1 NAME Ralph /BLANKENSHIP/, Sr.
2 SOUR S34944
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Sep 11, 2004
1. . Ralph Blankinship, Sr. was born 1662 in probably Cambria, England,and died 1714 in Roxdale, Henrico Co., VA. He married MARTHA (last nameunknown) about 1690 in Henrico Co., Virginia. Charles and Hannah wereneighbors of Ralph Blankenship who lived just north of Conjurer’s Neckand Swift Creek, Virginia. This same Hannah Wilson later married anotherneighbor Edward Stanley following her first husband's death. AfterHannah's death Edward Stanley married Martha Blankenship in 1716following the death of her first husband Ralph Blankenship who died in1714.
2. " Richard Kennon petitioned for 8,000 acres for importing 90 whitepersons and seventy negroes in 1686 and 1687, Ralph Blenkship, was namedas one of those imported. (Gayle King Blankenship's book "BlankenshipAncestors")The first reference to Ralph Blankship appears April 1, 1690,Henrico Order Book 1678-1693, page 326. I have copies of the original,and of the handwritten copy made during the Revolutionary period. Theentry reads: Upon the peticon of Rich'd Kennon these may certify thatthere is due unto him eight thousand acres of land for ye inportacon ofninety servts. into this colony whose names are under written & forseventy persons more being negroes, the same being legally prov'd by hisoath in open court. The name Ralph Blankship appears as the 68th name ona list of 90 persons."
Don Blankenship db-email@earthlink.net
3. "We know that on June 16, 1714 Ralph BLANKSHIP was named as head rightof Capt. Henry Harrison & Philip Ludwell for land they claimed in Surryand Isle of Wight. (Patent. 10:165).
The Isle of Wright, Virginia is a small village 17.5 miles WSW ofNewport News, VA. Surry is another village 17.5 miles NNW of Isle ofWright. It is very close to Jamestown and is about 32 miles from whereRalph BLANKINSHIP first homesteaded in Henrico County, VA. The Isle ofWrite is about 45 miles southeast of Ralph's original homestead. Thelegal court document shows that Ralph was being claimed as a person whosesea transportation from Europe (England) was paid for by Capt. HenryHarrison and Philip Ludwell. The Virginia colony law at the time allowedanyone who paid for the
transportation of another person to Virginia could claim the right (headright) to possession of 50 acres of land as their reward for bringingthat person to America. If this claim for land was valid, and not a
fraudulent claim, it would mean that Capt. Henry Harrison and PhilipLudwell, had, in fact, paid for Ralph's return voyage from England toAmerica. Did Ralph sense that his death was imminent circa 1713 and wantto make a trip to his homeland just before he died? Did the debt Ralphincurred near the time of his death result from his having to pay for oneleg of his voyage to Europe. No one has ever answered this question whichI now leave for you. " Don Blankenship db-email@earthlink.net
4. "Apr 1695 Henrico Co. VA Will & Deed Book (1688-1697), p. 577, RalphBlankinship deposition states about 33 years of age"Don Blankenshipdb-email@earthlink.net
5. APRIL 15 1714 INVENTORY OF RALPH BLANKINSHIP's POSSESSIONS On thesaid deceased estate in due form to be administered by MarthaBlankinship, Charles Clay, and Richard Blankenship." Don Blankenshipdb-email@earthlink.net
6. "May 1714 Henrico Co. VA Will & Deed Book (1710-1714), p. 258, MarthaBlankinship, widow of Ralph presented estate's inventory"
7. "1715 Henrico Co. Orphans Court Martha widow of Ralph reports onchildren Ralph, John, and James" Don Blankenship db-email@earthlink.net
1." We don't know when Martha (wife of Ralph Blankinship the immigrant)was born as there has never been a birth record found. We also don't knowher parents. It is possible she was born about 1660 and that she was thedaughter of Charles Clay (1636-1686) and Hannah Wilson (1642-1706) but itcannot yet be proven. This information is based on the fact that two ofthe Clay brothers who also were children of Charles and Hannah appearedon the death inventory and will of Ralph Blankinship and Martha's secondhusband Edward Stanley. This would have been properly done to protectMartha's dowry if her brothers had been witnesses to Martha's husband'swills or death inventory. It's only circumstantial evidence, but itscertainly possible. If this was the case then Edward Stanly would havemarried Hannah Wilson (the mother) after Charles Clay died in 1686, Shemarried Edward Stanley in 1690 and died 16 years later in 1706. EdwardStanley then remained a widower until 1716 when he married Martha, theformer wife of Ralph Blankenship. Just conjecture based on circumstantialevidence. This Clay family lived right next to Ralph Blankenship justnorth of Swift Creek." Don
2. "I ran across a web site several years ago (and have lost the addressthereto) that claimed his wife was Martha HATCHER, daughter of Henry andAnne (Lound) Hatcher. I have since found several Hatcher web sites thatrepeat this information, although without citing a source. I recentlyran across the book, Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol. II, Cobb-Hay,which has a discussion of the Hatcher family beginning on page 870. Onpage 871, there is a discussion of the will of Henry Hatcher, whereinchildren Henry, William, Mary, Ann, and Matthew are named. No Martha.However, Anne (Lound) Hatcher's father, Henry Lound, was named thechildren's guardian in 1678 and Henry Lound's will mentions grandchildrenHenry Hatcher, Ann Ward, Mary Tanner, and Martha Blanks. Based on otherinfo presented, Henry, Ann, and Mary were definitely children of Henryand Anne Hatcher. Who was this Martha? And does Blanks equalBlankenship? I have been unable to confirm the identity of this Marthaor the identification of Ralph Blankenship's wife as Martha Hatcher."Rodney Marsh rmarsh@scsengineers.com
3. "Book 12 page 15: Martha Blankenship 250 acres on South side of JamesRiver, bordering land of Henry Walthal for 20 shillings and importationof one person 9 Jul 1724" Betty Carson BeejC1@aol.com