Veazey
of Sassafras Neck, Cecil County, Maryland
Index for Ward and Associated Families of Sassafras Neck, Cecil County, Maryland
Note: I will be using the numbering for the Veazey family that is taken from the book "Descendants of John Veazey" by Ann Veazey Davis. Please see the Veazey/Veasey website for more information on the Veazey family! She has nearly 25,000 names in her database, beginning with the first John Veazey, down to new babies born within the past week.
Vesey of "Wickes", Essex, England Arms: Ermine, on a cross sable fine Martletts Crest: An arm emboxed and couped at the at the shoulder, erect from the elbow, vested gules, cuffed ermine, in the hand proper fine leaves slipped vert. Translating the heraldic terms the arms may be described as an ermine shield having on it a black cross on which are five gold colored martletts. This device was undoubtedly used by those who from tradition and from such records as remain from the troublous time of the Stewarts, were the ancestors of some of the New England Veazeys and of the John Veazeys of Cecil County. Those arms are of sufficient traditional and family interest for the descendants of John Veazey to justify the use of them by those in the male line of descent and the quartering of them by those in the female line and it is the judgment of Duncan Veazey that those who shall so use them as a family device may feel sure that they are using the same device that their ancestors bore. This family, like others with some claim to antiquity from an American standpoint, has its own traditions and stories. One, which is of importance because it refers to the most remote starting point of family history, is the tradition that the progenitor of the Veazey family of Cecil County was a member of an English family of ancient Norman origin. This tradition has often been repeated by elder members of the family whose only source of information on the subject was the narratives of their forefathers. It is also noteworthy because the surname itself is of undoubted Norman, or French, word Vesce, a circumstance observed by Duncan Veazey in examining old English records. It is understood from various sources of authority, noted in Duncan Veazey's original notes, that in ancient times a certain plant somewhat like a pea vine and called in French, Vesce, in English Vetch or Fare, was extensively grown in Normandy for use as fodder for cattle. In time certain lands took from the Vesce, the name of Vesey, Vesce or Vassy. At least one of these bore as a device a cross made from the entwined branches of the vine of the Vesce. The Vesey cross was carved in many places at Alnwick Castle. Robert, brother of Ivo(?), had many grants of land from William the Conqueror and it is supposed that his grandchildren took the name of some of the estates. This is not certain however. It is found that in Suffolk County England, many years later, there lived a Robert Vesy, or Vesey, of Hadley who bore as his arms the same cross of the early Veseys or Vesceys or Veazies(?). This Robert of Hadley died in 1501 and had a son William Vesy of Hintlesham, Suffolk (also referred to as Veysey and Vescey). Hintlesham, or as it is styled, the Manor and Priory of Hintlesham were sold to William Veysey in 1545 by a Thomas Veysey who does not appear elsewhere. In 1540 the said Manor had been granted to Thomas Veysey in the reign of Henry VIII at the time of the dissolution of many religious houses. This estate of Hintlesham passed to William's son William and thence to the time of Charles II when the heir fled to France. In 1804 the last proprietor, Thomas, devised the place to a stranger, William, who was First of Hintlesham, had also a son Robert and on January 26, 1561, the Manor of "Wickes Abbey" was sold to William and Robert Veysey or Vescey. William died July 4, 1579 and Robert who had been joint grantor with his father then became Robert Vesy or Vesey of "Wickes Abbey", Essex, as appears by the Herald's Visitation of 1664. The line thus runs from Robert of Hadley, Suffolk, died 1501; then his son William, who was First of Hintlesham, Suffolk, who was born probably about 1500 and died July 4, 1577, having married Joan Cutler, and had several children; then the younger son of William who became Robert of "Wickes Abbey" Essex and married Jane Cardinall of Bromley. It is interesting to note that the "Hintlesham" and "Wickes Abbey" families bore as arms the ancient cross of the Veazies with five martletts on the cross, which indicated their descent from the fifth son or fourth Junior of a more important house or family and indicating again the connection with the early Normans. Robert of Wickes Abbey had a son known as William Vesy of Bedingham, Norfolk,
who married Mary Bedingfield. He was living in 1634 and had four sons: It is in this generation that the first intimations concerning America is
found. On Nov. 6, 1622, two shares in the Virginia Company were transferred to
William Vesy. The Virginia Company was short lived and has but little interest
but it is possible that the two shares were bought by William of Bedingham or
his son William of "Wickes Park", both of whom were living as late as
1634. William of "Wickes Park" married Grizzel Brown of Beacles; and
Thomas of "Weeks" married Martha Hovell or Howell. William had two
sons, William who was about 15 years of age in 1634 and Thomas. Thomas of
"Weeks" had a son Robert who signed the Herald's Visitation of 1664 as
Robert of "Weeks" indicating that his father was then deceased. the
place was sold, apparently about this time but
Duncan Veazey did not have the date. Duncan Veazey, had all these matters examined by a genealogist in London and
found that in the times of the Parliament of the days of Charles the First the
Veseys of Hintlesham and Wickes were in much commotion. It is also apparent that
the Wickes family was not wealthy, probably barely comfortable. A home built it
is supposed from the ruins of "Wickes Abbey" stood something more than
fifty years ago near the site of the Abbey of which not a stone remains. The
sons of William of Bedingham apparently died in England but I find that Robert
Veazey was at Watertown, Mass. in the early days; George Veazey was at Dover,
New Hampshire in 1650. A Vesy or Veazey was at Pascotaqua in 1632. William Vesy, or Veazey, was at Braintree, Mass. (now Quincy) in 1646 and he
died in 1681 in his sixty-third or 65 year. This William corresponds almost
exactly with William Vesy, son of William of Wickes Park, who was about 15 years
of age in 1634. He married Eleanor Thompson, daughter of William and Abigail
Thompson and had at least three sons: From one of these it is understood came Rev. William Vesey the first Rector
of Trinity Church New York. In his will the Rev. William Vesey refers to his
brothers John and Benjamin, and sisters Eleanor, Mary and Hannah. William and
Eleanor also had daughters named Hannah, Abigail, Greenleaf, and Ellen. The Rev.
William Vesey also referred to them as of Bramtry. The name Braintree is of some special interest in view of the numerous
instances in which the names of the counties in England were used in New
England, showing that many settlers must have emigrated from the neighborhood of
Wickes Abbey. There is a market town in Essex County, England, called Braintree
from which the New England town where William Veazey lived and died undoubtedly
took its name. The founder of the Veazey family of Sassafras Neck was John Veazey, Vasey or
Vesey. On April 1, 1687, he purchased a tract of land in the southern portion of
Cecil County, Maryland, on the eastern side of the Elk River and on the south
side of the Bohemia River near the point where the Bohemia empties into the Elk.
The tract being part of a neck of land which was afterwards known as "Veazey's
Neck" and part of that general section of the county known as
"Sassafras" or "Sassafras Neck", the southern boundary of
which is the Sassafras river. This tract of land became a homestead in the
family of the name of "Cherry Grove" and has descended in the family
to the present day, being in 1907 the property of Thomas Veazey Craycroft of Philadelphia. The date of this purchase, 1687, has been taken always as the date
of John Veazey's permanent settlement in the County but it is believed that he
had been living in the same section for a much longer period. It is supposed
that his wife Martha was a daughter of William Brocas (Broccas, corrected to
Brockus) for whom the tract of land called "Essex Lodge" was surveyed
in 1672. His marriage took place about the time this tract was patented and it
is thought that the name "Essex Lodge" was taken for the tract in
memory of the home county in England, since William Broccas had no known
connection with Essex, was an old settler probably in Virginia and his name is
very rare and of Scotch origin, while the Vesey's of Wickes had been resident
there at least since 1561. A William Broccas had a vineyard in Virginia in early times and is described as a great traveler and either the same or one of the same name was in the County in Virginia. there was an attempt to transfer "Essex Lodge" to a George Broccas, but evidently it was not carried out as in 1707 John's third son, Edward was in possession of it. At the time John purchased the place afterwards called "Cherry
Grove", that is April 1, 1687, he was about forty years of age and his eldest son William was something more than fifteen years old. The family seems to have then consisted of his wife Martha and his five sons. An old memorandum seemed to refer to a brother William and the writer of these notes, Duncan Veazey, has stated that John was accompanied by a brother William who either died unmarried or removed to some other place. The accuracy of that memorandum is doubted and it is probable that John was not accompanied by such a person. In a
paper in the form of a will, 1698, which was never proved in court, the original of which was in the possession of Mrs. S. E. Wills, and a copy of which Duncan Veazey made and now (1907) has, he devised certain tracts of land to his sons William, George, Edward, James and Robert and a life estate to his wife Martha in his "non (or now) dwelling plantation". John Veazey was younger than William Vesy or Veazey of Braintree who is taken to be William, son of William of "Wickes Park" and he was also younger than Robert of "Weeks" who signed the Visitation of 1664 and was then probably 30 years of age, or rather less. He was however contemporary with them and it is interesting to note the circumstance that the Christian names of all the Veazeys or Veseys have been repeated regularly generation after generation. Thus the first Robert of Hadly had a son William of Hintlesham (bought from Thomas), William had three sons:
There was also a tradition often repeated to Duncan Veazey that it had been always understood that our forefathers had been on the side of the King in the days of Parliament and Cromwell. John of Cecil Co. was born about 1647 and was a mere baby when King Charles I was executed in 1649, but the problems living in England lasted in fact until William the third had become firmly seated. After examining the records and accounts of a number of families, Duncan Veazey found nothing to indicate any connection excepting this family of Hintlesham and Wickes. They were not large families and in the case of the Wickes family it seems most probable that the circumstances were for him prosperous. The sale of the last of the Abbey property about the time of the settlement, and the disappearance of the family from Essex about the time our forefathers settled here using the same family names are circumstances of exceeding great interest. There is almost no doubt that John of Cecil was derived from Robert of Wickes and after examining many papers and records and reports, Duncan Veazey was so fully persuaded that he had ceased to question this line of descent and in fact claimed it as his own. Whatever interest may be taken in the foregoing notes, traditions, and conclusions, it is indisputable that John Veazey became a freeholder and settled in Cecil County not later than 1687. When he purchased the tract included in Cherry Grove. His family then consented to his wife Martha and his five sons, William, George, Edward, James and Robert. The Cecil County Veazeys have descended from these fine sons, those who remained permanently in Sassafras Neck, in the old Parish of North Sassafras or Saint Stephen's being descended from Edward, the third son. These notes are taken from those prepared a number of years ago (1890s) to preserve the record of the family so far as was then possible. No one of the name of Veazey, Ward or Knight now lives in Sassafras Neck in the year 1907. For more than two hundred years these families were resided there and made an important and at times a controlling factor in its life. Last Updated: February 25, 2002.
Two representatives of this family named Ivo (?) (John) and Robert DeVeazie (or DeVesce the name being spelled in different ways) accompanied William the Conqueror to England. Ivo(?) had a great castle and the Barony of Alnwick (pronounced Annick) and from him descended some distinguished men. The late John Vesey, Viscount DeVesce, an Irish peer claimed descent from him but otherwise his family seems to be extinct. Of this Duncan Veazey can not be perfectly sure.
Then Robert of Wickes had an only son William. William had four sons:
Of the latter William had two sons,
The last William is William of Braintree and married Eleanor Thompson. His children, excepting William, have the New England characteristics. Comparing these with John Veazey of Cecil County, it is perhaps only a coincidence that his wife was named Martha and that Thomas of Weeks who was also Martha but it is not impossible that they were related. It is noteworthy however to take the sons of John and Martha, whose names were William, George, Edward, James and Robert - William's wife was Rosamund, a name found among the descendants of Ivo DeVeazie. George had two daughters, Elizabeth and Eleanor, the latter the same as the wife of William of Braintree. Edward had an only son John. James had children, Martha, Thomas, Edward, Elizabeth and Mary and James. Robert had children, John, Mary and Eleanor, again using the unusual name of the wife of William of Braintree. Duncan Veazey believed that the use of the same names is not a coincidence. That John of Cecil had sons William and Robert; and two granddaughters named Eleanor leads almost irresistibly to the conclusion that John was nearly related to William of Braintree and to Robert of Weeks and that all were descended from William of Bedingham and thence from Robert of Wickes. The circumstances of the name of the homestead of "Essex Lodge" is interesting in this view. Consideration is also given to the conclusion of Mr. John Matthews of London that John emigrated from Essex, which was independent of that of Duncan Veazey.