Continuing the story of the Goodrich Family of Virginia( see Quarterly, Sept. 1958, pp. 128-131), we will next examine the evidence concerning Benjamin Goodrich 1st, the eldest son of Col. Thomas Goodrich of Old Rappahannock (later Essex) County, Virginia.

Benjamin Goodrich is first mentioned in the will of Clement Thresh, dated 16th of February 1656 in which he bequeaths, among other legatees, including Thomas Goodrich and Annie Goodrich, "one black heifer being 2 years old to my godchild, Benjamin Goodrich."

Col. Thomas Goodrich arrived in Virginia in 1652 and as no children are mentioned in the certificate granted him for headrights it would therefore be assumed that Benjamin muyst have been born in Virginia between 1652-3 and 1655. Benjamin married Alice (maiden name unknown) and is thought to have died circa 1695 as Edward Sorrell and his wife, Alice, executer of the will of Benjamin Goodrich, on April 27, 1695 acknowledged in the General Court a deed of sale of some land to John Griffin. (W and D Essex Co., 1702-4--Bk.11 p2). It is further shown that on June 10, 1703, Edward Sorrell of James City County, Gent.and his wife, Alice, executrix of the will of Benjamin Goodrich Gent., late of said County,Deceased, made another deed to land in James City County, "adjoining Mr. Sorrell and Mr. Hamlette".(W & MQ V 22 p 216).

Benjamin Goodrich is also mentioned in the will of George Nangle of Dublin, Ireland dated January 4, 1675, pre.Jaanuary 3, 1677, (Sweeney's Rap. Wills p.64) in which he makes Col. Thomas Goodrich his executor and leaves "his best periwigg to Mr. Benjamin Goodrich."

Benjamin Goodrich was 20 years of age at the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1678 and evidently saw action in that affair with his father, for following the collapse of "The Rebellion" and in the General Act of Amnesty (commonly called the Act of Pardon) which followed, Benjamin Goodrich as well as his father , Col. Thomas Goodrich, are both amonth those who were excepted and who were later fined and punished. (Hening V 2, p.370).

Col. Thomas Goodrich disregarded the law of primogeniture in that he left large bequests of land to all his children. His will was dated March 15, 1678-9-pro. April 3, 1679 and in this he left "to eldest son, Benjamin, 200 acres of land on the river side which I bought of Clement Thresh and one-half the difident of land I now live on with all the profits, commodities and emoluments thereto belonging". This was still a very large bequest as Benjamin's portion must have been about 3000 acres. All the other children were recipients of from 400 to 1000 acres of land and the rest of the estate went to his wife, Anne. (Sweeney's Wills of Rap Co. pp.. 76-7).

In 1680 Benjamin Goodrich sold 50 acres of land on the couth side of the Rappahannock River, which was surveyed for a town named New Plymouth and laid out in lots and streets which were later established for a port and town by the name of Tappahannock.

He must have moved shortly thereafter to James City County as we find a record of him listed as "Justice" there on April 6,1685. (VHM 8 p. 328). He was also in the James City County Militis and was Sheriff of said county as of March3, 1692 for it is shown in Calendar of State Papers, Vol1, p.33 on that date in a communication by the House of Burgesses to his Excellency, the Governor, "that they had been informed by Captain Benjamin Goodrich, Sheriff of James City County that he had been commanded to provide an officer to attend the House," etc.

Benjamin Goodrich left a will which has since been lost or destroyed as it will be remembered that in the reference above, his wife, Alice, who married Edward Sorrell, is named in various deeds his "executrix". It is therefore not known how many children he had but it can now be proven by this compiler that at least one son survived him. Other genealogists have given this son to his brother, Joseph. This son was Benjamin Goodrich 2nd, who is shown in the Virginia Quit Rent Rolls of 1704 as possessing 1650 acres of land in James City County and who died April 29, 1710 as was noted in "The Secret Diary of William Byrd"--quote---"April 30, 1710 Colonel Duke told me that Ben Goodrich died at night and was well that morning 2 days since."

The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography , vol.32, p. 61, shows a record of a deed dated 1703 from Benjamin Goodrich of James City County to William Aylett of King and Queen County and shows further that the deed is for part of a tract of land bequeathed by Col. Thomas Goodrich to his son, Joseph, in 1678-9, who by his will bequeathed it to his sone, Danby Goodrich, who dying in his minority, the land reverted or passed to Benjamin Goodrich (son of Colonel Thomas).

Tyler's Quarterly, Vo;.7, p. 61 states in an abstract of the same deed that the land became invested in Benjamin Goodrich, son and heir of said Joseph.

Another article in the Va. Mag. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. 20, p. 94 on the same transaction states the "the land reverted to Benjamin goodrich, party to the deed, another son of Joseph." So, here are 3 sources of information showing that the Benjamin Goodrich who sold the land was the son of Col. Thomas and also the son Joseph.

The records I have investigated lately prove that he was neither of the above, but that he was the grandson of Col. Thomas the the nephew of Joseph. He was the son of Benjamin Goodrich as is revealed by the folling records.

Va. Col. Abstracts--Vol 29--Essex Co. Records--1703-1706--p. 132--Deed--Ded. 8, 1703 Benjamin Goodrich, of James City County, Gent., sells William Aylet, Gent., of Kinbg William Co., for 22 pds., 200 acres in Essex County, part of a tract taken up by Joseph Goodrich, William Batt, and John Price, adjoins Mr. John Lighfoot's land, and Mr. Edward Chilton"s land--This 200 acres, commonly called Mt. Maple and sold to the said Joseph Goodrich on Feb. 2, 1691 by John Clark, then of Rappahannock County, and is now vested in Benjamin Goodrich, by act of law, as heir of the said Joseph Goodrich, sometime since deceased. Signed Benjamin Goodrich and witnessed by William Ogilvie and Francis Merriwether. acknowledged and recorded Dec. 10, 1703. Attention is called to the fact that Benjamin Goodrich signed this document as the "heir" by Act of law and not as son and heir.

Willa and deeds--Exssex Co., 1702- 04, Book 11, p.2 on the same date as above, June 10, 1703, states in another deed of sale of 200 acres of land to William Ayres, of Essex, planter, that he, "Benjamin Goodrich of James City, Gent., son and heir apparent of Benjamin Goodrich, late of said county, deceased, sells--etc. "bein part of 830 acres in Essex which said John Griffin bought of Edward Sorrell and Alice, his wife, Executors of the will of Benjamin goodrich, deceased by deed of sale acknowledged in the General Court April 27, 1695 and also their deed of confirmation October 17th next" signed--Benjamin Goodrich, Wit. Leo Hill--Larken Chew--Thomas Stretton.

Benjamin Goodrich must have been a very gentleman on that same 10th day of June 1703, for he also sold Eliza Lowes, widow, of Essex for 25 pds. sterling part of a tract of land formerly granted Lt. Col. Thomas Goodrich, Sept. 18th 1663 and in this deed of sale he again describes himself as Benjamin Goodrich of James City Co., Gent. son and heir of Benjamin Goodrich, Gent., late of said count, dec'd.

In conclusion and to forever close the various arguments, contentions and statements of various past and future genealogists as to the correct identity of Benjamin Goodrich (d. 1710) reference is made to the articles of agreement drawn up Oct. 23rd, 1705, between Benjamin Goodrich of Wimbleton Parish in James City County, in Va., Gent., as being nephew and heir at law to Joseph Goodrich, and John Danby of London, now resident in Virginia, Gent., as true and lawful attorney of Sir Abstroupas Danby of Masham in County of Yorke, Eng. (Ref; Danby Family Correspondence of Va.--Cunliffe--Lister Muniments at Bradford, Yorkshire(1654-1706).

It may be well to mention that there are records of another "Goodrich" in old Rappahannock County who must have been a close relation of Colonel Thomas Goodrich. It is very interesting to note that in S&MQ V3 (1) p. 163 is an account of how on April 16, 1664, Captain William Carver bought of Henrey Goodrich, a ship called the Expedicon of 40 tons for 20,000 lbs. of tobacco. Calendar of State Papers, Vol.1, p.7 (Lower Norfolk County) is an account dated Sept. 25, 1666, viz., "Summons by Ira Kirkman (clerk) issued to the Sheriff of Rappahannock county to cause the appearance of William Haadrig, John Lacy, Margaret Gains, Henry Goodrich and John Roby" before the Governor and Council on the 2nd of next General Court to testify of their knowledge in a differnce between Cuthbert Potts, Att'y of Henry Chickley and John Cox, Def't. 44 years later the name of another Henry Goodrich appears in "tthe secret diary of William Byrd" under the date if Feb. 10, 1710 in which he notes---"In the afternoon Mr. Henry Goodrich and Bannister came over, and Mr. Isham Randolph came over too". I am unable to identify this Henry Goodrich as yet. He could have been another son of Benjamin Goodrich or another son of Major Charles Goodrich who died before his father made his will. The Goodrich lineage has many mysteries but it is thought by this writher that in any future attempt to connect the relationship of Col. Thomas Goodrich"s family with the English family, the name of Henry Goodrich and his ship may provide a good clue.

National Genealogical Society Quarterly, March 1963, Volume 51, Number 1, pp.67-70