Massey - Mace: Possible
Relationship. Nicholas Mace made his Will in 1688, signing it as
Mace. The scribes who probated the Will in 1698 recorded the name
as Massy in one County, Massie in another. This probably shows
that all three spellings are pronounced Massey.
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Because Nicholas Mace of
Dorchester Co. and Nicholas Massey of Queen Anne's Co. had the same
given name, a relationship is implied. Judge Massey has
hypothesized Nicholas Mace, d.1693, as perhaps the father of 1.Nicholas
Massey, d.1726, Q.A.Co.; and this hypothesis merits serious
consideration.
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Mace Family Wills:
Abstracts. Judge Massey has abstracted the Will of Nicholas Mace,
d.1693; I have abstracted the rest of them, below:
Nicholas
Massey:
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Will,
24
Sep.1688;
probated
11
Apr.
1693,
Dorchester Co., Md. Sons:
Nicholas (eldest) Josias, 2nd. Daughters: Susanna, Anna,
Catherine, Land tracts: "Headringe" and "Cedar Point."
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Josias
Mace:
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Will
13
Jan.1729;
prob.
12
Mar.1729,
Dorchester Co. "Very sick and
Week in Body ..." Executor: " ... my Dear and A Loving Father
..." (not named). Witness: John Brannock Junr., Robert Still (by
Mark), Catherine Ross (by Mark). Recorded: John Pitt. Book
19, folio 869-870.
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Nicholas
Mace,
Planter:
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Will
5
Jun.1730;
prob.
5
May
1730.
" ... in Health ...".
Executors: Wife Ann Mace, sons Thomas Mace and John Mace.
Two tracts of land on Cove that runs between Nicholas Mace and John
Busick's land: "Head Range," and "Cornwells;" to Thomas Mace and
his heirs, or to John Mace if no heirs of Thomas Mace. Negro
"Harssalls" to son John Mace and daughter Elizabeth Mace, but to son
John if daughter Elizabeth shall marry. Negro girl "... Named
Jennie after my wife Ann Mace, Deceased ..." to daughter Elizabeth
Mace, negro girl's first child to son Thomas Mace, second child to
daughter Ann Mace, 3rd. child to daughter Elizabeth Mace.
Witness: John Brannock Junr., Isaac Meskins, Thos. Shehawn,
Catherine Ross (by Mark). Recorded: Jno. Pitt. Book 20, folio 169.
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Josias
Mace:
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Will
14
Jul.1743;
prob.
3
Jan.
1743.
" ... Weak of Body ..."
Executors: Son-in-law John Robson and son-in-law Joseph C.
Shenton. To son Josias Mace " ... the use of my Coopers and
Carpenters Tools When Joseph Shenton can spare them." " ... and
to my aforesaid Sons One Gecco[sic] in full of his portion And to have
no more Out of my Estate." Small bequests to daughters: Mary
Shenton, Elizabeth Motten, Rachel Gain, Susannah Robson. To
grand-daughter: Susannah Mace. To grandson Josias Mace; tract of
land called "Hodford Branch;" also tract of land called
"Outelett" "... formerly Taken up between my Brother [not named]
and myself that is now mine ... if they should by their Consent let
John Tootle ... make use of Said Land, then the aforesaid Tracts of
Land to fall to my Cousin Nicholas Mace ... and aforesaid
Grandson.: To daughter Mary Shenton two tracts of land called
"Brown's Best" and "Angels Hott[sic]," ... all My Sheep.," [and a long
list of household items.] Witness: Richard Tubman, Patrick
Dailey, Daniel Liddlo (by Mark). Recorded: Henry Tripps. [Will
signed by Mark] Book 23; folio 363-366.
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Thomas
Mace:
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Will
14
Mar.1767;
prob.
30
Jul.
1773.
"... Weak in Body ..."
Executors: Son Edward Mace and son John Mace. "... to my dear and
loving wife [not named] and my son John Mace two young Steers I intend
for oxen." Small bequests to daughter Ann Brannock, son John
Mace, son Thomas Mace, son-in-law Edmond Brannock, grandson Bobson
Barnes. Witness: Richard Reynolds, Benja. Woodard, Joseph Meekens
(by Mark). Recorded Jno. Goldsborough. Book 39, folio 552-3.
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Josias
Mace:
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Will
11
Feb.1774;
prob.
9
Mar.1774.
"... very sick and weak of body
..." Executrix: Wife Anna Mace. "... all my estate real and
personal to my well beloved wife Anna Mace during her lifetime and
after her decease to be equally divided among my children namely
Amelia, Sarah, Elizabeth, Angel[sic] and Ezekial Mace ...".
Witness: Edward Greene, Christopher Cardiff (by Mark), John King
Junr. Recorded: Jno. Goldsborough. [Will signed by
Mark]. Book 39, folio 753-4.
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Mace
Family
Wills:
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Notes.
Nicholas
Mace,
writing
his
1688
Will,
lists
land tract
"Headrings." In 1730 a second Nicholas Mace lists the same tract
as "Head Range;" further evidence of the father-son relationship.
In these same two Wills, the name is written Massey, Mace and Massie,
evidence that the pronunciation was the same for all three.
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Joshias
Mace
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Writing
his
13
Jan.1729
Will,
lists
as
his Executor his "Dear and Loving
Father" written without naming him. The wording of this Will
implies that Josias Mace was a young person, possibly just old enough
to make a Will necessary. Two of the Witnesses to the Will of Josias
Mace on 13 Jan.1729: Catherine Ross and John Brannock Junr., were also
witnesses to the Will of Nicholas Mace signed 5 Jun.1729; indicating
physical closeness; suggesting that Josias Mace and Nicholas Mace were
of the same household. I believe that Josias Mace, will 13 Jun.1729 is son of Nicholas Mace, Will 5 Jun.1730.
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Mace Family: Diagram. The
genealogical information contained in the Mace family wills is
diagrammed on the next page.
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| Nicholas Massey, d.1693,
Dorchester Co. The given name Nicholas
recurs in the Dorchester Co. family, and also in the Kent Co.-Queen
Anne's Co.
Massey family; suggesting a link between the two families. |
| Nicholas Massey, d.1693
Dorchester Co., had a son Nicholas Mace, d.1730 Dorchester Co., naming
all his children. |
| Nicholas Massey, d.1726
Q.A.Co., named all his children; establishing
that only the Nicholas Mace, who d.1730 Dorchester Co. is son of
Nicholas Massey, d.1693 Dorchester Co. |
So a possible link between these two families must be earlier in time. |
Josias Mace, d.1743: His
"Cousin" Nicholas Mace. In his Will, written 3 Jan. 1743, Josias
Mace conditionally bequeathed a tract of land to "my cousin Nicholas
Mace." This is of course, strongly suggestive of a link between
the Mace family of Dorchester Co. and the Massey family of Kent
Co.-Q.A.Co.
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The term "Cousin" was loosely
used in Colonial times; it could refer to an actual cousin, or to a
brother-in-law; or to a nephew; or even to a valued friend. for
my purposes, I am assuming that he refers to an actual first or second
cousin.
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To be an actual first cousin,
this Nicholas Mace would have to be a son of a brother of the Nicholas
Massey who d.1693 Dorchester Co. We have no evidence of the
existence of such a brother.
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If "Cousin" Nicholas Mace was a
nephew instead of a first cousin; a son of Josias Mace's brother,
Nicholas Mace, Will 5 May 1730; Nicholas Mace, d.1730, would have
named him in his Will, as "Cousin" Nicholas Mace was alive in
1743. So "Cousin" Nicholas Mace was not a son of his brother.
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The wording of the Will of
Josias Mace, d. 3 Jan.1743, implies that "Cousin" Nicholas Mace was of
sufficient maturity to physically work two land tracts, and financially
able to pay for them, perhaps 40-45 years old, born c.1695-1700.
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We have no candidate in the
Dorchester Co. Mace family who has these qualifications; but in the
Kent Co.-Q.A.Co. Massey family we have one who comes very close
indeed: 51.Nicholas Massey(1.Nicholas) b.[c.1695] d. 31 Dec.1762.
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This strengthens the suggestion
that there in fact exists a link between the Dorchester Co. Mace family
and the Kent Co.-Q.A.Co. Massey family. At this point we lack
proof.
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In the absence of proof, I think
that speculation is in order. Refer to the [diagrams below].
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Speculation: Mace of Dorchester
Co.: Link to Massey of Q.A.Co.:
| <A> |
Given name "Nicholas"
recurs in both families.
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| <B> |
Two brothers with the
same given name "Nicholas" is most unlikely; "Cousin"-ship must be an
earlier generation.
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<C>
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Josias Mace in his 1743 Will
calls Nicholas Mace "Cousin."
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<D>
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Nicholas Mace must be mature
enough is 1743, and financially able to operate and pay for two tracts
of land.
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<E>
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This Nicholas Mase, 1658
immigrant, is included here only because of the coincidence of given
name and the Mase spelling.
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<F>
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This Peter Massey, by
unverified family tradition an immigrant to Kent Co., in 1644.
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