DAVID PEEBLES

David Pebles merchand to invite such sort of persones men and women as can agrie with upon guid conditiones to goe with him over to Virginia ~ Extracts from the Records of the burgh of Edinburgh

St. Andrews Cathedral in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, built in 1158

a romantic theory

The main romantic story bandied about by armchair genealogists concerning our grandfather David Peebles (8GGF) is that he was a Royalist in 1649 when King Charles I was beheaded and England became a Commonwealth. Since Royalist heads were certainly destined for the chopping block, it made a lot of sense that David would flee with the 300 other Scottish Royalists whose lives were in danger. He so hastily escaped to Virginia, the story goes, that David was forced to leave his wife and children back in Scotland.

One part of that story is true. David did leave his wife and children in Scotland when he sailed for the New World. But the rest of the idealized story has been debunked by an excerpt from the book Extracts from the Records of the Burgh of Eninburgh v. 9:

"12st July 1647...Ordaines proclamatioun be sound of drum to pas throw this brugh and liberties thairof at the desire of David Pebles merchand to invite such sort of persones men and women as can agrie with upon guid conditiones to goe with him over to Virginia and make ane plantatious thair..."

This excerpt shows that in July of 1647 David Peebles was in Edinburgh, hard at work trying to convince people that a free ride to Virginia would be more than worth a mere four or five years of servitude. In addition, the book The Original Scots Colonist of Early America 1612-1783 by David Dobson has this entry: "David Peebles had shipped in 1647" with further information stating that he was a merchant in Edinburgh Scotland who settled at Powells Creek, Va. So it appears that David was long gone from England before the upheaval of 1649.

All that we know of David Peebles life in Scotland comes from the birth records of his children. He and his wife Elsbeth Mackie evidently moved around a bit. Baptism records in St. Andrews show a daughter Christon (8A) born to David Peebles and Elspet Mackie in 1634. Son William (8U) was born in Kilconquhar and daughter Allison (8A) in Elie.

Note: St. Andrews is the home of the world renowned golf course where 29 Open Championships have been held since 1873, more than any other course.

Green = Edinburgh Orange = Elie Blue = Kilconquhar Red = St. Andrews

At the time David was in Edinburgh collecting willing participants for headrights, his oldest child, Christon (8A), would have been 15. That his children remained in Scotland is certain. The most likely story is that Elsbeth had died and the children were left to be raised by relatives or friends. That scenario was the norm for motherless children in the seventeenth century. We know David kept in touch with the children in Scotland because his son William (8U) came to Virginia to collect his inheritance after David's death.

in Virginia

The first record we have of David Peebles in America is the land grant he was awarded in 1650 for transporting himself and 17 other people from Edinburgh to Virginia. In 1655, he married John Bishop's (9GGF) daughter Elizabeth (8GGM).

Between 1650 and 1655 there appear to be no records of David Peebles other than the land grant. Between 1655 and 1657, he shows up in the Court Order Book for Charles City County as a Justice of the Court and a vestry man of Westover Parish.

In early colonial days, in both the northern and southern colonies, many governmental duties were performed by the churches. As a vestry man, David Peebles would have set the budget for the parish, divided the parish into precincts and decided boundary lines. Roads and ferries would have been under his authority. Vestry men also determined church tithing and disbursements to the poor and supervised the counting of tobacco.

We know that by 1655 David held the rank of captain in Charles City County militia. All records at that time refer to him as Capt. Peibles. He was in charge of the area near his property lying between Powell's and Ward's Creeks.

Blue = Francis Eppes Red = Francis Poythress Orange = David Peebles Green = John Bishop

the ins and outs of the tobacco business

While most birth, death and marriage records from Charles City County didn't survive the Civil War, multitudinous land and tobacco transaction records did. Like all our Virginia ancestors, David Peebles was engaged in the buying and selling of tobacco. At that time, tobacco could be used as barter in the colonies and tobacco debits and credits fill a large portion in the record books.

David Peebles' name shows up often on both the debit and credit side of large quantities of tobacco. William Ditty evidently put the patent to his entire plantation "High Peake" as security for money he owed Capt. Peibles.

David did business with one man who was to become a thorn in his side for many years. James Crews felt very strongly that his account with David Peebles had never been settled.

Several times justices audited the accounts and declared that Capt. Peebles had paid. Crews continued his demands. He took his claims to the higher General Court.

The General Assembly, 1 December 1656 ruled that "certain payments be made each to the other..." They then chastised Crews:

"…and for the Stabs and Blows mentioned … they were occasioned by Crewes unworthy and uncivl provocation, for which Nothwithstanding, Peebles hath given satisfaction, and … no just proof appears on Crewes part, whereas we humbly Conceive that the said Crews ought to be made example of for such foul Base and unworthy defamations against Capt. Peebles … by paying costs of Suit and a fine to Capt. Peebles … and that this be a final Determination of the differences between them, this Report being by Unanimous Vote of Both Houses."

Pretty harsh. But still not enough to stop Crews. Not only did he not pay what he owed, he continued to sue Capt. Peebles in county courts until David's death.

the militia

"Att a meeting of the Militia of Cha: Citty Com at Buckland this 25th July 1656

present: Coll Edd Hill, Capt Henry Perry, mr Tho: Drews, Capt Rich Tye, mr Antho Wyatt, Capt David Peibils.

Whereas there are certeine Intelligences brought to us by the King (chief) of Weynoke of severall strange Indians w’ch are come from the Northwards to the head of James river... As also Peter Lee having given notice to Major Wood of certeine Indians who have killed severall hogs in the upper parts... And whereas there are severall other reports of a suddaine Invasion intended by strange Indians w’ch Conduce much to the Disturbances and feares of these frontier Counties; ffor preven’con whereof therefore, in case any such unexpected warr should breake forth, We the Militia above men’coned Do order that there be forthw’th prest out of out of Capt Peibils his comp’(company) ... all to be in readinesse at an howers warning w’th their armes and 12 shott of powder and ball a man for the security of the South side of James river.

So began yet another skirmish with those nettlesome native peoples who simply couldn't seem to learn their place. While there are no records of Captain Peebles company's involvement in the war, one particularly heinous confrontation has been well documented to the credit of the colonists.

Col. Edward Hill was sent with an armed party out to "disperse the Indians, peacefully if possible." The colonists had solicited support from the Chickahominy and other neighboring tribes in the area. Tottopottomoy, King of the Pamunkeys, had also pledged to join forces with the English. When the tribes arrived, bringing beaver pelts to trade with the English, Hill ignored the assembly's instructions to avoid violence. He had five of the chiefs put to death, and Tottopottomoy was also killed in the fight that ensued. A contemporary of Hill's wrote of his actions as "unparalleled hellish treachery and anti-Christian perfidy more to be detested than any heathenish inhumanity cannot but stink most abominably in the nosetrils of as many Indians, as shall be infested with the least scent of it."

Happily, Hill's force was defeated in the battle that his reckless course had begun. The governor and Council issued an order against him on 4 June 1656. When the assembly reconvened in December, both houses concurred in unanimous condemnation of his "crimes and weaknesses." The assembly suspended him from all military and civil offices and held him liable for the expense of settling the peace.

Native American servitude

"Capt David Peibils is hereby tolerated and permitted to reteine and keep an Indian according to the rules and prescriptions of the Law in that Case provided."

This little entry, encased amongst the voluminous court records faithfully kept in 1655, highlights a little know fact of American history. While not common, all of the original thirteen colonies held Native American slaves during the colonial period. The southern colonies, not surprisingly, enslaved more indigenous people than the north. Robert Miller, professor of law at ASU and an expert in Federal Indian law addresses the "ubiquitous legal enslavement of Indian peoples" in the colonies. He writes: "It seems that the first slaves of the English settlers were local Indian peoples and then large numbers of Indians captured elsewhere and transported to Virginia to serve as slaves on plantations." It also appears, according to Miller, is that "several Indian nations and many individual Indians actively participated with the English in raiding, enslaving, and trading Indians from other tribes and cultures and transporting them to Virginia, other American colonies, and even to the Caribbean." The history of mankind is harsh indeed!

last days

David Peebles' attendance in Court was as regular as clockwork through 1656. On one occasion, only two justices showed up, David being one of them, and court was postponed. In February of 1657, his name was one of four sent to the Governor to be considered for sheriff. Then, abruptly, his name disappeared altogether from the record books. There is speculation that he was injured in the militia activity from the summer of 1656.

That David had an infirmity or injury of some sort seems clear. He didn't die until 1659 but instead of his name in records books, his wife Elizabeth's began showing up. She handled the tobacco transactions, dealt with lawsuits, two of which she lost, and she filed for tax exemptions on "2 persons escaped." Kudos to Grandma Elizabeth for holding down the fort!

David Peebles died sometime before 1 September 1659 when the court appointed "Mr. Antho: Wyatt and Capt. Robt. Wynn to appraise the perishable estates of the orphans of Capt. David Peibles … and the estate of Edmond Bishop."

Note: When David Peebles died, he and Elizabeth were still the guardians of Elizabeth's brother Edmund Bishop.

Note: Robert Wynn, at the time he did the appraisal on David Peebles estate, was the husband of our grandmother Mary Poythress whose first husband was our grandfather Captain Francis Poythress who died in 1650.

David and Elizabeth had been married only about three years when he died. They had two young daughters, Christian (7GGM) and Sarah (8A).

Bon Accord

David Peebles' plantation was called Bon Accord. His original grant was for 833 acres. It's been exceedingly difficult to piece together from remaining records exactly what happened to the property.

William (8U), David's son born in Scotland, came to Virginia shortly after his father's death, most probably to collect his inheritance. He took over his father's affairs and his name is seen often in court records in regard to the estate. It's possible that William received part of the plantation but more likely not. As we will see, the property ultimately passed into the hands of grandfather John Poythress (7GGF), son of the immigrant Frances Poythress (8GGF).

Then there is the matter of 150 acres which bounded on Bon Accord which was "assigned and set over unto Mrs. Elizabeth Peoples" by James Ward. Shortly after David's death, Elizabeth married a man named John Drayton. This 150 acres, under the law, passed to Drayton. This particular tract was the subject of a lawsuit filed on 3 Feb 1662:

Sarah "Peibles," (8A) the younger daughter of David and Elizabeth was about six years old when the suit was filed. Rice Hoe, near neighbor of David Peeble's, was most probably appointed Sarah's guardian and the suit filed to protect her inheritance. It appears that her case was not "clearly proved" as John Drayton retained possession and obtained a patent for the 150 acres on 14 Jun 1665.

Even so, at least one of David's daughters finally prevailed. When John Drayton died in 1677, Elizabeth Peebles Drayton was granted administration on his estate and control of the acreage. Eleven years later, another suit was filed on the property. This time, John Poythress (7GGF) "as marrying Christian Peebles, daughter of Elizabeth" filed a suit for infringement,"averring that the land now claimed by him is...called Bonniecord." We can only assume that Bon Accord was most probably deeded by Elizabeth Peebles to her daughter Christian, possibly on the event of her marriage to John Poythress.

After the lawsuit filed in her name in 1662, there are no further records of Sarah Peebles. Possibly, she died young.

John and Christian Peebles Poythress kept the name of Bon Accord for their plantation.

The estate, now called Aberdeen, remained in the Poythress family until 1775 when Elizabeth Poythress (3C5X) married James Cocke. The home, built by James and Elizabeth's son Thomas Cocke (4C4X), is on the National Registry of Historical Site.

Aberdeen, the "City of Bon Accord" in Scotland is about 80 miles from St. Andrews where David's first child was born. It's very possible that David was born in Aberdeen and named his planation for his hometown.