Dorothy Heywood b. d. Abt 1672 : Albemarle to Callaway, a Herring Family Journey

- 1672

Personal Information | Notes | All | PDF

Gender Female

Died Abt 1672

Person ID I3567 Herring Family of Callaway County, Missouri

Last Modified 14 Nov 2008

Family Robert Holt, b. Abt 1603, Rochdale, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom , d. Abt 1661, , St. Mary's, Maryland, USA

Children

>	1. Richard Holt, b. 1628, Rochdale, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom , d. 1693, , Essex, Virginia, USA

Last Modified 14 Nov 2008

Family ID F1404 Group Sheet

Notes	Notes from Dixie Briggs, Holt Researcher. 1607, 19 Apr. "Dorothy Heywood, dtr of Robert, was baptised in Bury" (Rochdale Register 1582-1616) 1650...."The best-documented such household was composed of the planter, Robert Holt, his wife, Dorothy, and his partner, Edward Hudson. Witnesses interviewed by Maryland officials revealed that during the summer of 1650 Dorothy Holt lived with Edward Hudson. The two had been seen several times going "to bed together as if they had been man and wife, and they explained to curious inquiries that Robert Holt which was the said Dorothy's husband was dead. Yet Robert had not died; rather, Dorothy had deserted him to move in with Edward. Robert evidently responded to Dorothy's action not by charging her with adultery but instead by inviting her to return and to bring Edward with her. By Feb. 1650/51 the 2 were living together, the two men partners in a tobacco plantation. Less than a year later, the arrangement was already coming apart. When Rose Gilbert Smith, their matronly neighbor (and the local midwife), visited the Holts in Sept., Robert told her "that his wife would kill him. Rose protested that surely he was mistaken, but Dorothy broke in with the comment that "She were as good kill him as live as she did." When Rose replied that Dorothy would be hanged then, Dorothy told her that "then there was an end of two." Another witness reported that "he heard Dorothy Holt to cry for many curses to God against her husband, that he might rott limb from limbe, and that she would daily pray to God that Such Casualties might fall upon him. In November 1651, Robert finally complained to an official of the Prov. Court that "Dorothy, his wife hath threatened him divers times to take away his life." Moreover, Holt added, Edward Hudson "hath divers times been Compacted with her the said Dorothy to abvuse me....between them both I goe daily in fear of my life." Holt did not disclose to the authorities that their family had been a menage a trois, but that fact emerged from the subsequent investigation, which was conducted with remarkable swiftness. Just 4 days after the complaint was first filed, Dorothy Holt & Edward Hudson were convicted of "divers lewd incontinent and scandalous actions and practices. Although the penalties were severe---Hudson was ordered whipped with 30 lashes & Dorothy with 50-at their humble submission and suit for pardon acknowledging their great offence and faithfull promising future amendment, the court suspended the sentences & required only that Hudson pay costs. Thje judges encouraged the Holts to live together "as man & wife" ought to doe, " but testimony in a subsequent prosecution of Robert for bigamy showed that Dorothy continued her liason with Hudson and bore him at least 2 children." (FOUNDING MOTHERS & FATHERS -Gendered Power & The Forming of American Society- by Mary Beth Norton, Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc. NY 1997) 1654, 4 Dec. Robert and Dorothy Holt divorced, by Clerk William Wilkinson, who later denied it. 1657/58, 28 Jan. Robert Holt married to Christian Bonnefield, by clerk William Wilkinson. 1658, 9 Sept. -----Was called afore the Board Robert Holt, & Mr. William Wilkinson Clerk, The sd Holt being charged by Mr. Attorney with bigamy & Mr. Willm Wilkinson as Accessary in Contryuing the same & prefers this Inditmt, Vid Inditemt fol. 108. The Examination of Wm. Wilkinson Clerk taken the 9th of Septembr 1658 who Sayth That hee did joyne in marriage Robert Holt & Christian Bonnefald, But denyeth tht hee did any thing by way of diuorce between Robert Holt & his former Wife Dorothy, Notwthstanding confesseth, tht he drue & signed as a wittnes that paper produced by Robt. Holt, bearing date 4th of December wch conteyned a release of all claime of marriage from the sd Dorothy to the sd Robert, which paper hee sayth hee did draw att their request upon her Confession that shee had Two Bastards by Edweard Hudson, & refusall to bee rfeconciled to Robert Holt. /S/ Willm Wilkinson. By me Philip Caluert. 1662. Richard purchases land in partnership with Edward Hudson in Rapp. Co. VA (see Edward Hudson) 1664Rapp. Co. VA. "To all Xpian People to whom this shall come I Richard Holt of Piscatacon in the County of Rappa. Cooper send Greeting. Now know ye that I sd Richard Holt for divers good causes & valluable considerations hath given sold & confirmed to Edward Hudson of the abovesd Creek & County Planter his heirs & assignes One hundred acres of land beginning at a marked Hickory abutting upon a Swamp or Branch comonly called or Runn by the name of King's Swamp & running for the lenth thereof along the main branch of the sd Piscatacon Creek to the Eastermost part of a Marsh being between James Vaughan & the now Plantacion of the said Edward Hudson & for the breadth thereof straite out into the woods which sd land is part of 400 acres of land formerly granted by Pattent to William Denby for the transportation of Servants & sold by the sd Denby unto the sd Holt & Hudson reference being had unto the sd Pattent doth appear together with all houses edices buildings lofts barnes mills mill seats woods underwoods rivers waters fighings fowling waies moors quarryes royalties Franchiches, proffits to the sd land Premises belonging to have and hold unto the sd Edward Hudson his heirs & assignes for ever paying yearly such impositions taxes & country chares as shall be imposed & layed for the use of our Sovereign Lord the King & the sd Richd. Holt doth hereby promise to keep harmless the sd Hudson from all manner of persons whatsoever In Witness the sd Richard Holt hath put his hand & seal this blank day of blank 1664 in presence of us Francis Phillips & (missing X Genkins. /s/ Richard (R) Hoult 1666, Richard Holt, 400 ACS on N side of Puscaticon Cr upon S side of Rappa. Riv. 24 May 1666 p. 544(667). Extending along land of Oliver Segar for breadth 400 po. by or nigh the side of the maine Br. of said Cr. W by N. &c. Granted to Wm. Denby 1 Aug 1661 & sould to Edw. Hudson & Rich. Holt & by sd Hudson his part thereof sould to sd. Holt. (Cav & Pio Vol I p568) 1666 25 Oct. Richard Hoult. Patent 600 acres Rapp. Co., SS Rapp. River on Piscataway Creek, at Kings Swamp, adj James Boughan et al. Indicates Holt paid transport of 4 persons. (Nugent II-74) Repatented as "the devident he formerly lived on," Nov 4, 1685. (Nugent II-293) 1668 28 Dec. Richard Holt of Piscataway & wife Elizabeth to William Lark, 100 acres in Kings Swamp, "by now dwelling plantation of sd Holt." Wit: John Heyward, William Hickes or Stockes. S /S/ Richard RH Holt, Elizabeth X Holt (DB 1668-70 p 43) 1671, 26 June. Francis Webb to Richard Holt, Cooper, 100 acres where I now live, with houses etc. Wit: Thomas Gains, John Sooper. (DB 1670-72 p 239) 1671, 10 Dec. Edward Hudson & wife Dorothy to Francis Webb, 100 acres Piscataway Creek area, for work performed. Francis Webb transfers the land to Richard Holt July 5, 1671. Wit: Thomas Gaines, William Johnson. (DB 1668-72 p250) 1672/73, 3 Jan. Deed Acknowledgement. Richard Holt & his wife Elizabeth to William Lark. (D&W 1677-82 p205) 1675, 5 Oct. Richard Holt has land adj patent of John Gregory & Hugh Mead, Rapp. Co. (Nugent. II-166) 1675, 5 Oct. Richard Holt has land adj patent of John Gregory & Hugh Mead. Rapp. Co. VA. (Nugent II-166) 1672/3, 1 Jan. Know all men that I Dorothy Hudson Widdow of the County of Rappa. and Parish of Farnham doe for diverse causes me thereunto moving and out of the naturall love and affection I beare doe give and forever make over unto my 3 children Seranin (?) Hudson, Anne Hudson and William Hudson six female cattle with all and every the increase female alwaies reserving to myself the use of the said cattle during my naturall life and afterwards to be equally divided amongst them and if either of my said childrfen should happen to die then the survivour or survivours of them to enjoy the said cattle equally as abovesaid and the male increase to go towards their maintenance and in confirmation thereof have hereunto set my hand and seale this 2 day of January 1672. I doe residue out of the said cattle two cow calves the one to Deborah Randall and the other to Richard Holt as witness my hand this 2 of January 1672. Test: John Dike & Thomas Freshwater. /S/ with mark Dorothy X Hudson Recognitr in Cu: Com Rappa. 1 die January 1672/3