Section VI - Massey Data Bank

One Maryland Massey Family by George Langford, Jr. 1901-1996 ©Cullen G. Langford and George Langford, III, 2010

Maryland Land Office, Kent County, EI #6, p. 359
Nicholas Massey's patent of Massey's Venture, October 7, 1741

Nicholas Massey patent for 25 acres the Slipe alongside Massey's Venture etc. Charles etc. Know ye that whereas Peter and Nicholas Massey of Kent County by their humble petition to our agent for management of land affairs within this province did hereto for set forth that there was the quantity of fifty five acres of vacant land lying and being in the county aforesaid and adjoining to two tracts of land contiguous viz.: Massey's Venture belonging to the petitioner Nicholas and another tract called Johanne's Lott belonging to the petitioner Peter partly cultivated by means whereof the petitioners found that it could not be affected by a common warrant and therefore prayed a special warrant to effect and secure it and that upon return of a certificate of such survey they complying with all requisites might have our grant for the same which was granted them and accordingly a warrant on the nineteenth day of March seventeen hundred and twenty nine onto them for that purpose did issue. The pursuance whereof it is certified into our land office that there is surveyed and laid out for and in the names of them the said Peter and Nicholas Massey no more than the quantity of twenty five acres of vacant land for which rights are made good at the time of granting said warrant and the said Nicholas Massey has since paid and satisfied unto Benjamin Tasker, Esquire, our present agent and Receiver General for us the sum of forty shillings sterling for some improvements mentioned to be made thereon according to Charles Lord Baron of Baltimore our Grandfather of noble memory his instructions to Charles Carroll, Esquire, his then agent bearing date at London the twelfth day of September seventeen hundred and twelve and registered in our Secretary's Office of our said province but before our grant around thereon to them did issue this said Peter Massey did on the sixth day of June seventeen hundred and forty one assign, sell, transfer, and make over all his right, title, and interest of and into the said moeity of the said land and the certificate of survey there unto the said Nicholas Massey, who hath supplicated us that our grant may now issue onto him thereon wish which we have thought fit to condescend unto. We do therefore hereby grant unto him the said Nicholas Massey all that tract or parcel of land called The Slipe Alongside Massey's Venture, beginning at a bounded hickory standing at the end of the East line of a parcel of land now in possession of the said Nicholas Massey called Massey's Venture lying in Kent County aforesaid near the side of the branch that issues out of Chester River and running from said hickory South sixty degrees East thirty eight perches then South sixteen degrees West forty eight perches thence South one hundred and forty perches then East twenty perches thence South twenty four degrees West thirty two perches then North sixty six degrees West sixty two perches then North East fifty eight perches then by a straight line to the beginning, containing and now laid out for twenty five acres of land more or less according to the certificate of survey thereof taken and returned into our land office bearing date the thirtieth day of May seventeen hundred and thirty and there remaining together with all rights, profits, benefits, and privileges thereunto belonging, Royal mines excepted. To have and to hold the same unto him the said Nicholas Massey, his heirs, and assigns, forever to behold of us and our heirs as of our Manor of Baltimore in Kent County in free and common soccage by fealty only for all manner of services, yielding and paying therefore yearly unto us and our heirs at our receipt at our city of St. Mary's at the two most usual feasts in the year viz.: The feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel by even and equal portions the rent of one shilling sterling silver or gold and for a fine upon every alienation of the said land or any part or parcel thereof one whole year's rent in silver or gold for the full value thereof in such commodities as we and our heirs or such officer or officers as shall be appointed by us and our heirs from time to time to collect and receive the same shall accept and discharge thereof at the choice of us and our heirs or such officer or officers aforesaid. Provided that if the said sum for a fine for alienation shall not be paid unto us and our heirs or such officer or officers aforesaid before such alienation and the said alienation entered upon record either in the Provincial Court or County Court where the same parcel of land lieth within one month next after such alienation than the said alienation shall be void and of no effect. Given under our great seal of our said Province of Maryland the seventh day of October seventeen hundred and forty one. Witness our trusty and well beloved Samuel Ogle, Esquire Lieut. Gen. and Chief Governor [illegible] Province, Chancellor and keeper of the great seal thereof. Samuel The Great Seal Ogle, Chancellor