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Who was the first Pointer to arrive in Virginia?
Already Tried: I know my great-great-grandfather was Michael Pointer I of Gloucester, VA who married Sarah DuVal.
Hi, Welcome to Just Answer and thanks for your question.
That is a very interesting question, but how would we be able to know that without having all the Pointer records available to us? Since we can't possibly have all those records it is therefore not a question that can be answered. We can speculate and throw out some names to you but it would only be speculation.
A better question to ask is which piece of information including BDM (Birth, Marriage, or Death) is missing from the Michael Pointer, husband of Sarah Duval, story?
How about we work on that piece of the puzzle for you rather than try to jump centuries ahead of the story? What piece is missing in the life story of Michael?
All the best,
Jim
Here is what I have: Michael Pointer I (1748-1783) lived in Gloucester Co., VA, married Dorothy Sarah DuVal, b. 1740, in Gloucester. Their son, Michael II, b. 1766, m. Mildred Stevens, whose son, Cyrus Christian Pointer, a farmer, m. Martha Dey Stubbs. Their daughter, Julia Frances Pointer, b. 1845 d.1911, was my grandmother, m. Miles Henry Rilee, b.1844 d. 1909 or 10. My father was Egbert Boyd Rilee, b. 1874 d. 1953. Cyrus C. Pointer's signature is on the 1847 oyster petition to the VA legislature. I cannot trace the Pointer line farther than Michael I. Thank you.
Can you double check your findings for me please?
I show Michael Pointer 1st as your 3rd Great Grandfather and married to Dorothy Duval but her birthdate is listed at 1706 ? in Gloucester according to these findings.
Name: Dorothy Duval Spouse: Michael Pointer Parents: William Duval Birth Place: Gloucester, VA Birth Date: 1706
Source Citation: Birth year: 1706; Birth city: Gloucester; Birth state: VA.Source Information:Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Three greats is correct. I think the 1706 date is incorrect for Sarah. My information is from http://danielduval.org which lists b.1740 and marriage date of bef. 1766. Son Michael II was born 14 Mar 1766, according to the family sheet. Dates are so confusing; even current ones I find (my own, for ex.) are often incorrect. Thanks for your help.
Lois
Lois,
Thanks for the reference. I reviewed the records and sources used at danielduval.org for the family...but unfortunately he doesn't use primary sources for the information on Michael II and Michael I or Sarah so it is hard to know how accurate all this information is.
It may be more appropriate if we discuss the first question now that we are back in the same time period as the 3rd Great Grandparent rather than the 2nd GG.
The earliest records known for the Pointer family in VA are the following.
1) Thomas Pointer was a member of the Colonial Militia ca. 1756, meaning he would have been born about 1730. Source: Henings Statutes at Large, vol. 7
2) Seth Pointer was appointed as an apprentice in 1750 in York County, VA., meaning he would have been born about 1730. Source: York Co. Deeds 5, 1741-1754, 412-413
3) William Pointer father of Seth Pointer was listed as deceased at time of the appointment of his son as an apprentice in 1750, meaning he would have been born earlier than the two mentioned above, about 1710 or earlier. Source: York Co. Deeds 5, 1741-1754, 412-413
These are the earliest mentions of the "Pointer" family in Virginia. However, by changing the spelling slightly using the interchageable "y" for "i" to Poynter we find this earlier reference dating back to 1666.
Combs &c. Familiesof Isle of Wight Co VA10 July 1666 Cavaliers and Pioneers, p561, Anthony Mathewes Macoms, 1300 acs. Isle of Wight Co., 10 July 1666, p 519, (637). Upon Sewards Sw., beg. at cor tree of Robt. Williamson &c . Trans. of 26 pers: Lawrence Baker, Lawrence Baker, (2 times) XXXXX XXXXX, XXXXX XXXXX, XXXXX XXXXX, XXXXXph Baker, JNO. MACOMS, XXXXX XXXXX, Robt. Bruce, Jno. Stoops, Jno. XXXXX, XXXXX XXXXXe, And. Overing, Wm. Heate (or Heale), Tho. XXXXX, XXXXX Richards, Ann Reeve, XXXXX XXXXX, An Milington, James Downes, Robt. XXXXX, XXXXX. XXXXX, XXXXX Goodman, Jno. Dobson, Edwd. Poynter, Rich. Luas.
So the earliest Poynter mentioned would be that of Edward Poynter in 1666 in the county of Isle of Wight, VA.
I trust this answers your question. Please let me know if I can clarify anything for you?
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Thank you so much. All the information you have provided is excellent help to me. I have enjoyed our "conversation." Lois
Glad to be of helpful service to you.
I will send you the ranker for you and if you would be so kind as to mark it as Excellent service to you I would appreciate it very much.
I look forward to helping in the future as your need arizes.
All the best with your family history.
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