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From the research and author of "The Eustaces of the Chiltern Hundreds", Donald W Eustace, deceased
(Eustace Association).
THE VIRGINIANS
The connections in England of John Eustace, the founder of the Virginian
branch in 1676, are among the questions which give fascination to family
history research and which are by no means always solved.
What we know of the very early days comes from the will of John in 1687
and the deposition of Antony Steptoe connected with it.(l)
John Eustace with his young wife, Sarah, and her parents, William and
Elizabeth Jauncey, went from England to Barbados and then to Virginia.
They took over the property at Dividing Creek, Northumberland Co. from
Mrs Jauncey's brother, Captain John Cossens.(2)
There is nothing to connect John with either the Irish or Cornish Eustace
families but there are indications of a connection with the Oxford area.
William Jauncey, John's father-in-law, was brought up at West Hanney,
Berks., where his father was vicar. This is only ten miles south of Oxford
City and the main 'Eustace country' also there were Eustaces established
in the neighbourhood and, in fact, still are.(3)
Mrs Jauncey was connected with the Cossens family of Curdridge, near Bishops
Waltham, Hants., where they are to this day. The property at Curdridge
bequeathed by William Jauncey to his grandson, William Eustace, was probably
from her family. At the time the Jauncey family left England the curate in
charge of Bishops Waltham was a Thomas Eustace, quite possibly the one who
graduated at New College, Oxford in 1663.(4) He was the son of John Eustace
of Okeley, Bucks., and could well have been elder brother to John.(5)
There was about twenty years later around the 1690's a William Eustace
practising as a surgeon in Bishops Waltham and bringing up a family. He
could have been a younger brother.
At the time of writing these are the nearest clues to the origins of the
founder of the Virginian family.
Wicomico Episcopal Church - Fall 1975
See monument at Far Left
Note: Eustace, William John.
Mrs Jauncey died after only four years in America and William Jauncey
returned to England, leaving the estate to the young people.
John Eustace must have been a man of some ability and education, quite
possibly a graduate of Oxford. He became a justice of Northumberland Co.,
and when he died in 1701 left a library of twenty law books in addition
to thirteen slaves. Sarah died before John and. he married a second wife,
Elizabeth.
His elder son, William, followed his father in the law being appointed
justice and with the backing of the powerful Lee family was elected sheriff
of the county. He had married Ann Lee whose folk owned the neighbouring
manor of Ditchley. Her maternal great-grandparents were Isaac Allerton and
Fear Brewster of the Mayflower company in 1620) .(6) John the younger son
died childless.
William had four sons and five daughters. John, the eldest, was a vestryman
of Wicomico parish and married Alice C Peachey but had no children. The
second son, Major William Eustace, followed tradition by being both justice
and sheriff although he had moved into Fauquier Co. Isaac married Agatha
Conway and lived in Lancaster Co. Captain Hancock Eustace, the fourth son,
also lived in Fauquier Co. and was a signatory to the Westmoreland Resolution
which is regarded as the first act of defiance against the government in
London. Among the other signatories were three of the Lee family and John
Beale who was probably the husband of Elizabeth Eustace. Another sister,
Sarah married Colonel Thomas Gaskins who was a leader in the battle of
Yorktown in 1781.(7)
An unfortunate family quarrel arose at this time as John Eustace, the
vestryman, having no children of his own, left property to his eldest nephew
John who, alas, was killed in the War of Independence.(8) Major William
Eustace claimed this property as the next-of-kin of John much to the chagrin
of his widowed sister-in-law, Alice. She accused him of persecution with
considerable vehemence in her will in 1799.(9)
Two of William's grandsons, John and William sons of Isaac, fought in the
war of 1812. The son of John, also John, served in the Confederate army
in the Civil War while his mother, Louisa, managed the three hundred acre
farm. He later married his cousin Sarah Frances Eustace. In 1901 with
other members of his family John founded the Baptist church at Calverton
in Fauquier Co. Of the seventeen charter members, eleven were Eustaces.
The first three deacons were Eustaces as was the clerk.(10) They wisely
chose Frank Cassell outside the family to be treasurer. The church is
still supported by later generations of the family.
Captain Hancock Eustace, mentioned earlier, served in Washington's
Expedition against the French in the French-Indian War of 1765 and was
awarded a grant of three thousand acres from the King. He later fought
in the Continental Army in the War of Independence and this time was
granted a thousand acres by the Governor of Virginia.
The Captain W T Eustace for whom the township of Eustace, Texas was named
was born in Northumberland Co. Va., in 1845 and was probably a grandson of
Isaac and Agatha (Conway) Eustace. Having served under Beauregard and
Lee in the Civil War he returned to find his home in ruins. He moved into
Louisiana where he taught to earn a living. A later move to Henderson Co.
Texas commenced with teaching but he was elected district and then county
clerk. He was nominated for governor but was not successful.(11)
The table of descendants of John and Sarah Eustace is by no means complete.
It comprises only those whose links are known. There must be many more
descendants in the Southern States and other parts who could link up and
every help will be given by the author and his associates.
Notes and References:
(1) William and Mary College Quarterly -
Antony Steptoe worked for John Cossens, brother of Mrs Jauncey.
Captain John Steptoe, presumably Antony's son, later married the
widow of John Eustace and his name appears on the memorial column
at Wicomico Church.
(2) There were two Captain John Cossens in Barbados around this time,
father and son. It is possible that although Mrs Jauncey spent her
married life in England she was, in fact, from Barbados.
(3) William Jauncey's sister lived in Faringdon after her marriage
and his brother at Phen in Stratford (Fenny Stratford, Bucks.).
The Eustaces now living at West Hanney appear to have moved in
later although there was an Annis Hewstas married in the village
in 1621 and a Daniel Youstis in Wantage in 1662. Parish Registers.
(4) Alumnii Oxoniensis -
Thomas Eustace had only daughters but there was a William Eustace,
surgeon, in Bishops Waltham some twenty years later who had sons
and the name is recorded there at the end of the 19th century.
(5) There is a memorial stone in Bishop Waltham church which reads
URSULA THOMAE EUSTACE IN HAC ECCLESIA CURATI CONJUX DILECTISSIMA
FILIA ROBERTI BARFOOT DE HILL RELIQUIT SIB[ SUPERSTITES FILIAS
TRES ANNAM ELIZABETHAM ET URSULAM EX QUA INFELICITER OBIJT PUEPERA
FEBRUARY 8VO1683/4
Ursula, dearest wife of Thomas Eustace curate of this church,
daughter of Robert Barfoot of Hill unhappily passed away in
childbirth leaving surviving three daughters Ann, Elizabeth and
Ursula. 8th February 1683/4
(6) Blackwell Genealogy - E M Blackwell, Memo. approved by Soc. of
Lee of Va. - Mrs G M Moses, New England Hist. Gen. Reg v.44.
William added considerably to the family fortunes as his will
showed 34 slaves and the library increased to 50 books.
(7) Order Books of Northumberland Co.
(8) Commanded a company in the First Va. Regt. of Continental
Army and was killed in the battle of Germantown, 1777.
His father as next of kin received his bounty of 4,000 acres.
Catalogue of Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia - Wilson.
(9) Old Wills in the Northern Neck & Essex Counties p. 1 325.
(10) Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the Church, 1976.
(11) Men of Affairs published by Athens Daily Review, Tx.
(12) Historical Register of Officers of Continental Army - Heitman,
Historical Collections - Joseph Habersham. Letter of Margaret
Eustace, CRO Reading, Berks. Soc. of Cincinatti, Exiled from
Gt Britain by order of the Duke of Portland - J S Eustace, Brit.
Mus. John Skey Eustace of Savannah, Ga., was born in New York
but may have been connected with the Virginian family. His
mother was Margaret but his father is unknown. In the Continental
Army he was aide-de-camp to Generals Lee, Sullivan and Greene
in turn. He retired as colonel. His mother having inherited
Cattel Park, Savannah from a friend, he lived there for several
years, then visited Paris, Madrid and London. He joined the
French Army in 1794 and was a.d.c. to Luchner and Dumoinie,
later commanding a division in Flanders. His reception in London
was not cordial and he wrote numerous pamphlets defending his
position. He died in 1805.
The writing of this chapter was made possible by the work of Frances
(Eustace) Ungemach, Sue Cooper and the late Major Hal. Eustace. To
all of whom every acknowledgement and thanks is given.
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