The Kirk’s in America

March 7, 2008 at 5:47 am (Family History)

The following is informtion that I have accumulated from Lucien McNeese book “The Kirk and Related Families”, from Max Kirk, from Earline Kirk, my aunt, and other family members who are searching for their ancestors as well.  Other Sources are Rootsweb, Ancestry, Genforum.com, Lancaster County Records, North Hampton, King George, Westmoreland,  and Stafford County Will and Marriage Records.  I will say that next to my cousin, Lucien McNeese and Max Kirk and his wife Sue, have done more research than anyone else that I know of doing research on this family. descendant of  

 Our Kirk’s were originally Norman and probably were Vikings.  During the reign of William the Conquerer and his son, Henry I and grandson Henry II, many Normans were given land and titles formerly belonging to Englishmen.  Between the reign of Henry I and Henry II, some Normans were given land and titles in Scotland. 

Our Norman Kirk’s were probably among these.  The name in France or Normandy was originally spelled Quirke and in Scotland it was spelled O’Couric and another Gaelic spelling was O’Coirce. 

According to the  description of the Kirk Coat of Arms , the Kirk’s were of an eccleastical office, with military honors, probably the Crusades, and is a symbol of dominion and authority, granted for success in war.  Also It represents that the bearer was once a member of the knighthood of St. Andrew and the saltire is one of the  eight great ordanies:  the St. Andrews Cross.

Lucien McNeese, who is considered one of the foremost authorities on the family, and is a relative of our grandfather, John Henry Kirk, states that the first Christopher Kirke was born in Scotland in 1612.  However there are other records that I haven’t been able to reconcile yet.

There are some records giving his ancestory as follows:

Christopher Kirke born 02 Feb 1618 Yorkshire, England                            (my record shows 1612 as his birth year)                                               Father:  Christopher Kirk born 17 Nov 1596 Yorkshire, England                 His Father: Thomas Kyrke b 1571 Norton, Derby, England                          His Mother Susan Lister                                                                                  Thomas’ Father:  Edward Kyrke b abt 1545                             His Mother :Ellen Canne                                                                              Edward Father:  Arnold Kyrke b  (maybe abt 1500) Norton, DerbyEngland. His Mother Agnes Thurstan or Thurston                                                      His brother Thurston b  Norton, Derby, England or Greenhill, Derby, England

There is another story about Christopher’s arrival in this county.  Thomas Kyrke, the father of the Christopher born in 1596, was the cousin of a Gervais Kyrke, also born in 1596.  His father was Thurston, the son of Arnold Kyrke and brother to Edward Kirk.

 Gervais had five sons with his wife Elizabeth Gowding of Deepe, France.  She was the daughter of John Gowding.  Gervais and Elizabeth lived in Deepe, France for about forty years, where he was know as Jervays His five sons were David, Thomas, Lewis, John and James.  He had two daughters as well, one being Lady Ann Kyrke Hopkins and Lady Elizabeth Kyrke, wife of Joseph Greteulo, a Frenchman from Deepe, France.  They had  three children, David, Elizabeth, and Mary. Both  Anne and Elizabeth Kyrke were Ladies in Waiting for King Charles.  in 1642 during the Civil War in England, Lady Hopkins and her family were sent to stay with David, her brother, in Newfoundland for their protection until the war was over by King Charles. Gervais died on 17 December 1626 t his home in Basing Lane in London. He had lived long enough to see the great sucess his sons had against the French.

In 1628, Gervais Kyrke formed a company of merchants in London consisting of  Sir William Alexander, W. Berkley and others, according to  the book “A Kirk – Berkley Connection” . 

 David Kyrke proved many times that the French were no match for David and his brothersupon the high seas.  As Max Kirk said, these brothers still had a lot of the vikings in their blood.

In 1628 when war started between England and France over the land in Canada, the five sons of Gervais Kyrke set out from Gravesend, England.  David Kyrke, by now it was Kirke, being the eldest son commanded three ships:

The Abigail—300 tons —Capt. David Kirke

The William—200 Tons —Capt. Lewis Kirke

The George—200 tons—Capt Thomas Kirke.

These brothers were sailing as Privateers in the employment of this group of merchant adventurers.  They sailed with a Letter of Marche from King Charles, authorizing them to board any French or Spanish ship.  He instructed them to harass the French in Canada.

These brothers, five, sailed  into the Canadian coast and not only harassed, but captured and defeated the French there. All five brothers were awarded their Coat of Arms in 1631 for defeating the French fleet under the command of  Admiral M. De Roquemont in 1628.  They captured 18 French Supply Ships and brought Admiral De Roquemont to England as a prisoner of war.

 In 1629, the Kirke brothers left England again, this time with David leading an armada of 9 ships under his command.  His brothers, also commanded ships, but among these ships was the 200 ton Gervase.  They captured the French governor of Quebec, Champlain, and took him back to England as a prisioner of war.

The English flag was raised over Canada on 30th day of July, 1629.  David Kirke installed his brother, Lewis, as Governor of Quebec, a position that he held for three years.  After that time King Charles turned it back over to the French.  However, before that took place David Kirke ran the fur trade that had originally been run between the French and the Indians for a period of almost six years.  The Kirk’s had a monopoly on the fur trade, treaty or no treaty. 

The fort captured by David Kirke in 1629 is the same fort that exists today in Quebec City,  Quebec.  It sits on a 350 ft cliff, overlooking the St. Lawrence River.   For his part in leading the armada and capturing the French and extablishing the fur trade, David Kirke was made governor of NewFoundland. 

Thomas Kyrke at the age of 26 was a Captain of the fleet and a Vice Admiral.   We know that John at 23 and James the youngest also were also captains of their own ships in David’s Armada because these five brothers all five brothers were awarded the addition to their Coat of Arms.

It was from the ship of one of these brothers, that young Christopher Kirke arrived in the New World.  He sailed from Gravesend, England, located east of London on the Thames River the very same place the Kirke brothers started their journey to defeat the French. He sailed on the ship belonging to his father’s cousin, Thomas’s ship the George.  Christopher sailed on 21 August 1635.  The ships captain  or master was Joseph Severne.

The Ships Log showed a Christopher Kirke age 23 and Alice Watson age 30. This would have made Christopher’s birth year 1612 and not 1618.  His wife’s name was Alice.  If he married Alice Watson, could they have been married aboard ship, because so far, it seems, no one has found a marrige recorded for them in North Hampton County, VA  The information above came from John Hottens “List of Emigrants 1600-1700″  and M Tepper’s ” Passengers to America.  Christopher Kirke died before 28 Feb 1652 when the depositions of John Ellis and William Monette were recorded in open Court on 28 Feb 1652.

From the writings of Lucien McNeese, the Kirk Story is the story of the United States, especially in the Southern  states.

He states that the name Kirk means “church” and is of Scottish origin. It was probably given it’s bearer by the name of the village or estate where he lived or the proximity of his home to a church.  It is found in the old English and Irish records in other forms than the ones perviously mentioned.  Some of the were Kirch; Kurk,  and Kerk, Kirke, and Kirk as we know it today.  Families with this name usually went from Scotland to England and Ireland.  They were frequently from Nottingham, Derby, Essex, and York.  For the most part, they were yeoman of landed gentry of Great Britain.  Our ancestors married into prominent families in both Great Britain and the Colonies.  Many of their marriages and births are recorded in the parrish of Christ Church, in Westover County, VA, in Lancaster County, VA, and in Stafford County, VA.  then they began to move southward and westward. 

 This ancestor, Christopher Kirke. who traveled from Gravesend was probably born in Scotland, though his family is listed in Yorkshire and Derby, England.  The place he settled in North Hampton was mostly wilderness inhabited by Indians and a few white settlers.  The first years the settlers went through suffering and hardships.  There were several more Kirk’s living in Virginia.  Some may have been related , perhaps his brothers.

Chirstopher and Alice (Watson) Kirke had (1)  Christopher Kirk, Jr. (2) Mary Kirk (3) Rebecca.  So far I have no records  of  a marriage for Mary or Rebecca 

 Christopher Kirke, Jr.  b between 1636 and 1640 married Anne?  between 1662-1665 It is possible she was a Gibson  because Christopher bought his first land from between 1665 and 1670 fron a John Gibson in North Umberland County where Anne was born.  He died in lancaster County in 1705 leaving his wife and 5 children.  (1)  James Kirk (2) Christopher Kirk III (3) Thomas Kirk (4) Robert Kirk (5) Ann Kirk

James b abt 1665 m  Elizabeth?? died bef  12 Feb 1717 had two children    (1) Katherine Kirk (2)  james m Mary?? Will probated 20 Mar 1777 Lancaster County, VA.  Children were  (1) William Kirk (2) Sarah Kirk m William Gibson one child James Gibson (3) Judith Kirk m Lawson Hathaway – one child Elizabeth (4) Elizabeth Kirk m Thomas Hathaway-one child-James Hathaway

Christopher Kirke III m Ann??  No birth  or marriage date given  died before 10 Oct 1722 Lancaster County, VA .   

 (1)William d bef 10 July 1725, wife Margaret had children (1) Christopher Kirk IV(2) Hannee Kirk

(2) Chistopher Kirk IV (no Birthdate Died before 12 May 1736 Wife Elizabeth Children were (1) Anthony m Sarah Brent (Father probably Hugh or George Brent) 04 May 1747 Lancaster County VA Will probated 20 Jan 1764 in Lancaster County, VA .  Children were  (1) Thomas Kirk  (2 James Kirk M Judith Yerby daughter of William Yerby   Their children  were (1) Anthony Kirk (2) Mary Kirk (3) Cathatrine Kirk.  Child of Judith Kirk and Thomas Griggs (1) Sarah Griggs (As supported by Wills of Anthony Kirk and Sarah Kirk.  Sarah Kirk died befor 25 feb 1773 Christ Church Parrish VA) 

(3) Thomas Kirk (4) John Kirk (Alice Kirk) (5) Rebecca Kirk. Capt Hugh Brent was appointed Guardian of Thomas.  Because there was only one child with a guardian who was not the mother may mean he was the youngest child. Thomas  seems not to have married and died about the same time as his mother.  His Will was probated 22 Feb 1778 and left everything to his brother and his children and his mother, who died a month Later.  (Max Kirk wonders if Thomas may have died in the Revolutionary War) 

Thomas Kirk, son of Christopher Kirk, Jr., married Sarah?? died before        12 May 1727.  Will mentioned seven children, only Thomas and John are named, but the son Thomas was named guardian of his brother, James orphans, and Sarah was mentioned as their grandmother.  All in Lancaster County, VA.  Ref Will Book 12 Page 10 and Lucien MeNeese Book on Kirk Family.

Ann Kirk, daughter of Christopher Kirk, married William Nash of lancaster County, VA on 10 Feb 1717.  Her family  with William Nash is listed in Roots Web and in Family Pages in Genalogy.com.

Robert Kirk, son of Christopher Kirk, Jr., who is my ancestor, married  was born about 1670 in Lancaster County, VA and his will is dated 03 Mar 1727.  He married  Margaret??

Children were: (1) George Kirk (2) Sarah Kirk (3) Jeremiah Kirk (4) Hezekiah Kirk (5) Charity Kirk (James Kirk).  As far as I can tell George never married, but in Robert’s  will, he requested that in the case of the death of his wife, that George was to raise his daughter Charity and his youngest son James.  Hezekiah mus have still been young as well, because George was to hold their part of his estate until they reached eighteen years of age.  He stated that he can hold the opart of the estate belonging to his daughter until she reaches  eighteen years of age or until her marriage and his two sons likewise until they reach eighteen years of age. All of the children must have been born somewhere between 1700 and shortly before 1727 because the three youngest children were under eighteen years of age.

Max Kirk posted on Genforum to a Ben Kirk that he thought that James Kirk in Augusta County, VA was the son of Jeremiah, Kirk, Jr. This Jermiah Kirk, Jr of Lancaster County was born in 1760.  His father, Jeremiah married in 1740 and had a son James, who was the father of Elizabeth, Jeremiah Kirk’s granddaughter.  It is my contention that this James Kirk was the son of Robert Kirk.  If this is so, then James wife was Agnes Butler and the daughter of jeremiah, Charity was married to James Bratton.  The dates don’t fit for a child of either Jeremiah because I have the dates and children of both Jeremiah’s.  Anne Butler’s father was James Butler bedause he mentions the children of james and Agnes,  james Kirk and Anne Kirk as his grandchildren. 

 Lucien McNeese mentions no  marriages and descendants of any of Robert;s children except Jeremiah who married Anne Thomas, daughter of John Thomas b in 1760 and died in 1782.  Mr.  NcNeese in writing of the family of  Anne Thomas the wife of Jeremiah Kirk, that The Kirks, Monroes, and Jones intermarried in King George, Stafford County, VA  and in Westmoreland County and that they were all neighbors. 

Jeremiah married Anne Thomas of Culpper County, VA about 1840 in King Georg county, Va.  He didn’t serve in the Revolutionary War,  Insteadd he furnished Property, Horse, and other aid to the revolutionary Cause which was satisfactory to the Court on  04 Ap 1782 in King George County, VA.

Taken from Tyler’s Qrtly Hisorical magazine Vol V-1923-44 Page 55

In his will dated 5 July, 1792, Will Book 2 page 149 he mentions, he mentions four children, Jeremiah Kirk, Jr, Sarah Kirk Baltrap, Hezekiah Kirk , who married Bethlehem Bennet,(who was related to the Jones and Monroes, ) and  jesse Kirk  The father of grandaughter Elizabeth Kirk was a son, James Kirk and another son William Kirk married  Elisabeth Agnes Cain and moved to Fairfax County, VA.  The grandchild Mary Jones mentioned could have been a grown grandchild and daughter of one of the Kirk sons or a daughter who married a Mr. Jones.  Jesse Kirk moved on to Adair County, Missouri and was the oldest resident of Kirksville, Missouri.  He opened the first Tavern and business in Kirsville.  He was Postmaster and the Town of Kirksville, was named for him.   None of the children’s history is mentioned except for Jeremiah Kirk, Jr.  Jeremiah Kirk, jr. b abt 1760 d 18169 in Stafford County, VAmarried Anne Monroe 18 Aug 1785 in St PaulC hurch, King George and Stafford Counties Recorded on Page 225 of the Church Records.  Anne Monroe was the daughter of George Monroe and was born in 1760 in Westmoreland County, Va.  She was the second cousin to President James Monroe and oftern carried her children to the White House, when he was President.

The 1810 Census mentions eight children and one male over 45 in the household.  No mention  is made of the mother, Anne.  She may have died by this time.  The three oldest children were girls between ages of 16-26.  The youngest were three boys under 5 yrs of age.  The children of Jeremiah Kirk, Jr. and Ann Monroe were as follows:  All were born in Stafford County.  The children of Jeremiah Kirk, Jr., and Ann Monroe are as follows: (1) Mary Kirk b 1787 (2) Margaret Kirk b 1790 (3) Sarah Kirk b 1792 (4) Elizabeth Kirk b between 1794-1796 (5) George Kirk b between 1798-1800 (5) William Kirk b 25 Sept 1802 (7) John b between 1803 and 1805 and (8) Benjamin b between 1816-1807.

I  am the great great grandaughter of Jeremiah’s son,  William Kirk born in 1802 and married to Rebecca Billingsley, but that will be the story for another posting.