Descendants of RICHARD PACE I
Generation No. 1
1. RICHARD1 PACE I was born 1586 in Wapping, Middlesex, England, and died 1623 in Pace's Paines, Surry, VA. He married ISABELLA SMYTH October 05, 1608 in St. Dunstan Church, Stepney, England. She was born 1589 in Stepney, England, and died August 26, 1629 in Charles City Co., VA.
OCCUPATION: Perhaps a ship's carpenter
Notes for RICHARD PACE I:
Book by John Camden Hotten, " The Original Lists, Persons of Quality, Emmigrants, etc... Who Went From Great Britain to the American Plantations 1600-1700 etc..." states "Richard Pace carpenter of Wapping, Middlesex October 1608 when he married Isabell Smyth at St. Dustan's Church" - pg 470-474. ***********************************************************Richard and Isabella (Smythe) Pace: A brief summary of their story [taken from Pace Network Homepage]
The first Paces in America were Richard Pace and his wife Isabell (or Isabella) (Smythe). The first definite record is of their marriage in Stepney, then a suburb on the eastern side of London, 5 October 1608. He and Isabella were both from Wapping, another suburb. His occupation is listed as "carpenter." Since this area east of London was a center of ship building, he could have been a ship's carpenter. Both Wapping and Stepney are now part of Greater London.
The first record we have in America is in 1620 when Richard and Isabell received grants of 100 acres each. The original patents do not exist, but Isabella's renewal of her patent in 1628, when she was married to William Perry, states that she received the land as an "Ancient Planter". Their son George Pace also renewed his father's patent in that year, and his patent states that his father Richard received 100 acres based on "personal adventure", or in other words, for coming here himself. These documents would suggest that the Paces were here before Thomas Gates' departure in 1616, as that was the requirement set forth in the "Greate Charter" of 1618.
However, Bruce Howard believes they did not arrive until 1618 or 1619.
The land was located four miles from Jamestown and across the river on the south side. Richard named his estate Pace's Paines and the area grew into a community of plantations, all of which went by the name of Pace's Paines.
On March 22, 1622, the famous Indian massacre occurred. An Indian boy, Chanco, a servant of William Perry, was living in the Pace household. Because Richard had treated him kindly and "used him as a sonne", he warned Richard of the impending attack. Richard secured Pace's Paines and left it in a state of defense then rowed across the James River with his wife, his young son George, and Chanco to warn the colony. Because of his deed the colony was saved. *****************************************************************************
[Following text taken from the Jamestown Society Homepage] The night preceding the Massacre of 1622, Chanco, a Christian convert in the employ of Richard Pace, revealed to Mr. Pace the terrible scheme to kill the English colonists in Virginia. After securing the defenses of Paces, Pains on the south shore of the James river, Mr. pace hastily rowed in a canoe across the river to Jamestowne to notify the Governor and all others within the fortification of the imminent attack. When the Indians finally struck, they did so simultaneously on both sides of the James from the present sites of Richmond to Newport News. Among the 347 souls massacred were six members of the Council and many of the oldest and most experienced colonist. Who converted the brave Chanco? Probably the Rev. Mr. Buck
CHANCO'S WARNING
Evidently, Mr. Pace did not reveal Chanco's heroic deed to the Indians, for the vicious king surely would have put him to a slow and painful death. Chanco's own brother took part in the Massacre, yet even he was unaware of Chanco's warning. For some years following that dreadful Good Friday, Chanco continued to take messages from Opechancanough to the Governor and the Council and from those officials to Chief Opechancanough. We read from a letter dated 4 April 1623, from the Governor and Council to the Company (in London), " The great king sends Chanco ( a person that revealed the plot to divers the day of the massacre & so served them)"… Without the warning of Chanco, all the English likely would have been slain and the colony lost forever, as was Raleigh's colony at Roanoke. **********************************************************************
A record of May 9, 1625, shows Isabell as Mrs. William Perry, so Richard died before then and she married his good friend and neighbor. Captain William Perry died in 1637 and there is no further record of Isabell after that.
Records on Richard and Isabell
The Marriage Reg. of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, County of Middlesex, England. Specific wording of the marriage register, from Pace Society Bulletin No. 13, September, 1970:
" Richard Pace of Wapping Wall Carpenter and Isabell Smyth of the same marryed the 5th day October 1608"
Note that Wapping Wall is specified, not just Wapping. Wapping Wall is a short street at the east end of Wapping High Street, connecting the village of Wapping with the village of Shadwell. In Richard's time, it was on an actual wall which protected the residents behind it from the Thames, which was a wilder and wider river in those days. The Prospect of Whitby pub, oldest riverfront tavern in London, is at 57 Wapping Wall. It was called Devil's Tavern in Richard's day and was a sailor's hangout *********************************************************************** In the volume EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER, p. 3 Izabella Perry, wife of William Perry, Gent., 200 acs. within the Corp. of James City, 20 Sept 1628, p. 62. At the S. side of the plantation called Paces Paine granted to herselfe and her late husband Richard Pace 5 Dec. 1620. W. on land of John Burrowes now in the tenure of John Smith, E. to land granted to her son George Pace, and N. on the maine river. 100 acs. for her owne per. adj., being an Ancient planter and the other 100 acs. as the devdt of Francis Chapman, having been granted to him 5 Dec 1620 and by him made over to Richard Richards and Richard Dolphenyby and by them mad over the said Izabella at a Court at James City 21 jan. 1621. beneath this:
Georg Pace, sonn and heire apparent to Richard Pace, dec'd., 400 acs. within the Corp of James Citty, 1 Sept. 1628, p. 64 ********************************************************************
Who were the ancestors of Richard and Isabella? They have not been discovered for certain, but Leatha Betts offers the following possibilities:
For Isabella--here's a possibility:
ENGLISH ADVENTURERS AND EMIGRANTS, 1609-1660 by Peter Wilson Coldham, Publ. Baltimore, 1984 p. 21, Wife of William Perry, Izabell (Widow of Richard Pace) 26 Aug 1629 mentions she is aged 40. (Amended land patent date 26 Aug 1627.)
Therefore, she would have been born between September 1588 and August, 1589, if this is an exact age.
Pub. Registers of England Christening Isabell Smyth, father John Smyth, St. Clement Danes, Westminster, London, England 4 May 1587.
According to the birth date, this would make her 42 in 1629, which is pretty close.
Folks didn't always give their exact date. The parish of St. Clement Danes is on the west side of London, near Westminster (see map) probably no more than 3 miles from Wapping.
For Richard--here's a Richard Pace about the right age, but no proof it is the same one:
Par Registers of England, Christenings, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey, England 24 Aug 1580, father Richard Pace.
Leatha doesn't say, but the baby was obviously a Richard Pace also and is a candidate for being "our" Richard. This would make him 7 years older than Isabell if she is Isabell of St. Clement Danes.
More About RICHARD PACE I:
Occupation: CarpenterChild of RICHARD PACE and ISABELLA SMYTH is:
2. i. GEORGE2 PACE, b. 1609, England; d. 1665, Charles City Co., VA.*************************************************************************
Book by John Camden Hotten, " The Original Lists, Persons of Quality, Emmigrants, etc... Who Went From Great Britain to the American Plantations 1600-1700 etc..." states "Richard Pace carpenter of Wapping, Middlesex October 1608 when he married Isabell Smyth at St. Dustan's Church" - pg 470-474. *************************************************************************