LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703 Family Sketches: Robert Lacey (~1740 - February 1780)

 LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703    

Family Sketches: Robert Lacey (~1740 - February 1780)

                                    Robert³ (Robert², John¹) Lacey

 

Robert³ Lacey was born about mid-1740s and was likely young or underage when his father Robert² Lacey died in 1753. In his will, Robert² Lacey devised that his son be bound out to Anderson Parker to learn a trade. [1]Anderson Parker was a lawyer or judge in Sussex County as his name appears on many probate records and Orphans’ Court proceedings in an official capacity. He is likely the same Anderson Parker that married John Lacey’s widow, Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman about 1731. [2]

 

Robert Lacey also inherited land from his father, Robert Lacey in his will of 1753. The acreage was not stated, but the tract was part of the Mount Joy tract that was also bequeathed to Robert Lacey’s other son, Parker Lacey. This land eventually became known as “Lacey’s Fortune." [3] On 12 March 1754, Robert Lacey received his legacy from his father’s estate. [4]

 

On 4 September 1759 at an Orphans Court, Robert³ Lacey received payment from Ann Burton Burton Plasket, widow and admin of John Plasket Since Robert² Lacey died in 1753, likely this is referring to Robert³ Lacey as heir of Robert² Lacey. [5] Ann Plasket was sister of Sarah Burton, wife of John¹ Lacey and mother of Robert² Lacey. [6]

 

Robert³ Lacey married Mary ____ probably around 1767. Mary was baptized as an adult on 17 August 1771 in the Coolspring Presbyterian Church. [7] This record is the first to state the first name of Robert Lacey’s wife. Their marriage date is based on the supposed ages of their children in the intestate administration of the estate of Robert Lacey 1781-1783.

 

On 8 August 1770, Robert Lacey purchased 100 acres of land from William Carey (Deed Book L-11, p.109) that was bequeathed to William Carey by his father Samuel Carey. [8] This land is adjacent to the “Mount Joy” tract of Robert Lacey, the elder, and part of that tract was bequeathed to Robert Lacey, the younger. This is the 100 acres of land that Robert Lacey still possessed when he died in 1780 and was inherited by his 3 children, Hezekiah, Ann and Robert.

 

On 30 March 1774, Robert Lacey, Sr. and Robert Lacey, Jr. witnessed a bond of conveyance of 150 acres of land called “New Port” from John³ Lacey to Benjamin Bunston of Sussex Co. Robert³ Lacey, Sr. is likely the son of Robert² Lacey, the elder, and brother to John³ Lacey. Robert⁴ Lacey, Jr. is likely the son of John³ Lacey.[9]

On 22 May 1777, the land of Robert² Lacey that was surveyed in 1741 and bequeathed to son Robert³ Lacey, was re-surveyed.[10] The land is called “Lacey’s Fortune” and consists of 100 acres on North side of Indian River and South of Saw Mill Branch. This is the same land that Robert and wife Mary sold to Nathaniel Waples on 18 January 1780. [11] This deed specifically states that Robert² Lacey “the Elder” had bequeathed this land to the grantor, Robert³ Lacey, thereby confirming that Robert³ Lacey is indeed the son of Robert² Lacey and that the land was called “Lacey’s Fortune.” This land will appear prominently in the guardianships of his three children and the disposition of the land many years later. 

 

Robert Lacey evidently provided service to the fledgling Continental Congress when he loaned at least £6000 or more to the Continental Treasury in support of the Revolutionary War. Each £1000 Certificate had a value of £30 : 38 : 6. Certificate Nos: 5445 - 5450 (possibly others). [12] These Certificates were enumerated in the inventory of Robert Lacey’s estate on 2 March 1780 (RG4545.009).

 

  Robert³ Lacey died intestate in February 1780 in Sussex County.[13] His minor children were the subject of guardianship proceedings in 1781.There were three known children as shown in the Orphans’ Court records:           

          i. Robert⁴ b. about mid-1760s and apparently living in 1798. Robert was a minor under the age of 14 in 1781. He died in 1801 and his estate was handled by his older brother Hezekiah⁴ Lacey and cousin Robert⁴ Lacey, his guardian.[14] He apparently died unmarried and without issue.

        ii. Hezekiah⁴  b. about mid-1760s, was also a minor under age 14 in 1781. He married  Elenor (or Elinor) BARKER, 23 Feb. 1789.

            iii. Ann⁴. No further records. She was a minor child in 1781.

 

In the probate of Robert³ Lacey, his wife Mary Lacey and Phillip Marvel post a bond of £2,000 for the inventory of the estate or Robert³ Lacey, dated 23 February 1780. [15] An inventory of the estate was made on 2 March 1780 by Simon Kollock and George Frame amounting to £16,770.00, which includes £7,000 in “Certificates on ye Continental Treasury." [16]

The inventory indicates Robert Lacey had a considerable estate, including two slaves: 1 Negro girl @ £1600 and 1 Negro old woman @ £600. An accounting of Mary Lacey was given (no date, but must have been after the inventory on was taken on 2 March 1780 and before 1781, when she petitioned the Orphans Court for guardianship of her children).  The inventory amount of £16,770 was shown and an “Estimate value thereof according to the scale of Depreciation amounting to there [sic] sum of £447::1::6. On 18 August 1781, Mary Lacey petitions the Court to appoint for guardians for minor (under age of 14) children of Robert³ Lacey, deceased: Hezekiah⁴, Robert⁴, Ann⁴ Lacey. The Court appoints Mary Lacey as guardian. [17]

 

An interesting development occurs in 1783 regarding the guardianship of the minor children of Robert³ Lacey. On 7 Aug 1783, after their mother Mary Lacey married Claypoole Davidson, children Hezekiah Lacey and Ann Lacey (having obtained the age of 14) petitioned the Court to appoint John Morris as a new Guardian [John Morris is their cousin through the marriage of their aunt, Betty Lacey to William Morris]. [18] On the same day, Robert⁴ Lacey, son of John³ Lacey, an older cousin of the children of Robert³ Lacey, and “others” petitions the Court that “Claypool Davidson who intermaried with Mary Lacy who was appointed Guardian to Robert Lacy Son of Robert Lacy decd did not Act the part of a Guardian to said minor but on the Contrary used him very ill." [19]   The Court removed Claypool Davidson from his Guardianship of Robert⁴ Lacey, son of Robert³ Lacey and appointed the petitioner Robert⁴ Lacey [son of John³ Lacey] as Guardian of the minor child.  The Court further appointed John Morris as the Guardian of Hezekiah and Ann Lacey. Both cousins Robert Lacey and John Morris post £500 bonds as security for each of the guardianships.

 

The Settlement of the estate of Robert³ Lacey was recorded 25 Nov 1783 as an “additional Account of Mary [crossed out] Claypoole Lacey [crossed out] [inserted] Davidson, and Mary Lacey [crossed out] wife, late Mary Lacey Relict and administratrix of Robert Lacey deceased…” in the amount of 

£441 :: 8 :: 4 to be distributed.[20]

 

References 

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

 

[2] 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.

 

[3] Sussex County, Delaware Register of Wills, Will of Robert Lacey, Liber B, folios 59-61”I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Robert Lacey a Certain parcel of Land running from the before cited Indian road till Intersects with Samuel Carys Line and being a peace [sic] of Land Lying between the before cited Land and Said Carys Land and part of the same Tract afs^d Mount Joy…”

 

[4] Sussex County, Delaware Orphan’s Court, Liber 3, folio 51, 12 March 1754. Cited in 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. Orig. Liber 3, folio 51.

 

[5] 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.98. Orig, Liber 3, folio 158.

 

[6]  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.

 

[7] Records of the United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring, Delaware, 1756-1855, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/257966 : accessed 25 August 2021), Mary Lacey Adult, baptized, 17 Aug 1771; Film 441441, image 263); Citing Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1905, p. 363).

 

[8] Sussex County, Delaware, Deeds, 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 > Deeds, book K10-L11, 1763-1774 > Deed Book L-11, p. 109 > image 275.

 

[9] Deed records of Sussex County, Delaware, 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 > Deeds, book A1-B2, 1693-1698 > Deed Book B#2, p. 432 > image 482.

 

[10] Sussex County, Delaware Land warrants and surveys, books A1-W6, browsable images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/50154 : accessed 4 August 2021), Re-Survey of Robert Lacey Land, 22 May 1777, Shankland’s Survey, No. 2, p.270.

 

[11] Sussex County, Delaware Deed records 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 > Deeds, book M12-N13, 1774-1789 > Book M12, p. 302 >  image 161.

 

[12] Register of Loan Office Certificates Issued in the State of Delaware; National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 53: Records of the Bureau of Public Debt, Film M1008, T784; Records of the Delaware Loan Office, 53.3.8. 

 

[13] Delaware, Sussex County, Records of Lewes, Indian River, Cool Spring Presbyterian Church 1759-1855; Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware. MS929.L58. “Robert Lassee [sic], Carpenter, a Rake reform’d d. Sunday at his work, February 20, 1780.”

[14] Sussex County Probate, RG4545.009, Robert Lacey, Jr. 1801-1804. The administration includes a final accounting of the guardianship of Robert Lacey by his cousin Robert Lacey. 

 

[15] Sussex County Probate, RG4545.009, Robert Lacey 1780-1783, Administration Account on the Estate of Robert Lacey, 23 February 1780.

 

[16]   Ibid, Inventory 2 March 1780. The inventory is substantial and consists of 2 1/2 pages.

 

[17] Orphan's Court dockets and minute dockets, 1728-1802, browsable images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/43210 : accessed 3 August 2021) > Minute Docket No. 1, 1773 to 1784, Petition to appoint guardian to Hezekiah, Anne, and Robert Lacey, 1781,  p. 88, image 381. Recorded in Liber C #3, p. 183-184.  

 

[18] Orphans' Court dockets, 1770-1847; general index, 1728-1847, images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/48605 : accessed ) > Orphans' Court dockets, books A, D-E 1770-1796, Lacey, Hezekiah & Ann, minors,  Petition to appoint Guardian, 7 Aug 1783, Orphans Court Docket D, p. 193-194, image 352-352.

 

[19] Orphans' Court dockets, 1770-1847; general index, 1728-1847, images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/48605 : accessed ) > Orphans' Court dockets, books A, D-E 1770-1796, Lacey, Robert, minor, Petition to appoint guardian, 7 Aug 1783, Orphans Court Docket D, p. 193-194, image 352-353.

 

[20] Orphans' Court dockets, 1770-1847; general index, 1728-1847, images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/48605 : accessed ) > Orphans' Court dockets, books A, D-E 1770-1796, Lacey, Robert, deceased Account on his estate, 25 November 1783, Orphans Court Docket D, p. 224-225, image 368-369.