Historical Evidence of Milestone Events

From Winter/Mitchell book "Descendants of William Atterbury, 1733 English Immigrant," pub 1984, in limited edition of 150:

William Atterbury, the progenitor of this line was born in England ca 1700 - 1710. In England, he was a laborer, living in the parish of St. James Liberty, Westminster, Middlesex (now part of London).

William was deported from Newgate Prison in England, on board the Patapscoe Merchant, which sailed April 17, 1733. He had been sentenced for stealing five yards of linsey woolsey (a coarse sturdy fabric of wool and linen or cotton) worth three shillings. Perhaps the theft was made in anticipation of deportation, since England was in the midst of a depression and passage to America was approximately one year's wages.

The "crime" and sentencing of William Atterbury was investigated by a family genealogical researcher, Wayne Attebery, of Salem IL. The Kinseer Genealogical Researchers of Kent, England reported:

"William Atterbury was a labourer of the parish of St. James Liberty, Westminster, Middlesex, and was tried on 31st January, 1732. He was a prisoner in Newgate Prison, in the reign of George II. He was committed by Oliver Lambert esquire, on oath of Frederick Humble for stealing out of the shop of George Cole some stuff, five yards of linsey woolsey, worth 3 shillings.

William's sentence of seven years was to be carried out as a laborer on one of "... His Majestyes Plantations in America." By the time of his marriage to Sarah Mitchell Yackley in abt. 1742, he probably lived in Prince George's Co., MD where he later owned the 50 acre Prince Spring plantation.

The punishment, for however many years, certainly seems severe for the crime involved. At a time when one-third of the population were paupers, however, punishments would tend to be severe. The unpopularity of the Atterbury name in London in 1732/3 (remember that Bishop Francis Atterbury was living in exile in France) probably accounts for some of the severity of the punishment.

The Patapscoe Merchant, the ship carrying William to America, was captained by Darby Lux. Sailing April 17, 1733, the destination of the ship was not recorded but is assumed to be Maryland, a common port of entry at that time.

Although William is believed to have arrived in America penniless, in just 13 years (1746), William was the owner of 'Prince Spring Plantation' in King George's County in Maryland and a family man (married to Sarah).

Loundon County, Virginia, was created in 1758. Apparently, William was there several years before the county was organized, since his plantation deed is dated 16 Aug 1754.

William Atterbury is listed on the Tithable Lists (similar to a tax list) of Loudoun County VA in 1758, and sold land in Loudoun County in 1765. Sarah is listed alone in 1769. Apparently, William died in Loudoun Co. VA ca 1766-68.

William, the progenitor, was not the first Atterbury in America. He does, however, appear to have been the first Atterbury to have put down long-standing roots. The nine Atterbury men found on the 1790 Census in South Carolina are assumed to have been his sons.

Following the deaths of William and Sarah (1768 and 1770, respectively), their youngest son James probably was cared for by one or more of his brothers. The entire family was to move to South Carolina, probably in the 1772-1778 period. They probably moved south using the Carolina Road that passed through Loudoun County, southwestward through Virginia into the Carolinas.

It is likely that most, if not all, of William and Sarah's sons were in SC before the Revolutionary War. It is possible that all of them moved en masse to the area that was to become Chester Co., SC. One son, William, however, is listed in the "Index of Revolutionary Records in the Virginia State Archives," indicating that he may have remained in VA for a time before joining his brothers in SC. Eight of the sons are later found in the same general area of Chester Co., while the oldest Michael was in the Orangeburg District, about 100 miles distant at the time of the 1790 Census.

2012-05-10 22:20:44 RBaxter

See additional information on the Individual Data Info Page for William Atterberry.

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