The Land Grant. Back
in 1908, when J.G. Massey and E.T. Massey were jointly researching
Massey family genealogy; J.G. Massey noted: "It is further
stated by the Massey's of Maryland that ... in 1644 there were
two brothers, Hugh and Peter (or Pierre), who settled in Kent
Co., Md. in that year, on a grant of land of 20,000 acres called
"Massey's Venture" from Lord Baltimore ... ."(Source 1)
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George Massey, of New York,
described this Grant and its history in very convincing language; it
sounded like he had accurate knowledge of his facts; "Nicholas
Massey ... moved to [Rowan Co.] North Carolina [in 1768]. Elijah
Massey, his brother, was the last owner of the old Manor land known as
"Massey's Venture," 20,000 acres, which included a large part of
what is now Millington [in Kent Co., Md.]. up to and including and
beyond Massey's Cross Roads. He sold a good deal of the land, and
other parts went to daughters out of the family. The Falconers got the
Mill property at Millington, and the Harris family of Cecil Co. got
other lands, all of which have since been sold."(Source 2)
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Eben Thomas Massey, during their
joint 1908 research period, that the 20,000 acre "Massey's Venture"
Grant was on file at Annapolis. J.G. Massey saw no reason at the
time to question E.T. Massey's statement.(1) But, a number of
years later, J.G. Massey visited the Hall of Records, at Annapolis,
and was told that they had no record of such a Grant.
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In 1970, at my request, T.L.
Brownyard also visited the Land Grant Office, and he also was unable to
find any record of a 20,000 acre "Massey's Venture" Grant. (Source 3)
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20,000 acres is 31.25 square
miles. A square tract would be 5.6 miles to a side; a rectangular
tract could be 5 x 6 miles. It would seem next to impossible that
a record of a tract as large as this would have no record.
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Until other researchers unearth
more evidence, this 20,000 acre "Massey's Venture" Grant will have to
remain classified as an unverified family tradition.
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The Patents: T.L.
Brownyard searched the Land Patents records for me, came up with this
sequence:
Year
|
Event
|
Source
|
1702
|
Queen
Anne's Co., Maryland; Nicholas Massey and Nicholas Massey [relationship
not mentioned]: 90 acre tract called "Massey's Hazard."
| 7
|
1719
|
Kent
Co., Maryland: Peter Massey and Nicholas Massey: 200 acre tract called
"Massey's Venture."
| 4
|
1720
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Kent
Co., Md.: Nicholas Massey; 100 acre tract "The Exchange."
| 8
|
1730
|
Kent
Co., Md.: Peter Massey and Nicholas Massey: 25 acre tract called
"Slippe"[sic] along side of Massey's Venture."
| 5
|
1741
|
Kent
Co., Md.: Peter Massey and Nicholas Massey: 25 acre tract called
"Slipe"[sic] along side of Massey's Venture."
| 5
|
1765
|
Kent
Co., Md.: Ebenezer Massey and Joseph Massey, the tract called "Massey's
Venture," re-surveyed as 254 1/2 acres.
| 6
|
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