Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Notes for John Gent
Introduction to “John Gant of Colonial Virginia & North Carolina”326
The result of our further research has established, beyond doubt, that the father of John Gant was John Gent of Isle of Wight Co., VA. His surname was normally spelled as Gent, but in some records, it was spelled phonetically as Jent. We also found that John Gent was probably of English descent because Virginia was an English colony and this surname was prevalent in many counties of England in the 17th century and also in surviving early 16th century records of England. However, we were not able to positively identify the ancestry of John Gent of Isle of Wight Co., VA, but did find enough records to make several sound assumptions as to the father's identity. Our failure to do so was not due to the lack of research effort, but rather to the fact that his father probably lived in a "burned" county, i.e., a county whose early records were destroyed by wars or other events such as hurricanes.
The most likely candidate as the father of John Gent was Thomas Gent who died in Charles City Co., VA in 1629.* The next most likely was either Nicholas Gent or Henry Gent who were transported to Albemarle County of the Carolinas in 1692 and 1693, respectively. The reasons surrounding their selection are set forth in Chapter Two of the book as are other candidates and the reasons for their selection
Our research also gave us reasons to believe that the geographical origin of the ancestors of John Gent was probably Northamptonshire County in England where we found records of that surname in the early part of the 16th century. We also believe it was not coincidental that the ancestors of Richard Washington who sold land to John Gent in Isle of Wight Co., VA in 1717 also lived in Northamptonshire County in the 16th and 17th centuries. We have been greatly benefited by the significant research of English records by Don Gant Scroggins, a descendant of John Gent and by Rod Gent of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Rod, through participation in The Guild of One-Name Studies, an organization formed to encourage family historians. Among other bits and pieces of relevant information, Rod found the surname of Gent was more prevalent in England than the surname of Gant. However, it is probable that both surnames have the same root.
We hope that the contents of this book are interesting as well as informative and will give readers a better insight into who they are and from where they come. We are not finished with the research of the origins of our Gent family of Colonial America and hope the readers of this book will join with us in the continued research into the origins of the Gant/Gaunt/Gent families of Colonial America.
The Authors
January, 2001
* I think that this was a typographical error; C. H. Heathcock; probably meant 1729.
The result of our further research has established, beyond doubt, that the father of John Gant was John Gent of Isle of Wight Co., VA. His surname was normally spelled as Gent, but in some records, it was spelled phonetically as Jent. We also found that John Gent was probably of English descent because Virginia was an English colony and this surname was prevalent in many counties of England in the 17th century and also in surviving early 16th century records of England. However, we were not able to positively identify the ancestry of John Gent of Isle of Wight Co., VA, but did find enough records to make several sound assumptions as to the father's identity. Our failure to do so was not due to the lack of research effort, but rather to the fact that his father probably lived in a "burned" county, i.e., a county whose early records were destroyed by wars or other events such as hurricanes.
The most likely candidate as the father of John Gent was Thomas Gent who died in Charles City Co., VA in 1629.* The next most likely was either Nicholas Gent or Henry Gent who were transported to Albemarle County of the Carolinas in 1692 and 1693, respectively. The reasons surrounding their selection are set forth in Chapter Two of the book as are other candidates and the reasons for their selection
Our research also gave us reasons to believe that the geographical origin of the ancestors of John Gent was probably Northamptonshire County in England where we found records of that surname in the early part of the 16th century. We also believe it was not coincidental that the ancestors of Richard Washington who sold land to John Gent in Isle of Wight Co., VA in 1717 also lived in Northamptonshire County in the 16th and 17th centuries. We have been greatly benefited by the significant research of English records by Don Gant Scroggins, a descendant of John Gent and by Rod Gent of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Rod, through participation in The Guild of One-Name Studies, an organization formed to encourage family historians. Among other bits and pieces of relevant information, Rod found the surname of Gent was more prevalent in England than the surname of Gant. However, it is probable that both surnames have the same root.
We hope that the contents of this book are interesting as well as informative and will give readers a better insight into who they are and from where they come. We are not finished with the research of the origins of our Gent family of Colonial America and hope the readers of this book will join with us in the continued research into the origins of the Gant/Gaunt/Gent families of Colonial America.
The Authors
January, 2001
* I think that this was a typographical error; C. H. Heathcock; probably meant 1729.