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From: Barb Clark <>
Subject: [YOUMANS] Sir John Yeamans
Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 14:49:16 -0400


I've been reading with interest the messages regarding Sir John Yeamans
and since I have a copy of the book by Grant S. Youmans, "The
Yeamans-Yeomans-Youmans Genealogy" thought that I would check it. Here
is the chapter regarding Sir John.

SIR JOHN YEOMANS - Generation One

Sir John Yeamans, Immigrant, was born about 1610 in or near Bristol,
England. The parish record at St. Mary's Redcliffe, Bristol, shows that
he was baptized there on 28 Feb. 1611.
Sir John Yeamans was the son of John Yeamans, brewer of Bristol,
England, who died in 1645, and of Blanche Germain who died in 1647.
Both parents were buried in the church parish of Redcliffe. (History of
Antigua by Vere L. Oliver, vol. 1-2-3)
The parentage of Sir John Yeamans is definitely proven by the
provisions of the wills of his parents, of the will of his brother, Sir
Robert Yeamans, and by his own will.
Extracts of the four wills, proving the relationship, follow:

THE WILL OF SIR JOHN'S FATHER
The will of John Yeamans of Bristol, brewer, dated 12th June, 1645.
To the poor of Redcliffe: 10 pounds
To sons-in-law, James Mathon, Thomas Warren, John Woory, John Pope, and
John Tomlinson, with their wives: 40 pounds apiece.
To his sons, George, John Wiliam, Robert, and Richard: 40 pounds
apiece.
To his son, Joseph: 200 pounds.
Brewhouse, etc. in Redcliffe, to his wife, Blanche, for life: then to
his son, Joseph.
Tenement, etc., to his wife for life: then to his son, Joseph.
To Edward, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, Alice, Walter, John, and Thomas,
children of his brother, Edward, deceased: 5 pounds apiece.
To kinsman, Francis Yeamans, forgiveness of all debts.
Appoints his wife sole executrix; and his brothers, John and William,
overseers, to whom he leaves 40/- apiece.
To son-in-law, Peter Wiley: 40/-~.
To servants, John Hall and John Butler: 40/~ apiece.
Witnesses: Francis Yeamans, John Woory, John Pope
Signed: John Yeamans
Proved at Bristol, 7 Nov. 1645. (Record of Wills, proven in Bristol,
England)

THE WILL OF SIR JOHN'S MOTHER

The will of Blanche Yeamans, of Bristol, dated 30th of April, 1647.
Registered P.C.C.
To the poor of the parish of Redcliffe, 20 pounds.
To the poor of the parish of St. Thomas, 3 pounds.
To my kinsman, Phillip Bonfield, 5 pounds.
To the five children of James McAlton, 10 pounds.
To my kinsman, Francis Yeamans, 10 pounds.
To his sisters, Sarah Rider and Elizabeth Owen, 40/- apiece.
Executors, son Robert Yeamans, and son-in-law, John Pope, John Woory
and Peter Wiley, 5 pounds apiece for payment.
to sons, George, John, Robert, Joseph and Richard, 200 pounds apiece.
To my son William 100 pounds (in regard has had lately a good sum of
money from me).
To daughters, Elizabeth Warren, Mary Mathon, Anne Marvin, Deborah
Woory, Sarah Pope, Martha Tomlinson, and Johana Wiley, 200 pounds
apiece.
To granddaughter, Mary Mathon, 100 pounds.
To the poor of the ..........parish of Bristol, 6 pounds.
Rest of the estate to be divided equally among the thirteen children.
Witnesses: Francis Yeamans, notary public, Robert Reade, Ralph Donnet,
Elizabeth Slarr.
Signed: Blanche Yeamans (Record of Prerogative Court, Canterbury,
England)

SIR JOHN AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS

I.John, bapt. 28 Feb. 1611. (Subject of this sketch) (Dictionary of
National Biography, vol. 63, p.307)
II.Deborah, married John Woory and had a son, Samuel Woory who came to
Virginia and is mentioned in the will of Sir John as his nephew.
Another son, Joseph Woory, lived and died in the Isle of Wight County,
Virginia, and was justice of the county. He was a merchant and Sir John
on 27 Sept. 1666 appoints "my friend and nephew Joseph Woory, merchant,
to recover of James Powell". He died in 1694. (William and Mary
Quarterly Magazine, vol.7 pp 212-248)
III.Joseph, probably born about 1615. Occ. brewer. He had three sons,
Johm, who was a brewer, Robert and George. They are mentioned in the
will of his brother, Robert. He died before 1686.
IV.Robert, bapt. 19 Apr 1617. Lived at Redlands, near Bristol, county
of Gloucestershire, appears to have suffered imprisonment for the Royal
Cause during the Commonwealth. (Extracts from "Complete Baronetage"
edited by G. E. C. Society of Genealogy, London, England, 1665-1707,
vol.4) Was knighted 7 Sept. 1663, and was created a baronet 31 Dec.
1666. (Le Neve's Pedigrees of the Knights, Harleian Society, vol. 8,
p.256) He was mayor of Bristol in 1669. He married (1).....who was
buried in St. Mary's Redliffe. He married (2) Abigail, one of these two
wives being possibly a daughter of Sir Edward Stafford of Bradfield,
Berks. Robert died and was buried 7 Feb. 1686-7 at St. Mary's when the
Baronetcy became extinct.
"A proof of the loyalty of Sir Robert Yeamans, and withal of his
sufferings for his steady zeal, is a certificate and attestation under
the hands of twenty-five of the common council of Bristol, touching his
adherence to, and imprisonment for His Majesty's service before, and his
loyalty after, the restoration."
How great a friend this gentleman was to the Royal Cause, appears from
a letter of thanks, now extant in the family, for his services, from
King Charles II, under his hand and signet, in the following words:
"I have received a full assurance from the person who will deliver this
letter to you, of your affection to my service, and of your readiness to
engage yourself in it, that I cannot but return my hearty thanks, and
assure you, that if it shall please God to bless me, you shall find that
I have a just sense of what you ahve done, and shall do for me, and that
I will reward the fame to my power, and will always be,
Your affectionate friend
Charles R.
Bruxelles, this 13th of Jan. 1660.
Marked on the outside with a Y."

THE WILL OF SIR JOHN'S BROTHER

Will of Sir Robert Yeamans of Redland, county of Gloucester, Knight and
Baronet, 24 Jan. 1686, proved 11 May 1687.
To be buried in the parish church of St. Mary Redcliffe within the
suburbs of the city of Bristol, as near my first wife as may be. To the
poor of Westbury super Tyrm, Gloucestershire. To my wife Abigail all my
messuages etc., in the county of Gloucester for and during the term of
her natural life. And after her decease, I give to my kinsman Robert
Stafford, Esq., the tenement or farm in Redland, now in possession of
Joyce Beavin, which I purchased of Ralph Sadler, Esq., deceased. Other
messuages to kinsman Robert Yeamans, now resident in the Island of
Barbados, son of my late brother, Sir John Yeamans, deceased, with the
remainder to John Yeamans of Bristol, brewer, eldest son of my brother
Joseph Yeamans deceased, next to Robert, second son of said Joseph, then
to George, the third son, then to my right heirs forever. My wife, Dame
Abigail Yeamans to be sole executrix. (New England Historical and
Genealogical Register, vol. 43, p. 163)

V.Elizabeth, married Thomas Warren
VI.George.
VII.Mary, married James Mathon, had a daughter, Mary.
VIII.Anne, married.....Marvin.
IX.Richard.
X.William.
XI.Sarah, married John Pope.
XII.Martha, married John Tomlinson.
XIII.Johana, married Peter Wiley.

SIR JOHN'S OWN WILL

Extracts of the will of Sir John Yeamans. The complete will can be
found on pages 2-7 of Registers Record Book for the years 1675-96,
Office of Historical Commission, Columbia, South Carolina.
Will dated 20th May 1671.
I will that all debts owed by me be paid by my executor.
To my dear wife, the Lady Margaret Yeamans, 30,000 lbs. of Muscavados
sugar annually from the day of my death, during her natural life.
To my wife, entire use of house wherein I now dwell together with
furniture, plate and linens, etc. during her life.
To my wife, negroes, old Hannah and her three children with all the
negroes Lieut-Col. Berringer died possessed of, also with all the
increase.
My will is that she is to have the custody of all my children unmarried
and under the age of 21 years.
To my daughter, Willoughby 120,000 lbs. of Muscavados sugar.
To my son, Robert, 200,000 lbs. of Muscavados sugar.
To my daughter, Anne 120,000 lbs. of good Muscavados sugar.
To my sons, George and Edward each of them 150,000 lbs. of good
Muscavados sugar.
To my wife's daughter, Margaret forever 17,000 lbs of Muscavados sugar.
To my wife's son, Jehu 40,000 lbs of sugar.
To my daughter, Mrs. Frances Hackett, now wife of Robert Hackett,
20,000 lbs. of sugar.
To my sife's daughter, Mrs. Ma..... Maycock, 5,000 lbs. of sugar.
To my wifes, son, Symon, the choise of my horses for his own use.
To my nephew, Samuel Worry, 20,000 lbs. of sugar.
I make my son, William, my whole and sole executor and bequeath unto
him all my estates, real and personal undisposed of in this my will,
with all reversions and remainders to him and to his heirs.
Test: Will Brown, Thomas Bamfield, Nicholas Carteret.
Signed: John Yeamans (Record of Wills, Office of Historical
Commission, Columbia, South Carolina)

By His Excellancy.
Mr. William Browne this day personally appeared before me and made oath
on the Holy Evangelists that he did see Sir John Yeamans, Bart., sign,
seal and publish this will as his last will and testament, and that he
was at the doing thereof of sound and disposing memory to the best of
this deponents knowledge, given under my hand the 1st day of December,
1674.
Signed: Jonathan Attikins
A true copy attested the 15th day of June, 1675. (South Carolina
Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vols. 10-11, p.115)

These foregoing four wills, made by John Yeamans and Blanche (Germain)
Yeamans, parents of Sir John and Sir Robert, and by the sons themselves,
conclusively disprove the mistaken and erroneous claim of Sir Edward
Burke in his "Complete Baronetage, 1851," in which work Sir Edward Burke
credits Robert Yeamans, the loyalist, who was executed in 1643 at
Bristol, as being the father of Sir John Yeamans and of Sir Robert
Yeamans.
Sir John Yeamans married first .... Limp, and secondly, on 11 Apr 1661,
in Barbados, Margaret Foster Berringer, the widow of Col. Benjamin
Berringer.
Sir John Yeamans was a Colonel in the Royalist Army in England, and
about 1650 migrated to Barbados, West Indies, and became a planter. He
was probably married first in England and his oldest son was of this
marriage and probably some of the other children. He settled in St.
Thomas parish in Barbados and in 1660-65 was a member of the Council.
During the absence of Lord Willoughby fronm Barbados, he with Henry and
William Willoughby were made Governors. He withdrew from the Council in
Barbados in 1667. The father of his wife, Margaret Berringer was Rev.
John Foster. By her first marriage, she had four children; Mary, who
married Thomas Maycock, Symon, Jehu and Margaret, who married James
Moore and was born in 1660 after the death of her father, Benjamin
Berringer.
In the year 1663, a number of the planters of Barbados made
arrangements with the proprietors of Carolina to establish a colony at
Cape Fear. When he solicited a tract of land for establishing a
settlement, he was received with favor as a man of influence and energy.

"...These West Indian (Island of Barbados) colonists, headed by a
wealthy planter, Sir John Yeamans, established themselves (1664), to the
number of several hundred, on the Cape Fear, in the district which soon
came to be known as Clarendon."
"... Many Barbadians settled from time to time upon the mainland,
particularly in the Carolinas. We have seen that Sir John Yeamans, a
Barbados planter, led several hundred of his fellow-islanders thither
(1664), and founded a town on Cape Fear river." (Extract from the
"Colonials" 1492-1750 by Thwaites, Chapter 4, pp88-89 and Chapter 11,
pp236-237.)

They appointed Major John Yeamans governor in 1665 and the country was
called Clarendon. Together with their commission as governor, he had
had bestowed upon him from the king the title of baronet on 12 Jan
1664-65. He sailed from Barbados with his fleet, consisting of a
fly-boat of 150 tons, a small frigate, and a sloop in 9 October 1665.
At this time his won William was sent to England to sign concessions for
large tracts of land in Carolina.
At a meeting of the grand council on 14 Dec. 1671, Sir John Yeamans was
made a landgrave with four baronies annexed consisting of 12,000 acres
of land each "to be enjoyed with the title, by him and his heirs
forever."

"Sir John Yeamans, Bart., pursuant to the Lords Proprietors Commission
to him directed, dated 26 Dec. 1670, was proclaimed Governor of all this
territory or part of the Province of Carolina, that lies southward and
westward of Cape Carterett this 19 day of April 1672". (South Carolina
Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol.19-20, 21 pp 152-156.)

He became rich by trading in cedar logs and the skins of wild animals,
and his home which he built in Carolina was one of the first houses to
be erected there.

"Yeamans Hall was one of the first houses to be erected, the exact date
not being known, but certainly prior to 1680. Sir John Yeamans was born
in Bristol, England, and had been signally honored by the King. An
Englishman's house is his castle, even in America, and this residence
was surrounded by earth-works and the walls punctured by port-holes.
Provision was also made for a siege, for in the cellar is a deep well
providing sufficient water for a garrison and a passage from the cellar,
under the gardens, to the creek. Nothing was spared in the way of time,
labor and expense to make this commodious two-storied building, with
high, barricaded basement, firt for the Governor, who was an uncrowned
king in many respects. Artists were brought from across the seas to
paint landscapes on its walls, the arches were topped by gilded cherubs
with spread wing, the floors were tessalated, Gobelin tapestries adorned
the guest-room and statuary the halls. But alas, it was all in a
wilderness and no one could feel safe with Indians prowling outside. So
there was always a secret room and a secret stairway down to the
underground passage." (First Homes in Carolina, by Estelle Harris,
Daughters of American Revolution Magazine, October, 1928.)

What disposition was made by Sir John of this property does not appear
upon record. He makes no mention of it in his will as he acquired it
after the date of his will. It may have been disposed of during his
life or passed as undevised land to his eldest son,Sir William Yeamans.
In July 1671 he was chosen Speaker of the Council. He died between the
third and thirteenth of August 1674 in Carolina Province, probably upon
the plantation on Wapoo Creed. The will of Col. John Godfrey shows the
funeral to have been held in Carolina. His widow, Lady Margaret
Yeamans, later married William Walley, whether in Carolina or Barbados
is not known. (South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol.
10-11, pp.61-62.)

The known children of Sir John Yeamans were:
I.William, b. in 1643 or earlier, probably by the first wife. He was
Major in the Barbados Militia 1664-65. Member of Assembly, Barbados in
1666-1667-1674 and one of the eminent planters there, with 300 acres in
St. Peter's parish in 1673. He succeeded to the title in 1674. He died
before Sept. 1678. He married Willoughby, daughter of Sir James Brown,
Knt., and had issue.
II.Frances, married Robert Hackett. This daughter was married at the
time her father made his will in 1671. She was quite probably a child
of the first wife. Had a son, William Hackett, b. in 1663. He
matriculated 27 May 1680 and died 19 Nov. 1708 at Oxford, and was buried
in the outward chapel of Merton College. (Monumental Inscriptions in
Barbados, compiled by Vere L. Oliver.)

The following children may have been by the second wife:
III.A son, name unknown, but the following notice of him is to be found
in the Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: -
"1668, Sept. 15. Barbados. Gov. William, Lord Willoughby to Sec. Lord
Arlington... Complains of some...This serves only to give accoint that a
son of Sir John Colleton's last week killed a son of Sir John Yeamans in
a duel; is informed both had their swords drawn, but Colleton by flying
has incurred more guilt than otherwise he might. Presumes it will
amount to a forfeiture of his estate, and unless his crafty father has
provided for such accidents, is informed this brother has a third part
in it, it being equally divided among the three brothers. This country
generally say that estates so gotten ought to return to the king; though
it is his duty to acquaint his Lordship that Colleton's brother, Sir
Peter, might by no indirect way surprise his Majesty or his Lordship.
"2 Mar. 1669, Whitehall. Petition of Sir Gilbert Talbot, Knt. (to the
King), for the estate of John Colleton, planter of Barbados, forfeited
to his Majesty by killing one Yeamans, a planter there, with reference
to the Commissioners of the Treasury to give order of it for him in such
manner as they shall find necessary". (South Carolina Historical and
Genealogical Magazine, vol. 10-11, pp.119-120)
Whether this son left issue is not known.
IV.Robert, married Elizabeth Mellows, daughter of Elisha Mellows. They
had at least three sons:
1. Robert, married Sarah Trent and had a son, Robert who died 7 Nov.
1740 at the age of ten years.
2. John, married Mary Walker and had a son, Walker, born about 1732.
3. Phillip, married Mary Gibbes, no record of children.
Robert Yeamans was mentioned in the will of his uncle, Sir Robert
Yeamans of Bristol, England who died in 1686-7.
V.George, no record.
VI.Edward, no record.
VII.Willoughby, a daughter, no record.
VIII.Anne, no record. (Will of Sir John Yeamans)

The Arms and Crest of Sir John Yeamans: Sable, a chevron between three
cornels of spears argent. Crest; a dexter arm holding a spear all
proper. (Enclop. of Heraldry and General Armory by John and Sir J. B.
Burke, 1851, p.iv.)

End of Chapter

This book is no longer in print but photocopies can be purchased. At
the moment I can't remember who I got it from and will post a further
message when I dig up that info.

Barbara Youmans Clark

P.S. I have not found anything to connect myself to this branch of the
family. My ancestry is through a branch that emigrated to New York.

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