Scarlett Hancock is my 6th great-uncle. I’ve always been fascinated by his name and through my research found him to be a great-grandchild of William and Ann Green, and step-grandchild of Martin Scarlett, who married Ann Green after William’s death.
William and Ann Green’s daughter, Lettice, married Edward Smith. The couple had three children, Catherine, William and Edward. Catherine Smith married John Hancock and were the parents of Scarlett, George, Lettice and Susanna (my 5th great-grandmother) who married Moses Linton. Of the three children of Lettice Green and Edward Smith, I believe Catherine the only one who lived to adulthood.
I give the above information since several of the above names are within the body of this indenture.
John Tayloe purchased 337 1/2 acres from Scarlett Hancock for 150 lbs. In today’s money the amount would be 28,670 lbs.
One more tidbit. Notice the measurement of land is in perches. Originally an acre was considered to be forty perches long and four perches wide. This measurement is 660 feet long (or one furlong) and 66 feet wide. This was an approximation of the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day – a furlong being ‘a furrow long.’
Scarlett Hancock to John Tayloe
King George County Virginia
Deed Book 2 Pages 18-19
This Indenture made the twenty fifth day of March in the ninth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Goerge the Second by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith and Anno Domini 1736 between Scarlett Hancock of Prince William County, Gentleman, of the one part and John Tayloe, of the County of Richmond, Esquire, of the other part. Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful current money of Virginia to the said Scarlett Hancock in hand paid by the said John Tayloe, at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof the said Scarlett Hancock doth hereby acknowledge and there of and of every part thereof doth release, acquit and discharge the said John Tayloe, his Executors and Administrators for ever by these presents, he the said Scarlet Hancock hath granted, bargained, sold, aliened, revised, released and affirmed unto the said John Tayloe in his actual possession now, being by virtue of a bargain and sale to him thereof made for one whole year by interest bearing day the day next before the day of the date of these presents and by virtue of the statute for transferring uses into possession and to his heirs and assigns forever, all that part or parcel of land containing three hundred thirty seven and a half acres, situated, lying and being in the parish of Brunswick in the county of King George, upon Rappahannock River on the north side thereof, being his land whereon John Gilbert and William Fisking now lives and that was sold by Mr. John Fossaker to Col. George Mason of Stafford County be deeds bearing date the 28th day of March 1692 and by the said Mason sold and conveyed unto Martin Scarlett by deeds bearing date the first day of May 1694 and by the said Martin Scarlett given and devised by his last will bearing date the 5th of January 1705/6 unto William Smith, son of Edward and Lettice Smith and in lieu of the said William’s death before he attained majority of age to the heirs of the aforesaid Lettice Smith forever, who is the Scarlett Hancock’s party to those presents.
Bounded as followeth – beginning at an ash tree at the north of a branch by a great piece of sunken land upon the riverside, which toward Richard Shipney and extending into the woods by a line of marked tress N15 W712 perches to a stubbly red oak, thence W92 W51 perches by a white oak on the west side of a path leading to Parson Waugh’s then S10 degrees and a half east intersecting the said path continues by a line of trees 716 perches to a chestnut oak standing in the sunken land afterward which land divides the land hereby granted from the land of the aforesaid Thomas Fossakar and from the said chestnut oak 107 perches to the aforementioned ash tree, all houses, out houses, edifices, buildings, yards, gardens, orchards, woods, underwood, trees, ways, waters, watercourses, profits, amounts and appurtenances whatsoever to the said piece or parcel of land, hereby granted, released belonging or in anywise appertaining and the remainders, routes, issues, profits thereof and also all the estate, right, title, interest, use, trust, possession, benefit, proportion, claims and deeds evidenced by writings touching or in any wise routing the said provisions or any part thereof. To have and to hold said part or parts of land, hereby granted and released on motion and intended to be hereby granted and released with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said John Tayloe, his heirs and assigns forever and the said Scarlet Hancock, for himself, his heirs, Executors and Administrators doth document, promise, grant and agree to the within said John Tayloe, his heirs and assigns by these presents that he, the said Scarlet Hancock and his heirs, the aforesaid piece or parcel of land and promises hereby granted and released with their and every of these appurtenances unto the said John Tayloe, his heirs and assigns and all and every person and persons whatsoever shall and will warrant to defend b these presents. In witness whereof the said parties to these presents have interchangably set their hands and seals the day and year first written above.
Scarlett Hancock
Sealed and delivered in presence of us – Hugh Adie, Henry Elly, William Williams, John Dennis
Memorandum. The lease made to John Gilbert for his and his wife’s life, reserving warrant to William Fiskling for fourteen years paying rent are to have their full effect anything in this deed to the contrary or seeming to the contrary notwithstanding.
John Tayloe
Witness – Hugh Adie, Henry Elly, William Williams, John Dennis
Categories: Family Stories
