William Chance ¹

Some anecdotes from the old Accomack County, Virginia court records:

On Feb 20 1688/9, William Chance (attorney: Mr. Tully Robinson) sued Mr. Thomas Preeson (attorney: Capt. Jno. Custis), accusing him of transporting out of the county Mr. Charles Fleetwood, who owed Chance 3 pounds 13 shillings sterling. After examining the accounts, the court ordered that Preeson pay Fleetwood's debt with court costs.

He was on the list of tithables at Accomack Co., VA, in 1690 as Wm. Chance with 2 tithables on Jo. Robinson's list. In 1691 he was again on Mr. Robinson's list with 2 tithables. In 1692 he had 3 tithables. On Dec 15 1691, the grand jury presented Wm. Chance, Wm. Chance's man and others for not planting corn according to law.

On Jun 22 1692, William Chance complained against Henry Lamberson, who (upon examination) confessed that he had "through inadvertency and ignorance broke open and drew some nails of (or off) a house belonging to ye said Chance." Lamberson claimed his actions were not done in contempt of the law and promised better behavior in the future. The court found Lamberson guilty of a misdemeanor and ordered that he be taken into custody and remain there till giving bond for good behavior and payment of court charges.

William Chance (occupation, cooper) bought land in 1695 at Accomack Co., VA, 150a of Whitelaw tract A109, south of Guilford and west of Parksley, from William Silverthorne. He and his wife Mary resold this land to Charles Ewell in 1706. He served on a jury on Dec 18 1695 in Accomack Co.

On Apr 5 1699 William Chance sued Ursula Roberts for taking from him an indentured servant named Jane Roberts. Chance claimed his damages amounted to 5000 lbs tobacco. At the last court an order passed against Francis Croston as bail for Ursula's appearance; now Mr. Tully Robinson appeared as her attorney and pleaded the general issue. A jury was impaneled, and after listening to the evidence reached the verdict that Chance had failed to prove his declaration. The court confirmed the verdict and dismissed the suit; the order against Croston was reversed and Chance paid court costs. By Jan 2 1699/1700 Ursula Roberts had sued William Chance "for detaining one Jane Edwards, ye natural child of the said plaintiff." Ursula requested the return of the child. Chance made a written reply and produced an indenture made between himself and Richard Roberts "ye putative father of the said Ursula's bastard child." In it Roberts bound Jane to Chance and his wife till she arrived at the age of 18 years. The court considered that Roberts had "saved the parish harmless from ye charge and trouble of ye said bastard child, that he had good & lawful title in ye law to dispose thereof by virtue of ye said indenture & therefore have dismissed the suit."

Thomas Ryle, Robert Lewis and Robert Milner were presented "each of them for carrying home a canoe full of oysters on ye Sabbath day, being ye 10th of February 1704/05." Ryle and Milner confessed and paid their fines; Lewis, however, "said (the oysters) were for a great bellied woman that longed," and was granted till the next day to produce his evidence. William Chance then came in "to testify that his wife being sick had a mind to some oysters and desired the said Robert Lewis to get her some oysters, and he attempting to go on Saturday but could not for ye wind, so went on ye Sabbath day." The court took this "into their clemency" and discharged Lewis, apparently without thinking to ask if the pregnant lady ate Lewis' entire canoe load of oysters.

He served on a jury on Jun 6 1705 at Accomack Co.

William Chance and wife Mary sold 150a of land on Feb 5 1705/6 in Accomack Co, in tract A109 south of Guilford and west of Parksley to Charles Ewell. This was the same land William Chance, cooper, bought from William Silverthorne in 1695. He bought land in 1707 in Accomack Co., 250a from Henry Ayres and his wife Comfort of Somerset Co, MD. In 1726 this William Chance died intestate and was succeeded by a son William, who in 1751 left the 250a to a grandson Wiliam Coard. (See Whitelaw) In the modern day (2017), this land was between Parksley and Accomac on the Bayside road.

On Dec 3 1707, "at the last court," Ann Rouse had been presented for having a bastard child. Now William Chance came to court and became security to pay her fine of 500 lbs tobacco and court charges. On Feb 5 1707/8, it was ordered that John Griffin be surveyor of the highways in the place of William Chance and that he cause the road from the courthouse to the south branch of Hunting Creek to be cleared according to law.

On Aug 7 1723, it was ordered that William Chance be constable in the place of Mr. Hill Drummond. Chance died before Feb 5 1725/6 in Accomack Co as the administration on his estate was granted to his son William Chance with Henry Bagwell & Thomas Wise offering securities.

William married Mary Drummond, daughter of Capt. John Drummond and Patience Hill, before 1695 in Accomack Co., VA. (Mary Drummond was born about 1674 in Accomack Co., VA and died after 21 Dec 1717 in Accomack Co., VA.)