Thomas Dew Was/Wasn’t the Father of Andrew Dew and John Dew

Evidence Against

1. Thomas Dew was well to do, but he did not claim the headrights for Andrew or John (or John’s wife),
and thus most probably did not pay for their passage.
2. Andrew settled far away from Thomas, in Rappahannock County. John was not far away, but still not
in Nansemond (that we know of).
3. There is no evidence that either Andrew’s or John’s children inherited land or other property from
Thomas Dew upon his death (probably around 1681, both Andrew and John being dead already). Of
course, no Nansemond records exist, but there were no purchases in Rappahannock or Isle of Wight
that might have been made possible by selling inherited land in Nansemond.
4. Thomas was literate. Or at least we think he was. Documents in Nansemond with his signature are
not to be found, due to record loss. He did sign a declaration in 1642 as a member of the House of
Burgesses, but the document I’ve seen is a copy. Neither Andrew nor John could sign his name. They
both signed by mark.

Evidence Neither Way

 John Dew’s will appoints his father as an overseer, but this probably refers to his father-in-law, John
Sherrer, who was a resident of Isle of Wight County.

Evidence for Andrew being the son of Thomas

1. His sons were named Andrew and Thomas.

2. In England there was a Thomas Dew in Malborough, county of Devon, near Plymouth, who might
have been the emigrant. He was baptized 23 May 1592, and married Frances Grosse 10 May 1617.
They had one child in Malborough, baptized 30 Aug, 1618, and his name was Andrew. One can
make a case that Thomas and Frances left for Bermuda not long afterwards, that Frances died in
Bermuda, and that Thomas returned with the children to England in 1628, where he remained until
marrying Elizabeth Cooper 29 Jul 1631 in London, after which he left (without Elizabeth) for Tortuga
(Association Island). Andrew would have had to remain in England – on his own or in care of
relatives – until emigrating himself.

Evidence for John being the son of Thomas

 None, but there may be evidence that John was Andrew’s brother. The headrights of John and
Elizabeth Dew were claimed by Andrew Gilson. According to Ernestine White, Andrew Dew’s
headright was also claimed by Andrew Gilson, but the patent she refers to is not to be found in
Cavaliers and Pioneers or in the patent books of Virginia. It is referenced, however, in the index to
Rappahannock County deeds. The deed itself was on a page that is now missing from the deed book
(or was not filmed by FHL). It may be in separate files for the Northern Neck Proprietors, or Mrs.
White may have seen the land entry in the Virginia archives. Too bad she never references anything.