2.
Richard PACE I
Following is abstracted from the Pace Society of America Bulletin:
Bulletin #13, September 1970: Possible Origins of Richard Pace of Paces Paines, Virginia
English Paces:
Richard Pace and John Pace were two brothers from Hampshire near the Channel coast. Richard Pace, born about 1483, was famous for having been Secretary to Cardinal Woolsey, Ambassador to European countries, secretary to Henry VIII, and Dean of St. Paul's, London. Among his other offices was that of Vicar of St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney, which was at that time a pleasant suburb of London.
A biography of Richard Pace, called "Richard Pace, a Tudor Diplomatist", by Jervis Wegg, was published in London in 1932, and is based mainly on Richard's own correspondence.
Richard's brother, John, was his heir
A possible estimated chart of lineage of this John Pace, brother to Dean Richard Pace was published in the Bulletin as (none of these relationships is proved):
Born Died Married
1488 John Pace 1519 ? brother of Dean Richard
1522 1590 John Pace 1543 ? Jester to "the King"
1543 son 1564
1565 Richard Pace 1586 owner of Wellfield
1587 Richard Pace of Wapping Wall, a Carpenter 1608 married Isabell Smyth, St. Dunstan's, London, emigrated to Virginia ca. 1616
Of Richard Pace, of Wapping Wall, his marriage is in the Register of St. Dunstan's church: "Richard Pace of Wapping Wall Carpenter and Isabell Smyth of the same marryed the 5th day October 1608"
The description of Richard as a carpenter does not connect with someone with sufficient means to finance a 400-acre plantation in Virginia. Richard and Isabella were obviously of the gentry, not artisans. However, when migrations to America were beginning, members of the noble families became apprentices to the crafts, and great respect was paid to crafts and trades in medieval and early modern England.
In the Register of Marriages of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, England, Vol. I, 1563-1669, appears another marriage entry: "William Perry, Mariner, of Poplar, married Elizabeth Withers Nov. 30, 1618". William Perry is on record as coming to Virginia in 1611 in the "Marmaduke" and established Paces Paines with Richard Pace and others.
Following is abstracted from the Pace Society of America Bulletin:
Bulletin #3, March 1968: Richard Pace I
American Paces:
Richard and Isabella Pace came to Virginia between 1610 and 1616. There were "Ancient Planters", which means someone who was sent by the London Company to take up land in Virginia, each receiving 100 acres of land to inhabit.
It is likely that Richard and Isabella came to America with Sir Thomas Gates in 1611, along with two of Richard's friends, Capt. William Powell, and William Perry, who is on record as arriving in the "Marmaduke".
Richard and Isabella were not indentured servants, as these were not brought to Virginia until after 1616. They were certain to have been shareholders in the London (Virginia) Company, whose charter on May 23, 1609, "nominated as Planters those that goe there (to Virginia) in person to dwell themselves, and Adventurers who adventure their money and not go in person. And both do make the members of one Companie." The members of the company held joint stock in the corporation and hoped to make a profit in the new world after seven years. Profits would be taken in land, since profits on commodities failed to materialize.
Richard Pace was a competent leader, perhaps with some military experience and probably served the colony as an "Officer" as opposed to a "Laborer" or "Farmer", which were the three categories of population established by John Rolfe, then secretary of the colony.
The Pace's probably lived at Jamestown. Their plantation was directly across the river from Jamestown. It was situated on a high bluff above the unhealthy swamps. Richard and Isabella received their grants on December 5, 1620, after considerably delays. In an era when women did not usually own land, it might seem strange that Isabella received a grant. The answer to the enigma is that in one of the petitions of the First Assembly (of Burgesses) in 1619, is found this: "It is prayed that it be plainly expressed" that there be shares for wives "because that in a new plantation it is not known whether man or woman be the most necessary".
Richard took advantage of the new "headright" system, which provided that a planter could be granted 50 acres for every person whose passage to Virginia he paid, by bringing over 6 persons in the "Marmaduke" in August 1621, giving him an extra 300 acres.
Richard and several of his friends formed a "Particular Plantation", i.e., a group of colonists who took up land adjacent to each other to form a sub-colony in which their servants worked for the common good, and they shared responsibilities for defense. Richard's "Particular Plantation" was named Pace's Paines, and included Richard Pace, Thomas Gates, Francis Chapman, William Perry, and later, Richard Richards and Richard Dolphenby. Richard Pace was the Commander and William Perry was the military Captain. Richard Pace was the largest land holder, his and Isabella's holdings amounting to 600 acres, thus his name was used to identify the group. The term "Paines" is thought to be an old English term for acres or fields.
The home of Richard Pace was probably built of split logs made into clapboards, for this process was used by the early settlers; indeed, one of the first commodities sent back to England by the planters was clapboards.
Pace's Paines lands were cleared and planted in tobacco, which was selling at a good price. Tobacco became a currency used for buying and selling necessities. For example, the cost of transporting a wife to the colonies was "120 lbs tobacco".
Richard's character became evident during the crisis of the great Indian massacre, which took place on March 22, 1622. His kindness towards his Indian boy, Chanco, whom he had "used as a son" no doubt prompted the Indian boy to warn him of the impending massacre, Thus, Richard was able to place Paces Paines in a state of defense, and to row across the James river to warn the other settlers of the impending massacre, thus saving many lives and saving the colony from extinction. Still some 347 were killed.
[Several accounts of the massacre have been compiled by Freda Reid Turner in the book, History of the Pace Family, 1995, Wolfe Publishing of Roswell, GA, and distributed by the Pace Society of America.]
Following the massacre, a census, called "List of the Living" was taken, dated Feb. 16, 1623. The names of Richard and Isabella's were not listed in the census; however, there is an entry reading: "Richard Pearse and uxer (wife) who were then living "at the Neck of Land". This area was across the Back River from Jamestown, running north between Powhatan Creek and Mill Creek, so it is possible that this Richard Pearse was Richard Pace. Also, Richard's friend Thomas Gates, with his family, were living there. Neither was Richard and Isabella's son George Pace listed in the "List of the Living". Could he have been back in England attending school? He would have been about 13 years old at the time.
The year of 1622 brought another disaster besides Indian massacre. Overcrowded ships from England brought settlers and the plague, which killed over 500 people in Virginia.
Richard Pace died as a young man in his late 30's, before May 9, 1625, at which time Isabella Pace, now known as Mistress Perry, testified at a witchcraft trial. He may have died of the plague or was killed by Indians on one of the numerous raids against the Indians. He led a short life, but one which left a mark on history and founded one of the great families of America.