Colonel Joseph TEMPLE was born in 1699 in Bristol, England. Year is established through the will of Joseph Temple, his father, proven 16 May 1699, naming his unborn child.

He immigrated before 1722 to VA. He came to Virginia as an attorney for some Bristol merchants who had established an iron works in Essex County. This is cited in Lucy Temple's William Temple, based on a deed dated 22 Oct 1722. The first grant to Joseph Temple was 14 Sep 1726, for 1000 acres in Spotsylvania County, VA. He was an attorney for Bristol merchants at their iron works in 1722 in VA. He Moved about 1727 to "Presque Isle", King William, VA. Eventually received grants for about 10,000 acres in Northern Virginia. He died between 1740 and 1743 in "Presque Isle", King William, VA. He was a Merchant in Bristol Parish, Prince George, VA. Some sources, particularly Burke's "Landed Gentry" of 1886, apparently incorrectly have him the second son of Sir William Temple, of Bishopstrow House, Warminster, Wiltshire, England. That Sir William was close to the throne under Charles II. In any case, the "Hunting Cup" which was made in about 1680, has remained in his family.

To add to the confusion, Levi Temple incorrectly assigned a birth date of 1666 to Joseph, the husband of Anne Arnold, when that date was clearly that of his father. Lucy Temple's "William Temple" gives the correct placement of Joseph and his father with their respective wives.

He was married to Anne ARNOLD (daughter of Benjamin ARNOLD). The Vital Records of Three Burned Counties indicates that the marriage of Anne Arnold and Joseph Temple appeared in a newspaper published 10 Feb 1737. If this was even close to the actual date of marriage, then Joseph either had another wife, or they had many children out of wedlock. If the date is very wrong (and they were married before the birth of the first child), then the release of the news article in 1737 does not make sense. Anne ARNOLD was born in 1672 in England. She died about 1782. Will dated 11 Dec 1781. Name also given as Ann Arnal.