This was written for the Halifax Co., Va. family history book.

Bobbi Estes

Abraham Estes Family

Abraham Estes was born in 1647 in Nonington, Kent, England. Abraham was mentioned in his mother's will written in 1649 as being a linen weaver in the old Walloon Town of Sandwich. He was age 25 when he married Ann, widow of John Burton. There are no references of children from this marriage. Ann died shortly after the marriage probably in 1674. Records show the immigration of Abraham before 1682, as on April 20, 1682 Thorouwgood Keeling previously arranged for the passage of Abraham Estes and 5 others to Virginia. Lucy Keeling claimed this headright on behalf of her deceased father.. Abraham is mentioned several times as a tax payer and as a signer of the petition of St Stephen's Parish in 1683.

Abraham remarried to Barbara at some point. Unfortunately, the records of King and Queen County where Abraham settled have been destroyed.

Abraham may have been married a third time, as his children span nearly 30 years. Abraham and Barbara’s wills and subsequent chancery suit in Amelia County give us the names of their children.

• Sylvester born about 1684, married unknown, moved to North Carolina.
• Thomas born about 1688 married Ann Rogers and died in Caroline County.
• Mary born about 1790 married Thomas Watkins.
• Susanna born about 1692 married Thomas Poore.
• Robert born 1695 married Mary Smith and died in Lunenburg County. His many children and grandchildren populated Lunenburg, Charlotte and Halifax counties. Bartlett Estes who married first Prudence Rowlett and then Mary “Polly” Blankenship was Robert’s grandson. Bartlett lived on Cole’s Ferry Road and died in 1804, leaving a will that detailed his children and possessions. His widow went on to have two additional children some years after his death that carry the Estes last name.
• Abraham born in 1697 married Ann Watkins and then Elizabeth Jeeter. He died in Caroline County.
• Richard born 1699 married Mary Yancy and died in Louisa County. Richard lived between 1759 and 1768 in Halifax County on Wolf Trap Creek.
• Elisha born before 1700 married Mary Ann Munford and died in Henry County. Elisha’s son Ambrose Estes settled on Difficult Creek in Halifax. His only known child, Martha, married a Standley.
• John born about 1701 married Elizabeth “Nutty” Pickett and died in Louisa County. John purchased 1150 acres of land in Halifax that is now the land where Green’s Folly stands. Upon his death, his sons, John, Elisha, Micajah, Moses and Robert inherit this land. They eventually lose it to taxes, but then redeem some acreage. Eventually the Revolutionary War takes its toll and the Estes brothers move South and West, selling their land, although they lived in Halifax County for nearly 50 years.
• Sarah married James Young.
• Barbara was born in 1713 and died in 1729.
• Moses born 1711 married Elizabeth who died after 1772. He remarried Elizabeth Talbot, a widow, in Halifax County in 1782. Moses died between July 1787 and February 1788 on his home place on Grubby Road.

The Estes family who remains in Halifax County today is descended from Moses Estes. Moses and his 3 sons, John, William and Moses Jr., settled permanently here about 1770. Moses first wife Elizabeth may have been Elizabeth Webb. Moses and his sons lived in Amelia and Lunenburg Counties before Halifax. In 1758, Moses and his sons John and William are listed in the militia in Amelia County, recorded in the minutes of the House of Burgesses. Moses is buried in the old cemetery on his land, probably with his wife Elizabeth and son William, among others. It is very unlikely that he only had 3 children, although we have no records of others.

William was born before 1744, married Mary Harris and had 7 children. Family legend says that he was a drover of horses and drove them to the East coast being gone for long periods of time. He apparently had what was probably an appendicitis attach and became very ill. His wife was sent for, but she was days away and did arrive but he was already dead. Family legend tells of the widow Estes who packed her wagon, went west, and was never seen again. Mary Harris Estes married John August in 1786 and they did indeed join the westward movement, first to western frontier that would become East Tennessee in 1796, from where her children sold their portion of Moses Estes Sr.’s estate in 1788, then on to Illinois, Missouri and what would become Arkansas.

John was born about 1732, married Elizabeth Chism, and had 11 children. When Moses first moved to Halifax County in 1770, he sold half of his 400 acre tract to John who lived “just above” Moses. When visiting Moses original land in 2004, we did indeed look up the hill, and the current owners confirmed that there had once been an old structure up in the clearing. To quote John’s oldest son Abraham, a Revolutionary War soldier, “I, Abraham was born in Amelia County, Virginia. My father moved from there to Halifax, Va. where he lived until the fall of 1779, where he moved to the Holston River until 1780.” After that they moved to Warren Co., Ky. where John died in 1825. His children lived in Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri and Texas.

Moses Estes Jr. was born about 1746, married Luremia Combs and moved to Halifax County with his brothers and father. He initially owned land with his father, but sold his interest and purchased land in South Boston, now the landfill on Estes Street. At the time the city bulldozed the buildings on the land, there were 5 houses, including the original log cabin which served as a “starter home” for young married couples. The large “plantation house” burned in the 1930s with all of the family records and photos. The original Estes graveyard on Moses Jr.’s land was moved to the cemetery across the street in the early 1900s.