Newman Virginia Roots

Ann, the wife of Elias Newman

Written by Julie, latest revision 15 Feb 2023

Our first reference to Ann, by name, is in her husband, Elias Newman’s will in 1750. We are fairly certain that she was Elias’ second wife, because Elias’ granddaughter, Ann Newman, married his son, George. This type of avuncular marriage would only be legal if they were half-uncle and half-niece. That would mean that James (Ann Newman’s father) must have a different mother than George. There appears to be a gap between John & Mary Ann’ births and we expect that is when Elias and Ann married. According to the DAR bible record of Elias’ children’s births that is bandied about the internet, his daughter, Mary Ann, was born 8 Aug 1742. By 1751, Henry Motley and Ann, his wife (named as executrix of Elias Newman dec’d) are sued in court for Alexander’s portion of his father’s estate.

date parameter’s for Ann’s names:

• Ann with her maiden name until about 1741.
• Ann with the surname Newman from about 1742-1750.
• Ann with the surname Motley from 1750-1784.

We’ve studied many wills, looking for someone referencing a daughter named Ann, as well as the possibility of Ann being a nickname for Hannah or Nancy.

Ann’s maiden name:

1. …can’t be Ann Mosley, that’s an assumption from Edward Moseley giving the land to Elias Newman.We have not found the name Ann Moseley in any records.
2. …can’t be Ann Griffin, she’s married to Tarpley when William Newman was born.
3. …can’t be the daughter of Nathaniel ____ . In his will she is Anna Noel.
4. …can’t be Ann Morton, daughter of Thomas Batchellor. She’s married in Orange while Ann Newman is married to Elias Newman. 
5. …can’t be Ann Brooks daughter of William Brooks. That Ann was in school the year William was born and while Ann was married to Elias Newman.
6. …can’t be Ann Goode, daughter of William Jones.
7. …can’t be the daughter of Thomas Waring. That Ann was born too late to be my Ann, because William was born 1744.
8. …can’t be the Ann married to John Bates. John Bates died September 1746. Anne’s son William Newman was born October 1744.
9. …can’t be Anna Fogg married Cornelius Noel. In 1750 she is Anna Fogg. 
10. …can’t be Ann Marks married to George Newman. Her father only mentions a grandchild named Jane.
11. …can’t be Anne Willson- I forgot why we ruled her out, but I think it was because she would’ve been too old when William was born.
12. …can’t be Ann Moss, she would have been too old to be William’s mother.
13. …can’t be Ann Short, daughter of Thomas Short. She was Ann Golding in 1740.
14. …can’t be Ann Morgan. She would have only been age 14 when William was born, based on when her mother married, which we have from estate of her father.