William Darwin (1707-86) and his Children

The vast majority of American Darwins appear to be descended from one William Darwin of Virginia. He was a farmer born in 1707 and lived, at least for the latter 43 of his 79 years, in St. Martin's parish, Louisa County. Neither his place of birth, nor where he lived for the first 36 years of his life, is currently known

The date of his birth, as well as the birth dates of his wife Jane and 6 of their children, is established by the Darwin/Bland “Bible” Record; two further children and a granddaughter are named in his 1785 Will. It is chiefly from these sources we can portray William Darwin’s family as follows:

Of William's 8 children, 4 are known to have founded families of their own, 2 appear to have died young, and 2 have not yet been further traced. In birth order:

(2.01): Eldest daughter Agnes (1735-ca.1818) remained in Virginia, founding her own family by her husband, William Ward. Among their descendants in subsequent generations are Virginian families of Wards, Tates, Fosters, and Butlers.

(2.02) and (2.03): Nothing further is definitely known about William's next two daughters, Jane (1737-?) and Keziah (1739/40-?), although there is some circumstantial evidence one of them may have migrated to South Carolina as the wife of one Thomas Henderson

(2.04): The only life document which appears to name William's first son, William Jr. is probably a life-estate land indenture of 1746. It would seem likely William Jr. died not long after this date as no further records are known for him.