The Vickers Family Resource Page

The First Vickers--Jamestown, VA

Others researching these lines:
Coppley Vickers, cvickers@worldnet.att.net
David Millican, Dmill4762@earthlink.net

John Vickers I...born 1549 Near London England

Children:
1. Thomas...b. 1582 ...married Ester Borden 1609 Old Jewry near London England
2. Abraham..b. 1583 ...married Alice Anthony 4/28/1608
3. Robert...b. 1583 ...died 10/15/1653 Coniston Lanshire England
4. John II..b.1 584 ...died 1623 Jamestowne VA married Sarah at Jamestowne 1619

The London Co. sent 90 young women to marry the men in Jamestowne. The men worked seven years for their wives to be free women. John died 1623 on a plantation outside of the Jamestown fort during an Indian uprising that resulted in 300 colonists being killed.

John Vickers III...b.1620 Jamestowne Va... died 9/13/1677 Isle of Wight VA, married Jane Webb 1644

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Kelly, about the only info I gleaned of any interest on Vickers' in Salt Lake was the following:

From Hakluyt's "Voyages, Navigations" are these passages - Page 348, "the second colonie" "The names of men, women and children which safely arrived in Virginia, and remained to inhabit there, 1587 anno regni Reginae Elizabeth 29. Men - Ambrose Vickers, Women - Elizabeth Vickers, Children - Ambrose Vickers. "

The book from which this passage is taken is the 1810 edition of Hakluyt which is in the "Lost Colony" Display in the NC State Department of Archives and History at Raleigh. The colony in question was, of course, the "Roanoke" colony that was abandoned without support by the English because of the looming trouble with the Spanish, ending with the defeat of the armada in 1588. When relief was finally sent for the colony, no trace was ever found of anyone. Just the word "Croatan" carved on a tree. I wonder where this Vickers fits in? Could he be a brother of John who was b. 1549? If so, then John II was following in the footsteps of his uncle in 1607. Whatever the case, this puts a Vickers on site at the very beginning of English Colonization in this country. It'd be interesting to see where Ambrose fits in.

David Millican, August, 1997

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More from Coppley Vickers, March 1998

"Complete Book of Emigrants" by Peter Coldham p.41 shows John Vicars dead in the 1624/5 massacre "at the plantation over against James City." Sarah Vicars is not listed in this book.
P. 156 shows John Viccars ae. 35 "to be transported from London to VA by the "Alice" 13 Jul 1635. Elizabeth Tissot, National Registrar Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters

Kelly... I finally found a source on the Jamestowne John Vickers....but did not find the ship that he came over on.

"Hottens List" pages 190-196, 209 Those who died in Virginia between April 1623 and Feb 16 1624 At the Plantation over against James City Vicars, John

After the indian massacure 1623 the King of England ordered a "Muster of the Quick and the dead..." This was the first census of Jamestowne...I found this info under "American Plantations and Colonies" search on Yahoo...it list all ships and some passenger lists from Dec 19 1606 to1625.

I would like to find more info on Jamestowne, Isle of Wight and Edgecombe County N.C. Vicars/Vickers. The page really is expanding. Thank you for all the time and energy and great page!

Coppley cvickers@worldnet.att.net

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More from Coppley,

Jack...Thank you very much for the sources and research. The 1690 Ralph Vickers is in the line. The additional undocumented info I have :

John Vickers (viccars) (vicars)...bn 1549...London , England
children:
Thomas bn 1582.mar Ester Borden England in 1609
Abraham bn 1582,mar Alice Anthony 4-28-1608
Robert bn 1583 died 10-15-1653 in Coniston Lanshires Eng
John bn 1584 England...dd 1623 plantation next to James City

ADD INFO: Ailce Anthony was granddaughter of Derrick Anthony and Elizabeth Erley Anthony (who was daughter of Richard Erley....Alice and Abraham were married in Old Jewry near London Eng)

John Vickers II arrived in Jamestowne prior to 1619..bn 1584 Old Jewry, London Eng dd 1623 at plantation next to James City..Mar Sarah who was one of 90 women sent from England to marry the men in Jamestowne. The men supposedly worked for 7 years to pay for the passage of their wives.
Children:
John bn 1620 Jamestowne dd 9-13-1677 Isle of Wight,
Ralph bn 1621

John III bn 1620..dd 1677..Isle of Wight...mar Jane Webb 1644
children:
John bn 1648
RALPH BN 1650
Margaret mar Wil Boykins.....
?Ralph? died 1741 will dated 2-10-1741
add info: Jane later married Thomas Carrell, had son Abraham Carrell...Jane's father was Elias Webb who died in West Moreland Co. VA. 1691-99

John IV bn 1648 Isle of Wight, dd Bertie Co, N.C....mar Ruth at Isle of Wight in 1679
children:
John Ralph bn 1690 dd 1762
Abraham
Stephen
Thomas

Ralph bn 1690 Isle of Wight dd St Marias Parish Edgecomb co N.C.1762. mar Sarah dd 1783 Edgecomb co, N.,C.+
children:
Ralph jr bn 1718
John bn 1720
Abraham bn 1722
Rachel mar Dieses Baker
Sarah mar Miles Scarbrough

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From: Brandon Vickers
Date: Monday, June 01, 1998

Hi Kelly, Thanks for your prompt reply. I looked all through The Cradle of The Republic, but found that I was mistaken in my belief that John Vickers' name was contained within. Perhaps I saw the reference to this on your "Ralph Vickers" page and combined the two in my head. Nonetheless, the book does detail this "massacre", which happened March 22, 1622. Out of a population of 1,258 settlers in Virginia, 347 were killed. However, "Jamestown was fortunate to receive warning of the impending massacre through Mr. Richard Pace, and no one there suffered death from the Indians in 1622." This would explain why "our" John is not listed among the Jamestown settlers. In the 1625 census of Jamestown & surrounding areas, only 353 remained of the 911 left after the "massacre." The book lists these persons, among which no Vickers are found. From the sound of the book, it's lucky that even that many lived. Their guns consisted of "two demi-culverins (?) mounted upon rotten carriages, fitter to shoot down our houses than to offend an ennemie." A Capt. Nathaniel Butler wrote a pamphlet (critical of the colony's then-current leadership) charging that "the best houses in Virginia were 'no better than the meanest cottages in England.'"

This is not to say that no Vickers survived, for the book limits its scope to Jamestown and the immediate area. Perhaps Mr. Vickers' family, if he had one, moved farther inland. This is just conjecture, though. You will also be interested to note that the famous "Lost Colony" which arrived at Roanoke Island, North Carolina in 1584 contained a Vickers: his name was Ambrose Viccars (sic) and I think there is a street in Manteo, NC (on Roanoke Island) named for him: Viccars Lane. Regarding the book History of Edgecombe County, NC, I will have to check it out again from the city library. I have tried to find this edition through a rare book dealer, but to no avail. However, I will get the info. for you as soon as I have free time. I am getting married next month, so time is an increasingly dear commodity.

I found your site hoping to find information about the NC Vickers clan which I am a part of. I am 27 and my father was the ninth of 14 brothers and sisters ranging in age from (approx.) 65 to 43. My grandfather, Mack Donald Vickers, was a tobacco farmer and plumber born in 1897 near Durham (Orange County), NC. Their homeplace was in what is now the Research Triangle Park. His parents were named Joseph and Flora, and he had two brothers (Jefferson and Otis) and two sisters (Mattie and Mayla). He was married first to a woman whose name I do not know, and they had two children named Donald and Margaret (both still living in Florida, although I have never met them). They would be quite old now. He married my grandmother, Marie Wells, in 1932, when she was 19 and he 35. He died in 1970, about 2 months after I was born, in Elm City, NC (near Rocky Mount in Nash County). He became estranged from his brothers and sisters, and I personally have never heard any of my great aunts or uncles, or heard their names. In fact, to find out their names, my grandma had to look them up in the family bible - and she is definitely not forgetful, even at 85. I feel that I owe it to my children (none on the way yet) to find out what I can about him. I think that my dad's siblings may be interested, too.

I hope you find the Jamestown information interesting, if not useful. The material from the other book is no more than a paragraph, but probably more useful since it mentions Ralph Vickers (Jr.?) by name. THIS material I am quite certain of. I apologize if I was long-winded.

Thanks for your time.

Brandon Vickers, SPRITE1@prodigy.net
Rocky Mount, NC

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From: Coppley Vickers <cvickers@worldnet.att.net>
To: VICKER-D@rootswebb.com
Subject: Vicars John 1620 Jamestowne VA USA
Date: Thursday, June 18, 1998

John Vickers III br 1620 Jamestowne VA died 1677 Isle of Wight ...his father was killed by Indians outside of James City 1623...His mother's name was Sarah_____. He had a brother Ralph br 1622.

John III married Jane Webb 1644. They had three children:
John IV br 1648 Isle of Wight
Ralph br 1650 Isle of Wight
Margaret br 1652

John III Will Recorded 1678...(Wills and Administration of Isle of Wight 1600-1800 by Blanche Adams Chapman) p.161 appraisal by John Dunn, James Hunter ,John Lewis, Thomas Poole Presented by widow p. 158 Vicars, JOHN; PLANTER ELDEST SON JOHN , SON RALPH, GRANDAUGHTER MARY KNIGHT, WIFE JANE Extx; DIED SEPT 13 1677.

Does any one know the location of burial site/head stone or any other info on John, Ralph, or Margaret? How they survived from 1623 in Jamestown...until they show up in Isle of Wight...the last name of their mother Sarah.....when and where she died ...did she remarry?

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From Kelly to Coppley:

What do you make of the idea that the first John's wife and children dropped out of the picture when John was killed in 1622. Are the two children really belonging to the second John in 1635? What do you make of it?

Response from Coppley:

I do not think so because John III was married 1644 James city (John II was killed out side James City....which indicates they stayed in James City after John II was killed) and JOHN IV was born 1648...The John that came on the Alice arrived 1635 in Jamestowne.

Take care,
Coppley

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From: Annette E Wetzel
To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] House of Burgesses, 1600's
Date: Wednesday, June 03, 1998

On Sun, 31 May 1998 "Coppley Vickers" cvickers@worldnet.att.net writes:

Annette, the only doc of John Vickers/Vicars in Jamestowne is the list of the "quick and the dead " ordered by King James 1624 which list John Vickers as having died 1623 in the Indian massacre on the plantation out side James City...later his son shows up in the Isle of Wright. Have you seen any Vickers in your research? His wife and children (john and > ralph?) one and two years old apparently survived thank you.
Coppley Vickers

From Annette:
Haven't noticed any Vickers, but then, I haven't been looking! Best I can do is take a look at the reference works and see what's there. Let you know after next Saturday. OK? Annette.

Mr. Vickers, Earl Swem's "Virginia Historical Index" contains several references, although with many spellings, for the name "Vickers, Vicars, Vicaris, etc," but only the following for "John Vickers:" As you already knew, John Vickers name appears on the well-known "List of the Livinge & Dead in Virginia February 16, 1623" as having been killed by Indians at or near James City. This list was compiled on the above date because of the Indian Massacre of 1622 - which massacre occurred in various places sporadically. John Vickers probably died in 1622. I did not find a Vickers wife or children on the lists of those alive in Virginia in 1623. That list can be found in the book "The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants: Religious Exiles; Political Rebels; Serving Men Sold for a Term of Years; Apprentices; Children Stolen; Maidens Pressed; and Others Who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700" edited by John Camden Hotten, and reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1983. You can see why the book is usually referred to as "Hotten's Lists" or, more often, just "Hotten's!"

On page 109 of Hotten is the name "Jo: Viccars," with the date 13 July 1635 on a list with the remarks: "These underwritten names are to be transported to Virginia embarked in the "Alice," Richard Orchard, master. The men have taken the Oaths of Allegiance" The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, Series 1, p. 303 "John Vicars in ye behalf of James Benns, Orphaned, Sept. 15, 1670, 200 acres escheat land formerly granted to Christopher Benn, dec'd" with the notation that this comes from Isle of Wight County records. The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, Series 1, p. 240 (again, Isle of Wight County Records) reads:"Will of John Vickers: Eldest son John, son Ralph, wife Jane, 1677" Since we know that one John Vickers died in 1622, and that another was transported here in 1635, we might assume that the "John Vickers" whose will is referred to in Isle of Wight County in 1677 might be the later John Vickers. It might be helpful to review all the references in "Swem's" and to look at "Cavaliers and Pioneers" to learn whether John Vickers received a land grant or patent. Also, to comb through Isle of Wight County Records. I am not familiar with that county. I am sorry I don't have more time to devote to your request, but I hope the above provides you additional avenues for research. Annette

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To: Coppley Vickers, cvickers@worldnet.att.net
From: TEbel2888 <TEbel2888@aol.com>
Subject: Re: 1624 Virginia Census Vickers

You may be a missing link. My many great uncle John MOTT d. 1677--a bachelor--left part of his estate to his nephew John VICKERS. John Mott was the brother of George MOTT d. 1674 Rappahannock/Richmond Co., VA.

George had four daughters, none of which married a VICKERS. There may have been a sister of the two. Does MOTT run in your VICKERS family? George was an ancestor of Alexander DONIPHAN and Harry S. TRUMAN.
Charlene, TEbel2888@aol.com

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You have a very informative Web page; however, there is an error. The John Vickers who married Jane Webb in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia, died in Stafford County, Virginia, before 12 Mar 1687[8] when an inventory of his estate was ordered. His wife Jane swore to the accuracy of the inventory on 23 March 1688. See Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records: Deed and Will Abstracts of Stafford County, Virginia, 1686–1689 (McLean, Va.: Antient Press, 1989), 75–6.

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Barbara Vines Little, CG
Dominion Research Services
PO Box 1273
Orange, VA 22960

540-832-3473 (7-10 p.m.; all day Sunday)
bvlittle@earthlink.net

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Kelly G. Vickers, 50 Trembly Bald Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577

Phone 706-886-0012 Email kvickers@tfc.edu