The identity of Rose, wife of Sheppard, Tucker, Gerard, and Newton, is a mystery but not without a solution. Many researchers have proposed her maiden name as Allerton or Sturman. Most recently, both possibilities have been dismissed. A few researchers have suggested her name is SPENCER. Following that lead, is a circumstantial case in favor of SPENCER that should convince even the most ardent skeptic.
Let’s begin with what we know.
• Rose married Thomas Sheppard, John Tucker, Thomas Gerard, and Thomas Newton
• There is no direct evidence of Rose’s surname
• There is no evidence of when Rose arrived in the colonies
• Rose married 1st Thomas Sheppard (http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rbarry4145/genealogy/rsec01.htm#550)
o Rose1,2,3 married Thomas Sheppard about 1655/1656 in Northumberland County, Virginia.
1 - John Frederick Dorman, Westmoreland County Virginia Deeds, Patents etc Part Three. 1665-1677 (Washington DC. 1974. Privately
published), Pg 10, Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
2 - Gertrude E. Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants Vol II 1742-1775 (Baltimore, MD. 1988. The Genealogical Publishing Company),
Morris Library - University of Delaware, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
3 - Ancestral File, Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
o Rose1,2,3 married John Tucker about 1661/1662 in Northumberland County, Virginia. (Sources above)
o 15 Aug 1657 - A deed in Northumberland Co. identifies Rose5 as the wife of Thomas Shepard in a patent held by Shepard transferred to
Thomas Broughton. She was named in a power of attorney.
5 - Clerk of the Court, VA, Northumberland County. Court Records. 1652-1658, pg 141.
o 20 Jul 1660 - Rose is mentioned as the wife of Thomas Sheppard in a land sale [https://colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?
personID=I71624&tree=Tree1] Land sale by Robert and Anne Bradshaw, and James and Jone Claughton of Mattapony, Northumberland
County to Thomas Sheppard and Rose, his wife. (1658-1562 Northumberland County, Virginia Record Book, Part 1; [Antient Press], p.43.)
See also: https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/176351... media/4dfb0665-c836-48b1-917c-
ec460329f1df?_phsrc=Oli6&usePUBJs=true&galleryindex=4&sort=-created [Link no longer available]
o Burial memorial. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/) She married (1st) by 15 Aug. 1657 Thomas Sheppard of Northumberland County,
Virginia. [THERE IS NO SOURCE FOR THIS.]
o Marriage: by 15 Aug 1657 Northumberland Co, Virginia Colony Thomas Shepard [https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/
16963813/person/332069119447/fact]
o She bought land on 27 Jul 1674 in Westmoreland County, Virginia She was named8,9 in a deed of gift on 25 Aug 1674 in Westmoreland
County, Virginia.
8 - John Frederick Dorman, Westmoreland County Virginia Deeds, Patents etc Part Three. 1665-1677, Pg 10 (original page 200-201)
9 - Clerk of the Court, VA, Westmoreland Co. Deeds, Wills, Patents, etc 1665-1677, pg 200
• Rose married 2nd John Tucker. She is mentioned by name in his will. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89PX-FNQL
• Rose married John Tucker, [abt] 23 Aug 1664. VIRGINIA, U.S., MARRIAGES OF THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA, U.S., 1649-1800
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5063/images/gpc_ma...
• Thomas Gerard married the Rose Tucker, the widow of John Tucker
• Thomas Newton married Rose Tucker Gerrard
FAMILIAL ASSOCIATIONS
• The Visitation of Bedfordshire [1634] – Nicholas Spencer and Mary Elmes (https://archive.org/details/visitationsofbed19blay/page/140/mode/2up)
o Rhose, Alice, Mary, Christian, Robert, and Nicholas II are siblings
• Will of Nicholas Spencer I, 10 January 1625, proved 17 February 1625 - (The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 51 By
Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters, New England Historic Genealogical Society - https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=
I24178&tree=Tree1)
o Rose is the daughter of Nicholas Spencer I and Mary Elmes.
o Her siblings are, Alice, Mary, Christian, Robert, and Nicholas. (https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I2417...=
Tree1)
• Col. John Mottrom married Mary Spencer, 1630, Chicacoan, Northumberland, Virginia
• Rose Spencer is the sister-in-law of John Mottrom
• Nicholas III, the acting governor of Virginia between 1683-1684 is the nephew of Rose ____. This makes her his aunt.
(https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/176351... 212299683539/media/7d586be4-a0c8-40e3-9b8b-
872a8a19eae6?_phsrc=Oli6&usePUBJs= true&galleryindex=3&sort=-created
o findagrave memorial ID: 182729463 for Rose Newton originally posted by Todd Whitesides on 25 Aug 2017 -
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182729463. (No source. Contributor does not accept messages).
• Their daughter, Ann, married Richard Wright
• Nicholas Spencer III is the son of Nicholas Spencer II and Frances Gostwick
• Nicholas Spencer III is mentioned as the brother-in-law of Richard Wright (1630-1663) in a 1661 land acquisition in in Northumberland County, Va.
• The will of Richard Wright refers to Nicholas Spencer, Esq III, as “my brother”. (https://www.familysearch.org/ tree/person/memories/LBMS-S2Q)
o (Nicholas III married Frances Mottrom the sister of Ann Mottrom, both the daughters of Mary Spencer and Colonel John Mottrom.)
o “To my brother Nicholas Spencer, and my sister Mrs. Frances Spencer and Brother John Mottrom” See next comment.
o In the “Wright Family Records” Nicholas is referred to as the brother-in-law of Richard Wright which makes more sense than “brother”. (See
“Documents” - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/LBMS-S2Q
CONCLUSION: Rose’s surname is SPENCER primarily based on her relationship to her nephew, Nicholas Spencer III, and as the sister-in-law of John Mottrom who married her sister, Mary Spencer. .
