LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703: John Lacey (~1682 - ~1710)

  LACEY Family of Delaware from 1703  

Family Sketches: John Lacey (~1682 - ~1710)

The Lacey family name goes back to the earliest days of Sussex County, Delaware when the County was a Province of the State of Pennsylvania. The Lacey family congregated initially around the areas of Indian River Hundred, the town of Lewes and Dagsboro Hundred. Land was bought and sold around Indian River in Sussex County. Some branches of the Lacey family from Delaware settled in West Virginia and later Ohio around the 1820s. The Lacey family that connects to the Rogers family of Kent County, Delaware in the 1870s came from the Indian River Hundred area of Sussex County.

 

The Lacey family in America may have originated in Virginia as the Lacey name appears in colonial Virginia records in Surry County and Isle of Wight County. The Lacey family may have had connections with the Parker, Anderson, and Baggs (or Boggs) families of Accomack County, Virginia, just south of Sussex County, Delaware. The first known mention of the Lacey family in the Delaware records comes from the purchase of land in Indian River Hundred by a John Lacey in 1703. His son, Robert Lacey, may have married into the Parker family of Accomack County, Virginia. He divided his land holdings that he purchased to his sons: John, Robert, Parker, and William Baggs Lacey

 

Sallie M. Lacey, the daughter of Thomas T. Lacey and Clarissa Ann Moore married Asa Clark Rogers, Sr., son of Hezekiah Rogers and Harriet Clark of Saratoga County, NY. The Rogers family moved into the Kent County area of Delaware during the 1860s. Thomas T. Lacey was the son of Zadock B. Lacey and Mary Hopkins of Sussex County. He moved to the Frederica, Delaware region of Kent County around 1850 as a “waterman” and worked in the shipbuilding trade in Frederica. Thomas Lacey helped build the 3^rd Frederica M-E Church, was an elder, trustee, and teacher in the Church, was a Collector for the Town of Frederica, was part-owner of shipbuilding firm and was elected Sheriff of Kent County for two years. 

 

The series of blogs on the Lacey family of Delaware are updated sketches of known Lacey's. 

John¹ LACEY

John LACEY was born say 1682 and may have come from Virginia [there appears to be some connections between the Lacey family of Delaware and families in Accomack County, Virginia]. He died about 1710. [1]

John Lacey married Sarah BURTON about 1706, probably in Sussex Co., Delaware. [2] She is the daughter of Robert Burton and Catherine Cotton[?] and is named as a daughter in Robert Burton’s probate of 16 October 1725. [3] She married (2) Robert Prettyman about 1710 as she is named as Robert Prettyman’s wife in his will of 1720 along with her children,  Robert and Elizabeth Lassey [sic]. [4] Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman also married (3) Anderson Parker by 16 Dec 1731. [5]

John Lacey first appears in the Sussex County, Delaware records through his deed of 1 February 1703 when he purchased 200 acres of land, “being the One Moyety of Four Hundred Acres Scituate and being in the said County of Sussex on the North Side of the Indian River and East Side of Swan Creek” in Sussex County from Richard Ward. [6] At this time John Lacey is a “Plantor” from Sussex County.

Deed of Richard Ward to John Lacey of Sussex Co., Delaware for 200 acres of land (Deed Book C-2, p.89-92, 1703)  

 

Children John and Sarah (Burton) Lacey:

Robert, b. say 1706, d. between 13 March 1753 and 15 June 1753. [7]  He m. Bridget Ayliff (?). He is mentioned in Robert Prettyman’s will as a son of John Lacey. On 13 May 1729 he received his share of his father’s estate from his mother Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman. [8]

ii Elizabeth, b. say 1706.  She is mentioned in Robert Prettyman’s will as a daughter of John Lacey. She was alive on 26 February 1728/9 when she received her share of her father’s estate from her mother Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman. [9]

Account of Robert and Elizabeth Lacey receiving legacy of father John Lacey from their mother Sarah Prittyman, 1728/9. Orphan's Court, A, p.7.

References 

[1]Hatcher, Patricia Law, 2000. Were the daughters of Robert Burton of Sussex County, Delaware really the daughters of Comfort (Bagwell) Leatherbury, TAG, p. 256-257, October 2000. John Lacey’s wife, Sarah Burton, married (2) Robert Prettyman about 1710.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Sussex County, Delaware, Register of Wills, Will of Robert Burton Sussex Co. 16 Sep. 1724, Probated 16 Oct. 1725 Wills Liber A: 184-186 [folios 187-190], pp 242-242. Daughter is named Sarah Prettyman. See also Hatcher (2000); Robert Burton’s wife was Catherine, but may not have been Catherine Cotton (p. 256).

[4] Sussex County, Delaware, Register of Wills, Will of Robert Prettyman made 13 July 1720/1, probated 1 Aug 1721, p. 99, Register of Wills, Liber A, folios 154-155. Names son-in-law Robert Lassey [sic] and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Lassey [sic] as children of his wife Sarah.

[5]  Hatcher, Patricia Law, 2000,  p. 257. 

[6] Sussex County, Delaware, Deed Book C-2, pp. 89-92. See also Horle, Craig W., ed. “Records of the Courts of Sussex County, Delaware 1677-1710, Volume II: 1690-1710”, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, PA. 1991. “Richard Ward Of This County of Sussex, Carpent(e)r, Appeared in Open Court And Acknowledged and Made Over unto John Lacey, His Heirs and Assigns According to Law Two Hundred Acres of Land, being the One Moyety of Four Hundred Acres Scituate and being in the said County of Sussex on the North Side of the Indian River and East Side of Swan Creek, According to the Concerns of A Conveyance delivered in Open Court bearing the date First Day of Febr(ary) Ano Domi(ni) 1703(/4)”

[7] Sussex County, Delaware, Register of Wills, Liber B, folios 59-61. Robert Lacey's will was made March 13, 1753 and probated June 15, 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 [Betty=Elizabeth m. William MORRIS].  Witnesses were Henry Draper, Thomas and Rachel Sirmane. 

[8] Sussex County, Delaware, Orphan's Court dockets and minute dockets, 1728-1802, browsable images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/43210 : accessed 3 August, 2021. Account of Robert and Elizabeth Lacey, Liber A, p. 7. On February 26, 1728/9, “Received of my mother Sarah Pritteman my portion of estate of my father John Lacey by Elizabeth Lacey”. On May 13, 1729, “Received from my mother Sarah Pritteman my portion of estate of my father John Lacey by Rob^t Lacey” 

[9] Ibid.

 

 

The Shocking Discovery of the Body of James McDonough of Greenwich, Connecticut

 

The Shocking Discovery of the Body of James McDonough of Greenwich, Connecticut

 

The headline read “Found Her Husband’s Body, James McDonough’s Mangled Remains Discovered by His Wife.” [1].

 

James McDonough worked as a gardener for Greenwich (Connecticut) philanthropist Robert M. Bruce. His wife, Agnes Loughran McDonough, saw him off to work the morning of  10 September 1905 and when he did not return, she went to town to look for him. Maybe thinking he stopped by the tavern after work, she re-traced his normal walking commute. Their house was near the tracks and James often took a short cut through the railroad bed.  He “was found horribly mangled by his wife, about 3 yesterday morning [September 11] , in the cut above the Greenwich station.” [1]

 

One newspaper account said “[H]e was in the habit of crossing the tracks each evening and walked on the tracks so that he could see approaching train.”[2]

 

Apparently because of a train wreck in Port Chester, NY, the trains were running that night in the opposite direction “and one coming up behind struck him with fatal results.” [2]

 

Sadly, he was only about 48 years old and left his wife and two children, James Joseph, age 6 and Mary, age 2. [3] He also left a brother, Frank McDonough, also of Greenwich and a sister Annie McDonough McSweeney also of Greenwich. Obviously, his death was quite a shock to his family. Agnes never re-married and worked most of her life as a laundress in Greenwich until her death in 1946. His surviving children remained in and around Greenwich.

 

[1] “Found Her Husband’s Body, James McDonough’s Mangled Remains Discovered by His Wife,” The Daily Advocate, 13 September 1905, p. 3, col. 3; image copy GenealogyBank (http://www.genealogybank.com : accessed June 27, 2020).

[2] James McDonough Obituary, Greenwich News & Graphic (Greenwich), 16 September 1905, clipping, Greenwich Public Library.

[3] Connecticut State Board of Health, Medical Certificate of Death in Town of Greenwich, No. 4004 (1905), James McDonough; Department of Vital Statistics, Connecticut.

 

The Confirmed Identity of the Second Wife of Spencer Lacey of Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware

 

The Confirmed Identity of the Second Wife of Spencer Lacey of Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware

The second wife of Spencer Lacey of Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware is usually identified  as Mary (or Molly), daughter of William Brittingham Ennis of Sussex County. [1,2] Indeed, Mary is the name of his wife when Spencer Lacey made out his will on 10 March 1810. [3]

 

St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church, Indian River   

The primary source of evidence that Mary/Molly was the daughter of William Brittingham Ennis comes from birth entries in the St. George’s Protestant Episcopal Church in Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. [4] 

 

The church register lists the births and baptisms of eight children of William Brittingham Ennis and Kizia, his wife, namely:

1.     Molly born March 15 1764 daughter of William Brittinham Ennis and Kizia, his wife and baptized 1764

2.     Kizia born January 14 1766, daughter of Do. and baptized in 1766

3.     William born July 25 1767 and baptized 1768 Do.

4.     Nancy born November 23 1768 of Do. and baptized 1769

5.     Sarah born October 1 1771 and baptized in 1772

6.     Betty born March 11 1773, daughter of Do. and baptized in 1774

7.     Hessea born March 11 1778 and baptized 1778

8.     Levin born April 25 1784 and baptized June 29 1785

"N.B. These eight were the children of William Brittinham Ennis and Kizia his wife"

All of the entries seem to have been recorded at the same time - 1785. In the same register book and page for St. George’s, the baptism of the son of Spencer Lacey and Molly, his wife is given as William Brittingham Lacey, born 23 September 1783. [5] These entries strongly suggest that Mary/Molly, born 15 March 1764 was a daughter of William Brittingham Ennis. Although suggestive, it is not conclusive to say that Mary/Molly Ennis, the daughter of William Brittingham Ennis, was the same as the wife of Spencer Lacey.

  

The Deed of the Heirs of Levin Ennis to Perry Pool  

On 15 January 1811, the heirs of Leven [Levin] Ennis sold two pieces of land in Indian River Hundred, Sussex County to Perry Pool of Sussex County. [6] These heirs are named as Betsey, wife of John McGee; William B. Ennis; Kiziah, wife of Stephen Blizzard; and Mary, wife of Spencer Lacey.

 

One of the pieces of land in the indenture was given to Levin Ennis by his father, William Brittingham Ennis, in his will dated 1 March 1790 and proved 30 March 1790 in Sussex County. [7]  Levin Ennis is the same as the Levin Ennis, son of William Brittingham Ennis and Kizia, in the St. George’s register and was born in 1786, very under age to be receiving land in 1790. [8] However, the will stipulates that the land, which includes “the Mill and Land I purchased of Eli Collings,” is to be held by his son William Ennis and that he should “should keep the said Mill in repair” and “pay all that is yet due for the s^d Mill and Land and have all profits of this same till he the said Levin arrives at the age of twenty one.” William Brittingham Ennis mentions he has six daughters, but none are named in the will (the six daughters would have been Mary/Molly, Kiziah, Nancy, Sarah, Betty, and Hessea. [9]

 

The deed of 15 January 1811, names Betsey, Kisiah, Mary, Nancy and Hessey, all of which, with the exception of Sarah Ennis, are names in the register of St. George’s as daughters of William Brittingham Ennis. [10]  It is noted that Nancy and Hessey are mentioned as those that the land descended to, but they are not amongst the heirs in the sale of the lands. Sarah Ennis is not mentioned at all, and may have died after her father’s will was made in 1790.

 Ennis names in the 1811 deed and St. George's Church

Name	In Perry Pool Deed, 1811	In St. George’s Register
Molly	Molly Lacey	Molly Ennis, b. 15 Mar 1764
Kizia	Kisiah Blizzard	Kizia Ennis, b. 14 January 1766
William	William B. Ennis	William Ennis, b. 25 July 1767
Nancy	Nancy Ennis	Nancy Ennis, b. 23 November 1768
Sarah	N/A	Sarah Ennis, b. 1 October 1771
Betty	Betsey McGee	Betty Ennis, b. 11 March 1773
Hessea	Hessey Ennis	Hessea Ennis, b. 11 March 1778
Levin	Levin Ennis	Levin Ennis, b. 25 April 1784

Conclusion 

Levin Ennis died intestate about 1811 (he would have been about age 26), with no wife or children, and that his father, William Brittingham Ennis "in his last will and testament devised the said Lands to Leven Ennis his son and the said Leven Ennis died without Will and of course the said Lands descended to Betsey Ennis who intermarried with John McGee William B. Ennis  Kisiah who intermarried with Stephen Blizzard and Mary who intermarried with Spencer Lacey[,] Nancy Ennis[,] and Hessey Ennis [11]. 

Therefore, the lands willed to Levin Ennis descended to his surviving siblings since Levin had no immediate heirs. The daughter Sarah Ennis, born 1771, is not mentioned in the indenture, so presumably she died before the indenture was made in 1811. Both Nancy and Hessey are not amongst the grantor heirs.

The deed of 15 January 1811 from the heirs of Levin Ennis to Perry Pool proves conclusively that Mary, the wife of Spencer Lacey, was indeed Mary Ennis, the daughter of William Brittingham Ennis and his wife Kizia. 

 

[1]  C.H.B. Turner, Genealogical notes, Manuscript, Sussex County and Kent County, Delaware, Somerset County and Worcester County, Maryland: Surnames Lacey, familysearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2686366: accessed 15 April 2021), Lacey Family, Spencer Lacey.

[2] Delaware Genealogical Society, ed., “Delaware Families, 1787-1800,” (Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse, 2013), 315; Spencer Lacey entry; unknown submitter.

[3]  Sussex County, Delaware Wills, 1682-1851; index to wills, 1684-1948, FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/47102 : accessed 9 September 2021), Entry for Spencer Lacey, 1810, Will Book G #7, p 293-294. 

[4]  Records of the United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring, Delaware, 1756-1855, digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/257966 : accessed 25 August 2021), St. George’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Indian River. Transcription. Children of William Brittinham Ennis, 1785; LDS Film 44144; Citing Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1905, p. 79). 

[5] Ibid, baptism of William Brittingham Lacy, son of Spencer Lacy and Molly, his wife bapt Mar 1785.

[6] Deed records of Sussex County, Delaware, 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949, FamilySearch.org, digital images, https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 > Heirs of Levin Ennis to Perry Pool, 1811, Deeds, Book AF29, pp 214-216.

[7] Sussex County, Delaware Wills, 1682-1851; index to wills, 1684-1948, FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/47102 : accessed 9 September 2021), William Brittingham Ennis, 1790, Will Book D #4, p 265.

[8] Records of the United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring, Delaware, 1756-1855; Citing Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1905, p. 79). Levin Ennis was born 1784 and about 6 years old when his father died and bequeathed him the land and mill.

[9] Sussex County, Delaware Wills, 1682-1851; William Brittingham Ennis, 1790, Will Book D #4, p 265.

[10]  Records of the United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring, Delaware, 1756-1855; Citing Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1905, p. 79). Only Sarah Ennis, born 1 October 1771,  is not named as an heir in the 1811 indenture to Perry Pool.

[11] Deed records of Sussex County, Delaware, 1693-1886; Heirs of Levin Ennis to Perry Pool, 1811, Deeds, Book AF29, pp 214-216.

 

 

The Schooling of Robert Lacey of Sussex County Delaware

 

The Schooling of Robert Lacey of Sussex County Delaware

 

When Robert Lacey of the Indian River Hundred area of Sussex County Delaware died in 1753, he left legacies to his five sons and four daughters. In the case of his son Robert Lacey, he was bequeathed a parcel of land in Indian River Hundred and “also I devise that he may be Bound Out to Anderson Parker to Learn his Trade, and further I Give him all my wearing apparel.” [1]

Robert Lacey, the elder, was a planter and owned a considerable amount of property on and near the Indian River in Sussex County, Delaware. He parceled out pieces of land to all is sons, but only Robert was given the opportunity to learn a trade.

Anderson Parker, it turns out, is the stepfather of Robert Lacey, the elder.  Robert Lacey's mother, Sarah Burton Lacey Prettyman, had married Anderson Parker (about 1731) as her third husband after her first husband (John Lacey, before 1721) and second husband (Robert Prettyman, about 1721) died. Anderson Parker was also a prominent land owner in the Indian River Hundred area of Sussex County.  He was, in addition to being a planter with sizable property, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County and his name appears on many legal documents, such as probates and deeds and as a sitting Justice of the Orphans Court. Because of his trade, one can assume that Robert Lacey, the elder, expected great things from his son, to be bound out to a man like Anderson Parker and his trade.

In the mid-1700s, formal schooling was not the norm, especially in rural Sussex County, Delaware. A young man (usually) learned a trade from his father or relative or tradesmen in the area. In this case, Robert Lacey, the younger, is bound to Anderson Parker, making him an apprentice to learn something of the law. It is not known how old Robert Lacey, the younger, was when he was bound out, but typical ages for apprentices were between 14-17 years old. It is also not known how long Robert was an apprentice. He does not appear in the records as a Justice or holding any office, but does appear as the person taking the roll of taxables in 1790 and 1797 in Indian River Hundred in Sussex County Delaware. [2] He was called a shipjoiner in a deed of sale with his wife Mary in January 1780.[3]

 Robert Lacey married Mary ____ and they had three children: Hezekiah, Ann, and Robert. All were under the age of 14 when Robert Lacey died intestate in February 1780 and his estate was probated through the Orphans Court 1781-1787. [4]

See: https://grmgenes.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-guardianship-and-administration-of.html

 Several sons of the descendants of Robert Lacey, the elder, were named Anderson Lacey.

References

[1] Sussex County, Delaware Wills, 1682-1851; index to wills, 1684-1948, FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/47102 : accessed 26 July 2021), Robert Lacey, Will, 1753; Will Book B, p. 59; image 36-38.

[2] Tax lists of Sussex County, Delaware, before 1767-1850, FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/53432 : accessed 30 July 2021), Robert Lacey, Tax, 1790; Tax lists, #1-30, no dates given; image 514.

Tax lists of Sussex County, Delaware, before 1767-1850, FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/53432 : accessed 30 July 2021), Robert Lacey, Tax, 1797; Tax lists, #31-75 before 1767-1801; image 705.

[3] Deed records of Sussex County, Delaware, 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/296734 > Deeds, book M12-N13, 1774-1789 >  Robert and Mary Lacey to Nathaniel Waples, 1780, Deed Book M-12, p. 302;  image 161.

[4] Delaware, Sussex County, probate records : estate case files, 1700-1956, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2778558 : accessed 7 July 2021), Folder RG4840.009, Lacy, Robert (dec’d) 1781-1787, #10 (minors-Anna, Hezekiah, Robert); Delaware, Sussex County, probate records; Case files, Kollock, A. - Lafferty, Wm., ca. 1 Jan 1700–31 Dec 1956; Delaware. Orphans Court, Sussex County, Delaware Public Archives.