3 January 1723/4 probably in or near Chuckatuck, Virginia
Buried:
unknown
6608Isaac was a Quaker, and he's mentioned frequently in lower Virginia Quaker meeting minutes books from the late 1600's and early 1700's. To review these records for yourself, see this link
(Read the guide for further instructions). Perhaps the most interesting record is a description of the punishment of a fellow Quaker named Henry Hacklet for "liveing Up to A vaine life and a filthy Conversation as being drawn Away to Drunkenness & other Gross Enormities wch defile the flesh" (original record,1transcription2); the record was signed by 6608Isaac himself, apparently as the church's scribe.
He married 6609Katherine ___. Her maiden name may have been Denson (Donald Milton Ricks' book The Descendants of Jonas Ricks and Other Ricks Families in America on pages 56-59 presents a body of evidence on this topic.), although the evidence isn't conclusive. In any case, they probably married circa 1668, since their oldest known child (son 3304Isaac) was born 17 June 1669.3
1669: The birth of 3304Isaac Ricks, oldest known child of 6608Isaac and 6609Katherine, as recorded in local Quaker records. Full page.3
6608Isaac is mentioned in a few land records. The oldest are two patents, both dated 20 April 1682, that name 6608Isaac as an adjacent property owner near Indian Creek Swamp in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.4,5 Indian Creek no longer exists but was where Lake Prince is now.
6608Isaac mentioned in two 1682 land records. Full pages: 1, 2.4,5
By 1704 he owed 700 acres of land in Isle of Wight County.6 His land (or at least part of it) was near Beaver Dam Swamp, although I'm not sure whether the modern-day Beaverdam Swamp is the same place. (On 9 July 1695 he had purchased 265 acres in Isle of Wight County from Richard and Elizabeth Booth.7 The original patent that included this land was described as being on the "west side of a swamp known by ye name of Mr. Lawrence's beavr dam being a branch of ye main black water." 8 A later record describes a subdivision of this land as being "in the lower parish on Little Town Road." 9)
6608Isaac died on "ye 3d Day of 11th moth 1723," 10 i.e., 3 January 1723/4. (At the time America regarded March 25th as New Year's Day.)
1723/4: 6608Isaac's death as recorded in local Quaker records. Full page.10
Frustratingly, though, I see no such will actually on page 157. Perhaps I've misinterpreted the page numbering?
Mr. Ricks' book provides a transcription of the will:
On the 26th day of the 7th month called September, in the year 1723, I Isaac Ricks, of the Isle of Wight County, being weak of body but of perfect mind and memory, calling to mind the mortality of my body, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, committing my soul to God and my body to have Christian like burial at the discretion of my executors; and for my estate that God has been pleased [to] bestow upon me, I give and bestow the same in the following manner and form:
First, I give to my son Isaac Rickes all my lands on the south side of the swamp called Selway's Swamp, and the plantation he is now seated on, with half of the land belonging to me on that side of the swamp. I give it to him and his heirs forever, and all my wearing clothes.
2ly, I give and bequeath to my son Abraham Rickes half the tract of land which I purchased of Richard Booth, with the plantation thereon seated to him and his heirs forever.
3ly, I give and bequeath to my son Robert Ricks all the whole tract of land belonging to me where my son Rickes did formerly live.
4ly, I give and bequeath to my son James Rickes, all the remaining part of this land with plantation I now live on, to him and his heirs lawfully begotten of his body forever. And in case [he] has no such lawful heirs I give it to my son Robert Rickes and his heirs forever, save only I give my daughter Jean liberty to dwell in the manor house and make use of a part of the plantation and the appurtenances thereto belonging during the time she lives single.
5ly, I give unto my son James Rickes and my daughter Jean Rickes the other half or remaining part of that tract of land which I purchased of Richard Booth to be equally divide [sic] between them and their heirs forever.
6ly, I give to my two grand children Isaac and Martha, the children of my son Jacob Rickes, deceased, each of them one shilling.
7ly, I give to my son James Rickes the bed he common lyeth on and the bed his mother did formerly lie on, with the furniture of them both, and one large brass kettle and one small copper kettle, one large table and form, one iron pot of four gallons, one small iron pot, and two leather chairs, one large chest below stairs, and one cupboard, and my Great Bible.
8ly, I give my daughter Jean the bed I do lie on and the bed that herself lyeth on, with the furniture thereto belonging, and one large chest above stairs, and two leather chairs, and one large wooden chair, one large brass kettle, and one iron pot of ten gallons, and one small iron pot, and one warming pan, and a large looking glass.
9ly, All the remaining part of my estate that is not legacied, both house, all furniture and stock I give to my son James & my daughter Jeane to be equally divided between them both whome I make ordain & appoint my Executor & Exrx ___ & owning this to be my last will and testament revoking & renouncing all other wills or testaments formerly made by me in witness hereof I have set my hand & fixed my seal the day & year above mentioned forever—(signed) Isaac Ricks (seal)
Signead Sealed and acknowledged to be the last will and testament in the presence of—John Sellaway [Jr., because his father died in 1712], Thomas Sikes [Jr., because his father Thomas died in 1708], John Page, Wm. Denson, William Wilkinson—At a Court held for Isle of Wight County the 27 of April 1724—The last will and testament of Isaac Rickes was presented in Court by the Executors who made oath thereto and being prvd by the oaths of John Sellaway and Thomas Sykes & the solemn affirmation of Wm Denson witness thereto is Jesse H. Lightfoot, C Clk.
Sources Cited:
1: A Quaker yearly meeting minutes book for Chuckatuck, Nansemond, Western Branch, and Somerton, Virginia for the years 1684-1717, page 99. Ancestry.com ("U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935" / Virginia / Suffolk City / Chuckatuck, Nansemond, Western Branch, Somerton / Minutes, 1684-1717 / image 54), accessed 30 June 2020. You can see a copy of the full page original record.
3: A Quaker yearly meeting minutes book for Virginia for the years 1684-1717, page 13. Ancestry.com ("U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935" / Virginia / Various / Virginia Yearly Meeting / Minutes, 1684-1717 / image 13 of 120), accessed 30 June 2020. You can see a copy of the full page here. This page is transcribed in: Douglas Summers Brown, The Lower Virginia Monthly Meeting Minutes and Register (Commonly Called 'The Chuckatuck Record' - Quaker), 1673-1756, page 88; FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9B8-594Y-F?i=921&cat=396005>. Interestingly, an earlier draft of the same text is on page 7 of the same minutes book. The writer scratched out what he had written on page 7, then started over on page 13. Notice, though, that at the bottom of page 7 is written, "ffriends Booke of Records per Mee Isaac Rickesis in the year 1700." This statement suggests that 6608Isaac himself was the writer, and that he wrote this entry in the year 1700. The penmanship on pages 7 and 13 looks the same.
4: Virginia land office patent book 7 (1679-1689), page 164, grant from Henry Chicheley to John Moor, dated 20 April 1682. Library of Virginia, <http://image.lva.virginia.gov/LONN/LO-1/007/007_0167.tif>, accessed 5 July 2020.
6: William Bridger, "Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704 (Continued)," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, volume 29 (1921), number 3, page 342.
10: A Quaker yearly meeting minutes book for Virginia for the years 1684-1717, page 106. Ancestry.com ("U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935" / Virginia / Various / Virginia Yearly Meeting / Minutes, 1684-1717 / image 110 of 120), accessed 31 July 2020. You can see a copy of the full page here. This page is transcribed in: Douglas Summers Brown, The Lower Virginia Monthly Meeting Minutes and Register (Commonly Called 'The Chuckatuck Record' - Quaker), 1673-1756, page 51; FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9B8-5941-P?i=869&cat=396005>.
