There are very few actual ship's passenger lists for the permanent settlers who came to the Virginia Colony. One of the most important sources of names of settlers is the Colonial land grants. A person could obtain free land (usually 50 acres) for each person that they paid the ship's passage for (cost of transport aboard a ship from the British Isles). Wealthier planters obtained the services of farm laborers by paying for their ship's passage and these laborers then became indentured servants or, in effect, white slaves, for a defined period of time (usually seven years but it could be longer and for minors, until they came of age, at 21 years old).
Name when arrived in the Colony
Ann [Ryley] 1653
Richard 1649
Thomas [Reley] 1654
Most of the land in the Colony of Virginia in 1704 was technically owned by the Crown or king of England. Colonists paid the Crown "rent" for the land they lived on. In that year, a "rent roll" or tax list for the entire Colony, was prepared and is one of the first such surviving lists of colonists for the entire Colony in the1700's. As such, it may be likened to one of the first census records of the residents of Virginia.
Sarah Reyley
Tho. Reyley
Land patents or "grants" issued to colonists by the Colony of Virginia; number of acres and when issued.
Miles Riley 200 acres 1663
Miles Riley 1100 acres 1665
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