TENTH GENERATION

516. Captain John Batte was born on 24 Jun 1606 in Oakwell, Yorkshire, England. He died in 1652 in Henrico Co., VA. "John was a captain of foot in the Royalist regiment of Agbrigg and Morley at the battle of Adwalton, also a Justice of Peace in West Riding."

John lived at Okewell Hall, County York, VA, a Royalist officer who seems to have emigrated with his children to Charles City Co., Va, by 2 Apr 1639, but returned to England.

There is a legend that John was killed in a duel; also a ghost story in England concerning him. (From Clarence C. Batts: cbatts@ix.netcom.com 2/2000)


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Hello, Joe Evans,
It appears we have some of the same ancestors according to your Web Site .

My ancestors : Robert Batte child Capt. John Batte who married Martha Mallory: child Capt
Henry Batte married Mary Lound: child William Batte married Mary Stratton: child Henry Batte
married Elizabeth Chamberlaine: child Mary Batte married George Cox child Frances Cox married
Richard Gregory.

*****



William Neal married Ann Chappel: child Ann Evans Neal of Amelia Co. Va. married John Morgan
of Nottoway Co.Va., which was taken from Amelia Co. Va.child Elizabeth Ann Morgan married
John Alexander Johns of Lunenburg Co. Va., who is a descendant of Alexander Bruce a Jacobite
from Scotland, who landed in Va on 14 Jan 1716 . I was wondering if you have any info.
on Ann Evans Neal? I think this may conect to a William Evans in one of these Counties.

The book , The Magna Charta Sureties 1215, fifth edition 1999, page 143 has some very good
information!!

Don Gregory in Virginia

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Capt. John Batte, in his own words
If he could speak to us today, Capt. John Batte might describe his life as follows.

An infantry captain, I sided with King Charles during the English civil war. In the summer of 1643 the Marquis of Newcastle led our army against Lord Fairfax and his son, Sir Thomas. Although Newcastle had no military expertise, we overwhelmed the Fairfaxes at the Battle of Adwalton Moor 30 June 1643 within a mile of my home, “Oakwell Hall.”
In August 1644, after Cromwell prevailed, I prudently surrendered to Lord Fairfax and was ordered to pay £3,640 to recover my lands. Although Parliament later reduced that to £364, I was angry that I had to sell assets and lease others to pay the fine.
I married Martha Mallory, of a prominent Cavalier family. Some say I spent too much of my family’s wealth elevating myself to the Mallory’s level. Martha and I had 9 children whose baptisms are in the register of Birstall Parish where we attended church.
In June 1646 I left for Virginia with most of my family, leaving behind John, a law student at Cambridge, to complete his studies. Back in London in 1649 and needing money, I organized a commercial trading “adventure” to Virginia. My brother Robert Batte, a London grocer, petitioned the “Committee for advances of money cases,” and I persuaded Sir Thomas Danby to invest £1,500 and I borrowed another £1,500.
I was “dead beyond the seas” by September 1653 when William Batte, my eldest son and heir, applied to administer my estate. Martha died and was buried 9 February 1654/5 at Birstall, Yorkshire. Dabney, who wanted his money back, had William arrested but could not prove he benefitted from my “adventure.”
Among my big family were a dozen congressmen — both USA and CSA — and about 40 state legislators.

In September 1653 his brother Robert Batte applied for administration of John Batte’s estate because he was “beyond the seas deced.” Submitted simultaneously was a document intended to shield William Batte from any claims. Danby’s heirs had engaged Philip Mallory to pursue their interests in the Colony. On 21 September 1653, Mallory signed an affidavit that he had received what he could of the estate of John Batte in the Colony of Virginia and “therefore to the utmost of my power discharge, release, acquit William Batte, son and heir of Gent. John Batte of all debts, dues, accounts or whatever that may be claimed by Sir Thomas Danby Kt.”
John’s estates including “Oakwell Hall” fell to William. When he returned to claim his inheritance, Sir Danby had him arrested but could not connect him with the lost investments. William successfully argued that he was neither a planter nor trader and was in no way in involved with his father and brother in the “adventure” that lost Danby’s money.

(From Virginians.com)


He was married to Katherine (Martha) Mallory in 1624.

517. Katherine (Martha) Mallory was born in 1609 in Chester, England. She died on 9 Feb 1643/44 in Yorkshire, England. Children were:

i. Capt. Henry Batte was born on 13 Aug 1628 in Yorkshire, England. He died in 1702 in Prince George, Virginia. "In 1673 Henry Batte, son of Captain John, patented 3528 acres on south side of Appomattox River and second branch of the Black water....He was a member of the House of Burgesses 1685-86."

"...came to Virginia about 1646."

Henry Batte, the son of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was baptized 13 August 1628 and buried 8 September 1629. (From Virginians.com)
ii. William Batte was born in 1629 in England. William "was a burgess for Elizabeth City Co. in 1658/9."

William Batte, the son of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was born 15 July 1632. He came to Virginia with his parents but evidently returned to England where he died.
Charles City County court records show a William Batte married Mrs. Susanna (Aston) Major before 1656. That year he called Mrs. Hannah Aston “mother [stepmother]” when he sold her some cattle. Susanna was the widow of Lt. Col. Edward Major of Nansemond and daughter of Lt. Col. Walter Aston.
William Batte wrote the following document in May 1654 in England and it was recorded in Charles City County 3 April 1657.

Charles City County Court
Know all men by these presents that I, William Batte, gent. do willingly allow my brothers, sic. Tho and Henry Batte (in consideration of their interest in Virginia) shall have 11 cowes, one heifer of two years old, two yearling heifers with their increase, the sd. cattell to remain upon our plantation in Charles City until they come of age. I do also allow that they shall each of them have two men servants with good clothes and bedding for four years which is according to the custom of the country, and each of them a feather bed with curtens, blankets, rug, and two pair sheets to each bed, and that they shall have sufficient meat, drink, apparrell, and lodging with other necessities until they come of age as above sd. Reserving only out of this the male cattel for my own use - Lastly, I do allow that the plantation shall be sold only for their proper use and benefit lying in Isle of Wight County, and that they shall equally have as much interest in the plantation in Charles City commonly called Spring Gardens as my self.

Rev. Philip Mallory witnessed this document in England. Thomas Mallory and a William Batte witnessed it in Charles City County. This second William Batte was perhaps the same William Batte who patented land in Charles City County in 1670.
William evidently inherited the Isle of Wight land from his father. Capt. John Batte had bought land in Isle of Wight County from John Upton 3 February 1654/5. In 1657 Thomas Harris of Chippoakes in Surry County sold a tract of land he had acquired from William Batte and Mrs. Margaret Upton, widow of Lt. Col. John Upton.
We could speculate that William had planned to settle in Virginia with his brothers because his eldest brother John would inherit all the Batte properties in England. Yet when he learned that his father and brother, both named John, had died, he returned to England to claim his inheritance. By this document, William may be arranging for the care of his two younger brothers who were to remain in Virginia.
William inherited Oakwell Hall and several other estates after the reported death of his father. Yet he also inherited some of his financial woes. William wrote that he was “arrested, imprisoned and wounded by soldiers” who apprehended him for the debts of his father.
On 3 June 1659, the following record appeared in the Charles City Court orders.

Charles City County Court
Upon petition of Thos. Batts, gent. and a probability that his brother William is dead, the court hath ordered that all the cattle belonging to the sd. Thomas and his brother Henry be delivered unto him, the said Thomas, he giving good caution to keep the court harmless, and that the male cattel belonging to the sd. William Batts shall be and remain in the hands and custody of his attorney, Mr. Thos. Holford.


The records do not explain the circumstance surrounding William’s probable death, and for good reason. He was not dead. This was evidently a convenient for simplifying the transfer of the livestock.
Back in England, his first wife now dead, William married Elizabeth Horton, the daughter of William Horton of Barkisland, in Yorkshire.
Although William succeeded to the Batte estates, including Oakwell Hall, he apparently lived with his mother-in-law. John Holdsworth leased Oakwell Hall for thirteen years beginning in 1658. William did not live with his mother-in-law for economy only. He was evidently greatly in debt and tied up his assets for the benefit of his wife and six children.
William Batte was buried at Birstall Parish 7 September 1673. Oliver Heywood, a diarist of the times, wrote later of widow Elizabeth that she “lives in prosperity with her family, when others suffer from her poor husband’s failure, who died in many thousand pounds debt.”
His wife survived until 1685 and was buried 10 August. (From Virginians.com)

iii. John, Jr. Batte was born on 22 Jul 1630 in Bristal Parish, York, England. "...drowned in the Irish Sea while coming from Virginia with his father..."

John Batte, the son of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was born 22 July 1630. He enrolled at Cambridge in 1648 and Greys Inn in 1649. He was said to have drowned in the Irish Sea about 1652 while coming from Virginia with his father. (From Virginians.com)
258 iv. Thomas, Sr. Batte.
v. Martha Batte was born on 29 Sep 1636 in Birstal Parish, York, England. Martha Batte, the daughter of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was baptized 29 September 1636. We do not know what became of her. (From Virginians.com)
vi. Elizabeth Batte was born in 1638 in Yorkshire, England. Elizabeth Batte, the daughter of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was baptized 8 November 1638. We do not know what became of her. (From Virginians.com)
vii. Robert Batte was born on 2 Jun 1640 in Yorkshire, England. Robert Batte, the son of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was baptized 2 June 1640 and buried 26 November 1641. (From Virginians.com)
viii. Mary Batte was born on 26 Oct 1641. She died in 1642. Mary Batte, the daughter of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was baptized 26 October 1641 and buried 17 February 1642/3. (From Virginians.com)
ix. Henry Batte was born in 1643 in England. He died in 1704 in Virginia. Henry Batte, the son of Capt. John Batte and Martha Mallory, was born in Birstall Parish, Yorkshire, about 1642. (From Virginians.com)