Holbrook line: Marmaduke Vickery 1715-1787

Marmaduke Vickery was born about 1715 in Dorchester County, Maryland, and and died at the end of 1787 or early 1788 in Randolph County, North Carolina.  He lived through some very challenging  times (French and Indian War, Revolutionary War) and in several different places, so his life is worthy of a review.  However, once again it appears that there were at least two and probably three Marmaduke Vickery's, and their records are all jumbled up.  Marmaduke Senior had a son named Marmaduke and possibly a nephew also.

Marmaduke was born to Hezekiah Vickery and Merci Holland, or at least, that's what most of the online trees say.  In my limited research, I have found no documentation of that fact, but it does appear likely.  He was one of at least six children born to this couple, but he didn't stay long in Maryland.  He left, apparently with his parents, to move to Virginia, variously listed as Orange County, Augusta County, and Clarke County.  His father is listed as having died in Orange County. 

Marmaduke married Elizabeth Nation, daughter of John Nation and Bethia Robins, about 1734. Sometime about 1755, Marmaduke and his family moved on to Rowan County, North Carolina, where he can be found on a tax list for 1759.  Marmaduke and Elizabeth are believed to have had at least 11 children, born between 1735 and 1757, so they would have arrived in Rowan County with quite a large family.  They likely moved for economic reasons, and they may have been seeking cheap land, which was still available at the time.  He owned a large tract of land in St Luke's Parish, Randolph County, and was a farmer.

 If this is the same Marmaduke, he loved horse racing.  Traces of his plantation were still visible 100 years later, showing a house, barn, loom house, blacksmith shop, spring house, and grist mill.  This would have been quite an accomplishment for a man who started out life being called "Duke" or even "Dewkey". 

He is recognized as a Patriot by the DAR because of goods he contributed to the American cause.   There was a nephew Marmaduke was was involved in the Regulator's Rebellion of 1771, and three of his sons were in the 10th NC Regiment, so it is likely that most of the family were at least patriot sympathizers, even if they didn't fight.  Our Marmaduke would have been over 60 by the time of the Revolutionary War, so contributing horses and provisions was the best he had to offer the country.

Marmaduke wrote his will on December 26, 1787, and it was probated in 1788, but his exact date of death isn't known.  His inventory consisted of one hundred acres of land, one home, one mare, 5 head of catter, 2 beds and furniture, one cupboard, 1 table, 2 pots, 1 oven, 1 ax, 1 hoe, 1 par horse chains, 1 log chain, 1 skillet, 2 iron pots, a rocker, one pair ice tongs, 2 pails, 1 churn, 1 spinning wheel, 1 drawing knife, other knifes and forks, 1 trunk, 1 pickling tub, and one or more illegible items.  Either he had downsized from the type of life suggested by the horse racing owner of several buildings and enterprises, or our Marmaduke led a quieter life.  He left everything to his wife and youngest son, which could indicate that his older sons and daughters had already been given their "share" during their lifetimes.  I'd love to see more research done on his land holdings and what happened to them. 

Marmaduke is buried at Timber Ridge Church Cemetery near Deep River, Randolph County, NC.  Find a grave indicates that this cemetery is deep in the woods and is overgrown. It is apparently right next to the Richard Petty museum, which is fitting because Richard Petty is noted to be one of his descendents.  I guess the trend from horse racing to car racing shows that there must have been something in Marmaduke's genes!

Our line of descent is:

Marmaduke Vickery-Elizabeth Nation
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Chrisopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Ray/Howard Holbrook, their children, grand children, and great grandchildren