Lt Col Edward Douglas- Dale's Gift

[Henry Barraud Hunt, Jr.]

In March 1641/2 Samuel Chandler, attorney for the executors of Dame Elizabeth Dale, did this day petition the board irginia Council) for divers land granted by the old Treasurer and Company to Sir Thomas Dale, Knight, long since deceased. We may conclude that Shrimpton, through Chandler, had received a favorable response on this seaside patent of 1050 acres. Beginning with the year 1645 with the patent granted to William Shrimpton and concluding with one final patent to Col Edward Douglas just prior to his death in 1657, a total of 3700 acres out of a possible 10,000 or more of the Dale plantation were granted, all becoming patents in the name of Edward Douglas. Douglas was tenacious and would have continued enlarging his Plantation, except for his untimely death. There quickly followed the death of his daughter, Sarah and only son. Edward Douglas, Jr. This left a vacuum and the unscrupulous squatters returned to encroach on this ancient land. Burdett persisted in his encroachments on Old Plantation Creek. In 1639 Burdett patented 200 acres in this area, followed by an additional 300 acres butting the first 200 acres. Burdett accomplished this in 1641, before the Virginia Council had responded to the Dale petition. In 1658 Thomas Burdett, son of William Burdett, sold these 500 acres to John CustisII, who was, certainly, aware that there was a cloud on his title. The previous year, 1657, Jon Custis LL was granted a patent for 250 acres which butted the land of Thomas Burdett. This patent had a cloud on it, as well as it had been included in the 3700 acres that had been granted to Douglas by patent. Almost half a century later, in 1702, William and Ann Willett were to give a quitclaim deed to John Custis LLL, for the "land John Custis II, deceased, did possess and enjoy." In 1714 John Custis LLLfelt bold enough in his will" to son, John Custis IV, Arlinton House House with 250 acres there to belonging which I bought of Mr. William Willett and have patent for in my own name for patent dated 1657."

This concludes my cameo on Lt. Colonel Edward Douglas.His widow, Isabella, was to marry the Rev. Thomas Teackle .There were no children by this marriage. Rev Teackle had two subsequent marriages and had a number of children by these marriages.