James City
The earliest certain record of George Marable, the immigrant, yet discovered
is his19 July 1659 bond for the good behavior of William Jennyngs pending
the next court in Surry Co (from which comes the autograph signature, above).
Next, in 1663, George Marable patented the one-half acre plot of land on
the James River in Jamestown where he was then already living: |
| GEO. MAR[A]BLE, 1/2 ac. in James Citty, 25 Feb. 1663, p. 291 (253).
Beg. at high water marke neere the Mulberry, then betweene sd. Mulbury
& sd. Mar[a]bles now dwelling house N. E. & N. 5-5/7 chains to
cor. stake within the Garden, S. E. by E. 3 1/2 chs. to corner Locust stake
in the paled fence, then S. W. by S. 5 5/7 chs. to the River & then
N. W. by W. 3 1/2 chs. to beg. Granted to Thomas Woodhouse 17 Oct. 1655,
sold by him to Ann Talbot 1 Sept. 1657 & purchased by sd. George of
the heirs of sd. Ann. |
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| This map shows the approximate location of the half-acre of land and
dwelling house in James Citty patented by George Marable in 1663. Also
shown is the house (1687) of Henry Hartwell, Esq., brother of William Hartwell
and uncle of Mary Hartwell Marable. |
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Henry Hartwell was Clerk of the Council (1672), Burgess for James City
(1677), member of the Council (1692) and a founding trustee of the College
of William and Mary (1693). His 1697 report to the Lords Commissioners
of Trade and Plantations, co-authored with James Blair and Edward Chilton,
was published in London in 1727 for the benefit of the College under the
title The Present State of Virginia, and the College and has been
reprinted by The University Press of Virginia.
The half-acre plot on the James River was sold by the immigrant's son
to his friend William Sherwood in 1696:
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| George Marable of the pish of James Citty Gent., son and heir of
George Marable late of the said pish dec'd. . . . sold . . . William Sherwood
. . . Land . . . James Citty, 1/2 Acre, on which a brick house formerly
stood and wherein my said father George Marable lived abutting on and Joyneing
Easterly to the brick house and land now in possession of Joh Everett [Jarrett]
belonging to Micajah Peary and Company Merchants in London on the ruins
of the brick house & half Acre of land belonging to Philip Ludwell
Esq. Southerly on James River & Northerly towards the howse & lands
belonging to John Harris Taylor . . . 12 Nov. 1696
Wit.: James Omoonees; John Harris
Signed & probably sealed. Geo: Marable.
Memorand;M that I Mary, the wife of . . . George Marable . . . relinquinshment
of right of dower & P/A to Mr. Dionisius Wright to Acknowledge relinquishment.
Wit.: Ralph Bee
Signed & once sealed. Mary Marable
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In 1699, one of the last patents issued within James Citty, contains this
humorous reference to the bounds of the Marable land: |
| THOMAS WELLS, 34 perches in James City; from Capt. Marable's
bounds on James River, along his land & through his Kitchen;
to S. side of the Mill Roade; neare the Cross Roade, &c; 26 Oct. 1699,
p. 232. Trans. of 1 pers. |
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At about this time the capitol was moved form James Citty to Williamsburg.
Captain Marable, with many other prominent citizens formerly of the town,
was already living outside Jamestowne Island at the Pasbyhayes. When he
went to the House of Burgesses following his election in 1700, he went
to Williamsburg, where he represented James City County until 1720.
However, the Marable land in old James Citty, was occupied by William
Marable, son of Captain (by then Major) George Marable, as late as 1710.
(Tyler, The Cradle of the Republic (Richmond 1906), p. 264.) |
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