| Notes |
Edward Maxey, Sr., and his wife Susannah (surname unproved) arrived in Henrico Co., Va., before 1720. In the Minute Book of that county in December of that year Edward was paid 100 pounds of tobacco for one wolf's head killed by his negroes. Note 1. The Minute Book of February 1722 recorded a request that Edward appear before the court to answer a petition of William Bradshaw. This request was repeated five times over the next two years before it was finally dropped from the records with no further action being taken. Note 2. No earlier record in Virginia or elsewhere has come to light for him although a diligent search has been made. Therefore it is a point of speculation as to whether they moved inland from one of the coastal counties (such as King and Queen where all early records have been destroyed), came from another state, or had just arrived in America from the British Isles.
On 17 August 1725 he and his son Edward, Jr., each patented 400 acres in Henrico County -- this land now being located in Powhatan County -- to supplement 400 acres previously secured by Edward, Sr., on the 25th of March.
No more information is available from the records until the wills of Edward and Susannah were proved in Goochland Co., Va. -- his on 20 May 1740 and hers on 20 September 1743. Note 4.
It is estimated that all of the children of Edward and Susannah were grown -- and some married --by the time of their arrival in Henrico County, with the exceptions of Walter and Sylvanus.
At the May Court in 1738, two years before his death, Edward was exempted from the payment of taxes, no doubt due to his advanced age. Note 5.
Children of Edward and Susannah ( ) Maxey:
1. Edward Maxey Jr., d. 1726, Henrico Co. Va.
2. Susannah Maxey, m. William Barnes
3. Elizabeth Maxey, m. John Radford
4. John Maxey, d. after 1779, Buckingham Co., Va.
5. William Maxey, d. 1768, Cumberland Co., Va.
6. Nathaniel Maxey, d. 1779, Powhatan Co., Va.
7. Sylvanus Maxey, d. 1770, Prince Edward Co., Va.
8. Walter Maxey, d. 1791, Franklin Co., Va.
Notes:
1. Henrico Co., Va. Minute Bk., 1719-24, p. 56
2. Ibid., p.366
3. Virginia Land Patents, Bk. 12, pp. 252, 398 (texts of documents follow)
4. Goochland Co., Va., Deeds and Wills, Bk. 3, pp. 298-99, Bk. 4, pp. 212-13 (texts of documents follow)
5.Ibid., , Court Orders, Bk. 4, 1735-41, p. 290
Edward MAXEY
He was one of eight persons who had been imported into the Colony of Virginia by William Byrd, Esquire, for which Byrd was due 400 acres of land. He arrived by 24 Mar 1691.
*Source: Charles City Co., Va., Court Orders, 1689- 1695, p. 394.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The earliest reference to Edward and Susannah Maxey is in Henrico County, Virginia. It was recorded in the county minute book in December 1720 that Edward was paid 100 pounds of tobacco for one wolf's head killed by his negroes.
Edward Maxey patented 400 acres on 24 March 1725 on the south side of James River on Matthews Branch in Henrico County:
Full context of above deed from Virginia Patents, Book 12, p. 398
George [er] To aller Know Ye that for diverse good Causes and Consideration but more especially for and in Consideration of the Sum of fforty Shillings of good and lawfull money for our use paid to our Receiver General of our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia We have given granted and Confirmed and by these presents for us our heirs and Successors Do give grant and Confirm unto Edward Maxey one Certain Tract or parcell of Land containing ffour hundred Acres lying and being on the South Side of James River on Matthews Branch in the County of Henrico and bounded as followeth (to wit) Beginning at a Corner poplar on Mathews Branch Tence west Thirty degrees North thirty Six Chains to a Corner Black Oak Thence South ffifty degrees west one hundred and ffifty ffour Chains to a Corner Butterword on a branch on John Woodsons Line Thence on the Line South Sixty Eight Chains to a Corner White Oak Thence East Thirty degrees South fforty ffour Chains to a Corner white oak Thence North fforty degrees East one hundred and ffifty Eight Chains to a ff_a__s James's Line and on his Line fforty Two Chains to Mathews branch to a Corner poplar thereon Thence down the Branch according to its Meander to the place began at With aller To have hold er To behold er Yielding and paying er provided er In Witness er witness our Trusty and wellbeloved Hugh Drysdale Esq Our Lieut Gover at Williamsburgh under the Seal of our Said Colony the Twenty ffourth day of March one Thousand Seven hundred and Twenty ffive in the Twelfth Year of our Reign Hugh Drysdale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then, on 17 August 1725, Edward Maxey and Edward Maxey Jr. each patented 400 acres of land. Patents 12, page 252. Edward Sr.'s land is described as being on the south side of James River in the County of Henrico and bounded on one side by John Radford's Land on Jones Creek. Edward Jr.'s land is also in Henrico County and bounded by John Radford's land on a branch of Jones Creek and the Line of Edward Maxey Sen. :
George [er] To aller Know Ye that for diverse good Causes and in Consideration but more especially for and in Consideration of the Sum of fforty Shillings of good and lawfull money for our use paid to Our Receivor General of our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia We have given granted and Confirmed And by these presents for us our Heirs and Successors Do give grant and Confirm unto Edward Maxey Jun one Certain Tract or parcell of Land containing ffour Hundred Acres lying and being in Henrico County and bounded as followeth (to wit) Beginning at a Corner Beech of John Radfords Land on a Branch of Jones Creek thence on Radfords Line and the Line of Edward Maxey Sen South Two hundred Chains to a Corner Oak Thence East Eighty Chains to a White Oak Thence North Two hundred Chains to a Corner Oak Thence west to the place began With aller To have hold er To behold er yielding and paying er provided and In Witness er witness Our Trusty and wellbeloved Hugh Drysdale Esq. Our Lieut Gov.er at Williamsburgh under the Seal of our Said Colony the Seventeenth day of August one Thousand Seven hundred and Twenty ffive in the Twelfth Year of Our Reign
Hugh Drysdale
This land is later described in other deeds. In a deed dated 12 April 1748 in Goochland County, Book 5/400-401, it is referred to as "* * * a Trect of Land Patent in the name of Edward Maxey deceased bearing date the Seventeenth Day of August one thousand Seven hundred twenty five * * *"; in an indenture made 20 August 1757 in Cumberland County, book ___420-423, it is referred to as "* * * a Tract of Land formerly granted unto xxxxxxx [sic] Edward Maxcey as a Patent bearing date the twenty fourth day of March 1725 lying and being on the South side of James River on Matthews Branch* * *on the North Branch of Jones Creek thence to the Mouth of School House Branch * * * down the Main Branch * * * "; and in a deed in Cumberland County, book 3/350-351, 7 December 1762 as "* * * a Tract of Land x x x x [sic] granted Edward Maxey by Patent bearing Date the seventeenth Day of August one thousand seven hundred & twenty five and left to be divided between Walter Maxey party to these Presents and Silvanus Maxey by the last Will & Testament of Edward Maxey * * *." Cumberland was created from Goochland in 1748 which in turn was created from part of Henrico in 1728. Henrico was an original 1634 county.
Goochland County, Virginia
Book 5, p 400-401
This indenture maid this twelvth day of April one Thousand Seven hundred and forty eight Between Silvanus Maxey of the County of Albermall of the one part and Walter Maxey of the County of Goochland of the other part Witnesseth that the sd Silvanus Maxey for divers goods causes and Considerations him theirunto moving but more Especially for the Valliable Concideration of thirty two pounds Currant Money of virginia to him in hand paid the Recept whereof he doth hereby acknowledge and himself therewith fully Sattisfied Contented and paid hath given granted Bargained Sold aliend Enfeoffd and Confirmd and by these presents doth give grant bargin Sell alien Enfeoff and Confirm unto the said Walter Maxey his heirs Executors administrators or asigns one Certain Trect of Land Statute lying and being in the County aforesaid which sd Trect or percell of Land lying and being South side James River and on both sides Jones' Creek Containing two hundred Acres more or less it being part of a Trect of Land Patent in the name of Edward Maxey deceased bearing date the Seventeenth Day of August one thousand Seven hundred twenty five it being the East most part of the said Tract and devided from the Residue by a line of new markt Trees deviding between he the sd Walter Maxey and the Silvanus Maxey and from thence Wm Blackburns line from thence to Nathanil Bassits line thence to Edward Maxeys Junr Line thence along the sd Line to John Radfords line thence along John Radfords line to the deviding line TO HAVE AND TO HOLD porsess and Enjoy the said Trackt or passel of Land with all the appertenances therunto Belonging unto the said Walter Maxey his and asigns for ever to the onley proper use of him and his hairs for Ever and the said Silunus Maxey Doeth fourthe agree with the said Walter Maxey that he will for Ever herafter Warrant and for ever Defend the aforesaid Land premisseis from himself his Hairs Executors administrators and from aney other person or persons whatsoever Lawfully haveing Claining or Rightfully pertening to have aney Right Title or Intruest Clame or Demand into or out of the said Tract or parsall of Land IN WITNESS whereof the aforesaid Silvanus Maxey haeth hereunto Set his hand fixed his Seal the Day and year above written
Signed Seal and Delivered Silvanus Maxey
In presences of us Elizabet Maxey
Test John Radford William Maxey Nath Maxey
Cumberland County, Virginia
Book 3, p 350-351
Film 30746
This Indenture made this tenth Day of December in the Year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven and sixty two Between Walter Maxey ____ the County of Cumberland of the one part and Creed Haskins of the s___ County of the other part Witnesseth That the said Walter Maxey for and ___ consideration of the Sum of three hundred and ninety Pounds ___ Shilling Current Money of Virginia to him in hand paid by the said Creed Haskins the receipt hereof the said Walter Maxey doth hereby acknowledge Hath given granted bargained and sold and by these Presents doth give grant bargain and sell unto the said Creed Haskins his Heirs & Assigns forever on certain Tract or Parcel of Land containing by Estimation four hundred Acres be the same more or less lying and being on the South side James River in the County of Cumberland & bounded as followeth to wit Beginning at a corner white Oak of John Radfords Land on Jones's Creek thence South one hundred chains to a corner black oak in a Bottom of Fighting Creek thence East one hundred and sixty Chains to an Oak thence North on hundred Chains to a corner Oak on Radfords Line thence on Radfords Line on hundred and sixty Chains to the Beginning it being a Tract of Land x x x x granted Edward Maxey by Patent bearing Date the seventeenth Day of August on thousand seven hundred & twenty five and left to be divided between Walter Maxey party to these Presents and Silvanus Maxey by the last Will & Testament of Edward Maxey bearing the date the eighteenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and thirty seven Silvanus Maxey's part conveyed to Walter Maxey part to these Presents by Deed bearing date the twelfth day of April one thousand seven hundred and forty eight Together with all Houses Woods Waters and all other the appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining To have and to hold the said Land and all and xxxx every of the appurtenances unto ----- Creed Haskins his Heirs & Assigns forever And the said Walter ----- himself and his Heirs Covenant and agree ----- he the said Walter Maxey and his H ----- mises with all and every of the ----- Haskins his Heirs and assigns ---- and forever defend ---- set his hand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edward Maxey's will (1740) is found in Goochland County, Deeds and Wills 3/298-299, as follows:
"In the name of God Amen. I Edward Maxey of Goochland County being at this present Writing in perfect Senses and memory and Knowing the uncertainty of this mortal life do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as followeth:
"First I bequeath my Sole into the hand of Almighty God from whom I receiv'd my first Breth and my Body to the Earth from whome I was first taken to be buried at the discrection of my Executors heareafter named and as to what tembral estate God hath been pleased to besto on me I give and bequeath as followeth
"First I give unto my Son John Maxey one parsal of Land lying on the North branch of Jones Creek as a line Struck as followeth Beginning at the bark line a corner Clark oak, a Corner pine and a pick hikeey (?) from thence to the mouth of Schoolhouse branch to a Corner pobler and a black Gume from thence down the maine branch to a Corner Clark Gume I give and Bequeath to the foresaid John Maxey in dureing his life and after his Desese to his two Sons Samson Maxey and Edward Maxey the sons of John Maxey and Sarah his Wife and in case one of them dyes the other to poses the hole parcel of Land otherways to be Equal Devided between them two them and thare ares for ever.
"I give to my Sone William Maxey the remaner of that track of Land it Joninge uppon William Sansdon and John Smith to him and his ares for ever.
"I give to my Loveinge Wife Susannah the Land She now lives upon and plantation during her mortal life after hur Descese the hole track to be Devieded Between my two Sons Walter and Silvanus to them and thare ares for ever my Will is that thay may live on the said Land not me listingue my Wife aforesaid my Son Walter to have that part Joining upon John Radfords line which was William Barnes,
"I give to my Son Nathaniel one fether bed and bolster.
"I give my Grandaughter Susannah Ratford won fether bed and bolster.
"I give to John Dunkin a young mare of three years old when the said John Dunkin doth come of age.
"And all the other of my Estate both reull and parsoul after my Deats and feneril Charges paid I give to my loveinge Wife and to hur Disbosinge and I make an Consecute my Loveinge Wife Susannah and my Sone Willim Excetors of this my last Will and in Witness whareof I have set to my hand and fixed my Seale yd 18 day of April 1737. John Capper, Henry Bryon, Joh Mossom, Edward Maxey
"At a Court held for Goochland County May 20th 1740 "This Will was proved by the Oaths of John Mossom and John Capper to be the act and Deed of Edward Maxey Desed which was ordered to be recorded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inventory of Estate:
At a Court held for Cumberland County 28th March 1769.
This Indenture and the Memorandum of Livery and Seizure endorsed were acknowledged by Walter Maxey a party thereto and by the Court ordered to be recorded and Mary Wife of the said Walter being privily examined relinquished her Right of Dower in and to the Land and Premises conveyed by the said Indenture. Test Thompson Swann Clk
Henrico County, Virginia
1714-1737 book, pages 123-124
Film 31765
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Inventory of the Estate of Edward Maxey Deceased [Paten] December the 10th 1726
L 8 [?]
1 feather bed furniture & bedstead " 2 " __ " __
1 bed and furniture " __ " 5 " __
a parcell old Cloaths " __ " 18 " 9
a parcell old Iron " __ " 4 " __
2 Gun barrells " __ " 2 " 6
1 Spining wheel " __ " 2 " 6
a parcell Carpenters & Coopers tools " __ " 14 " __
2 narrow axes 1 weeding hoe [little] " __ " 8 " 6
1 parcell auls tacks & Hammer & bulletmolds " __ " 1 " __
1 frying pan " __ " 2 " 6
2 in 5d nailes " __ " 7 " __
2 " pd wool " __ " __ " 2 " 6
1 Gun " __ " 10 " __
1 old saddle & bridle " __ " 3 " __
15 Hobs & 6 Shofes " 6 " 6 " __
1 Shoat " __ " 1 " __
1 Bay Gelding " 4 " __ " __
13 cattle " 13 " __ " __
1 old mare & 2 Colts " 1 " 10 " __
13 Spoons " __ " 1 " __
19 1/3 b pewter " 1 " 1 " 9
17 b Cotton in the Seed " __ " 5 " __
2 ____ Sifters " __ " 1 " 6
1 parcell old lumber " __ " 12 " __
2 Iron pots & pot Hooks " __ " 6 " __
1 box Iron & Clamps " __ " 5 " __
24 Shots " __ " 3 " 12
(continued on page 124)
2 Hogs " __ " 16 " __
1 old Cow bell " __ " 1 " 6
1 bay gelding " 4 " "
" 49 " 14 " 6
The above Inventory or the goods therein contained was appraised by the Subscribers herein first Sworn of John Woodson December the 10th 1726
William Easley Francis James William his x mark Howel
Elizabeth Maxey came before me the 26th June 1727 & made oath that the above was a true & perfect Inventory of the Estate of Edwd Maxey Deceased Wm Mayo
At a Court held for Henrico County July 3d 1727
This Inventory was presented in Court and ordered to be recorded Test. Henry Wood Clerk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fled from France following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. After a sojourn in England of indeterminate duration they arrived in the Colony of VA prior to 1700. They settled c1700 in Henrico Co., VA
*Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #2839
Note: see below for a refutation of this claim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Extracts from the introduction to Edythe Maxey Clark's book:
"Some Maxeys have sustained a tradition that their forebears were Huguenots; but that belief is incorrect. Early Maxeys did, however, marry into many of the French refugee families who settled in Manakin Town, west of Richmond, about 1700, on land granted to them by the English king. Some of those Huguenot spouses were Bondurants, Chastains, Sallees, Agees, Subletts and Fords. The Maxey name is no longer acceptable for membership into the Huguenot Society.
To be sure, there is a town of Maxey in France. But the first person by that name in England was said to have been Organ Maxey of Cheshire, who was probably there by the 11th century. There is also an ancient town of Maxey in the county of Northamptonshire, England. According to The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex by Philip Morant, published in London in 1816, the Maxeys of Saling and Bradwell Halls in Essex County, England, from the 15th to the 18th centuries were descended from the family originally of Cheshire and of the Maxey castle (no longer standing) in the county of Northhamptonshire. There were also Maxeys in East Anglia, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and London.
We have not discovered where our progenitor, Edward Maxey, was born or when he arrived in this country; but he was definitely English-speaking and probably came from the British Isles. The earliest record that has been located for Edward is dated 1720, in Henrico County, Virginia. However, some of Henrico's earlier records are missing. Edward may have moved inland to that county, but many of the early records of the Virginia coastal counties also have been destroyed.
The Maxey name has been found in various documents spelled also Maxe, Maxcey, Maxcy, Maxy, Maxi, Maxie, Macksie, Macksey and even McSey. Some branches today use the spelling Maxcy, Maxie and Maxcey. But the names Massey and Massie are other families, not of the Maxey lines.
The registers of Virginia parishes where the earliest of our Maxeys lived are no longer extant. Even before the Revolution the dominant church in Virginia -- Episcopalian -- had begun a decay. Churches were stripped of their utilitarian trappings and allowed to crumble and be consumed by the forest. Graveyards were recaptured by brambles, and stone markers were used as pastry boards in farm kitchens, their legends being imprinted repeatedly on pie crusts and bread loaves -- never mind the alarm of a guest who might be offered a slice from a loaf inscribed Rest in Peace! Battles fought on Virginia soil during the Revolution and the Civil War also took a toll of early tombstones; and then much of what vandalism didn't destroy "progress" did.
Beyond that, fires in many of the county courthouses in the areas where Maxeys lived destroyed all or part of their early documents. Research was hampered by the fact that 110 years of records were destroyed in a fire at the Buckingham County, Virginia, courthouse in 1868. The land and personal property tax books survived and helped fill a serious void. Other counties in our sphere of interest where all or part of the early records are missing --burned, stolen or ravaged by time -- are Henrico (mentioned earlier) and Nottoway in Virginia...
An awareness of the formation of some Virginia counties is helpful; Goochland was created from a part of Henrico in 1727; Albemarle from part of Goochland in 1744; Cumberland from part of Goochland in 1748; Chesterfield from part of Henrico in 1749; Halifax from part of Lunenburg in 1752; Buckingham from a section of Albemarle in 1758; Powhatan from parts of Cumberland and Chesterfield in 1777; and Franklin from portions of Bedford and Henry in 1785.
This redrawing of counties occurred in other states as well. Thus it happens that a person may have been born in one county, married in another and died in a third, without ever moving.
Our ancestors were not very careful record keepers. Birth and death records from different sources, i.e., censuses, death certificates, county birth and death records, obituaries, family Bibles, tombstones, etc., often conflict. Family historians must also confront fading documents, poor handwriting, and phonetic spelling of names.
Every effort has been made to be as accurate as possible in compiling The Maxeys of Virginia. And accuracy imposes an obligation of honesty to the reader, which is violated if relevant facts are intentionally omitted to obscure an indelicate episode. As early American author and feminist Mercy Otis Warren put it: "The faithful historian delineates characters truly, let the censure fall where it will."
*Source: Edythe Maxey Clark, The Maxeys of Virginia: A genealogical history of the descendants of Edward and Susannah Maxey, (Baltimore: Gateway Press; 5002 Alta Vista Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814: E.M. Clark [distributor], 1980).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source of children and birthdates: Edythe Maxey Clark Book as noted above.
|
