Ancestors of Joseph Payne of Bedford County Virginia

Ancestors of Joseph Payne of Bedford County Virginia
Contributed by Jerry Wilson
© 2009

         Until recently there was no information that pointed to the ancestors of Joseph Payne who died in Bedford County, Virginia and the father of several children who settled in Robertson County, Tennessee. Several descendants of Joseph and Phoebe Payne submitted their DNA to the Payne DNA project and there was no match to any of the other 250+ participants in the project. Then in late 2006 a member of the Thomas Warren family of Spotsylvania County, Virginia contacted the project with the information that his DNA was a perfect match to the Joseph Payne DNA participants. With this information we began a search of how this could have happened and an obscure court document was found in the loose papers of Spotsylvania records wherein in 1724 the couple Thomas Warren and Susannah Payne, were charged with Adultery by the Court. Thomas Warren was a married man with a family of 10 children and Susannah was single. We then found in the records of Christ Church Parish of Middlesex County, Virginia the record of the birth of Ann Payne the daughter of Barnett and Elizabeth Payne of Middlesex County. It has been long speculated that Joseph was a descendant of this Barnett since the name "Barnett" is a name carried down the lines of several of his descendants. But no evidence was found that could point to any of Barnett's sons being the father of Joseph. With the above court case we now know that Joseph's mother was unwed and hence he carried her surname.
         We have now concluded that Joseph is indeed the descecndant of both Thomas Warren and Barnett Payne and this is also shown by the names of his children whom he named after members of both of these families. One other point to be made is the maiden name of Phoebe. For many years it has been stated the her maiden name was "Offill" based on information seen in some unnamed and forgotten book where a brother of Phoebe stated that she married Joseph Payne. After lenghly research we have never found this book but living near the Warren and Payne families in Spotsylvania County is the family of a William Offill and there are several court records where all these names are found together in regards to other matters of the County. With the fact that so many of Joseph's descendants never found it necessary to actually have their marriages recorded, it is quite possible that they got this idea from Joseph and Phoebe and because Joseph's mother was never married.

Generation No. 1

         1. Joseph Payne, born Abt. 1725 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died 24 Sep 1803 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was the son of 2. Thomas Warren and 3. Susannah (Ann) Payne. He married (1) Phoebe ______. She died Bef. 27 Jun 1803 in Bedford County, Virginia.

Generation No. 2

         2. Thomas Warren, born Abt. 1682 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died Dec 1750 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. He was the son of 4. John Warren and 5. Rachel Williams. He met 3. Susannah (Ann) Payne Abt. 1724 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

         3. Susannah (Ann) Payne, born 22 Sep 1693 in Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia. She was the daughter of 6. Barnett Payne and 7. Elizabeth _____.

Child of Thomas Warren and Susannah Payne is:
         1 i. Joseph Payne, born Abt. 1725 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died 24 Sep 1803 in Bedford County, Virginia; married Phoebe (Offill ?).

Generation No. 3

         4. John Warren, born Abt. 1640 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died 25 Nov 1691 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He married 5. Rachel Williams Abt. 1659 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia.

         5. Rachel Williams, born Abt. 1635 in England; died 11 Feb 1705/06 in St. Annes Parish, Essex County, Virginia. She was the daughter of 10. John Williams.

Children of John Warren and Rachel Williams are:
         i. William Warren, born Abt. 1660 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died Bet. 11 Sep 1726 - 02 May 1727 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia; married Elizabeth Hackley Abt. 1710; born Abt. 1681 in Essex County, Virginia; died Bet. 21 Feb 1749/50 - 02 Apr 1751 in Spotsylvnia County, Virginia.

         ii. Rebecca Warren, born Abt. 1673 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died Bef. 1705 in Essex County, Virginia; married Jeremiah Parker Abt. 1692; died 08 Dec 1699 in Essex County, Virginia.

         iii. Elizabeth Warren, born Abt. 1677 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; married Edward Martin Bef. 1696; died Bef. 1705 in Essex County, Virginia.

         iv. Samuel Warren, born Abt. 1678 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia.

         v. John Warren, born Abt. 1681 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died Bef. 1705 in Essex County, Virginia.

         2 vi. Thomas Warren, born Abt. 1682 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia; died Dec 1750 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia; married (1) Mary Hackley Abt. 1704 in Virginia; met (2) Susannah (Ann) Payne Abt. 1724 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

         6. Barnett Payne, born Abt. 1665 in Drysdale Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died Abt. 1742 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. He married 7. Elizabeth _____.

         Children of Barnett Payne and Elizabeth _____ are:

         i. William Payne

         ii. Barnett Payne, born Bet. 1690 - 1710 in Probably Middlesex County, Virginia; died Abt. 1740 in King and Queen County, Virginia; married Ann Haskew; born Abt. 1715.

         3 iii. Susannah (Ann) Payne, born 22 Sep 1693 in Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia; met Thomas Warren Abt. 1724 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

         iv. John Payne, born Abt. 1705 in King and Queen County, Virginia; died Abt. 20 Sep 1770 in St. George Parrish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; married Frances Edmonds Coleman Abt. 1729 in Lancaster County, Virginia; born 02 Sep 1705.

         v. Mary Payne, born 1710; married Lawrence Franklin.

Generation No. 4

         10. John Williams, died 1697 in York County, Virginia.

Children of John Williams are:

         5 i. Rachel Williams, born Abt. 1635 in England; died 11 Feb 1705/06 in St. Annes Parish, Essex County, Virginia; married John Warren Abt. 1659 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia.

         ii. Margaret Williams, married Daniel Gaines; died 1682 in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia.

         iii. Margery Williams, married Hugh Cary.

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