Northumberland County Virginia

From Flanders to America
Michael (Vanlandigam) Vanlandingham, immigrant ancestor of the Vanlandingham/Vallandingham families in this country, came to America directly from the Spanish Netherlands, (Flanders, present-day Belgium) about the year 1650. A listing in Heraldry, Landeghem (van) - Gand, places the family in Gand, (present day Ghent), in early times in Flanders, and could explain the origin of the name of the small village "Landeghem" located just west of the city of Ghent, Belgium.
In the 1640s the people of Flanders spoke Flemish or dutch but were under the control of Spain. In 1648 Spain gave independence to the Dutch Netherlands but retained control of the Spanish Netherlands. The Treaty of Munster in 1648 also closed the Scheldt River to navigation, causing Ghent and Antwerp to suffer declines in trade. The economic depression and continued dominance of Spain may have motivated Michael Vanlandingham to seek his fortune in a more peaceful location.
Michael's choices of where to immigrate were limited. England would have been the most convenient place to migrate, but in England the Puritans and the Church of England were at war, and Michael is believed to have been Catholic. America was a popular place for immigrants at the time, but the English Colony of Virginia discriminated against Catholics. However, Maryland, just north of Virginia, passed a religioous tolerance law which made Catholics and all other Christian religions welcome. Michael Vanlandingham may have been among the new settlers welcomed to Maryland.
Before 1830 a trading post had been established on Kent Island, far up the Chesapeake Bay. The trade was with Indian tribes, white men trading with Indians for furs. In 1634 Lord Baltimore sent about one hundred settlers to an area across the Potomac from Virginia and the settlement became known as the "Citie of St. Mary's". After a few years the religious dissension in England and Virginia reached the settlement in Maryland and many of the Protestants and Royalists began to think about moving. In March, 1655 at the Battle of the Severn, The Puritans rebelled against the Maryland Authority and took control of the government in Maryland, causing many of the other Christians, and especially Catholics, to flee across the Potomac River and take refuge in the Northern Neck of Virginia where a settlement had previously been established by Maryland people.
About 1640 John Mottrom of Maryland crossed the Potomac and landed at the mouth of the Coan River and became the first settler in the Northern Neck. John liked the area, inhabited only by friendly Indians, and far away from the government at Jamestown. He built his house on the east bank of the Coan River in the Walnut Point area on the Potomac River. Other settlers from Maryland and a few from Jamestown soon arrived, and the settlement became known as Chicacoan. In 1655 Michael Vanlandingham bought 450 acres about forty miles up the Potomac River northwest of Chicacoane in the Chotanck River area. Michael bought the land from Hugh Fouch, who lived in Maryland before moving to Virginia. After about two years Michael assigned the Chotanck River land back to Magregory and Fouch and moved downriver to the Coan River area and bought 350 acres on Kings Creek just off the Coan River in Chicacone Parish.
Early in 1657 an English merchant ship loaded with tobacco ran aground and sank in the Potomac River. All hands abandoned ship, including John Washington, the second officer and part owner. While waiting for the ship to be refloated the crew from the ship became acquainted with the residents of the area. John Washington became well acquainted with Anne Pope, the daughter of a leading Virginia planter. By the time the ship was refloated John had decided he liked the country and the people so well, especially Anne Pope, that he would remain in Virginia.
John Washington married Anne Pope in 1658 and Nathaniel Pope, Anne's father, gave the couple some 700 acres of land on nearby Mattox Creek as a wedding present, establishing John as a property owner. John and Anna soon had a son Lawrence, who had a son, Augustine, who was the father of George, first president of the United States.
Since the area of the Northern Neck of Virginia was sparsely settled at the time, Michael and John Washington undoubtedly became acquainted. Michael surely would have known of the boat sinking near his home, so he probably went to the the river where the men from the sinking boat made it to shore. Who knows? It is entirely possible that Michael Vanlandingham welcomed John Washington to Virginia.



1) Michael Jr. sold land in Old RappahannockCounty 28 August 1686. He had to be over 21 years of age to sell land, so he was born before 1664, but was not listed in parish register so he must have been born before 1661 and probably was first child of Michael Sr. and Elizabeth.
2) Richard's birth date of 1772 in the parish register obviously is incorrect. He was born prior to 1667 because he petitioned for probate of his mother's will in 1688, and he had to be over 21 years of age. Richard's son, William, was born prior to 1682, indicating Richard was born prior to 1662, and he must have been older than his sister, Ann whose first child was born in 1681.
3) Ann was born in 1663. The register lists the birth of Ann's son, Phillip, in 1681, when Ann would have been almost 18.
4) Francis was born in 1666 as listed in the register.
5) Benjamin was born in 1672 as listed in the register. He was appointed constable for Mattapony in 1696 when he was age 24.
Richard Vanlandingham (2nd. Generation)
Richard is believed to have been the second child of Michael and Elizabeth Vanlandingham. Richard's date of birth recorded in St. Stephens Parish register is August 6, 1772, and obviously is incorrect. The first five entries in the register were copied from previous records and were entered almost one hundred years after the births, leaving plenty of room for human error.
Richard probably was born before 1662 because his son, William, was born prior to 1682. Philip Evans, second husband of Richard's mother Elizabeth, signed a will August 15, 1682 in which he stated that Richard was Elizabeth's son and Richard was the father of William. (Northumberland County Order Book 1678 - 1698, page 166). Richard must have been older than his sister Ann. Ann's first child was born in1681, and girls generaly had their first child at younger ages, but Richard's s

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