History of Popes Creek (Virginia)
Popes Creek is a small tidal tributary stream of the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
The following variant names for the creek have been listed: A patent for 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) was issued on February 24, 1643, to Edward Murfey and John Vaughan.
Governor Berkeley's treaty of peace after the end of the 1646 War with Opechancanough prohibited all emigration to the north side of the Rappahannock River.
The Henry Brooks patent of 1657 (reissued in 1662), included 1,020 acres (4.1 km2) bounded: "on the northwest side to a marked corner hickory with a creeke [unnamed Bridges] that divideth this land and the land now in possession of Daniel Lisson on the northeast side with potomack river on the southeast side with the Creeke [unnamed Popes] dividing this land from the land of Colo. Nathaniel Pope to a marked red oake on the southwest thence with a line of marked trees running west and northwest 60 poles northwest half a point more westerly 310 poles and west northwest somewhat more westerly 140 poles to the aforementioned hiccory and place."
Governor Leonard Calvert sent Pope as his agent to Kent Island in 1647, where he attempted, to persuade the rebels against the Proprietary there to come and live at Mattox Neck until they should become strong enough to seize the land again.
[4][5] After removing from Maryland, Nathaniel Pope, in 1651, patented 1,050 acres (4.2 km2) in Old Northumberland between two large creeks; one would bear his name.
At Mattox Creek he built dwellings, warehouses, and docks for the merchant trade with England including the port of Bristol.
He settled the argument between John Washington and shipping partner Edward Prescott by paying off the senior officer in Beaver skins at eight shillings per pound.
This Nathaniel, appeared in the county's records for the first time in 1704 when he married the daughter of a Westmoreland Justice of the Peace, William Peirce (pronounced purse).
In 1716, Joanna and son Richard Pope sold the Clifts, including what was referred to in the deed as "the manner house erected on the second"; to Thomas Lee.
Even as the Popes and Washingtons had circulated among the members of Westmoreland County's political gentry, Lee's family had made their name known throughout the colony of Virginia for two generations.
[15] At least two progenitors of future Presidents of the United States, John Washington and Andrew Monroe, lived in this area during the 17th century.
Both became involved in a legal dispute in 1664 between Richard Cole and David Anderson in which "Major Washington [now a member of the Westmoreland Court] did not sitt or vote in this order."
The aforementioned will of John Washington who died in 1677 gave four thousand weight of tobacco to the rector of the church with orders that a tablet of the Ten Commandments be set up as his memorial stone.
The first stake inland of the Berry survey in 1742 to clarify land lines on Popes Creek was reportedly in the adjacent cornfield of John Muse.
The personal estate thereunto belonging, consisting of considerable stocks of horses, cattle, hogs, and sheep; likewise all the household and kitchen furniture.
Twelve months credit will be allowed, on giving bond, with approved security, to Burdit Ashton, executor.
According to family tradition, Mrs. Washington's son, "Colo. W. Aug W. ...was living at the birthplace in 1779 that on Christmas Day he had a company of neighbors and he with others returning from a ride at midday was first to discover the roof in a blaze, that the contents of the house were for the most part saved, a severe frost prevailing at the time enabled him to haul the furniture with oxen across Popes Creek on the ice to be sheltered in a house on Smiths Hill then owned by Daniel Macarty; and that the supposition as to the origin of the fire was that a spark from the chimney had blown through the garret window to a pile of cotton in the seed drying in the garret."
Wakefield was never rebuilt and in William Augustine's will of July 12, 1810, the property was described as "the Burnt house plantation and the Islands and Marsh in the Creek belonging to me.
McCarty's Plantation, on Popes Creek, in Westmoreland County, a servant man belonging to me [Augustine Washington], the Subscriber, in Prince William County; his Christian name is John, but Sir-name forgot, is pretty tall, a Bricklayer by Trade, and is a Kentishman; he came into Potomack, in the Forward, Capt.
"[22] According to Afro-American genealogist Anita Wills, Mary and Patty, mother and daughter, were a family of Mulattoes who served 30 year indentures under the laws of Colonial Virginia.
"[24] Friends of Popes Creek Plantation Col. Nicholas Spencer, member of the House of Burgesses, Secretary and President of the Council and later acting Governor (1683–1684) of the Virginia colony, was the first settler of the name in Westmoreland County.
"[26] The property eventually came into the possession of Robert Carter III, who over time manumitted many of the slaves thereon, despite the fervent opposition of slave-holding neighbors.
Nicholas Minor 33 shillings gold for rings; wife and son Humphrey exrs; to children horses, cattle, household goods.
[33] To godson John Jones a suit of clothes and a hat; Mrs. Jane Pope a reading glass; wife Elizabeth residue of estate.
The land comprising the Popes Creek plantation was sold by the Washington family on October 13, 1813, but returned in a sense in 1867 when John E. Wilson who married Betty, the granddaughter of William Augustine, took possession.
St. Clair's investigations and survey of a proposed memorial site in 1882 was an effort to secure the "entire neck of land bounded by Pope's Creek on two sides and a marsh on the third side" – 11 acres (45,000 m2) and a 100-foot (30 m) right-of-way "to Bridge Creek Landing," including the "Burying Ground and Potomac River beyond."
