The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-26

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We are glad TO have such an i'm
portant piece OF gencalosy as this to
present to our readers.-Ed.
The Hampton Family, OF Virginia,
South Carolina, and Kentucky. BY
Dr. j. l.. Miller, Thomas, w. yn.
The English IInmlnons.
From Shaw's History and Anti
quitics of Stanordshire. England, 1t is
learned that the Hampton family is
one OF the most ancient in England
1t seems to have been originally
seated in Stnfordshire. where they
owned the ancient Manor OF TunstalI
near the town of Woiverhampton. The
| town was originally called Hampton.
until Lady wuifruna, '.the relict OF
Athlen, Duke OF Northampton In the
days or King Etheired "a. d. -eeS),
founded a monastery here 10 the honor
OF the Blessed Virgin. whence II was
called Wulfrunshampton. and now
Wolvcrhnmpton."
Hamptons is given by Mr.. Shaw, but
is too long to reproduce here. lie also
presents an engraving of the very
ancient manor house Of the Hamptons
at .Tunstall, portions OF which are
now near thousand years old. 1t
at one time Was surrounded by u
moat which has since been filled In.
From Stafford the family spread to
other portions OF England, among
! them the counties of Middlesex and
Surry, from which branches We have
good evidence that the Virginia Hamp-
tons spring.
a noticeable fact is that from the
earliest times the names of Richard,
John. Thomas and William have been
the favoritc and almost only baptis-
NAL names of the Hampton men in
both England and America.
The Virginia IIamptons.
The destruction OF the records OF
the counties of James City, Glouces-
ter, Nansemond, New Kent, King VIII
liam, and Carolina. in which coun-
ties the earlier Hamptons were settled,
makes it impossible to ever write a
! connected history OF the family dur
Ing It's first century in Virginia. SO
that the line of descent for the first
I three generations is. and will always
| be, n matter of conjecture.
From various other sources a few
isolated facts have been gathered.
from which, with the traditions COM
mon to most of the branches Of tho
family, may be deduced fairly con-
nccted account of the family prior to
.17oo.
the different branches are that they
are descended from good old Eng
liah stock. and. like the traditional
origin Of nearly all Virginia faml :
lies. the Hampions come from one
of two brothers who sought their for
| tune In Virginia soon nfter the set
tlcment at Jamestown The other
brother is said 10 have left no is
sue.
Some cay that one of the early an
cestors was an Episcopal minister at
jamestown hut are uncertain as to
whether lie was tho emlgrant or a
later member or the family.
Ono branch has tho tradition that
Thomas Hampton. of Carolina, Rich
ard Hampton, OF Fauauier. and John
Hampton, of Fairfax, were brothers
and sons of John Hampton. of King
William county. John Hampton. of
Fairfax. is tho ancestor of the pres.
ent lIamptons, of Fauquier, the Hanp-
TONG, OF South Carolina. and those OF
Kentucky.
The Emisrents.
There were really four instead Of
two Hampton emigrants- to virginia,
but their relationship to each other,
If any, 10 unknown. Only two of them
seem to have left issue in Virginia
They were:
First Walter Hampton, who arrived
at Jamestown December 5, 1918. on the
ship Margaret and John, from Bristol
as he never appears again In the Nir-
ginia records lie is supposed to have
died in THE seasoning, or in the In
dian massacre OF leaa, without surviv-
Ing Issue.
Second. loan Hampton. who was liy-
Ing with his wife and no children at
Buck Rowe on February &c. 1928. In
what was later Lower Norfolk eoun-
". In 1905 he had grant of land in
Norfolk county. after which he died
interstate, and 1t Is supposed was sur
vivsd only By his wife He may have
boon a brother OF tho fourth emigrant.
! who Is supposed to have been the an
cestor of tho present family In Virgil
MIA.
~ Third. William Hampton, of the Mid
dleseN Hampton family, who came to
Virginia In 1920 In the ship Bona Nova
at which time he was thlrty-four years
/, OF ago. In 1875 his wife. Joan IIamp-
Il ton, n ildfot1 7