Flippen - Flipping
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Lilly-Lilley-Lillie

The Flippen - Flipping Family
On this page:
Will of Elizabeth Flippen
Bedford, Lilly, and Flippen Families arrive in the Goochland Area.
Goochland and Cumberland County Flippen Records
The Stephen Bedford Problem
Flippen Records in Gloucester County
Earliest Known Flippen Records in Virginia
Other Early Flippen Records 


Links:
John Lilly I
John Lilly II
John Lilly III
John Lilly IV
William Lilly, son of John Lilly IV
February 1639 Deposition referring to the ship, Elizabeth
Reade-Malson
Armiger Wade Family
Wade-Halsey in England
Lilly's in England-No Proven Links
Lilly-Lilly Home Page
Tax Records of Fluvanna County, Virginia
Edmund Lilly
Land and Court Records of Edmund Lilly

    Gordon Lilly sent me some of this material back in 2003. Some of the Flippen information is from Lou Poole, and some from Flippen Flippings.  I am not clear on who originally found this important connection.

Ann (Flippen) Lilly is thought to be the wife of Edmund Lilly.
The will of Elizabeth Flippen, see below, refers to her daughter, Ann Lille.
Edmund Lilly and his wife, Ann Lilly, sold land in 1742. See Land and Court Records of Edmund Lilly
Elizabeth Flippen and Edmund Lilly lived less than 10 miles apart. See map on Land and Court Records of Edmund Lilly 


The will of Elizabeth Flippen


Scans of the Flippen Will.  They are the best that is available to me at this time.  

Transcription of the will of Elizabeth Flippen by Lou Poole. The names of her children are underlined.  The order in which they occur suggests that they may have been in chronological order. Otherwise, I would expect to see the sons listed together and the daughters listed together.  
Cumberland County, Virginia Will Book 1: 114 [irregular spellings are from the original document]
In the name of God Amen, I Elizabeth Flippen being in a low state of health but in perfect sence and memory thanks be to almighty God for it. therefore I doe ordain this to be my last will & Testament in manner following.
Principally and first of all I bequeth my soule to God that gave it & my body to the earth to be desently byryed at teh Discretion of my Executors hearafter named and as conserning such Worldly Estate as God hath been pleased to bestow upon me, I give devise and dispose of the same as followeth that is to say
Imprimis that after my debts and funerall charges are paid
Item I give all my wareing cloese among my three daughters to be equally devided Ann Lille, Elizabeth Bedford & Sarah Gunter for them to devide the close among themselves.
Item my desire is that all the rest of my estate may be apparised by three men sutch as my Executor shall think fit to chuse and not it to be carried into cort & after sutch appraisemtnt for the money to be equally devided between my six children to be paid by my Executors in two years after the appraisment to Ann Lille & Elizabeth Bedford, Robert Flippin, & Sarah Gunter, Thomas Flippin, & Ralph Flippin
Item my desire is that after my six children above named hath received their parts that they give my fore grand children Thomas Johnson & Ann Johnson & John Johnson & William Johnson twenty shillings each to put them to school.
Item I do ordain and appoint my loveing son in law Stephen Bedford to be my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament
Witness my hand and seal twenty first day of June ann'a one thousand seven hundred and forty seven
                    her
Elizabeth     E     Flippen  L.S.
                    mark

Test: Wm Taylor, Thos Bedford, Micajah Mosby
At a court held for Cumberland County the 23rd day of January 1758 This last will and testament of Elizabeth Flippin dec'd was proved by Micajah Mosby and William Taylor witnesses thereto and by the court ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Stephen Bedfored Executor therein named, who made oath according to Law Certificate was granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form, giving security whereupon he with John Netherland his security entered into bond according to law.

        Teste
            Thompson Swann C. C. C.

        She names Robert Flippin as her son in the will.  He remained in Gloucester County according to the parish vestry where he was overcharged for something in 1742. This is addtional proof that she came from Gloucester County.  Robert may have been the oldest son and inherited the land. She also names Ralph and Thomas Flippen who appear in the Goochland and Cumberland Records.          
The Lilly, Flippen and Bedford Families arrive in the Goochland Area ca. 1735

        We know that the Edmund Lilly, the Flippen Family, and Stephen Bedford arrived in the Goochland County area about the same time because the first records of them in Goochland County are dated closely together.  Note that Stephen Bedford is referred to as "late of Gloucester County." He and Edmund Lilly were brothers-in-law. Both married daughters of Elizabeth Flippen.  Elizabeth named Robert Flippen as her oldest son.  He appears in Gloucester County in the 1742 church records.  This suggests that the Bedford, Flippen, and Lilly families were all from Gloucester County.  

The first Goochland County record for Edmund Lilly is a court record dated June 1735.
Ann R. Blomquist, Goochland County Order Book, 1731-1735, (Heritage Books, 2006) , page 448:
June 1735. Lilly vs. Webb: On the petition of Edmund Lily vs. William Webb, the parties and witnesses being heard it is ordered the the said Webb do pay unto the said petitioner four pounds two shills and three pence current money with costs.
Sheyman vs. Lilley On the motion of George Skeyman a witness for Edmund Lilly vs. William Webb it is ordered the the said Lilly do pay him for three days attendance 90 pounds of tobacco.

Sent by Lou Poole:
Weisiger, Benjamin B., III, Goochland County, Virginia, Wills and Deeds, 1728-1736, p. 73.
Deed 12 Feb 1735[/6] Claudius Gory of King William Parish, Goochland Co., planter, to Edward Scott of same, Gent., for £ 50, 50 acres on south side of James River, now in occupation of said Claudius, bounded by the river, Gideon Chsmboone[sic? This is in Weisinger.], and said Gory, as by patent to said Gory 31 Oct 1716.
Wit.: John Williams, Ralph Flippen, Thomas (+) Winchester
Signed: Claude Gauri, Recorded 16 March 1735[/6]

Weisiger, Benjamin B., III, Goochland County, Virginia, Wills and Deeds, 1728-1736, p. 72.
Deed 14 Feb 1735[/6] John Woodson of Goochland Co., to Stephen Bedford, late of Gloucester Co., for £ 52/10, 350 acres on south side of James River on Deep Creek, being part of a tract of 1000 acres granted to said John Woodson by patent 11 April 1735, bounded by Deep Creek and Nicholas Cox.
Wit.: Stephen Hughes, Fleming Bates, Ralph Flippen, John [S] Franklin
Signed: John Woodson
Recorded 17 Feb 1735[/6]


Goochland and Cumberland County Flippen Records

        Elizabeth Flippen and her children removed from Gloucester County to Goochland County with the Bedfords and Lilles (her children's families).  Goochland was eventually divided and they found themselves in Cumberland County in 1749.  Her husband was already deceased by the time Elizabeth wrote her will on 21 June 1747.  The will was probated 23 January 1758 in Cumberland County.  Nothing else is known about Elizabeth. Her maiden name is unknown.  I don't know when Thomas Flippen died or even if he was her husband. But it appears likely.

In Chronological order:

Nathaniel Mason Pawlett, Faculty Research Historian, Historic Roads of Virginia, Goochland County Road Orders 1728-1744, (Virginia Highway and
Transportation Council), page 34.
20 March 1738, Road to be cleared.
On the motion of Ralph Fflippen leave is granted him to clear Bridale Road from his house on Muddy Creek into the Chappel road

Goochland County, Virginia Deeds 1741-1748, (Miami Beach, Florida: TLC Genealogy, 1990) 
page 169: 17 May 1743 [deed] from Ashford Hughes of the Parish of St. James and G. to Christopher Bolling of the same for 10 pounds, a certain tract of land in G. on the south side of the James River on the branches of Muddy Creek, about 150 acres and bounded by Thomas Walton, said Ashford Hughes, James Bloving, Ralph Flippen, signed Ashford Hughes, wit: none Recorded 17 May 1743.

Cumberland County formed from Goochland in 1749


Abstracts of Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books 1 and 2, 1749 to 1782.
Page 9 and 10:  [Note that Thomas Flippen was listed as the son of Elizabeth Flippen according to her will signed 1747. He apparently died before 1758 when she did.
Page 109: Appraisal of the estate of Thos. Flippen, 24 November 1755 by Thomas Walker, Ralph Flippen, John Merryman. Pd. John Roland.
Page110: Pd. Murry, Pd. Macky; Moses Smith. One wescoat for Sm. Flippen; one pair shoes for Wm. Flippen; ghree pair shoes of Holland(?) for elizabeth Flippen; 9 yards of Swankin(?) for Anne Flippen; one pair shoes for Ann Flippen, coat for Anne Flippen, two yards Holland for Thos. Flippen; 1 pair shoes for Thos. Flippen..... for Thomas Flippen.... Signed: Thomas Walton, Ralph Flippen, John Merryman, Wm. Bond.

Abstracts of Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books 1 and 2, 1749 to 1782.
This appears to be the son named in the will of Elizabeth Flippen.
Page 5 of county record: Will of Ralph Flippen, dated 6 February 1768, Probated 28 May 1770: Son, John Flippen, son, Francis Flippen, daughter, Jane Flippen, daughter Elizabeth Flippen, daughter Mary Flippen, son Philip Flippen, son, Robert Flippen, son Jacob, my wife, Martha Flippen. Exec: My wife and son, Francis Flippen, Wit: Geo. Carrington, Wm. Flippen, Robert Walton.

The Bedford Problem

        Lou Poole wondered if knowing more about the Stephen Bedford who married Elizabeth Flippin, the sister of Ann Lille, would help us help with the Lilly situarion.  They are supposed to have arrived in Goochland County about the same time. The supposition is that they probably traveled together.  It was very common for groups including families to move together.  The following is his report on the subject. He included a few excerpts from Billy Ray Bedford & Luetta Bedford Kirker's The Bedford Family of Virginia and Descendants thereof, pub. 1994. This book apparently is considered the “Bible” of Bedfords. However, it does rely heavily on some secondhand sources. Unfortunatly, there is little to clarify the Flippin-Bedford-Lilly situation.                
        Of interest is the fact that the Bedford family appears nowhere in any of the Gloucester Co. Parish Records – just like the Lillys (except for John Lilly, son of John & Dorothy, being born in 1669) and the Flippens. Other than the 1704 quit rent rolls, there really is no other record of the Bedford family in Gloucester County. Despite the wide spread notion on the internet, Stephen and Elizabeth did not marry in 1735 since their children were born much earlier. 

        Thomas Bedford is considered the family patriarch of the VA family. He is said to have been born 1660 or 1670 (different sources). He is listed in the 1704 quit rent rolls with 50 acres in Kingston Parish. “Circumstantial evidence indicates Thomas was the father of Stephen because he was the only Bedford in Kingston Parish (Gloucester Co) circa the time Stephen was born and the Flippen family also lived in Kingston Parish. Thomas married Sarah, circa 1685… “ [p. 7]

        “Stephen Bedford. Born 1698, in Gloucester Co, VA. Died 8 Aug 1758 in Cumberland Co, VA…

        “Stephen moved from Gloucester Co. to Goochland Co with his family and mother-in-law. This appears to be after his father-in-law Thomas Flippen had died. This move may have occurred before 14 Feb 1735 when Stephen, late of Gloucester County, bought 350 acres of land from John Woodson on the James River and Deep Creek…” [p. 9]

        [Note: So this is where the 14 February 1735 date came from that is repeated ad nauseam on the Internet as the marriage date of Stephen and Elizabeth Flippen. Apparently the first person to pick up on this date probably said that they were married before 14 February 1735, and all the rest of the Internet genealogists dropped the “before.”]

        “Stephen Bedford of Southam Parish, Cumberland co, VA was a vestryman in the Anglican (Episcopal) Church. Other vestrymen of interest were Littlebury Moseby, John Moseby, Edward Carrington …. Stephen served as a vestryman until his death….” [p. 9]

        “A deed in Powhatan Co (Vol 19 p 313) indicates a cemetery was reserved on the land in that county which was probably the Bedford burying ground where Stephen & others of the family that died in Powhatan Co were buried. Ruins of a house were reported at one time near this site which was probably the Stephen Bedford home.” [p. 9]

        “Stephen married Elizabeth Flippen, daughter of Thomas Flippen and Elizabeth, circa 1720. Born 1700 in Gloucester Co, VA. Died after 1762…” [p.11]

        [Source for the statement that they were married circa 1720: Elizabeth May ‘Libby’ Weddle. Source for her birth date & place: ibid. Source for her death date: Cumberland Co VA Order Book.]

        A complete transcribed will of Stephen Bedford is included in the book.

Children:

1. Sarah Bedford; b. 1722 in Gloucester Co. [Source: IGI]; d. Aug 1775 in Cumberland Co.; m. Joseph M. Mosby

2. Maudlin ‘Moddy’ Bedford; b. ca. 1724; d. 1775; m. 1) Francis James Harris; 2) Micajah Mosby

3. Thomas Bedford; b. 16 May 1725 in Gloucester Co, VA; d. Mar 1785 in Charlotte Co., VA

4. Stephen Bedford; b. 1734; d. 1772 [complete transcript of will included; m. Frances Walton Pearson [had a daughter named Elizabeth/Betsy Flippen Bedford – the Flippen part is confirmed in an orphans’ record]

5. Benjamin Bedford; b. ca. 1740; d. 1772 in Cumberland Co. [complete transcript of will included]



Flippen Records in  Gloucester County

        Most of the records of Gloucester County did not survive the Richmond fire.  However, there are several early records of Lilly's in the few records that did survive, which lends credence to the theory that Edmund and his wife came to Goochland from Gloucester. I have not researched this Flippen family past looking at the probate records.  The author does not appear to believe that the connection to Thomas Flipping in Gloucester County is proved beyond doubt. Elizabeth was a widow when she wrote the will.
        Note that although Edmund Lilly bought land in 1743, he was in Goochland by 1735.  This land is described as partly in Goochland and partly in Albemarle, which was created from Goochland.  Cumberland was formed south of this area in 1749 which supports this theory.  I am not absolutely sure of the locations of all this land. I am told that the Flippin's were on Muddy Creek which is just a few miles from the Lilly land. Fluvanna County shares a border with modern Cumberland County and modern Goochland so the location seems feasible.

Gloucester County 1704 Rent Roll
Thomas Flipping was in the 1704 Rent Roll along with a John Lilly.  It is for this reason that Lou Poole suggests that the Flipping and the the Lilly families may have come from the same place. He and others suggest that Elizabeth may have been the widow of Thomas. This is not proven, but it fits the pattern. Stephen Bedford who married another Flippen daughter, Elizabeth, may be a son of the Bedford in the same Rent Roll from the same area.  

[Note: Elizabeth Flippen named Robert as her son.  Since they moved around 1735, and he was still in Gloucester County in 1742, he apparently stayed behind in Gloucester and the other Flippens in the later records there are most likely his family. Robert may have inherited his father's land as the eldest son.]

Records of Colonial Gloucester County, Virginia, (Newport News, Va. :: Mrs. G.C. Mason, 1948)
Vol 1, page 84 1704 Quit Rent Roll of Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Thomas Flipping 300 acres
Mathews County, Virginia was formed in 1791 and included Kingston Parish, Gloucester County
Vol 1 page 110: Combined 1782 tax list of Gloucester County and 1791 tax list of Mathews County *denotes names in both the 1770 and 1782 tax list.
Humphrey Flipping only in the 1770 tax list of Gloucester
*56 acres John Flipping estate Gloucester and John Flipping estate Mathews
John Flipping 1 adult male Mathews Co
*56 acres Thomas Flipping estate Gloucester and Mathews

Records of Colonial Gloucester County, Virginia, (Newport News, Va. :: Mrs. G.C. Mason, 1948)
Vol 2: page 79 
1773 Cash paid Thomas Flipping for Capt John Whiting

The Vestry Book of Kingston Parish, Mathews County, 1679-1791 [Available online at familysearch.org] Due to a shortage of hard currency in early Viginia, it was the habit to price things in terms of tobacco.
Page 28: 4 October 1742 To Robert fliping over charged 35 1/2
Page 66: At a Yestry Held for Kingston Parish Nov 29th 1760
Page 67: Mary Flippen 400 tobacco levy for keeping Mary Crauford's child. 
Page 70: same date. 29 November 1760 450 tobacco levy to Mary Flippen for keeping Mary Crauford's child.  
Page 72: 9 November 1761, 400 lbs tobacco levy to Mary Flippin for keeping Mary Crauford's child.

page 89:    11 December 1769 To Richard Longest for keeping keeping Dorothy Parrets Child, to be paid to Thomas Flippen 500
page 95:    25 November 1771 To Tho* Flippen for removing a woman 100
page 97:    25 November 1771 [above entry repeated.]
page  99:    28 November 1772 To Thos. Flippen for Clearing the Parish of Nancy Parret a Bastard Child 500

page 115: 26 November 1783 To Dawson Iddens for keeping Humphry Flippins Child 1 || 10 || o
page 117: [27 January 1783} To Dawson Idens for keeping Humphey Flippens Child 1 || 10 || o    [Note: ?Dated oddly?]
page 121: April 1785: To Dawson Eddens for keeping Hump Flipping's child  1 || 10 || o

page 118: 19 August 1784: Jn Flipping mentioned in discussion of processioning.  




Earliest Flippen Record in Virginia

        There just are not a lot of Flippen records anywhere, much less in the right time frame in Virginia.  They appear to have come from the area of the burned counties.  

The earliest Flippen record is from 1700:
Records of Colonial Gloucester County, Virginia, Vol. 1 by Polly Cary Mason, p. 100
    The abstracted deed is witnessed by Wm Fleppin.  

This entry is an error. The following transcription by Lou Poole shows that the deed was actually witnessed by Thomas Flippen in July 1700, in Gloucester County, Virginia. The deed was recorded in Essex County.

"Essex County Deeds & Wills 1699-1701, p. 50" Sparacio, Ruth and Sam, Virginia County Court Records, Deed & Will Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1699-1701, p. 70.
"THIS INDENTURE Made ye Eleventh day of July in ye yeare of our Lord God One thousand seven hundred And in the twelfth yeare of ye Reign of our Sovereighn Lord Wm., King over England &c., Be-tween John Baker of Kingstone Pish. in ye County of Gloucester of ye one pte: and William Bastyn of ye aforesd. Pish & County of ye other pte: Witnesseth yt: ye sd Jno. Baker for the sume of Fifty pounds of good sweet scented tobacco to him payd doth sell unto the sd William Bastyn his Exers. & assignes one hundred & eighteen acres of land be it more or less being part of a tract of land commonly called by ye name of Buttons Rang containing Three thousand six hundred & fifty acres being in ye Pish. of Sitten-burne in ye County of Essex & granted formerly to Mr. Thomas Button deced by Patent dated ye 19th day of July 1666, wch: sd tract was given by ye last Will and Testament of ye sd Thomas Button to his Brother, Robert Button, as by ye sd Will dated ye first day of March 1669 will more plainly appeare & since by ye heires of ye sd Robt. Button conveyed to the abovesd. Jno. Baker as by an Order of ye President of Councill to him granted at James Citty & dated ye 27th day of October 1688 may & will appeare, which sd p:cell of land reputed to be One hundred & eighteene acres is bounded as followeth: Berginning at a corner tree of Mattrum Wrights line toward ye North West side of Assages Branch running a long ye sd Mattrum Wrights & Wm. Williams line to Anthony Samuells line & along Anthony Samuells & Barbers line to ye line of ye grand Pattent & a long ye sd line to ye first specified place, Together with all woods housing fencing orchards & appurtenances to ye sd land belonging unto ye sd Wm. Bastyn his Exers. & as-signes from ye day next before ye date hereof unto ye sd Wm. Batyn during ye tearme of one year from thence next ensueing to ye intent that by vertue thereof, & ye Statute for ye transferrying of uses into possession ye sd Wm. Bastyn may be in actual possession of ye sd land & be enabled to accept a grant & re-lease of ye premisses.  In Witness whereof ye sd John Baker sett his hand & seale
Signed sealed & delivered in presence of us
George Axe, John Baker
Thomas Fleppin
Willm. Armistead
Acknowledged in Essex County Court ye 10th day of 7ber 1700 and truely recorded" 

"Essex County Deeds & Wills 1699-1701, pp. 50-51" Sparacio, Ruth and Sam, Virginia County Court Records, Deed & Will Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1699-1701, pp. 70-71.

"THIS INDENTURE made ye twelfth day of July in ye yeare of our Lord God one thousand seven hun-dred Betweene John Baker of Kingstone Pish: in ye County of Glocester of ye one pte: and William Bastyn of ye aforesd. Pish: & County of ye other part Witnesseth that for ye sum of Three thousand five hundred pounds of good sweet scented tobacco & cask by ye sd Wm. Bastyn in hand payd ye sd Jno: Baker hath granted unto ye sd Wm. Bastyn his heirs & assignes forever in ye actuall possession of ye sd Wm. Bastyn now being by vertue of an Indenture of Lease to him made bearing date the day next before ye date of these presents and of ye Statute for transferring uses in possession, One hundred & Eighteene acres of land, And it shall be lawfull for ye sd Wm. Bastyn his heires & assignes at all tymes forever hereafter peaceably & quietly to hold ye sd p:cell of land without ye lawfull lett of him ye sd Jno: Baker his heires or assignes or any other p:sons claiming under him (ye Quit Rents from henceforth to grow due for ye pr:misses only ex-cepted & foreprized) And ye sd Jno: Baker will personally appeare by himselfe or his lawfull Attorney be-fore ye Justices of ye sd Court & will acknowledge this Instrument or Writing unto ye sd Wm. Bastyn his heires & assignes and alsoe ye sd Jno: Baker doth hereby bind himselfe his heires that Elizabeth his Wife shall likewise within Six months after her arrival into Virginia appear before ye abovesd Court & accord-ingly relinquish her right of Dower to ye above pr:misses  In Witness whereof ye sd John Baker hereto sett his hand & Seale

Signed sealed & delivered in ye presence of us
George Axe,John Baker
Thomas Fleppin
Willm. Armistead

Acknowledged in Essex County Court ye 10th day of 7ber: 1700 & truely recorded.

"KNOW ALL MEN yt. I John Baker am firmly bound unto William Bastyn in ye full sume of Seaven thousand pounds of good sweet scented tobacco & caske to containe ye same dated ye twelfth day of July in ye yeare of our Lord God One thousand seven hundred.

"The Conditionm of this pr:sent obligation is that whereas John Baker hath by his Deed of Lease dated ye Eleventh day of this Instant moneth July sold unto Wm. Bastyn one hundred & eighteen acres of land and by his Deed of Release dated with these pr:sents for ye valuable consideration confirmed by ye sd Wm. Bastyn his heires & assignes ye sd p:cell of land reputed to be One hundred and Eighteene acres  If there-fore ye above named William Bastyn shall at all tymes forever from henceforth peaceably hold ye sd p:cell of land clearly discharged from all manner of suits incumbrances done by ye above bounden John Baker and also if ye sd Jno. Baker shall hereafter at the reasonable request & at ye cost & charges of ye sd Wm. Bastyn generally doe & execute all other act & thing needfull for ye full confirming ye tytle & estate of ye above p:cell of land Then this present obligation to be voyd or else stand in full force
Signed sealed & delivered in ye presence of us
George Axe,John Baker
Thomas Fleppin
Willm. Armistead
Acknowledged in Essex County Court ye 10th day of 7ber: 1700 and truely recorded." 


Other Early Flippen Records

        Christ Church Parish Register of Middlesex County has a number of Flippen records, but the earliest one found was dated 1722.  Middlesex County is just across the river north of Gloucester so it is a possibility that they are related to the Flippens of Gloucester. 
But there is no evidence that the Middlesex Flippens were closely related to the Kingston Parish ones.


There is a book on the Flippen/Flippingdescendants on line.  It was written by Nova Lemons. Unfortunately, the last update on this site in 2000 and she no longer responds to emails. It does not appear to have Lilly families in it.  
http://flippinfamilies.homestead.com/Intro.html

The above link leads to one on Rootsweb which is a broken link. 




Since the only early Flippen records found so far are from Gloucester County, it suggests that Edmund Lilly and the Flippens and the Bedfords came together from Gloucester.  For Lilly records in that area, see the following.
 Possible Ancestry of Edmund Lilly  

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