Jacob Payne (ca. 1765-1803) 

No records document Jacob Payne’s birth. The 1800 U.S. census indicates that he was born between 1755 and 1773.[1]The year 1765 is an educated guess. 

During this generation, the surname spelling shifted from “Paine” or “Pain” to the increasingly popular spelling “Payne.” 

Jacob’s Wife and Children

On January 8, 1799, Jacob married Elizabeth Payne, listed as Betsey Payne in the marriage records.[2] This was most likely the daughter of John Payne and Elizabeth Porter, making Jacob and Elizabeth first cousins. John Payne referred to a daughter named Betsey Payne in his 1804 will,[3] and there is no evidence of her marrying any other man. 

Records indicate that Jacob and Elizabeth had two sons, Jacob and John. On August 17, 1804, Elizabeth filed guardian bonds for John and Jacob Payne, noted by the court as the sons of Jacob Payne deceased.[4] In her 1838 will, Elizabeth bequeathed items to her son Jacob.[5] Since Elizabeth did not mention her son John in her will, he probably died before that date. 

Jacob’s Livelihood

Jacob appears to have been a self-sufficient middle-class farmer. He inherited a plantation from his father, along with a small gun and one-fifth of the remainder of his father’s modest estate.[6] In 1792, Jacob’s uncle Moses bequeathed him a three-year-old enslaved boy.[7] This may be the same enslaved person who appeared in the 1800 census in Jacob’s household.[8]

On November 24, 1798, Jacob purchased a parcel of land called Old Berry for 5 shillings from his mother Tabitha and his stepfather, John Chaille.[9] The land was located on the road leading from Mattapony Landing to the seaside.

Jacob appeared in the 1800 U.S. census living in Mattapony Hundred. Mattapony means "landing place" or "river of high banks" in the Algonquian language. Following American independence, Maryland's hundreds were converted into election districts, and Mattapony became the Sandy Hill, later the Stockton, election district. Mattapony Hundred's original borders were the Pocomoke River to the west and northwest, Corker's Creek to the northeast, Chincoteague Bay to the east, and Accomack County, Virginia, to the south. During the colonial period, Mattapony Hundred was divided by the creation of Pitts Creek Hundred, which was formed from its western third.[10]

In addition to farming, Jacob may have been a shoemaker like his ancestors since the sale of his estate after his death included shoemaker’s awls and shoe leathers.[11]

Jacob’s Death

Jacob died presumably in late 1802 or early 1803 and did not leave a will. His estate paid Dr. Edward Round $4.93 for medical services so an illness likely caused his death. A final accounting after Jacob’s death lists a net balance of $205.65 after the estate sale, collection of debts owed to Jacob, and the payment of debts and fees owed by his estate.[12]

Footnotes

[1] "United States, Census, 1800", FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRC-23H, Entry for Jacob Payne, 1800.

[2] Marriage Licenses of Worcester Co., MD, 1795-1865, p. 226 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BJ-N3FS-8.

[3] Maryland, Worcester. Wills, Liber J.B.R., 1803-1806, pp. 155-158 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTBL-STFH.

[4] Maryland, Worcester County. Orphan Court Proceedings 1804-1805, pp. 49-51 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSB8-T96J-G.

[5] Maryland, Worcester. Wills, Liber L.P.S., 1833-1851, pp. 141-142 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9T1P-CLM.

[6] Maryland, Worcester. Wills, Liber J.W, No. 4, 1769-83, pp. 196-197 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TBJ-SRPJ.

[7] Maryland, Worcester. Wills, Liber J.W., 1790-99, pp. 160-162 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTBL-SR47.

[8] "United States, Census, 1800", Entry for Jacob Payne, 1800.

[9] Maryland, Worcester County. Land Records, Liber T, 1798-1800, p. 64 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK4-8916-8.

[10] “Mattapony,” Wikimedia Foundation, last modified June 4, 2022 06:46, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattapony.

[11] Maryland, Worcester. Inventories, Liber J.B.R. No. 5, 1802-1805, pp. 181-184 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYH-Y3QD-9.

[12] Maryland, Worcester. Inventories, Liber J.B.R. No. 5, pp. 329-330 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYH-Y331-4.