John HARDY

                   "He was born in England 1637, Will probated June 9, 1677-Isle of Wight Co., Va., Records of Wills, Deeds, Etc., Vol. 2, p.146.  He was a prominent, influential citizen and churchman, a member of the House of Burgesses in 1668 and a Justice of the County Court about 1673. He married Alice BENNETT, the Widow Johnson,daughter of Thomas BENNETT and Alice, Widow Pierce, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth SNAYLE. (see below) As recorded in Adventurers of Purse and Person, p. 269; Thomas BENNETT, and his wife Alice (Widow Pierce) were living near Lawne's Creek in Isle of Wight Co., Virginia in 1624, for on October 10, of that year she testified before the General Court in a trial of John Proctor, her neighbor charged with cruelty to his servants. At the same trial her second husband is identified as Thomas BENNETT, etc. Thomas BENNETT was born in Wivelscombe, Co. Somerset, England, having come on the Neptune in 1618, a member of the House of Burgesses from Mulberry Island in 1632. In records of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, these Land Grants are found: Richard Young, 350 acres, November 25, 1636, up the river side from the great Indian field, etc., from transportation of seven person: Henry SNEALE, Elizabeth SNEALE his wife, and Elizabeth, John, Dorothy, Alice and Mary SNEALE. The following year Henry SNAILE was granted 50 acres November 23, 1637, north on Pagan Creek, etc. Due by assignment of the right of one servant called William Taylor from Lt. John Upton. John and Elizabeth SNEALE (SNAYLE) had daughter Alice who married second Thomas BENNETT whose daughter Alice, married second John HARDY. Their son, John HARDY, Jr. married Rebecca,surname unknown and their daughter, Mary HARDY married , first, Col. John Hinton."-Family
He came before 1654 to Virginia with his brother George Hardy; was a member of the House of Burgesses in 1666; a Justice of the County Court about 1675. He married Alice Bennett, widow Johnson, daughter of Thomas Bennett and Alice Sneale, widow Pierce, daughter of Henry Sneale and Alice Sneale (or Snayle). (Thomas Bennett was born in Wivelscombe, Co. Somerset, England, and died in Virginia after 1632, having come on the Neptune in 1618, was a member of the House of Burgesse from Mulberry Island in 1632.)