As I research the Godfrey's I find them very confusing, There were three Godfrey's.
The Godfrey that first came to America is known as Godfrey Ragsdale.
His son Godfrey, is known as Godfrey Ragsdale Senior or Godfrey # 2.
The son of Godfrey # 2 is Godfrey Junior. Make sense?
The same thing occurred with our Williams I think.
Here is some interesting information on Godfrey # 2 I found on roots web.

Godfrey's # 2's Will

Henrico County
I, Godfrey Ragsdale, Senior of Bristol Parish in Henrico Co. ... to son Godfrey 150 acres with all its buildings, orchards and fencings thereon, adjoining to Peter Jones, taking its breadth from ye River and running according to patent to ye farthest extent thereof ... to son Peter ... 130 acres ... to my son Daniel the remainder of my land ... to daughter Rachall ... 5 shillings, being already provided for ... to my wife, Rachall ... the remainder ... my wife and son Godfrey, executors ... 7th and 20th day of April 1697.

Godfrey Ragsdale {Seal}

Witness: Peter Rowlette, Senior, Essex Bevil, Nich. Dison
Approved Henrico Co., Va April 1, 1703 ... by ye oaths of Nich. Dison and Essex Bevil. James Cocke, Clerk.

 

(Research):Will written April 27, 1697; proven April 1, 1703, Henrico County, VA. He lived in Bristol Parish.

BIRTH: Born on North side of Appomattox River, Henrico Co. VA in 1644. Source: Deposition on 7 Aug 1687, stating he was 43 years of age; Henrico Co. records; Vol 1; p. 457.

MARRIAGE: About 1666 to Rachel _____, maiden name not yet known. There were so many good names of neighbors; Bevil, Batte, Jones, Franklin, Harris, Rowlett, Wilson, Worsham, Clay and others. Surely one of these was her maiden name.

DEATH: He made his will, Henrico Co VA April 27, 1697. Deed Book 1697-1704, p 317. Proven April 1, 1703.

PROPERTY: Earliest existing record for Godfrey is the claiming of his estate after reaching 21. The State Land Office, Richmond, VA. Book 6, p. 211, "...Jan. 13, 1666...To all know ye, I, Sir William Berkeley grant unto Godfrey Ragsdale 450 acres of land upon the north side of the Appomatox River in the county of Henrico, being a grant formerly made to John Butler, Oct 1, 1641 and later sold to Godfrey Ragsdale, father of Godfrey Ragsdale to whom the tract is now regranted this date, Jan 3, 1666."

Inherited 150 acres from his grandfather, John Cookney, whose will was probated in Henrico Co, VA 1 Dec 1646. 1679 - Conveyed 50 of these acres to Thomas Batte Sr. Source: Ragsdales in America Newsletter; Vol V11; Issue 1

In a search for old maps which would name the village of Pocahontas (next called Olde Town) or Tonstoll's Creek on the Appomatox River in the 1600's (the Ragsdale homestead homesite) Adelia Simplot and Romona Higer, 1302 Warm Springs Ave., Boise Idaho 83712, (208) 345-1432 traveled to Richmond and Williamsburg, VA, spending days at the Virginia Historical Library and the Library of Virginia. Following is their story of discovery: "At Williamsburg, the Curator of Prints and Maps showed us map after map of 16th, 17th and 18th Century Virginia. The curators eventually led us to the former Director of Historic Petersburg, Mr. Dulaney Ward. We told him we were interested in the Ragsdales on the Appomatox River in the 1600s. 'Oh, you must mean Godfrey Ragsdale,' he replied, 'the Ragsdales were related to the Joneses.' We were thrilled. This man spoke our language.

Mr. Ward said the old Ragsdale land is what has been called 'Pocahontas' since at least 1748. He is also sure 'Olde Town' referred to a former Indian village. In 1748, Richard Witton laid out plats of land, proposing to call the area 'Wittontown'. The House of Burgesses said, no, it must be called 'Pocahontas'. Mr. Ward believes Mr. Witton had married a Ragsdale.

In addition, Mr. Ward said, 'The Ragsdale land is 'Pocahontas' and more, including land to the north and the east.' Most of it is in present day Petersburg and also nearby Colonial Heights. He believes that the old plantation home is sadly, where the Southpark Mall is today. He commented, 'I wish I had had the information you have (Mrs. Wester's and Mrs. Van Leer's, etc.) In 1986 the mayor and I were trying to find anything or anyone to stop the building of that mall.' The Route #1 bridge runs on the edge of Pocahontas. The Ragsdale land was on both sides.

Fort Henry was the precursor of Petersburg, the city. the best maps I have located is the West Point Atlas of the Civil War which clearly shows Pocahontas.

We asked Mr. Ward why so many would sell their homes and move to Mecklenburg and other points south. Was it the impending war with England, had the soil played out, was it the end of the fur trade (disappeared by 1720s). Mr. Ward stated em- phatically, 'They were going for opportunity.'

William Byrd II and III were a major force in opening up the new lands. (In the 1740s Byrd II had 180,000 acres of land.) In Prince George Byrd got a fee for all the patents he sold. 'Once that land opened, it opened up extremely rapidly.' Mr. Ward suggested we might read Byrd's History of the Dividing Line and The Secret History of the Dividing Line. 'When you read that, you will know what your people were doing.'

Standing on the upper banks of the Appomatox and James River was very beautiful and very moving. To think this was the land of our intrepid Ragsdale forebears made us tremendously proud and humbled by their courage."

SOURCE: Published in Ragsdales of America publication, Vol. VIII Issue 4, Winter 1995, p 3-4.

MILITARY SERVICE: Served with other local tithables of Curles, furnishing men, horses and arms. Source: Henrico Co records dated 30 Apr 1675; p. 102.

JURY DUTY: Served in 1692. Source: Henrico Co records dated 16 Dec 1692; p 489-90

SOURCE: The Ragsdale Family in England and America by Mrs. Blake Ragsdale Van Leer; privately printed by Industrial Printing Service; Route #1; Arbor Hill Road; Canton, BA 30114 This Godfrey (2) is the son of Godfrey the first emigrant to America. He survived the Indian Massacre in 1644 as an infant only a few months old. The first records we have of this Godfrey (2) is from records in Richmond, VA of him claiming his estate after reaching the age of 21 years. The tract of land totaled 450 acres on the north side of the Appomatox River in the county of Henrico. The land had first been granted to John Butler October 1, 1641, and later sold to Godfrey (1) Ragsdale. This regranting of the land to Godfrey (2) happened on January 3, 1666. Godfrey (2) wrote his will on the 27th of April 1697 at the age of 53 years. He willed to Godfrey (3) " 150 acres with all its buildings, orchards and fencings thereon, adjoining to Peter Jones, taking its breadth from ye River and running according to patent to ye farthest extent thereof". To his son Peter he gave 130 acres. To his son Daniel and daughter Rachall he gave five shillings, being already provided for. To his wife Rachall he gave the remainder and his son Godfrey (3) and his wife were to be the executors.