Francis Langkake

Langcake/Langkake is an interesting surname and the compiler often wondered from whence it came. A quick study shows that it likely originated in the north of England, perhaps Cumbria/Cumberland. That surname is known to have been in the area of Cumberland, England since at least the 1400s. In the new world this was latter shortened to Lank and does so by the mid-18th century.

On Jul 21 1721, Francis Langkake, brick layer, purchased 317a of land in tract "Come By Chance" and 83a of "High Suffolk" from Adam and Ann Hitch for 15,000 pounds of tobacco (SoLR-IKL:161). Francis Langkake had the 47a tract "Georges Folly" surveyed for him on Jun 12 1727 and received patent for it on Jun 15 1730 in Somerset Co., MD. In the modern day, this tract is situated in Sussex Co., DE including the east side of the town of Laurel. On Jan 14 1724/5, Francis Langkake and his wife Judah (signed Judith) sold land in tract "Cannon Shot" to John Hopkins for 12,000 pounds of tobacco. It was land that Stephen Cannon had conveyed to his daughter Judah in his LW&T on Jul 15 1701. (SoLR-GH:299).

In the August 1729 court, "Francis Lancake Commission and affidavitts Somrsett fs: Charles absolute Lord & Proprietary of the provinces of Maryland & avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &.c To John Caldwell Jn.o Handy Geo: Dashiell Isaac Handy all of Somrsett Co.ty Gent Greeting Know ye yt we have appointed you or any three or two of you to be our Commissioners to Examine Evidences on behalfe of a Certain Francis Lancake of the Co.ty afd in relation to the Bounds of two tracts or Pcells of Land Lying in the Co.ty afd Containing acres one Called Come by Chance & the Other Called High Suffolk We therefore require you or any three or two of you at Some time & place as to you or any three or two of you Shall seem Convenient you Meet on ye afd Land Called Come by Chance & High Suffolk (you first haveing taken your Oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God According to Act of assembly in Such Case made & provided) & there Cause to Come before you or any three or two of you all Such Evidences as Shall be to you or any three or two of you Nominated by the said Complaniant (or Deft if any) & that you Examine them upon their Corporall Oaths to be by you or any three or two of you Administred on ye Holy Evangelist of Almighty God in presents of ye Complanient (or Deft if any) touching ye truth or remembrances of their Knowledge or any thing that may relate to ye Cause afd & that reduceing the Several Depositions into Writing you send the Same together with this our Commission under your or any three or two of your Hands to us to our Co.ty Co.t of Somrsett with all Convenient Speed Wittness Sam.l Hopkins Gent Chief Justice of our S.d Co.t &c On the Backside of the foregoeing Deed it was thus Endorsed viz.t The Execution of the within Commission will appear by a Schedule hereunto Annexed Jn.o Caldwell Jn.o Handy Isaac Handy by vertue of a Commission out of Somrsett Co.ty Co.t to Examine Evidences to Prove the Bounds of four Hundred Acres Land belonging to Francis Lancake being a part of two tracts of Land Belonging to Adam Heatch ye one Called Come by Chance ye Other High Suffolk which Commission Issued at ye prayer of ye afd Francis Lancake bearing Date ye 19.th Day of June 1729: And According to Act of assembly we did Sett up our Notifications under our Hands at Stepney Parrish Chuch about thirty Days before we Meet on Said Lands & Haveing appointed by ye Said Notification to Meet on Said Land ye Last friday in July 1729: & Accordingly did Meet on said friday the Evidences not appearing appointed the Next Munday Following & Accordingly did Meet on ye Said Next Munday Following and Haveing Sumoned Robert Givans Thomas Humphris Jn.o Caldwell and Jn.o Cawdrey we did proceed as may appear by their Severall Depositions hereunto Annexed Given under our Hands this 28.th Day of July 1729 Jn.o Caldwell Jn.o Handy Isaac Handy Somrsett County: The Deposition of Rob.t Givans aged about fifty Eight years being Sworne one ye Holy Evangelist of Almighty God Saith as followeth that about Eight years past he was Imployed by Adam Heatch to Survey & Lay out four Hundred Acres of Land for Francis Lancake & that this Dead Gum Stump Standing by a Mulbery post Marked with Sixteen Notches & a large Stooping white Oak Near ye fork of a Glad & about one Hundred yards to ye Southerd of Jn.o Prices House is the third Bound.r of ye s.d Land Laid out for the S.d Lancake this Depon.t further deposeth y.t he run with a Straight line of Marked trees to ye first Bound.r being a marked white Oak on ye East side of ye Hand of Rockawakin Mill Branch being a bounder of Jn.o Cordrey's Land Sold him by Adam Heatch & Laid out and ye Same time by this Depon.t & further Saith Not Taken before us the Subscribers this 28.th Day of July 1729 Jn.o Caldwell Jn.o Handy Isaac Handy Somrsett Co.ty : The Depos^i^tion of Tho.s Humphris aged about forty four years being Sworn on ye Holy Evangelist of Almighty God Saith as Followeth that about Eight years past he was with Robert Givans when he run out a Pcell of Land Sold by Adam Heatch to Francis Lancake & yt this Gum Stump Standing by a Mulbery post Marked with Sixteen Notches & a Large Stooping white Oak Near ye fork of a Glade about one Hundred yards to ye Southerd of Jn.o Prices House & that ye Said Gum Stump was alowed by Adam Heatch to be ye third Bounder of ye Said Pcell of Land Laid out for ye Said Lancake & from this Bounder with a Line of Marked trees to ye first Bounder Being a Marked white Oak Standing on the East Side of the Head of Rockawakin Mill Branch & further Saith Not Taken before us the Subscribers this 28.th Day of July 1729 Jn.o Caldwell Jn.o Handy Isaac Handy
Somerset Co. : The Deposition of Mr Jn.o Caldwell aged about forty Six years being Sworn on ye Holy Evangelist of Almighty God Saith as Followeth That about Sixteen Months agoe he was Imployed by Sam.l Heatch to Lay out a Pcell of Land Given him by his father Adam Heatch & was Brought to an old Gum Stump Standing about one Hundred yards to ye Southward of Jn.o Prices House on ye East side of a Glade of ye Mill Branch which said Stump they told this Depon.t was where Francis Lancakes Land Ended on ye South East side of Said Lancakes Land & this Depon.t Begun their & Laid out Said Sam.l Hitches Land by a Line of Marked trees & further Saith not
Taken before us ye Subscribers this 28.th Day of July 1729 John Handy Isaac Handy
Somrsett County: The Deposition of Jn.o Cawdrey Aged about forty Eight Years Being Sworn on ye Holy Evangelist of Almighty God Saith as Followeth that about Eight years past this Depon.t was with Rob.t Givans at ye Laying out a Pcell of Land Sold by Adam Heatch to Francis Lancake & that they Begun at this White Oak which this Depon.ts hand is now on being the first Bounder of Said Land Laid out for Said Lancake & being a Southwest Bounder of this Deponants Land Sold him by ye Said Heatch it Standing in ye Edge of rockawakin Mill Branch on ye East side of Said Branch near at all white Gum further Saith Not Taken Before us Subscribers this 28.th Day of July 1729 Jn.o Caldwell Jn.o Handy Isaac Handy (SoJ-1727/30:212-214)

In the November 1736 court, we find him "Francis Lancake petn Somerset ss : To the Worshipfull Justices of Somerset County now in Court sitting the Humble petition of Francis Lancake most Humbly sheweth that Your Petitioner hath a negro Called Toby who is so Decayed with age and a rapture in his Secret parts so that he is not capable of doeing any sevice so as to earn his victuals and cloths and hath been so for some years past your petitioner therefore humbly prays he may be discharged here after from paying of levies for time to come and your petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray. The petition afd being read and heard and fully understood wherefore it is Considered by the Justices here that the aforesaid Francis Lancake be discharged for the future from paying of Levys for the afd Negro Tony as by the petition afd is praid &a" (SoJ-1735/37:261)

Francis Lancake was deponent for bounds of land, "High Suffolk", on Aug 1 1757, he was age 83. (SoJ-1757/60:66). But he was listed as age 89 (as Francis Lank) as deponent for "What You Please", "Deer Lot" and "Blackwater" on May 6 1758. (ibid:147)

Francis Langkake (as Langcake) wrote his will on Mar 2 1754 and it was proven in Somerset Co., MD on Jan 23 1759:
- To grandson Francis Langkake, son of my deceased son George, my dwelling plantation, houses and orchard, negro woman Sylvia and her increase, all my earthenware, a chest of drawers, one desk, a case, old chest and my bed/furniture.
- To grandson William Langkake, son of Stephen, the plantation his father Stephen liveth containing 150 acres.
- To grandson Cannon Langkake, son of my son Stephen, negro girl Tamer and a bed/furniture - To son Stephen, my best suit of clothes
- To grandson William Benston, son of William, all land I have in Worcester County lying and near Gum Branch and Broad Creek
- To granddaughter Judah Benston, negro girl Roase and her increase
- To granddaughter Magdalene Benston, son (sic) of William, negro boy Will
- To son in law William Benston my next best suit of clothes and half of my woolens and linens in equal division between him and my son Stephen
- To grandson Obediah Disharoon, son of John Disharoon, negro man Tobor
- To grandson Francis Disharoon, son of John, one bed/furniture
- To granddaughter Judah Clarkson, daughter of James, negro girl Patience and her increase
- To grandson Thomas Langkake, one bed/furniture
- To William Langkake, son of Stephen, my riding horse
- To daughter Isabella Benston, my black mare and her increase
- To son in law Francis Langkake, son of George, all remaining wearing apparel
- To son Stephen and son in law William Benston, remaining wearing apparel and woolens/linens
- To Rachel Woodgate, one linen wheel to her liking and my trunk upstairs and what is in it, also a feather bed/furniture at my plantation in Worcester and the liberty to live there as long as she thinks proper then, that to son in law William Benston and to Isabella his wife, my riding or morning gown
- To daughter in law Frances Clarkson, daughter of James, one bed at my Worcester plantation
- To grandson Francis Langkake, one box iron, six chairs, a feather bed/furniture that is at my Worcester plantation, a table, yoke of oxen, a plow, harrown and cart
- My cattle, hogs and sheep to be divided into 5 shares
Witnesses: Joshua Humphreys, John Elzey Jr., John Finch.
Widow Rachel Langkake wrote to get her thirds and no other claim (SoW-EB4:70, MdW-30:637)

An accounting of Francis Langkake's estate appears in the Somerset court records in 1761: August 25th 1761: Rachell Hitch alias Lank and Francis Lank, Administrators with will Annext of Francis Lankake To the decds. Estate then Accounted for 819..6..7 1/2. Elgatt Hitch & Solomon Hitch, sureties. By disbursments Allowed Including Sundry Legacies and part of Filial portions paid ye Children & Widows thirds 644..17..5 2/5 Balance due to be Secured According to Law and the decd. will 174..9..1 3/5 The above Ballance is thus distributed Vizt £819..6..7 1/2 -To Francis Clarkson a Legacy Valued at 4..10..0 -To be Secured to the heirs of Rachell Clarkson Vizt Levin Clarkson Francis Clarkson Judith Clarkson and Leah Clarkson 40..15..1 -To Francis Disharoon a Legacy Valued to 36..10..0 -To Cannon Langake a Legacy Valued to 59..5..0 -To William Langake a Legacy Valued to 2..0..0 -To Thos. Langake a Legacy Valued to 7..0..0 -To George Langake 8..3..0 1/5 -To Thos. Langake 8..3..0 1/5 -To George Langake 8..3..0 1/5 £174..9..1 3/5 (SoJ-1760/63:150)

Francis married Judith Cannon, daughter of Stephen (alias Thomas Davis) Cannon and Judith Bloyce, about 1702 in Somerset Co., MD. (Judith Cannon was born on 26 Feb 1680 in Somerset Co., MD and died after 1725 in Somerset Co., MD.)

Francis next married Rachel (?). (Rachel (?) was born about 1715 in Somerset Co., MD and died after 1775 in Somerset Co., MD.)