Identifying the Parents of Darby Sullivan, Jr., through Court, Deed, and Probate Analysis
by Shawn Henry Potter and Lois Carol Potter
renatuspress@gmail.com
Background
In 1990, William L. Deyo, former President of the Virginia Genealogical Society and Historian Emeritus of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia, identified the parents of Darby Sullivan III of Stafford County, Virginia, and Burgess Sullivan of King George County, Virginia, as Darby Sullivan, Jr., and Elizabeth Burgess.[1] In recent days, Deyo presented contemporary records in support of these relationships.[2] This naturally leads to the question: Who were the parents of Darby Sullivan, Jr. Once again, Deyo identified original archival records that answer this question. Darby Sullivan, Jr., was a son of Darby Sullivan, Sr., and an unnamed daughter of John Martin (c. 1633-1676) and Christian Pettus (c. 1636-bef. 1701).
Elizabeth Snowdall – Second Wife
On 21 Feb 1678/9, Darby Sullivan, Sr., was security for the inheritances of his wife’s sisters – daughters of William Snowdall, whose will was signed on 2 Jan 1674/5 and proven on 26 Feb 1674/5.[3] William Snowdall named his wife Margaret and daughters: Elizabeth Snowdall, Mary, Jane Snowdall, and Anna Snowdall. Which of these four daughters married Darby Sullivan, Sr.? The will of Darby Sullivan, Sr., signed on 2 Dec 1698 and proven on 29 Mar 1699, names his wife Elizabeth.[4] So we deduce from the above records that Elizabeth Snowdall married Darby Sullivan, Sr., after 2 Jan 1674/5 and before 21 Feb 1678/9, and was Darby’s wife until he died between 2 Dec 1698 and 29 Mar 1699.
But was Elizabeth Snowdall the mother of Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s, son Darby Sullivan, Jr.? The answer is no. For, on 24 Aug 1734, a chancery suit between Andrew Monroe, Jr., and Richard Barnes, explained that Elizabeth Snowdall, deceased, inherited 200 acres from her father William Snowdall, also deceased. The court record further revealed that the property “descended to her [Elizabeth’s] three sisters, Mary, Jane, and Anna in coparcenary.”[5] In other words, Elizabeth Snowdall had no children, so her three sisters inherited the 200 acres.
These records reveal that Darby Sullivan, Sr., married Elizabeth Snowdall between 2 Jan 1674/5 and 21 Feb 1678/9, and died between 2 Dec 1698 and 29 Mar 1699, and during this more than 20-year marriage, Darby Sullivan, Sr., and Elizabeth Snowdall had no children. Therefore, Darby Sullivan, Jr., son of Darby Sullivan, Sr., must have been born to Darby Sullivan, Sr., and a previous wife before 21 Feb 1678/9. This observation leads to the question: Who was Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s first wife?
In 2010, based on life-long research among Stafford, King George, Richmond, and Westmoreland county records, Deyo observed: “Since there was a younger Darby Sullivan in the same area, it seems apparent that the elder Darby must have had a wife previous to Elizabeth [Snowdall] by whom he had at least one son, Darby. The first wife may well have been a local Indian woman.” Deyo went on to describe the close and continued association – including multiple intermarriages – between Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s descendants and other Patawomeck families. With this in mind, it is reasonable to ask whether archival records identify Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s first Patawomeck wife. The answer is yes they do.
Sister-in-Law of Charles Tyler – First Wife
On 28 Aug 1697, Darby Sullivan, Sr., and his wife Elizabeth Snowdall, sold 120 acres to Charles Tyler for “diverse good causes and considerations.”[6] The consideration in this “gift deed” signals conveyance of valuable property to a close relative.[7] So how was Darby Sullivan, Sr., or his wife, related to Charles Tyler, or his wife? Finding no connection between Charles Tyler and either Darby Sullivan, Sr., or Elizabeth Snowdall, the kinship must have been between Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s, first wife and Charles Tyler’s wife. So, who was Charles Tyler’s wife?
In 2025, Deyo identified the wife of Charles Tyler as Jane Martin (of Patawomeck descent), daughter of Christian Pettus (b. 1636 or 1637, d. by 1701) and John Martin (d. by about 1676).[8] Deyo further explained that Christian Pettus married John Martin by about 1652, placing the approximate years of their children’s births between about 1654 and 1676. In private correspondence, Deyo recently expressed his conviction that this “gift deed,” when considered in light of the absence of kinship ties between Darby Sullivan, Sr., Elizabeth Snowdall, and Charles Tyler, and when informed by Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s, extensive relations with other members of the Patawomeck community, provides compelling evidence that Darby Sullivan, Sr.’s first wife, and the mother of Darby Sullivan, Jr., was a previously unidentified unnamed daughter of Christian Pettus (of Patawomeck descent) and John Martin.
Conclusion
This analysis of court, deed, and probate records enables us to sketch the following lineage, including approximate birth and death years. Further research should enable us to refine dates.
Note: Darby Sullivan III and Ann Fugate were cousins, both descended through Martin siblings from Christian Pettus (c. 1636-1701); and Josias Fugate and Mary Martin were cousins, since Josias was a son of James Fugate and Dorothy Pettus, daughter of Thomas Pettus (c. 1630-1665), brother of Christian Pettus (c. 1636-1701).[9] This brief lineage illustrates the common practice among Patawomeck descendants to marry within the community.
Deyo’s research has discovered that Darby Sullivan, Jr., was a son of Darby Sullivan, Sr., and an unnamed daughter of Christian Pettus and John Martin. Descendants of Darby Sullivan, Jr., who remained in the area became vital members of the Patawomeck community living on the south bank of the Potomac River. They share a fascinating ancestry with other descendants who joined the westward migration after the American Revolution. Deyo is to be congratulated for his lifelong work to preserve the memories of these and so many other Patawomeck ancestors.
Learn more about William L. Deyo (Bill Deyo “Night Owl”), his scholarship, and publications here https://billdeyo.com/.
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[1] William L. Deyo, “A Sullivan Family of Stafford County, Virginia,” in Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 28, Nov. 1990, Number 4, 249.
[2] Shawn Henry Potter and Lois Carol Potter “Identifying the Parents of Burgess Sullivan through Onomastic, Court, and Probate Analysis, Renatus Press, 12 Feb 2016, https://renatuspress.com/family/identifying-the-parents-of-burgess-sullivan-through-onomastic-court-and-probate-analysis/
[3] John Frederick Dorman, Westmoreland County, Virginia, Order Book, 1675/6-1688/9 (Washington, DC: Published by John Frederick Dorman, 1982), 151, citing Virginia, Westmoreland County, Order Book Part 1, 21 Feb 1678/9, p. 151. “Darby Swillivant vs. Hen: Harris. Judgment for a young horse delivered. The Court doth order that Darby Swillivant bring security according to his father in law Wm: Snowdall will for his sisters’ portions to the next Court.” See also Virginia, Westmoreland County, Deeds, Wills, and Patents 1654-1662 Inventories 1668-1677, Film #007645852, p. 422 verso and 423 recto, image 429, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PR-RBFC?cat=koha%3A399495&i=428&lang=en
[4] Virginia, Westmoreland County, Deeds and Wills vol 2, pp. 371-372, Will of Darby Sullivan, signed 2 Dec 1698, proven 29 Mar 1699.
[5] Virginia, Westmoreland County, Court Orders 1731-1739, Film #004145201, p. 154a, image 343, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GF-5ZKK?cat=koha%3A382658&i=342&lang=en
[6] Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983, Westmoreland, Deeds and Wills, Vol. 2, p. 242. Deed from Darby Sullivan and Elizabeth to Charles Taylor, signed 28 Aug 1697, acknowledged 29 Sep 1697.
[7] Val D. Greenwood, The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000, 3rd edition), 405. “Gift Deed: This is a deed whereby real property is transferred without normal consideration. Usually such deeds transfer real estate from a parent to offspring, but there is no rule about that. The consideration is often stated as: ‘for the natural love and affection which I bear toward my son ____ and for other valuable consideration.’”
[8] William L. Deyo, Pocahontas and Kocoum Their Early Descendants and Indian Ancestors (Colonial Beach, Virginia: Dejoux Publications, 2025), 91.
[9] Deyo, Pocahontas and Kocoum, 64-71.