Marjorie Whitfield Herring

Family tradition has Marjorie Herring as a Whitfield by birth, but this appears to be due to a misreading of John and Marjorie's wills. It appears far more likely she was a Whitfield by a prior marriage. Her maiden name is unknown. The surname Barron is also commonly ascribed to her, but without any sourcing.

John Herring's will was proved 10 Jun 1672. He gave his son Anthony livestock, a gun, housewares and half the tobacco crop then growing, but no land. It gave everything else to his wife Marjorie and one young heifer to John Whitfield.

The mention of John Whitfield in the will hints that Marjorie may have been Marjorie Whitfield prior to her marriage to John, likely a widow of a Whitfield.

Marjorie's will in 1675 leaves everything to John Whitfield, orphan, and designates Clement Creswell as more or less the guardian for John. She calls Clement John’s father-in-law. Your father-in-law is your spouse’s father, but the assumption is John was still a minor so obviously he was not married. The use of the word father-in-law here meant something different to Marjorie. Then when Clement Creswell writes his will in 1682, he passes everything that Marjorie held on to John Whitfield. There were several men named Whitfield among the earliest settlers of Virginia.

In any event, John Whitfield must have been quite young in 1672, meaning that Marjorie could not have been Anthony’s mother, so John Herring must have been married earlier to someone whose name is not known.

Source: http://www.mertzgenealogy.com/reunion/Family_Tree/ps02/ps02_309.htm

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Marjorie was John Herring's wife although it's not known if she was his only wife. She made her will in 1675. John's will mentions a John Whitfield who was 14 at that time, but the wording of Marjorie's will seems to suggest she had been married before and it may have been to Whitfield, but she named Clement Creswell as Executor. Anthony wasn't named in the will. He was an adult in 1672.

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Book by James Grimwood "Herring Hilights II" for family of John and Margaret Herring Will for John L. Herringe in file:

Arrived in VA. from Bristol, England in 1642. Will dated June 10, 1672, Isle of Wight, VA. A child John Whitfield, same as wife's maiden name, is named in will.[Reddick08162000.FBK]

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JOHN HERRING and DESCENDANTS

John HERRING, born about 1620 in England, came to Virginia about 1641 and married a Marjorie. He died abt 1672 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. From his will, which was proved in court on 10 June 1672, he named a child, John WHITFIELD. Possibly this John was a nephew and an indication that Marjorie possibly was a WHITFIELD. From John's will and other land records, we believe that John & Marjorie had a son named Anthony. It is possible, however, that Anthony was a son of an earlier marriage of John HERRING; however, that is speculation. No record has been found of an earlier marriage. The following son is attributed to this John HERRING. Possibly there were other issue unknown to this writer.

Issue of John HERRING, b abt 1620, d abt 1672 & Marjorie (WHITFIELD, speculative) born Isle of Wight, VA :

Anthony HERRING (John 1),> b 1648 in Isle of Wight Co., VA, d 1715 Isle of Wight Co., VA; m Rebecca WEST abt. 1677 in Isle of Wight Co., VA.