Locating the lands of the early Daniel family in Middlesex VA

"Capt. William Daniell", died in 1698. His will, written 8 Oct 1694 and proved 3 Oct 1698, devises his homestead and other lands he had purchased to his sons, William, Robert, James, and Richard. The wills, deeds, and processions in the Christ Church Vestry Book paint a good picture of where this Daniel family was located in early Middlesex, Virginia. Land processions are ordered, districts are defined, and processioners are assigned in the Parish Vestry book for 1715-1716, 1723-1729, 1731, 1735, 1739, 1743, 1747, 1751, 1755, 1758 (districts defined but no names filled in!), 1759, 1763, and 1767. The processioners had to be freeholders within their districts. (A fuller description of all the procession districts is at the end of this article.)

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You can jump to:
Capt. William (d. 1698)
Locating son Richard (1678-1727) means locating Capt. William
William (d.1767) son of Richard (1678-1727)
James (d.1748), son of William
William (d.1723) and Robert (d.1720), sons of Capt. William
Proving James of Albemarle (1709-1761, md. Jane Hicks) is son of Robert (d.1720)
Jamaica, bought by sons William and Robert, willed to their sons
Son Robert's town lot bequeathed to his daughter Jane Seager
More info on the processioning districts
Sources



William Daniell (d.1698)

William Daniel bought 115 acres from Cuthbert Potter which he later patented. The original sales date was 14 March 1669 as shown in later documents and the patent was granted in 1672.
Virginia Land Office, Land Grants and Patents, Bk 6, p.415. " To all & c. Whereas & c. Now know yee that I the said Sr. Wm. Berkeley &c. do give and Grant unto Wm. Daniell one hundred & fifteen acres of land situated in Middlesex Co. by the Indian bridge branch dividing this land and the land of Alex Murray beginning at a marked white oak standing by the side of the Indian bridge branch opposite to the corner poplar of Alex Murray and in the line of Mr. Alexander Smyth and running along the sd Smyth's line So. E. by E. 156 poles to a corner red oak of the said Smyth thence So. So. W. to the rim of the green swamp als. Dragon Swamp, thence up the runn of the sd. swamp to the mouth of the Indian bridge branch and up the runn of the sd. branch to the first mentioned tree, wch sd 115 acres of land is part of the 190 acres granted unto Lieut. Colonell Cutbert Potter by order of the generall Court bearing date the 21th. day of Apr 1668 and by the sd. Potter sould and assigned to the sd. Daniell and is now due unto the sd Daniell by and for the transportation of three persons into this Colony whose names are mentioned on the Record under this Patt. To have and to hold &c. To be held &c. Yeilding & Paying &c Provided &c. Dated the fiveth of Oct 1672. Anne Rs. Car. 2d. 24 John Russell - Wm Cocke - Joane Younge

The names listed at the end are the three persons who were imported - which entitled someone to the land grant, but it doesn't mean William imported them until/unless the original court certificate is found. There is no such certificate in the Middlesex court records, the only certificates available that were taken by a William Daniel before 1698 when he died are:
Middlesex Court Order Book 2, 1686-1690, p.425: 7 Oct 1689 Certificate according to Act is granted to Mr. Willm: Daniell Senr. for ye Importation of foureteene persons into this Country haveing proved ye same by his Corporall Oath (vizt.) James Jones, Phill: Wheeler, Ann Simson, Mary Strahan, Fran: Cross, Wm: Prest, Cornels: Peterson [this name is slightly indented below Prest's name], Wm: Fabins, Augustin Smallwell, David Jones, Eliz: Guss, James Hose, Daniel Clark, Will: Murray. Certificate issued Feb. 1, 1702 [I haven't read this in the original yet: is it an error in the abstract?; did the court go back and add this issue date?; was the family able to claim it after his death? This is not the son being called William Senr yet, seeing as how his father is still on the court and listed as William Senr in other documents.]
It could be proposed that the next two could be for William Senior or his son William, he's certainly old enough by now. However, the title of Capt. in the second one, the repetition of names, and the possibility that the four negroes in each are actually the same people (meaning William had assigned the headrights for them to Thacker) suggest that they do apply to William Senior (d. 1698). The repetition of names mentioned in the above certificate is not complete in this next, so it could be a re-issue, a second importation (but I doubt it with so with so many repeated names), a second claim (uh-oh, not legal), or a correction on the first claim, or who knows. Regardless, William did not claim any more land so he must have transfered the headrights to others.
Middlesex Court Order Book, 1690-1694, p.523: 5 Oct 1691 Certificate according to Act is granted to Mr. Wm. Daniell for ye importacon of fifteen p:sons into this Country vizt. James Hose, Augustine Smallwake, Elizabeth Evans, James Jones, Ann Simson, Wm. Seabin, Phillip Wheeler, Cervase Peterson, Wm. Bruse, Daniell Clark, Wm. Prest & four Negroes haveing proved ye same in Court by his Corporall Oath. Test Caleb Whelling, Cl. Cur. Msex

Patent Book 8-410 Edwin Thacker, Gent., 29 Apr 1695, 210a Middlesex Co; on N. side of Peyanketank Riv. Beg. at 700a of Mr. George Keible; to the Green Glade Br., &c. Granted to sd Keible, 29 Jan 1663, deserted, & granted sd. Thacker 24 Oct 1691, deserted, & granted to John Everitt, 24 Oct 1694, who assigned to sd. Thacker, 3 Dec 1694; now granted by order, &c. Imp. of 5 pers. 4 Negroes by Capt. Wm. Daniels' certif.

Some more identifications of William's neighbors are in the following patents. The Smith names will help locate William and the Allison name will later help define where William's son James is located.
Book 6, p.661: Mr. Richd. Robinson 26 Sep 1678, 200a Middlesex Co., On the run of the Gr. Swamp; adj. Wm. Daniell & land of John Smith, dec'd; David Allison & Wm. Downing &c; near the Dragon Sw; adj. Alexdr. Smith, &c. Trans. of 4 pers: Ja. Navell, Benj. Wagg, Jno. Deffant, Ja. Legiatts.

Book 9, p.10 Mr. John Smith, Senr 25 Oct 1695, 228a Middlesex co. Beg. at the Blockhouse land (now Capt. William Daniel's), near the Bridge Road; to land of John Custis, dec'd; & land of Mr. Alexander Smith, formerly Potter's. Imp. of 5 pers: Moria, George, Robin, Betty, Meg.

Book 9, p.36 Ralph Wormeley, Esqr 29 Oct 1696, 200a Middlesex co; on run of the Great Sw; adj. land of William Daniell & John Smith, dec'd; David Allison & William Downing; & Alexander Smith; near the Dragon Swamp. Granted Mr. Richard Robinson 26 Sep 1678, deserted, & granted Edwin Conway 28 Sep 1681, who sold to sd. Wormeley 8 Dec 1687 & acknowledged in Lancaster Ct 14 Dec 1687.

William Daniell also bought lands for his sons which is described in their later sections. As far as locating his original lands, the way to pin down William Daniell (d.1698) is through his son Richard in the next section!

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Richard (d.1727), son of William

William devised his 115 acres to his son Richard, "I give & bequeath to my Loving Sone Ric'd Daniell ye Plantation whereon I now Live after my Loving wife's Decease to him & his heirs Lawfully begotten for Ever & for want of Such heirs to my Loving Daughters Agatha Katherin Elizabeth & ann [sic] & to their heirs for Ever." William's patent date was 5 Oct 1672 (VA Patent Book 6, p.415), but the original sale date is revealed when his son Richard sold part of these 115 acres:
DB1-77 indenture 4 [?month?] 1710 between Richard Daniell of Msex and John Smith and James Smith of Msex. for £5.10 , eight acres and a half of land situated in Msex being part of 115a of Land sold to William Daniell by Cuthbert Potter by a deed of Sale dated March ye 14 1669 and now belonging to the sd Richard Daniell, the said eight acres and a halfe of land being bounding [sic] as followeth "begining on the East side of Mill Dam belonging to sd John and James Smith at a marked white Oake So runing South East and by East forty Eight poles along the line that parteth the Said Land the Land of Alexander Smith to a marked red Oake Sappling and from thence west South west sixt seven poles along a line of marked trees to the Mill branch that parteth the Said Land and the Land of Alexander Murry and up the said Mill dam and branch to the first beginning Corner tree". witnesses Jno Vivion, John Keighley [unclear here, but clear on the probatum], Elizabeth (x) Smith.
Richard had earlier sold another part of the land. He did not patent or buy any more land, he actually was licensed as an ordinary keeper from at least 1716-1724. [There is one glitch in that the 1704 quitrent rolls show Richard Daniel with 210 acres, there is no information about this in the patent or deed books.]
Deed Book 3-17/18 Richd Daniell of Msex planter and Eliz his wf to Wm Evans of Msex planter and Mary his wf, £500 45a, Beginning at the mouth of Hugh Watts Spring branch and runing along the huckleberry pond to the Land of Alexander Murry and along the Said Murry's Line to the Draggon Swamp Side and along the Said Swamp [that sign that's almost a capital A with a curly through it, usually means "per", and this is followed by maybe -e, intent is probably "and" or "thence"] along the highland to place it Began. Richard Daniell, Elizb (x) Daniell. wit Henry Thackery, Edward Thackery. 4 Mar 1703, ackn 6 Mar 1703. Elizb relinquished.
Richard Daniel moved to Essex, but kept his father's old plantation, willing it to his son Richard in 1727, "my old plantation that was my father's". This son Richard apparently died intestate, so the 61 remaining acres would go to his heirs. There aren't deeds of partition, but a later survey done by his son William Daniel holds the key to the exact location.

When first trying to locate the land I felt it was on the east side based on the Prettyman's issue (described below in the section on William, son of Richard (d.1727) and what it takes to make a plat of the land fit in this area. Prettyman's Quarter was east of the Dragon Bridge. The Dragon Bridge Road was a major landmark, so I should think that it would be named if it had been a bound in the processions (i.e. simultaneous with or continuing from Prettyman's Rolling Road). I was only able make a plat of the 115 acres fit and bound a branch of the swamp and the swamp if it's on the east side. I wasn't sure it was close enough to the bridge road based on Patents 6-661 and 9-10 above, thinking the blockhouse would have to be very close to the bridge strategically.

But it all turns out to be true: there is a survey and plat made for William Daniel of 61 acres of intailed land reflecting the remainder of the 115 acres, after the sale by his grandfather Richard of the 8.5 acres and the 45 acres. This William Daniel would be the son of Richard (d. by 1770) and Ann Bristow, son of Richard d.1727 Essex and Elizabeth Wortham, son of William (d.1698) and Jochebed. He may have had the survey done if/because his parents had died and the land could now be divided amongst Richard's heirs. The date of the actual survey is not on it, but it is in the pages of other surveys done in 1768-1769. The shape of the Dragon Swamp pictured is exactly where it should be. My original hand plat based on the descriptions was in error on the western watercourses because I didn't know how long the branch to the Dragon was - it's much longer than I thought, so I've adjusted it some. This land, William's original purchase of 115 acres, is located very near the (old) Dragon Bridge, adjoining the Swamp. I have marked the area on the main map above with a large red "W".
The first survey description is slightly cut off on the left hand side; I have filled in from the actual plat where possible in [straight brackets]:

Surveyed for William Daniel the [... 48 acres] of Intailed Land in Middlesex Christ Church Parish Beginning at [A] a branch Running thence S 69E [90p to B thence] S 40 1/2W 131poles to C the Edge of [...low] ground, thence up the Edge of [...] 74 pole to D the Run of a branch [...] to the Dragon run, thence up [the branch] 63 pole to the beginning Place. Surveyed & Platted by Wm Parry Sur M.C. [...] July 1773 Recorded by...
Surveye'd also for the said William Daniel 13 Acres of Dragon Swamp being Kings Land adjoyning his high Land in the County & Parish heretofore mentioned & included with the platt of the said high Land, Beginning at D running thence S 10W 74p to E and Ash and two cypress's at the Main Dragon Run, thence up the sd Main Run 54 pole to F, a Cypress, thence 27 pole to C, thence to the Beginning, as per Plan Surveyed by Wm Parry Sur M.C. Oliver Daniel, Wm Bristow, Chn C.
William was either heir to this land or came into control of it; he and his wife Lucy (nee Guthrie) sold it in 1772:
DB9-190 Wm and Lucy Daniel to Ambrose Kennedy 24 Aug 1772, £36[?].--?, 61a, beg at a white oak on ?Coa-ls branch Running thence S 60E 90p to a Corner to Thomas Laughlinne thence S 40 Degrees and 30 minutesW 148p to a Cypress on the North side of the Dragon Run thence up the said Run 54p to an Ash and two Sy-af-- [Sypresses] Corner to Robert ?---? [I think perhaps Yarrington, not sure at all], along his line N --E --p to the mouth of a branch thence up the sd branch as it meanders to the beg. no witnesses, $ recpt, Lucy relinquished. recd -- Aug 1772.

And thus the first Daniel land in Middlesex, purchased and patented by Captain William Daniel in 1669 passed forever from Daniel hands, 103 years later.


I previously had this land located incorrectly: the 1773 survey described below is actually very provably one waterway to the east of my original location. The map below with the survey overlay is the correct location.
Please, if you have printed the old location map (from before 2013), remove it from your records!!


Original 115a platted,
waterways just estimated to give the acreage,
and the 8.5 acre sale indicated

1773 survey of the remaining 61 acres

The location of the 61 acres

The 1773 plat with a topo map showing its location. The 61 acres plat is oriented according to the calls given, but I have to think something may be quite off, because there's no way to fit that eastern line into what was the original plat and there's no branch that runs in that direction near the Dragon Bridge. The survey is in two parts, one for 48 acres of "high ground" and one for 13 acres "adjoyning his high ground". The 1773 plat's eastern border also shows that the 45 acres sold in 1710 were obviously from the eastern and northern sides of the original land.
When I first worked on the topo maps, I spotted that dotted road to the west that exactly matches the description in William's (d.1698) patent of "thence So. So. W. to the rim of the green swamp als. Dragon Swamp", just couldn't believe it at the time, but it's parallel to Captain William's patent line. The highway on the west is 33, which crosses the Swamp where the original Dragon Bridge was. Also to the west of the survey there is a road running northwest to southeast that looked like it might line up with the northern border of the original 115 acres, but it proved to be too far north and a bit too off in degrees in my original attempts at fitting in a plat.


Driving from Hwy 33
down Courthouse Drive
which is a little west of the lands of
Capt. William Daniel

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William (d.1746), son of Richard

Richard Daniel had a son William (d.1746, married Ann Watts). He also stayed in the area and acquired considerable acreage. Defining his district in the procession orders helps locate him and show him in the same area as his father Richard (d.1727) and grandfather William (d.1698) had been. The district is defined below (when I've doubled the years, there may be some spelling differences, but no significant changes in the orders given).

Note: "Prettyman's Rolling Road" (with all its glorious spelling variations) is a bound in the procession districts described below. Virginia Street in today's Urbanna was known as Prettyman's Rolling Road, and the full road crossed the county to somewhere near or leading to the (old) Dragon Bridge Road. At first it made sense to me to think it ran to the Dragon Bridge Road, but further work and now especially the 1773 plat showing where William's (d.1698) original 115 acres were show that Prettyman's Rolling Road, when being described south of the main road, clearly was east of the Dragon Bridge.

1715-1716, 1723: "That John Smith Junr & Henry Tuggle...procession...Land betweene Prittiman's Rolling Road and Robt Williamsons land, Running from the main Roade to the Dragon on the South Side of the maine Roade"....
1724: "From the last Mention'd Road [=Prittymans] to Major Thacker's Mill Thence a Cross the County to the new Bridg [=New Dragon Bridge] including ye widdow Cheedle's plantation. Capt Henry Thacker and John Smith junr are appointed"....
1725-1726: "mr John Smith & Mr Hen: Tugle, are appointed...from the affore Sd Road [=Prittymans] to the new Bridg including the Widdow Cheedle's plantation"....
In 1727, this district which crossed the county was split into north-south by the Main Road (now highway 17): "Order'd that Mr John Smith junr & Mr Henry Tugle procession...between Prittyman's roleing road and Robt Williamson's run from the main road to the Dragon on the South Side of the main road"....
1728 & 1729 back to one: "Mr Henry Tugle, & Mr John Smith junr...from the upper Side of the Road leading from Prittyman's Landing to the Dragon Bridge up the Parish to Majr Thacker's Mill, thence across the Parish to the new Dragon Bridge including the Widdow Cheedles Plantation".... [These two look like they make Prettymans Rolling Road run into the Dragon Bridge Road, but I'm still not convinced.]
1731, again split south-north: "Order'd that Mr John Smith & Mr Larrance Orrill, Procession Every persons Land betwee [sic] Prittymans roleing road & ye new Dragon bridg running from the main road to the Dragon on the South Side of the main road"....
1735 &1739: "Order'd that Mr Larrance Orrill, & Mr Willm Daniel, Procession...between Pritty-mans Roleing Rode and the new Dragon bridg Road, running frm the Main Road to the Dragon on the South Side of the Main Road"....
1743: "Order'd that mr William Daniel Senr & mr John Murry Procession...between Prittymans roling Road and the new Dragon Bridg Road running from the main Road to the Dragon on the South Side of the main Road"....

This processioner would be William Daniel (d. 1746), son of Richard (d.1727), son of William (d. 1698). John Murry is William's son-in-law who would eventually marry Rachel Daniel.

In 1747 and 1755 the processioners for this area are Robert Daniel and John Murry/Murray (in 1751 it's John Murry and John Batcheldor). This Robert is the son-in-law of William; he is the grandson of Robert Daniel and Margaret Price from over on Briery Swamp. William does devise his land in his will to various of his children; the descriptions can't be exactly correlated and he doesn't bequeath land to his daughter Lucy, but later documents show how Robert came into some of this land, it is in right of his wife Lucy, the daughter of William. The will of William below has been misinterpreted at times to indicate that this William had a son Robert, but the Robert in the list at the end of the will is actually for son-in-law Robert in right of his wife Lucy.


will William Daniel wr 17 Nov 1746 pr ?? Feb 1746[7].
to my son in law Robert Daniel my negro Man Peter which he has now in Possession & £50.
to my dau Lucy Daniel my Silver watch.
to my son Josiah Daniel my Plantacon & Land where I now live & that Part of Mr. Wall's Land that came by his Mother, adj land I bought of Mr. Chr. Robinson & the old plantcon and Land where old John Jones now lives, also my negro Man Jack, [lots of personalty, cattle, etc.]
to dau Agatha Daniel the Plantacon & land I bought of Eusebius Lewis 60a & that part of Mr. Wall's land adj --- I bought of John Batchelder 40a [the deed of partition later calls it 60 acres, this is probably my reading error], and my negro Girl Dinah, £100 to be pd when she comes to ye age of eighteen or marrys
to dau Sarah Daniel my negro boy Jimmey, £100 when 18 or marrys
to dau Rachel Daniel my negro boy Sharper [?] and £100 when 18 or marrys
to dau Ann my negro Girl Sue and £100 when 18 or marrys
to dau Frances Daniel my Negro Girl Annica and £100 when 18 or marrys
to wf Ann Daniel my negro Man Ben, my negro man Charles, my negro man Frank, my negro woman Sue, my negro woman Judy & all the rest of my Personal Estate...during natural life except she should marry & then to give suffitient security & that she have the liberty of getting boards & third [it's normally "dower and thirds", do I have "third" wrong?] to sell for her own life & support of her family & likewise ye use of ye Still.
It is my will & desire that my Brother Richd Daniel, Edward Bristow, & James Cole pay nothing to my Estate that they are indebted to me in my Books.
to my sis Jochebed Jefferson 20sh to buy her a ring.
to my sons Josiah Daniel & Robert Daniel £50 each if there should be so much [left].
if any of the slaves I gave to daus should dye before they come to age 18 or marry then to have their choice out of ye slaves of my wife.
at decease of wf all remainder to my dear chn, to Robert Daniel, Josiah Daniel, Agatha Daniel, Sarah Daniel, Rachel Daniel, Ann Daniel, & Frances Daniel, to be equally divided.
exr to give no sec for admin. exr sons Josiah Daniel and Robert Daniel. wit Henry Thacker, Jas Strachey, Judith Wortham [smudged], Ann (x) [may be Street].

William had a son Josiah as shown in the Christ Church Parish Register: "Josiah Son of Wm & Anne Daniel born July ye 13. baptized Augst ye 22 1725". There is also listed in the deaths: "Josiah Daniel died Decemr ye 21st 1746." Josiah and two of his sisters, Agatha and Ann, did die in 1746, so their shares in their father's estate were to be divided among the surviving heirs. The deed of partition shows that William had acquired a good amount of acreage:

Deed Book9-15 Deed of Partition 10 Aug 1767. Robert Daniel of Msex Gent and wf Lucy, William Roane and wf Sarah, John Mooney [it's very clearly Murray in only one place at the end, but in the deed it's really impossible not to read it as Mooney] and wf Rachel, George Daniel and wf Frances. Whereas William Daniel late of the said County of Middlesex (Father of the said Lucy, Sarah, Rachel and Frances Parties to these Presents) by his LWT dated 17 Nov 1746, devised plantation and land where sd Wm lived to son Josiah, and that part of Mr. Watts's land that came by sd Josiah's mother adj it, and the land he bought of Chr Robinson, and the old Plantation and Land where old John Jones then lived...and also his Negro man Seth, and to his dau Agatha Daniel the plantation and land he bought of Eusebius Lewis (60a), that part of Mr Watts's land adj it he bought of John Batchelder (60a), and his negro Girl Dinah and her incr, and after giving several Legacies to his other chn, lent unto his wf Ann Daniel the Negroes Ben, Charles?, Frank, Sue and Judy, and all rest during her life and after her death to be equally divided amongst all his chn: Robert Daniel, Josiah Daniel, Agatha Daniel, Sarah Daniel, Rachel Daniel, Ann Daniel, Frances Daniel...and whereas sd Josiah Daniel, Agatha Daniel and Ann Daniel sometime after the death of their said Father departed this life intestate and w/o issue, and the sd Ann Daniel the widow of sd William Daniel is also dead, whereby the Lands Slaves and other estate devised to the said three chn and to the widow became vested in Robert and Lucy Daniel, Sarah Roan, Rachel Mooney and Frances Daniel, parties to these Presents...in order to make a partition and division among Robert Daniel and Lucy his wf, William Roan and Sarah his wf, John Mooney and Rachel his wf and George Daniel and Frances his wf...land surveyed 21 Nov 1765: Robert and wf Lucy Daniel get Lot C 126a [almost looks like 176a] [metes &bds] on Dragon Swamp, and 5 slaves: Frank, Charles, Cambridge, Joanna, ?L-aney? William and Sarah Roane get Lot B, 126a bd sd Robert Daniel and Dragon Swamp, Murrays Mill Swamp [metes and bounds], also 3 negros Frank, ?Henry? and ---. George and wf Frances Daniel get Lot A, 126.5a bd sd William Roane, near a school house, Dragon Swamp, also 2 negroes James annd Clary. John Murray [very clear] and wf Rachel get Lot D 125a bd Dragon Swamp, mouth of Murray's Mill Swamp, also 2 negro Men Slaves Lewis and Armistead. wit Lewis Mountague, Phil Mountague, Bartho Yates Jun, Robert Daniel Junr. sigs look like John Moonry, but Rachel Morray. probatum has John Murray. pr 11 Aug [1767]. wives relinq 11 Aug 1767. recd 6 Oct 1767.
Another nice tie-in is that in 1759 and 1767 the processioners are William Roan and John Murray (in 1763 they are John Murray and -- Batchelder [the first written initial J was corrected to illegibility). William Roane had married Sarah Daniel the daughter of processioner William Daniel (d.1746) and sister-in-law of processioner Robert Daniel. [William Roane will also play a role in other later land identifications.]

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James (d.1748), son of William (d.1698)

William (d.1698) bought land from Joseph and Mary Goare, the heirs of David Allison, then willed it to his son James:
Item I give to my Loving Sone James [written above a blotted out "Richard", see that James is also the secondary beneficiary in this item] Daniell one tract or devident of Land, which I bought of Joseph Gore being one halfe of ye Land y't David allison Dyed possessed of, In ye county of Middlesex: to him & his heirs for Ever Lawfully begotten of his body, & for want of Such heirs to my Sone James Daniell & to his heirs Lawfully begotten for Ever & For want of Such heirs to my loving Daughters Agatha Katherine Elizabeth & Ann Daniell & unto their heirs for Ever.
The purchase deed for this land is:
Joseph Goare of Msex and Mary his wife one of the daughters and coheirs of David Alisson late of Msex to Capt William Daniell Gent of Msex. Whereas David Allisson dyed possessed of three severell tracts or Parcells of land one tract or parcell of the said land is situate lying and being in Rappahannock County and by Estemation Containes 300a and the other two tracts or parcells is situate lying and being in Msex and containes by estimation 360a or there abouts and the said David Allison dying Intestate and Leaving four Daughters coheirs (vizt) Ann now wife to Edward Clerke, Catherine wife to Benjaman Marsh, Mary wife to Joseph Goare and Elizabeth wife to Henry Goare, who did make a certaine verball agreement and made Choyce of there Severell fourth parts of Moyeties of all and Singular the Lands and Tenements and with all and Singular appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining, the said Allison dyed soe possessed of; that is to say Edward Clerke and Joseph Goare did in right of there wives Ann and Mary take and make choyce of all and singular the lands and tenements with all & singular other the premises thereunto belonging, scituate lying and being in Msex County for there fourth Parts, Benjamin Marsh and Henry Goare in right of there wifes Catherine and Elizabeth did take and make choyce of all the Lands and Tenaments with all other the premises thereunto belonging scituate lying and being in Rappahannock County for there fourth part.....Joseph Goare and Mary sell for £37.10 sterling to William Daniell...[this just goes on and on with more repeats of the legalese about the one fourth part and warranting the land, no description given (it hadn't really been divided yet)]. signed Joseph Goare, Mary Goare. witnesses Walt Whitaker, Tho Stapleton, Paul Thilman. written 1 Feb 1692 [sic, newstyle], ackn by Joseph and Mary 1 Feb 1691/2 [written out "ninety one two, i.e. old style/new style]
The numbering and indexing of the Middlesex deed books is bizarre. The early ones have two names and two page numbering systems, then the LDS gave them another number. I will be using the system as used in the general index which calls this PS1a, p.258. The book is also known as Book 2 with this page being 505.

Edward Clark's name will be of use in the later processions. Remembering that processioners had to be landowners in their district, this land falls in the following processions:
1715: "Ordered that James Smith and James Daniell...Procession...betweene the piping Tree and Prittiman's Rolling Road from the River to the Dragon."
1716 &1723: "Ordered That James Smith and James Daniell procession...between the Piping Tree, and Prittymans Rolling roade from Rappa River to Piank A Tank"....
1724: From the upper Bounds of the two Last mention'd precincts up the County to ye Road leading from Prittymans to the Dragon Bridg James Smith & James Daniell are appointed..." [The last two precincts are the consistently given precincts just east of this one.]
1725-1728 (all four years): "Mr James Smith & Mr James Daniel, are appointed...from the Lower Bounds of mr Grymes's Land up the County to the Road leading from Prittymans to the Dragon Bridg." [There is also a second procession order in 1727, with several changes in processioners, for this district it's James Daniel and Edward Smith.]
1729: Same district, processioners are Mr James Daniel and Edward Smith.
From 1731-1767, James no longer is listed as a processioner, nor any heirs of his: Clark and Smith continue, then some Bristows, Worthams, and Laughlins in the later years.

Thus, this land of James Daniel (d.1748) is located east of Prettyman's Rolling Road, but very close to William's original land. I have marked the area on the map with a red "J". James did not devise land in his will; after personalty and stock bequests to his children, he left all the rest to his wife Margaret and she left "her whole estate to her son Vivion", no further details. Below are some deeds that may help describe this land, but they describe 200 acres of land that have a northern border being the main road: James was given 150 acres by his father, so he must have bought another 50 acres, or these deeds may be other lands that James bought, but there will be no record, possibly because they would have been bought in the years for which the deed books are gone. Because of the Edward Clarke bound from the original purchase I suspect these are the lands that William bought for son James and that he added to the acreage.

Deed Book 7-389 (Lease & Release) Marget [sic] Daniel, Jno. Daniel and wf Susanna all of Christ Church to John Lambuth [sic] of Petsworth Par 27 Mar 1750, £35, 100a Msex Christ Church whereon the sd Margot Daniel & John Daniel now lives. beg at a Corner Oake in Mr. Ralph Wormeley's Line thence East along the sd Wormeleys Line to the Line of Edwd Clark decd thence North to the agreed Line of Charles Daniel thence west along the agreed line to the sd Line of Thoms Shaw decd thence along the sd Shaws Line to the place it Begain [sic] be the same more or less Exept Twenty foot Square the sd Daniels hath Exepted for burying their Dead on the sd Land. wit Joseph Eastwood, William Eastwood, Thomas Horsley. recd 3 Apr 1750.

Polly Cary Mason, in her book Records of Colonial Gloucester Co VA, volumes 1 and 2, calls it 110 acres in her abstract of this deed. This deed is by Margaret Daniel, the widow of James, and her son John who married Susanna Roane. The description is basically of a rectangle, and the "agreed line of Charles Daniel" refers to another son of James and Margaret (Vivion) Daniel.

Charles Daniel sold his part of father James' land shortly after:
Deed Book 7-411 Charles Daniel and Jean Daniel to Andrew South 7 Aug 1750, £50, 100a, it being part of a Tract formerly belonging to James Daniel Father to Charles Daniel party to these presents. beg at a Corner Red Oak on William Bristow's line so down the said Bristows Line to a Spanish oak on Lambooths Line so along Lambothes Line to a Small white Oak on Shaws Line so along Shaws line to a marked Hicory on the main Road so down the Road to the beg. wit Vivion Daniel, John Murray, Robert Murray. recpts, relinq. recd 7 Aug 1750.

Again, Patent 6-661 above is important, it puts James land very close to his father William, while the processions put it in the next district east. And it leads me again to think William might have been on the east side of the bridge road. Another interesting tie in to the procession district names:
Order Book 6, p.72 - 7 May 1723 "On consideration of the Report of John Grymes &c., Gent. made on the Petition of John Smith for turning the Road through his land to Smith's Mill and Daniell's Old Plantation and what the Petitioner had to say together with what James Daniell who appeared as Defendt. in this dispute had to say against it and on a full hearing of the matter the Court are of opinion and accordingly order that the Road or Path be turned and to be laid out according as they were directed by the said John Grymes and Edwin Thacker Gent. pursuant to the prayer of the Petitioner and that the said James Daniell pay costs als Exo."
[there's no previous entry regarding this for more info.]

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Jamaica, purchased together by William (d. 1723) and Robert (d. 1720), sons of Capt. William (d. 1698)

Robert Daniel (d.1720) and his brother William (d.1723) bought 645 acres of the original 1200 acre Jamaica tract. Robert added 100 acres to his part and willed it (d.1720) to his sons Henry and Garret. William (d.1723) willed his part to his sons Moseley, John, Robert, and Obadiah.
Deed Book 3-32 Rice Jones Msex Gent, grandson and heir of Nicholas Cocke of Msex Gent, to William Daniell and Robert Daniell, Gents of Msex. £123, all that plantation commonly called Jamaco plantation and 646a of land scituate lying and being in the County of Msex being part of a divident containing 1200a formerly grtd to John Curtis 15 Mar 1657 and assigned over to John Harris by deed of sale 26 Aug 1660 and ackn and recd in Lancaster co 12 Sep following. Said land was left by sd John Harriss' last will and testament unto the above mentioned Nicholas Cock and is butted and bounded as followeth vizt beg at a red oak by the East side of a Valley and running thence South West one hundred and ninety six poles to an Ashe tree on a small branch by the side of Jamaco plantation thence down the Runn of that sd branch Its severall turnings near South west above [sic, checked several times, but it surely was trying for "about"] one hundred and thirty poles untill it meets with the run of a little branch that divides Henry Freemans plantation from Jamaca thence up the run of the said branch North westerly [not a good w but the e is clear] about forty poles to a young poplar near the head of the said branch thence by wooded Line that parts this Land & Henry Freemans Land northwest westerly two hundred and sixty poles to a great white oake by the North side of Thomas Hedgecocks Raoling Path thence North East three hundred and forty four poles to two small red oakes near the South side of the Woodland Swamp thence South East three hundred and twelve poles to the read oake where it began, the said 646a being and by consent of William Daniell and Robert Daniell divided equally by a line running from a red oak standing by the North side of a branch forty ?? [maybe nine, and it works fine in the plat] poles from the begining tree in the South East Line runing South seventy nine dgrs west four hundred & fourteen poles to three small black oakes in ye crooked line parting Freemans land from this land...plantation and 646a of Land...to have and to hold the said plantation and 46a [sic] of land... Rice Jones. wit Richard Daniell, John (x) Micham, Richard Shelford. 1 May 1704, ackn 5 May 1704. [DB3-34 = Rice Jones' bond to them for sale. same witnesses 1 May 1704.]
Middlesex Order Book #3, p.206, 3 Jan 1697/8 Probate of the Last Will and Testament of Mr. Maurice Cock, deced., is granted to John Jones and Rice Jones, Surviveing Executors, and Edwin Thacker, Robert Daniell and Edward Thomas, Executors in Trust of the said Will.

Deed Book 3-196 [a lease and release] Thomas Dyatt and wf Penelope to Robert Daniel, 5sh, all the plantation and Land whereon the aforesaid Thomas Dyatt and the said Penelope his wife now live containing 100a, they have according to will of John Harrys [=Harris] decd dated 21 Dec 1661. land in upper part of Msex at a place comonly called Jamaica being part of 400a, given by will of said Harrys to John Richent decd and the aforesaid Penelope [written above is "then his wife"].... wit William P. Probart, Sarah (x) West. 21 Nov 1705/7?, 5 Jan 1707. [John Richens will was written 22 Apr 1689 and proved 1 Jul 1689, names wife Penelopy as executrix.]
I think Penelopy is pretty clearly the daughter of Thomas Cordwell. In his will leaves his daughters Ann and Penelopy all his lands, with Ann getting the home plantation, which will come to Robert Daniel's hands later (d.1720). One of the overseers of Cordwell's will is John Richens, who was probably the one mentioned here as Jamaica Penelopy's first husband. Thomas Cordwell's will dates are tricky, written 12 May 168? [abstracts say 87, but I think from the original it could be 1685] and proved 6 Jul 168- [abstracts say 89, but the original also looks to be 1685]. His wife was Mary and there is a marriage for Mary Cordwell to John Williams on 10 Oct 1686, so I think the 1685 dates are correct.
[Incidentally this deed is followed by Book 3-197, the Urbanna lot Robert bought from the Justices and gave to his daughter Jane Seagar.]
Deed Book 3-219 5 Dec 1709 Richard Kemp and Garritt Minor Gentl to go to house of Thomas Dyatt and privately examine Penelope Dyatts consent to sale of lands by Thomas and Penelope Dyatt to Robert Daniell Gent (the said Penelope being aged and not able to come to Court. she relinq 2 Jan 1709.

From Robert's will:
Itm - I give & bequeath All that my Plantation & Tract of Land at Jamaica unto my two other Sons Henry and Garrett Daniell to be equally divided between them, Henry to have his first choice & to the Heires of their bodyes lawfully to be begotten. And if either of them happens to dye without Such lawfull heires Than I give & bequeath ye part of him Soe dying as aforesaid to the Survivor & his heires forever.

Today Jamaica is a small settlement on Highway 17 (the "Main Road") where road 605 crosses. Way northeast on 605 is another "Jamaica" marked on the topo maps. Jamaica is also a large magisterial district covering the northwest section of Middlesex and current addresses across the county in the northwest are called Jamaica. The original grant to Curtis says "being upon the head of Parrotts Creek upon the south side of Rappahannock River beginning at a marked white Oak runing Southwest 320 poles north west 600 poles, thence north East 320 poles, thence South East 600 poles to the first specified place. [Oh, my gosh, a simple plat, whew.] The head of the northern branch of Parrotts Creek definitely runs all the way to the village. "Upon the head" is very broad in terms of land descriptions, but the tract could reasonably be expected to be somewhere in range of the village. The procession districts are really just a confirmation:

From 1715-1727 the district about to be defined is variously assigned to Jno Seagar, Henry Goodlow, Joseph Hardee, James Macham. For several years it is combined with the district below the Bryary. Then it happens:
1727 (a second procession was ordered on 10 October): "Order'd that Mr Garrot Daniel, & Mr Ralph Shelton, procession...between the Briery Swamp, (from the Millstone Valley to the Dragon Swamp) and the upper End of the County, and from the main road to the Dragon Swamp, on the South Side of the main road"....
1728: Mr Garrot Daniel, & Mr Ralph Shelton..."from the new Drago[n] Bridge road on the South side the main road to the upper End of the Parish".... [this year two districts on the south side are combined. In 1729 the processioners for the same two are John Segar and James Macham.]
1731: Mr John Briant & Mr Garrot Daniel Procession..."between the Bryary Swamp (from the Millston Valley to the Dragon Swamp) and the upper End of the County on the South Side of the main road"....
1735: mr Garrot Daniel, & Mr John Jones, Procession..."between the Bryary Swamp, and the upper End of the County on the South Side of the Main Road"....
1739: Mr Garrott Daniel & Mr John Jones..."between the Bryary Swamp, and from the Millstone Valley to the Dragon Swamp and the upper end of the County on the South Side of the Main Road"....
In 1743, this district is assigned to William Jones and John Jones. Also, Garrett Daniel died 28 January 1744/5.
1747: mr William Jones & mr Henry Daniel..."between the Briary Swamp, and from the millstone Valley to the Dragon Swamp and the upper End of the County on the South Side of the main road"....
1751: Henry Daniel & Lewis Mountague..."between the Briary Swamp and from the Millstone Valley to the Dragon Swamp and the upper end of the County on the South side of the Main Road".... [This is the last Daniel to procession this district in these lists.]

I have not been able to find any specific location for the Millstone Valley, which helps define the southeastern boundary of this district. The grant description helps confirm that at least some of that strip between the Briery and the main road is part of the district. Closing in on the location is provided by various surveys done on the lands as generations died or sold.

This 1769 survey done for the division of Henry's land (his will was proved 7 Jul 1767) shows that the heir George transfered his part of Jamaica to his half-brother Robert.

14 --ember 1769, 192a of intailed land belonging to Capt George Daniel, beginning at A [torn] the mouth of a branch of the Briery Swamp at a --- corner to Charles Lee in Davis' Line Running thence [torn, but plat shows N41W] 64 pole to B thence N55W 211 pole to C, a Chesnut Stump Corner [torn - of Ro]bert Daniel the Elder, thence N77E 266pole to D, three white Oaks [Cor]ner to Charles Lee, thence S2W 118 pole to E, a Maple at the head of a brance, thence down the said branch 124 pole to the Beginning place." [R]obert Daniel Junr and [?Jo]siah Daniel, Chn Car's. The plat [see below] has notes saying "Robt Daniel's 76a" and "Robt Daniel's 58a" on either side of the 192a which has a note saying "Betty Kemps part 58a". recd 24 Jul 1773.
The land here is described as on a branch of the Briery Swamp, thus firming up that it is in that corridor between the Briery and the Main Road. The chain carrier Josiah Daniel would be the great grandson of William Daniel Jr. (d. 1723, he had made the original purchase of the 645 acres with his brother Robert); William had willed his part of the Jamaica tract to his four sons, Moseley, John, Robert, and Obadiah. That son Robert had a son William who had a Josiah.

That's Betty Daniel Kemp's dower land on the 1769 survey. George Daniel was the son of Henry by his first wife Mary. In his will George mentions his step-mother and his half brother Robert and half sister Rachel (by her married name Price). Henry's second wife and widow Betty had remarried to a Kemp.
Betty Daniel married Peter Kemp on 18 May 1769 in Middlesex. The Vestry Book of Petsworth Parish (=Gloucester County next door) shows on p.314 in a list of processions ordered 28 Jun 1759 "Ordered that Mr. Peter Kemp & Mr. Robart Garlant see the Land Possessiond in the sixt Precint to begin on the Land of Mr. Robart Daniel on the second thursday in Novr ------." In the 1784 "census" of Virginia, for Petsworth Parish there are listed, each separately, a Betty Kemp, an Elizabeth Kemp, a Mary Kemp, and a Peter Kemp. But there are also still Kemps in Middlesex to be figured into this picture. Middlesex Deed Book 11-103 is a 1793 deed from Geo. Daniel, Peter Kemp, Rachel Murray, Ed Berkely to Jack Murray, Ann Curtis, Chris Curtis, Lucy Yates, Caty Murray, Sally Murray, Ralph Wormely. Caty is, I believe, the daughter of Henry D. Shepherd and Mary "Molly" Daniel, Molly was the daughter of Mary Daniel and George Daniel, this Mary md.2 to a Henry Shepherd and she was the daughter of Henry Daniel and his first wife. There is also in the book of loose deeds, 1687-1750, on p.245, 21 Mar 1812 Joseph Godwin and Caty wf and Richard Claybrook and Julia wf to Wheeler Haile, $1000, land in Msex which ----d to Henry D. Shepherd, the father of the aforesaid Caty and Julia, which tract the sd Henry D. Shepherd, in his lifetime, purchase of Lansford [=Lunsford] Daniel, and for which the said Lansford and wf exec a deed to sd Henry D. Shepherd, about 180a. wit John Hile, Richard G. Garrett, L---'d Jackson, Zac'h Crittenden. Again, this family section may already be known or it is for the descendants to discover.

Garrett Daniel, who had inherited the other half of his father Robert's share of Jamaica land in 1720, married Clara (?LNU?) and they had for sure a daughter Ann born on 21 Feb 1742. Garrett died intestate on 28 Jan 1744/5 and his wife "Clary" returned the inventory on his estate on 7 May 1745. The only guardian bond filed for a child of Garrett was for Anna, her guardian was Maurice Smith on 1 Oct 1754, with James Daniel standing security. I suspect there were no more childrne and I have yet to find what happened to Ann Daniel or if her marriage answers for what happened to the title of her land.

A plat for Garrett's part of Jamaica was made on 6 June 1764, this would be shortly after daughter Ann had come of age and the land could be dealt with. The plat shows more clearly how the stream at the southwest end of Jamaica runs and how it formed the boundary between Henry and Garrett. This plat is always one degree different from the original and the 1769 plat, but the relative shapes remain perfect.

June 6th 1764. Then Surveyed for John Thilman of Caroline County 176 Acres of Land being Entailed and in the Possion [sic] of Charles Lee in the County of Middlesex and Parish of Christ Church. Beginning at A, an Oak in the Briery Swamp at the mouth of a Long branch thence up the Several Meanders of the said branch 216 Pole to B, a maple in the said branch, thence North two Degrees East, One Hundred & Eighteen Pole to C, Three white Oaks in Daniels line, thence North Seventyseven and a half Degrees East one Hundred & twelve Pole to D, a Red Oak in Lee's line, thence South Fortyone Degrees East Eightyseven Pole to E, a White Oak Corner to Lees [stained out] and Bream thence South Fortyfour Degrees West Three hundred & seventythree Pole to F, a Red Oak at the Edge of the Bryary [stained out] in Davis's line, thence North Fiftynine degrees West Sixteen Pole to the Beginning Place, Surveryed per Wm. Parry Surv'r Middx County. Charles Lee Junr, Lodowich Greenwood, Chain Carriers.
Back to the land! The 3 survey plats below show that the county road runs right through the Daniel's portion of the original Jamaica tract, so Henry and Garret's houses had to be on the south side of the main road as given in the procession instructions "That if the Bounds of any Precinct Shall Strike through any plantation or plantations the Crops on Such plantation or plantations Shall fall under the View & numbering of the Viewers &c: appointed for that Precinct wherein the House Stands that the people tending Such Crop Shall live in." This is actually spelled out only in the 1724-1726 orders, but I believe it was generally understood for all, based on other processioning practices I've studied.

More about William Daniel's (d.1723) share of Jamaica:
Another plat of part of Jamaica was done in 1785. This was for a part of William's (d.1723) share. William willed his part of Jamaica to his four sons and for want of heirs to his four daughters:

To sons Mosely, John, Robert, Obadiah Daniell, "all my tract of Jameco Land to be Equally Divided among them both for goodness and quantity", and for want of heirs to above named daus and their heirs.
The "above named daughters" were Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Ann and Agatha.
The early deaths of several of the children and exit from the county of others make the acreage math difficult in terms of knowing whether the girls received any. But the acreage is accounted for as going to Robert and Obadiah as shown below. Elizabeth died in 1726; Moseley died young in 1727; John died young (will probated 4 Feb 1734/5); Ann married James Presnall 14 May 1732 and writeups say she died in 1800 in Amelia VA or Chowan NC (I haven't searched or verified this); Sarah married Henry Nixon 10 Dec 1730 and he was named as executor of her brother John's will; Obadiah moved to Goochland County by 1748 (he bought land there on 19 Aug 1746 and he is on a list of tithables 10 Jun 1748) and he died there with heirs; I can't find anything about Agatha (she is not the one who died in 1746, that is the daughter of William Daniel and Ann Watts, covered elsewhere in this article). Son Robert lived on, married Sarah Mickelborough, and died in 1782. His widow Sarah married Abner Cloudas on 4 Apr 1782. The survey below (upper left) shows 185.75a and is described:
September 29th 1785. In obedience to an order of the Worsh'll Court of the county of Middlesex bearing date March 22 1784 I went in Company with Henry Vass, Philip Mountague & Churchhill Blakey and according to their directions Survey'd the Land of Robert Daniel decd and of [above this is the word "laid", so it's trying to be "laid off"] Sarah Cloudas's Part (or 63 Acres) late the widow of the said Daniel and Bounds as followeth (to wit) Begining at the letter A being a Chesnut and Red Oak the dividing line runing thence S 73W 132 Poles to two Red Oaks thence N 64° 30' W 37 Poles to a large white Oak corner to Robt daniel in James Campbell's line thence N 40E 298 Poles to [one word] Oak Corner to Charles Lee & Thom's Brooks thence S 27° 45' W 55 Poles [the plat is labeled incorrectly as 27° 45' E 55] to a small Ash on the side of the main run of the branch that divides this said Land between the two Brothers thence 73° 45' E 15 Poles to a white Oak thence S 48° 45' E 141 Poles & 10 links to a white Oak Corner to Charles Lee and Robert Daniel thence 164 Poles to the Begining, the widows Part as 63 Acres Begining at the letter [doesn't name it, but it's also A] runing thence N 65W 30 Poles to a large Red Oak from thence N 42° 30' E 145 1/3 [or 1/2] Poles to the back line. Isaac Carleton S M'd [not sure of the abbreviation here]
Based on the 1769 plat the road would seem to go somewhat northwest through this land a little west of the midpoint, widow Sarah's part seems like it could actually be bound by the road. The branch could be defining a division between the two brothers across the long direction of the remaining land or it could be waiting to be the end point of the division of the whole when widow Sarah dies and it goes to the two sons. The will suggests the latter to me based on the possible road location, with Travers getting the "left" hand portion south of the road and Robert getting the "right" hand portion north of the road. Also the survey indicates that point A is part of a dividing line; it looks good that to run from it to the branch dividing mark mentioned, that it would just about cut this plat into 90 acre sections for the two brothers eventually.

Robert's will is abstracted here:

Book F244 Will of Robert Daniel, written 27 Apr 1781, proved 23 Sep 1782. Son Travers Daniel land and plantation whereon I now live Bounded by a Branch Runing fr Mr Charles Lees line up to the main Road opposite a Corn field belonging to me on the South Side of the sd Road with all the land I hold on the South side of the sd Main Roade. Son Robert Daniel all my Land that I have not before mentioned. Dau Mary Daniel one small Black Horse Colt. Lend to wf Sarah Daniel my whole estate real and personal during life or widowhood, at death or marriage that not before given to be divided between all children. Exr Wife. Wit Robert Daniel and Robert McTyre.

The following marriage is interesting: "James Mickelburrough and Susanna Daniel, bond 22 May 1797. Sary Cloudas, mother of Susanna. Surety and witnesses Travis Daniel and William Jones." I had first thought this might be a posthumous child, very young at marriage, but recent research tells me she is one of the four younger children of Robert and Sarah, unnamed in his will, but named in a guardianship bond in 1785 as Robert, Sarah, Susannah, and Bivin.

The bounds mentioned in the survey and will above suggest that the the other 120 or so acres [actually 139 acres] to the east that had originally been part of this section of Jamaica had been sold to Charles Lee, but the phrase "on the side of the main run of the branch that divides this said Land between the two Brothers" isn't clear enough as to what land it's dividing by which direction. Obadiah's sale makes it clear that that extra land to the northeast went to him - he sold it before moving to Goochland and it was resold to Charles Lee. I have not found a deed for it but the resale refers to it:

DB7a-353&355 John Ellot [sic] Pain and wf Mary (x) of Caroline to Charles Lee of Essex L&R 5 & 6 Jul 1749, 5sh [£44 in the release], 139a Msex, formerly purchased of Obadiah Daniel, adj Robert Daniel [i.e. the bordering property labeled E on the sale plat below], Garrot Daniel's orphan [the bordering property labeled D], John Greenwood John Blakey, Massey Yarrington. witnesses: John Wiley, Lewis Mountague, Joseph Jones, Fran Paine (x), John Brooks, Eliza Wiley (x), Ja Campbell, George Lee, Josiah Chowning. ackn and relinq, ordered recd 5 Sep 1749.
The GH (for Garret and Henry) marked on the main map leading this article is probably a ways northwest of the actual location. A constructed plat for the part of Jamaica that William and Robert bought in 1704 is below, along with the 1769, 1772, and 1785 surveys done. There's not enough description in the Dyatt addition to know where it is or what shape, but if it was contiguous so as to give Garret a single tract, the original plat below, showing Henry's part, suggests that it would have been on the southeastern sides of father Robert's original share.

The slight change in direction of the NW lines on the plats is not out of the norm, variations are usual between described warrants for land and what can actually be had, and during conveyances and resurveys. Further, it is much more often the case than not that "divided equally" in deeds and wills can be a broad term, often expressed as meaning by quality as well as quantity, compensating for unusable land, and it can be adjusted by agreement, etc. In this case the northen section defined by the dividing line in the original deed to William and Robert actually contains 305 acres and a fraction by my calculation, while the southern section contains at least 335.75 acres (using a straight line to finish from the ash to the poplar, there is actually more when the water courses are accounted for). In the first edition of this article I had guesstimated that Robert Sr. probably had the northwestern section of the tract that he bought with his brother William, based on the size of the legacies. Oops, I was wrong! The 1769 survey plat shows that his share was the southern section and that Henry took the western portion of that. The 1769 and 1772 plats also provide better a picture of the completing branch that I couldn't do in the modern plat.


Here is the location of the Jamaica lands on today's map. Note:
The black line represents the original 1657 grant. I have aligned it with the eastern line of Garrett's plat.
The purple line is the dividing line between William Jr. and Robert when they purchased the land in 1704.
The three survey plats shown and described above are in red. The dotted red line approximates the original boundary of the 645 acres bought by William and Robert. The fuller red line from Garrett's plat would appear to include at least some of the land Robert bought from the Dyatt's (DB2-196 described above) and added to his Jamaica holdings.
The blue waterway is the branch of the Briery as shown on Garrett's plat and it is a nearly perfect match to the branch on today's map.
The brown dots are the road as indicated in the plats; it shows that the loop at this point is part of the original "main road" and that today's Rt. 17 did some bypassing of the old road. This location of the old main road is important in marking the later sales of these Jamaica lands.
Several stunning landmark points show up:
"O" is the continuation of the survey line to the original grant, when included it adds up to the 344 poles described in the 1704 purchase deed.
"D" is the continuation of the dividing line; when it is included with the plat distances, all add up to the 414 poles for the dividing line as described in the 1704 deed. The corridor of land between the western border of the surveys and the original grant is still an interesting puzzle.
"H" is described in the 1704 deed as at "Thomas Hedgecocks Raoling Path"; it meets the head of the modern path shown, on the nose.
"P" indicates the path seen on the 1769 plat and it is in exactly the same place as the road on the current map.

If you look at the satellite image of today's area you can see the roads that are the exact definition of Garrett's northwest corner lines!


Below is a map of the sales of Jamaica lands by the various heirs, followed by explanations of the letters. The brown/blue dots show the road as defined in the deeds and surveys.

Henry Daniel's (d.1767) son Robert (d.1784) willed his inherited 191 acres, the southwestern portion of the original Daniel plat, to his son Henry, and gave other lands (not part of Jamaica) to two of his sons Beverley and Robert. The entail for those three boys was that if any died before age 21, their land was to go to the youngest sons Garrett and George. The later sales prove that Henry did die and George sold his resulting share, the result being that Garrett and Beverley ended up with the land and sold it as follows (the cross sales to clear the titles between the heirs is fascinating!):
A = Beverley Daniel sold 77 acres to Ralph Watts in 1800 (DB12-61, description platted above)
B = Garrett Daniel sold 31 acres to Travis Daniel in 1801 (DB12-112, description platted above)
C = Garrett Daniel sold 73 acres to Luis Mickelborough in 1802 (DB12-154, the remaining acreage with bounds "Travis Daniel & Thomas Wats, and the land of George Daniel")
The above three deeds add up to 181 acres, a bit shy of the original, but the plats are good fits. Lot A included a set back of 10 feet away from the spring on both sides, which will account for some of the acreage discrepancy.

D = The part of original buyer Robert Daniel (d. 1720) that went to his son Garrett. Garrett d. 1744/5 with only one daughter Ann (b. 1742/3). The 1764 survey said the survey was ordered by John Thilman of Caroline County and that the land was in possession of Charles Lee. There are many possibilities for what was going on, but John Thilman is almost surely buying the land. Ann had just come of age. Her mother may have now died so her dower interests have expired. There is no deed at the time of the survey for this land with a Daniel as a principal. There are several Charles Lees in action at this time. The elder (d. 1794) may have been holding the land as Ann's guardian, he was guardian for various other Daniel children, but there is no guardianship bond by him for Ann (her guardian in 1754 was Maurice Smith). The elder Charles' son Charles Lee married Ann Montague, so this probably isn't him in the survey. The elder Charles' nephew was also a Charles (son of Thomas); he was born in 1735. A possibility is that this Charles Lee had married Ann Daniel and possessed the land in right of his wife and they are selling it to John Thilman. Checking the Lee/Thilman deeds will probably provide answers to all the questions about what happened to Garrett's land and family.

E = Obadiah Daniel who sold 139 acres to the Pains in the 1740s before leaving for Goochland, as described above (DB7a-353&355).
F = The part of Robert Daniel's land (d.1782, married Sarah Mickelborough) that was willed to his son Robert, who married Phoebe Sadler. This Robert d. by 1801 (apparently 1798) and his widow took the children to KY shortly after 1810. They sent a deed in 1826 from Montgomery KY selling 150 acres to Robert Lee (DB15-343). Robert had inherited his father's lands north of the road and the deed for lot F includes that definition. This again shows that the road ran differently from today's Rt. 17. The 1826 deed also proves that Robert and Phoebe had a daughter. The grantors were Phoebe Daniel, Robert Daniel and wife Catherine, John Howard and wife Sidney.
G = Travis Daniel received the lands on the south side of the road from his father Robert (d.1782) and willed them in 1805 to his sons Robert and Christopher. Robert Daniel and wife Eliza sold 37 3/4 acres to Henry Dungee in 1827 (DB15-322). This establishes that it is Travis's son Robert Daniel who married Eliza Ware in 1823. This 1827 date also proves he is not the same as the Robert Daniel who married Lucinda/Lucy as is sometimes proposed: the latter Robert and Lucinda executed a deed together in 1825.
Lots F and G add up to 187 3/4 acres. The 1785 survey described previously was for 185 3/4 acres, a nice match.
The lots E, F, and G. add up to 324 acres, which accounts for William's half of the original Jamaica purchase.

And so, the last of the male Daniel owned Jamaica lands passed from the family in 1827.

Visiting Jamaica Lands

The right turn off Hwy 17 onto Route 605 and the immediate left turn onto Route 647. Route 647 follows what was the original main road in this area, shown in the brown and blue dots on the plats above.

Driving along Route 647 to where it approaches Bethel United Cemetery

Continuing on 647, and then right on the road that turns right (above Tank Road)

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Robert Daniel (d.1720), the town lott to daughter Jane Seager

Besides the Jamaica lands described above, Robert also bought a town lot in Urbanna and willed it to his daughter Jane Seagar, "Itm - I give unto my daughter Jane Seager my Lott at Urbanna with ye appurtences [sic with a mark over it] to her & heires forever."
DB3-197 "Whereas severall laws have appointed and confirmed to this County fifty acres of Land for a Town and whereas wee Christopher Robinson, Harry Beverley and John Robinson are by an order of Middx Court bearing date ye fifth day of february 1704 appointed ffeoffees in trust to make Sale and dispose of the said Land pursuant to Law Know all men therefore by these presents that we the said Christopher Robinson, Harry Beverley and John Robinson ffeoffees as aforesaid have for & in Consideration of the Sum of four hundred and Eighty Seven pounds of Tobo and Cask to us in hand paid or Secured to be paid before the Ensealing and delivery hereof given grant'd bargain'd aliened enffeoffed released and Confirm'd unto Robert Daniel Gent. his heirs and Assignes for ever one half acre of Land in the burgh of Urbanna being part of the above sd fifty acres of Land and bounded as followeth to wit the Lott adjoyning on the west Side of Cross Street and the South Side of Queens Street, being a corner Lott. To have and to hold to him ye Said Robert Daniell his heirs & Assignes forever in as full and ample mannor as is Specifyed and is Expressed in --- Act made at a Generall Assembley begun at her Majt Queen Annes Royall Capitoll in the City of Williamsburgh the 23d day of October 1705 Entitaled An Act for Establishing ports and towns the said Robert Daniell his heires or assignes paying the Annuall Rent of one ounce of flax seed and two ounces of hony seed which payment is to be made yearly from year to year upon ye 1st day of October ye Director and [?]Benchers[? it's not Trustees, Sparacio also said Benchers] of the Said Burgh of Urbanna and their Such essours[? not assess--] of rents for ye use of the Land --- provided the Said Robert Daniell his heires or assisgnes Shall within twelve months from ye date hereor begin & withough delay proceed to finish on ye aforesd halfe acre of Land one house twenty foot Square at least offering it Should be Laufully for the Said Chr Robinson Harry Beverley and John Robinson or any two of them or their Successors to make Sale of the Said halfe Acre of Land to any other person or persons that Shall make Choyce of the land. In Witness whereof we have hereunto Set our hands and Seales this 15th day of Aprill 1707." wit W. Kelp---, Will: Daniell. 15 Apr 1707, 2 May 1709.
This is a Yahoo map of Urbanna with Cross Street running north-south through the city. Queen Street doesn't show up on any server I can find. That label of Rappahannock River is also very misleading to me, that waterway is actually Rosegill Creek running off of the River!


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William Daniell (d.1723) and Robert Daniell (d.1720), sons of William (d.1698)

The 300 acres described here is incorrectly described as the land where Christopher Robinson built Hewick, found in Hewick information and stories and on the historical marker. However, the Hewick lands are actually quite a distance away and have a very different origin. Read about the Hewick lands here.

William (d.1698) also bought another 300 acres, deeded them to sons William (d.1723) and Robert (d.1720), and then confirmed it in his will.

Deed Book PS1a-65 [aka 2-129]
Christopher Robinson of Msex to William Daniell of Msex, 7500 lbs of good sweet sented Tobacco and caske, already pd by William Daniell, all my whole estate, right, title, possession to 300a of land in the afor'd Written Patent. I do make Mr. Richd Robinson of sd county my lawfull attornye to [handle it all].
witnesses John Vauss, John Smith.
written 11 Sep 1683, acknowledged 3 Dec 1683.
Wife Agatha Robinson relinquishes, same wits, same dates.

The "afor'd patent" referred to is described in the previous deed, Book PS1a-63 [aka 2-127]
Herbert Jeffreys Esqr. Governour & Capt. Genell. of VA, letter patent to Mr. Christopher Robinson, 300a Msex lyeing betwixt Daniel Longs land, Henry Nicholls his land, Thomas Cordwells land & the Bryery Braunch begining to be measured out & Surveyed at a Redd oake Corner tree thence runneing West South West fifty foure poles to a white oake in a braunch & downe the braunch by the Runne to Briery Braunch Runne & Downe that Runne to Thos. Cordwells Corner tree & thence by Thomas Cordwells Lyne East Three hundred & Twenty Poles to the said Cordwells Corner Hickory thence South east by South Twenty Poles & South Southeast thirty six poles by Mr. Lindseys Lines to Henry Nicholls his white oak & g---me thence north north east halfe a point eastward two hundred & Eight poles to the Redd oake begunne at the said land. for transportation of 6 persons whose names are on the records mencioned underneath this Patent...paying to our Sovereign Lord the King for every Fifty acres of land yearly at the Feast of St. Michaell the Arch Angell the fee Rent of one shilling. That if said Christopher Robinson not plant or Seate or cause to be planted or seated upon the land within three years then it may be lawfull for any Adventurer or Planter to make choyce thereof.
wr 5 Jun 1678.
The call of "East 320 poles" will be shown in later deeds to vary by a small 3.5°. It and expecially the underlined southeast calls will be crucial to later information!

Deed Book 2-202 [The real book 2, covering 1694 - 1703]
To all Christian people to whome these presents Shall Come I William Daniell Senr and Gentleman of Middlesex County doe send Greeting in our Lord God. Now Know yee that I Will Daniell Senr Gent of the County aforesaid doe Give & bequeath unto my son Wiliam Daniell Junr. of ye Said County one hundred and fifty Acres of Land to him & his heirs forever - Lawfully begotten of his body, that is to Say. the plantation whereon my Son now Lives on with one hundred and fifty Acres of land more of Less devided already by me Will Daniell Senr Gent and beginning thus - at a poplar Standing in a Small branch at the Lower Corner of my Son Robert Daniells orchard & binding of the branch of ye bryery Swamp and Runing from this poplar with a Line marked out to the head Line to a Small Gum Marked in the Line of Henry Nicholls and binding of this Line to Daniell Longs Line and bindeing of Longs Line to ye Bryery Swamp & a Long the Bryery to the first beginning branch mention'd. above which Said Land with all the Rights & priviledges whatsoever thereunto belonging or appertaining I Will Daniell Senr Gent of the County aforesaid to have Given and delivered unto the possession of my son Will daniell Junr to him and his heirs Lawfully begotten of his body forever to have and to hold to him".... [usual finishing language, Robert's below is complete.]
written 6 Dec 1697
witnesses William Downing, Richard Daniell, John (x) Walker.
recorded 6 Sep 1697, acknowledged by Capt William Daniell.

Deed Book 2-203 To all Christian people to whome these presents shall Come I William Daniell Senr. and Gentleman of Middlesex County doe send Greeting in our Lord God, Now know yee that I William Daniell Senr. Gentleman of the County aforesaid Doe Give and bequeath unto my Son Robert Daniell of the said County one hundred and fifty Acres of Land to him and his heirs forever Lawfully begotten of his body, that is to say the plantation where my Son Robert Lives with one hundred and fifty Acres of Land more of less divided already by me William Daniell Senr Gentleman between my two Sons William and Robert Daniell and beginning thus at a poplar standing in a Small branch at the Lower Corner of my Son Robert Daniells orchard and binding of this branch to the Bryary Swamp, and running upward from this poplar with a line marked out to the head/lead line to a small gum marked in the line of Henry Nichols, and binding of this Line to Thomas Cordwell and so running along Cordwells line to the Bryary Swamp and up the bryary Swamp to the first beginning branch mentioned above which said Land with all the Rights and priviledges whatsoever, thereunto belonging or appurtaining I William Daniell Senr. Gentleman of the County aforesaid to have given and delivered unto the possession of my Son Robert Daniell to him and his heirs Lawfully begotten of his body forever. To have and to hold to him and them peaceabley to enjoy forever, and doe by these presents Quitt all Claim by tytle or Intrest [sic] to that said land or to any part of parcell thereof from me my heirs Excrs or Admrs forever, I William Daniell Senr Gentleman of the County aforesaid doe by these presents firmly bind my heirs Executrs & Admrs to Sow defend and Keep harmless my Son Robert Daniell & his heirs or and from all maner of trouble damages [?lett] or mollestation of any person or persons whatsoever that Shall or may lay any Just lawfull Claim or tytle thereunto or to any part or parcell thereof as witness my hand and Seale this 6th day of Septemb'r 1697. William Daniell, Seal. Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence of us William Downing, Richard Daniell, John (x) Walker.
At a Court held for the County of Middlesex the 6th day of Septemb'r 1697 There personally appeared Capt. William Daniell and acknowledged the above deed to be his Act and deed. Recorded Jat [Jurat] Edwin Thacker CCCur

From William's will:
Item I give to my Sone Wm. Daniell, one hundred & fifty acres of Land on which he now Liveth; with all houses and appurtenances belonging to ye same being part of ye three hundred acres of Land bought by me of Mr. Christ Robinson, Deceased, being ye part of ye Land adjoining upon ye land of Daniel Long, to him & ye heirs of his body Lawfully begotten for Ever, & for want of such heirs to my Loving Sone Robert Daniel & his heirs for ever.
[snip]
Item I give & Bequeath to my Loving Sone, Robert Daniell one hundred & fifty acres of Land whereon he now Liveth, being ye other part of ye Said three hundred acres of Land Joyning on ye bryre Run and Thomas Cordwells line with all houses and apurtenances belonging to the Same, to him & ye heirs of his body Lawfully begotten for Ever & for want of Such heirs to my Sone Richard Daniell & to ye heirs of his body Lawfully begotten & for want of Such heirs to my Sone James Daniell & to ye heirs of his body Lawfully begotten For Ever & For want of Such heirs to my Daughters Agatha; Catherin; Elizabeth and Ann Daniell & their heirs for ever.

William (d.1723), son of William (d.1698)

Capt. William Daniell Sr. (d. 1698) also bought a town lot with his son William Jr. as shown in Deed Book 2-527. It was located on Ferry Street which is not labeled on the Urbanna map given above.
Whereas by an Act of Assembley held at James Citty ye 16th day of Apr 1691 Intituled an Act of Ports that is by among other things Enacted that the fifty Acres of Land on the west side of Nimcock Creek formerly layd out and surveyed for Building a Towne thereon by virtue of a former Law for Cohabitation etc and which was then the Land of Ralph Wormeley Esqe Be Appoynted for a port and place of Landing and Shiping [it's Loading and Unloading in other docs about the act]of good wares and merchandize etc in the County of Msex and whereas wee Mathew Kemp, Christopher Robinson and William Churchhill by an order of Msex Court bareing date ye 20th day of July 1691 are appoynted foefees in trust for ye said County did demand of the Honble Ralph Wormeley Esqr. conveyance of a good estate in fee and the said Ralph Wormeley Esqr. did refuse to make such a conveyance being proved in the Middx. county Court the 7th Septembr: 1691 whereby the said Ralph Wormeley Esqr. hath forfitted all his Right Know all men that wee Mathew Kemp, Christo'r Robinson and William Churchhill, feofees in Trust as aforesd for in in Considderation of 100 lbs of good tobacco and Casque sell to Capt William Daniell Sr and William Daniell Junr...one halfe acre of Land (being part of the aforesd 50a)...bounded Begining at a Corner Stake of John Heads Lott on the maine Street called Fferry Street & running up the said Street North West thence South to ye beginning place the said grantees shall and will within four months a from the ensealing ...being and with out delay proceed to finish on the said halfe acre granted...one good house to containe twenty foot square at least, wherein if they the said Capt William Daniell and William Daniell Junr...shall fail then this grant to be voide...... wr 13 Feb 1691/2, wit Calib Wheeling, Tho Stapleton. ackn 2 Nov 1692.
William (d. 1723) was already settled on his share of the 300 acres. He bought more acreage on 19 Feb 1694/5, not contiguous with his own, more to the east, but then a few months later he and his wife "Constatine" assigned it to Andrew Wilson of King & Queen County. There are actually two deeds recorded for the purchase, Book 2-29, Book 2-91, the assignment is in Book 2-93. William died in 1723 and willed the Jamaica lands to his four sons, Moseley, John, Robert, Obadiah. He gave his home plantation to his son William Daniel, who died just a few months later. This son William died leaving a son James who was born 12 May 1715. James will later be a processioner in the district (starting in 1747).

Robert (d.1720), son of William (d.1698)

Robert was also already settled on the land and had actually already purchased acreage on his own just six months before father William purchased the 300 acres:
Deed Book 2-186 William Brooks & Ann his wife of Msex planter to Robert Daniell of Msex planter. £25. 75a Msex being part of a greater tract of 300a, patented by Thomas Cordwell by him given to his daughter Ann Cordwell. survd by Edwin Thacker 19 May 1694, "beginning at a corner Spanish Oake in ye Line of ye Said Robert Daniell's own Land & Leading thence South thirty Eight degrees West ninety four poles to a Red Oake thence north Eighty Six & a half degrees West one hundred twenty Six poles to a ?Wt [very unclear, I may just be looking for it to mean white] oake thence north Seventy Eight poles to an Ashe in ye briery Swamp & thence South Eighty Six and a halfe degrees East one hundred Eighty five poles by an old Line of Marked Trees to ye first mentioned Spanish Oake the place it Began" being part of 300a granted to Robert Chowning 16 Jun 1662, sold to Thomas Cordwell 8 Jan 1666, much longer warranting passage than usual, 2 pages, William (x) Brookes, Ann (x) Brookes. wit Paul Thilman, Tobias Micklbr [some kind of abbreviation of the name Micklborough, just one letter after the b]. wr 20 Jun 1697, ackn 5 Jul 1697. Ann Brooks relinq. followed by a bond for £50 to fulfill the sale, also wit by Paul Thilman, Tobias Mickleborough.
[Ann Cardwell married William Brookes 8 Nov 1687.]

Robert added more acreage:

Deed Book 3-240 William Brookes of Msex planter to Robert Daniell of same, Gent. 3000 lbs tobacco, 50a Msex, beginning at a Corner hickory - Corner tree of the said William Brooks and Robert Daniells land and runing thence west by a line of Marked trees One hundred and Eight poles to a marked Stump thence South west thirty eight degrees ninety four poles to a corner red Oake thence South East sixty degrees fifty poles to a Stake between a Spanish Oake & a red Oake thence north East fify one degrees one hundred and fifty eight poles to the first beginning place, being part of 300a grtd to Robert Chowning 16 Jun 1662, was lately in the occupation of sd William Brookes but now in actuall possession of sd Robert Daniell. William (x) Brookes. wit Garret Minor, John Owens, Robt Daniell Junr. 1 May 1711, 1 May 1711. Elizabetha Jo the wife of the said William relinq. followed by Brooks' completion bond to Robert Daniell,, wit Garrett Minor, John Owens, Robert Daniell Junr 1 May 1711.
[Elizabeth Cardwell married William Brookes 2 Sep 1708.]

Deed Book 3-486 Thomas Kidd of Msex Gent and wf Alice to Robert Danniel [sic, later it's Daniell]. 10sh, 1a, one half acre lying on the north side of the White Oke Swamp at the end of the sd Robert Daniel's Mill Dam Joyning on Nicholas Bristow; the other half acre lying on the south side of the sd Swamp at the other end of sd Mill Dam bd Robert Blackly, the sd halfe acre being bound Round with marked trees now in actuall possession of sd Robert Daniell. wit Jo'n Owens, Robert Danniell, Thomas (x) Kidd Junr. 31 Jul 1719, ?7 ?Jan/Sep? 1719. Thomas Kidd acknowledged this deed in court to Robert Daniell Gent on 4 Aug 1719.
This indicates Robert was building a mill and needed the usual acre or two on the other side of the waterway. Thomas Kidd is a bound on Robert's eastern side in other deeds. This will also be important to show the full bounds of Robert Daniel's lands later in the section "Cleaning up final details".

At first I thought this land might be in that corridor between the upper arm of the Briery and the main road, thus putting it near Jamaica, where Robert and William also bought land together. There are many deeds naming Robert Daniel as a bound that don't help pin the location down, but finally one showed up, the land is on the southern side of the Briery, the mere distance of a 50 acre tract in from the Dragon Swamp, e.g. if the 50 acres were fairly square that would be a quarter of a mile and a touch from the swamp:
Deed Book1-85 John Guttery of Msex to Jehu [sic, clear here and elsewhere in this deed, but in later deeds it's clearly John] Nicholls of King & Queen, 2 Dec 1724, 5sh, 50a Msex, lying upon the South Side of the Briry branch, Begining at the mouth of the briry at The Run of the Dragon Swamp and up the Run of the Bryery to the mouth of a Small Branch between the aforesaid Guttery and Robert Daniel, And from the branch to a Spanish Oake, On the side of the branch to a sickamore in the Old field being a Corner Tree Between Robert Daniel and the aforesaid Guttery. And from Thence To a Corner Red Oake Between Guttery, Daniel and Brooks, and a Long Brooks' Line to a Corner Spanish Oake between Guttery Brooks and Dennis Obry [torn] From thence to a Corner Chesnut [1-2 words obliterated] old field. Between Guttery and From thence to the Dragon [2-3 words oblit] And up the Run of the D---- to the mouth of the [word possibly starts with B, and another word likely here] first begun... sig John (x) Guttery. wit Daniel Hayes, John Nicholls, Joseph? Meacham. recd 7 Sep 1725
This Guttery-Nicholls 50 acres was purchased in 1727 by Robert Daniel Jr. (d.1742) and then willed to his son Robert, who sold it to his brother George in 1758. But in 1719 Robert Jr. was settling on the joining lands he would inherit and needed a mill, so he purchased:

Deed Book 3-489: John Guttrey and Jenie his wf to Robert Daniell all of Msex 19 Aug 1719, 50sh, 2a in Msex bounded lying on the north side of the Bryers Swamp bounded with the land of one Katherine Young Widow and Bryers Swamp and line of marked trees running from the sd Bryers Swamp to the line of sd Katherine Young adj upon the land of sd John Guttrey now in actuall possession of sd Robt. Daniel. wit Wm. Garwood, John Rogon?, John Hunt. recd ?7 Sep 1719, John and Jane ackn, Jane relinq.
Although the deed doesn't show it, on 1 Sep 1719 John Guttry and Jane his Wife acknowledged the deed at court to Robert Daniel Junior.

The plat for these lands of William and Robert, sons of William (d.1698), with unknown bounds on the Briery Swamp, looks like:


There is variation in the end points of Robert's southern purchases and the end points of the originial 300 acres (the 320 pole line that runs east-west), not all that surprising given the variance of the swamp, etc.

The following deeds help to define the acreage "in the triangle" on the southeast bounds of Robert's land. The underlined names and calls are of paramount importance later.

Reminder from the original patent, this land first belonged to Mr. Lindsey
Deed Book 2-245 James Attwood of Msex to Thomas Stapleton 4 Oct 1686, 6500 lbs swt. sented Tobbo & Caske, 140a containing my dwelling plantation and "binding upon Cardwells End line Soe upon Nicholles his Line and with Willm. Daniell, & Bristoe, & Meecham, likewise upon line's [sic] runn by Kidde the sd land being part of a greater tract bought of Mr. John Lindsey". wit Robert Smith, Geo Walton, John Cutter. sig James Attwood. at court Msex 4 Apr 1686: Then Came into Court Mr. Francis Weekes and by vertue of a Letter of Attorney acknowledged the within Deed to bee the Act and deed of James Attwood. next is James Attwood and Mary his wife, their POA to Francis Weekes.

Deed Book 2-334 Jones Smith of Essex to Mr. Thomas Wood of Msex, 20a in Mr. Robert Daniells line to a line of Richard Rennolds. wit John Wattsone, Richd. Ranolds. wf Rebecka Smith relinq. 6 Feb 1699, recd -- Feb 1699/1700.

Deed Book 3-367 George Stapleton son of Thomas Stapleton to Alexander Graves bricklayer, 160a in Christ Church Par of Msex, Beginning at a Corner Stump of William Brookes thence north west nine degrees 150 poles to a Hickory a Line tree of Capt Robert Daniell thence to a Corner white oak of Henry Nickols to a begining red Oak in Thomas Kidds Line thence to a red Oak in Attwoods Line thence along the Severall Courses and turnings of the Said Attwoods Line to Brooks [either 's or sd] Line and Soe to the beginning place. wit John Price, Jos. Hardee, Richd. Steevens. wr 31 Jan 1714, release 1 Feb 1714, recd 1 Feb 1714.
This is the right hand portion of the "triangle".

The discrepancy between the 140 acres that James Attwood sold to Thomas Stapleton in Book 2-245 and the 160 acres that George Stapleton son of Thomas sold to Alexander Graves in Book 3-367, both of which describe the same land, is cleared up by:
Book 2-433 Richard Attwood to Thomas Stapleton, 29 Jan 1701/2, 20a, beg at a white oak --- in a branch belonging to the new ground Cleared by the said Thomas Stapleton this present ---- ye??? ---- So from the said white oak against the mouth of the said branch runing upon a direct line of marked trees upon the land of William Brooks and from thence upon the line of the said Brooks and so along the Spring branch of Stapleton to the first begining tree...being part of 100a [has to be 160a, I obviously misread] formerly bought of James Attwood father of the sd Richard Attwood, 140a whereof was by sd James Attwood sold and surveyed...to sd Thomas Stapleton by deed.... wit Paul ---man [could be Thilman?], ??? Woodes [Sen or Jur, or even something else], Patrick Miller. recd 2 Feb 1701

Finally, the processions for this area. There's a nice surprise in them.
1715-1716: "Ordered That James Meecham & John Alldin...procession...betweene Robt Williamson's land (including Williamsons land) and the Briary Swamp to the Millstone Valley running from the maine Roade to the Dragon on the South side of the maine Roade"....
1723: "Order'd That James Macham & Robt Daniel Procession...Between Robt Wmson's Land (including Wmson's Lane) the t-- [repeated, the page is changing here] And the Bryary Swamp, to the Millston Valley running from the Main Road to the Dragon, on the South Side of the Main Road".... [This is Robert Daniel, son of Robert (d.1720).]
1724-1728: During these years the districts on either side of the Bryary are combined and processioned variously by John Segar, John Mosly, Joseph Hardee, James Macham, Ralph Shelton, and Garrot Daniel (as described in the Jamaica section when their two districts were combined). In the second order for 1727 and in 1729 they are again split with John Segar and James Macham doing the area below the Bryary.
1731: Ordered that mr John Mosley & mr James Daniel, Procession...between ye lowe[r] end of the new Dragon bridg road & ye Bryary Swamp thence to ye Millstone Valley runing from the main road to ye Dragon on the South Side of ye main road"....
This is not James the son of William (d.1698); his land was far southeast and he didn't buy any beyond his inheritance as described above. The Daniel land in this district belonged to William Senior's first two sons, William Jr. (d.1723) and Robert (d.1720). William Jr. wrote his will 27 Feb 1722/3, it was proved 2 Jul 1723. but it says it was recorded 4 Jun 1723. He willed the land he lived on to his son William (the third); this third William died by December of the same year and his will states "to son James Daniel all my Land lying on the Bryery Swamp containing one hundred fifty acres". This son James was born 12 May 1715. At the time of this procession both of his parents were dead, so he did have title to the land. The other son and owner here, Robert, died in 1720. In his will he devises his home plantation to sons Robert and James:
Itm - I Give and bequeath all the Plantation & Tract of land whereon I now live to my two Sons Robert & James Daniell to be equally divided between them, my son Robert to have his first choice and to the Heires of their bodies lawfully to be begotten and if Either of them happen to dye without Such lawfull heires Then I give & bequeath the part of him soe dying as aforesaid to the Survivor & his heires for ever.
He does leave the mill to his wife Margaret and then it goes to son James:
Itm - I give unto my Son James Daniell after the Decease of my Wife Margarett Daniell my Mill Millhouse [sic] with the appurtenances to him and his heires for ever. My Sons Harry and Garrett Daniell to be Toll free of my said Mill as long as She Shall grind.
These lands were devised outright to the sons. After all the other bequests of land, slaves and personalty, he lent only the "rest" of his estate to his wife Margaret; the only real estate left was the mill. Margaret of course still had dower rights to all, but by 1731 James and Robert would be considered the freeholders, just as Garret was on the Jamaica land.

So technically this could be the younger James, he was a freeholder. I am generally loathe to use age as a deciding point, it's very misleading and often incorrectly applied, but given the choice between a fifteen year old and a 21-23 year old to be assigned to procession lands, I have to suggest that this is the elder James b.1709, making this a "sighting" of Robert's son James.

Back to the processions:
1735 & 1739: same district, Mr John Segar & Mr John Meacham
1743: same district, mr John Machen & mr William Daniel. [This can only be William 1716-1779, son of Robert Jr., son of Robert (d.1720)]
1747: same district, mr John Meacham & mr James Daniel. [This is much more likely the first available sighting of James Daniel (b. 1715), the son of William (d. late 1723), son of William Jr. (d.1723).]
1751: same district, John Machen & James Daniel
1755: same district, John Machen & William Daniel
1759: same district, Willm Daniel & James Daniel
1763: same district, Jas Daniel & John Sword
1767: same district, John Swoard and James Daniel [Chamberlayne notes here that the name James Daniel is scratched through but legible.]

Both William and James of these procession orders died in 1779.

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Now, hold on to your hats, here's an important personal goal of this page:

Proving James of Albemarle (d.1761) is the son of Robert (d.1720)

So, what happened to the other part of Robert's land, his share of the 300 acres on Briery Swamp given him by his father and the other acreage he bought? Hmmmm???? An enhanced plat for these lands is available in a new window to have handy when reading.

from Robert's will
Itm - I Give and bequeath all the Plantation & Tract of land whereon I now live to my two Sons Robert & James Daniell to be equally divided between them, my son Robert to have his first choice and to the Heires of their bodies lawfully to be begotten and if Either of them happen to dye without Such lawfull heires Then I give & bequeath the part of him soe dying as aforesaid to the Survivor & his heires for ever.
Itm - I give unto my son James Daniell one Negro girl named Phillis with her Increase together with my Still[s?] with the appurtenances to him & his heires for ever when he Shall attaine the Age of one & twenty years.
Itm - I give unto my Son James Daniell after the Decease of my Wife Margarett Daniell my Mill Millhouse [sic] with the appurtenances to him and his heires for ever. My Sons Harry and Garrett Daniell to be Toll free of my said Mill as long as She Shall grind.
The bounding neighbors in the original 300 acres were: Daniel Long, Henry Nicholls, Thomas Cordwell, Mr. Lindsey. The bounds and involved parties of the 75 acres Robert bought were: Thomas Cordwell, William Brookes. The bounds and involved parties of the 50 acres were: William Brooks. The bounds of the eastern mill land were: Thomas Kidd, Nicholas Bristow, Robert Blackly. The bounds of the western mill land were: John Guttrey, Katherine Young. I'm going to repeat in very short form two neighbors' deeds from above:
Deed Book 2-245 James Attwood to Thomas Stapleton 4 Oct 1686, 140a "binding upon Cardwells End line Soe upon Nicholles his Line and with Willm. Daniell, & Bristoe, & Meecham, likewise upon line's [sic] runn by Kidde the sd land being part of a greater tract bought of Mr. John Lindsey".

Deed Book 3-367 George Stapleton son of Thomas Stapleton to Alexander Graves 31 Jan 1714, 160a, "Beginning at a Corner Stump of William Brookes...a Line tree of Capt Robert Daniell...Henry Nickols...Thomas Kidds Line...Attwoods Line...Brooks Line and Soe to the beginning place.

There are so many more records putting these people together, it would just clutter this page hopelessly: they were all witnesses to deeds and wills, executors, appraisers, surveyors in the room of another, bondsmen, bounding neighbors, and so on for each other, i.e. they were tight and were located near each other. These are a couple more deeds in very short form because they show that they were in fact physical neighbors:
Deed Book 1a-59 John Lindsey of...England to James Attwood of Msex VA, 1681, 700a, lying upon the Dragon Swamp between the White Oake Swamp & Briery Branch. Begining at a Corner Hickory belonging to Thomas Cordwell running by marked Lines South East by South Twenty Poles, South South East Thirty Six Poles to a Corner White Oak belonging to the Land of Mr Henry Nicholls thence South East Two hundred fifty Poles to a corner Spanish Oak by ye Side of White Oake Swamp & down the Runn of White Oake Swamp it's Severall Courses & distances unto the Runn of the Draggon Swamp & on that Runn it's Severall Courses & distances to a corner tree of Robt Aldin & from thence East by his Line Twenty Poles to a white Oak Corner tree of Thomas Cordwells & by his mancid [?, I can't make it "mentioned", but it probably is] Line East Three hundred Twenty Poles to another Corner white Oak thence by an other Line of the Said Cordwell North One hundred & fifty Poles to the first begining Hiccory.
***That first bolded call matches exactly to the 300 acres that William Daniel bought for his sons, and it is the eastern side of the right hand portion of the "triangle" on the eastern side of Robert Daniel's additions; it also defines the land that was sold to Alexander Graves; the East 320 poles are parallel and describe the southern line of Cordwell's 300 acres (the 150 poles north make it a perfect fit and size of 300 acres) that came to William and Ann Brookes, who sold the northern 75 and 50 acres of it to Robert Daniel.

1a-74 James Attwood to John Micham and John Bristow 2 Oct 1682, 300a, "lying upon ye Dragon Swampe begining at a Chesnutt at ye mouth of ye Reedy [not creek, rock, almost north] from thence runing to ye Said James Attwood head line allowing Ye Said Micham & ye Sd Bristow Twenty Eight poles from ye head line to ye Corner Tree upon ye White Oake Swampe from thence ye Severall Courses and distances downe ye Said White Oake Swampe as ye runn goe and Soe upp ye Dragon Swampe as ye runn goes to ye aforesd Chesnutt with all....
This further confirms Micham (Meacham) and Bristow right here as well, important for later.

3-296 Will. Daniell, Alexander Graves, and James Meacham are witnesses, 4 May 1712, for George Stapleton to John Moseley, 40a bindeing upon the White Oake Swamp, bought by Thomas Stapleton of estate of Henry Nichols, binding upon David Georges Land and Also Canadays Land.

Alexander Graves bought no other land besides the 160 acres in deed 3-367; he is on several bonds for other people, but no deeds in the index, so this is his spot, he's not scattered about in the county.

The deed books for the years 1720-1740 are lost. The only records for land are the court orders. In the order book for 1732-1737 is the entry:

p.48 1 Apr 1735 "James Daniell came this day into Court presented and acknowledged this his Deed for Land unto Alexander Roan (Jane the wife of said James Daniell being first privately examined relinquished her Right of Dower in the said Lands) and the same was admitted to record."

This land now belonging to Alexander Roane just needed to be traced. The family of Alexander Roane is revealed in deeds and wills, this is a short description, the documentation is at the end of this article.
Alexander Roane married Mary Hipkins (probably the widow of James Hipkins) in 8 Nov 1736. The sons of Alexander Roane (some possibly by a first wife, Alexander died by 1740) are William, Alexander, and Warner. William Roane married Sally Daniel the daughter of William (d.1746) the son of Richard (d.1727) the son of William Daniel (d.1698). William and Sally actually settled over in Richard Daniel's area and William died in 1770. Alexander settled by 1771 in Caroline County. Warner died sometime after 1763 but by 1770.

In 1763 Alexander Roane's widow Mary and her son Warner executed the following deeds in 1763:

Deed Book PS8a-427 Mary Roane and son Warner to William Daniel 4 Jun 1763, £62, 62.5a beginning at a Corner white Oake in the aforesaid William Daniels and the Land of John Brooks and Runing along a line Between the Said Roans Land & William Daniels a westly Course to a Corner Persimon tree Between the aforesaid Rones [sic] land and George Daniels Decd Land a Southly Course to a Corner Chesnut Betwen [sic] The above mentioned Rones land and the Land of George Daniel Decd and Jno Brooks And Thence along a line of Maked [sic] trees Betwen the aforesaid Rones land and Jno Brooks a South Eastly Course to a Corner white Oake and thence a Eastly Course Betwen the afore sd Mary Roan and John Brooks to the first Begining White Oake Corner above mentioned in William Daniels line. [all sic on sp]. wit John Seward, George Blackley, Henry (x) Shepherd, Henry Shepard Juner [sic]. recpts and ackn. recd 7 Jun 1763.

Deed Book PS8a-425 Mary Roane and son Warner Roane to John Meacham 4 Jun 1763, £125, 130a, beginning at the aforesd John Meacham's Island & runing along his line out of the swamp to James Bristow's line & along his line to a Corner & from thence along a line of Alexander Graves's to Cordwells Spring Branch & so down the run of the sd branch to the head of the aforesaid John Meacham's Island. wit John Saward [sic], George Blackley, Henry (x) Shepherd, Henry Shepherd Juner [sic]. recpts and ackn. recd 7 Jun 1763
Henry Sheperd married the widow of George Daniel decd mentioned in the first deed.

In 1769 the other Roane sons, Alexander and William, sold the land their father Alexander had bought from James and Jane Daniel in 1735:

Deed Book 9-89 Alexander and Ann Roane and William Roane and wife Sarah to William Daniel, 14 Nov 1769, land in M'sex, 62.5a, "Beginning at a Corner white oak in the Line of the Land Whereon the [sd] William Daniel now Lives thence a Southwest Course to Two Corner Persimmon trees in the Said ?Line? thence a South East Course to a Corner Chestnut in the Line between the orphan [sic, singular] of George Daniel Decd, The Land of John Seward and the Said Land thence an Eastward Course on a Line of marked Trees in the Said Sewards's [sic] Land to a Corner white oak thence on [sic] North East Course to the Beginning." Witnesses for each signer are noted: for Alexander and Ann Roane - Richard[?] Gilchrist, James Miller, William Bogle. for William and Sarah Roane - James Wills, George Daniel. for William Roane - John Yarrington, Lodowick Jones, Benjamin Guthery. wives relinquish in next record.

Deed Book 9-93 [the next deed] Alexander and Ann Roane and William Roane and wife Sarah to John Meacham, 14? Nov 1769. 130a Msex, "Beginning at Mary Meachams Island thence along her Line to the line out of the Swamp to James Bristow's Line, thence along the said Line to a Corner thence along Alexander Graves Line to Cordwels Spring Branch thence along the run of the said branch to the Head of the Said Island" [same wits as above].

It's unfortunate that there are no metes and bounds in these deeds, but it's not really a problem. The survey shown later shows all these bounds. William Roane's will (Book E419, written 24 Apr 1770, proved 24 Sep 1770) has a clause concerning this land he inherited from his father: "I desire that my executors make William Daniel and John Meacham a Good Right to the Lands my Brother Alexr and I Recover'd of them and afterwards Sold it to them."

Alexander and Ann repeated their deeds on 28 Jan 1771 (Book 9-124) and almost immediately Meacham sold the 130 acres to Henry Shephard (Book 9-131): 22 Apr 1771 John Meacham of Msex to Henry Shepherd of Msex, £100, 1--a [torn], the exact same description as the Roane to Meacham deed above. No witnessess. Recorded 23 Apr 1771.
There are no other deeds in Middlesex for an Alexander Roane (neither the elder nor younger), this is the only land belonging to him/them. Warner Roane has no deeds in Middlesex except the ones in 1763 to the same people. William Roane has a 1765 deed from James Smith, and a 1767 deed from Robert and Lucy Daniel. Those lands are located east, in the area of Richard Daniel, William Roane had actually settled over in his wife's territory and their descendants do have transactions over there in later years.

The bounds in the Roane deeds do the trick. The grantee William Daniel is the son of Robert Junior (d.1742) who had inherited, along with his brother James, the homestead of their father Robert (d.1720). The "orphan of George Daniel" (it is singular in the deed) is Nelson. George Daniel, the other son of Robert Junior, died in 1758. His will devises his estate to be divided equally between his wife Mary and children Nelson and Molly. His widow Mary married Henry Shephard on 3 Nov 1760, who in turn bought the 130 acres as described above in Book 9-131. Mary Meacham is the widow of an older John Meacham, John and James Meacham were both processioners of this district, and they are closely tied in the records to all these other names. The Bristows are scattered in the county so not as much defining proof here. There are no other deeds in Middlesex for Thomas Cordwell or Alexander Graves so they are the unique bounds that cap it all off, along with the location being defined by the processioning districts.

The land that James and Jane Daniel sold to Alexander Roane in 1735 is the land James inherited from his father Robert in 1720.

There is more proof coming based on the acreage. The will of Robert Daniel (Jr., son of Robert who d.1720), in Will Book C p.70, written 12 Jun 1742, proved 7 Sep 1742, devises his land thusly: "Item I Give and bequeath all my Land unto my Son William Daniel Except Fifty Acres ajoyning on the Draggon Swap [sic] to him and his heirs for Ever lawfully begotten of his body and for Want of such heirs to my son Robert Daniel to him & his heirs for ever. Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Robt Daniel Fifty Acres of Land which I Purchased of John Niccolls more or less to him and his heirs for Ever Ajoyning on the Dragon Swamp." The Rutmans, in their analyses of wills and land in A Place in Time, Middlesex County, Virginia 1650-1750, use the Daniel family as examples in a few places, and they also confirm the data about the acreage. Their description about Robert Jr. reads "Marrying twice, this Robert left eleven children, including six sons. The eldest received his father's original inheritance (190 acres). Another received the 50-acre addition. Four received nothing." The Roane deeds are for 192.5 acres, making two equal legacies from Robert (d.1720) to his sons Robert and James. I'm still working on defining the 190 acres that Robert Jr. (son of Robert d. 1720) left to his eldest son William so I can't properly describe it yet. It's hard to develop the size of Robert's bequest to William in better detail because William's will was lost; various of his daughters eventually sell to another of the daughters, but it looks like he also bought other lands as well.

There are only four James Daniels in Middlesex records in the 1730s:
a. James, the son of William (d.1698), who married Margaret Vivion and died in 1748, and was located well east of these lands;
b. James b. 1716, the son of the above James and Margaret;
c. James b.1715, the son of William (d.1723), a later processioner of this district being discussed, and who looks to have died in 1779 unmarried, based on his will;
d. James, who married Jane Hicks and had children born in Middlesex: Margaret, "Chickeley" (Chesley), Ruth, and Abraham. This is the James who was also a probable processioner of this district in 1731.

A recap of some other facts:
a. Six months (21 Nov 1735) after the James and Jane Daniel deed to Alexander Roane, a "James Daniel of Middlesex" bought land in Goochland County. This land fell into Albemarle County when it was formed and this James Daniel can be shown by this land and later purchases and by his will to be the father of Chesley, Abraham, Josiah, John, James, Susannah, Mary and Mercy.
b. Of interest is: Middlesex Court Orders 1732-1726, p.52 - 3 Jun 1735 "John Hipkins to be appointed overseer of the road of which James Daniel was overseer and ordered that he cause the road in his precinct to be well cleared and the bridges mended accordingly." [Obviously I'm tying in the Hipkins name with Alexander Roane's wife, making this a possible sighting and signal that James and Jane are moving. No guarantees.]
c. Chesley Daniel of Granville is the proven son of this same James Daniel of Albemarle by will and land records.
d. Chesley Daniel of Granville deeded in 1798 some of the "increase" of slaves he had inherited as the heir of Jane Hicks.
e. James Daniel married Jane Hicks on 11 November 1725 in Middlesex.
f. And so full circle back to the land records above....

There are now matching DNA results for Josiah and Chesley Daniel, sons of James Daniel of Albemarle, firmly establishing the line back to James. Great news in January 2006: the DNA results of my James Daniel (1747-1820) are a perfect 37/37 match for those of Josiah and Chesley, thus confirming the record evidence that he is their brother, and son of James and Jane Hicks. Read about it here. The land records shown here firm up the heritage of James Daniel of Albemarle as the son of Robert Daniel of Middlesex and grandson of William Daniel of Middlesex. However, another son of William Daniel is also documented and has very different results, calling both into question. One or the other lines has an undocumented adoption or an unknown illegitimacy. Earlier, as records on James of Albemarle were being published, it seemed clear but not tightly proved that he was from Middlesex. Then, when the DNA conflict came up the earliest discussions about it on the rootsweb Daniel-L mailing list went along a path, perfectly reasonable based on documentation at the time, of questioning if James of Albemarle was actually a provable Middlesex Daniel, and more specifically could he be shown to be Robert's son. Although this study tightens up James of Albemarle's documentation on these questions, the conflict of the DNA remains and can only be resolved by the testing of a third son of William Daniel. So the hunt goes on for a descendant! Visit the work on the DNA of the Daniel Family of Middlesex here!

Cleaning up the final details
In the first edition of this article I proposed that Robert (d.1720) had probably acquired his further extra acreage from the Brookes tract as well. That was a hasty leap, assuming he bought contiguous lands, but there is a beautiful surprise in the survey book, a plat that includes the 130 acres sold by the Roanes to James Meacham who shortly sold it to Henry Shephard. It turns out the 130 acres was actually out of the Meacham/Bristow acquisition from Attwood. This plat is large, the orientation is skewed, the directional lines are way out of whack, but the "triangle" belonging to Graves is there, the white area in the upper left portion is the eastern part of the Cordwell/Brookes tract and at the center left is a tract described as "Henry Shephard's Purchase of Meacham, being Roane's Land formerly Purchased by Meacham", indicated as 134 acres. The survey description for this plat reads:

"June 24th 1773 Surveyed at the Request of John Meacham 724 acres of Land in Middlesex County in Christ Church Parish Beginning at A, a White Oak corner on Bristow's line at the edge of the Dragon swamp thence along the said Swamp 42 1/2 pole to B, a Sycamore corner to the said Land Standing in the white Oak swamp in Sanders's line thence up the said Swamp 259 pole to C, an ash & white oak corner in the said Bristow's line, thence N30W 98 pole to D, a Red Oak corner in Graves's & Kidd's line, thence N61E 192 pole E an Ash corner in Cannaday's long branch, thence N47W 234 pole to Nichols's corner white Oak being the letter F, thence N27W 58 pole to Capt. Daniels corner Hickory being G, thence S9E 150 pole to H, Brooks's corner Stump, thence West 194 pole to I, a Gum corner to Guest in Cordwell's Spring branch, thence Down the said branch 186 pole to K, an Ash Corner to Guest's Dragon Land, thence S65W 52 pole to L, The edge of Meacham's Island its Several courses p [per] Platt above cited to M, a maple Corner to The said Island at the main Run of the Dragon Swamp thence Down the said Main Run 250 pole to N, being Bristow's corner on the said Run thence 23 pole to the Beginning place Sveyed & Platted by John Yarrington Surv MC. Thomas Brooks, Jeremiah Spencer - Ch. Car."
Comparing those calls to the various deeds above, especially from E to I and L to M, is very exciting! One sad thing is that the little houses on this plat are smudged so you can't see the siding and doors and windows like you can on other plats, drat. Much more important is that the plat is not oriented or scaled well at all. There is a North-South guideline in the lower middle, but many of the other lines are not oriented with it correctly; there are also some changes in scale on some of the plats. Nevertheless, it gives a good idea of the relative location of the lands and neighbors. This 1773 plat is available here in a new window, but you'll need to enlarge the window it opens in.

The Daniel title to all these lands was very quiet, there aren't deeds for this 130 acres. Because some of the people here died intestate, there is plenty of room for title confusion here that might not have been cleared up for years. This lack of deeds is perhaps not quite an anomaly, but usually heirs at some point cleared and firmed up quiet titles; I can only suggest the deeds were just never recorded and the lines had been accepted for nearly 50 years when the Roane heirs sold (or that the indexers missed them in both the original book and the general index, not likely).

That Robert Daniel had definitely acquired this other land is also shown by the deeds involving Thomas Kidd already shown above, Book 2-245 and Book 3-367; Thomas Kidd was a southern bound of the Stapleton/Graves land.

Locating these Briery lands:
The maps below shows a fairly close location of William and Robert's Briery lands, using two surveys (the 1773 referred to above in red, and another 1773 survey of lands west of Cordwell's Spring in dark blue) and the description of William Jr. and Robert's 300 acres (purple). The survey in red cannot be aligned correctly at either the northern part (the "triangle") or the southwestern part (at Meacham's Island); the "triangle" in the northeast has not been oriented well, when it is turned the correct 9 degrees it matches the triangle as it should be, but then the rest of the plat is way off. However the survey shows that James and Jane's land was bounded on the west by Cordwell's Spring; the other survey (dark blue) is the land on the other side of the Spring and describes a corner to Henry Shepherd (who ended up with James and Jane's land). The three east-west lines close to each other in the middle are actually the same line, but I've moved things to let them all show here. The red letters represent some of the necessary fits and other meeting points that are striking to see against today's map. The black letters indicate Daniel owners as described below.

A = the bound of the 300 acres bought by Capt. William for his sons, it is supposed to hit a branch of the Briery. All the plat points fit when using this as the 54 pole line.
B = the Briery bound
C = Cordwells corner which is supposed to be on the Briery. The acreage enclosed is a bit over 300 acres.
W-150 = William Jr's share of the 300 acres given by father Capt. William.
R-150 = Robert's share of the same.
R-75 and R-50 = the extra lands Robert bought in 1697 and 1711.
J-175 = the 175 acres of land that James and Jane (Hicks) Daniel sold in 1735, which eventually ended up in the hands of Henry Shepherd.

Along Ware's Bridge Road (602) right where Robert's 50 acres meet it.

Developing the family of Alexander Roane
--Alexander Roane & Mary Hipkins Married 9ber 8th 1736.
--Order Book 3 Apr 1737 Samuel Hipkings v. Alexander Roan and wf Mary Roan, exrx of James Hipkings, decd.
--Will Book B-48 will of Richard Street wr 9 Feb 1741, pr 5 June 1744. [his family details]. Last item = "For fear that there should be a Defect in the Conveyance wch I made to Mr. Alexr. Roan Decd of a Tract of Land in Caroline County wch I bought of Mr. Jno. Bucknor, I give & devise the sd Tract of Land unto Alexr Roan son of the sd Alexr Decd and to his Heirs forever wth any Limitations ["may be" scratched out] directed by his Father's Will." wit John Price, Sammuel Batcheder [sic sic]
--William Roane of Gloucester County md. Sarah Daniel [of Middlesex], spinster. bond 15 Feb 1754. Surety and witness William Upshaw of Essex County, W. Roane, Jr., and Thomas Price, Jr.
--Will Book E-419 will of William Roane, Gent 24 Apr 1770/24 Sep 1770. brother Alexander Roane. Land in Gloucester Co recieved [sic] of my brother Warner Roane's estate. Son Thomas Roane land purchased of Leonard Hill where I now live. Son William Roane land bought of Elizabeth Thacker. Son John Roane and if either of my daughters die without issue her part to go to the survivor. exrs wife [not named], Maurice Smith, Philip Mountague. witness Rachel Murray, Mollay Murray, Lodowick Jones.

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Thank you for reading. I continue analyzing land records and adding more locations and further generations, so come again!

Pictures of the Dragon Run area, crossing several counties


More on the Processioning Orders and Districts


The procession orders varied, were usually a small intro, followed by the assignments and districts, followed by more instructions, along the lines of:
"In pursuance of an Order of Middx County Court dated ... -- This Vestry have divided this parish into Severall Precincts, And have appointed two Intelligent honest Freeholders of every Severall Precinct to See all the Lands within the said Severall Precincts processioned as followeth"...[assignments]...ordered That the above named Freeholders Procession every particular mans land pursuant to the above Orders of Vestry, And that they Take & Returne an Account of every persons land they Shall See procession, of the Time when, & of the persons present att the same, And of whose Lands in their Respective Precincts they shall faile to procession, and of the particular reasons of Such failure to the next Vestry which shall happen after ye last day of March next coming."
Struck me funny: In 1715 "two intelligent and honest" freeholders are to be appointed. In 1716 and 1723 it's down to "two intelligent freeholders", and after that it's just "two freeholders".
From 1724 to 1739, with a couple gaps, the orders are not by the county court but "Pursuant to an Act of the last Session of Assembly Entitled an Act for the better and more effectual Improveing the Staple of Tobacco - this Vestry doe lay out the Parish into precincts and appoint two persons in Each precinct to Examine and Enqure of the names & number of ye persons Allow'd by the Said Act to tend Tobo and the Crops of the Several planters within the Sd precinct respectively and the number of plants growing or shall have been tended on any plantation or plantations Some time in July next."
The crossover precinct clauses are described from 1724-1727: "That if the Bounds of any Precinct Shall Strike through any plantation or plantations the Crops on Such plantation or plantations Shall fall under the View & numbering of the Viewers &c: appointed for that Precinct wherein the House Stands that the people tending Such Crop Shall live in."
In 1728 and 1729 fuller duties are described: "And that they cut up or cause to be cut up & destroy'ed all Stalks Slips & Suckers within the Sd Precinct and perform & Execute the Several duties & powers given & enjoin'd them by the Act of assembly for the better & more Effectual improving the Staple of Tobo.

The districts are described east to west, at the lowest there were six due to combined districts. There is the occasional name change due to ownership change of a marking property, but it's clear the bounds are still the same. At the most there were eleven due to cutting the north side of the road in the western section into three instead of two. There were some years when there were what appear to be slightly different eastern and western bounds on some of the central districts; the ones I've put are more illustrative of what they settled into. I'm giving the largest number of descriptions and describing the combos:

a. between the Lower end of this County & Mr Kemps Mill, Cross the Neck to Coll: Churchills Creek
b. between Mr Kemps Mill & the Piping Tree on the South Side of the Main Road
c. from Mr Kemps Mill to the Pipeing Tree along Coll Wormeley's Bounds to the river Side on the North Side of the Main Road
Districts b & c were combined from 1725-1729. I can't find the Middlesex Piping Tree (many/most counties had a Piping Tree, it was where colonials and natives met, smoked, negotiated, etc. The one that is still known today is in King William/New Kent counties.)
d. between the Pipeing-Tree & Prittymans roleing road from Rappa River to Piankatank
e. between Prittymans roleing Road & Robt Williamsons Land from the main Road to the head of Mr Chr Robinsons Mill-Dam on the North Side of the main Road
f. between Prittymans Roleing Road & Robt Williamsons running from the Main Road to the Dragon on the South Side of the Main Road
Districts e and f were combined from 1724-1729, forming a district that crossed the county.
g. between Robt Wmson's Land and the Bryary Swamp, to the Millstone Valley running from the Main Road to the Dragon, on the South Side of the Main Road
This eventually settled into being from the New Dragon Bridge to the Bryary.
h. between the Bryary Swamp (from the Millstone Valley to the Dragon Swamp and the upper End of the County from the Main Road to the Dragon Swamp on the south Side of the Main Road
Districts g & h were a few times combined.
i. between the head of Mr. Chr Robinsons Mill-Dam & the head of Parrots Creek to the Millston Valley on the North Side of the Main Road from the Road to the river
j. between the head of Parrots Creek, from the Mill-stone Valley to the river, to Hen: Robinsons Mill-Dam, to the Slash, from the Main Road to the River on the north Side of the Main Road
k. between Hen Robinsons Mill-Dam & the Slash to the upper End of the county from the Main Road to the river on the North side of the Main road
Districts j and k were much more often all one.


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Sources:

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The record evidence and now a perfect dna match show that my James Daniel is a descendant of the Middlesex Daniel family; he is a son of James Daniel d. 1760 and Jane Hicks, son of Robert Daniel d.1720 and Margaret Price, son of William Daniel d.1698.


Read about my
James Daniel (1747-1820) and wife Sally Cocke
The records connecting my James to James of Albemarle


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