Who were the witnesses of the November 1718 deed between Francis Poythress, Richard Pace and Thomas Goodwyn and who were the men that were leasing land from Richard Pace, the nephew of Richard and Rebecca Pace?
On 12 July 1715, Francis Poythress, of Westover parish, sold to Peter Grammar of the same parish, for £10, 100 acres in the same parish on Holly Bushes Branch on the line of Richard Pace and Francis Poythress. The witnesses were Edward Goodrich and William Hamlin. This land was adjacent to the lands mentioned in the 11 November 1718 deeds.
William Hamlin (~1695-1763) was the son of John Hamlin and Elizabeth Taylor. His father, John, bought 250 acres 13 December 1696 located directly across the James river from William Byrd’s Westover plantation called “Maycocks Dividend.” Captain John Hamlin in his will left his wife, Elizabeth, all of the land called Maycocks that he purchased from Roger Drayton. In 1723, William’s brother, John Hamlin, sold the 250 acres at Maycocks to Thomas Ravenscroft.
In June, 1718, at Prince George Co. court, Mary Whitmore, the relict of Nicholas Whitmore, deceased, relinquished her right to administer her husband’s estate. Richard Whitmore swore that Nicholas died without a will and was granted administration. Edward Goodrich was his security and Joseph Carter, William Reese and Richard Reese were to appraise the estate. Mary Whitmore was previously the widow of Richard Pace, Sr. (1638-1677/8). The approximate location of this land is noted on the early Prince George Co. map on this website. At his death, Richard Pace, Sr., owned the family homestead of 140 acres given to him by his father-in-law, Richard Baker, in 1664/5. He also owned land before his death in 1678 about one mile SSW of his homestead on what would later, in 1683, border John Williams, Daniel Higdon and Roger Reese on his southern line. The Higdon family had relationships with Lawrence Abbington and his son, Brooks Abbington (~1683-1716), in 1702/3 and 1709 respectively. Mary Poythress, wife of John who was Rebecca Poythress’ brother, married John Abbington as her second husband in 1725. In 1756, Mary’s son, William Poythress, lived in Bertie Co., NC, where he witnessed a deed with James Abbington, brother of Brooks Abbington.
On 11 November 1718 at Merchants Hope court, in a case between Richard Pace and Michael Rosser, Jr., Rosser pled nil debit and the case was referred for trial. It was continued until the summer of 1719 when Rosser was required to pay Richard Pace 415 pounds of tobacco for a debt. Rosser was probably leasing the land he lived on from Pace as Pace was the owner of the plantation.
On the same date Frances Poythress, the Elder, son of Major Francis Poythress, sold about four hundred acres to Richard Pace for the value of one hundred pounds Sterling for the land whereon Richard Pace lived, the plantation whereon Joseph Carter, Edward Crossland, Thomas Kirkland and Michael Rosser, Sr., lived. The 400 acre plantation “bounded on the lands of Francis Poythress according to several lines of marked trees lately made between” Francis and Richard. The deed was witnessed by Peter Wynne, the son of Joshua Wynne; Thomas Poythress, the brother of Francis Poythress; and, John Bonner. Francis and Thomas were the brothers of Rebecca Poythress. Richard Pace was the nephew of Richard and Rebecca Pace.
On the same date, Francis Poythress, who lived in the Westover parish of Prince George Co., sold Thomas Goodwyn, of Surry Co., one hundred acres in Westover parish “bounded by lands of Peter Grammar and the lands lately purchased of Richard Pace by the said Francis Poythress.” The witnesses remained the same; Peter Wynne, Thomas Poythress and John Bonner.
On the same date, Francis Poythress and Richard Pace sold 400 acres in Westover parish to Thomas Goodwyn for one hundred pounds Sterling. The land was described as “beginning at the Path on the Old Town run, where it crosses the same, leading from Old Michael Rossers plantation to Edward Goodriches plantation, and running thence Westwardly as the path leads along the said Rossers corn field fence to the upper end of the same and from thence west nineteen degrees north along a line of marked trees to a corner oak in the head of a bottom thence down that bottom by a line of marked trees to the run between Richard Paces plantation where he now lives, and the plantation whereon John Whitmore more lately lived, and so down that run to the Path at the beginning, together with Two hundred acres of land at the head of the said Richard Paces dividend, beginning at his southern corner tree and running east fifty chaines to a red oake, thence North one hundred and sixty chains to the line dividing this land from lands which did belong to Mr. Cha. Anderson Decsd: thence West fifty chains, thence South one hundred and sixty chains to the beginning.” Peter Wynne, Thomas Poythress and John Bonner were the witnesses.
John Bonner (1690-) married Mary Cooke Briggs the daughter of William Cooke and Rebecca Jones. Mary’s sister, Elizabeth, married Thomas Tomlinson (1688-1750) and their daughter, Sarah, married Robert Carter (1708-1763), the son of Joseph Carter (1662-1721). Joseph Carter (1662-1721) lived on the 400 acres that Richard Pace bought and probably leased land from Richard and his wife, Sarah Woodlief. Richard was George Pace’s son and the nephew of Richard and Rebecca Pace.
Thomas Goodwyn’s (1665-1730) daughter, Amy, married as her first husband, John Scott, Jr. (~1690-1724), the grandson of Thomas Boyce and Emelia Craven. John Scott, Jr., was a cousin of Rebecca Poythress. Amy Godwin Scott’s second husband was Isham Eppes (~1700-1754).
Old Michael Rosser also lived on the 400 acres Richard Pace bought and probably leased land from Richard. In 1692, Michael Rosser and George Pace were ordered by the court to estimate the value of a one acre parcel of John and Sarah Wall’s land for William Wilkins to build a mill.
Richard Pace, Sr., qualified to administer the estate of neighbor, Hugh Kirkland in 1677. In June of 1678, a few months after Richard, Sr.’s death, his widow, Mary Pace, filed a petition where she asked to be appointed administratrix of the estate of the Kirkland heirs. Her petition was granted on June 3rd. On 3 August 1692, in the account of Thomas Kirkland versus Nicholas Whitmore and his wife, Mary, the widow and executrix of Richard Pace, and one of the executors of Hugh Kirkland, was referred by the court for audit by Captain Perry and Captain Taylor. Thomas Kirkland was one of Hugh Kirkland’s heirs, possibly the eldest. In 1716, Michael Rosser, Thomas Kirkland and Roger Reese inventoried the estate of John Daniel. In 1719, Richard Pace, nephew of Richard and Rebecca Pace; Thomas Kirkland and William Reese made an appraisement of the estate of Philip Jane, first cousin of Rebecca Poythress. This was sworn before John Poythress (~1672-~1726), first cousin of Rebecca Poythress. In 1724, Richard Pace, Thomas Kirkland, John Cheaves and Richard Tomlinson appraised the estate of Richard Reese.
In 1683, Major Francis Poythress was granted 1,250 acres for the transportation of 25 people into Virginia including George Crossland who may have been the father of Edward Crossland.
Joseph Carter, Jr., (1702-1760) married Elizabeth Peebles, the great granddaughter of David Peebles. Elizabeth Peebles Carter was the grand niece of John Poythress (1640-1712), uncle of Rebecca Poythress; and, Christian Peebles, the daughter of David Peebles.
On 13 August 1734, in Prince George Co., "Bond for Christopher Jane, Peter Gramar, and John Jane of Prince George to Robert Munford, Gent. Justice for 100 lbs. current money.” Christopher Jane was the administrator with the will annexed of Christopher Davis. Peter Grammer purchased land adjoining Philip Jane in 1716.
On 10 February 10, 1718/9, Edward Woodlief’s will was filed mentioning his “daughter Pace.” At Merchants Hope court, 8 December 1719, Sarah Pace, wife of Richard Pace, relinquished her dower in land sold to Thomas Goodwyn.
In the will of Edward Woodlief, dated 16 July 1759, recorded 14 August 1759, in Bristol parish of Prince George Co., Edward left to his sister, Sarah Pace, two pistols. One of the witnesses to his will was Thomas Whitmore. These records indicate that this Richard Pace was the nephew of Richard and Rebecca Pace and the husband of Sarah Woodlief. Sarah Woodlief was the great granddaughter of Robert Wynne and Mary [Sloman] Poythress Wynne and a cousin of Rebecca Poythress.
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