28 Dec 1999
Robert M. Sharp is the 11th lineal descendant of Thomas Pearsall. This lineage is through his Purcell, Horn, Bundy, Kinsey, and Sharp lines.
First Generation1. Thomas1 Pearsall, son of Edmond Pershall and Maria Bathurst, was born in England 1594. Thomas died 1642-3 in VA.
He married Mary Brent. Mary is the daughter of William Brent.
Thomas Pearsall is thought to be our emigrant Purcell ancestor, settling in America in 1630. He was a member of a wealthy London merchant family who extended their fortune by entering the lucrative tobacco business in America.
Thomas Pearsall, son of Edmund Pearsall, was the manager of the tobacco business in America. At his father's death, he was named one of the executor's of his father's estate. There was very little estate left to consider. The American enterprise was proceeding well, but in England, aside from the demise of Edmund's fortune at the end of his life, the Staffordshire family lost most of their lands as a result of their loyalty to the Catholic church and to the Stuarts to whom they owed the loyalty of family connection as well as the religious bond of the church.
Thomas Pearsall assumed the management of his father's tobacco business in Virginia in 1613. He took over this business in his own name at his father's retirement in 1615. After 1621, most of his time was spent in Virginia and in 1630 he settled there.
The early Pearsall family is exhaustively described in "History and Genealogy of the Pearsall Family in England and America" by Clarence Pearsall and Harry Neale. This family history extends back to Rognvald, Earl of More, in the 8th century. His family is tied to early Norse legends. His son, Hrollauf was King of Iceland. Another son, Eyner, was Earl of the Orkney Islands. His son Rollo, from which this Pearsall family descends, was the first Duke of Normandy. The direct line from Rollo to Thomas Pearsall is documented on my website at <http://members.core.com/~sharprm/library/rollo.htm>. Much more on this family can be found at the website "The Pearsall Family :1100 Years" <http://www.teleport.com/~grafe/Pearsalls/>
Some may consider this family history a flight of fancy rather than serious genealogy. Some of the lineage has been challenged has purely speculative. However, it can be a good starting point for further research into the Pearsall/Purcell family history. In that light, I have included the lineage from Rollo to Adam. This can be found at <http://members.core.com/~sharprm/library/adam.htm>. Although this lineage seems quite amazing, the lineage of William the Conqueror, also a Rollo descendant, has been documented for quite some time. William the Conqueror is the progenitor of the Kings of England and therefore these royal genealogies have become quite famous. For a more thorough analysis of the royal genealogies see the "Descent of Adam" website at <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2444/descent.htm>.
In 1942, "The Fabulous Pearsalls" by Herbert Seversmith and Arthur Wardwellan was published in THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST Vol. 18; 78-90; 153-171. In the article, the authors questioned the accuracy of the documentation for Thomas Pearsall, his existence on Long Island, of him being the father of Henry Pearsall of Hempstead, or of Henry having any brothers. Hopefully, further research by Pearsall descendants and other interested researchers will verify the accuracy of this lineage.
Thomas Pearsall and Mary Brent had the following children:
2 i. Thomas2 Pearsall was born in England 1609. Thomas died abt 1667 in Long Island, NY. 3 ii. Henry Pearsall was born abt 1611. Henry died abt 1664. He married Ann Pankhurst. Ann was born abt 1624. Ann died abt 1667. He was one of the founders of Hempstead, Long Island and was engaged in the family tobacco trade. 4 iii. Nicholas Pearsall was born abt 1613. He married Sarah ??. 5 iv. George Pearsall was born abt 1615. George died abt 1682. He married ?? ?? abt 1636. + 6 v. Samuel Pearsall was born abt 1620.
Second Generation
6. Samuel2 Pearsall (Thomas1) was born in Isle Of Wight Co, VA abt 1620. Samuel died 1729 in Isle Of Wight Co, VA, at 109 years of age.
He married Mary ??. She was sister to Margaret Peshall-Brent of Sisters Freehold. Samuel Pearsall resided in Isle of Wight County, Va., and Kent Island, Talbot County, Md. Samuel Pearsall came to Maryland in 1635 with Margaret Brent and her brothers. Being the youngest he remained with his father when his brothers moved to Long Island in New Netherland. In the early part of 1643 Samuel Pearsall died in VA, and his estate was administered by Mark Pheypo. Letter from the Hall of Records, Department of General Services, State of Maryland, dated 6 Jan. 1983, indicates there are various references to Thomas and Samuel Pearsall's "two estates as administered by Mark Pheypo appearing in the Provincial Court Judgments. Samuel and Thomas also appear in the Patent Records." A photo duplication (83-1543) from Archives in Maryland, Court and Testamentary Business, 1643, p. 254, reads: "23 Marks Phaypo demandeth of John wavill 1000' tob & cask, due by bill. warn. to cort 1st mar. next, pill judgmt Mark Phaypo Adm rator of Samuel Pursall demandeth of John hollis 20' beaver due to the estate of the deceased, warn: to Coort 1st march next pill judgmt 2d octob: 1644. warning to Cort 1st dec: next, upon pill judgmt" Samuel Pearsall left three young children and the business was run by the administration.
Samuel Pearsall and Mary ?? had the following children:
7 i. John3 Pearsall was born abt 1638. He married Mary Stevens bef 15 Jul 1660.
+ 8 ii. Arthur Pearsall was born abt 1640.
9 iii. Tobias Pearsall was born abt 1642.
Third Generation
8. Arthur3 Pearsall (Samuel2, Thomas1) was born in Isle Of Wight Co, VA abt 1640. Arthur died bef 27 May 1729 in Isle Of Wight Co, VA, at approximately 98 years of age.
He married Mary ?? in Isle Of Wight Co, VA, abt 1670. (Additional notes for Mary ?? ) Mary may be a daughter of Thomas Joyner. Arthur's property and Thomas Joyner's adjoined. Arthur Pursell one of the appraisers of Thomas Joyner's estate (Blanche Adams Chapman, Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1647-1800, published 1938, p. 6, Deed Book 1, p. 176. JOYNER, Thomas: Appraisers of estate, Arthur PURSELL, Will GOODWIN, Alek MATTHEWS, Will BRADSHAW. October 6, 1695.) Thomas Joyner left a nuncupative will in 1695.
He made a will in Isle Of Wight Co, VA, 21 Mar 1717. Will of Arthur Pursell, Isle of Wight Co., Will Book 3, 1726-1734, dated 21 Mar. 1717 (rec. 27 May 1739), pp. 163-164, Virginia State Library, Richmond, Va. 232219-3491.
In the name of God amen I Arthur Pursell of the Isle of Wight County Do make this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following Trusting in manner and form following Trusting and hoping in Gods mercy through Jesus Christ Eternal life Impr.s I give and bequeath unto my Son Arthur Pursell all my Land that I have on the southside of black water Swamp being Three hundred & fifty acres wheron now he lives and one hundred one on the Northside of Blackwater adjoining the other including the Bridg to him the sd. Arthur and his Heirs. Item I give unto my Som Thomas Pursell all the rest of my Land that I bought of Thomas Joyner being three hundred acres unto him and his Heirs. Item I give unto my Sons Arthur & Thomas Pursell my Water Grist Mill and the appurtenances unto them and to their heirs Item I give my daughter Isabella Whitehead the wife of Arthur Whitehead one Shilling Sterling. Item I give all the rest of my Estate to my Loving wife Sons Arthur and Thomas to be Equally to be Divided between them ratifying and alowing this to be my last Will & Testamt Appointing and Ordering my Two Sons Arthur & Thomas Pursell to be my hole and Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testtamt this the twenty-first day of March 1717 as witness my hand * Seal Arthur Pursell (seal) __Smith Joshua Turner Matthew Lowry
At a Court Cont.d & held for Isle of Wight County 27th day of May 1729 The Last Will and Testement of Arthur Pursell, Decd. was presented in Court by Mary Pursell his Widow and Relict and on her mocon (the Said Will being proved by the oaths of the Witnesses thereto is admitted to record) Administration with the sd. Will annexed is granted her on the sd Decd Estate the Exers. therin named in open Court refusing to take upon them the Burden of the Execution of the sd. Will Test. James Ingles CC for Records Test Jas. Ingles
David Price of Brentwood, TN descends from Henry Horn the Quaker and Ann and has done a lot of study on the descendants of William HORN of Nansemond Co, VA. Most of it proved to be accurate. He cited DAR records for name, birth date, and year of marriage for Ann Purcell. He listed three generations of Purcell's back, thusly:
Arthur Purcell d Isle of Wight VA, 1717 m Mary -------/
son Arthur Purcell Jr d IOW VA, will July
son Thomas Purcell m Elizabeth, with multiple daughters, including Ann, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, and Phoebe.I have not been able to personally verify these sources yet.
Arthur Pearsall and Mary ?? had the following children:
10 i. Isabella4 Pursell was born on (birth date unknown). She married Arthur Whitehead.
11 ii. Arthur Pursell was born abt 1683. Arthur died bef 27 Jan 1746 at approximately 62 years of age. He married Sarah ?? abt 1708.
He made a will 10 Jul 1745.
+ 12 iii. Thomas Pursell was born abt 1695.
Fourth Generation
12. Thomas4 Pursell (Arthur3 Pearsall, Samuel2, Thomas1) was born in Isle Of Wight Co, VA abt 1695. Thomas died 1752 in Southampton Co, VA, at 57 years of age.
He married Elizabeth ??. (Additional notes for Elizabeth ?? )
Thomas Pursell and Elizabeth ?? had the following children:
13 i. Phoebe5 Purcell was born before abt 1740, the first event for which there is a recorded date.
14 ii. Sarah Purcell was born on (birth date unknown). She married ?? Johnson.
15 iii. Mary Purcell was born on (birth date unknown). She married Newitt Drew.
16 iv. Elizabeth Purcell was born on (birth date unknown). She married Joseph Tharp or Thorp.
+ 17 v. Ann Purcell was born 01 Apr 1723.
Fifth Generation
17. Ann5 Purcell (Thomas4 Pursell, Arthur3 Pearsall, Samuel2, Thomas1) was born in Nansemond Co, VA 01 Apr 1723. Ann died Apr 1798 in Wayne Co, NC, at 75 years of age.
She married Henry Horn in Edgecombe Co, NC, 1737. Henry was born in Nansemond Co, VA 21 Nov 1716. Henry was the son of William Horn and Margaret ??.