America

Lucas Genealogy 
Author: Annabelle Kemp 
Call Number: R929.2 L933k 

Information regarding the early history of Thomas Lucas and family, of Prince George County, Maryland. 

Bibliographic Information: Kemp, Annabelle. Lucas Genealogy. Los Angeles, California: The Bookman Press, 1964. 

THOMAS LUCAS OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, MARYLAND AND DESCENDANTS 

Thomas Lucas, planter, of Prince George Co, Md, is said to have been born in Eng about 1650; family tradition is that he came directly to Md from Little Saxham, Suffolk, Eng, arriving on the ship "Providence of Falmouth" in the year 1668; William Prescott, Master of that ship. 

Records of Md show on 16 Feb 1671, Thomas Notley, merchant of St Mary's Co, appeared in the courts of Md, with proof of the right to claim 5650 acres of land in that State (it being due him for having transported 24 persons to the Providence to inhabit) one of whom was Thomas Lucas, Sr. (Libre 11 folio 537; also Libre 16, folio 411, Land Office, Annapolis, Md). This Thomas Notley came to Md from Dorset, Eng. 

Thomas Lucas settled on 250 acres of land in Prince George Co, which land was a portion of the tract called "Largo" and consisted originally of 1031 acres and had been granted to Col Ninian Beall in 1685. This land was originally in Calvert Co, Md until Prince George Co was erected from part of Calvert Co in 1696. Just when Thomas Lucas acquired this property has not been determined as the old Calvert Co Court House records were destroyed by fire in 1882. Beall sold 431 acres of this tract to John Dorlett; 100 acres to Christopher Thompson and 250 acres to Daniel Daniellson, the latter one of the passengers on the "Providence of Falmouth" in 1668 with Thomas Lucas. (Rent Rolls libre 4, folio 323.) 

Christopher Thompson also took a patent on a tract of land called "Whitelaine" on 31 March 1685, which tract was then in Charles Co, Md, later part of Prince George Co, Md. 

Thos Lucas also purchased 20 acres of the tract called "Graiden" on 13 June 1704 from Philip Gittings for the sum of 20 pounds sterling, including "all of the houses, buildings, gardens and orchards." This tract of "Graiden" was granted originally to Col Henry Darnall in 1686. In 1703 Darnall sold it to Philip Gittings and the tract then consisted of 269 acres. In 1717 Philip Gittings sold 249 acres to Francis King; the deed states "all of this tract except the 20 acres Gittings had sold to Thomas Lucas, Sr." The tract of "Graiden" is located just north of Thomas Lucas' 250 acres and adjoins the tract of "Northhampton" on the east, which land belonged to Thomas Spriggs, Sr. (Libre EC. folio 193, P.G. Co deeds.) Wit: to the deed of "Graiden" from Gittings to Lucas were John Jackson and Chas Ridgley. Deed recorded 6 July 1704. 
In 1704 Thomas Lucas, Sr., his second wife Dorothy and his eldest son Thomas Lucas, Jr. were witnesses on the last will of their near neighbor Thomas Spriggs, Sr. 

Thomas Lucas mar twice. There is some question as to the name of his first wife; in one quarter it is said to have been Dorothy, the same as that of his second wife, who was Dorothy, dau of Thomas and Elizabeth Letchworth. (Land Off Rec Acct 5 folio 295 p 409 Annapolis.) Thomas Letchworth was a well known Puritan of Calvert Co, Md and was one of the leading Puritans in that community. His name is also spelled as Leitchworth. He served in the Lower House of Md Assembly during the Puritan Regime in 1660; he also served as Justice of Calvert Co. He acquired lands in Calvert Co, Md, the most important grant being "Letchworth's Chance" on 22 May 1657 (Libre 2 folio 6). This tract consisted of 1100 acres on the Upper Cliffs in Calvert Co near Plum Point. This grant be obtained for having transported eleven persons to Calvert Co, Md "to inhabit." This land was located on the Patuxent River south of Governor Josiah Fendall's Plantation of "Cool Springs Manor" and just north of the grant "Mt Pleasant" given to James Berry (or Barry) in 1653. Letchworth also obtained grants for "Letchworth Hills" and "Letchworth's Cypress" located in the great swamp at the head of Battle Creek. Letchworth had two sons, Thos and Joseph; also a dau Ann, who mar Robert Skinner. (See Hist of Calvert Co by Stein, p 289.) Thos Letchworth's wife, Elizabeth was living as late as 1696. In the last will of Thos Letchworth, Jr. 30 May 1696, proved 23 Oct 1713, he leaves his entire estate to his son, Thos Letchworth, Jr., when he reaches the age of 20 yrs; if he does not live, then the estate to go his mother, Eliza Letchworth, widow of the first Thos Letchworth; if she is not living, then to his brother-in-law, Robert Skinner. Testators were Joseph Letchworth, his sister, Elizabeth Letchworth Taney; Thos Earle; Thos Tarvy and Abel Enoin. Apparently the wife of the 2nd Thos Letchworth had died previously.

THOMAS LUCAS