He is frequently mentioned in Virginia colonial records and served as a member of the House of Burgesses. He also acquired considerable land in Virginia. Some of these land grants are shown here, taken from Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Books 1 and 2. Note the Richard Hoskins, a probable relative, perhaps a brother, in the third record, and Richard Foster, mentioned in the last record, likely the stepson of Bartholomew Hoskins.

Some Records Pertaining to Bartholomew Hoskins

BARTHOLOMEW HOSKINS, of Buck Roe, in the Corp. of Eliz. Citty, an Ancient Planter whoe came over into this country before the departure of Sir Thomas Dale, 100 acs., 3 Nov. 1624, p. 45. N. upon the backe river, S. upon the maine land & W. upon a cr. dividing same from land of Peter Arundell, gent. For his first per. devdt. BARTHO. HOSKINS, 1350 acs. on the Swd. side of Rappa. River. 12 Aug. 1651, p. 338. Due by vertue of the rights of a former patent for trans. of 27 pers. MR. BARTHALOMEW HOSKINS, 800 acs. upon the Northward side of the Ewd. branch of Eliz. River, Jan. 1, 1645, page 157. Near Hoskins Cr. Trans. of 16 pers: Richard Hoskins, Osmond Boardman, Joane Curtis, Barbara Douse, Alice Curtis, Tho. Cakebread, Mary Richardson, Edward Spicer, Edmond ____, Sands Nicholls, Roger Gilbert, Sr., Roger Gilbert, Junr. Robert Body, Robert Harwood, Wm. Knowles, Masld Fisher. BARTHOLOMEW HOSKINS, 400 acs. Low. Norf. Co., 6 Mar. 1648, p. 172. Lyeing on Nwd. side of the Broad Cr., being a br. of the Ewd. br. of Elizabeth River. Sd. land granted to Henry Watson, 10 June 1639 & by the relict of sd. Watson assigned to Richard Foster, & by him assigned to Richard Day & Richard Woodman (or Woolman), & 200 acs. the residue due sd. Woolman for trans. of 4 pers: (& the whole 400 acs. purchased of Day & Woolman by sd. Hoskins.) Bartholomew Hoskins of Elizabeth River, planter, in the county of Lower Norfolk to John Greene of London, merchant, 600 acres on the S. side of Rappahannock, part of 1350 acres patented by the sd Hoskins. The patent issued by "Sir Wm Berkeley Kt & Governor then of this colony of Virginia." Dated 13th Oct. 1655. Signed Barth Hoskins the seale. Wit: Jo Smith, Richard Richardson. "Countryman Thrush I shall intreat you to acknowledge this bill of sale which I have made to Mr Greene for his Land at Rappanhannock in Court in my behalfe and this is my note shall be your sufficient warrant therein and that it be according to your mind so Just. Your lo Friend Barth Hoskins From Eliz River this 21st December 1655". Ack. 15th April 1656. Rec. 12 Jun 1656.

The connection of Bartholomew Hoskins to Samuel Hoskins, through John Hoskins and Thomas Hoskins is as shown in Hoskins of Virginia and Related Families by Charles Willard Hoskins Warner, 1971. This is the same finding arrived at in Annals of Our Ancestors. It should be noted that the records of King and Queen County were completely destroyed in a fire during the Civil War, in 1864, so once John Hoskins, son of Bartholomew, removed to this county, the only records we have of him and his son and grandson, also King and Queen residents, are bits and scraps of information which have been gathered from personal family records of descendants, and historical collectors. One such piece of evidence being a copy of the will of Thomas Coleman of King and Queen County, a copy of which had been made for an attorney in an 1809 suit, and discovered years later in another county. In this will is named his daughter, Dolly Hoskins.


Samuel Hoskins and the Brereton Mystery
Very little is known about Samuel Hoskins, other than that he lived at Mount Pleasant, in St. Stephen's Parish, King and Queen County, that he married Mary Brereton, the daughter of William Brereton, and that they had (at least) four known sons. Some sources show this William Brereton as son of William Brereton (2nd Lord Brereton) and Elizabeth Goring, but according to Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerages, this proposed William Brereton married Frances Willoughby and died in England. A more recent source shows that William Brereton and Frances Willoughby had a son William, but that he died without issue, and that another son, Willoughby Brereton, did emigrate to Virginia (Richmond Co.). Other candidates for our William Brereton, father of Mary, have proven inconclusive. While it would seem a somewhat logical conclusion that this William Brereton was in some way connected to Col. Thomas Brereton of nearby Northumberland County, Va., there appears to be no evidence to support this. Col. Thomas had a brother William, but he is known to have married Sarah Smith, and shortly after their marriage, removed to Somerset County, Maryland.


William Hoskins
According to Annals of Our Ancestors, Vol. I, by Barbara Robertson Norton and Ruth Robertson Houghton, 1986, copies of which were kindly forwarded to this author by a Hoskins researcher, Samuel Hoskins and Mary Brereton were the parents of William Hoskins. William Hoskins and wife Dolly Coleman moved to Halifax County, Virginia in 1755, where William served as a member of the Antrim Parish vestry and as high sheriff for the county. His will was written in 1780; his exact date of death is not known, but it was sometime before said will was presented for probate 20 April 1781. He appears to have written his own will, which is included here, exactly as it was written.

Will of William Hoskins Dated 18 Nov 1780, Recorded 7 May 1781

I William Hoskins makes this my last wil and Testement my wil is that my Jest debts shild be paid. then I lend to my beloved wife Eight negros Mump, Ginney, Gilkind, Grace, Isbil, Pat, Hardey, Mansin, and all my howsal furniture to Each of my fore children James Hoskins, Thomas Hoskins, John Hoskins, Jeaney Hoskins and also I lend her al my stock and Mill doreing her natural life and at her discease the negroes housal furniture and stock to be Equal Devided amongst my seven children Mary H.K. William HK James H.K. Dolley Stone Thomas Hoskins John Hoskins Janney Hoskins. Item I give Nancy Bruis five pounds also I lend her a negro gal Milley during her natural life, and after hur decease hur and her increas to go to her children. Item I give to my son William Hoskins one negro gal named Luce and what other things I lent to him and his ares for ever. Item I give to Mary Stone one negro gal named Ales and what other things I lent hur to hur ares for ever. Item I give to James Hoskins two negros Jack, Jacob. One bed Bedstead and furniture, one horse, one sow and pigs, kow and caf, fifty Barrils of Corn and as much fodder as will winter seven head of cattle this winter also I give to him the Land that I know joins the track that he know has in pershesson Beginning at the Creek and runing down to the said creek as the creek manders tel it comes down to the second branch that emtys in to the saide Creek and up the said Branch to my out side line. betwixt me and Begeman Smith astate this I give to him and his heirs forever. Item I give to Thomas Hoskins two negros named Charles and Sirus and a parsel of Land Beginning at the said branch that James Hoskins parts runs round to and runs up the said branch tel it gits to my out side line and runs as my old line runs tel it strikes the Creek and up the said Creek to James Hoskins part Item I give to John Hoskins two negros named Richard, Ned and the parsel of Land that I know live on after my wifes death Beginning at the creek where the line devides John Irby and my self runing as my old line runs to the Court house Rode and down the said Rode to the Creaks and down the saide Creake to wheare I begun and it is my will after my wifes discease he shal have my mil. Item I give my daughter Jinney Hoskins three negros named Ben, Simon, Bety. Item I give to Bety Hoskins a daughter of Samuel Hoskins one negro gal named dise Item I give to Dolley Stone one negro named fan and what other things I lent to hur. and it is my Will that if Thomas Hoskins, John Hoskins, Genney Hoskins should Discease with out a lawfull begotten are of their body, what I leave to them shal be Equal devided amonge my Children that is then aliveing and the Land I have in Pittsylvania County shal be sold to discharge my Debts. It is my Wil that James Hoskins and John Stone shuld be executor to my last wil and Testament-Given under my hand this 18th November 1780. Saml. Tompkins William Hoskins (seal) Gideon Ragland

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