George Pace

Notes:

In Howard's COLONIAL ANCESTORS, he notes that "On the 1st day of September in the year 1628, almost two years after the remarriage of his mother, a Royal Patent was issued in the name of George Pace. There is no doubt about it, this young man was only in his 19th year of age at the time this patent was issued and under English Common Law as the oldest son of his father he was entitled to all of the landed estate but no all of the personal estate. He was only entitled to an equal share in the personal estate with any siblings and his mother, if she survived the husband, was entitled to a one third share. " The author assumes that George was an only child, drawn from the fact that the early records do not disclose a single clue which would lead us to believe there were any other children; it cannot be proven or disproven.

Contrary to many Pace researcher's in the past, Mr. Howard does not believe that George married Sarah Maycock, nor did he "come into" his lands in Charles City County by marriage or any other means except outright purchase. Mr. Howard points out the Sarah Maycock was only 11 at the age of her supposed marriage, and would have been only 13 at the time of birth of Richard Pace, George's son. Additionally, there is no record of Sarah Maycock ever living on the southern side of the River, near Pace's Paines. Mr Howard believes that Sara Snowe is a more likely prospect. He believes Sarah Snowe was under the guardianship of William Perry (Pace's stepfather) and was probably brought to Chapman Plantation at some point.

The primary document that has led many researchers to believe that George's wife was Sarah Maycock was one dated April 25, 1659, when George's oldest son, Richard, confirms a sale of land to Thomas Drewe. Richard stated that "I Ric'd Pace Sonne and heire apparent of mr. George Pace of the Com: of Charles Citty att Mount March in Virginia, and sonn and heire as the first issue of my mother Mrs. Sarah Macocke wife unto my aforesd father (being both dec'd) do hereby by these presents...confirme and allow of the sale of eight or nine hundred acres of land... sold by my dec'd father mr. George pace unto mr. Thomas Drewe." Mr. Howard points out the Richard is telling us that... his mother has a second issue of children, he being of the first issue. He doesn't say the first issue of his father, because his father died before his mother. In the same breathe he says "Mrs. Sarah Macocke." He does not say "my mother known before marriage as Sarah Maycock" or "my mother formerly Sara Maycock daughter of Samuel...."

Family/Spouse: Sarah ???. Sarah was born about 1610; died before 1655 in Charles City County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth Pace was born after 1628; and died.
2. John Pace was born after 1630; and died.
3. Richard Pace, II was born about 1636 in Charles City County, Virginia; died about 1677.

Notes:

In his book, OUR COLONIAL ANCESTORS 1619 TO 1799, Bruce Howard writes that although the exact time that Richard and Isabell came to Jamestown is not recorded, he believes they came in April 1619 with Sir George Yeardly, with around 2000 other settlers. Both Richard and Isabell had purchased shares in the Virginia Company. Richard chose land on high ground above the river on the opposite side from the settlement. This was known as "Tappahama over against James's Cittie" at the time, and later was known as the Surry side. He called his plantation "Pace's Paines." An historical marker near his plantation shows that Richard Pace was immortalized when "on the night before the Indian Massacre of March 22, 1622 an Indian, Chanco, revealed the plot to Pace, who reached Jamestown in time to save the settlers in that vicinity." In a letter George Sands, a witness to these events, wrote to Captain John Smith, he said that "the slaughter (would) had been universal, if God had not put it into the heart of an Indian, who lying in the house of one Pace, was urged by another Indian his brother that lay with him the night before to kill Pace....telling him also how the next day the execution should be finished...(he) reveales it to Pace, that used him as his sonne; and thuse them that escaped was saved by this converted infidell. And though three hundred fortie seven were slaine, yet thousands of ours were by the means of this alone thus preserved...Pace upon this, securing his house, before day rowed to James Towne, and told the Governor of it......"

Months after the great Indian Massacre Pace drew up a petition which reads as follows: "The humble petition of Richard pace humbly showeth, whereas ye petitioner hath enjoyed a plantation of the other side of the water and hath bestowed great cost and charges upon it, building there and cleering of ground, but at length was enforced to leave ye same by ye savage cruelty of ye Indians, yett now purposing, by God's assistance, to fortifie and strengthen ye place with a good company of able men, he doth desire to inhabit there again and by yr leave freely to enjoy his plantation promising to doe all such things as by yr worships' directions he shall either put over or in whatever ye shall please to command him. In tender consideration whereof may it please yr worships to grant him his request and hee shall be bound to pray for yr health and happiness in this worlde and in the worlde to come." This petition was granted in January 1623.

Howard cites Hotten's book THE ORIGINAL LISTS OF PERSONS OF QUALITY as stating that by 1626, Richard was shown as having "planted" 200 acres. Howard also noted that Isabella's second husband, William Perry "was appointed commander at the Plantation of Pace's Paines and Smith's Mount ...his commisssion as commander was renewed by court order on the 7th of March, 1628 and continued from year to year for some time....(Howard believes that) When Richard was alive he was in command of a certain district, or militia beat so to speak, after the Indian raid of 1622. After his death William Perry was made commander of the same district, and the muster ground was at Pace's Paines.

Mr. Howard's outstanding book was published in 1998 in Quitman, Miss by Specialty Publishing and Printing, Box 414.

Richard married Isabella Smyth on 5 Oct 1608 in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, England. Isabella was born about 1589 in England, United Kingdom; died after 1637 in Charles City County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Howard, In COLONIAL ANCESTORS points out that Isabella was a shareholder of the Virginia Company in her own right, citing the following land patent "Izabella Perry, wife of William Perry, Gent., 200 acres within the corporation of James City, 20 September 1628, at the South side of the plantation called Pace's Paines granted to herself and her late husband Richard Pace, dec'd, 5 December 1620....East to land granted to her son George Pace...for her own personal adventure being an Ancient planter & the other 100 acres as the devident of Francis Chapman...."

Howard also noted that "in the early part of 1629, in England a suite in Chancery was filed concerning the estate of a man named John Riley, a merchant, of London. In order to get to the bottom of the facts in the case, which had been filed in the High Court of the Admiralty in London, the Court issued a subpoena to Mrs. Isabella Perry to appear before the Court and testify to her knowledge in the matter "Isabell, wife of William Perry, merchant of Virginia, aged 40...(testified as follows)...Last Christmas John Riley of London, merchant, lodged in her husband's house in Virginia and often said he was a partner in trade with William Crowther and Charles Whichcote of London, merchants...When he was in his last sickness, Rily arranged for her husband to mark tobaccos to be sent to John Holland and Rily's mother....." Whether her husband accompanied her to London is a matter of speculation, but I will bet he did, and was taking care of business while she was attending court business. It is possible that their children, George Pace and Henry Perry, also made this voyage there and back, but I doubt it (due to the costs involved)."

Although some Pace researcher's think Isabella married third George Menefie, Howard refutes this theory. He believed that Isabella resided in Charles City County, Virginia, where she had moved to with William Perry in 1633, until her death.