John Gaither, Senior, buried 11.12.1702 (A. H. 60), our Maryland ancestor, was, it is believed, a descendent of John Gaither, who came from England to Virginia in 1620, and settled at Jamestown.
Hotten's
Emigrants names 3 John Gaithers from England, 2 of whom were apparently the same John, born 1599, the other being his son John, born 1720, brought over in 1735.
Part 1 (Hotten), under "Living in Virginia 2.16.1623-4", gives:
Living at James Citie and with the Corporation thereof: Sir Francis Wyatt, Gov., and Lady Margaret Wyatt, Haut Wyatt, Minister, John Gaither," etc.:
and Part 2, under "Muster Roll of Settlers in Virginia, 1624," states:
John Gatter, came in the George 1620
This identifies the Colonial offical of 1624 as the immigrant of 1620, born probably 1600 or earlier.
Part 1 in its "Register of all Passengers to America from the Port of London in the years 1634-35." gives 2 Johns who came together:
Jo Gater, 26, Joan Gater, 23, Jo Gater, 15, embarqued in the Assurance, 24 july, 1635.["Jo" is Hotten for John]
The fact that the elder John of 1635 was born 1599, indicates that he was the original John of 1620, born about that time, who had returned to London to bring out to Virginia his young son John, born 1620 – and at the same time, a 2nd wife (probably) Joan. Visits back and forth, for business or other reasons, were not unusual in those days, and the subsequent records have not disclosed more than the one early John Gaither family.
The original Virginia Colonist was not the Maryland immigrant. "Side Lights," vol. 2, makes the statement: Ruth (Gaither) Warfield was the "daughter of John Gaither, Colonial official of Virginia, who came to Maryland prior to 1662." As John, the 'Colonial official" of 1624, was born beyond doubt as early as 1599, he was not the father of Ruth, born 1679, and her younger sister, born 1697. Nor is it probable that the 2nd John (the youth of 15, in 1635) was John I of Maryland, and for the same reason – the children of the Maryland John were all born between 1678 and 1697, and if he was in fact John Junior of Virginia (born 1620), he was 58 when his 1st child was born and 77 when his daughter Susanna was born. The probability is that John Gaither I of Maryland was John III of Virginia, son of John II (born 1620), son of John I (born 1599), the Virginia official.
Luther W. Welsh – 1928