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
[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).
[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.
