This John Garner died early in 1702. His will was dated January 22, 1702, proved May 26, 1702, and recorded January 1, 1703.

(Note: as a background note for John Garners recorded in Virginia under the headrights system....the following were recorded:
1st: As early as 1637, a John Garner, and a Richard Garner , were listed as being transported by a William Farrar of Henrico County, in his land patent for 2000 acres on 11 June 1637. Farrar transported 40 individuals at his own expense, which entitled him to 50 acres per person, a total of 2000 acres. This John Garner is not our John Garner, he is too early.

2nd: A John Garner was recorded as a headright for Daniell Gookins, Esqr.,, in Up. Co., of New Norf., 29 Dec 1637, 2500 acres. Gookins transported 50 persons. Again. he is not our John Garner.

3rd: A John Garner was recorded as being transported by Lewis Burwell, Gent., in a land patent dated 17 Oct 1650 for 1,600 acres, in Northumberland County, Virginia. Along with this John Garner, and 31 other transports, was a Thomas Broughton. Here we see a connection of these two transports. Thomas Broughton was the stepfather of John Garner's wife Susanna Keene, daughter of Thomas Keene and Mary Thorley. Thomas was the third husband of Mary Thorley.

4th:.....A John Garner was recorded as a transport by Thomas Hobkins of Lancaster County, Virginia in his land patent recorded 6 Sept 1654 for 1400 acres and transport of 28 persons. Again a Thomas Broughton is a fellow transport.
Even though John is mentioned as being transported twice (1650 and 1654, patent dates), it is still unclear if he actually arrived in America at that time. There were many variables to the headright system. Headrights were persons of all social classes....and often headrights'" claims" by the sponsors were made years or decades after the supposed passage by the transports to America......so dates of the land patents do not necessarily indicate when a transported headright arrived in America. The sponsor would be claiming 50 acres of free land for each individual he sponsored to travel to America. The cost to the sponsor was the cost of the ship's passage for each headright.....hoping in the end that the 50 acres acquired per headright, would add to his prosperity as a landowner in America, and out weigh his costs of sponsorship. The system was abused, and we see multiple claims for the same headrights.
We do not know if our John Garner is connected to the first two John Garners of 1637, as it has not been determined if he immigrated directly from England, or if his parents were in Virginia when he was born. More documented research is needed here.

John settled in Northumberland County, Virginia, circa 1650, which had been formed two
years earlier. Believed to be seventeen years old.

......It is believed that John was born in 1633. He stated
in a deposition in 1663, in Northumberland County, Virginia, that he was thirty years old.
He settled near present day Lewisetta, in Northumberland County, on Cherry Point near the mouth of the Coan River, alongside the Potomac River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. About 1660, John married Susanna Keene (1646-1716), daughter of Thomas Keene and Mary "Margie" Thorley, also of Northumberland County.

......In the following ten or so years, John was active
with some land transactions, jury duty, transported five
persons from England, receiving a land grant for 250 acres,
sworn in as constable for Cherry Point Neck in 1663, appointed an attorney for himself, etc., and father of
ten children. Tobacco was the important commodity.
......In 1672, John and Susanna left Northumberland Co. and
moved farther north to Westmoreland County (Cople Parish) near present day Kinsale. The early colonists settled along waterways, as it
was a safe means of transportation, providing a way of shipping tobacco from their own docks, as there were no inland roads. John continued to purchase and sell land.

......John and Susanna had ten children.

......John died in early 1702. His will was dated Jan. 22,
1702. proved May 26, 1702.......recorded Jan. 1, 1703. John's wife Susanna lived another fourteen years.

......In his will, John leaves his son Vincent the plantation and land that he (John) was living on. This was
his land near Kinsale, where John and Susanna were probably
buried, near their plantation home.

The children were remembered in their father John's will as
follows:

1..John.....Bequested: half of 800 plus acres of land, upon
............which he was all ready living)
2..Henry....Bequested: the other half of the 800 plus acres
............bequested to brother John, upon which Henry was
............all ready living, plus my chest with my wearing
............apparel.
3..Vincent..Bequested: the whole plantation and land I now
............on, together with the lands adjoining. Also a
............parcel of land lying in horn point. Also my long
............gun, my hanger and a yoke of oxen. Also the
............one half of the money from what is got from the
............the sloop called the "Outcry". Vincent, executor
............to pay his brother Thomas the sum of 2 thousand
............pounds of good tobacco in cask; to pay his
............brother Parish, the sum of 2 thousand pounds of
............good tobacco in cask; to pay his brother
............Benjamin
............2 thousand pounds of good tobacco in cask, when
............he shall be one and twenty years old; to pay his
............brother James the sum of 2 thousand pounds of
............good tobacco in cask, when he shall come to the
............age of one and twenty.
4..Thomas...Bequested: 2 thousand pounds of good tobacco in
...............cask
5..Parish...Bequested: 2 thousand pounds of good tobacco in
...............cask
6..Benjamin.Bequested: 2 thousand pounds of good tobacco in
...............cask, when he becomes age 21
7..James....Bequested: 2 thousand pounds of good tobacco in
...............cask, when he becomes age 21
8..Mary.....Bequested: A thomb ring
9..Susan....Bequested: A thomb ring
10. Martha..Bequested: A thomb ring

......John gave and bequeathed to his well beloved wife Susan the rest of his estate "as Goods and Chattels moveables and unmovables". He made Susan his sole Executor.

......I have seen no written description of what John's
plantation home looked like, possibly log or brick construction.

.......Today, there are many descendants of John and Susanna
Garner living across the U.S.

_________________________________________________________

............THE WILL OF JOHN GARNER, SR.................
..................(Abstract)............................
............Westmoreland County, Virginia................
......................1702...............................

GARNER, JOHN, 22 January 1702; 1 January 1703.

Sons John and Henry 800 acres of land to be divided between them where they are now seated; Henry my chest and wearing apparel; son Vincent plantation whereon I live and land in Horn Point, my long gun and hanger and a yoke of oxen. Also one-half of money of sloop the Outcry; Vincent to pay sons Thomas and Parish 2000 lbs. tobacco and to son Benjamin 2000 lbs. tobacco at age of 21 years; son James 2000 lbs. tobacco; to daughters Mary, Susan, and Martha each a thomb ring; wife Susan residue of estate; Witnesses; William Gardner, John Williams, William More.

Source: WILLS of Westmoreland County, Virginia, 1654-1800, printed 1925, reprinted 1982

___________________________________________________________

By: Rebecca Prillaman

(Note: See the attached photos of the full will of John Garner, Sr.,
from Westmoreland County, Virginia, "Deeds and Wills", Vol. 3-4, 1701-1709, Vol. 3, page 153, kindly submitted by FAG member Bonnie Moatz on 17 August 2019. Thank you.)