George Pace

George Pace

• Birth: 1609 - England
• Death: June 4 1655 - Charles City County, Virginia
• Parents: Richard Pace, Isabella Smyth
• Wife: Sarah Maycock

"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVG5-QH2Y : 13 December 2015), George Pace, 1655; Burial, Jamestown, James City, Virginia, United States of America, Maycock Plantation; citing record ID 128149976, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

from Wikipedia

The first record of George [Pace], son of Richard and Isabella [Pace], is a land patent dated September 1, 1628. It reads:

" . . . unto Georg Pace sonn and heire apparent to Richard Pace deceased . . . Four Hundred acres of land scituated and being within the Corporation of James Cities on the Southward side of the River at the Plantation called Paces Paines and formerly granted unto Richard Pace his Father deceased by Patent from Sir George Yeardley, Kt., then Governor and Captt. General of Virginia, bearing date the fifth day of December Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred and Twentie. The said Four Hundred acres abutting Westerly on the land of his mother Isabella Perry and Easterly on the land of ffrancis Chapman now in the tenure of William Perry, Gent., his father-in-law, Northerly on the Maine River and Southerly striking up into the maine woods . . . . One Hundred acres of this land is due for the P-snall adventure of Richard Pace, the other Three Hundred acres is due by transportation of Louis Bayly, Richard Jones and John Junior, Bennett Culle, Roger Marker & Ann Mason, who came in the Marmaduke one thousand and six hundred twentie one."

We do not know when George was born, but this record describes him as heir-apparent. He must therefore have been a minor in 1628, otherwise he would have been described simply as heir. (George's son, Richard, described himself as "heir apparent" in his request for a guardian in 1655. We know that he was then a minor. In a sale of land four years later he is given as "heir"; he had reached 21. We therefore believe that the term "apparent" indicated as heir not yet of age).

If we assume that the Richard and Isabella who were married on October 5, 1608 in Wapping, England, were George's parents, we can also assume that George was born in 1609. He would therefore have been about 19 when he patented his inheritance. His mother repatented her land at the same time. Apparently this was done in order to fix the boundaries.

At the time of the massacre in March 1622, George was probably about 12 years of age. Isabella was about 30. She and George presumably went with Richard to the "safety" of Jamestown a month or two later. Perhaps the other Paces Paines residents came with them, but by the time the List of the Living was taken on February 16, 1623, most of them were back at Paces Paines.

But there is no mention of Isabella, George, William Perry, or his son Henry [Perry] anywhere in this list, and none in the second list -- the Muster taken early in 1625. Richard's name is also missing, indicating that he must have died between the granting of his petition to return to Paces Paines, and the date of the list on Feb. 16, 1623.

It is true that in the List of the Living a "Mrs. Perry and Infant Perry" were shown as then in James City. This might perhaps be Isabella who could have married William Perry very shortly after Richard's death. But the infant was not Perry's son by Isabella - obviously. Henry Perry later patented his inheritance from his father in 1639 as full heir. He must then have been at least 21 and therefore born no later than 1618. He was therefore about five years old in 1623, and certainly no nameless infant. Perry must have had an earlier wife.

It seems more likely that this Mrs. Perry was the widow of a John Perry of Henrico listed as massacred in 1622.

With the names of the Paces and Perrys missing in the records from Feb. 16, 1623 until after the muster, taken between Jan. 20 and Feb. 7, 1625, it is logical to assume that none of them was in Virginia during this two-year period.

William Perry definitely was elsewhere. He was one of five Planters who went to England to present a Petition to the London Company. This asked relief from paying customs or imposts on tobacco because of the desperate situatioin of the growers due to the massacre. Such petition, drawn up with te approval of Governor Wyall, was signed in Jamestown January 29, 1623. Perry musthave sailed for England between that date and Feb. 16, 1623, when the List of the Living in Virginia was taken.

It seems likely that Isabella and the two young boys, Henry Perry and George Pace, accompanied Perry (unless the boys were already in England at school). Isabella must have married him very soon after Richard's death or while they were in England.

Perry arrived in London at a crucial time for the London Company. It was then embroiled in controversy with the King and his Privy Councilors, and was refusing to relinquish its charter and sign a new one. Finally, in November 1623, the King sued the Company and obtained a decision in his favor. On May 24, 1624 the Colony was taken over by the Crown.

It is understandable that Perry was forced to cool his heels until someone could pro[ ] give consideration to the Petition. Finally on April 8, 1624 the Court took it up, [ ] Perry was referred from one official to another. This process lasted for another year. Finally the Crown Court now having jurisdicton ruled that "the insinuation of so much dam[ ] (to the 'Poor Planters' as they styled themselves) was extended beyond the truth". King James I did not like "that smokie weed" anyway and was interested only in the revenue from it. Needless to say, the petition was denied.

Perry and Isabella must have returned to Virginia prior to May 9, 1625, for on that date Isabella testified at a trial in Jamestown. Perry also testified as a witness in another case on June 13, 1625.

Perry was now made Commander of Paces Paines (in place of Richard Pace). His marriage to Isabella had evidently enhanced his fortunes. It was common pratice in those days for a deceased husband's administrator to marry the widow.

One of the trials at which Isabella testified concerned a Dr. Pott. The record reads: "Mrs. Isabella Perry, sworne and examined, sayeth that she being in Mrs. Blaney's house (in James City), Dr. Pott came into the house and Mrs. Blaney said unto him 'Doctor Pott you have killed a hog of mine. I would you would let me have a peecepart (?talk?) with you'. To which Doctor Pott replied 'It is trew there is a hog kild but whether it be yours I know not'. Mrs. Blaney replied 'It is apparent enough', 'It is mine (the Doctor said) as I take it. My wife hath given it amongst her people'. The outcome is not known.

Dr. Pott was an interesting character. He had been sent over in 1621 as Physician-General along with "two chirurgeons and a chest of Physicke" to assist Governor Wyatt.

After the massacre he is said to have put poison in a cask of wine which was then sent with a party seeking peace with the Potomac Indians. When the Indians, having agreed to the treaty, ratified it by drinking a health or two, they became "dead drunk" literally, (as per the irreverant author of "Behold Virginia"). At his plantation where Williamsburg now stands he was found to have more cattle than he could legally account for.

He was known as a "tosspot", but was always pardoned for his transgressions because he was the only physician in the colony "skilled in epidemical diseases".

The witchcraft trial in which Isabella was a witness concerned Goodwife Jane Wright who, with her husband, had moved to Paces Paines from Elizabeth City (Kecoghtan). She apparently served in a domestic capacity.

Isabella testified that "upon the loseing of a logg of lightwood (kindling?) out of [ ]fort Goodwife Wright rayled upon a girl for stealing the same whereupon she charged to said Goodwife Wright and said she had done many bad things at Kecoghtan. Whereupon this examinant child the said Goodwife Wright and said unto her 'If thou knowest thyself cleare of what she charged thee why dost thou not complaine and cleare thyself of the same?' "And further sayeth that Dorothy Behethlen (15) asked this examinant why she did suffer Goodwife Wright to bee at her house, saying that she was a very bad woman and was accounted a witch by all at Kecoughtan.

This minor domestic incident blew up into such proportions that the Governor and two of his Council were required to give it their attention. Goodwife Wright was found "not guilty of Witchcraft, but only of being a contentious woman." Her husband was therefore fined.

In the six years prior to 1628, Paces Paines was presumably planted with tobacco and the crops gathered, cured by the new method developed by John Rolfe, and sent to England to be sold. However, in this period the price had fallen from the early three shillings per pound to only sixpence per pound, a drop of 83%. This was due not only to the rapid increase of planters clearing lnad to grow tobacco, but also to the Spaniards, whose tobacco glutted the market. Perhaps George did not come into much wealth other than his four hundred acres. And this land must have been pretty well used up by the time he reached 21 in 1630.

Tobacco of good quality needed the original fertile soil of Virginia. Planters knew nothing of rotation of crops. They grew successive crops until their cleared land was exhausted. They then abandoned the "Old Field" and cleared another. When they had used up all their land they either bought more or moved to new frontiers where land was cheap.

This must have been why all of the land in the family - Isabella's, George's, and Perry's, was sold about 1633. Perry also had a good reason for moving across the river. He had been Burgess, along with John Smith of Smith's Mount, representing Paces Paines in the first official meeting of the Assembly after the Crown took over the colony. This was in 1629; in 1630 he alone represented Paces Paines, John Smith having died. In 1632 Perry was made a member of the Governor's Council and was required to live near Jamestown to be available to the Governor.

One of his fellow Councilors was George Menifee. They apparently joined forces and took over a large tract of land across the first peninsula just west of Jamestown known [as] Bucklands. Its western boundary was Herring Creek, which separated it from Westover. The land may have been given them by the government, as was the custom with respect to members of the Council.

By 1635 the sale of all the Pace land was completed. The records of deeds have been destroyed, but we do have the patents. In 1634 Capt. Henry Browne patented 2,000 acres running up the river west from Isabella's old property line and including Smith's Mount (150 acres) purchased from William Perry and Capt. Thomas Osborne, overseers (administrators) of John Smith's estate. In 1635 William Swann patented 1,200 acres running from Smith's Mount east to the "Halfway Neck (Swann Point). In 1638, Col. Thomas Swann, son of William, represented Paces Paines as Burgess. His fourth wife was Ann, widow of Col. Henry Browne.

It is apparent that George went along with his mother in selling out. But there is no mention of him in connection with Bucklands. He must have become of age in 1630. It was unusual for a young many, especially one possessing a plantation, to remain unmarried. Perhaps George did marry at 12, but there is no evidence of this. After Paces Paines was sold, George may have taken up other land, but again we have no evidence.

However, there is a puzzling record which may indicate that he owned land in Henrico prior to 1645. In 1664 a dividend of land was granted a Thomas Gagecomb; in the description of its boundaries reference is made to the orginal grant for this land in 1645, which mentions a line running along "Paces Swamp to Paces Point". These landmarks appeared on a U.S. map as late as 1884. The lay on the James River in Bermuda Hundred, just north of the mouth of the Appomattox River.

It would seem that ownership would be the only basis for naming these landmarks. And as far as we know the only adult pace in the area at this time was George I. His son Richard seems to have had some connections with Henrico. The guardian he asked for, William Baugh, lived there, and so did the Knowles family, whose daughter Richard married in 1659.

William Perry died in 1637 and was buried at Westover church where his grave can still be seen. He left his son Henry 2,000 acres at Buckland, and Henry, whether then of age or not, patented it that year. On March 9, 1639 he repatented it as "heir". On May 10, 1642 he took out a patent which included an additional 1,500 acres which he had obtained "by assignment from George Menifee of his right for transport of 30 persons" (headrights).

In 1745 Menifee died leaving his property to his only child Elizabeth, which included his land in James City and on the York River. His will directed that his sheep be "a joint stock between my daughter Elizabeth and my son-in-law Henry Perry".

Some researchers have assumed that the term "son-in-law" which was used interchangeably for a daughter's husband and for a step-son, meant in this case "step-son" and that therefore Isabella had married Menifee as her third husband. This seems a little arbitrary. Henry Perry was his son-in-law, having married his daughter probably as early as 1642, when he gave Perry the 1,500 acres. And if Henry was not Isabella's own son, the term "step-son" would not necessarily apply.

Menifee was married twice. His first wife was named Elizabeth and his second, who was mentioned in his will as executrix, was named Mary. It would seem that the above assumption is not justified.

There is thus no reliable record of Isabella after her land patent in 1628.

Henry Perry with his vast holdings prospered greatly. He became a member of the Governor's Council and a prominent man in the colony. At one time he is said to have owned more slaves that any other planter. However, he had no son to inherit. His two daughters married in England and their Virginia property must have eventually been sold.

In the same year that William Perry died - 1637 - young Sarah Maycock reached marriageable age, - and married George Pace.

Sarah was the daughter of Samuel Maycock. The record concerning him reads:

"Samuel Maycock was admitted sizar (i.e. as a student on a scholarship) at Jesus (a college of Cambridge University) May 26,1611. Son of Roger, Husbandman (i.e. farmer) of Y elvetoft (name of farm) Northants (Northampton County), School Shadwell (i.e. went to lower school at Shadwell in nearby Leicester). Migrated (graduated?) Caius (another college at Cambridge) May 15, 1618".

He must have immediately sailed for Virginia for he took up 200 acres of land on the basis of four headrights in 1618. The land lay on the James River on the east side of Powells Creek, and almost directly across the river from Westover. Governor Yeardley's plantation, Flower dieu Hundred, adjoined it on the east. Nathaniel Powell's plantation, bordering on Powells Creek, adjoined it on the west.

[Samuel] Maycock appears to have been highly thought of by Governors Argall and Wyatt. He is described as a scholar and a gentleman of birth, virtue and industry. In March 1618 Governor Argall asked that he be ordained as Minister to the Colony and Governor Yeardley apointed him a member of his Council. He continued as such under Governor Wyatt.

[Governor] Yeardley, however, seems to have had some reservations about Maycock. In a 1619 letter to the Virginia Company he praises him as his "chiefe strength in the ryght" but goes on to say "although when Capt. Argall was here he did a little run with the tide which was his safest course indeed". Argall was robbing the colony to enrich himself and Maycock may have found it expedient to close his eyes to some of his activities.

As a matter of fact, [Governor] Yeardley, a self-made man always seeking the favor of the powerful, quite flatteringly named one of his sons "Argall".

The chances are that [Samuel] Maycock and his wife (of whom we know nothing) had a house in Jamestown to be "neare the Governor". He may have merely visited his plantation upriver to supervise his servants. He chose the wrong week-end for one of his visits, for on Good Friday, March 22, 1622, he and his three men were massacred by the Indians.

Sarah Maycock is given in both lists as in the household of Roger Smith in Jamestown, along with Mrs. Smith and Elizabeth Rolfe. The Muster taken early in 1625 gives Sarah's age as two years. If this is not a mistake or a hasty estimate, it would indicate that she was born posthumously. Since her father died in March of 1622, she must have been born no later than December of that year. This would make her a little more than two years old at the time of the Muster.

Inasmuch as her mother's name does not appear in the List of the Living of February 16, 1623, she must have died before that date, possibly when Sarah was born.

The orphan baby was cared for by Jane Smith and was raised along with her own daughter, Elizabeth Rolfe, Sarah's senior by two years. Jane and Mrs. Maycock may have been friends or neighbors in Jamestown.

Jane was the daughter of William Pierce. Her mother, when visiting London, remarked that she "could keep a better house in Virginia than in London". that she had a garden where in one year she had "gathered a hundred bushels of excellent figs". (Seems like a lot of figs!) This house adjoined that of the Governor in Jamestown.

Jane [Pierce] married, as her first husband, John Rolfe after he returned from London following the death of Pocahontas. Rolfe, aside from his Jamestown house, had a plantation across the river on Gray's Creek, formerly called Rolfe's Creek. This land was just east of Paces Paines. It had been given Rolfe by his father-in-law, Powhatan. Still standing on this land is the Rolfe-Warren house, built in 1652.

[John] Rolfe died during the massacre, possibly of natural causes, for he was able to make a will, naming William Pierce his executor. The land on Gray's Creek was left to Thomas, his son by Pocahontas. Those later married Jane Poythress. Richard Pace III,. two generatons later, married a girl from the same family.

Jane Pierce Wolfe had married Roger Smith within a year after the massacre. He was a member of the Governor's Council, and a very prominent man in the colony. His house in Jamestown was bounded on the south by the Governor's garden and on the east by the lot of William Pierce.

Sarah [Maycock] thus grew up in an atmosphere of wealthy families and fine houses. No doubt she received the training given in those days to daughters of the upper class.

Roger Smith looked out for her interests. In 1626 at a General Court he arranged for land to be granted four-year-old Sarah for four indentured servants brought over in 1622 in the "Abigail" at the instance of Samuel Maycock, but arriving after his death. Such 200 acres of land "to be taken upp by her in any place not formerly taken upp." It is strange that [Samuel] Maycock himself had not selected and arranged for possession of such land before he transported these headrights. There is no record that any land other than the 200 acres of Maycox [Plantation] belonged to Sarah. However, the land around Maycox seems to have been vacant "back into the woods". Why not add the 200 acres to Maycox?

If Sarah was not born until late in 1622, she must have been only 15 when she married George Pace in 1637. (This date of marriage has been fixed by the age of their son Richard II, who was 21 in 1659 and therefore born in 1638). Fifteen was not an unusual age for girls to marry in those days. Women were scarce, and in Sarah's case there was urgent need for a man to run her plantation. George being 28 and presumably experienced in Planting, may have seemed a good match, ever though not too affluent.

He took over Sarah's inheritance and must have dealt with it wisely. Undoubtedly the plantation needed attention after fifteen years. Roger Smith with his governmental duties and his own plantation had little time to supervise its operation. Indeed, it may not even have been cultivated in the years following the massacre. Maycock's three servants were killed and the place was probably deserted. Of course, the four new servants who came over in the "Abigail" had to be provided for somewhere and they may have been stationed in Maycox to plant it. This might explain the failure [George Pace] to take up new land.

But a 200-acre holding was relatively small, and no doubt the land was becoming poorer year by year. George needed more land but this could only be acquired by paying the cost of transportation of headrights. Tobacco credits in London were used for this purpose. But these were times of low prices, high taxes and levies.

It apparently took George 13 years to accumulate enough credits to bring over some servants. In 1650 he obtained a grant of 1,700 acres for 34 headrights, such land extending south from Maycox between Powells Creek and Flower dieu Hundred plantation. He may have financed the transaction in partnership with a Thomas Drew, to whom he gave a bill-of-sale in the same year for "800 or 900 acres" roughly half of George's grant. For some reason the sale hung fire, for in 1655, after George had died, his son [Richard Pace II], although still a minor, found it necessary to cofirm it, as follows:

"Westover Parish, Charles City County, June 4, 1655: Know all men by these Presents, and witnesse, that I, Richard Pace, sonne and heire of Mr. George Pace of the Cpn. of Charles City County at Mount March in Virginia, and sonne and heire as the first issue by my mother, Mrs. Sarah Maycock, wife unto my aforesaid father, (both being deceased), . . . do confirm and allow . . . the sale of 800 or 900 acres of land being neare unto Pierce's Hundred als Flowrrday Hundred, sold by my deceased father, Mr. George Pace unto Mr. Thomas Drew as per bill of sale bearing date the 12th day of October, Ao 1650".

In 1652 George obtained another grant of 507 acres, (for the transportation of ten headrignts), adjoining his 1,700-acre tract on the south. Thus his son Richard's inheritance was a net total of 1,607 or 1,507 acres.

George died between 1652 and 1655 but since his minor so did not apply for a guardian until 1655, it was probably in that year that he died. Sarah was already deceased.

The wording of Richard II's confirmation of his father's sale raises some question as to whether George had more than one wife. Richard II seems unduly insistent on the fact that he was not only son and heir of his father, but also of Sarah Maycock, "wife unto my father". Why stress his mother's maiden name if not to distinquish her from another wife? "Heir to my father" would have been sufficient. Richard was certainly the oldest son: he inherited all the land. But were there other children by another wife?

The records on George are few. This may be due to the lose by fire or otherwise of many of the early documents. Or he may have led a more peaceful life requiring less record-making. But we have very little indication of his character other than his evident ability to cope with the problems of his day.

PACES PAINES AND MAYCOX [PLANTATIONS]: GEORGE I

Added by AliceGleasonGould on 27 Apr 2008

The first record of George [Pace], son of Richard and Isabella [Pace], is a land patent dated September 1, 1628. It reads:

" . . . unto Georg Pace sonn and heire apparent to Richard Pace deceased . . . Four Hundred acres of land scituated and being within the Corporation of James Cities on the Southward side of the River at the Plantation called Paces Paines and formerly granted unto Richard Pace his Father deceased by Patent from Sir George Yeardley, Kt., then Governor and Captt. General of Virginia, bearing date the fifth day of December Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred and Twentie. The said Four Hundred acres abutting Westerly on the land of his mother Isabella Perry and Easterly on the land of ffrancis Chapman now in the tenure of William Perry, Gent., his father-in-law, Northerly on the Maine River and Southerly striking up into the maine woods . . . . One Hundred acres of this land is due for the P-snall adventure of Richard Pace, the other Three Hundred acres is due by transportation of Louis Bayly, Richard Jones and John Junior, Bennett Culle, Roger Marker & Ann Mason, who came in the Marmaduke one thousand and six hundred twentie one."

We do not know when George was born, but this record describes him as heir-apparent. He must therefore have been a minor in 1628, otherwise he would have been described simply as heir. (George's son, Richard, described himself as "heir apparent" in his request for a guardian in 1655. We know that he was then a minor. In a sale of land four years later he is given as "heir"; he had reached 21. We therefore believe that the term "apparent" indicated as heir not yet of age).

If we assume that the Richard and Isabella who were married on October 5, 1608 in Wapping, England, were George's parents, we can also assume that George was born in 1609. He would therefore have been about 19 when he patented his inheritance. His mother repatented her land at the same time. Apparently this was done in order to fix the boundaries.

At the time of the massacre in March 1622, George was probably about 12 years of age. Isabella was about 30. She and George presumably went with Richard to the "safety" of Jamestown a month or two later. Perhaps the other Paces Paines residents came with them, but by the time the List of the Living was taken on February 16, 1623, most of them were back at Paces Paines.

But there is no mention of Isabella, George, William Perry, or his son Henry [Perry] anywhere in this list, and none in the second list -- the Muster taken early in 1625. Richard's name is also missing, indicating that he must have died between the granting of his petition to return to Paces Paines, and the date of the list on Feb. 16, 1623.

It is true that in the List of the Living a "Mrs. Perry and Infant Perry" were shown as then in James City. This might perhaps be Isabella who could have married William Perry very shortly after Richard's death. But the infant was not Perry's son by Isabella - obviously. Henry Perry later patented his inheritance from his father in 1639 as full heir. He must then have been at least 21 and therefore born no later than 1618. He was therefore about five years old in 1623, and certainly no nameless infant. Perry must have had an earlier wife.

It seems more likely that this Mrs. Perry was the widow of a John Perry of Henrico listed as massacred in 1622.

With the names of the Paces and Perrys missing in the records from Feb. 16, 1623 until after the muster, taken between Jan. 20 and Feb. 7, 1625, it is logical to assume that none of them was in Virginia during this two-year period.

William Perry definitely was elsewhere. He was one of five Planters who went to England to present a Petition to the London Company. This asked relief from paying customs or imposts on tobacco because of the desperate situatioin of the growers due to the massacre. Such petition, drawn up with te approval of Governor Wyall, was signed in Jamestown January 29, 1623. Perry musthave sailed for England between that date and Feb. 16, 1623, when the List of the Living in Virginia was taken.

It seems likely that Isabella and the two young boys, Henry Perry and George Pace, accompanied Perry (unless the boys were already in England at school). Isabella must have married him very soon after Richard's death or while they were in England.

Perry arrived in London at a crucial time for the London Company. It was then embroiled in controversy with the King and his Privy Councilors, and was refusing to relinquish its charter and sign a new one. Finally, in November 1623, the King sued the Company and obtained a decision in his favor. On May 24, 1624 the Colony was taken over by the Crown.

It is understandable that Perry was forced to cool his heels until someone could pro[ ] give consideration to the Petition. Finally on April 8, 1624 the Court took it up, [ ] Perry was referred from one official to another. This process lasted for another year. Finally the Crown Court now having jurisdicton ruled that "the insinuation of so much dam[ ] (to the 'Poor Planters' as they styled themselves) was extended beyond the truth". King James I did not like "that smokie weed" anyway and was interested only in the revenue from it. Needless to say, the petition was denied.

Perry and Isabella must have returned to Virginia prior to May 9, 1625, for on that date Isabella testified at a trial in Jamestown. Perry also testified as a witness in another case on June 13, 1625.

Perry was now made Commander of Paces Paines (in place of Richard Pace). His marriage to Isabella had evidently enhanced his fortunes. It was common pratice in those days for a deceased husband's administrator to marry the widow.

One of the trials at which Isabella testified concerned a Dr. Pott. The record reads: "Mrs. Isabella Perry, sworne and examined, sayeth that she being in Mrs. Blaney's house (in James City), Dr. Pott came into the house and Mrs. Blaney said unto him 'Doctor Pott you have killed a hog of mine. I would you would let me have a peecepart (?talk?) with you'. To which Doctor Pott replied 'It is trew there is a hog kild but whether it be yours I know not'. Mrs. Blaney replied 'It is apparent enough', 'It is mine (the Doctor said) as I take it. My wife hath given it amongst her people'. The outcome is not known.

Dr. Pott was an interesting character. He had been sent over in 1621 as Physician-General along with "two chirurgeons and a chest of Physicke" to assist Governor Wyatt.

After the massacre he is said to have put poison in a cask of wine which was then sent with a party seeking peace with the Potomac Indians. When the Indians, having agreed to the treaty, ratified it by drinking a health or two, they became "dead drunk" literally, (as per the irreverant author of "Behold Virginia"). At his plantation where Williamsburg now stands he was found to have more cattle than he could legally account for.

He was known as a "tosspot", but was always pardoned for his transgressions because he was the only physician in the colony "skilled in epidemical diseases".

The witchcraft trial in which Isabella was a witness concerned Goodwife Jane Wright who, with her husband, had moved to Paces Paines from Elizabeth City (Kecoghtan). She apparently served in a domestic capacity.

Isabella testified that "upon the loseing of a logg of lightwood (kindling?) out of [ ]fort Goodwife Wright rayled upon a girl for stealing the same whereupon she charged to said Goodwife Wright and said she had done many bad things at Kecoghtan. Whereupon this examinant child the said Goodwife Wright and said unto her 'If thou knowest thyself cleare of what she charged thee why dost thou not complaine and cleare thyself of the same?' "And further sayeth that Dorothy Behethlen (15) asked this examinant why she did suffer Goodwife Wright to bee at her house, saying that she was a very bad woman and was accounted a witch by all at Kecoughtan.

This minor domestic incident blew up into such proportions that the Governor and two of his Council were required to give it their attention. Goodwife Wright was found "not guilty of Witchcraft, but only of being a contentious woman." Her husband was therefore fined.

In the six years prior to 1628, Paces Paines was presumably planted with tobacco and the crops gathered, cured by the new method developed by John Rolfe, and sent to England to be sold. However, in this period the price had fallen from the early three shillings per pound to only sixpence per pound, a drop of 83%. This was due not only to the rapid increase of planters clearing lnad to grow tobacco, but also to the Spaniards, whose tobacco glutted the market. Perhaps George did not come into much wealth other than his four hundred acres. And this land must have been pretty well used up by the time he reached 21 in 1630.

Tobacco of good quality needed the original fertile soil of Virginia. Planters knew nothing of rotation of crops. They grew successive crops until their cleared land was exhausted. They then abandoned the "Old Field" and cleared another. When they had used up all their land they either bought more or moved to new frontiers where land was cheap.

This must have been why all of the land in the family - Isabella's, George's, and Perry's, was sold about 1633. Perry also had a good reason for moving across the river. He had been Burgess, along with John Smith of Smith's Mount, representing Paces Paines in the first official meeting of the Assembly after the Crown took over the colony. This was in 1629; in 1630 he alone represented Paces Paines, John Smith having died. In 1632 Perry was made a member of the Governor's Council and was required to live near Jamestown to be available to the Governor.

One of his fellow Councilors was George Menifee. They apparently joined forces and took over a large tract of land across the first peninsula just west of Jamestown known [as] Bucklands. Its western boundary was Herring Creek, which separated it from Westover. The land may have been given them by the government, as was the custom with respect to members of the Council.

By 1635 the sale of all the Pace land was completed. The records of deeds have been destroyed, but we do have the patents. In 1634 Capt. Henry Browne patented 2,000 acres running up the river west from Isabella's old property line and including Smith's Mount (150 acres) purchased from William Perry and Capt. Thomas Osborne, overseers (administrators) of John Smith's estate. In 1635 William Swann patented 1,200 acres running from Smith's Mount east to the "Halfway Neck (Swann Point). In 1638, Col. Thomas Swann, son of William, represented Paces Paines as Burgess. His fourth wife was Ann, widow of Col. Henry Browne.

It is apparent that George went along with his mother in selling out. But there is no mention of him in connection with Bucklands. He must have become of age in 1630. It was unusual for a young many, especially one possessing a plantation, to remain unmarried. Perhaps George did marry at 12, but there is no evidence of this. After Paces Paines was sold, George may have taken up other land, but again we have no evidence.

However, there is a puzzling record which may indicate that he owned land in Henrico prior to 1645. In 1664 a dividend of land was granted a Thomas Gagecomb; in the description of its boundaries reference is made to the orginal grant for this land in 1645, which mentions a line running along "Paces Swamp to Paces Point". These landmarks appeared on a U.S. map as late as 1884. The lay on the James River in Bermuda Hundred, just north of the mouth of the Appomattox River.

It would seem that ownership would be the only basis for naming these landmarks. And as far as we know the only adult pace in the area at this time was George I. His son Richard seems to have had some connections with Henrico. The guardian he asked for, William Baugh, lived there, and so did the Knowles family, whose daughter Richard married in 1659.

William Perry died in 1637 and was buried at Westover church where his grave can still be seen. He left his son Henry 2,000 acres at Buckland, and Henry, whether then of age or not, patented it that year. On March 9, 1639 he repatented it as "heir". On May 10, 1642 he took out a patent which included an additional 1,500 acres which he had obtained "by assignment from George Menifee of his right for transport of 30 persons" (headrights).

In 1745 Menifee died leaving his property to his only child Elizabeth, which included his land in James City and on the York River. His will directed that his sheep be "a joint stock between my daughter Elizabeth and my son-in-law Henry Perry".

Some researchers have assumed that the term "son-in-law" which was used interchangeably for a daughter's husband and for a step-son, meant in this case "step-son" and that therefore Isabella had married Menifee as her third husband. This seems a little arbitrary. Henry Perry was his son-in-law, having married his daughter probably as early as 1642, when he gave Perry the 1,500 acres. And if Henry was not Isabella's own son, the term "step-son" would not necessarily apply.

Menifee was married twice. His first wife was named Elizabeth and his second, who was mentioned in his will as executrix, was named Mary. It would seem that the above assumption is not justified.

There is thus no reliable record of Isabella after her land patent in 1628.

Henry Perry with his vast holdings prospered greatly. He became a member of the Governor's Council and a prominent man in the colony. At one time he is said to have owned more slaves that any other planter. However, he had no son to inherit. His two daughters married in England and their Virginia property must have eventually been sold.

In the same year that William Perry died - 1637 - young Sarah Maycock reached marriageable age, - and married George Pace.

Sarah was the daughter of Samuel Maycock. The record concerning him reads:

"Samuel Maycock was admitted sizar (i.e. as a student on a scholarship) at Jesus (a college of Cambridge University) May 26,1611. Son of Roger, Husbandman (i.e. farmer) of Y elvetoft (name of farm) Northants (Northampton County), School Shadwell (i.e. went to lower school at Shadwell in nearby Leicester). Migrated (graduated?) Caius (another college at Cambridge) May 15, 1618".

He must have immediately sailed for Virginia for he took up 200 acres of land on the basis of four headrights in 1618. The land lay on the James River on the east side of Powells Creek, and almost directly across the river from Westover. Governor Yeardley's plantation, Flower dieu Hundred, adjoined it on the east. Nathaniel Powell's plantation, bordering on Powells Creek, adjoined it on the west.

[Samuel] Maycock appears to have been highly thought of by Governors Argall and Wyatt. He is described as a scholar and a gentleman of birth, virtue and industry. In March 1618 Governor Argall asked that he be ordained as Minister to the Colony and Governor Yeardley apointed him a member of his Council. He continued as such under Governor Wyatt.

[Governor] Yeardley, however, seems to have had some reservations about Maycock. In a 1619 letter to the Virginia Company he praises him as his "chiefe strength in the ryght" but goes on to say "although when Capt. Argall was here he did a little run with the tide which was his safest course indeed". Argall was robbing the colony to enrich himself and Maycock may have found it expedient to close his eyes to some of his activities.

As a matter of fact, [Governor] Yeardley, a self-made man always seeking the favor of the powerful, quite flatteringly named one of his sons "Argall".

The chances are that [Samuel] Maycock and his wife (of whom we know nothing) had a house in Jamestown to be "neare the Governor". He may have merely visited his plantation upriver to supervise his servants. He chose the wrong week-end for one of his visits, for on Good Friday, March 22, 1622, he and his three men were massacred by the Indians.

Sarah Maycock is given in both lists as in the household of Roger Smith in Jamestown, along with Mrs. Smith and Elizabeth Rolfe. The Muster taken early in 1625 gives Sarah's age as two years. If this is not a mistake or a hasty estimate, it would indicate that she was born posthumously. Since her father died in March of 1622, she must have been born no later than December of that year. This would make her a little more than two years old at the time of the Muster.

Inasmuch as her mother's name does not appear in the List of the Living of February 16, 1623, she must have died before that date, possibly when Sarah was born.

The orphan baby was cared for by Jane Smith and was raised along with her own daughter, Elizabeth Rolfe, Sarah's senior by two years. Jane and Mrs. Maycock may have been friends or neighbors in Jamestown.

Jane was the daughter of William Pierce. Her mother, when visiting London, remarked that she "could keep a better house in Virginia than in London". that she had a garden where in one year she had "gathered a hundred bushels of excellent figs". (Seems like a lot of figs!) This house adjoined that of the Governor in Jamestown.

Jane [Pierce] married, as her first husband, John Rolfe after he returned from London following the death of Pocahontas. Rolfe, aside from his Jamestown house, had a plantation across the river on Gray's Creek, formerly called Rolfe's Creek. This land was just east of Paces Paines. It had been given Rolfe by his father-in-law, Powhatan. Still standing on this land is the Rolfe-Warren house, built in 1652.

[John] Rolfe died during the massacre, possibly of natural causes, for he was able to make a will, naming William Pierce his executor. The land on Gray's Creek was left to Thomas, his son by Pocahontas. Those later married Jane Poythress. Richard Pace III,. two generatons later, married a girl from the same family.

Jane Pierce Wolfe had married Roger Smith within a year after the massacre. He was a member of the Governor's Council, and a very prominent man in the colony. His house in Jamestown was bounded on the south by the Governor's garden and on the east by the lot of William Pierce.

Sarah [Maycock] thus grew up in an atmosphere of wealthy families and fine houses. No doubt she received the training given in those days to daughters of the upper class.

Roger Smith looked out for her interests. In 1626 at a General Court he arranged for land to be granted four-year-old Sarah for four indentured servants brought over in 1622 in the "Abigail" at the instance of Samuel Maycock, but arriving after his death. Such 200 acres of land "to be taken upp by her in any place not formerly taken upp." It is strange that [Samuel] Maycock himself had not selected and arranged for possession of such land before he transported these headrights. There is no record that any land other than the 200 acres of Maycox [Plantation] belonged to Sarah. However, the land around Maycox seems to have been vacant "back into the woods". Why not add the 200 acres to Maycox?

If Sarah was not born until late in 1622, she must have been only 15 when she married George Pace in 1637. (This date of marriage has been fixed by the age of their son Richard II, who was 21 in 1659 and therefore born in 1638). Fifteen was not an unusual age for girls to marry in those days. Women were scarce, and in Sarah's case there was urgent need for a man to run her plantation. George being 28 and presumably experienced in Planting, may have seemed a good match, ever though not too affluent.

He took over Sarah's inheritance and must have dealt with it wisely. Undoubtedly the plantation needed attention after fifteen years. Roger Smith with his governmental duties and his own plantation had little time to supervise its operation. Indeed, it may not even have been cultivated in the years following the massacre. Maycock's three servants were killed and the place was probably deserted. Of course, the four new servants who came over in the "Abigail" had to be provided for somewhere and they may have been stationed in Maycox to plant it. This might explain the failure [George Pace] to take up new land.

But a 200-acre holding was relatively small, and no doubt the land was becoming poorer year by year. George needed more land but this could only be acquired by paying the cost of transportation of headrights. Tobacco credits in London were used for this purpose. But these were times of low prices, high taxes and levies.

It apparently took George 13 years to accumulate enough credits to bring over some servants. In 1650 he obtained a grant of 1,700 acres for 34 headrights, such land extending south from Maycox between Powells Creek and Flower dieu Hundred plantation. He may have financed the transaction in partnership with a Thomas Drew, to whom he gave a bill-of-sale in the same year for "800 or 900 acres" roughly half of George's grant. For some reason the sale hung fire, for in 1655, after George had died, his son [Richard Pace II], although still a minor, found it necessary to cofirm it, as follows:

"Westover Parish, Charles City County, June 4, 1655: Know all men by these Presents, and witnesse, that I, Richard Pace, sonne and heire of Mr. George Pace of the Cpn. of Charles City County at Mount March in Virginia, and sonne and heire as the first issue by my mother, Mrs. Sarah Maycock, wife unto my aforesaid father, (both being deceased), . . . do confirm and allow . . . the sale of 800 or 900 acres of land being neare unto Pierce's Hundred als Flowrrday Hundred, sold by my deceased father, Mr. George Pace unto Mr. Thomas Drew as per bill of sale bearing date the 12th day of October, Ao 1650".

In 1652 George obtained another grant of 507 acres, (for the transportation of ten headrignts), adjoining his 1,700-acre tract on the south. Thus his son Richard's inheritance was a net total of 1,607 or 1,507 acres.

George died between 1652 and 1655 but since his minor so did not apply for a guardian until 1655, it was probably in that year that he died. Sarah was already deceased.

The wording of Richard II's confirmation of his father's sale raises some question as to whether George had more than one wife. Richard II seems unduly insistent on the fact that he was not only son and heir of his father, but also of Sarah Maycock, "wife unto my father". Why stress his mother's maiden name if not to distinquish her from another wife? "Heir to my father" would have been sufficient. Richard was certainly the oldest son: he inherited all the land. But were there other children by another wife?

The records on George are few. This may be due to the lose by fire or otherwise of many of the early documents. Or he may have led a more peaceful life requiring less record-making. But we have very little indication of his character other than his evident ability to cope with the problems of his day.

The first record of George [Pace], son of Richard and Isabella [Pace], is a land patent dated September 1, 1628. It reads:

" . . . unto Georg Pace sonn and heire apparent to Richard Pace deceased . . . Four Hundred acres of land scituated and being within the Corporation of James Cities on the Southward side of the River at the Plantation called Paces Paines and formerly granted unto Richard Pace his Father deceased by Patent from Sir George Yeardley, Kt., then Governor and Captt. General of Virginia, bearing date the fifth day of December Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred and Twentie. The said Four Hundred acres abutting Westerly on the land of his mother Isabella Perry and Easterly on the land of ffrancis Chapman now in the tenure of William Perry, Gent., his father-in-law, Northerly on the Maine River and Southerly striking up into the maine woods . . . . One Hundred acres of this land is due for the P-snall adventure of Richard Pace, the other Three Hundred acres is due by transportation of Louis Bayly, Richard Jones and John Junior, Bennett Culle, Roger Marker & Ann Mason, who came in the Marmaduke one thousand and six hundred twentie one."

We do not know when George was born, but this record describes him as heir-apparent. He must therefore have been a minor in 1628, otherwise he would have been described simply as heir. (George's son, Richard, described himself as "heir apparent" in his request for a guardian in 1655. We know that he was then a minor. In a sale of land four years later he is given as "heir"; he had reached 21. We therefore believe that the term "apparent" indicated as heir not yet of age).

If we assume that the Richard and Isabella who were married on October 5, 1608 in Wapping, England, were George's parents, we can also assume that George was born in 1609. He would therefore have been about 19 when he patented his inheritance. His mother repatented her land at the same time. Apparently this was done in order to fix the boundaries.

At the time of the massacre in March 1622, George was probably about 12 years of age. Isabella was about 30. She and George presumably went with Richard to the "safety" of Jamestown a month or two later. Perhaps the other Paces Paines residents came with them, but by the time the List of the Living was taken on February 16, 1623, most of them were back at Paces Paines.

But there is no mention of Isabella, George, William Perry, or his son Henry [Perry] anywhere in this list, and none in the second list -- the Muster taken early in 1625. Richard's name is also missing, indicating that he must have died between the granting of his petition to return to Paces Paines, and the date of the list on Feb. 16, 1623.

It is true that in the List of the Living a "Mrs. Perry and Infant Perry" were shown as then in James City. This might perhaps be Isabella who could have married William Perry very shortly after Richard's death. But the infant was not Perry's son by Isabella - obviously. Henry Perry later patented his inheritance from his father in 1639 as full heir. He must then have been at least 21 and therefore born no later than 1618. He was therefore about five years old in 1623, and certainly no nameless infant. Perry must have had an earlier wife.

It seems more likely that this Mrs. Perry was the widow of a John Perry of Henrico listed as massacred in 1622.

With the names of the Paces and Perrys missing in the records from Feb. 16, 1623 until after the muster, taken between Jan. 20 and Feb. 7, 1625, it is logical to assume that none of them was in Virginia during this two-year period.

William Perry definitely was elsewhere. He was one of five Planters who went to England to present a Petition to the London Company. This asked relief from paying customs or imposts on tobacco because of the desperate situatioin of the growers due to the massacre. Such petition, drawn up with te approval of Governor Wyall, was signed in Jamestown January 29, 1623. Perry musthave sailed for England between that date and Feb. 16, 1623, when the List of the Living in Virginia was taken.

It seems likely that Isabella and the two young boys, Henry Perry and George Pace, accompanied Perry (unless the boys were already in England at school). Isabella must have married him very soon after Richard's death or while they were in England.

Perry arrived in London at a crucial time for the London Company. It was then embroiled in controversy with the King and his Privy Councilors, and was refusing to relinquish its charter and sign a new one. Finally, in November 1623, the King sued the Company and obtained a decision in his favor. On May 24, 1624 the Colony was taken over by the Crown.

It is understandable that Perry was forced to cool his heels until someone could pro[ ] give consideration to the Petition. Finally on April 8, 1624 the Court took it up, [ ] Perry was referred from one official to another. This process lasted for another year. Finally the Crown Court now having jurisdicton ruled that "the insinuation of so much dam[ ] (to the 'Poor Planters' as they styled themselves) was extended beyond the truth". King James I did not like "that smokie weed" anyway and was interested only in the revenue from it. Needless to say, the petition was denied.

Perry and Isabella must have returned to Virginia prior to May 9, 1625, for on that date Isabella testified at a trial in Jamestown. Perry also testified as a witness in another case on June 13, 1625.

Perry was now made Commander of Paces Paines (in place of Richard Pace). His marriage to Isabella had evidently enhanced his fortunes. It was common pratice in those days for a deceased husband's administrator to marry the widow.

One of the trials at which Isabella testified concerned a Dr. Pott. The record reads: "Mrs. Isabella Perry, sworne and examined, sayeth that she being in Mrs. Blaney's house (in James City), Dr. Pott came into the house and Mrs. Blaney said unto him 'Doctor Pott you have killed a hog of mine. I would you would let me have a peecepart (?talk?) with you'. To which Doctor Pott replied 'It is trew there is a hog kild but whether it be yours I know not'. Mrs. Blaney replied 'It is apparent enough', 'It is mine (the Doctor said) as I take it. My wife hath given it amongst her people'. The outcome is not known.

Dr. Pott was an interesting character. He had been sent over in 1621 as Physician-General along with "two chirurgeons and a chest of Physicke" to assist Governor Wyatt.

After the massacre he is said to have put poison in a cask of wine which was then sent with a party seeking peace with the Potomac Indians. When the Indians, having agreed to the treaty, ratified it by drinking a health or two, they became "dead drunk" literally, (as per the irreverant author of "Behold Virginia"). At his plantation where Williamsburg now stands he was found to have more cattle than he could legally account for.

He was known as a "tosspot", but was always pardoned for his transgressions because he was the only physician in the colony "skilled in epidemical diseases".

The witchcraft trial in which Isabella was a witness concerned Goodwife Jane Wright who, with her husband, had moved to Paces Paines from Elizabeth City (Kecoghtan). She apparently served in a domestic capacity.

Isabella testified that "upon the loseing of a logg of lightwood (kindling?) out of [ ]fort Goodwife Wright rayled upon a girl for stealing the same whereupon she charged to said Goodwife Wright and said she had done many bad things at Kecoghtan. Whereupon this examinant child the said Goodwife Wright and said unto her 'If thou knowest thyself cleare of what she charged thee why dost thou not complaine and cleare thyself of the same?' "And further sayeth that Dorothy Behethlen (15) asked this examinant why she did suffer Goodwife Wright to bee at her house, saying that she was a very bad woman and was accounted a witch by all at Kecoughtan.

This minor domestic incident blew up into such proportions that the Governor and two of his Council were required to give it their attention. Goodwife Wright was found "not guilty of Witchcraft, but only of being a contentious woman." Her husband was therefore fined.

In the six years prior to 1628, Paces Paines was presumably planted with tobacco and the crops gathered, cured by the new method developed by John Rolfe, and sent to England to be sold. However, in this period the price had fallen from the early three shillings per pound to only sixpence per pound, a drop of 83%. This was due not only to the rapid increase of planters clearing lnad to grow tobacco, but also to the Spaniards, whose tobacco glutted the market. Perhaps George did not come into much wealth other than his four hundred acres. And this land must have been pretty well used up by the time he reached 21 in 1630.

Tobacco of good quality needed the original fertile soil of Virginia. Planters knew nothing of rotation of crops. They grew successive crops until their cleared land was exhausted. They then abandoned the "Old Field" and cleared another. When they had used up all their land they either bought more or moved to new frontiers where land was cheap.

This must have been why all of the land in the family - Isabella's, George's, and Perry's, was sold about 1633. Perry also had a good reason for moving across the river. He had been Burgess, along with John Smith of Smith's Mount, representing Paces Paines in the first official meeting of the Assembly after the Crown took over the colony. This was in 1629; in 1630 he alone represented Paces Paines, John Smith having died. In 1632 Perry was made a member of the Governor's Council and was required to live near Jamestown to be available to the Governor.

One of his fellow Councilors was George Menifee. They apparently joined forces and took over a large tract of land across the first peninsula just west of Jamestown known [as] Bucklands. Its western boundary was Herring Creek, which separated it from Westover. The land may have been given them by the government, as was the custom with respect to members of the Council.

By 1635 the sale of all the Pace land was completed. The records of deeds have been destroyed, but we do have the patents. In 1634 Capt. Henry Browne patented 2,000 acres running up the river west from Isabella's old property line and including Smith's Mount (150 acres) purchased from William Perry and Capt. Thomas Osborne, overseers (administrators) of John Smith's estate. In 1635 William Swann patented 1,200 acres running from Smith's Mount east to the "Halfway Neck (Swann Point). In 1638, Col. Thomas Swann, son of William, represented Paces Paines as Burgess. His fourth wife was Ann, widow of Col. Henry Browne.

It is apparent that George went along with his mother in selling out. But there is no mention of him in connection with Bucklands. He must have become of age in 1630. It was unusual for a young many, especially one possessing a plantation, to remain unmarried. Perhaps George did marry at 12, but there is no evidence of this. After Paces Paines was sold, George may have taken up other land, but again we have no evidence.

However, there is a puzzling record which may indicate that he owned land in Henrico prior to 1645. In 1664 a dividend of land was granted a Thomas Gagecomb; in the description of its boundaries reference is made to the orginal grant for this land in 1645, which mentions a line running along "Paces Swamp to Paces Point". These landmarks appeared on a U.S. map as late as 1884. The lay on the James River in Bermuda Hundred, just north of the mouth of the Appomattox River.

It would seem that ownership would be the only basis for naming these landmarks. And as far as we know the only adult pace in the area at this time was George I. His son Richard seems to have had some connections with Henrico. The guardian he asked for, William Baugh, lived there, and so did the Knowles family, whose daughter Richard married in 1659.

William Perry died in 1637 and was buried at Westover church where his grave can still be seen. He left his son Henry 2,000 acres at Buckland, and Henry, whether then of age or not, patented it that year. On March 9, 1639 he repatented it as "heir". On May 10, 1642 he took out a patent which included an additional 1,500 acres which he had obtained "by assignment from George Menifee of his right for transport of 30 persons" (headrights).

In 1745 Menifee died leaving his property to his only child Elizabeth, which included his land in James City and on the York River. His will directed that his sheep be "a joint stock between my daughter Elizabeth and my son-in-law Henry Perry".

Some researchers have assumed that the term "son-in-law" which was used interchangeably for a daughter's husband and for a step-son, meant in this case "step-son" and that therefore Isabella had married Menifee as her third husband. This seems a little arbitrary. Henry Perry was his son-in-law, having married his daughter probably as early as 1642, when he gave Perry the 1,500 acres. And if Henry was not Isabella's own son, the term "step-son" would not necessarily apply.

Menifee was married twice. His first wife was named Elizabeth and his second, who was mentioned in his will as executrix, was named Mary. It would seem that the above assumption is not justified.

There is thus no reliable record of Isabella after her land patent in 1628.

Henry Perry with his vast holdings prospered greatly. He became a member of the Governor's Council and a prominent man in the colony. At one time he is said to have owned more slaves that any other planter. However, he had no son to inherit. His two daughters married in England and their Virginia property must have eventually been sold.

In the same year that William Perry died - 1637 - young Sarah Maycock reached marriageable age, - and married George Pace.

Sarah was the daughter of Samuel Maycock. The record concerning him reads:

"Samuel Maycock was admitted sizar (i.e. as a student on a scholarship) at Jesus (a college of Cambridge University) May 26,1611. Son of Roger, Husbandman (i.e. farmer) of Y elvetoft (name of farm) Northants (Northampton County), School Shadwell (i.e. went to lower school at Shadwell in nearby Leicester). Migrated (graduated?) Caius (another college at Cambridge) May 15, 1618".

He must have immediately sailed for Virginia for he took up 200 acres of land on the basis of four headrights in 1618. The land lay on the James River on the east side of Powells Creek, and almost directly across the river from Westover. Governor Yeardley's plantation, Flower dieu Hundred, adjoined it on the east. Nathaniel Powell's plantation, bordering on Powells Creek, adjoined it on the west.

[Samuel] Maycock appears to have been highly thought of by Governors Argall and Wyatt. He is described as a scholar and a gentleman of birth, virtue and industry. In March 1618 Governor Argall asked that he be ordained as Minister to the Colony and Governor Yeardley apointed him a member of his Council. He continued as such under Governor Wyatt.

[Governor] Yeardley, however, seems to have had some reservations about Maycock. In a 1619 letter to the Virginia Company he praises him as his "chiefe strength in the ryght" but goes on to say "although when Capt. Argall was here he did a little run with the tide which was his safest course indeed". Argall was robbing the colony to enrich himself and Maycock may have found it expedient to close his eyes to some of his activities.

As a matter of fact, [Governor] Yeardley, a self-made man always seeking the favor of the powerful, quite flatteringly named one of his sons "Argall".

The chances are that [Samuel] Maycock and his wife (of whom we know nothing) had a house in Jamestown to be "neare the Governor". He may have merely visited his plantation upriver to supervise his servants. He chose the wrong week-end for one of his visits, for on Good Friday, March 22, 1622, he and his three men were massacred by the Indians.

Sarah Maycock is given in both lists as in the household of Roger Smith in Jamestown, along with Mrs. Smith and Elizabeth Rolfe. The Muster taken early in 1625 gives Sarah's age as two years. If this is not a mistake or a hasty estimate, it would indicate that she was born posthumously. Since her father died in March of 1622, she must have been born no later than December of that year. This would make her a little more than two years old at the time of the Muster.

Inasmuch as her mother's name does not appear in the List of the Living of February 16, 1623, she must have died before that date, possibly when Sarah was born.

The orphan baby was cared for by Jane Smith and was raised along with her own daughter, Elizabeth Rolfe, Sarah's senior by two years. Jane and Mrs. Maycock may have been friends or neighbors in Jamestown.

Jane was the daughter of William Pierce. Her mother, when visiting London, remarked that she "could keep a better house in Virginia than in London". that she had a garden where in one year she had "gathered a hundred bushels of excellent figs". (Seems like a lot of figs!) This house adjoined that of the Governor in Jamestown.

Jane [Pierce] married, as her first husband, John Rolfe after he returned from London following the death of Pocahontas. Rolfe, aside from his Jamestown house, had a plantation across the river on Gray's Creek, formerly called Rolfe's Creek. This land was just east of Paces Paines. It had been given Rolfe by his father-in-law, Powhatan. Still standing on this land is the Rolfe-Warren house, built in 1652.

[John] Rolfe died during the massacre, possibly of natural causes, for he was able to make a will, naming William Pierce his executor. The land on Gray's Creek was left to Thomas, his son by Pocahontas. Those later married Jane Poythress. Richard Pace III,. two generatons later, married a girl from the same family.

Jane Pierce Wolfe had married Roger Smith within a year after the massacre. He was a member of the Governor's Council, and a very prominent man in the colony. His house in Jamestown was bounded on the south by the Governor's garden and on the east by the lot of William Pierce.

Sarah [Maycock] thus grew up in an atmosphere of wealthy families and fine houses. No doubt she received the training given in those days to daughters of the upper class.

Roger Smith looked out for her interests. In 1626 at a General Court he arranged for land to be granted four-year-old Sarah for four indentured servants brought over in 1622 in the "Abigail" at the instance of Samuel Maycock, but arriving after his death. Such 200 acres of land "to be taken upp by her in any place not formerly taken upp." It is strange that [Samuel] Maycock himself had not selected and arranged for possession of such land before he transported these headrights. There is no record that any land other than the 200 acres of Maycox [Plantation] belonged to Sarah. However, the land around Maycox seems to have been vacant "back into the woods". Why not add the 200 acres to Maycox?

If Sarah was not born until late in 1622, she must have been only 15 when she married George Pace in 1637. (This date of marriage has been fixed by the age of their son Richard II, who was 21 in 1659 and therefore born in 1638). Fifteen was not an unusual age for girls to marry in those days. Women were scarce, and in Sarah's case there was urgent need for a man to run her plantation. George being 28 and presumably experienced in Planting, may have seemed a good match, ever though not too affluent.

He took over Sarah's inheritance and must have dealt with it wisely. Undoubtedly the plantation needed attention after fifteen years. Roger Smith with his governmental duties and his own plantation had little time to supervise its operation. Indeed, it may not even have been cultivated in the years following the massacre. Maycock's three servants were killed and the place was probably deserted. Of course, the four new servants who came over in the "Abigail" had to be provided for somewhere and they may have been stationed in Maycox to plant it. This might explain the failure [George Pace] to take up new land.

But a 200-acre holding was relatively small, and no doubt the land was becoming poorer year by year. George needed more land but this could only be acquired by paying the cost of transportation of headrights. Tobacco credits in London were used for this purpose. But these were times of low prices, high taxes and levies.

It apparently took George 13 years to accumulate enough credits to bring over some servants. In 1650 he obtained a grant of 1,700 acres for 34 headrights, such land extending south from Maycox between Powells Creek and Flower dieu Hundred plantation. He may have financed the transaction in partnership with a Thomas Drew, to whom he gave a bill-of-sale in the same year for "800 or 900 acres" roughly half of George's grant. For some reason the sale hung fire, for in 1655, after George had died, his son [Richard Pace II], although still a minor, found it necessary to cofirm it, as follows:

"Westover Parish, Charles City County, June 4, 1655: Know all men by these Presents, and witnesse, that I, Richard Pace, sonne and heire of Mr. George Pace of the Cpn. of Charles City County at Mount March in Virginia, and sonne and heire as the first issue by my mother, Mrs. Sarah Maycock, wife unto my aforesaid father, (both being deceased), . . . do confirm and allow . . . the sale of 800 or 900 acres of land being neare unto Pierce's Hundred als Flowrrday Hundred, sold by my deceased father, Mr. George Pace unto Mr. Thomas Drew as per bill of sale bearing date the 12th day of October, Ao 1650".

In 1652 George obtained another grant of 507 acres, (for the transportation of ten headrignts), adjoining his 1,700-acre tract on the south. Thus his son Richard's inheritance was a net total of 1,607 or 1,507 acres.

George died between 1652 and 1655 but since his minor so did not apply for a guardian until 1655, it was probably in that year that he died. Sarah was already deceased.

The wording of Richard II's confirmation of his father's sale raises some question as to whether George had more than one wife. Richard II seems unduly insistent on the fact that he was not only son and heir of his father, but also of Sarah Maycock, "wife unto my father". Why stress his mother's maiden name if not to distinquish her from another wife? "Heir to my father" would have been sufficient. Richard was certainly the oldest son: he inherited all the land. But were there other children by another wife?

The records on George are few. This may be due to the lose by fire or otherwise of many of the early documents. Or he may have led a more peaceful life requiring less record-making. But we have very little indication of his character other than his evident ability to cope with the problems of his day.

PATENT BOOK NO. 1, pg. 10.

GEORG PACE, sonne & heire apparent to Richard Pace, dec'd, 400 acs. within the Corp. of James city, 1 Sept. 1628, p. 64. On S. side of the river at the plantation called Paces Paines, granted to his father 5 Dec. 1620; W. on land of his mother Izabella Perry, E. on land of Francis Chapman, now in the tenure of William Perry, Gent., his father in law, & N. on the maine river. 100 acs. due for the per. adv. of Richard Pace & 300 acs. by trans. of Lewis Bayly, Richard Irnest, John Skinner,BennettPulle, Roger Macker, & Ann Mason, whoe came in the Marmaduke 1621.

IZABELLA PERRY, wife of William Perry, Gent., 200 acs within the Corp. of James Citty, 20 Sept. 1628, p. 62. At the S. side of the plantation called Paces Paines granted to herselfe & her late husband Richard Pace, dec'd., 5 Dec. 1620; W. on land of John Burrowes now in the tenure of John Smith, E. to land granted to her son Georg Pace, & N. on the maine river. 100 acs. for her own per. adv., being an Ancient planter & the other 100 acs. as the he devdt. of Francis Chapman, having been graunted to him 5 Dec. 1620 & by him made over to Richard Richards & Richard Dolphenby & by them made over to sd. Izabella at a Court at James Citty 21 Jan. 1621.

PATENT BOOK NO. 2, pg 199.

GEORGE PACE, 1700 acs. Chas. City Co., 1 Aug. 1650, p. 252. Lyeing on S. side of James Riv., commonly called Matocks, beg. at the mouth of a little swamp by the river side where Peirce his hundred takes ending, running etc., W. to a swamp which leads to Powells Cr. & along the cr. to the river. Trans. of 34 pers: Alexander Nicholson, Daniell Macklesby, Thomas Lorne, Thomas Juston, Danll. Thompson, Thomas Wells, Eliz. Benson, Walter Norrell, John Warren, Freman Anssell (or Aussell), Wm. Patridge, Dick, Negro, John Heywood, Tho. Ridding, Nocho. Hill, Jam. Thompson, Alex. Maxrell, John Lawmor, Neale Montgomery, Ja. Mackery, Eliza. Arator, Tho. Stroud, Benja. Bourne, Robert Dunham, William Gryer, Thomas Cans (or Caus), Thomas Benton, Andrew Walker, Geo. Holliday, Tho. Scott, Richd. Rawlins, Prudence Geby, Sara Marke, John Lightfoot.

PATENT BOOK NO. 3, pg. 273.

GEORGE PACE, 507 acs. Chas. City Co., 6 Dec. 1652, p. 170. On S. side of James Riv. & E. side of Powells Cr. Trans. of 10 pers: -- Arkady, Andrew Gourd, Thomas Bigs, Ben. Bourne, Sa. Turner, Tho. Stroud, Andrew Walker, Thomas Bayley, Wm. Besse, Wm. Hencill.

http://www.genfan.com/getperson.php?personID=I32634&tree=MASTER

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_planter