Individual Details

Pierce Noland, sometimes Nowland, was probably born in County Mayo, Ireland around 1655/1660[1] and later lived in Tipperary. He came to Maryland from Ireland between 1675-80 with his brothers and was a "taylor" by occupation. He moved to Stafford County, Virginia about 1707. His property was named 'Fethard' after the family estate in County Tipperary Ireland.

He was living in Cecil County, Maryland by 1686, where he had 300 acres of land on the west side of the Elk River. This was part of a tract granted to several men from Ireland. He traded it to Thomas Lynsey of Charles County, Maryland in 1692 for 100 acres in that county.

Liber NS#B, Folio 540-541, Commissioner Land Office, Annapolis, Maryland.
“…Pierce Noland of Cecil County in our said province of Maryland, hath due unto him three hundred acres of land within our said province by assignment from Charles Quigley of St. Mary’s County, part of a warrant for five hundred acres granted the said Quigley the sixth day of September One thousand six hundred and eighty-six … We hereby grant unto him the said Pierce Noland all that parcel called Feddard lying in Cecil County aforesaid on the western side of Elk River…the thirteenth day of October one thousand six hundred and eighty six.
Another document is in Charles Co., Liber R#15,f olio 509-10, dated November 4, 1692 “Wherein the land called Feddard in Cecil County becomes the property of Thomas Lynsey….of Charles County.” Thomas Lynsey….hath given granted bargained sleined soft, etc. all that parcel of and lying in Charles County aforesaid called Galleys Discovery.” (Followed by a decscription of the boundaries of the land.) Witnessed by William Moss, Griffith Davis, and John Athersith. William Dent is also mentioned as an attorney.

Pierce later bought land in Stafford County, Virginia ,in what was called Marlborough, right across the Potomac from his land in Charles County. He left a will dated 20 June [sic] 1715 and probably died shortly after that.

Stafford Co, VA Wills & Deeds Book Z, Film #007646081
p.145 img.77
27 Jul 1702 Last will & testament of Benj. (B) Webb. Wit: Pierce (PN) Knowland, Mary (X) Knowland, Jacob Gardiner. 9 Sep 1702. Sworn upon the Holy Evangelist, Pierce Knowland, Mary Knowland, and Mary (sic) Gardiner. [Who was Mary? Other actual records give his wife as Katherine - daughter-in-law, wife of Stephen?]
p.376 img 193
10 May 1707 Deed from Wm Downing to Pierce Knowland for 2000#’s tobacco, tract on Potomack Creek, 100 acres. Part of 200 acres granted Downing 12 Jul 1692. Signed: Wm (D) Downing. Wit: George Rolaney, Hen. Conyers. Proved Downing. Wife Diana relinquished dower rights. [NOTE: this would be the elder Pierce devised to three of his sons in his will to follow. ]

Northern Neck Grants, Book 4 Film # 008358040
p.107 img. 120 (part cut off by binding)
28 June 1708 Catherine Lady Fairfax Baroness, Dowager, only daughter & heir of Thomas late Lord & Marguritte, late Lady Culper, dec’d and only proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia. Pierce Knowland of Stafford Co, obtained a warrant, 28 Jun 1708, having returned a survey, make over 120 acres on Ptomack Run. A little below Potowmack Mill, land of Mr. Matthew Kean, line of Capt Alexander, line of Mr. Matthews. 9 ??? 1712. [NOTE: This is a re-patent of the tract from Wm Downing that will be devised to his three sons.]

Court testimony many years later refers to this patent & Capt. Alexander: and also shows how many years they had been associated with the Awbrey family.
Land Disputes Film #008141174, Item 1
p.281 img.126
8 May 1767 Deposition of Charles Griffith, aged 70 years, of Loudoun Co formerly Stafford Co, now called Fairfax. Suit between John Carlyle & Charles Alexander. About 40 years ago [1727] he was overseer for one Phillip Noland and Majr. Robert Alexander, grandfather of Charles called in at the said Noland House. Conversation relative to the Alexander land – Noland told Alexander that Robertson, the Goings, and several others had surveyed and taken up land within his great Patent. Said Alexander seeming angry swore he would make them suffer and let them know his land run a great way further out than they imagined. When Noland told Maj. Alexander that the Goings were taking & surveying sd Alexander’s land, he replied he had a great mind to turn the Mulatoo Rascals (then his tenants) off his land. About the latter end of the same year, Noland and one Francis Awbrey had conversation about the said Alexander’s land and Noland told Awbrey that he did really believe that there was no vacant land therabouts, that all the land from Great Hunting Creek up to Borchen Tract was included in Alexander’s great Pattent. Noland never understood that there was any vacant land for if there had be it would certainly have been taken up before the said Awbrey’s time.

His will, written 20 January 1715, names sons Philip, Pierce, Thomas, and William. A later deed (1724) shows that Thomas died in his minority.

A reference to his 1715 will is included in a March 9, 1724 land transfer (Stafford Court House, Virginia, Deed Book K, p.166f [Film #007646097, img.93]
...between Pierce Knowland II of Over-Wharton Parish in the County of Stafford [and Henry Suddeth] sixty acres of land thereunto belonging situated lying and being near and upon Potomack Run in the Parish and County aforesaid and being the Plantation whereon Pierce Knowland (dec) father to the said Pierce Knowland lived - the said sixty acres to include the rear ground together with the whole plantation from thence to Potomack Maine Run and near Potomack Old Mill...bequeathed by the said Pierce Knowland (dec), unto his three youngest sons, Pierce, Thomas and William by his last will and testament bearing the date the 20th day of June 1715 duly proved in Stafford Court to be equally divided between the said three sons.
The 1724 land transaction is for land willed by Pierce Knowland to his sons Pierce, Thomas and William, which he bought from William Downing (or Dowing) and that he repatented July 3, 1712:
[land] bought by the said Pierce Knowland (dec), of William Downing of the said county, being part of a patent of 200 acres granted unto the said Dowing by Patent bearing the date 12 Day of July 1692 which said 100 acres more or less was repatented by ye said Pierce Knowland (dec). by patent bearing date the 3rd day of July 1712

• i have a copy of a document between a Thomas Lynsey and my ancestor Pierce Noland, dated 4 November, 1692. Apparently Pierce traded about 300 acres of land he owned in Cecil Co., MD (Feddard) for land Thomas Lynsey owned in Charles Co., MD (Galley's Discovery); in the Nanjemoy area, I believe. Noland 588
A record of Feddard's 300 acres is also online, image 61 of 196, Cecil County records, names it Feddard & says "Possd by the heirs of of Thomas Lindsey, with detail: "Honey Johnson from Margarett Lindsey Recorded March 9th 1710" for 300 acres.

Birth	Ca 1654	Ireland
Death	20 Jan 1715	Stafford County, Virginia
Marriage		Katherine [Noland]

Spouse	Katherine [Noland] ( - )
Child	Stephen Noland (1682 - 1733)
Child	Philip Noland (1685 - 1733)
Child	Pierce Noland (1692 - )
Child	William Noland (1703 - )
Child	Thomas Noland (1698 - )

Father	Pierce Noland ( - )
Sibling	Thomas Noland ( - 1728)
Sibling	Darby Noland ( - 1727)
Sibling	Henry Noland ( - 1706)
Sibling	Philip Noland (1656 - 1733)
Sibling	William Noland (1658 - 1719)