Nicholas Massey, Sr.

notes

The following is taken from Frank A. Massey, My Massey Family in England, Chapter X:

"Immigrant NICHOLAS Massey is one who was immigrant to Dorchester County, Maryland, c. 1658. An approximation of his birth would be c.1630 for a known grandson was married before 1705. NICHOLAS' will was made in 1688 and proved 1693 in Dorchester Co., Maryland, and he died possessed of estates including "Headringe" and "Cedar Point".

Not proved, but highly probable, that NICHOLAS was either born or emigrated from Isle of Ely in England, now a part of Cambridgeshire. By 1658 NICHOLAS as a first name for a Massey was not very popular in Cheshire, but was highly popular in Isle of Ely and Cambridgeshire where a NICHOLAS from whom the writer is descended settled 1536. He is traceable to Hamon de Mace in 1086 Domesday Book for Cheshire at Dunham-Massey. C.1536 the first NICHOLAS in Isle of Ely led all his brothers, save ALEXANDER who remained in Lancashire, from Manchester to Ely to obtain some of the churchlands taken by King Henry VIII from the Catholic Church when he established the Church of England.

In addition there is evidence which bolsters the author's belief that NICHOLAS came from Ely in a family tradition flowing in the line of descent from JAMES Massey, grandson of the immigrant NICHOLAS. That tradition is that JAMES came from the "Isle of Man". The Isle of Man is in the northern part of the Irish Sea between Scotland and Ireland and is a true island. So far as has been ascertained no Massey ever settled there before 1700. Proved is that JAMES was not an immigrant but was the grandson of the NICHOLAS who was. Probably, therefore, is that in passing down the tradition the "Isle of Ely" became the "Isle of Man", and JAMES was credited as the immigrant when it was actually his grandfather who was first of the family to come to America. At time of NICHOLAS' emigration the Isle of Ely was low lying land, in a swampy area infested with eels, containing several high points of land constituting islands surrounded by land which was awash at high tide from the North Sea. The largest was called the Isle of Ely where Ely Cathedral stands. Even before the time of William the Conqueror this was a principal seat of English Catholic Bishops. It was also the last place in England to be taken by the Conqueror for in his time it could only be reached by boat and along unmarked channels, thus foreclosing assault by cavalry or heavy armor.

Long ago the swamplands of Isle of Ely were drained by engineers from Holland. The tides are now guided by aqueducts as the North Sea rises so that the water is held above the land; at points the roads run under the aqueducts by underpasses. The land is perhaps the richest in all England.

While descendants from NICHOLAS, 1658 immigrant, principally used the spelling of the surname as "Massey" there is evidence which makes it evident that at least at times there was use of surname spelling as "Mace". The latter was the most ancient spelling of the name and is the most common spelling even today in France (of course with the "mark" above the "e", but pronounced exactly as is "Massey" with a half-indication of a hyphenation between the two esses.)"

• *Recent DNA analysis between John David Massey, kit #B2044 at Family Tree DNA and Robert Lee Massey #206645 have proven this line back to Sir Nicholas Massey of Isle of Ely. His DNA is of haplogroup I1, specifically:I1-Z138 S2293+ S6277+ S6270+ S20289+ A6397+ FT66907+ Y94431+ Branch, Massey. DYS385=13-16, DYS570=17, (Yfull=A10006) Documentation of this has been given. Please connect the DNA of these relatives a.s.a.p.

comments

Surname has also been reported to be:

• Massie
• Massy
• Mace
• de Mace'

Date and place of birth have also been reported to be:

• 1630 in Cambridgeshire, England (including specifically at Isle of Ely)

Date and place of death: Dorchester County, Maryland.

Will written 24th day September 1688 Death: 11th Apr., 1693? Proven: April 11, 1698 * see Nicholas Massey will 2 provided by John David Massey

• [https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/944423...

See: Maryland Calendar of Wills Massey, Nicholas,Dorchester Co.,24th Sept., 1688; 11th Apr., 1693. To eld. son Nicholas, “Headringe.” To 2 young. daus., viz., Susanna and Anna, “Cedar Point” during life. To sec. son Josias, “Cedar Point” at death of daus. afsd. To dau. Catherine, personalty, including that belonging to her mother, dec'd. Ex. not given. Test: Matthew Hood, Ja. Pattison, Edw. Baxatt. 2. 299.

links

• http://www.earnestlawrence.com/getperson.php?personID=I1007&tree=Ma...