JOHN BUNCH (JOHN PUNCH) appears to have been born about 1632-5. He died by 1749 (by which time he would have been
about seventy years old).
John obtained a patent in New Kent County on 18 March 1662/3, adjacent the land of Richard Barnhouse and not far from Blisland
Church and Wahrani Creek. The tract was also close by land of Richmond Terrell, a planter who is also an ancestor of President Obama.
The name of John Bunch’s wife is not known, but the fact that his great-grandchildren were able
to freely marry white neighbors suggests that she was white.
This John Bunch received the land grant in Blisland Parish, and he appears to be the same man who is named in records of York County in the
previous decade. Initially, John Bunch lived on land near the Mattaponi River, which he rented from Dr. Francis Haddon, a resident of York County. Given the extreme rarity of the surname Bunch in England and Scotland one might reason that having traced one white immigrant named John Bunch to his death (headright of Gervase Dodson) would make it less likely there were two more unrelated Bunch men living in the same thirty mile radius in 1659.
John Bunch born about 1632-5, was non-suited by the York County Court on 17 November 1658. He was brought before the York County Court on 24 August 1659 for a bill of 429 pounds of tobacco, the said John "suffering the loss of his crop the year following," so the bill was
ordered to be canceled.
It would seem odd that Catlin would wait six years to sue for a bill due in 1652, but he sued two other men that same
year for debts due in 1650 and 1653. One possible explanation would be that John Bunch inherited this obligation, but was legally underage until 1658; thus, he could not be sued in court until he attained age twenty-one. The other explanation could be that he was born by 1632-37 and old enough to be planting a crop by 1653. The wording of the contract indicates that John Bunch borrowed what he needed on condition that the crop he planted would be harvested the following year.
John Bunch was non-suited by the York County Court on 17 November 1658. He was brought before the York County Court on 24
August 1659 for a bill of 429 pounds of tobacco, the said John "suffering the loss of his crop the year following" so the bill was ordered to be
canceled.
On 10 March 1661/2, John Bunch I was non-suited and awarded 50 pounds of tobacco in recompense for being brought to court because of
Dr. Francis Haddon’s claim.
On 19 April 1671, Francis Haddon of York County sold Josias Moody (Haddon’s stepson) 200 acres on the Mattaponi River that was "now in the occupation of John Bunch at the expiration of the lease granted by Haddon to Edward Greene" [emphasis added]. This indicates that John Bunch born about 1632-5, had initially (perhaps by 1661 when Haddon first brought suit against Bunch) settled northward in the sparsely populated region on the Mattaponi (then still part of York County).
The 1661 suit for which Haddon did not show up to court, and the knowledge that his lease on Haddon’s land would eventually expire, might have provided the impetus for John Bunch born about 1632-5, to patent his own tract, which he could then work on improving. John Bunch born about 1632-5, therefore, initially resided near where Paul Bunch is first found. John born about 1632-5, then patented land a few miles away in what became Blisland Parish (not as far from civilization) where a later John Bunch intended to marry Sarah Slayden. The associations are remarkably suggestive because John Bunch born about 1632-5, is the only known candidate who could be the father of John Bunch born about 1655-60, and Paul Bunch.
We have two descriptions of the tract John Bunch I obtained—one version was recorded when Thomas Meredith was originally granted the land, the other version when John Bunch I had it recorded again. Comparing the two versions helps teach how descriptions can vary and how errors can creep in depending on the skill of the clerk who recorded the information:
Thomas Merridith [Meredith]…Four hundred and Fifty [450] Acres…in the County of New Kent on both sides of Rickahock path, bounded as followeth, Viz. Beginning at white oak corner by Burchen Swamp running West northwest ¼ West 160 poles to three marked Trees by the aforesaid path, thence southwest ½ 132 [sic] poles, thence South by East ½ 80 poles to an oak, thence South Southeast ½ East 100 poles to Mr. Richard Barnhouse’s Land, thence East with East 80 poles & southeast by East 100 poles by the said Barnhouse’s Land to Burchen Swamp to the place where it Began...Dated the 25th of February 1658[1658/9 by modern reckoning, as the year then began on March 26, not January 1].
The description was recorded as follows when entered into the patent book for John Bunch I on 18 March 1662/3:
John Bunch…Four hundred and fifty [450] Acres…in New Kent County on both sides of Rickahock path bounded as followeth Beginning at a white oak Corner by Burchen Swamp running West North West one fourth West, One hundred and sixty [160] poles to three marked trees by the aforesaid path, thence south west half Two hundred and thirty two [232] poles, thence south by East half Eighty [80] poles to a red Oak, thence East South East One half One hundred [100] poles to Mr. Richard Barnhouse’s Land, thence East North East Eighty [80] poles, and South East by East one hundred [100] poles by the said Barnhouse’s Land to Burchen Swamp up the said swamp to the place where it Began...Dated the twenty fifth [25th] of February One thousand six hundred and fifty eight [1658/9]. And by him sold I assigned to Philip Freeman and by the
said Freeman sold and Assigned to the said Bunch.
Richmond Terrell was a neighbor of Thomas Meredith as described in Terrell’s patent for 600 acres in New Kent County on branches of Chickahominy Swamp on 8 February 1670. Thomas Meredith obtained a number of patents, as did Phillip Freeman:
Thomas Meredith received a grant of 380 acres in New Kent County on 28 October 1656 on the south side of the freshes of York River by land of Mr. Richard Barnhouse including 200 acres that had been granted to Major William "Hoccoday" on 9 March 1654/5.
Thomas Meredith obtained a grant of 420 acres in New Kent County on the southwest side of the narrows of York River on 1 July 1657. This tract began at his own corner, by Mr. Hurd’s path, by a branch of Wahrani Swamp, and thence to Captain Richard Barnhouse.
Thomas Meredith was granted 450 acres in New Kent County on 25 February 1658/9 (abstracted above).
Thomas Meredith received a grant for 1,370 acres in James City on 27 April 1661.
Thomas Meredith received a grant of 420 acres in New Kent County on 18 March 1662/3 on the narrows of York River beginning at the south most corner of his own land, then running by Mr. Hurd’s path, along a branch of Wahrani Swamp to Captain Richard Barnhouse, and 380 acres on the south side of the freshes of York River by land of Mr. Richard Barnhouse (including 200 acres granted to Major William "Hockady" on 9
March 1654/5 and assigned to Meredith).30 At least part of this seems to be a renewal of the 1657 grant.
Thomas Meredith Sr. obtained a patent of 523 acres in New Kent on 29 November 1682.
Phillip Freeman obtained a grant of 100 acres in New Kent County on 20 April 1660 bordering land of William Cox and John Woodington.
Phillip Freeman received a patent for 1,000 acres in James City County on 2 May 1661. This seems to have been modified a dozen years later. Phillip Freeman obtained a grant of 650 acres in James City County on 10 March 1673/4.
Later patents verify that Burchen Swamp was next to Wahrani Creek. Henry Duke was granted 736 acres in James City County on 20 April
1694 beginning on branches of Wahrani Creek at a white oak on the Burchen Swamp. The 1662/3 patent of John Bunch I certainly lay in Blisland Parish, not far from the chapel near the headwaters of Wahrani Swamp. It is curious that the widowed Amy Barnhouse, of Martin’s Hundred, James City County, was the one who discharged Mihill Gowen from service on 25 October 1657.38 This document offers the name of Amy Barnhouse’s brother, Christopher Stafford, and the Stafford family’s relevance becomes apparent later in this article.
Bee itt knowne unto all Christian people that whereas Mihill Gowen Negro of late servant to my Brother Xopre [Christopher] Stafford dece[ase]d by his last will & Testament bearing date the eighteenth of January 1654 had his freedome given unto him after the expirac[i]on of ffoure yeares service unto my unclkle Robert Stafford Therefore know all whom itt may concerne that I Anne [Amie] Barnehouse for divers good causes mee thereunto moving doth absolutely quitt & descharge the sai[d] Mihill Gowen from any service & for ever sett him free from any claime of service either by mee or any one my behalf as any part or parcel of my Estate that may be claimed by mee the said Amy Barnhouse my heyres
Exec[uto]rs Ad[ministrators] or Assignes as wittnes my hand this 25:th of
October 1657/
The mark of Amy AB: Barnhous[e]
Test: [witnesses] Arthure Dickenson[,] Joseph Blighton[,] Rec[orded] 26o Januarii 1657
Bee itt knowne unto all Xpian [Christian] people that I Amie Barnehouse of Martins hundred widdow for divers good causes any [?] caused [____] mee thereunto moving hath given unto Mihill Gowen Negro hee being att this time servant unto Robert Staffo[rd] a Male child borne
the 25:th of August in the yeare of oure Lord God 1655 of the body of my Negro Prossa being baptized by Mr Edward Johnson the 2:d of Septemb[er] 1655 & named William & I the said Amy Barnhouse doth bind myselfe my heyres & exec[uto]rs Adm[inistrato]rs & Ass[ignee]s never to trouble or molest the said Mihil Gowen or his sonne William or demand any service of the said Mihill or his said sonne William In wittnes whereof I have caused this to be made & done & [___] hereunto sett my hand & seale this pr[e]sent 16th day of September 1655
the marke of Amy AB: Barnehouse noe seale
Test [witnesses:] Edward Johnson Minist[e]r W Ingraham test Rec[orded] 26:o January 1
Amy was the relict of Richard Barnhouse Sr. Given the relationships she sets out (sister of Christopher Stafford and niece of Robert Stafford) she and Christopher would be children of William Stafford of York County, whose inventory dated 3 March 1644/5 included eight slaves. Christopher Stafford married Elizabeth (who subsequently became the wife of William Purnell, and then, by 1 December 1656, Joseph Watkins), and left a son and heir named Humphrey Stafford. It appears that Amy Stafford, widow of Richard Barnhouse of James City County, married again. Mrs.
[Amy] Beazley of James City County, by her will dated 1664, "left a negro to her cousin, Mr. Humphrey Stafford, of Virginia." Phillip Gowen "negro" sued John Lucas for his freedom on 16 June 1675.43 The court ordered that Phillip be free from service and that the indenture acknowledged in Warwick County be invalid. Further, Mr. Lucas was to pay Gowen three barrels of corn "According to ye Will of Mrs Amye Boazlye [Beazeley] dec[ease]d wth Costs."
There was some blood kinship between Amy (Stafford)(Barnhouse) Beasley and Hugh Gwynn’s family, because Humphrey and John Gwynn, in their own right and as attorneys of Humphrey Stafford, petitioned the General Court on 30 September 1681 claiming that the three were the closest relations (Nearest allied") of Colonel John Burnham of Middlesex County, Virginia.
The grant of 30 or 40 acres that Mihill Gowen obtained in James City County on 8 February 1668/9 had belonged to Captain Richard Barnhouse.
It seems extraordinary that the Gowen and Bunch families were so intimately connected with Richard Barnhouse and his wife Amy Stafford, and that they, in turn, were related in some way with the children of Hugh Gwynn. It was not uncommon for servants or their children to be passed around among relatives as Amy did with Mihil Gowen (later also freeing Phillip Gowen by the terms of her will). John Punch had been a servant of Humphrey and John Gwynn’s father, Hugh.
The Gowen and Bunch families bear the same deep-clade yDNA, which means that their origins were from the same region of Africa. Given that there were so few African Americans in Virginia at that period, it may indicate that they traveled from Africa together. They continued to live and move together in the following centuries, from Virginia to the Carolinas, Tennessee, and beyond.
The fact that John Bunch I disappears from records of York County argues in favor of the conclusion that he moved to New Kent County after he improved his grant. Records of York County survive fairly intact for this period. No records survive for New Kent County at the level of the local court before 1800.
Children of John Bunch I (wife unknown):
Paul Bunch, born about 1652–58
John Bunch II, born about 1655–60
[Henry?] Bunch, born about 1660–70
about seventy years old).
John obtained a patent in New Kent County on 18 March 1662/3, adjacent the land of Richard Barnhouse and not far from Blisland
Church and Wahrani Creek. The tract was also close by land of Richmond Terrell, a planter who is also an ancestor of President Obama.
The name of John Bunch’s wife is not known, but the fact that his great-grandchildren were able
to freely marry white neighbors suggests that she was white.
This John Bunch received the land grant in Blisland Parish, and he appears to be the same man who is named in records of York County in the
previous decade. Initially, John Bunch lived on land near the Mattaponi River, which he rented from Dr. Francis Haddon, a resident of York County. Given the extreme rarity of the surname Bunch in England and Scotland one might reason that having traced one white immigrant named John Bunch to his death (headright of Gervase Dodson) would make it less likely there were two more unrelated Bunch men living in the same thirty mile radius in 1659.
John Bunch born about 1632-5, was non-suited by the York County Court on 17 November 1658. He was brought before the York County Court on 24 August 1659 for a bill of 429 pounds of tobacco, the said John "suffering the loss of his crop the year following," so the bill was
ordered to be canceled.
It would seem odd that Catlin would wait six years to sue for a bill due in 1652, but he sued two other men that same
year for debts due in 1650 and 1653. One possible explanation would be that John Bunch inherited this obligation, but was legally underage until 1658; thus, he could not be sued in court until he attained age twenty-one. The other explanation could be that he was born by 1632-37 and old enough to be planting a crop by 1653. The wording of the contract indicates that John Bunch borrowed what he needed on condition that the crop he planted would be harvested the following year.
John Bunch was non-suited by the York County Court on 17 November 1658. He was brought before the York County Court on 24
August 1659 for a bill of 429 pounds of tobacco, the said John "suffering the loss of his crop the year following" so the bill was ordered to be
canceled.
On 10 March 1661/2, John Bunch I was non-suited and awarded 50 pounds of tobacco in recompense for being brought to court because of
Dr. Francis Haddon’s claim.
On 19 April 1671, Francis Haddon of York County sold Josias Moody (Haddon’s stepson) 200 acres on the Mattaponi River that was "now in the occupation of John Bunch at the expiration of the lease granted by Haddon to Edward Greene" [emphasis added]. This indicates that John Bunch born about 1632-5, had initially (perhaps by 1661 when Haddon first brought suit against Bunch) settled northward in the sparsely populated region on the Mattaponi (then still part of York County).
The 1661 suit for which Haddon did not show up to court, and the knowledge that his lease on Haddon’s land would eventually expire, might have provided the impetus for John Bunch born about 1632-5, to patent his own tract, which he could then work on improving. John Bunch born about 1632-5, therefore, initially resided near where Paul Bunch is first found. John born about 1632-5, then patented land a few miles away in what became Blisland Parish (not as far from civilization) where a later John Bunch intended to marry Sarah Slayden. The associations are remarkably suggestive because John Bunch born about 1632-5, is the only known candidate who could be the father of John Bunch born about 1655-60, and Paul Bunch.
We have two descriptions of the tract John Bunch I obtained—one version was recorded when Thomas Meredith was originally granted the land, the other version when John Bunch I had it recorded again. Comparing the two versions helps teach how descriptions can vary and how errors can creep in depending on the skill of the clerk who recorded the information:
Thomas Merridith [Meredith]…Four hundred and Fifty [450] Acres…in the County of New Kent on both sides of Rickahock path, bounded as followeth, Viz. Beginning at white oak corner by Burchen Swamp running West northwest ¼ West 160 poles to three marked Trees by the aforesaid path, thence southwest ½ 132 [sic] poles, thence South by East ½ 80 poles to an oak, thence South Southeast ½ East 100 poles to Mr. Richard Barnhouse’s Land, thence East with East 80 poles & southeast by East 100 poles by the said Barnhouse’s Land to Burchen Swamp to the place where it Began...Dated the 25th of February 1658[1658/9 by modern reckoning, as the year then began on March 26, not January 1].
The description was recorded as follows when entered into the patent book for John Bunch I on 18 March 1662/3:
John Bunch…Four hundred and fifty [450] Acres…in New Kent County on both sides of Rickahock path bounded as followeth Beginning at a white oak Corner by Burchen Swamp running West North West one fourth West, One hundred and sixty [160] poles to three marked trees by the aforesaid path, thence south west half Two hundred and thirty two [232] poles, thence south by East half Eighty [80] poles to a red Oak, thence East South East One half One hundred [100] poles to Mr. Richard Barnhouse’s Land, thence East North East Eighty [80] poles, and South East by East one hundred [100] poles by the said Barnhouse’s Land to Burchen Swamp up the said swamp to the place where it Began...Dated the twenty fifth [25th] of February One thousand six hundred and fifty eight [1658/9]. And by him sold I assigned to Philip Freeman and by the
said Freeman sold and Assigned to the said Bunch.
Richmond Terrell was a neighbor of Thomas Meredith as described in Terrell’s patent for 600 acres in New Kent County on branches of Chickahominy Swamp on 8 February 1670. Thomas Meredith obtained a number of patents, as did Phillip Freeman:
Thomas Meredith received a grant of 380 acres in New Kent County on 28 October 1656 on the south side of the freshes of York River by land of Mr. Richard Barnhouse including 200 acres that had been granted to Major William "Hoccoday" on 9 March 1654/5.
Thomas Meredith obtained a grant of 420 acres in New Kent County on the southwest side of the narrows of York River on 1 July 1657. This tract began at his own corner, by Mr. Hurd’s path, by a branch of Wahrani Swamp, and thence to Captain Richard Barnhouse.
Thomas Meredith was granted 450 acres in New Kent County on 25 February 1658/9 (abstracted above).
Thomas Meredith received a grant for 1,370 acres in James City on 27 April 1661.
Thomas Meredith received a grant of 420 acres in New Kent County on 18 March 1662/3 on the narrows of York River beginning at the south most corner of his own land, then running by Mr. Hurd’s path, along a branch of Wahrani Swamp to Captain Richard Barnhouse, and 380 acres on the south side of the freshes of York River by land of Mr. Richard Barnhouse (including 200 acres granted to Major William "Hockady" on 9
March 1654/5 and assigned to Meredith).30 At least part of this seems to be a renewal of the 1657 grant.
Thomas Meredith Sr. obtained a patent of 523 acres in New Kent on 29 November 1682.
Phillip Freeman obtained a grant of 100 acres in New Kent County on 20 April 1660 bordering land of William Cox and John Woodington.
Phillip Freeman received a patent for 1,000 acres in James City County on 2 May 1661. This seems to have been modified a dozen years later. Phillip Freeman obtained a grant of 650 acres in James City County on 10 March 1673/4.
Later patents verify that Burchen Swamp was next to Wahrani Creek. Henry Duke was granted 736 acres in James City County on 20 April
1694 beginning on branches of Wahrani Creek at a white oak on the Burchen Swamp. The 1662/3 patent of John Bunch I certainly lay in Blisland Parish, not far from the chapel near the headwaters of Wahrani Swamp. It is curious that the widowed Amy Barnhouse, of Martin’s Hundred, James City County, was the one who discharged Mihill Gowen from service on 25 October 1657.38 This document offers the name of Amy Barnhouse’s brother, Christopher Stafford, and the Stafford family’s relevance becomes apparent later in this article.
Bee itt knowne unto all Christian people that whereas Mihill Gowen Negro of late servant to my Brother Xopre [Christopher] Stafford dece[ase]d by his last will & Testament bearing date the eighteenth of January 1654 had his freedome given unto him after the expirac[i]on of ffoure yeares service unto my unclkle Robert Stafford Therefore know all whom itt may concerne that I Anne [Amie] Barnehouse for divers good causes mee thereunto moving doth absolutely quitt & descharge the sai[d] Mihill Gowen from any service & for ever sett him free from any claime of service either by mee or any one my behalf as any part or parcel of my Estate that may be claimed by mee the said Amy Barnhouse my heyres
Exec[uto]rs Ad[ministrators] or Assignes as wittnes my hand this 25:th of
October 1657/
The mark of Amy AB: Barnhous[e]
Test: [witnesses] Arthure Dickenson[,] Joseph Blighton[,] Rec[orded] 26o Januarii 1657
Bee itt knowne unto all Xpian [Christian] people that I Amie Barnehouse of Martins hundred widdow for divers good causes any [?] caused [____] mee thereunto moving hath given unto Mihill Gowen Negro hee being att this time servant unto Robert Staffo[rd] a Male child borne
the 25:th of August in the yeare of oure Lord God 1655 of the body of my Negro Prossa being baptized by Mr Edward Johnson the 2:d of Septemb[er] 1655 & named William & I the said Amy Barnhouse doth bind myselfe my heyres & exec[uto]rs Adm[inistrato]rs & Ass[ignee]s never to trouble or molest the said Mihil Gowen or his sonne William or demand any service of the said Mihill or his said sonne William In wittnes whereof I have caused this to be made & done & [___] hereunto sett my hand & seale this pr[e]sent 16th day of September 1655
the marke of Amy AB: Barnehouse noe seale
Test [witnesses:] Edward Johnson Minist[e]r W Ingraham test Rec[orded] 26:o January 1
Amy was the relict of Richard Barnhouse Sr. Given the relationships she sets out (sister of Christopher Stafford and niece of Robert Stafford) she and Christopher would be children of William Stafford of York County, whose inventory dated 3 March 1644/5 included eight slaves. Christopher Stafford married Elizabeth (who subsequently became the wife of William Purnell, and then, by 1 December 1656, Joseph Watkins), and left a son and heir named Humphrey Stafford. It appears that Amy Stafford, widow of Richard Barnhouse of James City County, married again. Mrs.
[Amy] Beazley of James City County, by her will dated 1664, "left a negro to her cousin, Mr. Humphrey Stafford, of Virginia." Phillip Gowen "negro" sued John Lucas for his freedom on 16 June 1675.43 The court ordered that Phillip be free from service and that the indenture acknowledged in Warwick County be invalid. Further, Mr. Lucas was to pay Gowen three barrels of corn "According to ye Will of Mrs Amye Boazlye [Beazeley] dec[ease]d wth Costs."
There was some blood kinship between Amy (Stafford)(Barnhouse) Beasley and Hugh Gwynn’s family, because Humphrey and John Gwynn, in their own right and as attorneys of Humphrey Stafford, petitioned the General Court on 30 September 1681 claiming that the three were the closest relations (Nearest allied") of Colonel John Burnham of Middlesex County, Virginia.
The grant of 30 or 40 acres that Mihill Gowen obtained in James City County on 8 February 1668/9 had belonged to Captain Richard Barnhouse.
It seems extraordinary that the Gowen and Bunch families were so intimately connected with Richard Barnhouse and his wife Amy Stafford, and that they, in turn, were related in some way with the children of Hugh Gwynn. It was not uncommon for servants or their children to be passed around among relatives as Amy did with Mihil Gowen (later also freeing Phillip Gowen by the terms of her will). John Punch had been a servant of Humphrey and John Gwynn’s father, Hugh.
The Gowen and Bunch families bear the same deep-clade yDNA, which means that their origins were from the same region of Africa. Given that there were so few African Americans in Virginia at that period, it may indicate that they traveled from Africa together. They continued to live and move together in the following centuries, from Virginia to the Carolinas, Tennessee, and beyond.
The fact that John Bunch I disappears from records of York County argues in favor of the conclusion that he moved to New Kent County after he improved his grant. Records of York County survive fairly intact for this period. No records survive for New Kent County at the level of the local court before 1800.
Children of John Bunch I (wife unknown):
Paul Bunch, born about 1652–58
John Bunch II, born about 1655–60
[Henry?] Bunch, born about 1660–70