| Notes |
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From the Valdo James Smith Research document, The Sudburys of Virginia and Tennessee.
DAVID SUDBURY (ca.1750-ca.1810) was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia,
apparently after 1747, since he is not mentioned with his half-brother and half-sisters in
his father's deed of gift recorded that year. The earliest record of his existence is from
the year 1758, when local chuchwardens (in Chesterfield County?) made him and his
brothers and sister a ward of Jane Hales due to their status as "orphans".
The next recorded reference to David appears in the book Marriages of Amelia
County, Virginia 1735-1815, compiled by Kathleen Booth Williams, where he is listed
as a witness to the marriage of Joseph Scott and Elizabeth Booker on November 13,
1778. By the time of the first census of the United States, David had moved to
Powhatan County, where he is shown as the head of a household of six whites and no
blacks in 1783.
David is also listed in the 1787 census of Virginia. At that time he was still living in
Powhatan County. The limited information provided in relation to this census tells us
only that he had one son living at home between the ages of 16 and 21, that he had six
slaves, and that he owned three horses and 12 head of cattle. Unfortunately, the author
of this history is unaware of any evidence that would indicate the name of David's son
referenced in this census.
Glenn Boyd's records reference an entry for David in the 1790 U.S. census, but the
author of this history has not yet seen the details for that entry. Glenn also cites an
unspecified source dated January 27, 1797, as indicating that David's land in Powhatan
County adjoins a parcel of land belonging to Abner Crump.
In the 1810 census for Virginia, David appears in the records for Buckingham County.
He and his wife are listed in an age category of 45 and above. The only other "white"
person living with them is a male, age 16-26, who would have been born between 1784
and 1794. Of the five children listed below, only David R., who was born about 1790,
would fall into this category. The census record includes two slaves.
Another listing in the 1810 census covering Buckingham County is for a woman named
Caty Sudbury. Her presence in the same county as David suggests the possibility of a
connection. However, she may be a freed slave, since no "free white males" or "free
white females" are listed under her entry, but instead, six "other free persons except
Indians not taxed".
The last census with a listing for David is the 1820 Virginia census. At that time he
was still living in Buckingham County. Aside from David and his wife, the census
record lists two "free white males", age 26-44, and one "free white female" under 10
years of age. One of the unidentified males could have been David R. Sudbury, who
would have been 30 years of age in 1820. The identity of the other young man, and
the young girl, however, seem to be a complete mystery. Was the girl possibly a
daughter of David R. Sudbury or William W. Sudbury?
David and his wife probably died between 1820 and 1830, since there is no reference to
them in the latter census. However, the Sudbury family did not disappear entirely from
Buckingham County. There is an entry in the 1840 census index for a woman named
Frances Sudberry, who also appears in the 1850 census, with her surname spelled
"Sudsberry". The 1850 census index covering Buckingham County includes an entry
for William Sudsberry. These entries should be investigated to ascertain the ages of
Frances and William. It is almost certain that they are in some way connected to the
family of David Sudbury.
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1747 - 1810 (63 years)
