5784 Jerome Griffith

5784Jerom Griffith

Key Facts

Snapshot:	moved from Boston to the colonial Virginia shore threatened to pick a man's eyes out
Parents:	unknown
Born:	circa 1638 location unknown
Died:	between 14 March 1707/8 and 28 May 1708 probably Northampton County, Virginia
Buried:	unknown

Note: This profile borrows heavily from previous work by:

(1) M.K. Miles and Barry Miles, "Jerom 'Jeremy' Griffith, I," MilesFiles v23.0. Eastern Shore Public Library, <https://v14.espl-genealogy.org/getperson.php?personID=I58352&tree=1>, accessed 17 July 2025; and

(2) A. Ray Griffin, Jr., "The Jerom Griffith Family of Northampton County, Virginia, 1644 - 1727: Supplement Number One to Along The Neuse, The Craven Bryan Griffin Family, 1728 - 1992" (pamphlet; 1995), pages 4-6.

5784Jerom Griffith was born circa 16381 or 1639,2 as proven by two court deposition records excerpted below.

On 29 November 1695, 5784Jerom deposed that he was age 57 or thereabouts, thus born circa 1638. Full page.1

And on 30 September 1689, he deposed that he was age 50 or thereabouts, thus born circa 1639. Full page.2

In his early adulthood, 5784Jerom spent time in Boston, as strongly insinuated by a later court record dated 14 August 1671, which shows that he had appointed Nathaniel Walker, merchant formerly of Boston but now residing in Virginia, as his representative to collect a debt from Nicholas Phillips, cooper of Boston. The same record shows that 5784Jerom was a cooper, too.3 5784Jerom and Nicholas Phillips also appear together in another court record pertaining to an agreement made 8 December 1660 but not recorded until 6 May 1669, which shows that 5784Jerom and Nicholas were indebted 100 pounds to William Kendall.4

Circa 1660 5784Jerom relocated to Northampton County, Virginia,2 where he apparently spent the rest of his life. The earliest record that shows him there—and indeed, the earliest-created record of him whatsoever—is Northampton County's 1662 tithables list, which includes an entry for Jerem̄ȳ[?] Griffeth; his entry is shown below.5 He similarly appears on the 1663 and 1664 lists.6,7

1662: 5784Jerom on Northampton County's tithables list. This is the earliest known record of him. Full page.5

On 16 March 1664/5, he signed as "Jerim: Griffeth" to witness the will of Samuel Webster, who "for the love I bear to Geremi Griffin" left him a number of items: a horse, several cattle, a satin waistcoat, a "Seargre" (serge?) suit, and two pairs of shoes.8 I don't know how 5784Jerom is related to Samuel Webster, if at all.

5784Jerom married 5785Elizabeth Gelding, as was previously explained on his son 2892 Jonas' page. Please refer back to 2892Jonas' page to review the evidence, but here I'll mention that the earliest record alluding to their marriage is dated 1 July 1665, when 5784Jerom registered a mark ("Cropt on ye Right Eare, & a hole in both Eares") for his cattle, "being formerly his wifes cattle given her by Esq.r Yardley when she was a child." 9 Researchers M.K. and Barry Miles (who are credited above near the top of this page) state that 5784Jerom had another, unidentified wife before 5785Elizabeth Gelding, but I'm not aware of evidence to prove that claim; the evidence provided by the Mileses is confusing at best (for me, at least).

1665: 5784Jerom register his cattle's mark. This is also the first record that alludes to his marriage to 5785Elizabeth Gelding. Full page.9

On 28 February 1666/7 he bought 100 acres from John Wilkins10 in section N37 as defined in Ralph Whitelaw's book Virginia's Eastern Shore: A History of Northampton and Accomack Counties, volume 1, page 161. On 24 December 1667 5784Jerom (again noted as a cooper) sold 100 acres to John Waterson, tailor,11 although it's not clear whether these two records refer to the same 100-acre property.

On 30 Jan 1670, a Northampton County court appointed 5784Jerom to help appraise an estate.12

After a cooper named Thomas Betts passed away, an orphan named John Stevens who had been assigned to study under Betts had no one to continue teaching him. On 29 August 1673 5784Jerom petitioned to take Stevens in and continue training him; the court agreed, and also ordered Betts' estate to pay 5784Jerom for a debt owed to Stevens.13

On 10 September 1673, 5784Jerom bought 200 acres from William James, Sr.14 On 23 March 1675/6 he received a 345-acre patent on Pimeno Branch [or Creek],15 which is no longer particularly recognizable but lay a short distance south of Mill Creek.

On 3 June 1685 he was appointed to survey the highways from 11570William Gelding's to George Freshwater's on the seaside.16 Researchers M.K. and Barry Miles state that George Freshwater is the father of John Freshwater, who married 5784Jerom's daughter Elizabeth, although I haven't attempted to verify this claim. On 28 May 1686 5784Jerom was relieved of his duties as highway surveyor and was instead appointed constable.17

On 30 September 1689, he deposed that while in the home of John Barron on 28 March, he (5784Jerom) had heard Barron express an intent to "ruinate" a man named Henry Pike and make him a servant, but 5784Jerom spoke up in Pike's favor.2

On 23 June 1693 he witnessed a document.18 On 29 March 1695 proved the nuncupative will of John Hall;19 researchers M.K. and Barry Miles state that John Hall married 5784Jerom's daughter Frances, although I haven't attempted to verify this claim.

On 29 November 1695 5784Jerom, his wife 5785Elizabeth, and several other people gave depositions related to a dispute between 5784Jerom and a man named John Taylor: Taylor wanted access to Mockhorn Island, perhaps even to buy it outright, and therefore in December 1689 allegedly hired 5784Jerom to convince the owner (Col. Custis) to agree. Taylor, however, insisted that he didn't hire 5784Jerom but simply asked him to speak to Custis. In any case, Taylor eventually ended up with the island and then refused 5784Jerom's request to come hunt birds there. As a result, early one morning 5784Jerom went to John Adolf's home, where Taylor had spent the night, and asked Taylor why he had refused to let him come hunt birds. Taylor replied that it was because 5784Jerom's sons had set his canoe adrift, to which 5784Jerom responded, "You dog I will fowle there in spight of yor teeth or I will pick yor eyes out[.] you made songs of my daughter for wch I will come up wu[?] you when you little thinke of it [...]." 1

5784Jerom's insult and threat to John Taylor, as reported by John Adolf. Full page.1

5784Jerom and his wife are mentioned (as "Elizabeth the wife of Jerom Griffith") in the will of her mother 11571Elizabeth, dated 9 April 1698.20

In 1704, 1705,21 and 1707,22, 5784Jerom gradually gifted much of his land in 50-acre increments to his sons James, Jerome, Benjamin, Thomas, and 2892Jonas (but not Luke). The last such transaction was on 25 July 1707.22

5784Jerom's will is dated 14 March 1707/8 and was proved 28 May 1708. Below are the county record copy and a transcription. His son Luke, the only son not to receive a 50-acre gift as noted in the previous paragraph, received only a token inheritance (one shilling) from this will.23

	In the name of God Amen the 14th Day of march In the yeare of our Lord God — 170 7 8 — — — — — I Jerom Griffeth of Northampton County Senior being very Sick and weak in body but perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God: therefore calling unto mind the mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for men once to die doe make and ordaine this my Last will and Testament — — — — That is to say Principally and first of all I give and Recomend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recom -med it to the Earth to be buried in a christian like and decent manor at the discretion of my Executrix nothing Doubting but at the generall Resurection I shall Receive the same againe by the mighty Power of God and touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to bless me in this Life I[?] give devise and dispose the same in the following maner and form
Impr	I give and bequeath to my son Jerom Griffeth the sum of one shilling In[sic] he thinks fitt to come for it — — — — — —
[?]	I give and bequeath to my son James Griffeth the sum of one shilling as aforsd̅
Item	I give and bequeath to my son Jonah Griffeth the sum of one shilling — —
Item	I give and bequeath to my son Luke Griffeth the sum of one shilling
Item -	I give and bequeath to my ~~son~~ Daughter Francis Hall the sum of one shilling
Item	I give and bequeath to my Daughter Esther Freshwater the sum of one shilling
Item	I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Dorothy Hayes the sum of one shilling
Item	I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Freshwater the sum of one shilling
Item	I give and Bequeath to my son Josias Griffeth a parcell of Land Lying souther -ly upon my sone Thomas Land by Estamation fifty acres more or Less to him and his heires for Ever after my Decease — — —

Item	I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Elizabeth Griffeth all and Every Part and parcell of my goods and chattles that I am now Possessed to her own Proper use and Disposall during her naturall life and after her Decease to be Equally Devided between my sons Benjamin Griffeth Thomas Griffeth Josias Griffeth and my Daugator marg -aret Griffeth — — — — — — —
Item	I constute make and ordain my well beloved wife Elizabeth Griffeth sole Executrix of this my Last will and Tastment and I doe hereby utterly Disallow _^ Revock and Disannull all and Every other former Tastaments Wills and Leagacies Requests and Executors by me In any ways before this time willed and bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last will and Tastament: In witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and seal the day and yeare above writing ~
Signed Sealed and Delivered by the saidJerom Griffeth Jerom Griffeth as his Last will andthe seal — - Testament in the Presenc of us—
	Wm Harmanson Neech Eyre — — Henry Harmonson Junr
Item -	My request is that my well beloved freinds Left[?] Cott[?] William Water Capt William Harmanson Capt Francis Costinn do[?] assistance to my well beloved wife In the Performance of this my Last will and Tastament — — Northampton [?] May the 28th-1708 — — — The Last will and Testament of Jerom Griffeth _^ Senr was Pesented by Capt William Harmason as an attorny for Elizabeth Griffeth widow and Executrix thereof desiring that Probate might be granted her of the same which wass according proved in open court of the above said county by the corparall oaths of William Harmanson and Henry Harmanson Junr and allowed a fair and authentick probate by the same and ordered to be Recorded — — -
	Test Robt Howson } CleCt Northampt Recorded Test Robt Howson }

Sources Cited:

1: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 13 (1689-1698), page 341. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y7K8>, accessed 30 July 2025.

2: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 12 (1683-1689), page 465. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-YWYJ?cat=399930&i=845&lang=en>, accessed 27 July 2025. I draw your attention to these phrases: "Jerome Griffith aged fifty yeares of thereabouts," "as most of his neigbhours can justify for about twenty nine yeares past living peaceably with all," and "Dated this 30th day of Septr 1689."

3: Northampton County, Virginia. Order book 9 (1664-1674), page 175. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PX-XWM7>, accessed 29 July 2025.

4: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds, etc. book for the years 1668-1680, page 5. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-NQZG?lang=en&i=254>, accessed 27 July 2025.

5: Northampton County, Virginia. Tithables list for 1662, entry for Jerem̄ȳ[?] Griffeth. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P6-BQW2?cat=372158&i=5&lang=en>, accessed 11 July 2025.

6: Northampton County, Virginia. Tithables list for 1663, entry for Jerom Griffeth and Wm and Luke Gelding. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P6-BQ93?cat=372158&i=7&lang=en>, accessed 11 July 2025.

7: Northampton County, Virginia. Tithables list for 1664, entry for Jerom Griffeth. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P6-B358?cat=372158&i=10&lang=en>, accessed 11 July 2025.

8: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds, wills, etc. for the years 1657-1666, n.p., the will of Samuell/Sampson Webster, dated 16 March 1664[/5]. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PX-6QKB>, accessed 29 July 2025.

9: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds, wills, etc. book 4 (1651-1654), page 228. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P6-Y7NN?cat=370362&i=233&lang=en>, accessed 10 July 2025.

10: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds, wills, etc. books 7-8 (1655-1668), page 10[b]. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-NQZ3?view=fullText&keywords=Griffith%2CWilkins&lang=en&groupId=M9JF-8DN>, accessed 27 July 2025. Confusingly, it seems as though books 7 and 8 were originally two separate books but were later bound together as one. The pagination starts over after page 80, which is probably where the merge occurred. The page I've cited is among the second group. Also confusing is that here only every other page is numbered, and the numbers proceed sequentially; the page I've cited doesn't actually bear a page number, hence I've dubbed it page 10[b].

11: ibid., page 25[a]. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-NQQG>, accessed 27 July 2025.

12: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders book 9 (1764-1774), page 96 right side. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PX-XW4V>, accessed 29 July 2025.

13: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders book 9 (1764-1774), pages 205-206. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PX-XWZT>, accessed 29 July 2025.

14: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds, etc. for the years 1668-1680, pages 56-57. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-NQ3R>, accessed 2 July 2025.

15: Virginia Land Office, patents book 6 (1666-1679), page 608, grant to Hiorem Griffeth dated 23 March 1675/6. Library of Virginia, <https://image.lva.virginia.gov/LONN/LO-1/006/006_0608.tif>, accessed 28 July 2025. An abstract of this record in Nell Marion Nugent's Cavaliers and Pioneers, volume 2, page 176 reads as follows: "HIOREM GRIFFETH, 345 acs., N'ampton Co., at Pimeno; 23 Mar. 1676/6, p. 608. Adj. Capt. Southy Littleton; to the maine br. of Pemino Cr., &c. Being ½ of 400 acs. granted Xper Kirke 11 Nov. 1642, who assigned to Wm. Ennis 21 Mar. 1642, who assigned to sd. Griffeth 11 Sept. 1673; 145 acs. within sd. bounds due for trans. of 3 pers: Rich. Dicks, Mary Davis, Jno. Tillery."

16: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 12 (1683-1689), page 140. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-YWW2>, accessed 30 July 2025. The date (3 June 1685) is back on page 133.

17: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 12 (1683-1689), page 199. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y4SX>, accessed 30 July 2025. The date (28 May 1686) is back page 193.

18: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 13 (1689-1698), page 250. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y7PC>, accessed 30 July 2025.

19: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 13 (1689-1698), page 421. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y7N2>, accessed 30 July 2025.

20: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders and wills book 13 (1689-1698), pages 526-527. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y7DG?lang=en&i=1130> et seq., accessed 10 July 2025.

21: Northampton County, Virginia. Deeds and wills book 12 (1692-1707), pages 407-410. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-NQTN> et seq., accessed 30 July 2025.

22: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders, wills, etc. book 14 (1698-1710), pages 347-350. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y4XM?view=fullText&keywords=Krom&lang=en&groupId=M9NM-F4J>, accessed 8 July 2025.

23: Northampton County, Virginia. Orders, wills, etc. book 14 (1698-1710), pages 420-421. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-Y46J?view=fullText&keywords=Jerom%20Griffith&lang=en&groupId=M9NM-F4J>, accessed 8 July 2025.