William Dunn, Sr., of Essex County

Seen as son of Thomas Dunn, of Jamestown but evidence is lacking.

Brother of Thomas Dunn who married Elizabeth Gray.

William Dunn, Sr. was born 1665 in Charles City County, VA., and died 1731 in South Farnham Parish, Essex Co. VA.. He married Alice Gray on 1688 in South Farnham Parish, Essex County, VA.

Children of William Dunn, Sr. and Alice Gray are:

1. +Thomas Dunn, b. Bef. 1704, King and Queen County, VA, d. Abt. 1771, Essex County, VA..
2. +William Dunn, Jr., b. Abt. 1705, Essex County, VA., d. 1767, South Farnham Parish, Essex Co. VA..
3. Alice Dunn, b. Aft. 1707, d. date unknown.
4. Sarah Dunn, b. Aft. 1708, d. date unknown.
5. Mary Dunn, b. Abt. 1706, Albemarle County, VA., d. date unknown. (is this correct?)
6. Susannah Dunn, b. 1716, d. date unknown.
7. +John Dunn, d. 1790 Note: John and An or Ann, Will Written Dec 21,1789 and in court February 15 1790 Will John Dunn of Essex co Virginia Wife An (ANN), sons John, land in Caroline co. Va., son James in Caroline co Va. William land in Caroline co Va. Daughters Mary Cauthorn? or Millycene, An (ANN) Hardee, Babea (Barbie) Crow and two small children not named also a granddaughter (Not the same as John 'James' Dunn b. 10 Oct 1719, North Cumberland, Brunswick County, VA., d. 1792, Albemarle Parish, Virginia.)
8. +Benjamin Dunn, Sr., b. Bef. 1720, Essex County, VA., d. 1778, Essex County, VA..
9. Jonathon Dunn, b. Bef. 1720, Essex County, VA., d. 1768.
10. Anna Dunn, b. Bef. 1720, d. date unknown.
11. John Johnson Dunn, b. 1719, d. date unknown. [Is this correct?]

ESSEX COUNTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH:

• In 1758 citizens of Essex County decided to erect a Presbyterian Church on a portion of land on a Mr. Thomas Miller's land. The land was located in South Farnham. William Dunn Jr., Thomas Dunn and Benjanmin Dunn were listed in the William and Mary Quarterly as having signed the petition for the church. John Dunn's child, James Dunn was also listed in the court list of Tappahanock.

THE MILL:

• In Tyler's Quarterly Magazine, there is an article on the Edmundson family. The article includes part of a Will from Winifred Waters, the wife of William Dunn, Jr.. In it, she states that she is giving a mill in Matthew's Swamp, Essex County, Virginia to her daughter Catherine Dunn (Catherine married John Edmundson) Winifred says that the mill was owned by William Dunn, Jr., Thomas Dunn, William Dunn III and John Edmundson.

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Will of William Dunn (1732)

From Will Book 5, page 92. Recorded 28 Jul 1732:

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I7463...

1730-1735 Essex County, Virginia Will Book 5; [Antient Press]; Page 92-93

• IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I WILLIAM DUNNE of the County of Essex Virga being sick & weak in body but of sound and perfect memory praise be given to God for the same and knowing the uncertainty of this transitory life do make constitute and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as following that is to say first & principally I commend my Soul to Almighty God my Creator and my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in such decent and Christian manner as to my Executors hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient and as touching such worldly estate as the Lord in mercy has lent me my will & desier is the same shall be imployed and bestowed as hereafter by this my will is expressed and first I do revoke, renounce furstrate and make void all wills and bequests by me formerly made & declare & appoint. this my last Will & Testament.
• Item I give & bequeath unto my three youngest Sons namely JOHN, BENJAMIN and JONATHAN DUNNE five hundred acres of land tieing and being in the County of CAROLINE on the South side of the Mattoponie River to be equally devided amongst them to them and their heirs forever it being a track of land containing six hundred acres of which I gave JOHN WILLIAMSON one hundred acres at the upper end of the sd land for the seating and saveing the other five hundred acres of land. Further my Will and desier is that if I do not acknowlidge the above said hundred acres of land to the sd John Williamsonbefore my death that my Execrs. hereafter named shall and may acknowlidge the above sd hundred acres of land to the sd John Williamson.
• Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter SUSANAH SMITH one shilling. Item I lend the use of my personal estate to my loveing Wife ALICE DUNNE dureing her natural life or till the day of marriage and ifshe marry againe then to have her thirds.
• Item I give and bequeath after my wifes death or marriage all the negros to be equally divided amongst my five Sons namely THOMAS DUNNE, WILLIAM, JOHN, BENIAININ & JONATHAN DUNNE and all the rest of my Estate real and personal to be equally devided amongst my youngest children namely ALICE HAYS, SARAH WILLIAMSON, JOHN DUNNE, BENJAMEN DUNNE, JONATHAN DUNNE & ANNE DUNNE.
• Item I do hereby ordain constitute and appoint my beloved Wife Alice Dunne and my Son Thomas Dunne and my Son William Dunne my whole sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament as Witness my hand and seal this 5th day of ffebruary 1731.
• In presence of AMBR. JONES,
• WM. GATEWOOD, HENRY BOUGHAN
• At a Court held for Essex County at Tappa on the xviiith day of July MDCCXXXII
• William Gatewood made oath that he did see William Dunn sign, seal, publish and declare the within writing to be his last will &Testament & that he the sd William Dunn was in perfect sence &memory at the time of doing thereof.
• At a Court held for Essex County at Tappa. on the xixth day of July MDCCXXXII
• This last Will and Testament of William Dunn decd was proved by the oaths of the Execrs.
• therein named and also by the oath of Henry Boughan one of the witnesses thereto which was then ordered to be recorded

References

1. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/n/o/v/Sandra-J-Novak-Tex...
2. The Georgians: Genealogies of Pioneer Settlers.   By Jeannette Holland Austin.  Page 109.
3. https://thomasmoore.info/genealogy/ps15/ps15_044.html
4. "Biography of John Ross Dunn Esq." https://dunnfamilyofvirginia.blogspot.com/2023/03/john-ross-dunn-es... (in copyright) Last updated 18 January 2025.
5. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I1152...
6. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I1300...