Newsletter 2 1978.pdf - The Grayson Family

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FAMILIES
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kana Aldridge Williams
GRAYSON
"There is an unverified story that Benjamin, John, lmose, and IJmy
Grayson (who married a lnan rmed Iiarrison whoni ~othing 13 known) landed
in Jay 1695 in Christ Church larish, Lancaster County, Virginia. IJo
record is cited. me Grayson family is said to have r~igrcted from
Dumfries, Scotland, and greatly credited with foundicg Dumfries, Virginia,
to which Benjamin removed from Colcheater about 1710 having removed
from Christ Church Parish earlier. Benjamin entered nerchandisicg business
at Dumfries, Va. (see Bishop Meade's History of hrly Virginia
~amiliea)"--Yajor I*aurice K. Gordon.
The name has been spelt Grayson, Grasson, Graison, Grason, Grnsiofi,
Grayrston, Greseen, aod even Gresham. Several different spellings
were found in the records of LancasCer County,
John Grayson probably came from England as his eldest son, Thorns Grayoon
of Deal i n Kent, England, sold lnnd in Spotsylvania County, Virginia,
which he received from his father. (DB-C, Jan. 27, 1737).
John Grayson first apears in the records of Lancaster County, Virginia,
in 1700 as attorney for 14arie Gibson, wife of Edward Gibson, a neighbor
in Christ Church Pariah, who released her dower in two doeds, (deed
Book 2, pp. 400-403) He bought land from Kirk Gendron in 1704 in Lnncaster
County and re2orted tithes in 1716. (Giilliam and Ikry Quarterly,
Vol. Jotm Grayson's ~ist.") ,
John Grayson purchased two tracts of land, 908 acres and 2146 acres
(~ichmond County Deed Book 6, p. 24l, 7 July 1714) from John Sloss of
Town of' Belfast, Ireland, agent for James Jackson of the same place
who had inherited the land from his brother &drew Jackson, Clerk, late
of Lancaster County, Virginia. This land in 3ichmond County was about
12 miles above the falls of the Rappnhnnnock Uver and was to become
a part of the Coucty of King Gearge in 1720.
In three deeds (King George County Deed Eook 1, p. 24, Nov. 3, 1721;
Deed Book A-1, p. 3, Feb. 4, 1729; Deed Book A-1, p. 138, 6 Ikty 1731)
John Crnyson, Gent., and Susanna his wife, now established in Spotsylvania
County on the opposite side of the Rappahannock Liver a few rnilea
below the town of F'redericksburg, convey all his lnnd holdings on the
north side of Rappabannock Nver.
The 1737 map of the Northern Neck of Virginia which Lord Fairfax ordered