Born Kirkham Parish Lancashire England circa 1625-1631, son of Robert Stith and Mary Townsend. The first person in colonial Virginia with the Stith surname. Brought over by Samuel Eale (or Earle); received a 500-acre land grant in 1652 in Charles City County. Quickly repaid passage through his law practice. Served the colonial militia: lieutenant 1656, captain 1676, major 1680. Merchant, attorney, justice of the peace. Prominent supporter of Sir William Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion 1676. Burgess for Charles City County 1686. Will proved 3 April 1694 naming his five children. The progenitor of the Stith family of Virginia, one of the First Families of Virginia. Father of Anne Stith who married Col. Robert Bolling. Verified secondary sources 2026-06-05: WikiTree Stith-10 and Geni profile both document his birth ~1625-31 Kirkham Parish Lancashire England, 1652 land grant in Charles City Co VA, militia ranks (Lt 1656, Capt 1676, Maj 1680), service as Burgess Charles City 1686, and supporter of Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion 1676. CORRECTION 2026-06-06: prior attribution of parents Robert Stith + Mary Townsend has been REJECTED. WikiTree Stith-25 explicitly disclaims the relationship: "intentionally not attached as father of John Stith of Virginia, as sources have not been found to support that relationship." Mary Townsend (Townsend-203) is also rejected as the mother. The definitive scholarly source is Christopher Johnston 1913 (William and Mary Quarterly Vol 21) which states: "A careful search fails to show any unmistakable trace of the Virginia immigrant, and it is probable that his immediate family had moved elsewhere, perhaps to London." Stith parents UNKNOWN. The Kirkham parish family-origin tradition is sound (Stiths were numerous there per parish registers) but no documented chain to specific parents exists.