Yes, I finally found her. For years, researchers thought that she was Ann Dashiell, daughter of James Dashiell. When I started researching this line, I discovered that James Dashiell didn't have a daughter named Ann. The "Ann Dashiell" appearing on early Maryland transportation records was really Ann Cannon--James Dashiell's wife. So then I started searching for Anne Spence's identity. [Note: I discovered that David Spence and James Dashiell were cousins--but I'll save all of that for the web page] My next thought--and my thought up until yesterday when I made my big discovery--was that she was Anne Alexander, daughter of either John or William Alexander. David and Anne's second son was Alexander Spence. David had a lot of business dealings in Northumberland Virginia with Alexanders prior to his removal to Somerset, MD. So Anne Alexander seemed like an excellent choice. However, there was just one problem: while I could find many Anne Alexanders, I just couldn't find the one who married David Spence. Then yesterday--bingo. Actually, I have had the "clue" for over a year, which I obtained a year ago May from the Maryland Archives while we were there. I just didn't recognize what I was seeing and for the past year, my emphasis has been so wound up with the Spencers, that I "cooled off" my research on the Spence line. Sometimes, that's what we need in order to regain a proper focus. Anne Spence was originally Anne Rowe (Roe), the daughter of John Roe; who was born ca. 1611 in South Shields, Durham, England. His wife appears to have been Anne Inglis, twin sister of Margaret Inglis, James Dashiell's mother. Anne Inglis was older than her husband; she was born ca. 1604 in Edinburgh. Anne and Margaret Inglis's parents were Andrew Inglis (b. ca. 1550, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland) and Marjory Mitchell, (b. ca. 1554, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland). John Roe (Rowe's) father was Edward Rowe, b. ca. 1580, South Shields, Durham, England and his mother was Elizabeth Pattison, b. ca. 1584, South Shields, Durham, England. The elder Rowes (Edward and Elizabeth), were the parents of another Anne Rowe, b. ca. 1614, South Shields, Durham, England, who became the second wife of John Spens/Spence of Dysart (David Spence's father. This Anne Rowe/Roe was David Spence's step mother). [See how confusing this gets??? And I thought the Spencer, Bunch, Inman business was a mess!!!! The television paper towel commercial springs immediately to mind: "What do you call a Brawney mess?" Well, this is called a Spence/Roe/Inglis/Dashiell/Mitchell mess, and it becomes even more complicated when some of these people begin intermarrying with the Inman/Bunch/Spencer/Bell/Jones/etc., etc., etc. mess. It will take more than a paper towel to clean up this one! I am also reminded of the old "Bones" song that Tennessee Ernie Ford used to sing: "Well, the head bone is connected to the neck bone and the neck bone is connected to the shoulder bone and the shoulder bone is connected to the....."] John Roe (1615-1653) [brother of Anne Roe Spence, wife of John Spens of Dysart] left England for Virginia quite early. He settled first in York County, VA, and then he relocated to Northumberland County, VA. His three known children were: 1. Edward Roe, b. ca. 1634 in either York or Northumberland County, VA who died in 1676 in Talbot County, MD. 2. Thomas Roe, b. ca. 1639, who married Frances ?? about 1664 in MD. This Thomas Roe is the party who reserved a portion of the original "Despence"--David Spence's land--as a property called "Hereafter" for David Spence's youngest sons John and James after David's death [This is the documentation I acquired at the Maryland Archives. I couldn't understand why a Thomas Roe would do that, unless he was a "really great guy." Well, this explains it: he was Anne Roe Spence's brother and, therefore, uncle of David and Anne's children. 3. Anne Roe, b. ca. 1640 in either York or Northumberland County, VA (the wife of David Spence). She died ca. 1711 in Somerset County, MD. John Roe, Anne's father, died on the Wicocomico River, Northumberland County, VA after 1653. Her mother died in Elizabeth City, VA, and she may have died in childbirth with Anne. Anne's brother, Edward Roe, married Mary Cunningham around 1655 in Virginia. Edward died in 1676 in Talbot County, MD. The Inglises, Roes, and Mitchells were in York County, VA very early. I have an idea that they were instrumental in the transportation of David Spence and James Dashiell to Virginia. I found something else that is destined to be important: the Lyon family. Remember sometime back when I talked about an old William & Mary Quarterly article on the Spences in which an Anne Lyon was referenced in connection with David Spence, Jr. (son of David Spence of Somerset). The writer couldn't determine the identity of this Anne Lyon and I suggested that she may have been David's sister, Anne, who completely disappears from the records of Somerset County, MD. I suggested that she may have returned to Northumberland County, VA with her brother, David, after their mother's death and that she may have married a Lyon. Well, guess who the Lyons were? Hang on: here goes: John Spens of Dysart, the father of David Spence of Somerset, had three wives. His first wife was Helen Morris; she was David's mother and she died in childbirth with David and his twin brother John in 1639. David survived; the mother and the brother didn't. Helen's brother was Henry Morris (1612-1629) of Dunfermline, who married Isobel Duncane (1609-1629), also of Dunfermline. Their daughter Janet Morris (Moreis), b. 1636, Dunfermline, married James Allen, b. 1625, Dunfermline, and their daughter, Bessie Allan (b. 1657, Dunfermline,) married David Inglis (b. 1620, Dunfermline), whose sister, Margaret, marriead William Spens in Dunfermline in 1648. William Spens was John Spens's brother, and therefore, David Spence's of Somerset's uncle. John Spens' second wife was Anne Rowe (and I have already rowed that boat so I won't row it again). John Spens' third wife was Margaret Guthrie, by whom he had his last two children. The Guthries came from Angus. Margaret's brother was James Guthrie (b. 1596, Brechin, Angus, Scotland) and, of course, Jonet Lyon or Lyone, b. 1600, Brechin, Angus). Margaret's brother was David Guthrie, b. 1627, who married Margaret Livingston, b. 1631 and their son, James (b. 1654 in Angus) married Margaret Skinner, b. 1657, whose father, Laurence Skinner (b. 1626, Angus) married Margaret Guthrie (Margaret Guthrie Spens's niece). Of course, the Skinners were in NE NC and intermarried with the Spences "with great vigor." The John Spens family follows: Children by Helen Morris, whom he married in Dysart in 1634: 1. Margaret, who was born 5 November 1637 and who was christened 14 June 1638. She died young. 3 & 4 David and John, who were born 5 April 1639 and who were christened 16 April 1639. John and his mother died. David survived: this is David Spence of Somerset, MD. Children by Anne Roe (Rowe), whom he married at St. Oswalds', Durham, England 29 September 1639. 1 & 2. Twins: Thomas, b. 19 Jan 1641 and Susanna, b. 19 Jan 1641. [This next part is confusing, but consider the times. The Presbyterians and Anglicans were fighting one another for control of Scotland. This Spence family was Anglican, hence the reason for their constant travel between Dysart and Durham. When the Presbyterians controlled Scotland, these Spences went to Durham. When the Anglicans controlled Scotland, these Spences were back in Dysart. [The Presbyterians weren't exactly "nice" to the Anglicans whenever they were in control]. Susanna was ill, and it was questionable as to whether she would survive. Thomas was christened in Dysart 24 Jan 1641; and then the family fled to Durham, where Susanna was christened at St. Oswald's in Durham 29 June 1641. She may have died young; there is no further record of Susanna. 3. Alexander, christened at Dysart 12 Nov 1642 4. Margaret (John was determined to use this name. His grandmother was Margaret Learmonth, wife of David Spens, Laird of Wormiston--who was the subject of hacking in 1571). She was born 31 December 1643 and she was christened in Dysart 12 January 1644. Margaret married John Alexander of Dunfermline and their children were John, c. 20 Jan. 1661; William, c. 13 July 1662, James c. 26 Nov. 1665; Janet, c. 4 April 1667, and another John (the first one died) christened 28 Nov. 1669. 5. Isobel, b. ca. 1644 or 1645. She married James Alexander of Dunfermline, John Alexander's brother. The family called her "Bessie Spens". Their two known children were Isobell, b. 2 Sept. 1666, Dunfermline and John Alexander, b. 20 Oct. 1666. [I am uncertain how these Alexanders connect with the Alexanders of the Northern Neck but am quite certain that they do. If so, then they may have been responsible for transportation of some of these people into Virginia. Don't throw away your Alexander notes]. 6. Janet (Jonet), christened 3 October 1646, Dysart. 7. John, christened 8 June 1649, Dysart. This is the John Spence who completed servitude in VA in 1666 and who bought land in Maryland around that same period of time. He was David Spence's half-brother. Anne Rowe died in childbirth with John. By Margaret Guthrie, whom he married in 1649: 1 & 2 Twins: Jeane and Henry. Henry was christened in Dysart 5 Jan 1651 and Jeane was christened in Dysart in April 1651. Henry survived and remained in Dysart. Nothing else is known about Jeane. After 1651, the record goes silent on John Spens of Dysart. There is something I am looking into and haven't confirmed as yet. 1649/1650 were not great years for Scotland. Charles I was beheaded in 1649 and as a result, many Royalists and Cavaliers poured into Virginia. [By the way, I have an interesting note I found in "The History of Northumberland County" describing these Royalists: They were "...of dark hair, swarthy in complexion and black or brown-eyed. They were Anglicans or Episcopalians and maintained a Southwest Dialect--the broad Devon of Sir Walter Raleigh. All of Wales except Pembroke was Royalist & Episcopalian..." In 1649, Robert Parker transported a John Spence, whose name has often been transcribed as "Spences" into Northampton Virginia. The exact entry reads: "Mr. Robert Parker, 500 acres in Naswattock River, Northampton County, 5 October 1649, p. 185. Lyeing N.N.W. upon great Naswattock River from Mossacotanzick Creek mouth to Mattawompson Creek. Transportation of 10 persons: Edward Preston, Robert Speed, 3 tymes, Henry Hudson, John Spences, James CockDales, Henry Croopp, Robert Percivall, John Thomas." I've been toying with the idea that this was John Spens of Dysart, David Spence of Somerset's father. It is quite possible that he married Margaret Guthrie in 1649 some time before his departure. The two children, Jean and Henry were actually born in early 1650, but were not christened until 1651. John Thomas's son, John Thomas, became the servant of James Dashiell in Northumberland in 1660. Young John was 13 on 20 April 1660, indicating that he was born in 1647. This Parker family intermarried with the Hunters of Nansemond, who intermarried with the Perrys, who intermarried with the Spencers and Spences. So I have an idea that John Spens went to Virginia when the situation was hot. His family remained in Scotland. He may have returned to Scotland when the situation cooled down. But he no doubt acquired land while in Virginia, which David Spence took over ca. 1659/1660. That's a theory, but I think it is very possible. I also found another Roe connection in Virginia, and I think that it is quite interesting: a John Roe married Ann Monroe in Westmoreland, VA on 12 June 1787. We have discussed the Spence/Monroe connections in Westmoreland and possibible relationships between the Northumberland Spence/Monroe families and the Spence family of Somerset. Perhaps this is a valuable clue. So, now that I have sung the "Bones" song, "Rowed" my boat, followed my "Bunch hunch", I guess I'll get back to work on that web site. I had to spill the beans on this one, however. It was just too big to hold for the website. Barbara