John Robinson was sometime acting governor of Virginia; son from a previous marriage was “Speaker John” Robinson, speaker of the House of Burgesses for more than 30 years in the 1700s.

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) about John Robinson
Name: John Robinson
Birth Date: 1683
Birthplace: Virginia,
Volume: 148
Page Number: 152
Biographical Info: Hon., mem. Kings Council
Reference: Colonial fams. Of the southern states of Amer. By Stella Pickett Hardy. Baltimore. 1958. (643p.):450

Mary (Bathurst) Meriwether Welch Robinson 6
© The Meriwether Society, Inc.

Mary was the daughter of Lancelot Bathurst and an unknown wife. Lancelot had immigrated to Virginia from Lechlade Parish, Gloucestershire, England, by 1670, and Mary is believed to have been born in New Kent County about 1675–1679. Mary and Francis married before November 1695 and they were the parents of at least six children. Mary was about 38 when Francis died, leaving her with four small children and a married daughter. Mary managed her property well and expanded it through land purchases.

Mary died on 2 Aug 1738.

Documents involving Mary’s widowhood were among the largest collections in Essex County.

Mary married twice after the death of Francis, though no further children were born. In 1722 she married Capt. Reuben Welch, a gentleman justice of Essex County. Reuben died in 1729 and in 1731/2 she married John Robinson of Spotsylvania County.

NOTE: **SA p144 states "[She was] the daughter of Launcelot Bathurst of Gloucester, England, and his second wife, Susan Rich. He was the second son of Sir Edward Bathurst, knighted in 1643 by Charles I." This is at variance with DLL’s Bathurst information.

Mary Bathurst Meriwether Welch Robinson 238

Mary Bathurst, wife of Capt. Francis Meriwether, was a daughter of Lancelot Bathurst, of Essex County, Va., son of Sir Edward Bathurst, of Gloucester, England, and his second wife, Susan Rich (sic-Susan Rich is Lancelot's mother). Lancelot had, besides Mary, three other children, viz., (1) Lawrence, who died unmarried in Essex county about 1705; (2) Elizabeth, married, first, William Tomlin, and second, in 1709, William Daingerfield; (3) Susanna, married Drury Stith.

Mary Bathurst survived her husband, Francis Meriwether, and married, secondly, Reuben Welch (an Essex County Justice); thirdly, Hon. John Robinson (who became President of the Virginia Council after Mary’s death in 1738). There were no children from these marriages.

Mary Bathurst was the daughter of Lancelot Bathurst of New Kent. He was sheriff, coroner, and burgess until ca.1700, his death. Mary had a sister Susannah and a sister Elizabeth. Her brother Lawrence left no issue. Mary married first Francis Meriwether, secondly Reuben Welch (no issue), and thirdly, John Robinson, sometime acting governor whose son from a previous marriage was "Speaker John" Robinson, speaker of the House of Burgesses for more than 30 years in the 1700s. Mary had no issue by John Robinson. Mary's issue were: Elizabeth who m. Drury Bolling; Francis (d. unm.); Jane who m. James Skelton; Mary who m. first Wm. Colston and secondly Thomas Wright Belfield; and Lucy who m. Francis Smith. Lucy's grandson was Geo. Wm. Smith, the governor who died in the 1811 theater fire in Richmond. Through Mary Bathurst Meriwether can be traced John Randolph of Roanoke, Henry St. Geo. Tucker, Nathaniel Beverley Tucker, and all of the Richmond newspaper Bryan family.

Mary's grandparents were Sir Edward Bathurst and Susan Rich. The earliest traceable direct Bathurst ancestor is Richard who was b. ca. 1400.

Name: Mary, Widow Belfield
Date: 17 Sep 1746
Location: Richmond Co., VA
Property: Lot No. 5, in town of Fredksbg,

Notes: This land record was originally published in "Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County, 1721-1800, Volume I" edited by William Armstrong Crozier.

Remarks: Mary Belfield, widow, and John Belfield and Wm. Jordan, Gent., all of the County of Richmond, in Va., executors of the Last will and testament of Thomas Wright Belfield, Gent., Decd., to Charles Dick of Fredericksburg, Spts. Co., Mercht. Recites - Truste
Description: Executrix
Book: D

On 5 Jan 1734/5, there was recorded a marriage settlement between Hon. John Robinson of Spotsylvania Co. and Mary Welch of Essex County, widow.