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These
genealogical materials have been compiled by Ann
Woodlief. Please email at awoodlief@yahoo.com if you wish to copy.
Information on the Martiau line, through Philip Smith, comes from Captain
Nicolas Martiau, 1591-1657 by Jonathan Kennon Smith, 1969.
Capt
Nicolas Martiau (1591, France-1657) & ? Elizabeth
Capt. Martiau [also
recorded as Marlier, Martue, Martin, Martian] was a French Huguenot (in
church of Threadneedle St.) from the Island of Ré. He was in the
service of Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon and member of the Virginia
Company, and educated as a military engineer. He was naturalized as an
Englishman by royal decree. He came to Jamestown aboard the "Francis Bona
Venture" in 1620, legally representing the Earl to plan fortifications.
He led a foray against the Indians at Falling Creek after the 1622 massacre.
He joined the liberal party committed to the Virginia outlook, pleading
for continuance of the House of Burgesses in 1623/4. He, with Captain
George Utie and Captain Samuel Mathews, was
responsible for sending the tyrant governor Harvey back to England.
There is some question
about his wives. His first wife was Elizabeth, last name and date of
death unknown. She was most likely the mother of Elizabeth (born 1625).
Jane was the widow of Lt. Edward Berkeley, who died in 1625; they had
a child named Jane. . After her death, Nicholas married Isabella, widow
of Robert Felgete & George Beech, in 1646.
Martiau's defense
of the French king in an argument with Capt. Thomas Mayhew forced him
to take a loyalty oath in Jamestown in 1627. He was granted 600 acres
as Chiskiack, which became Yorktown (in 1644, the Cheskiack Indians
were moved to the Pianketank, where they would be forced out by Augustine
Warner; the tribe seems to have vanished at that point.) He served as
Burgess 1632-33, and Justice for York Co. 1633-57. "He, with George
Utie and Captain Samuel Matthews, sent the tyrant governor, Harvey,
close prisoner back to England." Harvey returned, bringing George Reade--Martiau’s
future son-in-law--with him, but he was forced back to England again,
leaving Reade as Acting Governor. Martiau moved to the present Yorktown
site in 1630 on 600 acres, plus 700 for headrights, where he grew tobacco.
On this land Cornwallis surrendered his troops to Martiau's great-great-great-grandson,
General George Washington in 1781. Martiau later was granted 2000 acres
on the south side of the Potomac River, which he gave to Col. George
Reade in 1657. [See
John Baer Stoudt, Nicolas Martiau, The Adventurous Huguenot, The
Military Engineers, and the Earliest American Ancestor of George Washington.]
Children:
Elizabeth,
m. George Reade
Nicholas Jr
(died in childhood)
Mary, m. Col.
John Scarsbrook
Sarah, m.
William Fuller, Puritan governor of Maryland
Will
of Nicholas Martiau, March 1656.
In the name of God
Amen. I Nicholas Martiau, of the County and Parrish of York gent. being
very sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memorie blessed
be god Doe make ordained constitute and appoint this my last Will &
Testament in manner and forme followeing Revoaking annulling & disclaimeing
all & all manner of former & other Will or Wills written or nuncupative
all codicils lagacyes & bequeaths whatsoever by me att any time before
the ensealing of this my last will made signed & sealed or otherwise
by word of mouth or made & delivered; And appoint this only to stand
& be my last Will and Testament, as followeth: ffirst I bequeath my
Soule unto the hand of God my maker hopeing & assuredly believeing that
when this life shall end I shall through the meritts of Jesus Chrst
my Redeemer to injoy everlasting Rest and happiness. And my body to
the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried.
Item for that
Estate which almighty God hath been pleased to lend me in this world
I hereby bequeath & dispose thereof in manner and forme following:
Item I give and bequeath to my Eldest Daughter Elizabeth wife of George
Read Esq & the heires of her body begotten or to be begotten forever
all that my Divydent of land scituate lying and being in the sd. Parrish
and county of York (Except as hereunder excepted) with all houses
and appurtenances.
Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Mary Scarsbrook, wife of
John Scarsbrook soe much of my sd. Divydent of Land in York Parrish
as is scituate and lying beyond the Swamp (vitz) on the Southward
side of that Swamp called commonly Broccas Swamp upon part of which
the said John is now seated to be held by the sd. Mary and her heirs
lawfully begotten & to be begotten forever with appurtenances.
Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Read & her heries
forever my old mare wth. her whole increase male and female to her
and her heires Except the first mare foal shee shall bring after my
decease which I hereby give & bequeath wth. the whole increase thereof
to my Daughter Sarah wife of Capt. ffuller & her heires forever. Item
I give and bequeath to my loveing Daughter Mary Scarsbrook & her heires
forever the mare ffoale now runeing wht. my mare wth. whole Increase
male & female.
Item I give and bequeath to my loveing Daughter Elizabeth Read my
Watch. Item I give to my said Daughter Elizabeth Read her heires my
Grey Gelding but my sonn John Scarsbrook to make use of him for his
occasions. Two years after my decease when he shall desyre the same.
Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah ffuler wife of Capt.
William Ffuller above named and for her heires forever all that my
Divydent of land lying in Potomack and contying two Thousand Acres
But in case itt shall not be seated by some of them (vitz.) Capt.
ffuller or his said wife or heires att least one month before expiration
of time limitted by the Pattent for seating then the same to be made
Sale of Executrix as hereunder named & the produce thereof to be equally
dyvyded betweene my said three loveing Daughters for the good of them
and their children.
Item My Will is that within one yeare after my decease all cattle
now in my possession marked wth. my Daughter ffulers mark shall be
delivered for the good of her and her children & I doe also give and
bequeath to her and her heires forever Tenn cowes more out of my Stock
or to be gought out of my Estate with their whole increase male and
female and also a bull to be delivered within a yeare as above said.
Item I give to my loveing sonn, George Read, Esq. all my weareing
apparel except my stuff suite and coate and new Dimity caster which
I hereby bequeath to my Sonn John Scarsbrook and alsoe will that ffive
pounds ready money now lying by me to be equally divyded between my
said Two son in lawes.
Item my will that at finishing the next crop after my Debts are satisfied
my Two Negroes Phill & Nicholas shall be free and that each of them
have them delivered by my Executxes, one Cow and Three Barrells of
Corne, cloathes, & also nayles to build them a house but they or either
of them shall hire themselves after their said ffredom or before or
shall remove from the land hereunder appointed them then they or he
soe doeing to returne to my executrixes for the good of them and their
Children And my Will is that they have land sufficent for themselves
to plant in the ffeild where William Leigh lived for their lives of
the life of the longer Liver of them.
Item I give and bequeath to my above named Two loveing Daughters Elizabeth
Read and Mary Scarsbrook for the good of themselves & their Children
All the rest of my Estate whatsoever in Virginia or elsewhere to be
equally divyded betweene thembut this divysyon not to be made untill
all my Debts & Legacyes be satisfied which said severall Debts are
to be paid out of the part of my Estate as is given to my said Two
daughters & their Children without any Charges to my Daughter Sarah
or her heires.
Item lastly I doe by these presents, nominated & appointed & confirmed
my two beloved Daughters Elizabeth and Mary joynt Executrixes of this
my last Will & testament to see the same performed and kept And in
confirmacon of this my last Will & Testament & of every matter course
& thing therein conteyned I have hereto sett my hand and Seale this
first day of March One Thousand Six hundred and fifty Six.
Nicholas Martiau
A
commemorative granite shaft and plaque stands at the site of the old
Martiau home-place on Ballard Street at Yorktown. There is a Nicolas
Martiau Descendant Association.
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