I have just recently started put together this LACY connection. It occured to me several times over the last two years that I kept coming across this guy named PHILEMON LACY. He's ALL OVER my deeds. Either that or there were 42 of them back in the 1700s who followed our Martins around. Maybe there were more than one but I still think this was the same guy.
Exhibit A: "Robert Hardin purchased 60 acres from PHILEMON LACY, 30 Jun 1787, E. of Collins Cr. Chatham Co. NC. (Robert sold this same land to BENJAMIN LACY on 10 Nov 1787 (D:366)."
Explanation: My earliest proven Martin was William Martin who first settled in Orange (now Chatham) Co. around 1769. Robert HARDIN was thought to be the son of Edmond Hardin but little else is known (by me) about this group other than the fact that the descendants of both families migrated to Lincoln & Rutherford (now Cleveland) Counties of NC and York Dist. SC in the 1770’s & 1780’s.
Exhibit B: "Orange Co. (4:583) 2 Jan 1792, from Robert Harden of Rutherford Co. to Benjamin Lacy of Orange Co. NC, 33 acres, wit: George McLERVAN, Elnathan DAVIS."
Exhibit C: "Chatham Co. NC, Deeds of 1780-1785, p552, 1 Apr 1780, "...PHILEMON LACY's land joins Jonathan Hardens."
Explaination: There was a Jonathan Hardin born in c1740 who spent his early life in Orange Co. NC. We think this was Robert's uncle. For more infomation about the Hardin lineage e-mail... Oran Hardin. He is the editor of the Hardin newsletter. Another very thorough Hardin researcher is... Diane Hardin Norton.
Exhibit D: "Jonathan Hardin obtained a warrant from the Granville Land Office for 700 acres, 24 Mar 1762, on Colens's (Collins) Creek, Haw River, NC "...including his own, Edmund Harden & James Erwins improvements."
Explanation: Collins Creek is about a mile north of where William Martin and friend George Wilkie lived in Chatham Co. along the Haw River near the township of Terrell. The James Irvin family also married into the Martin family and moved south after the Revolution. Other families (besides LACY) that came from Brunswick Co. VA into Orange/Chatham Co. NC were the Lindsey’s, Moore’s & Elmore’s. I believe Caleb Lindsey married a niece or a cousin of William Martin in Brunswick Co. before moving into Orange Co.
Exhibit E: William Martin's inventory (4:411) "Returned into Brunswick County Court this 25th day of July, 1764 Wit: PHILEMON LACY, James Lindsey, Robert BRIGGS (note: James Briggs b. 1753/4 m. Ann COLLINS in Chatham/Orange Co. NC)."
Comment: We think that this William who died in 1764 was either the father or the uncle of our Chatham Co. William.
Exhibit F: "1765-Brunswick Co. VA, William Martin bought 92 acres on N. side of Middle Cedar Creek from John Elmore, "...along William Martin's line & County Line (Lunenburg)." (this appears to be the same land he purchased in 1759 from Robert Moore Sr.) Wit: Robert MOORE, Valentine Moore, PHILEMON LACY."
Explanation: Middle Cedar Creek is in the NW corner of present day Brunswick Co. This is situated a stones throw from the NE corner of Lunenburg Co. VA. Back then, this area was referred to as St. Andrews Parish. The Moore’s lived on both sides of the county line. Note: William Martin's son Thomas, born 1755, named his son Valentine.
Exhibit G: "Sarah Martin born 1766, died 1833, married ARCHIBALD LACY in 1786, Chesterfield Co, Va, had daughter PLEASANT MARTIN LACY"
Comment: Now this brings all of us into Chesterfield County. I find it rather interesting because I found a link recently from my family in Cleveland Co. (where Unity Martin and Morriss Roberts lived) to Chesterfield Co. where her brother John Martin lived. Other names I've found on Chesterfield documents were: Bowman, Wooldridge, Trabue and Elliot.
Summary: This Lacy family was obviously very closely associated with my family. Most of the maiden names are missing on all the Martins wife's that I'm researching during this time frame so it wouldn't surprise me at all if my gggggg-grandmother was a Lacy.
More information on the Lacy family can be found here...THE NEW KENT LACY CLAN of COLONIAL VIRGINIA,
Any comments or corrections to this information would be greatly appreciated. Please send them to me... Jeffrey Lee Martin
