Richard Hilliard, of Exeter, goldsmith is known to have had a son named John Hilliard in addition to his better-known son Nicholas Hilliard.
I propose this John Hilliard as likely being his son, and this John Hilliard as likely being his grandson.
By February 16, 1623, three Hilliard’s were already (https://www.jamestowne.org/1623-lists-of-living--dead.html) dead at Elizabeth Cittie, Virginia.
Two John Hilliard’s, and one Gregory Hilliard
There is a Gregory Hilliard who got married on 16 Oct 1615 in London, but I haven’t yet found any record of his birth. However, since he was living in Elizabeth Cittie, Virginia in close proximity to two John Hilliard’s at the time of his death, then I will provisionally identify him as another grandson of Richard Hilliard, of Exeter, goldsmith .
Nicholas Hilliard is known to have had a son named Robert Hilliard.
I propose this Robert Hilliard as likely being his son, and this John Hilliard, of Surry County as likely being his grandson.
That’s three John Hilliard’s who were known to be alive in London at the time of the founding of the (https://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/colonial/jb_colonial_subj.html) American Colonies, and three different John Hilliard’s who are known to have made it to Virginia/Maryland in the early 1600’s.
My 8th great grandfather John Hilliard, of Surry County is (https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005802252) well-known to have been the first Hilliard to have successfully settled in Virginia/Maryland.
I propose that that John Hilliard, of Surry County is most-likely the same man as this John Hilliard, of Surry County, who (provisionally) was a grandson of
Richard Hilliard, of Exeter, goldsmith.
My 8th great grandfather’s wife Jane Hilliard ’s great grandfather was
(https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/19765) Sir Robert Napier, MP who was knighted in 1593 by Elizabeth I and appointed chief baron of the exchequer in Ireland.
He (https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/19765) “was the third son of James Napier of Swyre, Dorset, and his wife, a daughter of the Hilliard family, also of Dorset”.
Her grandfather was Sir Nathaniel Napier and her uncle was Sir Gerard Napier, MP, 1st Baronet of More Crichel
Her brother, Col. Thomas Ballard, Speaker, House of Burgesses who was together with my 8th great grandparents in Colonial Virginia, (https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005802252) became Speaker of the House in 1680-84.
Does anyone have any additional sources or thoughts on the subject of how these two different sets of three John Hilliard’s (one set of three in London, England, and another set of three in Colonial Virginia) might be related to each other (i.e., are they the same people)?
