The Family of John Biggs & Johannah Sawyer
Son of Richard Bigge
Page by Coyle WhittenMercer Family Research by Don W Mercer 1985
Born: abt 1620 in Southampton, Hampshire, England Father : Richard BiggeMother : Married :Died : 1697Spouse : Johannah Sawyer ( Sayer )Born : Died : 1675Father : Mother : Children Of John Biggs & Johannah Sayer
Don Mercer Data Holli Kees Data
1. Thomas Bigg abt 1648 3. Thomas BiggsBorn : 1648/9 b: Bet. 1648 - 1649 EnglandSpouse : Mary abt 1656 d: 17 May 1696 Norfolk Co., Va. Children of Thomas Bigg abt 1648 & Mary abt 1656 Spouse : Mary Brown b: 1656 1. John Biggs2. James Biggs probably son James Biggs of Currituck County , North Carolina3. William Biggs possibly son of Bertie County North Carolina2. Ann Biggs 1651 1. Ann Biggs Born : c 1650/51 b: 1644 EnglandMarried #1 : Richard Batchelor d: Oct 1712 Chowan/Terrell Co., Nc.Married #2 : Charles Shaw Married #3 : James PfewoxChildren of Ann Bigge 1651 & Richard Batchelor1. John Batchelor2. Joseph Batchelor3. Edward Batchelor4. Richard Batchelor5. Alice Batchelor6. Edy Batchelor3. John Biggs b. abt 1654 2. John Biggs , Jr,Born : c 1654 b: 1645 EnglandDied : August 1704 in Princess Ann County , Virginia d: Aug 1704 Princess Anne Co., Va.Married :. the Widow Ellinor Reaven Children of John Bigg & Ellinor Reaven1. Jabez Biggs2. Elinor Biggs.4. Johannah Biggs b. abt 1654 4. Johannah Biggs Born : c 1653-54 b: 1653 Norfolk Co., Va.Married : 1 Edward Hassell , 2 Matthew Casewell d: May 1694 Norfolk Co., Va.Children of Johannah Biggs 1654 & Edward Hassell1. John HassoldChildren of Johannah Biggs 1654 & Matthew Casewell2. Martha Casewell3. Francis Casewell4. William Casewell5. Jabez Casewell6. Jeane Casewell7. Matthew CasewellBorn : 1655 in Norfolk Co. Va b: 1655 Norfolk Co., Va. Died : Sept 15, 1727 in Lower Norfolk County , Va d: 1718 Norfolk Co., Va.Married : abt 1671 in London EnglandSpouse : Thomas Mercer 1646Children of Katherine Biggs 1655 & Thomas Mercer 16461. Mary Mercer2. Christopher Mercer3. Joseph Mercer4. Thomas Mercer5. John Mercer, Jr.6. Elizabeth Biggs abt 1658 5. Elizabeth BiggsBorn : c 1657-58 b: Bet. 1657 - 1658 Norfolk Co., Va.Married : George Whitby d: 02 Mar 1717/18 Pasquotank Co., Nc.Children of Elizabeth Biggs abt 1658 & George Whitby1. George Whitby2. John Whitby3. Nathaniel Whitby4. Ruth Whitby5. possible others.7. Jane Biggs abt 1660 7. Jane BiggsBorn : c 1659-60 b: Bet. 1659 - 1660 Norfolk Co., Va.Married : Walter SikesChildren of Jane Biggs abt 1660 & Walter Sikes1. James Sikes2. William Sikes3. Joseph Sikes4. Costin Sikes5. John Sikes6. Thomas Sikes7. Walter Sikes, Jr. 8. Elizabeth Sikes9. Ruth Sikes10. Jane Sikes8. Jabez Biggs abt 1663 8. Jabez BiggsBorn : c 1662-65 b: Abt. 1662 Norfolk Co., Va.Died : 1693 d: 1692 Norfolk Co., Va.Unmarried in 16939. Pheobe Biggs aft 1663 10. Pheobe BiggsBorn : c 1665-70 b: Bet. 1665 - 1670 Norfolk Co. Va.Married : Henry Foster who Died 1708 Norfolk County, Virginia. d: 15 Sep 1708 Norfolk Co. Va.10. Dorothy Biggs aft 1663Born : c 1665-70 9. Dorothy BiggsMarried : John Jennett b: Abt. 1665 Norfolk Co., Va.Children of Dorothy Biggs aft 1663 & John Jennett1. William2. John3. Jabez4. Elizabeth5. Dorothy6. Jean Jennett.Mercer Family Research by Don W. Mercer 1985 page 12
John Biggs Family c 1620 -1697
John Biggs , ( Bigg, Bigge ) of Norfolk County , Virginia was probably born in Southampton, Hampshire, England around the year 1620, came to Virginia about the year 1645 , and died in Norfolk County, Virginia in 1697. The first mention of him in the Norfolk County, Virginia records is on February 1, 1648/49 when he signified his intent of going to England (Norfolk County, Virginia B , page 107), indicating that he was living in Virginia. It is possible that he was returning to England to get his wife and eldest son , John, for on January 17, 1652/53 the Norfolk County, Virginia court gave him a certificate for 100 acres for the importation of Johan Bigge and Joseph Hutt, and on April 15, 1653 he was certified for another 100 acres for importing Ma-- Shurlocke and John Biggs , Jr. (Norfolk County, Virginia Book C page 34 & 44 ) . John Biggs wife was named Johannah as indicated by the fact that they had a daughter Johanna mentioned below. He seams to have turned the first certificate above over to Thomas Sawyer, for the latter was granted 400 acres in Norfolk County, Virginia in March, 1653/54 for the importation of John Bigg, among others ( Nugent " Cavaliers and Pioneers" page 275 ) . John Bigg was claimed as an importee by Thomas White and Peter Sexton for a grant the same date ( Nugent, page 247). He was himself granted 200 acres in Norfolk County, Virginia , August 20, 1665 and 450 acres April 28, 1665 (Nugent page 311 and 446) and had a large grant of 1200 acres , probably including some of the preceding land on April 21, 1690 as John Biggs , Sr. ( Virginia Patent book No. 8 , page 34)
John Biggs was undersheriff of Norfolk County, Virginia in 1658 when Christopher Bustia and several other men critized him for what they called oppressive actions against them on June 15, 1668 (Norfolk County, Virginia Book D , page 150 & 156), but he continued to serve throughout the year (same Norfolk County, Virginia Book D ,page 171 & 179 ). ON October 17, 1659 he is mentioned as "late undersheriff" ( Norfolk County, Virginia Book D, page 228). The Quakers were much persecuted in Norfolk County, Virginia in the 1660's and 1670's , and sometime during this period John Biggs obviously became a Quaker, for on June 16, 1675 John Edwards informs against John Biggs for not baptizing his children and he is fined 2000 pounds of tobacco; Francis Sayer , a neighbor and a relative , also testified on February 16, 1675/76 that he never heard that John Biggs had christened his last child, though there was a minister in the Parish most of the time; and the court ordered John Biggs between that date and May 12 to take his children that were not baptized to some lawful minister, have the rite performed, and produce a certificate to the court or be fined. That Mr. John Biggs was a Quaker , and not a Baptist , is shown by the fact that on February 15, 1675/76 John Biggs "declares", but will not depose (i.e., will affirm but not swear ) that John Porter made his will and he was ordered to be put in prison until he made the the deposition; however , Mary Porter was granted probate on the will by the deposition of other witness, Richard Hartwell. The above references are from Norfolk County, Virginia Order Book , 1675-86 which was unpaginated. Order Book , 1665-75 shows that on August 16, 1669 John Biggs was Surveyor of the highways for the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River page 38-A, and he was again Surveyor February 18, 1672/3 page 89 . On March 15 ,1681 John Biggs was named constable for the southern Branch (Order Book 1675-86, but it appears though this was probably John Biggs , Jr. not John Biggs ,Sr. as younger men were usually appointed Constable. Whether John Biggs ,Sr. left the Quakers or not is uncertain. A reference from Book 5 page 2, Orders 1686-95 which is also unpaginated, mentions on September 18, 1688 " Mr. Butt and Mr. Biggs preside presumably as Justices ( the Mr.Butt referred to was Thomas Butt , positively a Justice and later a Burgess).
Mercer Family Research by Don W. Mercer 1985 page 13
John Biggs c 1620 - 1697 continued
The last mention of Johannah Biggs in the records was on May 11, 1675, when William Goulson sued John Biggs and his wife , the case being dismissed Book E part 2, Orders 1665-75, page 128 . Thomas Biggs , their son had sued Goulson on the preceding day, May 10 page 127 A . Johanna died some time between this date and 1694 , when John Biggs, Sr. wrote his will. The Will of John Biggs dated September 4, 1694, and probated in Norfolk County, Virginia March 15, 1696/7 Book 6 page 77 , leaves to his son John Biggs all the estate and the land, including " the land George Whidby lives on and the land my son Jabez held by patent dated April 23, 1688 ; if John died without issue , it is to go to the grandson George Whidby, and if he dies "to the rest of my daughter Elizabeth's children ;" and if they all die , "to my daughter Katherine Mercer's children; " 12 pence or 1 shilling to son Thomas Biggs and Daughters Ann Faux, Katherine Mercer, Elizabeth Whidby, Jean Sikes, Pheobe Biggs and Dorothy Biggs; to son-in-law Matthew Casewell and grandchildren John Hassold and Martha, Francis, William, Jabez, Jean and Matthew Casewell, 1 shilling sterling to each. This will is remarkable for the number of witnesses: John Portlock, Thomas Nash, Thomas Etheredge, Joseph Hodges, William Maund, William Etheredge, Rebecca Hodges, "and many others."
Issue of John Biggs ,Sr. and his wife Johanna Sawyer (Sayer) Biggs :
1. John Biggs , Born : c 1645 d August 1704 in Princess Ann County , Virginia Married :. the Widow Ellinor Reaven and had issue Jabez and Elinor Biggs.
2. Thomas Biggs Born : 1648/9 (deposition May 17, 1696/7), aged 48, along with his wife Mary, aged 40, Norfolk County, Virginia Book 8, page 88 and had issue John Biggs and probably son James Biggs of Currituck County , North Carolina and possibly William Biggs of Bertie County North Carolina. There is not a will in Norfolk County, Virginia for Thomas Biggs as there was a fire c 1708.
3. Ann Biggs Born : c 1650/51 Married : Richard Batchelor, Married : 2 Charles Shaw , Married : 3 James Pfewox. Issue John, Joseph, Edward , Richard, Alice and Edy Batchelor.
4. Johannah Biggs Born : c 1653-54 Married : 1 Edward Hassell , 2 Matthew Casewell.
issue : John Hassold and Martha, Francis, William, Jabez , Jeane and Matthew Casewell
5. Katherine Biggs Born : c 1655/56 Married : Thomas Mercer 1646 and had issue Mary, Christopher, Joseph, Thomas, and John Mercer, Jr.
6. Elizabeth Biggs Born : c 1657-58 Married : George Whitby. Issue George , John, Nathaniel and daughter Ruth and possible others.
7. Jane Biggs Born : c 1659-60 Married : Walter Sikes. Issue : James, William, Joseph, Costin, John, Thomas, Walter Sikes, Jr. , Elizabeth, Ruth, and Jane Sikes.
8. Jabez Biggs Born : c 1662-65 , died unmarried in 1693. His Will as " Jabez Bigg " dated September 18, 1691 , probated January 17, 1692-93 by Elizabeth Whidby ( Norfolk County, Virginia Book 5, page 188), leaves all his property to his father John Bigg, Sr. ; Thomas Mercer, George Whidby, John Jennett, Dorothy Bigg.
9.Pheobe Biggs Born : c 1665-70 and appears from the records to have Married : Henry Foster who Died 1708 Norfolk County, Virginia.
10. Dorothy Biggs Born : c 1665-70 Married : John Jennett and had issue : William, John, Jabez, Elizabeth, Dorothy, and Jean Jennett.
Note: Don Mercer States "The order of the above children is from John Biggs, Sr.'s Will and the approximate dates from the Will and other records, but the dates are subject to correction. Don Mercer "
