Notes for Rachel Evins: The research on Rachel Evins was done by Joyce Libes.
(Mother of Hannah Maxwell & Grandmother of Susannah Hawkins)
First husband John Popham's will was dated Oct. 31, 1738. It was proved March 27, 1739 in Westmoreland County at which time she and her next husband, James Maxwell, appeared in court. An interesting note is that one of the witnesses to John Popham's will was John Shotwell who had land adjoining that of Thomas Stonehouse, land which she inherited as his closest relative and heir. This is found on page 42, Vol.2 of NORTHERN NECK LAND GRANTS by Gertrude Gray.
This was the same land in the Fredericksburg Chancery Court suit "Hawkins vs Popham". Thomas Stonehouse had one of the early land patents in this part of Virginia. See page 32 CULPEPER: A VIRGINIA COUNTY'S HISTORY THROUGH 1920 by Eugene Scheel; MADISON COUNTY VIRGINIA PLACE NAMES, and accompanying map, also Hotchkiss' land ownership maps done during the Civil War (Library of Congress) found on microfiche at the B.S.U. Bracken Library's Map Room and at the Allen County (Ft.Wayne) Public Library. See John Popham's record for a complete transcript of his will.
Patent Book No. 13 page 303 describes more of Rachel's land holdings thus: "RACHEL EVINS, of Lancaster Co., 1000 acres (N.L.), Spotsyl. Co., in St George Par; in the gr. fork of Rappk. Riv., under the Ragged Mt; adj William Duff; & John England; on N. fork of the Beverdam Run; Thomas Stonehouse, on Stonehouse's Mt; 28 Sept. 1728,"... (pg. 346 CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS)
James and Rachael are said to have obtained 500 acres of her previous husband John Popham's land in Prince William Co. though it was stated in his will that proceeds from the sale of this land should be divided among his daughters. Mr. Richard Popham of New York, a Popham family historian, is also a descendant of Matthew Hawkins and Hannah Maxwell through their daughter Phoebe Hawkins and of John Popham through Phoebe's husband Thomas Popham. This veteran Popham family researcher feels that the writing of the will suggests Rachael was a second wife of John Popham and some of the children, especially the daughters mentioned, were offspring of an earlier marriage. There is no evidence at this time to prove or disprove this. It is merely speculation. The fact that her son Job Popham named his daughter "Rachel Evins" shows she was mother to at least some of his children and the two sons, Job and his brother John, have been designated as children of Rachel Evins Popham. The following information suggests Rachael's connection to the Evins family and may furnish clues to which Jones family was later related to Rachel and James Maxwell's grandsons' wives. (John Hawkins married Nancy Jones and his brother James married Sarah Jones.)
CULPEPER COUNTY DEED BOOK F, pages 18-21: "DD to Mr. Geo. Wetherall May 28, 1773 This Indenture made 14th November 1769 between John Seal of County Culpeper, Parish of Brumfield and Ithyince Seal his wife and John Thomas Jr.. of said County in consideration of Fourty pounds current money of Virginia. John Seal sold 50 acres on waters of Pophams Run near Ragged Mountain it being part of a tract of land granted to Rachael Evins and by the said Rachel Evins and James Maxwell her Husband sold to Thomas Jones of King George County and by him given to his son Joseph Jones and by Deed of Gift by him given to Samuel Lampton and by suit in Chancery in Culpeper Court the Entail of the same was Docked and fee simple again placed in the said Joseph Jones and by him sold to said John Seal beginning at a gum and Spanish oak near the Road...North to a Mahogany to beginning...."
Geo. Wetherall John Seal Jams. Graves, Michael Klug Ithyince X Seal William Ward, William Kelby [Kilby] Joseph Henslee
Note: Transcript sent by Craig Kilby < CASHKILBY@aol.com>
Rachel Evins (d. date unknown)
Notes for Rachel Evins: