Person Page

     George Hanks married Elizabeth Dale in Virginia. Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas Dale and Alse Dodson.¹ George Hanks was born before 1760 in Richmond County, Virginia.¹ He was the son of John Hanks Jr and Susannah Hanks.¹ George Hanks died in 1824 in Woodford County, Kentucky.¹

     Elizabeth Dale married George Hanks, son of John Hanks Jr and Susannah Hanks, in Virginia. Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas Dale and Alse Dodson.¹ Elizabeth Dale was born on 6 January 1758 in Richland County, Virginia.¹

     John Hanks was born on 20 October 1765 in Richmond County, Virginia.¹ He was the son of John Hanks Jr and Susannah Hanks.¹

     Elijah Hanks married Winnie Dale in Virginia. Winnie was the daughter of Thomas Dale and Alse Dodson.¹ Elijah Hanks was born on 19 October 1766 in Richmond County, Virginia.¹ He was the son of John Hanks Jr and Susannah Hanks.¹ Elijah Hanks died in 1821 in New Orleans, Orleans County, Louisiana. He was 54 years old. According to the Hanks Family of Virginia, he had taken a flatboat load to New Orleans and was robbed and killed there.²

     Winnie Dale married Elijah Hanks, son of John Hanks Jr and Susannah Hanks, in Virginia. Winnie was the daughter of Thomas Dale and Alse Dodson.¹ Winnie Dale was born on 17 September 1752 in Richmond County, Virginia.¹

     Catharine Hanks married John Hanks, son of William Hanks I and Sarah Woodbridge or Byrd, circa 1712.^1,2 Catharine Hanks died between 1778 and 1779 in Richmond County, Virginia.^3,4
     
John and Catharine had ten children including Joseph and John, all born in Richmond County, Virginia. They were William b. 8 March 1715, d. after 1782 in Lancaster County, Virginia; Eleanor b. 18 March 1717, d. after 1782; Elizabeth b. 18 October 1720, d. after Feb 1788 and bef 1 December 1788; Sarah, b. 7 April 1723, d. before 1782; Catharine, b. 4 October 1723, prematurely died as infant; Catharine, b. 20 December 1725, twin of Joseph, died a spinster after 1782; Thomas b. 1 July 1732, d. after 1784; and Alexander b. 2 December 1734, d. 16 September 1776 at 41 years of age. He was a private in Capt. Burges Ball's Company of the 5th Virginia Regiment of Foot under the command of Lt. Col. Josiah Parker when he died.^2,5

John Hanks and Catherine Hanks are shown in 1717 to be ordered by Sheriff a summons to the next Court with a group of others "for not going to Church for one month past last." In 1737 there is a summons to Court of John Hanks to "show cause why their children should not be bound out according to Law." And in August 1740 [perhaps at or around the time John died] the Court ordered that the Sheriff summon to Court Catherine Hanks to show cause why her children should not be bound out by the church wardens as the law directs...."⁶

     William Hanks I was born circa 1650 in Virginia.¹ He was the son of Thomas Hanks and Elizabeth.² William married Sarah Woodbridge or Byrd before 1679.^3,4 William died before 7 February 1704 in Indian Town Branch, North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.^5,1
     
William, known as "The Carpenter," was a farmer and cooper, and also "in business." He was prosperous in business, acquired many farmland holdings and, therefore, had amassed a large estate by the time of his death.⁶

The family lived at the corner of where the Virginia counties of Richmond, Lancaster, and Northumberland intersected. With "no record in the Grantee book of the first land he owned, it's probable he inherited it by primogeniture."³

William Hanks I's estate was probated on 2 May 1705 in Virginia. The estate was divided into four equal parts going to Sarah and the three sons, William, Luke and John. Among other things, "William received the carpenter and cooper tools; Luke received two looking glasses and a case of pistols; and John received much cloth, including 'penniston,' a coarse suiting used by foresters, as well as a set of wedges." Baber wrote that this obviously showed "Luke and John were woodsmen and felled the trees and their elder brother William worked them up into lumber and houses."⁷

     Sarah married William Hanks I, son of Thomas Hanks and Elizabeth, before 1679.^3,4 Sarah married Richard White between 2 May 1705 and 20 November 1705.⁵
     
The family lived at the corner of where the Virginia counties of Richmond, Lancaster, and Northumberland intersected. With "no record in the Grantee book of the first land he owned, it's probable he inherited it by primogeniture."³

William Hanks I's estate was probated on 2 May 1705 in Virginia. The estate was divided into four equal parts going to Sarah and the three sons, William, Luke and John. Among other things, "William received the carpenter and cooper tools; Luke received two looking glasses and a case of pistols; and John received much cloth, including 'penniston,' a coarse suiting used by foresters, as well as a set of wedges." Baber wrote that this obviously showed "Luke and John were woodsmen and felled the trees and their elder brother William worked them up into lumber and houses."⁶

     Thomas Hanks was born before 1630.¹ He married Elizabeth before 1650.^2,3 Thomas Hanks died after 8 April 1674 in Gloucester County, Virginia.^4,1
     
The Hanks family started settling the Colony of Virginia in the early 1600s with a John Hanks who patented land in Jamestown early on, appearing in the first Patent Book of the Colony of Virginia. The early records show the many ways the name Hanks was spelled: Hanckes, Hanks, Hanck, Hanc, Hank, Hawks and Huck. Supposedly the spellings of Hank and Hawks are entirely different families and not Hanks!

It doesn't appear to be known if there was a direct relationship between John Hanks and Thomas Hanks. For our purposes, Thomas is considered to be the Immigrant ancestor of the Hanks family in America, possibly born in England, and first showing up himself in the patent records of Colonial Virginia in 1653.⁵

Records show that "Thomas Hanckes himself purchased certificates or received them for the transportation of two people, and on 16th day of February 1653 received a patent for 'One hundred acres of land Situate in Gloucseter County in the Woods upon the North East Side of a Swamp upon the South East Side of Mattapony River.⁶' "

Within a couple of years, about 1655 and over the next ten years, Thomas patented and became the owner of "at least 2,000 acres of timberland in Gloucester and New Kent Cos. He last leased 800 acres from Abraham Moone on Moraticon Creek and in the Northern Neck area where the three counties of Richmond, Lancaster and Northumberland now meet." At that time there were no probate records or land grants so it's unknown what became of that land. It is thought that the land may have been confiscated during the Bacon Rebellion in 1676 -- there had been fighting between Bacon's followers and Governor Berkeley's supporters in that area on July 10, 1676 with several houses being burned.⁷

Besides son William, Thomas and Elizabeth had three more children: George born circa 1700 and about whom nothing further is known; Peter who married Mary Beez in 1702, who may or may not have been a son, although most probably he was; and Robert born 15 August 1661, who also may or may not have been a son but was certainly a kinsman living with them.^4,1

     Elizabeth married Thomas Hanks before 1650.^2,3
     
Besides son William, Thomas and Elizabeth had three more children: George born circa 1700 and about whom nothing further is known; Peter who married Mary Beez in 1702, who may or may not have been a son, although most probably he was; and Robert born 15 August 1661, who also may or may not have been a son but was certainly a kinsman living with them.^4,5