John Echols (born 1650)

Possible discrepancy
Read Which Echols Went to America? for information regarding John Echols' possible father and early American connections.
Born Circa 1650
Died …
Parents  
Spouse Mary (Cave) Echols
Children John Echols Jr., Abraham Echols, William Echols, Joseph Echols, Richard Echols, several daughters

Summary

This is the best candidate for the first Echols in the documented direct Virginia line. He appears to align with the John Eckholls/Echols found in New Kent and King and Queen County records by the 1680s-1703 period, and with Milner's later statement of the immigrant John Echols who married Mary Cave.

Possibly interesting: Port of London; English merchant's exports from London; record made by the Controller of Tunnage and Poundage

This may be the John Echols mentioned in the King and Queen Museum bulletin index lists "Echols (Eachols), John, 6:7", indicating that John Echols is in bulletin 6, page 7. Note that the Bulletins themselves must be purchased at a cost of $2 issue + $1.25 shipping and do not appear to be digitized or available online.

In The Echols Family History, Milner claims that "John Echols… settled in Caroline County, Virginia, and married a tall redheaded woman named Cary Cave." Thus, Caroline County may contain the location or the marriage or other documents related to Echols and Cave.

Land (grouped by property)

350 acres on April 20, 1685

In Nugent's Cavalier and Pioneers, Vol 2 (archive.org), on page 287:

JOHN ECKHOLLS & WILLIAM MORRIS, 350 ac., New Kent., St. Stephen's Par., 20 Apr. 1685, p. 436. Behind land formerly of Mr. Giles Moody; by Marrow's old howse, &c. Trans. of 7 pers.*

As far as I can tell, this is the earliest record of this John Eckholls in Virginia.

I believe this is the land used as a reference point in this patent by James Taylor in 1688 (pg. 328):

James Taylor, 350 acs., New Kent Co., in St. Stephen's Par; 20 Oct. 1688, p. 683. Behind land formerly of Mr. Giles Moody; by Barrow's old house, &c. Granted to John Eckolls & Wm. Morris, 20 Apr. 1685, deserted, & now granted by order, &c. Trans. of 7 pers: John Jones, Wm. Kitto, Jeffery James, Cadwalader Hackle, Anne Eden, Eliza. Foster, Jno. Charles.

321 acres on April 23, 1688

Also in Nugent's Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol 2, but on page 320:

JOHN ECKHOLLS, 321 acs., New Kent Co., on N. side of Mattapony Riv., 23 Apr. 1688, p. 635. Beg. by Capt. William Smyth's Landing path; along Moody's lyne; to the White Oake Sw; to John Joy by Indian Path; by John Dunkley &c. Trans. of 7 pers: Samuell Randoll, John London, John Courteney, Thomas Gardener, William Smithson, Deborah Marshall, Daniel Newman

1620 acres on October 23, 1703

The Library of Virginia's Colonial Papers finding aid lists an October 21, 1703 patent for "Samuel Craddock, John Cave, John Eckholls, and William Glover" LVA. This supports the Echols-Cave connection. Per the Library of Congress' summary, this patent is for "1620 acres of land on the branches of Tuckahoe Swamp in King & Queen & Essex counties". Note there is a slight discrepancy between records on the date (October 21 vs October 23).

In Cavalier and Pioneers, Vol 3 (archive.org):

SAMUEL CRADOCK, JOHN CAVE, JOHN ECKHOLLS & WILLIAM GLOVER, 1620 acs., in K. & Q. & Essex Counties; on brs. of Tuckahoe Sw., in the freshes of Mattapony River, 23 Oct. 1703, p. 552. Beg. by E. side of Potobago Path; to E. side of Tuckahoe Bever Dam; by the old path. Trans of 33 pers: Hugh Williams, Eliz. Mask, Eliz. Dean, Wm. Whitton, Samuel Carter, John Page, Isaac Sanders, Wm. Haynes, Richd. Summers, Nicolas Neal, Tho. Oakley, Ralph Keeling, John Royley, Robt. Blake, Tho. Marlers, Nich. Martin, James Waly, Wm. Kite, Mary Kite, Mary Jones, Margt. Upton, Jon. Babe, Tho. Lyars, Joseph Gregory, Tho. Essex, Joseph Arch, Wm. Maddocks, Fra. Bentley, Richd. Steeter, Robt. Marwood, Hugh Davis, Richd. Hill, Richd. Burton.

I believe the original source is here: FamilySearch.

This may be the land mentioned in a patent by William Hall on page 212 of Cavalier and Pioneers, Vol 3:

WILLIAM HALL, of Glocester Co; 1080 acs. (N. L.), K. & Q. Co. & Esssex Co; 11 July 1719, p. 426. Beg. at Stephen Lankford (Langford), on W. side of Tuckahoe Sw; adj. William Cradock, John Cave, John Eckols & William Glover; land sd. Hall sold to John Smith, Thomas Aplin & John Smith; Col. Goldman's line; Col. Goodrich & Mr. Aubrey; on N. side of the Sadle Branch; 11 July 1719, o. 426 Imp. of 22 pers: Jervis Blundall, Trehemiah Tolarton, John Brown, Abel Duckwith, Susanna Reaves, Alice Finier, David Wilson, Robert Smith, John Thomas, Dorby Bohawn, Dennis Mackarty, Darby Dun, James Smith, Jane Thompson, Samuel Smith, Robert Williams, Thomas Turner

I believe the original source is here: FamilySearch.

There is a later (1724) patent (LVA) indexed by LOV that also appears to reference this land:

Location: King and Queen County. Description: 1300 acres between Tuckahoe Swamp and Portobacco Road. Adjoining the land of Hall, Lankford Harford, William Glover &c. thence &c. on the west side of Eckholl's great branch. Source: Land Office Patents No. 12, 1724-1726, p. 132 (Reel 11). Part of the index to the recorded copies of patents for land issued by the Secretary of the Colony serving as the colonial Land Office. The collection is housed in the Archives at the Library of Virginia.

600 acres on October 23, 1703

In Cavalier and Pioneers, Vol 3 (archive.org):

JOHN CAVE & JOHN ECKOLLS, 600 acs., K. & Q. Co., in St. Stephen's Par; in the freshes of Mattapony River; beg. at Richards' & Cave's land; to E. side of Potobago Path; 23 Oct. 1703, p. 554. Trans of 12 pers: Daniell Due (or Doe), Peter Maryon, Hugh Hillion, Margarett Wingall, John Morgaine, Rowld. Watteny, Mary Glover, Edward Clegg, Peter Baker, Wm. Leigh, John Right, Tho. Dicks

I believe the original source is here: FamilySearch.

This made be related to the patent for 1620 acres on the same day, also with John Cave.

Milner's account

Milner's The Echols Family History claims the following:

  1. John Echols was born in England; married Mary Cave; had 8 children:

    i. John Echols, Jr. went to N.C., married;

    ii. Abraham Echols married Sarah Hubbard

    iii. William Echols married and had issue

    iv. Joseph Echols had asthma, did not marry

    v. Richard Echols married Caty Evans

    vi. a daughter who married Nicholas Gillingtine

Note that Milner claims the John Echols who traveled to America was the same John who married Mary Cave. This aligns better with the John Eckholls found in Virginia records around 1685-1703 than with the 1635 "John Ecles" passenger, who would have been elderly by the time of the Cave/Eckholls patents. Some compiled records question Milner's assertion that the John Echols born in England was the same John Echols who married Mary Cave. It is possible that this John Echols (circa 1650) is a junior, son of the immigrant John Echols (possibly born 1619).

Richard Echols, son of this John Echols, married a "Catherine Evans" (sometimes spelled "Katherine") which matches "Caty Evans" per Milner.