Ancestors Of John Ragsdale

Your Ragsdale name should be held with great pride
as it dates back for centuries. Research indicates that
the name Ragsdale begins in England as a location of a
small community. The name had a meaning of "dweller
of a rough stone valley."
(Well, that explains all the rocks in my yard.)

The first known account of a Ragsdale is
Henry Ragsdale
Henry was born about 1460
and lived in
Ragdale, Leicestershire, England.

The son of Henry was,
Robert Ragsdale

Robert Ragsdale
Robert was born about 1485 in
Ragdale, Leicestershire, England.
He died about 1559 in Kneeton,
Nottinghamshire England.
The children of Robert were,
unknown Ragsdale
Henry Ragsdale
Thomas R. Ragsdale
John R. Ragsdale

Our line comes down from Henry

Henry Ragsdale
Henry was born about1510 in
Kneeton, Nottinghamshire, England.
Henry married
Elizabeth Oglethorpe about 1532.
Henry died in 1559.
The children of Henry and Elizabeth were,
William Ragsdale
Dorothy Ragsdale
Elizabeth Ragsdale
Margaret Ragsdale
Marie Ragsdale
Owen Ragsdale
Robert Ragsdale
Catherine Ragsdale

Our line comes down from William.
 

William Ragsdale
William was born about 1545 in
Nottinghamshire England.
William died in 1615 in England.
Spouse unknown.

The son of William was,
John Ragsdale

John Ragsdale
John was born 1575
in Nottinghamshire England.
Married unknown Heathcote about 1615
in Derbyshire England.

The son of John was
Godfrey Ragsdale

Godfrey Ragsdale
Godfrey was born about 1615 in
East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England.
Godfrey came to America about 1641.
Godfrey married Mary Cookney.
She was born about 1622 in England.
They were married about 1642 in
Bristol Parish, Henrico County, Virginia.
They died April 18 1644 in Old Town Virginia.

Godfrey was our first ancestor to come to America.
Godfrey must have been a brave hardy soul. His ship
landed in Jamestown and he moved on from there to
 Old Towne, Virginia. His life was cut short as he and
Mary were killed in an Indian attack on April 18 1644,
not long after they had arrived to that area. Godfrey
and Mary had one young son born about two or three
months before the battle that took his parents lives.
It is thought that Mary Cookney's parents raised this
young son Godfrey.

The son of Godfrey and Mary was
Godfrey Ragsdale # 2
 

Godfrey Ragsdale # 2
Godfrey was born before 1644 in
Old Town, Henrico County, Virginia.
He married Rachel Rowlette
in Henrico County about 1675.
Godfrey #2 and Rachel are considered to be the common
ancestors of most, if not all, of the Ragsdale's in America.
Godfrey died May 5th 1703.
The children of Godfrey and Rachel were,
Katherine Ragsdale
Rachel Ragsdale
Godfrey Ragsdale
Peter Ragsdale
Daniel Ragsdale
Benjamin Ragsdale
John Ragsdale

Our line comes down from Benjamin.
More On Godfrey #2

Benjamin Ragsdale
Benjamin was born about 1698 in
Bristol Parish, Henrico Virginia.
He married Mary Martha Jones about 1723
in Prince George County, Virginia.
Martha was the daughter of Peter Jones
and his wife Mary Batte.
Benjamin died at age 64 in 1772,
Martha died in 1780.
Both died in St. James Parish,
Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
The children of Benjamin and Martha were,
Daniel Ragsdale
Rachael Ragsdale
John Ragsdale
Mary Ragsdale
Richard Ragsdale
Winnifred Ragsdale
Benjamin Ragsdale
Peter Ragsdale
Thomas Ragsdale
Godfrey Ragsdale
Jesse Ragsdale
William Ragsdale

Our line comes down from William

Benjamin's will

William Ragsdale JR.
born about 1764 in Virginia.
William married Fanny Moore Hamlett
born in Virginia.
They were married in Caswell County North Carolina
on October 2nd 1788.

William and Fanny's children were,

William Ragsdale the 3rd born 1798 in Tennessee
married Sarah unknown and Sophia Cross and with
Sarah had 13 children.

Thomas Ragsdale born 1803 in Tennessee
married Mary Ann unknown and had
4 children.

John Ragsdale born about 1818
married Elizabeth Campbell Shipman and had
5 children.

William JR. and Fanny had other children,
not sure of their names or how many.
I'm sure as other relations run out
their family tree we will learn
more about them.

William JR. died in 1855.

Our line comes down from William JR.

John Ragsdale
John was born about 1818
in Guilford, Caswell County, North Carolina.
John married Elizabeth Campbell Shipman
about 1851.
John and Elizabeth's children were,
John Stephen Ragsdale
Fanny Melissabeth Ragsdale
John Ragsdale
Jarrett Melton Ragsdale "Ment"
Jane Ragsdale

John Ragsdale passed away about 1859 or 1860.