Brick Wall: The Parents of Zadock B. Lacey of Sussex County, Delaware

 

Brick Wall: The Parents of Zadock B. Lacey of Sussex County, Delaware

 Every family genealogy has a brick wall - often more than one. One of my brick walls is identifying the parents, or at least the father of Zadock B. Lacey, born 25 September 1790 and died 28 March 1867. He married Mary Hopkins, daughter of Josiah Hopkins and Elon Coulter on 5 December 1812. [1] My g.g. grandfather, Thomas T. Lacey was born to Zadock B. and Mary Lacey in 1828 as recorded in a partial Bible record. [2] Zadock and his wife are buried in the Coolspring Presbyterian Church cemetery near Georgetown and Lewes, Sussex County, Delaware. [3]

Photos by author

There are no records, so far, that document the birth of Zadock B. Lacey, though he lived in and around the Indian River, Lewes & Rehoboth, and Broad Creek Hundreds of Sussex County, Delaware, where most of the Sussex Co. Lacey’s lived. The earliest recorded Lacey in Sussex County is the 1703 deed of John Lacey, where he purchased 200 acres of land on the "North side of Indian River" in Sussex County from Richard Ward, which was passed to his son Robert Lacey. [4]

A possible candidate is Hezekiah Lacey of Sussex County. His father was Robert Lacey, grandson of the John Lacey that first settled in 1703. Hezekiah’s father died in 1781 and the Orphans Court of Sussex County describes three children of Robert and Mary: Robert, Hezekiah, and Ann: all minors under age 14 in 1781. [5]

It is known that Hezekiah Lacey married an Elinor Barker on 23 Feb 1790 and Zadock was born in September 1790. [6] Perhaps the “B” is his middle name is for “Barker?”  In the 1800 census for Angola and Indian River Hundred, Hezekiah Lacey has one male in the family under 10, which could be Zadock and one male age 10-16. [7]

Of all the Lacey inhabitants in that area of Sussex County, Hezekiah Lacey seems to be of the appropriate age to be the father of Zadock B. Lacey.  Hezekiah Lacey disappears from the records after about 1828. Without any direct evidence, the research will continue in deeds and probate records and hopefully a more definitive answer as to the parents of Zadock B. Lacey will be found.

 

References

[1] C.H.B. Turner, Genealogical notes, Manuscript, Sussex County and Kent County, Delaware, Somerset County and Worcester County, Maryland: Surnames H-K, familysearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2686366: accessed 15 April 2021), transcription, “Mary Hopkins – Zadock B. Lacey marriage, 5 December 1812,” Hopkins Family Bible, p. 250; crediting Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

[2] Gene R. Major, A Delaware Record: Kent County Families: Moore, Wyatt, Lacey, Rogers (Wilimington, DE, Delaware Genealogical Society, April 1987).

[3] Personal visit by author.

[4] Sussex County, Delaware, Deed Book C-2 (1690-1710), p.89-92; Delaware, U.S., Land Records, 1677-1947, database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61025/ : accessed 1 January 2000), John Lacey from Richard Ward, 1 Feb 1703, image 72/518;citing  Land Records, 1677–1947, Recorder of Deeds, Sussex County, RG 4555, Subgroup 000, Series 030, Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware.

[5] Sussex County, Delaware, Orphans' Court Records, Liber C #3, 1780-1783),  p. 183-184, Mary Lacy, 1 August 1781; Delaware Public Archives, RG4840, Dover, Delaware.

[6] F. Edward Wright, Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties Delaware 1686-1800: "Lewes and Coolspring Presbyterian Church, Lewes, Delaware: Marriages" (Silver Spring, MD: Family Line Publications, 1986), p. 133. Note that the 1905 transcription of the church records: United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring 1756-1855, LDS film 441,441,  has
"1790 February 25 Hezekiah Lessee to Elinor Barker at Mr. Lessee’s." There is a later transcription by the WPA in the 1930s, which records a different entry: " Feb. 23, 1790. Hezekiah K.Lessee to Elinor Booker." The location of the original church records are not known, but the 1905 transcription seems to be a more careful and accurate transcription. Elinor's maiden name was likely Barker as there were many Barker family members in the Indian River Hundred area, but no Bookers.

[7] 1800 U.S. Census, Sussex County, Delaware, Dagsboro Hundred, p. 418, line 38, Hezekiah Lacy, image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7590/ : accessed 1 January 2021); citing NARA, RG29,  microfilm publication M32, roll 4.