LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703: Robert Lacey (~1706 - 1753)

 LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703  

Family Sketches: Robert Lacey (~1706 - 1753)

Robert² (John¹) Lacey

 Robert was probably born about 1706, possibly in Sussex County, Delaware, and died between 13 March 1753 and 15 June 1753. He is first mentioned in the will of Robert Prettyman along with his sister Elizabeth and mother Sarah (Burton) (Lacey) (Prettyman). [1] [1A]  Robert married Bridget Ayliff [?] probably around 1725 based on the number of children born. [2]  Some online genealogies claim that Bridget, the wife of Robert Lacey, is Bridget Parker from the Parker family of Accomack County, Virginia.  Some online genealogies claim that Bridget, the wife of Robert Lacey, is Bridget Parker from the Parker family of Accomack County, Virginia.  Although there are many families from Accomack County, Virginia, including Parker, settling in Sussex County in the late 17^th century, there is no documentation that supports that Bridget is of this family. [3]

In the Sussex County, Delaware Orphans’ Court, Robert petitions the court, along with his sister Elizabeth, to receive their share of their father’s (Jno LACEY) estate from their mother Sarah Prittteman [sic]. [4]

Robert Lacey had many land dealings in Sussex County, Delaware before his death in 1753:

- Robert Lacey purchased land called "Strife" from Thomas Walker on 6 Feb 1727 (Sussex County, Delaware Deed Book F #6, pp. 272-273). [5]  This land was eventually passed to his son John Lacey in his will of 1753.

- Robert Lacey ("son of John Lacey") sold 150 acres of his father's 200 acres of land (the same land that John Lacey purchased from Richard Ward) to William Burton of Sussex Co. Delaware on 9 Feb 1726. (Sussex County, DE Deed Book F #6, pp 177-179).  Robert Lacey is called "yeoman." [6]

- Robert Lacey sold the remainder of the 200 acres of his father's original land (50 acres) to William Prettyman, Jr. (son of Robert Prettyman, dec'd) on 5 Dec 1729 (Sussex County Delaware Deed Book F #6, pp. 339. [7]

- On 6 February 1732, Robert Lacey witnesses the deed of Amindab Oakey, deceased, of Sussex County, administered by Jacob Philips, to Samuel Handzor, for 124 acres of land. (Deed Book G, #7, as cited in “Land records of Sussex County, DE 1732-1743, Deed Book G, #7”, Johnita P. Malone, Family Line, 1999, p. 5. [8]

- On 9 Dec 1737, 133 acres of land (called "Mount Joy") belonging to Robert Lacey was surveyed by Benjamin Eastburn, Surveyor General, Philadelphia, PA. Robert Lacey bought this land of Samuel Johnson (Warrants and Surveys L2 #9, pp. 626-628). Part of this land was pass onto his son Parker Lacey in his will of 1753. [9]

 

 

- On 22 May 1741, 100 acres of land were surveyed adjoining "his own land called ‘Lacey's Fortune’” (Sussex County, DE Shankland's Survey #1-2). This land was passed onto his son Robert Lacey in his will of 1753. [10]

Robert Lacey appears in several Orphans’ Court proceedings (Skinner, V.L., Jr. 2000. Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Orphans’ Court of Sussex County, Delaware: Libers 1,2,3,4,A 1708-1709, 1728-1777), Willow Bend Books: Westminster, MD. [11]

- 3 March 1740, received payment from account of John Prettyjohn, Sr., administrator of Richard Horsmon (folio 130, Liber 1 1728-1743).

- 12 March 1749 received payment from account of William Waples (folio 65a, Liber 2 1743-1751).

- 11 September 1750 received payment from Elizabeth Hopkins, administratrix of Archibald Hopkins (folio 76a, Liber 2 1743-1751).

- 11 September 1750 received payment from Thomas Cary (of Angola) administrator of Joshua Stockley (folio 76a , Liber 2 1743-1751).

- 25 May 1751 received payment from Robert Burton, one of the executors of Joseph Houston (folio 85a, , Liber 2 1743-1751).

- September 1751 received payment from Robert Carruthers, administrator of Smith Only (folio 88b , Liber 2 1743-1751).

- 10 March 1752 received payment from Cornelius Turner, who married Mary executrix of Woodman Stockley, Esq. (folio 7, Liber 3 1751-1760).

- 10 March 1752 received payment from Thomas, Robert, and Isaac Prityman executors of William Prittyman the elder (folio Liber 3 1751-1760).

- 19 September 1752 received payment from John West executor of Elisabeth West (folio 21 Liber 3 1751-1760).

- 13 March 1753 received payment from William Worrington, Jr. administrator of Tinly Little (widow) (folio 33 Liber 3 1751-1760).

 

Robert Lacey's will was made 13 March 1753 and probated 15 June 1753. His occupation was given as "Farmer" and his son John Lacey and wife Bridget were made executors of his estate. He names sons John, Parker, Robert, and William Baggs Lacey; daughters Amey, Ann, Sarah, Bridget and Jemima, and Betty Morris. Witnesses were Henry Draper, Thomas and Rachel Sirmane [Surman or Sherman]. [12]

 

In the Orphans’ Court record for 12 March 1754 (folio 51 Liber 3 1751-1760), the inventory for Robert Lacey was 66.19.4 and payments were given to Samuel L. Finney, Ann Plasket, Burton Waples, Henry Draper, Henry Blackwood, Burton Waples & Ander. Parker, Esq., Peter Waples, David Drew, John Cowes, Thomas Cary, Jacob Kollock, Alexander Larmouth, Robert Prittyman, William Bagg Lacey on present from his Uncle Bagg (itialcs mine). Legacies to Robert Lacey, Betty Lacey. Bridget Lacey and John Lacey, executors. [13]

It seems evident from this record that William Bagg[s] uncle was a Bagg[s] and provides some evidence of a possible connection between Robert Lacey and the Parker family of Accomack County, Virginia, which mention several Bagg/Baggs/Bogg relatives. 

The children of Robert and Bridget are (birth order uncertain, but likely that John was eldest son, since he was named executrix of Robert Lacey’s estate along with his mother Bridget):

i John³, b. about 1728, d. before October 1777. He married Ann [Parker?].

ii Elizabeth³ (or Betty), b. about 1730, married William Morris. Their son, John Morris appears as a guardian to some of the children of Robert³ Lacey. 

iii Jemima³, born between 1740-1750. She died 24 Mar 1779 as recorded in the Lewes and Coolspring Presbyterian Church: "Jemima Lacey at Bob Lacey Junr" [from the Lewes and Coolspring Presbyterian Church, Lewes, DE, in Wright, F.E. Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties, Delaware. [14] 

On 28 Mar 1779, Richard Morgan, Robert Lacey, Junr and Spencer Lacey were administrators of her estate, posting bond of 600 pounds. [15] In the probate document, she is referred to as “Mimey.” The administration was signed by Robert Lacey, Jnr and Spencer Lacey. The inventory was recorded by George Hill. On 25 August 1767, George Hill was the administrator of Absal. Hudson and he had married Sophia, wife of Absal. In that inventory, Jemima Lacey was named as one of the recipients of payments (Liber 4, folio 163, Orphans Court of Sussex Co. [16]

iv Bridget³, b. between 1740 and 1750. No further records

v Amey³, b. between 1740 and 1750. No further records

vi Ann³. b. between 1740 and 1750. No further records

vii  Sarah³, b. between 1740 and 1750. No further records

viii Robert³, b. about 1740, d. about 1780.

            ix Parker³, b. about 1740.  The flawed genealogy of the Lacey Family (1981), names this son as             Anderson Parker Lacey, however there is no person in the Delaware records called Anderson             Parker Lacey at this time.[17]

x William Baggs³, b. about 1740,  d. before 27 Feb 1773.

 

Each of the sons received a portion of Robert Lacey’s land as per his will:

- To son John Lacey, “,,,all land Singular the Land Called Strife being One Hundred & Ninety Acres more or Less Lying on the west side of the Old Indian River Road…”

[Note: this is the same land Robert bought of Thomas Walker in 1727].

- To “my Son Parker Lacey a Cetrain parcell of Land Called Mount Joy Divided from the above said John Laceys Land by the before cited Old Indian Road….If he should Dye without male Heir, the Land to return to my Son Robert Lacey.”

[Note: evidently Parker is either not married or does not have a son. This is part of the same land Robert bought of Samuel Johnson in 1737].

- “….unto my Son Robert Lacey a Certain parcell of Land running from the before cited Indian Road till Intersects with Samuel Carys Line and being a piece of Land Lying between the above cited Land and said Carys Land and part of the same Tract of Mount Joy and Also I desire that he may be Bound Out to Anderson Parker to Learn his Trade….”. This land was later referred to as “Lacey’s Fortune.”

[Note: Robert may not have been of age as he is being “Bound Out” to learn a trade. Anderson Parker appears in many legal documents and was a lawyer or judge. Anderson Parker may have been of the same Parker family of Accomack County, Virginia and may be the same Anderson Parker that married Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman. This is another part of the same land Robert bought of Samuel Johnson in 1737.]

- “…unto my Son William Baggs Lacey a Certain parcel of Land beginning at the Corner of Thomas Surmans and Called ‘Cruked Tract’ being Two Hundred Acres More or less…”

Robert Lacey’s will further mention his six daughters, but only Elizabeth is married: “…unto my Daughter Betty Morres [sic] one Five Shillings….”

References

[1] Sussex County, Delaware Register of Wills Liber A, folios 154-155. Will of Robert Prettyman made 13 July 1720/1, probated 1 Aug 1721. Mentions son-in-law Robert Lassey [sic] and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Lassey [sic]. Robert Prettyman married Sarah Burton Lacey after John Lacey died.

[1A]  Hatcher, Patricia, Law. Were the Daughters of Robert Burton of Sussex County, Delaware, Really the Daughters of Comfort (Bagwell) Leatherbury? TAG, October 2000, pp250-266.

[2] Gene R. Major. “Bridget Ayliff, A Possible Wife of Robert Lacey (c1706-1753) of Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware.” Ongoing research to be published.

 

[3] In the late 1600s a number of families migrated from Accomack and Northhampton counties in Virginia, as well as from Somerset and Worcester counties in Maryland, to the newly-formed Sussex County in Delaware. The King of England granted Pennsylvania and Delaware to William Penn, who then opened lands for settlement. Many of the families associated with the Lacey family came from Virginia, among them were Prettyman, Burton, Carey, and others. Some of these families also settled in nearby Maryland before moving into Sussex County.

 

[4]  Orphans’s Court Records, Liber 1 1728-1743, folio 7. 

 

[5] Sussex County, Delaware, Deeds, 1693-1886, browsable images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 : accessed 1 August 2021) Robert Lacey to William Burton, 6 February 1727, Deed Book F, #6, pp. 272-273; image 147-148.

 

[6] Sussex County, Delaware, Deeds, 1693-1886, Robert Lacey to William Burton, 7 February 1726, Deed Book F, #6, pp. 177-179.

 

[7]  Sussex County, Delaware, Deeds, 1693-1886, Robert Lacey to William Prittyman, Jr., 5 November 1729, Sussex County Deed Book F, #6, p. 339.

 

[8] Deed Book G, #7, as cited in “Land records of Sussex County, DE 1732-1743, Deed Book G, #7”, Johnita P. Malone, Family Line, 1999, p. 5.

 

[9] Land warrants and surveys of Sussex County, Delaware, books A1-W6, browsable images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/50154 : accessed 4 August 2021), Survey of Robert Lacey Land, 8 June 1737, Book L2, No. 9, p.626.

 

[10] Land warrants and surveys of Sussex County, Delaware, books A1-W6, browsable images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/50154 : accessed 4 August 2021), Survey of Robert Lacey Land, 21 May 1741, Book L1-13, p.454. This land was re-surveyed in 2 May 1777 by Mead Shankland

In Shankland Survey #1-2, p. 270.

 

[11]  Skinner, V.L., Jr. 2000. Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Orphans’ Court of Sussex County, Delaware: Libers 1,2,3,4,A 1708-1709, 1728-1777), Willow Bend Books: Westminster, MD).

 

[12] Sussex County, Delaware, Register of Wills. Will of Robert Lacey, 1753, Sussex County, Delaware, Liber B, folios 59-61.

 

[13] Skinner, V.L. Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Orphans' Court of Sussex County, Delaware, Libers 1,2,3,4,A; 1708-1709; 1728-1777, Willow Bend Books, Westminster, MD, 2000., p.75, Citing: Sussex County, Delaware Orphans Court, Liber 3, folio 51, 12 March 1754. Note Liber 3 is not digitized or online. Anderson Parker, John Clowes, Jacob Phillips, & Benjamin Stockly Justices. Jacob Kollock Registrar.

Bridget Lacey & John Lacey executors of Robert Lacey. Legacies to Robert Lacey.

 

[14] F. Edward Wright, Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties Delaware, 1686-1800. Lewes and Coolspring Presbyterian Church, Lewes, Delaware. (Silver Spring, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1986), 116. Original record not available.

 

[15] Sussex County Probate, RG4545.009, Jemima Lacey 1779.

[16] Sussex County, Delaware, Orphans Court, Liber 4, folio 163. [Note: Robert Lacey, Jnr is probably Robert³ Lacey, above, sister to Jemima. Spencer Lacey is a son of John Lacey, brother to Jemima and Robert Lacey, Jnr, however he died prior to 1779, and apparently his son is taking his place as co-administrator.  Jemima Lacey never married and was in the possession of a number of gowns in her inventory as she may have been a dress maker].

 

[17] W. C. Lacey (1980), The Lacey Family of Delaware, Maryland and Delaware Genealogist, 21, No. 4, pp. 116-117; Vol 22, No. 2, p. 47 (1981).