William LINTON (1706-1733)

LINTON Chronicles

William LINTON (1706-1733) & Susanna MONROE (1693-1752)

pages established June 2010

Linton Research Fund Inc., Publication © 1987-2024 "Digging for our Roots"

William LINTON Sr., (1706-1733) & Susanna MONROE (1693-1752)

(4^th great-grandparents of Annie Lucretia CRONK 1888-1956)

(5^th great-grandfather and great-grandmother of Kirk Louis LINTON 1914-1987)

William LINTON Sr., (1706-1733) was the 2^nd child of John LINTON (1670-1725) & Ann BARTON (1690-1734).

In 1706, William’s Linton ancestors were not new comers to the America colonies. William’s father, John LINTON Jr., (1670-1725) was born on his father’s, John LINTON Sr., (1645-1700) North Farnham tobacco Plantation, in old Northumberland County, Virginia, present day, Farnham, Westmoreland County. John Sr., was born on his father’s William LINTON (1618-1680) Farnham tobacco plantation. William was born at Kecoughtan, Elizabeth Cittie, old Princes Ann County, Virginia.

In 1609, William LINTON, Sr.’s (1706-1733) 2^nd great-grandfather, Moses LINTON (1562-1622) the emigrant, immigrated from York, County Yorkshire, England to America. Moses and older his brother William LINTON (1560-1634) who were both carpenters by trade, were on board the Virginia Company’s flagship Sea Venture when it set sail in the summer of 1609 sailing to Jamestown. When the ships were blown off course, by a hurricane, also on-board Sea Venture, were the leaders of the expedition, Sir Thomas GATES, Sir George SOMERS and Master William STRACHEY (1572-1621). The Sea Venture was shipwrecked on the uninhabited island of Somers Isles, now Saint Charles, Bermuda. The survivors eventually reached Virginia after building two small ships during the ten months they spent on the island. On 15 July 1610, William STRACHEY wrote his, now famous, eloquent letter to the "Excellent Lady" in England, about the Sea Venture disaster and his time at Jamestown.

William LINTON Esquire, (1590-?) later left the Kecoughtan, Elizabeth Cittie Colony and his brothers and resettled on Somers Isles. William became a sugarcane plantation owner there and left many Linton descendants including an island named after him, Linton Island.

Ann BARTON (1690-1734) was the daughter of Edward BARTON (1639-1711) and Ann GREEN (1640-1712) of old King George County, Virginia. Ann’s mother had married earlier Martin SCARLETT Jr., (1646-1698)

John LINTON (1670-1725) & Ann BARTON had eight known children. They were Moses LINTON (1705-1752) who married Susanna HANCOCK (1729-?), William (1706-1733), Elizabeth Linton (1709-?), who married Nathaniel ELLICOT, Ann LINTON (1710-1751) who married Scarlet HANCOCK (1708-1741), Frances LINTON (1712-1730), Constant LINTON (1714-?), she married George BRETT (1714-?). ³

John and Ann relocated to from their North Farnham Plantation (present day, Farnham, Westmoreland County) in 1690 to the Linton Neck Plantation on Marumsco Creek. John had rented and then inherited 509 acres of this plantation from his uncle Moses LINTON (1675-1729) of Occoquan Falls, which was located adjacent to Moses’ in-law, Martin SCARLETT (1620-1705 ) of Deep Hole Plantation, in old King George County, containing the old Mason ferry across the Occoquan River ⁴ (present day, Army Radio Station, Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia).

William LINTON (1706-1733) was born at his father’s Linton Neck Plantation, on Marumsco Creek, Copley Episcopal Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia (in present day, Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia). In 1728, twenty-two year old, William married, the thirty three year old, widow Susanna MONROE Tyler (1695-1752). Susanna was the daughter of Andrew MONROE (1664-1708) and Eleanor SPENCE (1664-1708) of Monrovia Plantation, on Monroe’s Creek and old Linton Bay in old Northumberland County (now Westmoreland County), Virginia. Widow Susanna MONROE Tyler’s first husband, Charles TYLER (1695-1724) died at age twenty-nine, leaving Susanna his Stafford tobacco plantation (in present day, Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia) and five small children: Charles TYLER (1716-1767), Jane TYLER (1718-1761), Monroe TYLER (1718-?), Sallie TYLER (1720-1781) and John TYLER (1724-1792). ⁵

After William Linton’s father’s death, in 1725, and his mother’s death, in 1733/34, William became the guardian, of his sister, Letice LINTON (1726-?), and executor of his sister, Frances LINTON (1712-1733). William had inherited his father’s old Westmoreland County 509 acer Linton Neck Plantation. This plantation was then located in old Stafford County (present day, Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia) and his father’s newly acquired land grant of 384 acres located on Little Rocky Run (present day, Fairfax County, Virginia). ⁶

According to the Hamilton Parish Episcopalian Church records, of Westmoreland County, Virginia, William Linton and Susanna Tyler were married in 1728. William’s household family at this time included his mother and his guardian sister, two year old, Letice LINTON. Susanna’s household family at this time included her five Tyler children. William and Susanna had three children together. They were Ann LINTON (1728-?) She married Doctor NESBETT, John LINTON (1730-1775) he married Elizabeth ELLICOT(1732-?) and William LINTON Jr., (1732-1770) he married Mary. ⁷

William LINTON Sr. was appointed a Justice of Peace of old Stafford County in 1729. On April 27, 1731, William was appointed one first Commissioners of Peace Prince of William County of the newly formed county from Stafford County in 1731. His service in the office was short by his sudden death in 1733. William’s Will was among the lost records, (lost in the Civil War) but part his estate account was later found in the Virginia Historical Society’s collections. It's entries, begun in late 1733, included payments for Frances Linton's estate, since I am (had) been her executor, they went to brother Moses, for his own share plus those of John and Letice (both still underage) and to George BRETT (1700-?) for his wife Constance LINTON (1714-?). Most of these probate records are lost too, so a complete history can’t be written of the life of William LINTON (1706-1733) of Occoquan Falls, Northern Neck Virginia.

After William's LINTON death in late 1733, widow Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton married Captain Benjamin GRAYSON (1684-1758) in 1734. Benjamin, is first recorded in the Westmoreland County records in 1715. In 1731 Benjamin made a large land speculation grant on Limestone Creek near Kitchen Mountain in the Catoctin Mountain Range (present day Loudoun County, Virginia). On November 4, 1731, Benjamin was appointed a Commissioners of Peace of the newly formed Prince William County, which included his Limestone Creek land grant.

By the time he married widow Linton, he had already became, a successful Occoquan Falls merchant. Benjamin GRAYSON, was born circa 1684, in Scotland. In his eulogy, the Episcopalian Reverend, Scott said of Benjamin GRAYSON Sr., "He had come into the county from the lower parts of Virginia, his broad ax on his shoulder, that his industry and good management, his being executor to some good estates and his marrying a rich widow, had enabled him to acquire a large estate."

Benjamin brought into this marriage his successful business, being it his first marriage. Widow Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton brought with her nine children (including Letice LINTON) and her dower land rights to her two previous husband’s tobacco plantations. Benjamin acquired a small bakery at Occoquan Falls adjacent to Nathaniel ELLICOT and Elizabeth LINTON’s water gristmills on Occoquan River (present day Occoquan, Prince William County). Benjamin, turned this small bakery into a "successful merchant bakery from which "biscuits" were distributed throughout the colonial frontier." Benjamin reached the rank of Colonel of local Prince William County Virginia Militia, during this time of the French and Indian Wars.

By 1738, Benjamin had settled the accounts of his Tyler guardian children, sons Charles, Monroe and John TYLER received the sum of 46 pounds, 12 shillings and one pence from their father, Charles TYLER’s estate (1695-1724). His daughter Jane’s share went to her husband, James LOVELL and Sally’s went to her husband Francis JACKSON. ⁸

Benjamin GRAYSON & Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton had four children together. They were Benjamin GRAYSON Jr. (1735-1768) he married Elizabeth OSBORNE (1736-?), Episcopalian Reverend Spence GRAYSON (1740-1798) he married Mary Elizabeth WAGENER (1740-?), Colonel William GRAYSON (1742-1789) he married Eleanor SMALLWOOD (1743-?) and Elizabeth "Susanna" Monroe GRAYSON (1743-1780) she married John ORR (1726-?).

Benjamin built a new dwelling for their growing family of Tylers, Lintons and Graysons, Belle Aire. This plantation house was located on the old Linton Neck Plantation on a high mound on Marumsco Creek overlooking Linton Bay (present day Occoquan Bay). Benjamin GRAYSON’s Belle Aire Plantation now containing over a thousand acres.

The Belle Aire Plantation dwelling was burned to the ground, during the second battle of Bull Run if you’re a southerner or the second battle of Manassas, if you’re a northerner, during the Civil War. The battle was fought on August 28^th through the 30^th of 1862. The dwelling was approximately twenty miles from the battle field. The core of the current structure is believed to be built on the remaining foundation of Belle Aire plantation house. The Grayson family tomb vault, similar to George Washington’s tomb vault, lies in the meadow, below the now existing structure, marked with a small Daughters of the American Revolutionary War marker.

After Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton Grayson’s death at age fifty nine, on "November 8, 1752, Mrs Grayson, Colonel Monroe’s sister died." ⁹ Susanna was buried in the Grayson family tomb vault. Benjamin GRAYSON, in 1748, married the rich Widow Sarah BALL Ewell (1700-?). Sarah brought into the marriage her dower rights to her late husband, Major Charles Ewell’s (1713-1747) 800 acer plantation and their two children Frances EWELL and Jesse EWELL (1743-1805). Sarah BALL Ewell was a first cousin of William Linton Sr. (1706-1733). Benjamin lived for another six years and died in 1758. He was buried next to Susanna at their Bell Aire Plantation vault.

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Footnotes:

The Virginia Lintons (Brief Historical Sketch) (Terry L. Linton, © 1995) (Linton Research Fund, Inc., Publication © 1995) (printed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. USA.)
The Virginia Lintons (Brief Historical Sketch) (Terry L. Linton, © 1995) (Linton Research Fund, Inc., Publication © 1995) (printed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. USA.)
The Lund Washington Manuscript, Library of Congress, Washington DC.
Westmoreland County Court Order Book 1663-1693 pp 43-44, Westmoreland County Court House, Montross, Virginia.
Westmoreland County Court Will Book 8, page 329-331 Westmoreland County Court House, Montross, Virginia.
Prince William County Court Will Book C, Probate records, page 432, Virginia Historical Society's collections, Richmond Virginia.
The Lund Washington Manuscript, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Prince William County Court Will Book C, pages 432-436, Virginia Historical Society's collections, Richmond Virginia.
Register of Saint James Northam, Goochland County, Virginia: Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine Vol IV, page 102