In a message dated 9/15/05 12:36:05 PM, bbm34@prodigy.net writes: > I have never heard that Nicholas Copeland was "killed."  What was the cause > of his death?  Also did not know that he was a surveyor. > I received the following summary from a researcher of Nicholas Copeland. I am sure if we look at court records, we could uncover the item about Nicholas dying before his court appearance. It does not say he was killed, but that he had died before the Fall term of the court in 1742. He was living in April 1742 when he signed two deed transfers. ****** By 1721, much of Essex was divided into three additional counties. These were: Spotsylvania County in 1721 which then changed in 1734 into ORANGE COUNTY. This is where Nicholas Copeland died as a Surveyor of the Court in 1742. His death is documented only because he was to appear in court as the court appointed surveyor to give a written description of disputed land that was the focus of a lawsuit. His two assistant surveyors presented the material requested by the court and note that Nicholas Copeland was not present nor signed the document in question since he had died prior to the Fall Term of Court, 1742. In 1728 a portion of the northern section of Essex county became known as CAROLINE COUNTY. Nicholas Copeland owned some land in this area which later went to his son Peter Copeland. From this I have surmised that Peter was the oldest son since he was the only one who did not leave Virginia and remained behind while the other sons left for new lands opening up in North Carolina. I offer this up to you to illustrate the man did not move any great distance. But from 1651 until 1734 the region fell under several different name and boundary changes. It may be even more confusing to know that Rappahannock County was made up of three smaller parishes, one of which was known as Sittenburne Parish, which is where Nicholas had his land, This parish changed its name into two parishes: St. Mary's parish and St. Anne's parish. It is in the St. Anne's parish in 1704 that Nicholas' land is then absorbed into the newly created Essex County which was formed in 1692 with not so clearly defined boundary lines. ****** Barbara