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I chose this map because of the relationship to Thomas Jefferson's father Peter Jefferson who created the map above. The map shows the location of "York town" where Benjamin Colvard Sr was born.
Benjamin Colvard Sr (1730-1786) and his Family
By Richard A. Colbert Calvert Genealogy Group
(Not for redistribution) Please ask the author for permission to republish- use attribution, and link to original material.
After Benjamin’s father William Calvert died in 1744, the court ruled that the widow Temperance Calvert was not able to financially support her four children and they were taken away from her. Benjamin was bound out in November 1745 to George Klienhoff. [Weisinger, Benjamin B, III, Henrico Court Order Book 1737- 174, p 35.]
In March of 1750 both Benjamin and his mother Temperance Calvert took Kleinhoff to court and swore that Benjamin was 21 years old and by law could no longer be bound to Kleinhoff. Kleinhoff later withdrew the complaint and Benjamin was freed from his bondage.
After he became free, Benjamin Colvard Sr., married a woman named Susanna LNU and he made his living as a carpenter/cabinet maker. There is a possibility that Susanna’s maiden name was Waddle /Waddill. Benjamin and Susanna had a daughter named Temperance who married George Bruce and they named one of their sons Waddle Bruce. The name Charles Waddle also appeared on a deed that Benjamin Colvard witnessed in Chesterfield county, Virginia on April 25, 1752, and again in a lawsuit that was brought by Peter Royston against Charles Waddill, John Robins, and Benjamin Calvort which was later dismissed in November 1753. [Chesterfield Court Orders, 1749-1759, #0030908, pp 370, 377, 378 & 414.]
Benjamin and Susanna Colvard had five children all born in Albemarle county:1) William born ca 1750, died before November 6, 1795 (never married); 2) Temperance born ca 1751 married George Bruce, died in Kentucky; 3) Benjamin Jr born ca 1762 married Mary “Polly” George & had concubine Betty Brown died ca 1800; 4) Elizabeth married Charles Ashley of Amherst county, Virginia died of smallpox; 5) Alexander born ca 1761 married : Susanna Spralding on November 8, 1783 [Marriages in Albemarle County, Virginia Papers of the Albemarle county, Historical Society, Vol VI, p 57]
In the early 1770’s two of Benjamin’s brothers, William Jr. and John Butterworth Colvard left Virginia and moved to Wilkes/Surry county, North Carolina with their families.
George Bruce and Alexander Colvard and their families moved from Albemarle county, Virginia to Kentucky in 1806. George Bruce died testate in Fayette county, Kentucky in 1808. George Bruce and his wife Temperance had daughters Helby Bruce, Parmelia Bruce and Polly Bruce who married Grant. Their sons were Warren, Waddle and Benjamin. Executor’s of George Bruce’s estate were Samuel Blair and Temperance Bruce. Witnesses were Alexander Colvard and James Gibson.
Both Benjamin Colvard Sr and his son Benjamin Colvard Jr made their livings as carpenters and both volunteered to serve in the American Revolution. In addition Benjamin Sr’s oldest son William signed an “Oath of Allegiance” in Albemarle county, in 1777 along with Thomas Jefferson, Randolph Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson’s brother), John Marks (stepfather of Meriwether Lewis, the explorer), Charles Ashley (married to Temperance Colvard), and David Meriwether.
On July 3rd, 1781, Major Pryor informed Col Davies that “Mr Ben: Colvard, whom he had sent to the Lead mines for more lead, had procured six thousand pounds - 1800 lbs sent to Bedford county. The remainder was sent to Staunton, Augusta county.”
His son Benjamin Colvard Jr enlisted in the Army of the Revolution on September 1, 1780 in Chesterfield county, under the command of Capt John Scott:
“Ben Colvard Age 18, Size 5 ft 7 ½ inches, Trade- Joiner. Where born -Virginia, County -Albemarle, Hair- Bk, Eyes- Gray, Complexion - dark.”
[Question: Was Benjamin Colvard Jr’s mother Susanna a mulatto?]
On February 11, 1786, Benjamin Colvard Sr wrote his last will and testament:
In the name of God Amen, I Benjamin Colvard of the county of Albemarle and parish of Fredericksville (sic) do constitute and appoint this to be my last will and testament - Item my will and desire is that all my just debts be duly paid- Item I give to my grandson Benjamin Bashford Colvard one bed and furniture now in the possession of George Bruce my son-in law -Item all the remainder of Estate Real and Personal I lend unto my loving wife Susanna Colvard during her natural life and after her demise I desire all the same may be sold and the money arriving therefrom to be equally divided among my three sons William, Benjamin and Alexander Colvard to them and their heirs forever and lastly I appoint George Nicholas , Nicholas Lewis and Hudson Martin executors of my last will and testament whereof I have set my hand & seal of this Eleventh day of February 1786. Benja Colvard [will has original signature]
Signed Sealed and published & declared in the presences of Jesse Payne, Wm Day, Nicholas Meriwether Lewis Jr., Stephen Hughes.
Benjamin Colvard’s grandson Benjamin Bashford Colvard, may be tied to the family of Alexander Bashford of Accomack county, Virginia. Christopher Calvert’s property at Onancock Creek (A71 was sold in 1680 and became the town of Onancock which was subdivided into 37 lots. Both the Bashford family and the Snead family (John Snead represented John Butterworth in 1732) owned lots in the town.
Regarding witnesses of Benjamin Colvard’s will:
#1 Footnote: Jesse Payne was the 5th Great-grandfather of President Barack Obama.
#2 Footnote: Jesse Payne was the son of George Washington Payne and Agatha George.
#3 Footnote: Jesse Payne’s mother Agatha George was 1) the daughter of James George and 2) the sister of Mary “Polly” George who married Benjamin Colvard Jr on October 21, 1788 in Goochland county, Virginia.
Benjamin Colvard Jr and his wife Mary had one child. Her name was Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s mother died sometimes in 1797 and her grandfather James George, became Elizabeth’s legal guardian. Before Mary (George) Colvard died, her husband Benjamin Colvard Jr., was already the father of four of Betty Brown’s children, Burwell, Brown, Melinda and Edwin Colbert. Two more children Robert and Mary Colbert were born after Mary (George) Colvard died.
#4 Footnote: Stephen Hughes was the father of Wormley Hughes, Burwell Colbert’s half-brother. Wormley’s mother was Betty Brown.
#5 Footnote: Three of Temperance Calvert’s sons--Benjamin, William Jr., and John Butterworth Colvard- had daughters and grand daughters named after her, The one exception: Thomas Colvard/Colbert of North Carolina my 4th Great-grandfather.
Benjamin Colvard Sr’s daughter, Temperance Colvard, married George Bruce and Temperance’s brother Alexander Colvard were land speculators who bought and sold land together with Hastings Marks who was the husband of Anna Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s youngest sister. George Bruce and Alexander Colvard also owned land adjacent to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation.
On April 14, 1791, Nicholas Lewis and his wife Molly gave land to their son Nicholas Meriwether Lewis….”Beginning at the land above Secretary’s ford Rivannah River contiguous to the town of Charlotteville on a boundary as followeth beginning at the river above Secretary’s ford on Thomas Jefferson’s line thence….near a stump near a spring on Edward Carter’s line...to John Jouetts line thence along the said line of Bruce and Colvard to the road leading from Charlottesville to Secretary’s ford...to the bank of Moore’s creek.” [Albemarle Land Property 1789-1795. #0030228, 14 April 1791, pp 177-178]
Thomas Jefferson loved to fish and one of his favorite fishing spots was below the dam on the Rivannah River. There, Jefferson and his servant Burwell Colbert would fish from fishing poles that Thomas Jefferson had bought from Burwell’s father Benjamin Colvard Jr.
I am also a member of the Jefferson-Hemings-Wayles-Eppes DNA Project. Although I am not a direct ancestor of Benjamin Colvard Sr., I do descend from his brother Thomas Colvard/Colbert. Administrators of this DNA project are Cece Moore (The Genetic Detective) and co-administrator Shannon Christmas.
The Calvert Genealogy Group Website HERE, The Calvert Genealogy Facebook Group HERE, The Calvert FTDNA Surname YDNA project HERE.
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