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Sosebee Royalty:

I have been busy researching SOSEBEE ancestors and I found some really interesting information.
We all knew that there was some royalty but I do not think any of us knew just how much.
This is what I have found on the Sosebee name so far and I am not yet finished…
These are the direct royal ancestors… These all came from Lydia Norwood's (1672-1726) ancestral line. She married John Sowerby (later Sosebee) (1670-1727).

Sosebee Family direct royal ancestors - tracing fathers and mothers only.
Here is a link to ancestry.com Sosebee family tree.
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/25791394/family
You may have to sign in at ancestry.com. (You can sign up for free)
Be sure to click on arrows on right of names to expand tree.

Here are some Sosebee ancestors:

KINGS in England

KING Wehha East Anglia
Birth 453 in East Anglia, England
Death in 571 East Anglia, England
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KING Oisc (Oeric or Aesc) Kent
Birth 462 in Kent, England
Death 512 in Kent, England

KING Octa "The Bloddy Knife" Kent
Birth 500 in Kent, England
Death 543 in Tunbridge Castle, Kent, England

KING Wuffa East Anglia
Birth 503 in East Anglia, England
Death 578 in East Anglia, England
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KING Eormenic, of Kent
Birth 520 in Tunbridge Castle, Kent, England
Death 560 in Canterbury, Kent, England
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KING Tyttla of East Anglia
Birth 520
Death 593

KING Saint Æthelberht Æðelbeorht Ethelbert I of KENT
Birth 540 in Paris, Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Death 24 FEB 616 in Canterbury, Kent, England Canterbury Cathedral
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King Cynric
Birth 0547 in Wessex, England
Death 593 in Wessex, England
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KING Eni Uuffing King of East Anglia, England
Birth 552
Death 617

KING Eadbald King of Kent, England
Birth 575
Death 640
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KING Anna Wuffinga King of East Anglia
Birth 580 in East Anglia, England
Death 654 in Slain in battle by Penda's army in Blythburgh, Suffolk, England
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KING Earconbert KENT
Birth 620 in Kent England
Death 664 in Kent England

KING Egbert I Kent tm
Birth 641 in Castle Tunbridge, Kent, England
Death 673 in Castle Tunbridge, Kent, England

KING Wihtred Oiscinga
Birth 673 in Kent England
Death 725 in England

KING Ella of England
Birth 758 in Weobley Castle, Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Death 810 in England

KING Ealhmund of England Mucil
Birth 9 July758 in Wessex, Berkshire, England
Death 12 July 798 in Wessex, Berkshire, England

KING Egbert III - Of England Of West Saxons
Birth 775 in Wessex, England
Death Jun 839 in Wessex, England
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KING Aethelwulf King Noble Wolf of WESSEX
Birth 806 in Wessex, England
Death 13 Jan 858 in Wessex, England
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KING Aethelred I of Wessex of WESSEX
Birth 9 May 839 in Wantage, Berkshire, England
Death 23 April 871 in Basing, Hampshire, England
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KINGS in Norway

Harald Wartooth Hildetand
Birth 610 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
Death 690 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
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KING Thrond Throndsson Hedmark
Birth 628 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
Death 667 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway

KING Sveidi (Sveithi) "The Sea King" SVEIDASSON (Viking)
Birth 650 in Raumsdal, Norway
Death 699 in Raumsdal, Norway

KING Halfdan Sveidasson
Birth 700 in Oppland, Norway
Death 749 in Oppland, Norway
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KINGS in Denmark

KING Gorm "The Old" DeGammel
Birth Apr 870 in Jutland, Denmark
Death 941 in Gormshoj, Jellinge, Vejle, Denmark

KINGS in Sweden

KING Halfdan "The Violent" Solfasson, King of Sweden
Birth 660 in Jutland, Denmark
Death 750 in Sweden

KING OLAF II "The Mighty" King of Sweden BJORNSSON
Birth 886
Death 964

KINGS in France

KING Clothaire I "the old" of the Franks, King of Soissons, Orleans, Rheims and Paris Merovingian
Birth abt 497 in Soissons, Aisne, Picardie, France
Death 29 Nov 561 in Braines, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France
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KING CHILPERIC BURGUNDY
Birth 5th Century in Bourgogne, France
Death in Lyon, Rhone, Rhone-Alpes, France
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KING Charibert I King of Paris
Birth 0520 in Paris, Seine, France
Death 07 May 0570 in Paris, Seine, France
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KING Sigebert I 5th King of Austrasia at METZ, France
Birth 523
Death 575
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KING Childebert II 6th King of AUSTRASIA King of BURGUNDY King of the FRANKS
Birth 555
Death 596
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KING Theudebert II 7th King of 7th King of Austrasia, France
Birth 575
Death 612
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KING Pepin D Heristal
Birth 635/45 in Liège, Liege, Belgium
Death 16 Dec 714 in Junille, Meuse, Lorraine, France
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KING Pepin III "Le-Bref, The Short" Of The FRANKS
Birth 714 in Hessen, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany
Death 24 Sep 768 in St Denis, Paris, Seine, France
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KINGS in Spain

KING Amalaric of the Visigoths
Birth 492 in Marne, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France
Death 531 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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KING Athanagild, King of the Visigoths, son of Amalaric
Birth 520 in Toledo, Visigothic Empire, Spain
Death 567 in Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

OTHER KINGS

KING Hoamer Vandals
Birth 480 in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
Death 530 in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia

KING Huneric King of the Vandals
Birth 450 in Cartage, Africa
Death 23 Dec 484 in Cartage, Tunisia
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KING Wacho Ostogotha of the Lombards
Birth 490 in Lombardia, Italy
Death 540 in Lombardia, Italy

QUEENS in England

QUEEN Cerdic of Wessex
Birth 471 in Ancient Saxony, Northern, Germany
Death 534 in Wessex, England
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QUEEN Dal Manie, Queen of KENT
Birth 0497 in Kent, England
Death in Kent, England

QUEEN Saewara of East Anglia, England
Birth 580
Death 605

QUEEN Sainte Bertha Berthe Aldeberge Blithildis of the FRANKS Queen of England
Birth 0541 in Paris, Seine, France
Death 0612 in Metz, Moselle, Lorraine, France
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QUEEN Sexburga Ely Seaxburh East Anglia, England
Birth 610 in East Anglia, England
Death 679 in Caernarvonshire, Gwynedd, Wales, England
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QUEEN Sexburga Of East Anglia, England
Birth 640 in East Anglia, England
Death 674 in Gaul, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

QUEEN Alburga of England Mucil
Birth 758 in Wessex, England
Death 803 in Wessex, England

QUEENS in France

QUEEN Saint Clotilde Queen DeBurgundy
Birth circa 0474 in ,Lyons, Bourgogne, France
Death circa 0545 in Tours, Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne, France
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QUEEN Ingonde VonThuringia the Franks
Birth 502 in Thueringen, Germany
Death 13 Aug 563 in Sur, Loiret, Centre, France

QUEEN Ingoberge of Paris-West Franks Merovingian
Birth 520 in Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Death 13 Aug 589 in Paris, Ile-de-France, France

QUEEN Brunhilda Visigoths
Birth 543 in Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Death 614 in Metz, Moselle, Lorraine, France
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QUEEN Emma of Austrasia, France
Birth 605
Death 645

QUEEN Bertrada of Laon Queen of the Franks
Birth 4 Feb 720 in Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France
Death 13 Jul 783 in Choisy le Roi, Val-de-Marne, Ile-de-France, France
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QUEENS in Denmark

QUEEN of Denmark Princess of England Heluna Ellusdatter
Birth 784 in Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Death 799 in Jutland, Denmark

QUEEN Thyri Daneblood denmark Klacksdottir
Birth 844 in Jutland, Denmark
Death 935 in Jellinge, Vejle, Denmark
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QUEEN of Denmark Cyrid deSweden Bjornsson
Birth 915 in Blauzahn, Duitsland, Sweden
Death 974 in Arques, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France

QUEENS in Norway

QUEEN Solveig Halfdansdatter AKA Halfdansson AKA Throndsson, Queen of Solisles
Birth 0670 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
Death 0770 in Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway

OTHER QUEENS

QUEEN of Vandals Eudoxia Princess of Rome
Birth 448 in Roma, Lazio, Italy
Death 548 in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia

QUEEN Chrothrudis or Rotrude De Trêves
Birth 690 in Tréves, Rhone, Rhone-Alpes, France
Death 724 in Quirzy, Aisne, Picardie, France

PRINCE of Ireland

PRINCE Donnghal Mumham
Birth 553 in Mumhan, Munster, Ireland
Death 602 in Mumhan, Munster, Ireland

PRINCESSES in Ireland

PRINCESS Frigida I, Princess Uladh of MUMHAM
Birth 555 in Mumhan, Munster, Ireland
Death in Mumhan, Munster, Ireland

PRINCESSES in England

PRINCESS Seaxburh of East Anglia Uuffing
Birth 635 in East Anglia, England
Death 6 Jul 699 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England

PRINCESSES in France

PRINCESS Walderada of the Lombards
Birth 530 in Lombarda, Dalmatien, Austria
Death 572 in France

PRINCESS in Germany

PRINCESS Ingonde De Thuringia
Birth 500 in Gotha, Thueringen, Germany
Death 13 Aug 0567 in Abbaye De Saint Benoat Sur, Loiret, Centre, France

EARLS in England

EARL Godwin
Birth 1001 in Created Earl Wessex By King Canute, , , England
Death 15 Apr 1053 in Winchester, Hampshire, , England
SEAL
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EARL Wulfnoth Cild Thegn In Sussex
Birth abt 965 in Wessex, England
Death 1015 in Winchester Castle, Hampshire, England
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THANES in England

Aethelmaer Ciel "the Great" Thane Earl of Devonshire Sussex
Birth abt 935 in Sussex, Devon, , England,
Death abt 1016 in Sussex, Devon, , England
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EARLDORMANS in England

Aethelfrith Earldorman of Wessex and Mercia 36GGF
Birth 870 in Wessex, England
Death 927 in Wessex, England

Aethelhelm Earldorman Ethelhelm East Anglia Wiltshire
Birth 859 in Wiltshire, England
Death 898 in Wantage, Berkshire, England

EARLS in Denmark

EARL Ragnvald I The Wise Jarl of More Eysteinsson Ragnvald
Birth 830 in of Upland, Denmak
Death 890 in Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland

COUNTS in France

COUNT Guerin Warinnus De Poitiers
Birth abt 630 in Autun, Saone-et-Loire, Bourgogne, France
Death 0677 in Treves, , Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

COUNT HERBERT II, COUNT OF TROYES DE VERMANDOIS deSenlis
Birth 885 in Péronne, Somme, Picardie, France
Death 943 in Vermandois, Aisne, Picardie, France

COUNT Martin (Count of Laon) De Laon
Birth 670 in Laon, Aisne, Lorraine, France
Death 17 Jul 747 in Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France

COUNT Charibert I (Cambert) (Count of Laon) De Laon
Birth 03 May 690 in Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France
Death 07 Dec 747 in Laon, Aisne, Pays de la Loire, France

COUNTESSES in Scotland

COUNTESS Ragnhild Hilder Countess of More Hrolfsdatter Hilder
Birth 848 in Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Death 890 in Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland

COUNTESSES in France

COUNTESS Bertha aka Beatrice Countess Vermandois deMorvois
Birth 30 Aug 845 in Vermandois, Aisne, Picardie, France
Death 15 Jun 923 in France, Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine, France

DUKES in Normandy

DUKE Rollo, 1st Duke of Normandy Ragnvaldsson
Birth 863 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
Death 927 in Notre Dame, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France

DUKE Willaum I Longsword 2nd Duke De Normandy
Birth 892 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France
Death 17 Dec 0943 in Picquigny Island, Somme, Picardie, France
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DUKE Richard II the Good Duke of Normandy De Normandy
Birth 963 in Falaise, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
Death 28 Aug 1026 in Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France
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DUKES in France

DUKE Gisulf De Langobardi Duke of the Lombards
Birth 540 in Ville, Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Death Nov 610 in Fruili, Itlay
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DUKE Ansgise
Birth 602/10 in Austrasia, France
Death 679/85 in Andenne, Namur, Wallonia, Belgium
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BISHOPS in France

BISHOP Arnoul
Birth 13 Aug 582 in Liège, Liege, Belgium
Death 16 Aug 645 in Metz, Austrasia
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BISHOP Count Saint Leutwinus Von Trier De Poitiers
Birth 660 in Austrasia, , , France
Death 722 in Trier, Trier, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
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SAINTS

Saint Itta - Itta Idoberga Of Metz DeNivelles
Birth 592 in Metz, Germany
Death 05 AUG 652 in Abbey Nivelles, Brabant, Belgium
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DUTCHESS of Normandy

DUTCHES Gonnor Gunnora Dutches of Normandy DeCrepon
Birth 21 Nov 936 in Paris, Île-de-France, France
Death 23 Sept 1001 in Faecamp, Seine Inferieure, Normandy, France

BARONS in England

BARON William 1st Baron Pantolph
Birth 1051 in Wemme, Shropshire, England
Death 1112 in parish, Shropshire, England

BARON Robert 2nd Baron Pantolph
Birth 1078 in Wemme, Shropshire, England
Death 18 Oct 1130

BARON John 3rd De Northwood
Birth 1333 in Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk, England
Death 27 Feb 1379 in Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England

BARON Sir Henry (Fifth BARON Lord) Fitzhugh
Birth 1424 in Ravensworth, Yorkshire, England
Death 8 Jun 1472 in Ravensworth, Yorkshire, England
Ravensworth Castle
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BARONESS in England

BARONESS Lady Margaret (Margery) Willoughby, Baroness FitzHugh of Ravensworth
Birth Apr 1390 in Eresby, Lincolnshire, England
Death 22 Oct 1452 in Ravensworth, Yorkshire, England

BARONESS Eleanor Constable
Birth 1485 in Burton, Yorkshire, England
Death 1525 in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England

SIRS and KNIGHTS in England

Sir Gilbert Dennis
Birth 1393 in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England
Death 24 Mar 1442 in Alveston Erdecote Hundred Langele Ciston Bath, Devonshire, England

SIR Maurice Dennis
Birth 1419 in Chipping, Gloucestershire, England
Death 1 Sept 1503 in Gloucestershire, England

Sir William Denys Dennis
Birth 1470 in Dyrham, Gloucestershire, England
Death 1534 in Dyrham, Gloucestershire, England

SIR Marmaduke, High Sheriff of Yorkshire Constable
Birth 1458 in Burton, Yorkshire, England
Death 29 Nov 1518 in Burton, Yorkshire, England
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SIR Adam De Everingham
Birth 1307 in Laxton, Northumberland, England
Death 8 Feb 1388 in Laxton, Northumberland, England
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KNIGHT Sir Knight Gilbert Stradling
Birth 1209 in St Donants Castle, Glamorganshire, Wales
Death

KNIGHT Sir Edward STRADLING
Birth 1345 in St Donats Castle, Glamorganshire, Wales
Death 1367 in St Dontats Castle, Glamorgan, , Wales
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KNIGHT Sir Knight William Stradling
Birth 1375 in St Donats Castle, Glamorgan, Wales
Death 1412 in St Donats Castle, Glamorgan, Wales

KNIGHT Sir Edward Knight of Holy Sepulcher STRADLING
Birth 1398 in St Donats Castle, Glamorganshire, Wales
Death 1424 in Jerusalem, Israel

KNIGHT Sir Walter Dennis
Birth 1443 in Earthcott Green, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Death 1503 in Thornbury, Chester, England

KNIGHT George Throckmorton (Father Robert)
Birth 1480 in Warwickshire, England
Death 16 Aug 1552 in Warwickshire, England
MORE INFORMATION Informaton on middle Temple

LORDS in England

LORD Maurice Berkeley
Birth 1436 in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England
Death 1506 in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England
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LORD William Norwood
Birth Apr 1550 in Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, , England
Death 23 Sep 1632 in Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, , England
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LADYS in England

LADY Katherine Stradling
Birth 1423 in Olveston, Gloucestershire, England
Death 1451 in Olveston, Gloucestershire, England

LADY Eleanor Dennis
Birth 1508 in Dunham, Gloucester, England
Death 24 Sept 1567 in Madresfield, Worcestershire, England

LADY Elizabeth Fitzhugh
Birth 1465 in Ravensworth, Yorkshire, England
Death 28 Feb 1513 in Harrowden, Northamptonshire, England
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LADY’S in Spain

Lady Galswinthe De Vandals
Birth 518 in Castile, Spain
Death 582 in Somme, Picardie, France

NATIVE AMERICANS

Matoaka "Rebecca" Pocahontas Powhatan Rolfe 1575 1617 My Great (X8) Grand Mother
MORE INFORMATION
INFORMATION about her grandaughter Jane Rolfe

Chief Wahunsonacock Powhatan 1545 - 1618
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Chief Morning Powhatan 1496 - 1600
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CHIEF ALGONKIAN WINANUSKE 1518 - 1600

Colonel Robert Bolling 1646 – 1709 Virginia USA
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Colonel Richard Kennon 1650 - 1696
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Major John Bolling 1700 - 1750

Major John Fairfax Bolling 1676 - 1729
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HERE IS THE SOSEBEE ODYSSEY:

The Sosebee Odyssey was written by: Dave Greenlee from Fort Worth, Texas.

Most of the Sosebee place names occur in that part of England which was known as the Danelaw. This area was created as a result of years of raids upon the eastern coast of Britain by Vikings, usually called the Danes in English history. The earliest settlers of Britain were the Celts, Picts and Scots, Germanic people who collectively became known as the Britons. They were in turn invaded by the Romans who built roads and fortifications, but little else was left behind when they left in 410 A.D. Between 410 and 876 the Britons were invaded by other Germanic tribes known as Angles, Saxons and Jutes and after the defeat of the Britons a relatively stable culture and population were formed. Christianity had first touched the Britons as early as perhaps , the time of Christ, and a strong foothold in the sixth century. In 829, Egbert became overlord of all England. In 871, his grandson, Alfred, took the throne. By this time, however, new invaders had arrived, the Vikings or Danes. They came from an area further north than the former invaders of England but still spoke a Germanic dialect. Their long, dashing, dragon-proud ships brought to Britons shores men who were exceedingly courageous and cruel. Many years later, G.K. Chesterton wrote of them: "Misshappen ships stood on the deep Full of strange golden fire And hairy men as huge as sin With horned heads came wading in Through the long, low sea-mire" These wading men were characterized by their blond hair, their blue eyes and a pagan hatred of Christianity. It was the latter, together with their cruelty, that forced King Alfred to form an army and navy to defeat them after so many monasteries had been destroyed that the monks had added to their prayers."From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord, deliver us"! In 878, after several battles had been won on both sides, the final battle was won by Alfred. The danish leader was converted to Christianity and a treaty was struck by which the Danes were given the northeastern part of Britain, which thereafter was called the Danelaw. It is there that the Sosebee ancestral name first appeared. The earliest version of the name is the Danish word Saurebe which means a farm or village in marshy ground. At the same time the Vikings were invading Britan, they were also invaded France. They were principally called Northmen which later became softened to Norman. In France, as in Britain, the Vikings gave up their hatred for Christianity. In 1066, the last great invasion of Britain occurred when these Normans, under the leadership of William the Conqueror, defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. From these facts, it is clear that the Sosebee family is from Germanic, Scandinavian stock. The oldest name on record is that of Odierna de Saurebi in 1095. The surname is a place-name. That is, a name used to differentiate him from, say, Odierna de Nottingham, or Odierna de somewhere else. The use of surnames in England began with the Norman invasion, but were not in general use until the 16th century or 17th century. Prior to the Normans, Englishmen had but one name and when another was needed, an occupation, personal pecularity, or locality was used. Thus, you could find Harold the Carpenter, Harold the Dauntless and the like. Among the Norman, however, the lace of family name came to be looked upon as a sign of low birth. In one recorded incident, a nobleman's daughter refused to marry a noble having only a single name. It was in this context that we find Kirkesoresbi or castle Soresbi which was in Cumberland. Richard Surbe lived in 1381, William Sourby, 1381, Isable Soreby in 1485, Thomas Sowerbye, in 1597 Christopher Sourbye, in 1615 and Robert sorsyie, in 1623. These various Sosebees went on the Crusades, fought in the Hundred year war, fought against each other in the War of the Roses and lived principally in old Danelaw where their ancestors landed in Viking ships. Places named Sowerby are to be found in Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancashire and Yourshire. Sowerby castles or seats mentioned in Burks are: Putterage Park, Luton, Herts, Dalton Hall, Richmond, Youkshire, Dalston Hall, Carlisle, Cumberland and also Lancaster. These Sosebee farmers, landed gentry, nobels and knights wen through three hundred years over faithful to the crown-ever loyal to England. Then in 1607, a London Joint stock company comprised of merchants, adventurers and speculators established the first permanent colony in America. The colony was named Jamestown for the king who, from so many miles away, dictated their rights and their religion. The early days of Jamestown were difficult. Unlike later expeditions to America, this one was made up of gentlemen unaccustomed to manual labor. The colony was located on the James river upon a low, marshy peninsula. As a result, decease reduced the colony from 104 in May, 1607 to only 50 in the autumn of that year, and continued problems were encountered with the Indians. Had it not beef for the courageous, energetic leadership of Captain John Smith, the colony would have been lost. His leadership continued until 1609, when injury forced him to return to England. The colony, which by this time had been thrice supplied and repopulating had grown to 500. The winter of 1609-1610 was known as the "starving time". The colony was reduced to only 60 through illness, famine and Indian attacks. The colony was almost abandoned by Lord Delaware arrived with new supplies and settlers just in time to prevent this act. In May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale took control and enforced the martial law previously implemented. Through his strong hands, Virginia became a going concern, and martial law was gradually relaxed. The marriage of John Ross to Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, assured the colony relief from the Indian attack. About that same time, in 1612, this same John Rolfe crossbred a variety of tobacco which became known as the Virginia Leaf. The development of this desirable crop gave the Virginia Colony its first major industry and set the stage for the introduction for slavery. It also gave Virginia a commity, which was to be used as currency. Although the reasons behind it are not clear, the first representative assembly in America met in Jamestown in 1619 to make the first laws for Virginia. It is ironic that, although indentured servants and bond slaves had been used in the colonies for some years, the first Negro slaves arrived as free men in that same year as the first representative assembly and many of them immediately indentured themselves.
Only a generation later the peculiar institution of Negro slavery would become the backbone of economic life in Virginia and the South: a life based on cruel and inhumane practice so necessary to sustain each plantation before the Industrial Revolution. Jamestown, onee a peninsula, is now an island in the James River and all that remains is the church tower, the cemetery and the foundations. The village remained the capitol of Virginia throughout the 17th century and was almost destroyed during Bacon's rebellion. It was partially rebuilt but fell in decay with the removal of the capitol to Williamsburg in 1700. Today we can ride across the James River by ferry to Surry County. It was into this venture that James Sowerby entered. The eldest of three brothers, it is likely that he sailed from the northeastern seaport of Hull, England. Upon his arrival in Virginia, he purchased land in Surry County, across the James River from Jamestown and it is likely that he used a ferry very much like the present day one to his new land. At the time of his death, in 1687, his two younger brothers had joined him in Virginia. The earliest actual record we have of James Sowerby is a deposition dated 1652 which can be found in the records of Surry County. James, like the other Virginia colonists, was a business man loyal to the crown, not a religious protester like the Pilgrims who arrived in America in 1620, thirteen years after the establishment of Jamestown. James and others paid their passage to Virginia but were able to bring along few of the comforts of life. In those early years, the main wealth of the family was their land. Education was poor. Land patents averaged 900 acres, which meant that the families were far apart to provide common schools for their children. In later years it was common for guardians and parents to leave money in their wills for their children and God-Children to learn to read. People were so hungry for education that it was commonly made a part of and indenture for an indentured servant to be required to be taught to read. For example, on 1666, Dorothy Throne was indentured to serve her master, Charles Basham, for six years and one of the requirements of her indenture was that she be taught to read. Since the records of Surry County between 1607 and 1652 were destroyed we can not be certain what year James Sowerby arrived in Jamestown. There are, however, many records which refer to him having been in Jamestown before 1652. We do know that he married a woman by the name of Ann and they had only one child, a daughter, named Margaret. In 1663, james made his brother, Thomas, the attorneyof his plantation and gave Thomas full control of the land and all thereon. James' daughter, Margaret, married a well-to-do elderly planter named John Battell. They had no children. On July 1 1984, Surry County records indicate the following disposition of part of James' estate: "Margaret Sowerby married John Battell and the later has received of john Allen, 980 pounds of tobacco, 7 casks, being the estate due her and now John Battell discharges him from all claims". Unlike James, we have a record of the immigration of Thomas Sowerby, his brother. He was brought to America in 1654 by Mr. John Brown, of Northampton County, Virginia. Thomas Sowerby also moved to Surry, County Virginia and became very prominent there. In 1655, Matthew Patnell makes his friends, James and Thomas Sowerby, his attorney. In July, 1657, Thomas Sowerby, then aged 23, owned an interest in a boat and attempted to purchase a roundlett of power from a ship gunner. He also sat on a just in Surry Dounty, in May, 1677, and ordered the participants in Bacon's Rebellion to pay heavily for damages caused by them in plundering the countryside. Thomas purchased 620 acres of land in Up parish in Surry County. This land was located four miles back in the woods in the freshes and adjoined thirteen other persons. He married Anna Evans, a young widow who had one son, Edward Evans. Thomas and Adda had no children of their own. Since the established religion was accepted in the colony, there were extensive church records. The church of England was quite strict and Thomas seemed to really believe in it. On December 30, 1687, he presented three people to the court for not attending church on Sunday, which was a crime. On February 2, 1683, he was commissioned to teach the orphaned son of John Collier, John Collier, Jr, the Christian religion. Thomas Sowerby died on July 10, 1695. As I previously mentioned, all county records prior to 1652 in Surry County were destroyed by fire. The land patent records were part of this, and for this reason there are no records of some of the earliest families arrival in Surry County. For example, the Jordan family was one of the earliest in the county to book published by the bicentennial committee of Surry County entitled "A Guide to the Buildings of Surry and the American Revolution" which reveals much of the land history of the county. It might be expect in the wild, primitive, dangerous environment of 17th century Surry that there was much uncertainty among the settlers. This uncertainty was expressed by frequent changes in land ownership as well as by the controversy and ambiguity often accompanying references to land. In the deeds that have survived, land descriptions are very vague. It is not surprising that land record settlers for an example of this the following is the description of the land deeded to James and Francis Sowerby: "Upon the head of the two northernmost branches of Greayes Creek northeast and Southeast, upon John Watkins & Southeast, upon James Mason, granted to Mr. John Jennings, 11 April 1649, assigned to William Rose, who assigned to Matthew Battell and Richard Tyas: Battell assigned his moiety, being 1051/2 acres to said Sowerby; the other half thereof sold to said tyas to Daniel Massengale, who sold to James Sowerby who assigned to Mr. William Thompson and Thompson assigned to Francis Sowerby, all of which assignments are Surry County. As we have previously mentioned, James Sowerby had one daughter, Margaret. It is interesting to know that at this point, the Matthew Battell mentioned in this deed (see part 1) has a son named John Battell, who Margaret married when they were both on up in years. It is because of these missing records that we do not know exactly when Francis Sowerby, the last brother of the three, came to Surrey County from England. He was the youngest of the brothers, but he died before either James or Thomas. Francis' wife's name was Katherine and they had seven children who married into the neighboring families such as the Jordan's, the Masons, the Swans, the Floods, the Jennings, the Norwoods, the Symonds and the Kings. Francis' family is particularly important because it is likely that the tie with our eldest documented relative, Job Sosebee lies through this family. Francis' children were probably the first Sosebees born in America. They were: Jane, born in 1664, and later married Charles Ricks in 1678; Sara, born in 1666; Frances II, born in 1668, about whom we will hear more about later on; John, born in 1670, who married Lydia Norwood, who provides us with our claim to royalty in that she was descended on both sides of her family fromthe kings and queens of England; Elizabeth, born in 1672, who married Richard Rose, of Surrey County; William, born in 1676, we do not know who he married; and Thomas, who's birthdate we do not have, but we do know that he married a woman named Sarah. Francis seems to have been a generous man because he and his brother, James, donated land for the Southwark Church and for a parish glebe or rectory. The church was destroyed long ago but the old glebe still stands in Surrey County upon land that was donated to the greater honor and glory of God by the Sowerby family. Francis died in 1678 and his generosity continued even then. His will reads: "..to my wife, Katherine, my plantation and all divisions of land when my on, Francis, is 21 years of age, to each or any of my sons then of age, land. To daughters, Elizabeth, tow cows; to Sarah, three cows, in the like manner each a sow at 21 years. To my brother, Thomas, a gold ring or a silver spoon, 10 shillings cost. To my brother, James, a cow; at his death, the increase to my children. To daughter, Jane, a gold ring. To daughter, Sara, a gold ring and to daughter, Jane Ricks, a mare" His will was probated on March 4 1678, and was witnessed by Samuel Maget and Thomas Sowerby. Francis II, son of Francis and Katherine received his legacy from his father. He first married a woman named Sara and they had one child, Francis III. Sarah died and Francis II married into the Jordan Family who were extremely wealthy and influentially that area. Mary Jordan bore him one son, William Sowerby. Actually, we know very little about the sons of Francis II. They both were born at such a time they could well be the father or our Job Sosebee. Although it seems at times that you know everything about the ancestors with whom you were working, material lines and hand that you simply have overlooked. This is the case with Francis III and William. This information has been available to us for some time, but the notion had gotten into our heads that the Sowerby line had no persons in it of the proper age to be Job's father. Through simple persistence and through re-examination of records, my mother discovered them to be in proper age group. This is hardly conclusive, although the dates and places are such that it is likely in extreme that one of these persons will be Job's father. However, there are other Sosebees who are unidentified and of the same general period. Some of these may be other children of Francis and William, but they may be independent lines of which nothing is known. Some of these people are: John Solesbury of Accomack, Virginia, Robert Sowerby of New Kent County, Virginia and Phillip Sowerby of Cabin Point, Virginia. The Phillip who was last mentioned is an excellent example of what I was just talking about. Cabin Point is a village located in Surrey County, Virginia and Phillip is most certainly related to the other Sowerby's in that county. Nevertheless, we have not been able to connect Phillip with any of the established lines and so research must continue. Sussex County, Virginia, is a neighboring county to Surrey.