Thomas Lloyd I (Bef. 1655 – 1717)
Thomas Lloyd was a cloth merchant living in Charles City Shire[1]Lloyd (or Loyd, Lloyd), Thomas by Mary Claire Engstrom, 1991 ncpedia.org , one of the 5 original Shires of Virginia. It’s unclear whether he was born here or came from England or Wales, where most Lloyds originated, but between 1663 and 1716 (a year before he died) there are 9 Passenger and Immigration lists with Thomas Lloyd (Lloyde, Loyd, Lloyds, Loid) arriving in Virginia. Perhaps he traveled to and from England importing textiles.
On one occasion, he made a petition to the Queen on 22 April 1708, whereas he “has fitted out the Mittford, William Fowle, master, for a voyage to Virginia. Asks not to have an embargo laid on the ship in America.”
Clothes make the man and in 17th century colonial America, it separated the classes.
THE DRAPER’S SHOP BY Matthijs Naiveu (1647 – 1726)
Each day he would open his shop and drape selected fabrics across his doorway so they could be seen and felt.
Although it is widely thought that women wove their own cloth, in the early days of the colony, only about one family in six owned a spinning wheel and even fewer wove. Most cloth was purchased, so Thomas was probably well-known in the village, especially by the wealthier citizens who could afford more than just daily wear.
Thomas was married to Jane/Jean MackMahon, daughter of Hu MackMahon, and they were part of a community who tired of having to make the journey across the James River to attend monthly courts for Charles City. In August 1702, the General Assembly declared the land on the south side of the river to be Prince George County. It became official in 1703.
Lloyds were founding members of the Quaker religion. There was a strong presence of Quaker Lloyds in Pennsylvania and some records on Ancestry.com have intermingled our Thomas Lloyd with another born about a year earlier but being that is the only fact that could possibly connect them, I have ruled them out as being the same person.
There is no mention of Thomas and Jane’s religious preference but the church where court was held and Mr. Lloyd’s will was filed was Merchant Hope’s Church. The building seen in this picture is the original building. It still stands today and continues to hold services. The parish possesses a New Testament from 1639 attached to an Old Testament from 1640, relatively new at the time, but a sight to see when you visit now.
Thomas died sometime before 11 March 1717, the date Jane/Jean filed his will. The inventory of the Lloyd estate was officially appraised at £59.12.11/2 on 5 April 1718 with a sizable number of ells and yards of nearly a dozen different kinds of fabric – dowlas, “blew Linnen,” osnaburg, Scotch cloth, duffel, crepe, and the like.
Notes on documents and research:
Primary research is gathered from Ancestry.com with additional research found from various other resources on the web.
Ancestry.com is full of inaccuracies because people simply accept hints from other family trees without fully researching the data. If one tree is inaccurate, the problem can grow exponentially with each person that accepts the inaccurate data. I have done my best to verify each piece of information.
I have found that on some browsers, some pictures and documents do not show up. For instance, below you should see a picture of the original will with the transcription next to it. One some browsers, the original documents are not showing up.
In early documents, spelling was not consistent and words and names had many variations.
Notes on Hugh MackMahon:
Information about Thomas, Jane, and Hugh was obtained from a book/document called “Dictionary of NC Biography”. The book spells Hugh’s last name Mackmahon, however, upon close inspection of the will below, it looks as if the name may be MackMatthews or possibly something else.
There was a Hugh Mathews on a Passenger and Immigration list arriving in Virginia in 1698
Last Will and Testament
January the 24th 1717
In the Name of God, Amen, I Thomas Loyd, being in perfect mind and memory, I give and bequeath my soul unto the Almighty God which gave it me.
I give unto my Daughter Catern one iron potts (?) and one Mair (mare) which did belong to Humanthesis and I give to my Daughter Catern one Yoe (ewe) and three dishes and two plaits (plates).
And I give to my Daughter Elizabeth one black mair and one yoe and three dishes and three plates and one tankard and one bed.
I give to my son Thomas one spaid mair, one small gunn, and a saddle and a bridle and one yoe.
I give to my son Francis, the colt which came of Humanthesis’ mair and a saddle and bridle and three yoes, one gunn and one Sword. I give also to my son Francis all my wearing clothes – which belong to me and to
And I give to Mary Thornton two bushels of corn.
And herewith I make my wife Jean Holy (wholly) and Soly (solely) Executor to all my worldly Estates – This being my Last Will and Testament, as witnessed my hand and seal.
Thomas Lloyd (sealed with a wafer, his marker)
Testis: John Gill & Robert Rivers
At a court held at Merchant’s Hope for Prince George County on the second Tuesday in March, being the eleventh day of the month, 1717.
The above written Last Will of Thomas Loyd Decd: was presented into court by Jane, his wife and executrix, names herein, who made oath thereto, and it being proved by the oaths of John Gill and Robert Rivers, the witnesses thereto, is by order of the court truly recorded and the said executrix having given bond and security as the law directs, a certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form. Test: W. Hamlin, Clerk of Court
A true and perfect inventory of the Estate of Thomas Loyd taken and appraisement made thereof
a parsell (?) of pewter – some old and some new…………………………………………….……£4.1.0
1 feather bed, bedspread and furniture………………………………..…………£4.6.4
1 feather bed and a parsell of furniture.£4.5.10
A parsell of old bed clothes…………..……£0.6.0
15 pds of feathers 15/ – a parsell of iron potts 19/……………………………………..……..……………£1.14.0
Two old frying pans and a pair of old (?) 5/ a parsell of (?) lumber 38/9…………..……….£2.3.4
Two old guns 15/ – One old sword 5/ – a parsell of Earthenware and glasses 20/……………….£2.0.0
13 ¼ Ells of Dowlas 3 ½ Ells Dowlas 29/ Six yds Blew Linen 4/ …………………………………..£1.13.0
9 Ells Whistling Linen (?) Scotch Cloth and 17 Ells Oznaburgs 17/………………….……….………..£2.6.2
Some remnants of new goods 19/ 2 ¼ yds Duffell 9/………………………………………………………£1.8.0
10 8/4 yds Virginia Cloth 20 – a parsell of wearing clothes 3.9.0……………………..………………..£4.0.11
Two saddles two bridles and one pair of boots 1.5.0 – a pasell 3.9.0……………………………..….…..£4.14.0
Some old books 7/6 – a pad lock 1/ – Some wool and a pair of old cards 2/6…………………..£0.11.0
Four Cows 4 – two young cattle of two years old 1.5.0…………………………………………………..£5.5.0
Three yearling 1.1 – 11 sheep 3.6 – 15 hoggs 3………………………………………………………£7.7.0
Two horses 8 – 1 Mair and filly 3……….£11.0.0
22 yds of Crepes 1.8.6 – some old rasors and a pair of scissors 7/6……………………………………..£1.16.0
Horse Harness and old Harness…………£0.11.6
Tho. Loyd’s Estate — £59.12.1
Hugh’s estate included a mair, a colt, wearing clothes, and one saddle, all valued at £6.18.0
Want more info about 17th Century Virginia and the places mentioned in this post?
Check out these sites:
Merchant’s Hope Church is among the oldest Protestant churches in America still used as a house of worship. They have the 1639/1640 Bible on display as well as a Tetragrammaton from 1696 England.
Learn more about working in the fashion industry in historic VIrginia
References
| ↑1 | Lloyd (or Loyd, Lloyd), Thomas by Mary Claire Engstrom, 1991 ncpedia.org |
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