I think it's about time we gave John Ripley the credit he deserves. In my opinion, John has been the recipient of an undeserved bad rap based on one little phrase in Historical Record of the Posterity of William Black that "John had a roving nature." Much is made of Henry Ripley's purchase of 600 acres and William Ripley's purchase of 420 acres. Robert Ripley inherited the 500 acre property his father had purchased from Luke Harrison. Yet, today I received a long-awaited deed in the mail that confirms that John purchased a whopping 875 acres in the River Philip District near Oxford. He acquired a further 300 acres by grant. His sons, Robert, Thomas, and Joseph, and his daughter Isabella also received grants and settled nearby. John, the youngest of Robert Ripley's sons, was made the co-executor of his will along with his mother Isabella and inherited half the estate. The timing of John's land purchase in 1802 coincides with the expiry of his father's lease from Robert Fletcher. It's likely that he remained on the lease with his mother after Robert's death in 1797 until his purchase of land in 1802. All of this seems to me to indicate a reliable rather than a roving nature. For details on John Ripley's land purchase and grants, please see the updates to the page Homestead of John Ripley on this website.
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AuthorHi there! My name is Mallory Burton and I started researching the Ripley family in 2011. I'd describe myself as a careful amateur who's more interested in story than names and dates. I hope you enjoy my website and blog. I also have a public Mallory/Ripley tree on Ancestry with over 4,000 names. To contact me, please comment on any one of my blog posts. Archives
May 2024
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