Do we share Moxley ancestors?    If so, drop me a note.    Would love to share information.

                                                                                                                                                                                  RubyMc@attbi.com

    One of the best Moxley reference books I have come across is "William Moxley - Westmoreland County, Virginia" by J. H. Sorensen.    Mr. Sorensen kindly sent me a copy in June of 1993.    We had been corresponding since 1986.
    Of particular interest is that Mr. Sorensen does NOT even share this lineage.   Only the love of the people in the area and the thirst to know more about them.   So, we are very fortunate to have his expertise and can enjoy the fruits of his labors.   Only some of the facts are being shown below.   Check your library or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City to see of they have a copy that you may borrow.

    Another book ("Hoppers, Moxley, Toliver and Related Families" by Lorene Moxley Sturgill, pub. by Hunter Publishing Co., Winston-Salem, NC) that I have had access to, but do not own, provides some of the information below and information that may differ will be noted in "green".

    The generations shown in the book are below.   My personal notes will be shown in "red" as (RSM).

I.     William Moxley b. ca. 1610 England, d. ca. 1668 Westmoreland Co., VA; m. ca. 1636 England to Ann Bush b. ca. 1618 Engalnd, d. ca. 1669 Westmoreland Co., VA.   (RSM:   I have seen mention of Ann Bush as the wife of William Moxley in other accounts but have yet to see any actual documentation or sources.  Because of this lack of documentation I am reluctant to accept Ann Bush as an established ancestress but encourage research to strengthen this from a possible ancestress to a positive ancestress.)  Mr. Sorensen suggests that William Moxley probably originally settled near Mobjack, Gloucester Co., VA as it was from there that his son, William Moxley, migrated in 1669 .
     Their known children:
   *1.     William Moxley b. ca. 1640 England, d. 1713 Westmoreland Co., VA;  m.  ca. 1668 _____.
     2.     Ann Moxley b. ca. 1642 (1643) England, d. 1705 Westmoreland Co.,  VA; m. ca. 1659 to Richard Omohundro (b. ca. 1634, d. 1698 West. Co.,
            VA).  This is proven by Westmoreland Deed Book 5, p.165 dated May 8, 1713 Gift from William Moxley to Richard Omohundro.  Land for love the said Wm. Moxley beareth for his gr. son, the said Richard Omohundro.

II..     William Moxley b. ca. 1640 England, d. 1713 Westmoreland Co., VA; m/1: ca. 1668 _____.  William Moxley m/2: Mary ____, the widow of John Redman.
     The children of William Moxley and ____:
   *1.     William Moxley b. ca. 1670 Westmoreland Co., VA, d. bet. 8 May 1744
             and 30 Oct 1744
     2.     Thomas Moxley b. ca. 1672, d. 1702 Princess Anne County, Virginia; m.
             1693 Westmoreland Co., VA his first cousin, Ann Omohundro, d/o
             Richard Omohundro and Ann Moxley
     3.     Ann "Nancy" Moxley b. ca. 1674, d. ca. 1700; m. ca. 1690 to her first
             cousin, William Omohundro, d/o Richard Omohundro and Ann Moxley
     4.    Daniel Moxley

III.     William Moxley b. ca. 1670 Westmoreland Co., VA, d. bet. 8 May 1744 and 30 Oct 1744; m. ca. 1696 Westmoreland Co., VA to Ann Quigley who was b. ca. 1680 Westmoreland Co., VA, d. ca. 1739 Westmoreland Co., VA; d/o John Quigley and Elinor Spense  Elenor was the dau. of William Spence and Elenor Draper  (RSM:   Again - I have seen no documentation to prove this.)
     Their children:
     1.     William Moxley b. bef. 1700 Westmoreland Co., VA, d. Fairfax Co.,
             VA; m. Mrs. Jane Watkins The book by Lorene Moxley Sturgill appears
             to carry this particular branch through future generations.
   *2.     Thomas Moxley b. bef. 1700 Westmoreland Co., VA; m. prob. Ann Smith
     3.     Joseph Moxley b. bef. 1700 Westmoreland Co., VA
     4.     John Moxley b. ca. 1701/2 Westmoreland Co., vA; m. Elizabeth
             Schedrick
     5.     Samuel Moxley b. ca. 1703 Westmoreland Co., vA
     6.    Richard Moxley b. 13 Juy 1706 Westmoreland Co., vA, d. 1777; m.
             Mary Kelley
     7.     Daniel Moxley b. ca. 1707 Wstmoreland Co., vA; m. Mary ___
     8.     Margaret Moxley b. ca. 1708 Westmoreland Co., VA; m. John Peyton
     9.     Nancy Moxley b. 1708/9 Westmoreland Co., VA

IV.     Thomas Moxley b. bef. 1700 Westmoreland Co., VA, d. 1750; m. Ann Gunnell or Smith. (RSM:   No actual proof or documentation has been shown for Ann Gunnell.   My own research agrees with Mr. Sorensen on the wife being named Ann Smith, d/o John Smith, sawyer.   Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that Thomas Moxley may have, in fact, married two women with the given name of Ann. - see part of Mr. Sorenson's letter below)  Ann Smith Moxley b. ca. 1710, d. aft. 1757 m/2: John Ratcliff.
     Their children:
     1.     Joseph Moxley b. Westmoreland Co., VA; m. Anne ____
     2.     Thomas Moxley b. Westmoreland Co., VA, d. Fairfax Co., VA bet. 25
             Mar 1806 - 15 Dec 1806
   *3.      Elizabeth Moxley b. Westmoreland Co., VA; m. John O'Daniel
     4.      Jemima Moxley b. Westmoreland Co., VA; m/1: Wiliam Windsor; m/2:
             John Piles
     5.     James Moxley b. Fairfax Co., VA
     6.     John Moxley b. Fairfax Co., VA
     7.     Mary Ann Moxley b. Fairfax Co., VA; m. Thomas William Wells

V.     Elizabeth Moxley b. Westmoreland Co., VA; m. John O'Daniel

[Fairfax County Will Book A-1 1742-1752]

     In The Name of God Amen     I Thomas Moxley of Fairfax County in the Coloney of Virginey being sick and weakly butt of Parfit minde and memory and calling to mind the uncertety of this life and that mankind is borne to die when please God to call them, doe make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament as Followeth
  Viz. Implore my soul to God who gave it me and my bodey to the dust to bee bured at discretion of y Exrs as is hereafter mentioned and after my just debts paid which I jsutly doe owe I Give as Followeth
     Ittam I give to my two sons James and John Moxley foare Negerows Geney Harry, Winey and Young Harry to be Equely devided between them.
      I give to my son Joseph Moxley a tract of land situated and Lying on Tuskeroro run to him and his heirs continuing and hundred and fifty acres and one negerow girle called Hanah to him and heir heirs.
     I give to my son Thomas Moxley one Negerow boy called Dick and the Child that Geney is big with now and a horse now in his posseshon to him and his heirs forever.
     Item I give to my well beloved wife and my two sons James and John Moxley three fether beds and furneture to be equeley devided amongst the three.
     I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Daniel foare pounds of Cash.
      I give to my Daughter Jemimah Winser the rent of my Plantation above Goose Creek that is dew now.
Item I Leave the remainder part of my Estate to be eqully devided between my wife and James Moxley and John Moxley and Thomas Moxley and Mary Ann Moxley.   Onely two cows and calves I give to my daughter Mary Ann Moxley.
     I give to my son James Moxley my sorrell horse.
     I give to my brother William Moxley one thousand pounds of tabacco to be paid by my Executors.
     Lastly I leave my two sons Thomas Moxley my whole and sole Excutes of this my Last Will and Tesstament Revoaking and disanulling all wills heretofore made whare unto I have set my hand and fixed my seale this Sixth day of January Anno Dom 1749. - Signed by Thos Moxley {Seal}
     Signed Seled and Delivd in the present of us: Francis Porker; Jane Moxley; John (his mark) Innileven (Swileven)

(On the side of this will is written on margin:  Item:  I give to my well beloved wife my black horse.  I give to my son Thomas my fether bed and furniture.)  27 March 1750 appeared Thomas Moxley and Joseph Moxley to present will of Thomas Moxley deceased, proved by oaths of Jane Moxley, John Swileven, two of the witnesses.

Thomas Moxley married by 26 March 1741 Ann Smith, daughter of John Smith, sawyer, (16??-1718). DB#11, p.124; WB#4, p.21 [6 April 1752: Deed from the executors of Thomas Wright Belfield, Gentleman, deceased, to William Ford for certain land, reciting same was purchased 26 March 1741 by the said Belfield from Thomas Moxley who married Ann Smith, daughter of John Smith, sawyer, deceased, per a deed of record in the Secretary's office.   Unfortunately the many important documents of record in this repository and in the General Court of Virginia, were destroyed in 1865 when Richmond, Va., was burned.   However, hidden references such as this, which give an insight to the documents once of record in these repositories, are frequent in the surviving records of the counties whose records have been preserved. [Marriages of Richmond County by King]

A letter from J. H. Sorensen of Falls Church, VA, dated 15 December 1986, states in part:
    "There is also some controversy as to Ann Gunnell being the wife of Thomas Moxley.  Thomas Moxley and family were in Fairfax County, Virginia before the county was formed in 1742, having migrated there from Westmoreland County, Virginia.  In Richmnd County, Virginia which borders on Westmoreland County exists in the Richmond county records the following information;
    Thomas Moxley married by 26 March 1741 Ann Smith, daughter of John Smith, sawyer (16??-1718)  Deed Book 11, Page 124.  (Will Book No. 4, Page 21) 6 April 1752, deed from the Executors of Thomas Wright Belfield, Gentleman, deceased, to William Ford for certain land, reciting same was purchased 26 March 1741 by the said Belfield from Thomas Moxley who married Ann Smith, daughter of Smith, sawyer.
    The fact that Belfield purchased the said land from Thomas Moxley 26 March 1741 just before one Thomas Moxley appeared in Fairfax  County would suggest a reason for the controversy, and the first name of  both women being Ann would support the facts shown in foregoing paragraph.  Unless either can be proven, genealogies would be suspect."

Is there a tie to the Meriwether family?

In "Marriages of Richmond County" by King:
Belfield, Thomas Wright [Captain]   (1 January 1704/5-7 December 1743), son of Doctor Joseph and Frances (Wright) Belfield (q.v.) married 9 March 1723/4 Mary (Meriwether) Colston (170?-6 October 1750), widow of William Colston, Gentleman, (16/?-1721) and daughter of Francis and Mary (Bathurst) Meriwether .....

William Colston (c. 1660-1701), first clerk of the court (1692-1701) of Richmond County, married by 1681 Ann (Gooch) Beale, widow of Captain Thomas Beale.
Children of William Colston and Ann Gooch:
          William Colston (168?-1721) m. Mary Meriwether
         Their children:
          1.     Mary Colston b. ca. 1700 m. John Smith, Gentleman
          2.     Frances Colston who m. Joseph Morton, Gentleman and also m.
                  Capt. Charles Colston

[RSM:  I pose the following query]
"Thomas Wright Belfield was the 2nd husband of Mary Meriwether who had married first, William Colston.  William Colston and Mary Meriwether Colston had a daughter named Mary who married a Smith.  I wonder if it is possible that Mary Colston may have married John Smith, the father of Ann Smith who married Thomas Moxley.  Although this is reaching, William Colston's mother was named Ann(e) Gooch.  Therefore, the name Ann would be logical to be carried in the family."

Dr. Joseph Belfield (16??-1738); m/1:Frances Wright (1686-c.1706), dau: of
Mottrom and Ruth (Griggs) Wright of Lancaster Co.
The only child of Dr. Joseph Belfield and Frances Wright:
*1.     Captain Thomas Wright Belfield
Dr. Joseph Wright m/2: 1707 to twice widowed Mary (Lane) Mountjoy Wilson - no issue  -  Dr. Joseph Wright m/3: Elizabeth Dozier who d. 1751 Westmoreland Co., VA, d/o Richard Dozier.  Elizabeth Dozier Wright m/2: James Wilson and m/3: Jehu Glass
Children of Dr. Joseph Wright and Elizabeth Dozier:
2.     Joseph Belfield (c.1735-1770)
3.     Elizabeth Belfield (c.1737- ??) m. Benjamin Cave of Orange Co.

*Captain Thomas Wright Belfield (1705-1743) m. 1724 Mary (Meriwether) Colston (170?-1750), widow of William Colston, Gentleman, (16??-1721), (q.v.), p.42. Capt. T. W. Belfield had 8 children born in Richmond Co.; 4 attained maturity and left issue:
1.     Capt. John Belfield (1725-1801); m. 1744 Ruth Sydnor
2.     Joseph Belfield (1727-1750) m. Mary ____
3.     Elizabeth Belfield (1732-ante 1785); m. Bolling Stark
4.     Frances Belfield (1736-18??) m/1: Freeman Walker; m/2: Henry Broadnax

The Richmond County court records abound with Belfield instruments. The Bible record of Captain Thomas Wright Belfield (1 January 1704/5-7 December 1743) is in Judge L. H. Jones (Captain Roger Jones of London and Virginia, p.182-184 - Albany, N.Y., 1891).  It is a typographical error in giving the death date of Capt. John Belfield as 19 August 1805 as his will was dated 26 May 1801 and proved at Richmond County court 5 Oct 1801 [WB#9,p.158]

Source for above: Marriages of Richmond Co., VA 1668-1853 by George Harrison Sanford King.

                Ruby's Ahnentafel