Notley Maddox
1712 ~ 1786

Notley Maddocke would have dressed plainer than his father and grandfather.  Styles were becoming more practical.

  Our Ancestor Notley Maddox was born in 1712.  His great grandfather Edward, and grandfather Cornelius  would have been proud of this grandson who would some day become Charles Town's representative to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

   I have found only two George Maddoxes in Maryland born 1730-1750.  Notley Maddox's son, George, is one of them.  The other George is the son of Benjamin, Notley's uncle.  The probable age of Notley's son George makes me lean toward him.  Both Notley and Benjamin descend from Cornelius.  I make note of this here because of working backwards from George Sr. in Fauqier Co., VA. in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

     Notley's family continued to spell their surname Maddock, Maddocke or Maddocks, though it appeared as Maddox in rare situations.  I do not believe Notley was named after Thomas Notley, for he was governor long before Notley's father, James, was born.  I believe this Maddox family was probably friends with the Maddox family in St. Mary's Co., MD, nearby and he may have been named after Notley, son of Samuel Maddox, or Notley Jr, Samuel's granson.  Or perhaps James just liked the name Notley.

     Notley's approximate year of birth is estimated from 1734, the year Notley registered his mark (to identify his animals) and bought property if he had just reach majority (age 21) that year.

     Even as a young unmarried man, Notley's business sense had him investing in land early on.  (My own Maddox great grandfather and grandfather bought land before marrying also.)  On the Charles Co., MD, Hundred Rent Rolls (1737) was father James Maddock, and Notley Maddox at....

Wicomico:  "Wicomico Fields" pg. 444, Sequence 464 (east side of Charles Co.)
Port Tobacco:  "The Hills" pg. 304, Sequence 18 (central Charles Co.)
Port Tobacco:  "Owen's Purchase" Pg. 330, Sequence 198 (central Charles Co.)
Chicamuxen:   "Woods Low Ground" Pg. 427, Sequence 345 (west side of Charles Co. in swamp land, today a wild-life preserve)

The tax list showed Notley Maddox living in William & Mary Parish (pg. 15) and his father James at Port Tobacco.  Notley had 4 taxables.

  March 6, 1734, Notley Maddocke of Port Tobacco recorded his mark in the book of deeds [Source:  Charles Co., MD, Deed Bk. O, folio/mg. 83]

     1735, Notley's father, James, died. 

     Two years later on November 10, Notley married Elizabeth Martin, daughter of John and Elizabeth Martin.  On his wedding day, Elizabeth's father sold or gave 200 acres to his "son-in-law."  This 200 acres ~ "Owen's Purchase" ~ was surveyed for John Owen way back on May 10, 1670.

     On November 11, 1741, Notley Maddocke and his mother of Charles Co., Port Tobacco Parish, sold father/husband James' two lots in Charles Town/ Port Tobacco (Lots 61 and 62) to Joseph Noble, Jr.

     Six years later on September 17, 1747, John Marten Jr. conveyed to his brother-in-law Notley Maddocke Jr. his part of Owen's Purchase that was on the south side of Holly Branch, and which had been granted to him by his father in 1737.  The next day on September 18, Henry Martin conveyed to his brother-in-law Notley Maddocke Jr. his half of "Nonesuch" ~ 37 acres.

NOTE:  Adding "Jr" to Notley Maddox's name is confusing to researchers.  However, he apparently began distinguishing himself from another Notley Maddox.  Notley Maddox of St. Mary's Co., grandson of immigrant Samuel Maddox, had moved to Charles Co., MD, (his will was dated Aug. 13, 1757 Charles Co., MD). 

    On October 17, 1747, Notley and wife Elizabeth sold 125 acres of "Troublesome" to Alex[ander] Smith Hawkins.  This Alexander had been a bondsman when Notley's mother, Mary Maddocke" was made administrix of husband James' estate.  At this time, he also sold "Woods Low Ground" to Alexander Smith Hawkins.  "Woods Low Ground" was 20 acres which had been surveyed for Notley's maternal uncle James Smallwood on July 22, 1729, eighteen years earlier.

     The following year, Notley's mother, Mary Maddocke, made arrangements with her son for use of the plantation the remainder of her natural life.  Charles Co., MD, rent rolls for 1733-1775 show Mary Maddox owning 94 acres of "New Exchange" (see 1783 below).

     But the peace Notley and his father had enjoyed was about to end.  The British and French in Europe had been at war.  Now the conflict crossed the ocean and was resumed in North America.  Both the British and French claimed all lands west of the Allegheny (and Smokey) mountains.  So the French recruited their Indian allies, and the British recruited their Indian allies, and the mis-named French-and-Indian War began.  It was 1754 and would last nine bloody years. 

     The Indians were unwittingly drawn into this political battle, the French claiming the British wanted to anihilate them, and the British claiming the French wanted to anihilate them.  The American settlers tried in vain to not get involved, but their families were being attacked by whoever considered them in the way.  They were either captured and turned into slaves or scalped, tortured and killed by the Indians who ended up being manipulated into doing most of the dirty work for the Europeans.   Settlers in the wilds of the northwestern Appalacians fled east, many resettling in Annapolis in Charles County.

   In 1755, all settlers were required to choose sides.  In Durham Parish, Lower Hundred of Charles Co., MD, the following signed their oath of allegiance to the British:

Notley Maddocks Sr
George Maddocks
James of Notley Maddocks
Notley Maddox Jr
William Maddocks
Edward Maddocks
Rhody Maddocks

   Another Notley in Durham Parish, Bryantown Hundred signed their oath of allegiance to the British:

Notley Maddox
Ignatius Maddox
James Maddox Sr.
James Maddox Jr.
Jonathan Maddox
Nathan Maddox Jr.

In Durham Parish East Hundred, these Maddoxes signed their oath of allegiance to the British:

Cornelius Maddox (grandson of namesake)
Henry Maddox

   At the same time, our Notley signed a petition to the Maryland Council of Safety (Patriots guarding against too much control by the British).  It said in part....

   The humble Petition of Patrick Graham of Port Tobacco....[he had aided a British loyalist in bringing "sundry goods" to the British]....sincerely laments his imprudence & ill conduct...his most solemn promise & assurance never more to do, or encourage any thing inimical to American Freedom, he most humbly solicits this Convention that he may be restored to his former rights of a Citizen...not only in his own Person, Property and reputation, but should he continue much longer in the present situation [the community had shunned him] his Offence must reduce an innocent wife & four young children to beggary & ruin.

     We the Subscribers, being satisfied of the hearty repentence...do recommend him to the consideration & clemency of the Honorable Convention.

  Both Notley Maddocke Senr and Junr signed, along with several Poseys and McPhersons and Will H. Smallwood (all inlaws).

     In 1756 Notley Maddocke purchased from Barton Hungerford 80 acres which included "Capell" and "Barton Woodyard" for 8,000 pounds of tobacco.  Also that year, he had "Owen's Purchase" resurveyed.  His combined that 200 acres with the other 310 acres to create "Cool Springs" totalling 510 acres.  At age 44, Notley was a fairly wealthy man.

     We have found no other records on Notley Maddocke for the next 18 years.  Seven of those years were the conclusion of the French and Indian War, and two more of those years was Chief Pontiac's War.  It seems that our Notley was away at war at least half that time.

Chief Pontiac

   Chief Pontiac, not willing to accept the surrender of the French to the British, and fearing for the survival of his people, toured from today's Michigan, down through Ohio, and all the way to Mississippi trying to recruit other tribes to attack any British who tried to settle west of the Allegheney Mountains. 

     After the ending of that war in 1764, the colonists began looking at the British in new eyes too.  Indeed, the British were controlling the American colonists more and more and listening to them less and less.  Tensions increased more and more.

     Finally, in 1774, two years before the official break with the British with their Declaration of Independence, Notley Maddocks was among the "number of...distinguished patriots" to be appointed as representatives of Port Tobacco [Charles] Town to Charles County as agreed upon by the American Continental Congress in Philadelphia.  (Philadelphia would become the first capitol of the new United States of America.)  This representation existed during the Revolutionary War and was probably the "Committee on Safety" that many counties organized across the country.  It disbanned two years before Notley's death.

     In 1778, two years after the Declaration of Independence, an Oath of Allegiance was established wherein citizens signed their allegiance to the new American government, not the British government.  In Port Tobacco, East Hundred, Notley Maddocke signed along with his four sons:

Notley Maddocks Jr.
James Maddocks
Henry Maddocks
George Maddocks
Cornelius Maddox [grandson of namesake]
William Maddox

   In Durham Parish, Lower Hundred, these Maddockes/Maddoxes signed the oath of allegiance to the new American government:

William
Edward
Rhody

   In durham Parish Bryantown Hundred, these Maddockes/Maddoxes signed the oath of allegience to the new American government:

James
James
Jonathan

   In William & Mary Parish Lower Hundred, these Maddockes/Maddoxes signed the oath of allegiance to the new American government:

Townley
George
James of Notley
William

   Also signing their oath of allegiance to the new American government, but with no township/parish listed were these Maddoxes:

Edward
Berry
Francis
Noah
Notley
Samuel
William Jr.

    The Revolutionary War ended in 1781.  It took awhile for the new independent nation to get organized.  The 1783 tax of the Sixth District, Charles Co. shows Notley Maddock with 44 acres of "McPhersons Folly" and Notley Maddox Sr. with 103 acres and 456 acres of "Cool Springs."  Notley Maddocke Jr. has 89 acres of "New Exchange" apparently passed on to him by his grandmother, Mary (widow of James) Maddox.  (See 1748 above)

     Also after the Rvolutionary War, with power taken from Lord Baltimore, people registered their land with the new District Land Office.  This was recorded in Notley's name:

"McPhersons Folly" 44 acres.  Taken up with a manner warrent.  CH 6th Dist., Land p. 11, MSA S 1161-5-3, 1/4/5/48

"Cool Springs" pt. 103 acres.  Resurveyed.  CH 6th Dist., Land p.2, MSA S 1161-5-3, 1/4/5/48

"Cool Springs" pt. 356 acres.  Resurveyed.  CH 6th Dist., Land p.3.  MSA S 1161-5-3, 1/4/5/48

Notley now had over 500 acres, all planted in tobacco.

    In June 1786, five years after America's independence, Notley Maddoche died.  Wife Elizabeth and son Notley were appointed administrators of his estate.  Michael Martin and William Cox, inlaws of Notley's daughters, posted bond.  Notley's son James was in Goochland Co., VA, and gave Robert Rogers, his bro-in-law, power of attorney.  Henry and George Maddocke were listed in Notley's inventory as his "next of kin."

     He had the following slaves: 

Tom 30, Jack 29, Bob 13, George 9, Frank 7, Harry 3
Florah 48, Rachel 37, Sicley 25, Cate 13, Dark 9, Charity 5 Joan 23, Lett 4, Judah 2, Nancy 25, Tery

Noting the ages, it looks like he had about three families.  [Charles Co., MD, Will Bk. 9 & 10]

     Purchasers at his estate were primarily inlaws:  William Cox, Walter McPherson, Notley Luckett, Edward Boswell, Robert Rogers, Samuel Cox, Samuel Tubman.

     At the April Court of 1787 in Charles Co., the following was entered:  "It appears to the Court that Notley Maddocke Sr. late of Chas. Co, dec'd, died considerably in debt & the court ordered the administrators of his estate to pay as many debts as they could."  Which Notley Sr. was this?  It was not the son or grandson of Samuel because they died in 1716 and 1757.  This would be the son of James and grandson of Cornelius, the Notley who died the previous year in 1786.  Although he was designated as Jr. when the Notley grandson of Samuel moved to Charles Co., he became Sr. after that grandson of Samuel's died in 1757, and once his own son, Notley Jr. (b.1738) began to sign legal papers after age 21 (beginning 1759).

  In October 1789, Notley's widow Elizabeth (who had married Samuel Luckett 3/31/1788) and son Notley Maddocks Jr. were required to tell the court why they hadn't closed Notley's estate settlement.

     In 1792, six years after his death, Notley's beloved "Cool Springs" was auctioned off.  [Charles Co., MD, Will Bk 10, pg. 496]