John HERBERT, alias WILKINSON

- 1675

• Name	John HERBERT
  	During his first 24 years as a resident of Lower Norfolk County, Virginia Colony, John lived and married under the alias of "John Wilkinson". His reasons for using this false surname remain unknown. Speculation by some researchers that he was at odds with the government in England of that time, may be true, but have yet to be proven.
  Suffix	alias WILKINSON
  Gender	Male
  FSME	15 Dec 1645	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [1]
  	The date of John's arrival in the Virginia Colony is unknown. A "John Wilkinson" is among the 21 individuals listed as headrights on a certificate of entitlement for 1050 acres of property granted to Deborah Glascock, widow, by the Lower Norfolk County Court on 15 December 1645. While this is the first mention of John in extant Lower Norfolk County records, it tells us only that he was in the Colony before 15 December 1645. Headrights were often bartered and held for extended periods prior to their presentation to courts in the Virginia Colony where they would be exchanged for certificates of entitlement that would then be turned in for land patents.
  witness	17 Dec 1649	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [2]
  	On 17 December 1649, John witnessed a Lower Norfolk County deed between Richard Yates and Thomas Horne. He signed the deed with his alias, "John Wilkinson".
  land patent	15 Jul 1654	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [3]
  	On 15 July 1654 John was assigned a patent for 350 acres in Lower Norfolk County by ffrancis Emperor. This transfer was recorded on 15 October 1654.
  anecdote	16 Feb 1662/1663	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [4]
  	John was presented to the Court of Lower Norfolk County on 16 February 1662/3 for refusing to have his children baptized in the Anglican Church. He was still using the alias "Wilkinson" as his surname at that time of this court appearance.
  land patent	11 Mar 1664/1665	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [5]
  	On 11 March 1664/5, John patented 700 acres in Lower Norfolk County. 350 acres of the 700 were a renewal of a patent dated 1 October 1661 [no longer extant]. The balance of the acreage was due for the transportation of seven people. Both of these patents were in the name of "John Wilkinson". There is a marginal note on the page in the patent book that reads: "This pattent made in Wilkensons name now made in Herberts being his true name he haveing assumed the name of Wilkenson falsly."
  land patent	21 Jul 1669	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [6]
  	John patented 1227 acres in Lower Norfolk County on 21 July 1669. This patent was comprised of renewals of his 1661 and 1664/5 patents of 350 acres each and for an additional 527 acres due for the transportation of 11 persons. This is the first instance in extant Lower Norfolk County records that John used his actual name: "John Herbert".
  Will	15 Jan 1669/1670	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [7]
  	John's will began by stating that he was "in perfect health and now bound out of this Country and nott knowing how It may please God to dispose of me"...... His wife Mary was appointed as executrix. His signature and seal were witnessed by Francis Sayer and Mary Williams.
  Death	c. 1675
  Will proved	16 Apr 1675	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [7]
  	The will was proved in Lower Norfolk County Court by the oath of Major Francis Sayer on 16 April 1675. On 15 June 1675, Mary Jones, née Williams, stated under oath that she had affixed her name to the document as a witness, but did not know whether or not John Herbert had actually signed the testament.
  ESDI	20 Jun 1682	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [8]
  	On 19 June 1682, the property of John Herbert, Sr. was divided as directed by his will dated 15 January 1669/70. This division was recorded by the Court of Lower Norfolk County on 15 August 1691. John's wife Mary had already died, as she was not named in the division. The couple's eldest son, John, Jr. had also passed, his orphans being awarded his portion. The remaining two thirds of the land was evenly divided between Mary Bennett Herbert's sons, Richard Herbert and Thomas Willoughby, as had been directed by John, Sr's will 12 years before.
  Person ID	I566	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family	Mary BENNETT,   b. c. 1631, England d. Between Jul 1672 and 20 Jun 1682 (Age 41 years)
  Marriage	Between 10 Jan 1655/6 and 15 Nov 1656  [9, 10, 11]
  	The couple was married after 10 January 1655/6, the date on which Mary was free of her indenture to Capt. Thomas Willoughby, but before 15 November 1656, when she was deposed in Lower Norfolk County Court as "Mary Wilkinson."
  Notes	When Mary Bennett married John Herbert alias Wilkinson, Mary's illegitimate son Thomas Willoughby was taken into his step-father's home and treated as an equal with his half-brothers.
  Children	1. John HERBERT,   b. c. 1657, Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony d. 1679 (Age 22 years)   2. Richard HERBERT,   b. Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony d. c. 1693
  Family ID	F21	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)), Book B, p. 14 [f. 16]. [S4864] Richard Yates to Thomas Horne, deed (1652), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds "C", f. 30a. [S4684] ffrancis Emperor to John Wilkinson, patent assignment (1654), Norfolk Co VA Wills & Deeds "C", f. 101a. [S202] Edward Wilson James, editor, James, The Lower Norfolk County Virginia Antiquary, ((1895 - 1906, Rpt. New York: P. Smith, 1951)). Vol. 4, part 1, p. 33. [S4635] John Wilkenson, Virginia land patent, 11 Mar 1664/5. [S2316] John Herbert, Virginia land patent, 21 July 1669. [S4440] John Herbert will (1675), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds Book "E", f.184a. [S2317] John Herbert division of property (1691), Norfolk Co, VA Deed Book 5, Pt. 2 (Orders), ff. 160-160a. [S2319] Mary Bennett purchase of freedom (1654), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds "C", f. 117a. [S4395] Mary Tucker deposition (1694), Norfolk Co, VA Deed Book 5, f. 231. [S4733] Mary Wilkinson deposition (1656), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds Book "D", f. 38.