Newman Virginia Roots

Thomas Newman was the son of Thomas Newman and Bridget Willson. I estimate he was born about 1686. We believe Thomas and Bridget died very young because several of Bridget’s siblings financially cared for her children and mentioned them in their wills. Bridget’s brother, John Willson, stated in his will of 1707, that he wanted his estate to pay for two years of Thomas’s schooling. This is the last and only reference I can find for this Thomas. I do not know if he moved away for schooling, or if he even lived long enough to have his education paid for. See: John Willson’s will. Richmond County, Virginia: Will book 2, page 1.

Thomas’s two uncles Henry Willson and James Willson were each willed one year of schooling by their father’s will, but Thomas is willed two years. Thomas was age 21 in 1707 when the will was written, which means this was more than learning reading and writing. I’ve been pondering what schooling there was on the frontier in this very early colonial time period. “Two years of schooling” probably meant higher education for occupations such as surveyor, lawyer, doctor or clergyman.