Hi, I'm new here but I've been doing genealogy research online for about three years. Working on several surnames, but right now I have hit a huge wall in my Lightfoot line. There is lots of information about the Lightfoots that started with the Reverand Richard b 1562 in Northampton, England & his proginy that immigrated to Virginia. Unfortunately, down through the line, parents named their sons with repeated names. John, for instance. I have traced my mother's father through to a John Lightfoot Sr. However, there is more that one John Lightfoot, Sr. in Virginia in the timeframe that I am looking at. Other Trees, GEDCOMS, etc., are very inconsistent at this point.

I have found a Will for A John Lightfoot, Sr. of Brunswick County, VA written Oct.02, 1806. In it he mentions his two sons, John Jr. & Claiborne (which is the name of my 4th greatgrandfather) and a daughter, Naly. Claiborne ended up moving to Kentucky and John, Jr. apparently stayed in Virginia. Naly was probably not expeted to live long nor marry because the Will bequeathes things to her "until the time of her death".

I think that this is my line, however I haven't been able to confirm John Sr.'s wife or his parentage. I came across a record of a John Lightfoot Commissioned as an Ensign in Brunswick County Militia, Revolutionary War in 1777. The most noted John Lightfoot, Sr. is known as Capt. John Lightfoot. In the Family Data Collection, I found a record of John Lightfoot b 1725 in VA to Phillip Lightfoot & Mary Armistead. Other sources show Capt. John as being born in Dinwiddie or Isle of Wight or Brunswick. Father's vary between Phillip b 1689, Thomas b 1691 or Thomas b 1683. Mother's included Honor Pierce, Ga-Ho-Ha, or Nancy (which it appears was Go-Ho-Ga's english name). Wives include Susannah Slaughter, Nancy Lnu or Elizabeth Ann Claiborne. Children include names & variations of Nancy, Naly, Claiborne, Dorcas, John Jr., Celia, James, Jennifer, W. Washington, & Filbert. You can see my confusion!

I found a Tax List for Brunswick County in 1788 that lists three Lightfoots and each name has a notation after it. Phillip "Dad", John appears to be "Senior" and John appears to be "Jun". Could be either John the Capt or John the Ensign. In the Will of John Lightfoot that mentions son Claiborne, he also makes mention of a specific slave named "Betsy". In a Tax list for Culpepper County in 1783, there are William, Phillip & John listed. John lists several slaves by name but none of them was Betsy. Another Tax List for Brunswick, 1783 lists a John Lightfoot with one slave named "Dilsey" Could that have been "Betsy"?

So, you can see my connundrum. I BELIEVE that my John Sr lived his life in Brunswick, was an ensign and his father's name was Phillip. But, there seems to be lots of Phillip Lightfoots, as well. If anyone can help me to nail this down, I could sure use the help.

Some other names I am researching are Spencer (Kentucky), Brown (KY), Watts KY), Hernden (Canada, MI), Jacobs (MI). If I can help you or you can help me, my email is heyjdyecrd@yahoo.com Thanks!