Gatewood, Patience

Summary

Father: Richard Gatewood
Mother: Patience Reeves

Birth: before 1724, Essex County, Virginia
Birth Source: Adult when parents died in 1745 since no guardian appointed.

Death: after 1779 probably Pittsylvania or Henry County in Virginia
Death Source: Signed an agreement with her daughter Ann Frazer Gatewood in 1779.

Spouse1: Unknown William Gatewood
Spouse2: Joseph Farguson

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Narrative

Child of Patience Gatewood and William Gatewood:

1. Ann Frazer Gatewood , b. c1750

Patience Gatewood was named in the probate records of the estate of her father, Richard Gatewood, and as a legatee in the 1745 will of her mother, Patience. She also received a legacy from her uncle, George Reeves, in his 1753 Spotsylvania County will.

Although there are currently no extant marriage records for Patience, she is widely believed to have first married a Gatewood cousin whose given name is unknown and after being widowed married Joseph Farguson of Essex County. Patience and her sisters Elizabeth and Sarah Gatewood along with their husbands Joseph Farguson, Peter Copeland and Waters Dunn, respectively, all removed from the Northern Neck of Virginia to Pittsylvania County where they are found on the tithables lists.

In Henry County, Virginia on the 29th of April 1779, Ann Frazer Gatewood relinguished a suit against her mother, Patience Gatewood Farguson, regarding slaves. Ann is believed to have been the daughter of Patience by a first marriage to the above unnamed Gatewood first husband of Patience.

Joseph Farguson, presumably the husband of Patience Gatewood Farguson and not a child of Joseph's, was listed on the 1782 tax lists of Pittsylvania County in Virginia.

Research Notes

Much research of the court records of Pittsylvania and Henry counties is needed to answer questions regarding the validity of this first marriage and, if possible, paternity of Ann Frazer Gatewood.

Sources

1745 Will of Patience Gatewood, Essex County Will Book 7, pgs 389,390,391
1753 Will of George Reeves, Spotsylvania County VA Will Book B, pgs 183-184
Tax Lists of Pittsylvania County, Virginia
1779 Agreement, Henry County VA