye money he pays away of mine, in my Old Book list; all ye Moneys that can be got in, Brother JOSEPH HODGES must have one half & ye other half to my well beloved Wife, MIRIAM HODGES in Concideration of Supporting & Schooling ye Children & after my beloved Wife, Miriam Hodges & Brother JOSEPH HODGES & MR. ANDREW MILLER' Merch't, if any remains to be Equal Divid'd between my two Sons & Daughters, LAMB, PORTLOCK, MOLLY & FRANCES HODGES.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my loveing Wife, Side Saddle & my longest Gun, some wite and Brown Sugar Bought of Capt. HEADLY and Part of a Barr'l Molasses.

        Item. I give & bequeath my short Gun I brought from Virginia, to my Son, LAMB HODGES & one pair of hand Mill Stones being now in Possession of SOLOMON TEMPLE.

        Item. I further give strict orders that no Person or Persons shall Pretend to make Publick vandue of any Part or Parcel of my before Mentioned Estate, under Penalty of one hundred Pounds, proc. Money.

        Item. I give & Bequeath to my l'ving Wife, MARIAM HODGES four feather beds and furniture I brought out of Virginia, to her & her heires for ever.

        Item. I give to my Daughter, MOLLY HODGES, three new Black Chairs & one small Ovel Table, to her & her heires for Ever.

        Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter, FRANCES, three new black chaires, & one Square Table.

        I do hereby appoint my real friend, Colo. ROBERT MURDON, & FEREBE HODGES, my whole & Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disanul all & every former testaments, Wills, Legacies & bequests & Exers., by me in any ways before bequest, and Executors by me in any ways before named, Willed & bequeathed, Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & Seal, the day and year above Written.

                                                                                JAMES HODGES (Seal)    

Signed, Seal'd, published, Pronounc'd

& Declared by the sd.

JAMS. HODGES as his Last Will

& Testament in ye Presence of us

ye Subscribers:

Test. JOHN HARRIS, Jrat.

DANIEL KOEN. the mark

JOHN J. M. MURDEN.

NORTH CAROLINA,

PASQUOTANK COUNTY.                                                                                MARCH COURT,1758

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        Present His Majesties Justices:

        These may Certify that JOHN HARRIS, one of the Evidences to the within Will, Appeared in open Court and Made Oath on the holy Evangelist, that he was present and JAMES HODGES, sign, Seal, publish and declare the within to be and Contain his last will & Testament, and that he was at time of Sound & disposing memory, and that he also saw DANIEL COIN & JOHN MORDEN, the other two Evidences, Sign their names thereto at the same time. Then appeared JOSEPH HODGES, Exe'r in Virginia and was duly Qualified, Ordered that the Honle. RICHD. SPAIGHT, Esq. Secretary, have notice that Letters may issue.

                                                                                                Test. THOS. TAYLOR, Clk. Cou.

Copied from the Original Will, filed in the Office of the Secretary of State."

        Although we have no documents to fix definitely the dates of the births of JAMES children, except the birth of WILLIS born in 1747, (Pension application), certain wording of the will of JAMES does indicate their approximate order of birth and in some instances to which wife they belonged.

        More definite concern for the future of JAMES, JR., and bequests made outright to him, with no provision for elapsing further time, indicate that he was the eldest son and heir and was of age in early 1758.

        Although negro slaves were given to sons, PORTLOCK, WILLIS, and JOSIAH, and daughters FRANCES, and MOLLY, a stipulation was made that his wife, MIRIAM, should have use of these said slaves until the children come of age and a phrase added stating that nothing should be done to disanul this provision.

        MOLLY and FRANCES each were given definite gifts of household furniture as their married sister, KESIAH had received on marriage.

        The younger daughter MIRIAM reasonably assigned to the last marriage was given a slave to which no provision was attached allowing the wife of have use of it until daughter MIRIAM came of age. She also was given no furniture.

        Reading between the lines the will conveys the idea that it was not necessary to provide that the wife have the use of NAN the slave of MIRIAM because if true daughter, MIRIAM, wife, would naturally have use of NAN until the young daughter was of age or married. On the other hand there would be no need for the father to provide furniture for a marriage dower to dau. MIRIAM, since her mother was living and would attend to that.

        There is no stipulation providing lapse of time or restriction on the bequests to SAMUEL or LAMB so by no logical reasoning we have placed SAMUEL in the older group and LAMB with the sister MIRIAM as of the second marriage.   SAMUEL was of age as JAMES, JR. was.

        A rough guess of the, year and sequence of birth of JAMES children is given. below:

        JAMES HODGES, JR. - b. 1734-1736

        SAMUEL HODGES (of age) 1736-1738

        KESIAH CURLIN (married) b 1738-1740           

        PORTLOCK (minor) b. 1740-1742        

        JOSIAH (minor) b. 1742-1744 (JOSIAH HODGES m. in Norfolk Co. Va. Sept. 21, 1765, MARY EWELL)

        MOLLY (minor) b, 1745           

        WILLIS (minor) b. 1747           

        FRANCES (minor) b. 1749-     

        LAMB (minor) b. 1752-1754

        MIRIAM (minor) b. 1754-1756              

        From this reasoning, we conclude that only LAMB and MIRIAM were children of the second wife. Their ages would depend on the date of the second marriage and each could have been born a couple of years later than the above estimate.  We can safely say that MARY PORTLOCK HODGES died 1750-1753.

        Several of the children of JAMES HODGES and his first wife, MARY PORTLOCK appear later in the records of
Norfolk Co. Va.  

        On June 16, 1760, JOSEPH HODGES, WILLIAM HODGES and STEPHEN HODGES were bonded as guardians of JOSIAH and MARY HODGES orphans (Reel 98 - Some Guardians Bonds of Norfolk Co. 1751-1790).

        Perhaps, by this time, two and a half years after the death of JAMES, SR., his wife, MIRIAM has remarried and different arrangements were necessary for the custody of some of his minor children by his first wife, MARY.

        In 1764, JAMES HODGES, the younger, disposes of two pieces of property in Norfolk Co. identifying him­self ''as JAMES HODGES, marriner," in the one dated February 18 of that year; and as "JAMES HODGES late of Norfolk Co. in the Colony of Virginia but now of the Providence of North Carolina, marriner" in the latter one dated Oct. 18, of the same year (Deeds of Bk. 22).

On February 18, 1768, when WILLIS HODGES, son of JAMES, SR. would have just reached his majority a "WILLIS HODGES with the consent of the Court of Norfolk hath voluntarily and of his own free will apprenticed himself to JOHN WILSON, cordwarner, to learn his art, trade and ministry and after the manner of an apprentice to serve said WILSON from the date here set forth and during four years." (Deed Bk. 24)

        There are several WILLIS HODGES of this era and this could have been WILLIS son of RICHARD HODGES, JR., of Norfolk Co. but since others of his brothers and sisters have recently been in Norfolk, we believe this was more likely WILLIS HODGES, son of JAMES SR., who now with father, grandfather, JOSEPH; and uncles JOSEPH

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JR., and WILLIAM, all deceased; is of age, on his own and had the good sense to prepare himself for the future by learning a trade.

        That he didn't follow it but emulated his older brother, JAMES HODGES, in moving west Into North Carolina attests to the bond between these older and younger brothers.

        JAMES HODGES, SR. had started this westward trek in 1757 when he took a brief step in that direction by moving to Pasquotank Co. where his residence was cut short by death a year later.

        Because of this circumstance and the fact that MARY the mother of most of his minor children was deceased, his family was scattered and we have identified and located only three of them in future documents. Beside JAMES and WILLIS HODGES of Edgecomb and Halifax Cos. N.C., PORTLOCK HODGES lived in Pitt Co., N.C. There was also a WILLIS HODGES there who served in the Rev. War and also applied for a pension. His application papers say that he was born in North Carolina in 1745 and lived there the rest of his life. He was not son of PORTLOCK HODGES, SR. who was still a minor in 1758. Neither was he WILLIS the son of JAMES, SR. or Norfolk and Pasquotank Cos. Perhaps he was an unnamed son of RICHARD, son of THOMAS, who moved to N.C. before 1742.

        The pension application of WILLIS HODGES, already identified as son of JAMES, who followed his brother JAMES first to Edgecomb and Halifax Cos. North Carolina and then to Smith Co. Tenn., states that he was born in Norfolk Co. Va. in 1747 and moved to North Carolina when ten years old. This exactly tallies with the facts of JAMES HODGES I) life. He was not living in North Carolina in 1747 but in Norfolk Co. Va. but he did move there in 1757 when WILLIS was ten years old. Herein he, WILLIS, will continue to be spoken of as WILLIS, son of JAMES HODGES, SR.

        Before continuing with the fourth generation of HODGES in this family we will here digress to record the documents which relate to MARY HODGES daughter of JOHN PORTLOCK (II) of Norfolk Co. and first wife of JAMES HODGES, SR.

HODGES-PORTLOCK

        MARY PORTLOCK HODGES, like her husband, was a third generation Virginian.

        Her grandfather, JOHN PORTLOCK, SR. at a court of Norfolk Co. Jan: 16, 1712 "saith that he is now 54 years of age and that about the last of the month of March 1682, the same being about the beginning of the year, I was on the island at the Great Bridge on the head of the Southern branch of Elizabeth River, the island being that where on the stone house now stands which said island was then known by the name of Hickory Knowls, on which island one Costain then lived." (Deed Bk. 9, p. 234)

        On October 21, 1687, a patent of 490 acres was made to JOHN PORTLOCK and on May 20, 1689 JOHN and his wife ELIZABETH conveyed 80 acres of this grant to WILLIAM ETHEREDGE, SR., her father (Deed Bk. 8, p. 84 WILLIAM ETHEREDGE to his son WILLIAM ETHEREDGE, JR.)

        In 1702 JOHN PORTLOCK was, collector of all bills due on the south branch of Elizabeth River (Book 8, p. 277).

        In 1703, he was crier of the Court (Norfolk Co. Court Orders)

        The exact date of the marriage of JOHN PORTLOCK I) and ELIZABETH ETHEREDGE has not been preserved but it was doubtless shortly after he reached his majority about 1680-1682 - as he and ELIZABETH had nine children -seven sons and two daughters at the time of his death in October 1715.

        Unto his eldest son and heir JOHN PORTLOCK, JR., he left "all and every part and parcel of that tract of land I now live on.

        "Only my true and well loving wife, ELIZABETH PORTLOCK, to have her natural life upon the manner plantation without any interruption."

        Besides JOHN he names his other sons - PAUL, WILLIAM, CHARLES, EDWARD, PETER and LEMUEL - seven in all. He names two daughters, ELIZABETH and LIDIA. To PAUL and WILLIAM he leaves land. All his books are to be divided between his seven sons and his two daughters. No mention is made of any child being a minor but if JOHN PORTLOCK was only 57 when he died and the father of nine children some of them, likely, were under age.

        The will of JOHN PORTLOCK, JR., was written in 1742 and recorded in Norfolk Co. Feb. 18, 1743/4 on the oath of WM. PORTLOCK, WM. PORTLOCK, JR. and THOMAS NASH.

        He left to his son JOHN III) "the land and plantation whereon he lived, his shooting gun and silver hilted sword" - but he gave detailed instructions to JOHN for the erection of a house for his wife and small children on the place" in lieu of her third part of my now dwelling house."

        His son JOHN was also to have the parcel of land commonly called Gillings and water mill.

        To his two daughters MARY HODGIS and ANNE WHITEHURST each fifty shillings.

        The rest of the estate to be sold and wife SARAH to have one third part and two thirds to be divided between all his children except son, JOHN.

        MARY HODGIS was wife of JAMES HODGES I) of Norfolk Co. as already explained.