Epes | Eppes | Eps | Ips

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Epes Surname Origin

Epes Lineage
Alan Eps 1425-1471, father of John Eps 1457-1524, father of John Epes 1480-1526, father of Alan Eppes 1509-1551, father of John Epes 1550-1627, father of  Francis Epes I 1597-1674, father of Francis Epes II 1627-1678, father of Francis Epes III 1657-1718, father of Elizabeth Sarah Epes 1682-1777.

Elizabeth Sarah Eppes > Sarah Randolph > Sarah Barksdale > William Davis > Roxie Ann Davis > Charles Eugenius Benton > Ina Belle Benton > Thelma Irene Brown > William Harris Lawson Sr. 

Epes Migration
Brenzett, Shepway District, Kent, England > Old Romney, Shepway District, Kent, England > Ashford, Ashford Borough, Kent, England > Henrico County, Virginia > Barro Plantation, Appomattox, Virginia > Petersburg, Independent City, Virginia

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Elizabeth Sarah Epes, Bill's 7th Great-Grandmother
1682 - 20 April 1777
b. Virginia
d. Chesterfield County, Virginia

Blandford Cemetery
Petersburg, City of Petersburg, Virginia, USA

Ancestry | Find a Grave | Google

Parents:
Francis Eppes III 1657-1718
Anne Fitzhugh Isham 1665-1718

Maternal Lineage:
Katherine Maplesden, mother of Mary Fisher, mother of Katherine Banks, mother of Anne Fitzugh Isham, mother of Elizabeth Sarah Eppes, mother of Sarah Randolph

Spouse 1:   Henry Randolph III 1689-1726
Married:   29 Mar 1714
Children:  4

1. Sarah Randolph 1715-1774
2. Anne  Randolph 1717-1718
3. Henry Randolph 1721-1771
4. Francis Randolph 1724-1775

Spouse 2: William Poythress 1695-1763
Married:   1726
Children:  1

1. Sarah Poythress 1731-1788

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Francis Epes III, Bill's 8th Great-Grandfather
1659 - January 1718
b. Shirley Hundred, Henrico, Virginia
d. Henrico, Virginia

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry  | Find a Grave | Google

Noteworthy

1. Colonel
2. Justice
3. Sheriff
4. Henrico County member of the House of Burgesses
5. Tags: Politician_  | Military_

Parents:
Francis Epes II 1627-1678
Mother & Maternal Lineage Unknown

Spouse: Anne Fitzhugh Isham 1665-1718
Married: 1664
Children: 

1. Elizabeth Sarah Epes 1682-1777
2. Isham Epes TBD
3. Francis IV Epes TBD
4. Anne Epes TBD
5. Martha Epes TBD
6. Sarah Epes TBD
7. William Epes TBD

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Francis Epes II, Bill's 9th Great-Grandfather
19 November 1627 - 30 November 1678
b. Kent, England or Charles City County, Virginia
d. Henrico County, Virginia

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry  | Find a Grave | Google

Noteworthy

1. Lieutenant Colonel
2. Jamestowne Society A9551 Qualifying Ancestor
3. Tags: Military_ | Planter_ | Politician_ | Immigrated_to_USA

Parents:
Francis Epes 1597-1674
Marie Pawlett 1601-1643

Maternal Lineage:
Marie Pawlett 1601-1643

Spouse 1: Mary Wells 1632-1660
Married: 1658
Children: 1

1. Francis Epes III 1658-1718

Spouse 2: Elizabeth Littlebury 1620-1678
Married: 1661
Children: 3

1. William Epes 1662-1710
2. Littleberry Epes 1663-1743
3. Mary Epes 1664-1726

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Francis Epes I, Bill's 10th Great-Grandfather
14 May 1597 - 30 September 1674

Find a Grave bio states he "could not be born on May 15 as some claim, as he was baptised on May 14. His birth had to be before he was baptized. Depending on how long after his birth May might not even be the correct month of birth."

b. Ashford, Ashford Borough, Kent, England
d. Charles City County, Virginia

"The exact burial location for Francis on the former 1,700 acres of the Appomattox Manor is now lost." (Find a Grave memorial)

Ancestry | Find a Grave | Google | My Heritage | WikiTree 

Noteworthy

1. House of Burgesses representing Shirley Hundred
2. Justice for Charles City and Henrico counties
3. Governor's Council of Virginia
4. Patended 1,700 acre tract on Appomattox River
5. Qualifying Ancestor for the Jamestowne Society
6. Tags: Immigrated_to_USA, Politician_

Parents: 
John Epes 1550-1627
Thomaszine Bankes Fisher 1559-1625

Maternal Lineage:
Katherine Maplesden 1540-1590, mother of Thomaszine Bankes Fisher 1559-1625

Spouse: Marie Pawlett 1597-1644
Married: 1620
Children: 4

1. John Epes 1626-1679
2. Francis Epes II 1627-1678
3. Thomas Epes 1630-1638
4. Others TBD

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John Epes, Bill's 11th Great-Grandfather
aka John Epes the Elder
1550-1627 (77)
b. Ashford, Ashford Borough, Kent, England
d. Brook, Ashford Borough, Kent, England

St Mary the Virgin Church
Ashford, Ashford Borough, Kent, England

Stone is a memorial placed in the 19th century and is not the actual burial location. John's actual burial location inside the Churchyard is unknown.... Granted land in the royal colony of Virginia by King Charles I in 1635 on part of which plantation stands the city of Hopewell. (Find a Grave memorial bio)

Ancestry | Find a Grave | Google

Noteworthy

1. Barrister of the Middle Temple, admitted 2 August 1572

Parents: 
Alan Epes 1509-1551
Agnes Strogull 1514-1599

Maternal Lineage:
Joan Stogull maiden name and dates TBD, mother of Agnes Strogull 1514-1599, mother of John Epes.

Spouse: Thomazine Banks Fisher 1559-1625
Married: June 1579 in Detling, Kent, England
Children: 16

1. Daniel Eppes 1579-1676
2. Katherine Eppes 1588-1678
3. Francis Epes I 1597-1674
4. William Epes Sr 1584-1643
5. John Eppes 1586-1625
6. Thomas Eppes 1589-1619
7. Thamazine Eppes 1592-1625
8. Elizabeth Eppes 1593-1625
9. Ann Eppes 1594-1619
10. Allen Epes 1595-1625
11. Mary Eppes 1599-TBD
12. Peter Eppes 1601-TBD
13. Edward Eppes 1586-TBD
14. Others TBD

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Find a Grave additional memorials in this lineage:

• Alan Eppes 22 September 1509 - 2 August 1551 (41)
• John Epes 1480-1526 (46)
• John Eps 1457 - 3 December 1424 (67)
• Alan Eps 1425-1471 (46) 

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Bibliography 

Ancestry ®. "Public Member Trees Database.” © 1997-2025 Ancestry®.  Ancestry.  ancestry.com/ Lawson-Robertson Family Tree. www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/10075800/family  User profile for William Harris Lawson, Jr., user Livingweb. Accessed 24 November 2025.

Dorman, John Frederick ed. Ancestors and Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia: (Epes-Eppes-Epps).. Volume 1. (1991). United States: Society of the Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia. Google Books. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ancestors_and_Descendants_of_Francis_Epe/-sjLngEACAAJ?hl=en  Accessed 8 December 2025.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18348008/sarah-poythress: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for Sarah Eppes Poythress (1702–Oct 1730), Find a Grave Memorial ID 18348008, citing Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, City of Petersburg, Virginia, USA; Maintained by One2Wander ღ (contributor 47038231).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106087971/francis-epes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for COL Francis Epes III (1659–Jan 1718), Find a Grave Memorial ID 106087971; Maintained by Billy Budd (contributor 51223934).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106087971/francis-epes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for COL Francis Epes III (1659–Jan 1718), Find a Grave Memorial ID 106087971; Maintained by Billy Budd (contributor 51223934).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94174438/francis-epes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for Francis Epes I (May 1597–Sep 1674), Find a Grave Memorial ID 94174438; Maintained by Rob Walker (contributor 47570151).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43341524/john-epes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for John Epes (1550–Nov 1627), Find a Grave Memorial ID 43341524, citing St Mary the Virgin Church, Ashford, Ashford Borough, Kent, England; Maintained by Rob Walker (contributor 47570151).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/248021859/alan-eppes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for Alan Eppes (22 Sep 1509–2 Aug 1551), Find a Grave Memorial ID 248021859, citing St Nicholas Churchyard, New Romney, Shepway District, Kent, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104554055/john_(ips)-epes: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for John (Ips) Epes (1480–1526), Find a Grave Memorial ID 104554055, citing St Clement Churchyard, Old Romney, Shepway District, Kent, England; Maintained by Rob Walker (contributor 47570151).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104554212/john_(eps)-ips: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for John (Eps) Ips (1457–3 Dec 1524), Find a Grave Memorial ID 104554212, citing St Clement Churchyard, Old Romney, Shepway District, Kent, England; Maintained by Rob Walker (contributor 47570151).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126144495/alan-eps: accessed November 24, 2025), memorial page for Alan Eps (1425–1471), Find a Grave Memorial ID 126144495, citing St Enswith's Church, Brenzett, Shepway District, Kent, England; Maintained by Rob Walker (contributor 47570151).

Geneanet. "Public Member Database." © 1996. Geneanet. en.geneanet.org Accessed 24 November 2025.

Google. "AI Overview." Search term: "Epes Surname Origin." Google. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Epes+Surname+Origin  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "Elizabeth Sarah Epes 1682-1777" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=Elizabeth+Sarah+Epes+1682-1777  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "Francis Epes 1658-1718" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=Francis+Epes+1658-1719  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "Francis Epes 1627-1678" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=Francis+Epes+1627-1678  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "Francis Epes 1597-1674" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=Francis+Epes+1597-1674  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "John Epes 1550-1627" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=John+Epes+1550-1627  Accessed 8 December 2025.

---. "Search Results." Search term: "Alan Eppes 1509-1551" Google.  https://www.google.com/search?q=Alan+Eppes+1509-1551  Accessed 8 December 2025.

MyHeritage. "Public Member Database." © 2005 MyHeritage Ltd. My Heritage. myheritage.com Accessed 24 November 2025.

WikiTree contributors, "Francis Eppes (bef.1597-bef.1674)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Eppes-17 : accessed 24 November 2025).

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Miscellanea

Talking Kin™: Epes | Eppes | Eps | Ips

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© 2025 William H Lawson Jr

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