| 8. | Jacob Presnal was born about 1680 (son of James Presnell and Sarah); died on 4 Mar 1716 in King and Queen, Virginia, USA; was buried on 6 Mar 1716. Notes:
Who were the parents of Jacob Presnell?
Most Presnell genealogists make the assumption that the parents of Jacob (b. about 1680) were James and Sarah Prenell since we find James Presnell recorded in the same location at the right time. Could Jacob be the son of George? That is also a possibility as he is of the right age, and is found in Middlesex County records. We assume that George and James are about the same age, but don't have definitive proof of that. Both George and James are found in Middlesex County. We know that George is in the Virginia Militia at about the time of Jacob's birth, and we know James is in Middlesex county into the early 1700s. Most Presnell genealogists claim it was James, and were not aware of the records that we have for George. There is also a possibility that the father of Jacob is someone else entirely, although that would be highly unlikely.
Who was the wife of Jacob Presnell?
I believe with 99% certainty that it was Mary Hedgecock. We have pretty solid evidence to lead us to this conclusion.
There are many whom still today claim it was Marie Julie Maupin, but they have done no homework, and are "copy and paste genealogists."
I must however admit, that when I was first starting out in family research, I too had inserted this wonderful story into my ancestry. Today, we now know that Maupin story to be false, a complete fabrication that was the result of someone's creative writing. I have since removed all of this Maupin story from my database. It surprises me greatly, that some people feel the need to hold on to that crazy story, because they like it, even when all the evidence clearly shows it to be false. The problem is that this story has spread enough, that we may never get it cleaned up. There is a book published by Dorothy Maupin Shaffett, titled "The Story Of Gabriel and Marie Maupin." The stated purpose of this book was to dispell the myth of a Presnell connection.
The Marie Julie Maupin Myth
Today, we know this supposed connection is absolutely ridiculous. The Presnell and Maupin families were not even in the same area of Virginia, and Marie would have been 6 years old at the time of the birth of the daughter Sarah Presnell. At the time of the creative writing project, the birth date of Marie Julie Maupin was only "assumed," and it was assumed to fit their story. Additionally, we find that she was not married at the time of the will of her father. The Maupin Family Society also strongly dismisses this fabricated story.
The story was very impressive and fanciful. Marie Julie Maupin was supposedly the daughter of Gabriel Maupin and Mary Spencer. Gabriel was the son of a famous General, and Mary was the daughter of the Earl of Spencer. Obviously a very wealthy and well-connected family. The creative writer didn't do much homework however. Gabriel Maupin’s wife Marie is not a Spencer. Her surname is Hersant (confirmed by the Maupin Family Society), and records are found in the archives in Amsterdam. The title “Earl of Spencer” did not exist yet, as Earl Spencer is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created on 1 November 1765.
The story continues that our Jacob Presnell, was Jacques (so he could fit in with the french family Maupin) Presnell and that he married Marie Julie Maupin in 1700, and then traveled with the Maupins to Virginia on the ship Le Nassau. Again, our creative writer failed to do any homework. Jacob Presnell has no French connection. His name is never spelled Jacques anywhere. There is no single piece of reference material anywhere in the world that documents his name as Jacques, only where people have saved it themselves as such and created a record. No Presnell was ever in France in the 1600 and 1700's. Jacob Presnell did not travel with the Maupin family on the ship LeNassau as was claimed. We now have a copy of the ship manifest, and we find there was no Presnell name anywhere.
The Nassau received a permit to depart Kensington, England, for Virginia, January 18, 1701 under command of Capt. Tregian. It arrived March 5, 1701 and went up the York River. Only 23 went on to Manakintown. List of French, Swiss, Genevese, German, and Flemish Protestants embarked on the ship named the Nassau to go to Virginia. Gabriel Maupin is on the ship manifest with his wife and 3 children.
We now know that the "famous" Gabriel Maupin was a tailor from Amsterdam. He married Marie Hersant in 1691. This is recorded in the Walloon Church, N Holland, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Their daughter, Marie Maupin is born in 1696 (baptized on 16 April 1696).
So if you do a little bit of simple math, and look at the Christ Church Registry, and see that the first child of Jacob Presnell and his wife Mary, have a baby Sarah, born in 1702. You would realize the mother (if it were Marie/Mary Maupin) is 6 years old! Even if Marie was born in the first year of the marriage of Gabriel and Marie, she could have only been 11 years old!
Experienced Genealogists also point to the fact that Mary Julie Maupin was not marred yet at the time of her father's death in 1720, as she is still listed as a Maupin, not married. The Maupin Family Society denies any claim that Mary Julie Maupin was married to Jacob Presnell.
With all this evidence, there will still feel a few out there, that will ignorantly hold on to this fanciful myth. ... oh, and let's not forget the part in the story, where the ship Le Nassau sprung a leak, and Gabriel Maupin being the important and pius man that he was, prayed for divine assistance, and the leak stopped, and when they arrived in port a large fish was found wedged tightly in the hole.
The wife of Jacob Presnell is Mary Hedgecock
As I stated previously, I am about 99% certain that the wife of Jacob is Mary Hedgecock. We simply don't have any documented evidence to prove that 100%.
Mary Hedgecock, the daughter of Thomas Hedgecock was born between 1680 and 1686. Thomas Hedgecock died in 1704. In his will, his estate is left to his wife Margery Hedgecock and his grand-daughter Sarah Pressnon, daughter of Jacob Preson (witnessed by William Carter, Mary Carter, and William Jones). here is no Pressnon family in this region, although we find Jacob Presnells name spelled different ways over the years, a problem that continues for our family for another 300 years
When you look at the baptismal records for Christ Church, Middlesex County Virginia, you will note that of the children of Jacob Presnell and "Mary" they only have their oldest "Sarah" at the year of Thomas Hedgecock's death in 1704. Their next child Mary is born in 1705. So, Mary Hedgecock is most undoubtedly our spouse for Jacob, particularly when you look at the Middlesex records and realize that there are no other surnames that begin with Pr that would come close to making a connection.
Additional Records for Jacob Presnell
06 April 1714 - Order Book 5 (1710-1726) Middlesex County, Virginia page 175
Jacob Preston (Presnell) states that Thomas Wood died without a will and he is made the administrator.
A Bill of Sale recorded in January 1717 showed that Jacob Presnal died February 1716, his personal property was sold on 05 November 1716 in the amount of £8.13.10 to John Dweny, Wayne Curtis, John Gutherie, Robert Blackly, and George Carter. (Will Book 1713-1734:86).
Jacob married Mary Hedgecock about 1700. Mary (daughter of Thomas Hedgecock and Margery Simmons) was born between 1680 and 1686; died on 3 Sep 1717 in King and Queen, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1762 - 1841 (79 years)