Francis Epes, baptized on 14 May 1597, was the middle of three brothers who had come to Virginia by 1625. They were among the nine sons and six daughters of John Epes and Thomazine Fisher Epes of Ashford, Kent. He first appears in the record when elected to the Assembly representing Shirley Hundred in April 1625 and then when he took his seat in Jamestown on the 10th of May. However, inexplicably he shows up neither in the census of 1624 nor in the muster of 1625.

In the next few years he received several mentions in the records. On 9 January 1626, Ensign Francis Epes testified in a controversy. Then he was appointed commissioner for the "Upper Parts" on 8 August 1626, and on 4 July 1627 with Captain Thomas Pawlett became commander of forces to attack the Weyanoke and Appomattox Indians. He was again a burgess in March 1628.
         Having married a wife, Mary (surname unknown), he returned -- probably sometime

between 7 March 1629 and 21 February 1632 -- with his wife and two sons to England where records show that on 8 September 1630 in London a son Thomas was bom. Then back in Virginia he was a burgess in 1632 for Shirley Hundred, Mr. Farrar's and Chaplain. In April 1635 Captain Francis Epes, using headrights for himself, three sons, and thirty servants, was granted 1700 acres in Charles City County along the Appomattox where the city of Hopewell stands today.

References:
      1. "Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607 ‑ 1624/5", 4^th Edition; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Md, 2004 

Nov 05