Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties

Peter Best

Male 1640 - 1698  (58 years)


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  • Name Peter Best 
    Birth 1640  Warwick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 9 Jun 1698  Isle of Wight County, Virginia - probate Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I22642  Tree1
    Last Modified 21 Mar 2024 

    Family Mary Marshall,   b. Abt 1640, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1698, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 59 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1660  Isle of Wight County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F14841  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Mar 2024 

  • Notes 
    • ===
      Isle of Wight County VA - Records; William and Mary College Qrtly, Vol. 7, No. 4, P. 250-296

      Will of Peter Best, P. B. : Sons William, Christopher, all my land at Kinsale, son Thomas, wife Mary. Dated 20 Oct., 1693; pr. 9 June, 1698.
      Will of Peter Best, P. B.: Eldest son William, sons Peter, Christopher, Thomas; wife Mary, 20 Oct., 1693.
      ===
      former county ( 71 sq mi/184 sq km), SE Va., now part of Newport News independent city
      The boundaries of the city of Newport News today are essentially the boundaries of the original Warwick River Shire

      Warwick River Shire was one of eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634. It was located on the Virginia Peninsula on the northern shore of the James River between Hampton Roads and the Jamestown Settlement.
      ===
      http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=clucas&id=I20892
      John Lucas of Eastern North Carolina Descendants and Related Families

      ===
      Virginia Rent Rolls
      Best Thomas Nansemond County, 1704
      Best Wm Isle Wighte County, 1704

      Brewer Robert Nansemond County, 1704
      Brewer Thomas Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Clark Robert Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Clark Wm Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Clarke Jno Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Edwards Robert Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Marshall Humphrey Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Marshall Mary Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Penny Jno Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Roberts Jno Isle Wighte County, 1704
      Roberts Thomas Nansemond County, 1704
      ===
      Isle of Wight County, Virginia by Boddie
      Page 580

      Peter Best gives to his brother Henry Best of Nansemond a plantation purchased of Chirstopher Holmes and formerly in the possession of Anthony Parent in Terasco Neck, and Hannah wife of Henry Best of she outlive him, have this during her widowhood.
      09 Sept. 1678
      Wit: Anyhony Fulghum, and Joseph Bridger, Jr.
      ===
      Will of Peter Best
      Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Deed Book 1, page 147
      Proved 20 Oct 1693

      Leg: Eldest son William, son Peter, son Christopher land at Kingsdale, youngest son Thomas, wife Mary.
      Wife: Mary Executrix
      Wit: Thomas Hawkins, James MacFadden, Christopher Best

      (Wills of Isle of Wight by Chapman, page 4)

      ===
      John Jennings and Mary his wife, confirm to Dr. Luke Haveild, of Chuckatuck, Gent., certain land in Nansemond, granted by Martha Best (upon her death bed), sister to said Mary. 20 Oct., 1694.
      ===
      The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr., 1899), Page 244
      Will of John Marshall, X his mark: Son Humphrey, dau.
      Mary; "youngest son;" brothers Humphrey Marshall and Peter
      Best. Dated 4 Oct., 1687; Proved June 9, 1688.
      ===
      http://genforum.genealogy.com/williams/messages/22959.html

      Re: Sarah Thomas m Wm.Williams, 1700s VA
      Posted by: Laura Lewis (ID *****9809) Date: September 01, 2002 at 08:50: 23
      In Reply to: Sarah Thomas m Wm.Williams, 1700s VA by Geraldine Willia ms of 28818

      I have a copy of the will of John Penny, Lower Parish, Isle of Wight Co ., dated May 17, 1715, that names (among others) his daughter Margaret Williams and grandson John Williams. John Penny's other named children were Ralf Penny, William Penny and Sarah Penny. Wife Lucy Penny, executor. Will witnessed by Thos Copeland, Humphrey Marshall and Joseph Marshall (pp 6 17-18).

      Margaret Penny Williams was left five hundred pounds tobacco and her son, John Williams, "one Cow yearlin."

      John Penny was possibly a son of Richard Penny, will written Apr 14, 1693, proved Jun 9,1694, in Lower Parish, Isle of Wight County, on the oath of Wm. Williams. Richard Penny names his son, John Penny, and John's daughter, Mary Penny, among others. Another Mary Penny is identified as the daughter of John's brother, Will Penny. Others named in this will include Richard's daughters, Francis (sic) Partridge ("my eldest daughter"), Elizabeth Royall and Mary Marshall, and grandchildren: Thomas Clarke, Elizabeth Clarke, Richard Penny and Richard Gray. Executor, son-in-law Robert Marshall. Witnesses Peter Best(?), Will: Williams, Tho: Hawkins. (Page 344-45)

      ====
      From: Captain Maynard [mailto:captainmaynard@hotmail.com]
      Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 12:23 PM
      Subject: Peter & Mary Best of Isle of Wight County, Virginia

      My line of the Best family is basically a migration from the grandson of Peter & Mary Best, Christopher who served in the French-Indian War and migrated to Botetourt County after receiving 50 acres of land for services rendered during that war. His military record stated that he was born in Nansemond County so I am quite certain that he was the son of one of the sons of Peter (Christopher, William, Thomas, etc.).

      Christopher Best/Bess was born in 1734 in Nansemond County, Virginia and died in 1782 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He also served in the Virginia Militia during the American Revolution mostly protecting the frontier from indian invasions and it is quite possible that he might have been killed in action. The tax and military district records slowly began to change his name from "Best" to Bess. Most likely, he was illiterate and depended upon phonetic pronounciation making the true spelling of his surname at the mercy of county officials, militia officers, etc.

      Anyway, Christopher Bess if my gggg-grandfather. I have also filed a DNA sample with National Geographic's Genographic Project and hope to someday compare DNA with other descendants of Peter and Mary Best to prove this paternal lineage once and for all. Any information you might have on the descendants of Peter and Mary Best's sons would be greatly appreciated. You and I might very well be distant cousins!

      Best regards,

      Paul (Jack Paul Bess, Jr.)

Research Links  Find Peter Best at the following sites -