William Nicholas Spencer Born 1660 - James Matthew Watson's Side Of The Family

WILLIAM NICHOLAS SPENCER (James Matthew Watson's seven-times-great-grandfather) was born between 1660 and 1680 to John Spencer and Ms. Unknown.
Note: Below information from: Joel Hager's Research Dec 03 by Joel Hager
Appendix A: SHEPPARD AND SPENCER FAMILIES page 501
On January 5, 1652/3, Robert Sheppard of Lawnes Creek, Gent." Deeded 1100 acres at the mouth of Lawnes Creek was confirmed to Capt.William Caufield by a granted March 4, 1656, in which it is stated that the land was part of a patent originally granted to William Spencer and afterwards in the tenure of Major Robert Sheppard and by him sold to the said Caufield ( Nugent "Cavaliers and pioneers," p. 342. Major Sheppard died between August 14, 1653, when he deeded land to Henry Medhouse, and July 5, 1654, when his widow(second wife) Elizabeth Sheppard, wrote a note to "Mr. Brewster," witnessed by William Cockerham, to "pass judgement for me to Capt. Baker for 2834 lb of tobacco and caske." (D. & W. 1645-1671, p. 50). On september 7th, 1654, she again wrote a note recorded in the first Surry record book, to "Dear Brother Cockerham," signed your loving sister, Elizabeth Sheppard, " asking him
to request Co., 1100 acres of it being "due to the said Cockerham as marrying the daughter of Mr. Spencer to whom it was granted" (c.f. Nugent, p. 341; Mrs Nugent, in "Cavaliers & Pioneers assumes quite naturally that Mrs Cockerham was the daughter of Nicolas Spencer, who is referred to in one part of the grant. This is an error, as we shall see; Nickolas Spencer was the uncle of Mrs. Cockerham, not her father). On May 14, 1667, Nicholas Spencer, Jr. transferred to William Cockerham all right he might have to the lands of his uncle William Spencer (D. &W. 1645-71, p287. This deed was witnessed by Nicholas Spencer, Sr. and Daniel Williams. On January 4th, 1685/6 , William Cockerham (son of William above) deeded to William Harris a parcel of land on Hog Island Main, part of a patent of 1350 acres "granted to Mr. William Spencer late of this county, decd. , the 10th day of February, 1637 and
form the said Spencer descended to me said Cockerham." William Spencer was granted two large parcels of land; the first, June 19, 1635, for 1100 acres (c.f. Nugent, p. 28) was "in the tenure" of Major Robert Sheppard, who sold it to William Caufield, as mentioned above; the second, February 10th, 1637, for 1350 acres (c.f. Nugent, p. 81) descended to William Cockerham and later to his son, William who deeded part of it away in 1685/6. Taken in conjunction with the fact noted above, that Elizabeth, widow of Robert Sheppard, called William Cockerham "brother," the conclusion seems unavoidable that William Spencer left no male Heirs and that one of his daughters married William Cockerham; and that the other, Elizabeth, marrried Robert Sheppard, as his second wife.
THE SPENCER FAMILY OF SURRY
Ensign William Spencer. "William Spencer, yeoman and ancient planter came to Virginia in the "First Supply" 1608, was an honest, valiant and industrious and industrious workman, and first to choose land. He was an ensign; Burgess for Jamestown in the first Assembly in 1619; Burgess for Mulberry Island in 1624; patented 12 acres on Jamestown Island in 1624; at which time he had a wife Alice and a daughter Alice, b. 1620. In 1623-3 he was Burgess of Mulberry Island." (From Tyer "Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography," Vol. I, p329.) Hotten's "Emigrants"( p. 228) shows among those living at James Island in 1624 "William Spencer came in the Sarah, Allice his wife in the ---, Alice their daughter aged 4 years." Among the dead at James City and in the island is mentioned William Spencer a Child" (id.,p 229), who was almost certainly a son of this family. Numerous land grants were made to William Spencer in Surry county. In 1624 he is referred to as "(Ensigne William Spencer" in a grant to John
Johnson, yeoman (Nugent, p.4,) A grant of 550 acres in Surry in 1635 calls him William Spencer Gent." indicating that he was a justice of the county at the time. We have mentioned the two largest grants made to him, one for 1100 acres in 1635 which was later held by Robert Sheppard and by him deeded to William Caufield in 1652; and one for 1350 acres in 1637, which was inherited by William Cockerham. The date of William Spencer's death is uncertain. The last reference to him is in the land grant of 1637. On January 21, 1628 Nicholas Spencer testified that John Lightfoot left his property to William Spencer (Minutes of the Council and Gen. Ct. of Colonial Va., p. 181), which may indicate a relationship between Lightfoot and Spencer. Only the two daughters, Elizabeth, wife of Robert Sheppard, and ----, wife of Capt. William Cockerham seem to have survived him; at least Robert Sheppard and William Cockerham seem to have inherited all his land. We have dealt
with the Sheppard family, and shall now briefly discuss the Cockerhams, as these two families alone represent the line of William Spencer. William Cockerham, Lieutenant and later Colonel of Militia in Surry, and Burgess form Surry in 1665, was married to William Spencer's daughter at least as early as September 7th, 1654, when Elizabeth wrote to him as "Brother Cockerham" Capt. Cockerham died in 1668 or 1669 as on May 13th Charles Army, Robert Spencer, and William Oldis gave bond for Army's guardianship of the orphans of William Cockerham, decd., namely William and Thomas
Cockerham (D&W. 1645-71 p. 334). It is probable that his widow married Charles Army. William Cockerham, the eldest son was declared of full age Nov. 2,1680, which shows that he was born in 1659. (Surry Order, 1671-1690, p. 326) He married (1) prior to July 3, 1686 Hanna---, as he and she deeded land on that date. He married Mary -____. He died in 1707. His will dated January 22, 1706 and probated March 4th, 1706-7 mentions his brother Thomas Cockerham, his wife Mary, and his son William not yet 18 years of age (D&W. 1693-1709, p. 361) Thomas Cockerham, the second son, receiptd John Fenly for his father's estate November 2nd, 1686 (Surry Orders 1671-90, p.544), showing his birth date as 1665. He died in 1717. His will dated January 17, 1709/10 and probated in Surry May 15, 1717, mentions his son Timothy, grand son Samuel Bension (under 21), daughters Elizabeth and
Ann, wife Elizabeth, and daughter Priscilla (D. & W. 1715-30, p.60) 2. Nicholas Spencer Nicholas Spencer was a brother of William Spencer, as shown by the deed already mentioned,  dated May 14, 1667, in which Nicholas Spencer, Jr. transferred to William Cockerham all his right to the lands of
his uncle William Spencer. He wa living in Virginia as early as January 21, 1628/29, when he testified that John Lightfoot left his property to William Spencer. He may have married a daughter of David Williams of Surry County, who on January 9th, 1658/9 appointed Robert Spencer his attorney to acknowledge the gift of a small tract of land to Nicholas Spencer and his wife (D. &W. 1645-1671, p. 125). In addition to the son Nicholas Jr., Nicholas Spencer had a son John who died without issue in 1675, and two daughters, Elizabeth who married William Hancock, and Mary. On October 24, 1667 Nicholas Spencer Sr. bound out his son John to serve William Cockerham for seven years. Appended to this agreement is a statement, dated July 7, 1668 that "It appears that John Spencer some
wearing clothes given him by the will of his father", ect. which shows that Nicholas Sr., died 1667-8 (D&W. 1645-71, p. 305). On December 27th, 1675, Thomas Clay and Elizabeth his wife aged 32 stated John Spencer was sick at William Hancocks's and said that he would leave his property to his sisters Mary and Elisabeth (D.&W., 1672-1684,p. 103) and on January 25th, 1765/6 probate was given to William Hancock in right of his wife and sister on the estate of John Spencer(Order 1671-90, p.112) William Hancock married the daughter Elizabeth (c.f. deed of William Hancock and Elizabeth his wife dated April 27, 1667, D. & W. 1671-1684, p. 198). John Spencer was born in 1653, as he petioned for his estate March 16, 1674 ( Order 1671-90, p. 87). 3. Capt. Robert Spencer. It is uncertian just what relationship was between Robert Spencer, and William and Nicholas. In a deposition dated Octobr 16, 1660, Robert Spencer gave his age as 30, showing his birth as 1630 (D. &W. 1645-71 p.166). He may have been a son of Nicholas. He took a prominent part in the affairs of Surry County and was Sheriff in 1675 (D. & W. 1671-1684, p.74), as well as a Justice of the County. His first wife was probably a
sister of Thomas Taberer of Isle of Wright Co., as the latter wrote to home in 1672 calling him "Brother Spencer" (id., p. 14). By his first marrige he had two daughters, Anne and Elizabeth. The former married John Whitson and was dead by September 5th, 1671, when Robert Spencer deeded goods to his granddaughter Matha Whitson, child of his deceased daughter Anne Whitson who married John Whitson ( D.&W> 1645-71, p. 390) John Whitson seems to have been a somewhat turbulent character. In 1672 he was hailed before the court for abusing Capt. Robert Spencer, calling him among other epithets "Welsh rogue" and "Welsh dog" (D.&W> 1672-84, p. 17-18). This is of interest as indicating that William, Nicholas and Robert Spencer came from Wales. Later, Whitson got into trouble
in Bacon's Rebellion, and was dead by 1678 when Capt. Spencer wrote his will. Martha Whitson the granddaughter, was born in June 1671 (Ordr 1671-90, p. 500 December 4th, 1685, Martha Whitson orphan of John Whitson being 14 years of age June last choses John Watkins her gaurdian). Capt. Spencer's daughter Elizabeth married John Watkins of Surry Co. (D. & W. 1645-1671, p. 24). The latter's widow, Elizabeth Watkins, married Thomas alias Sackford Brewster, Gent., of Sackford Hall in th County. Nicholas Spencer became the acting Governor of VA from September 1683 to April 1684 during the interval when Gov. Thomas Culpeper was summoned back to England, and before the arrival of the new Governor, Lord Francis Howard of Effingham. Thereafter, Nicholas served on the Governor's Council until his death.
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