The Nall line of Western Kentucky can be traced back with certainty to Essex County, Virginia. Essex County was created when Rappahannock County was divided into Essex and Richmond. North Farnham Parish was in Richmond County. South Farnham Parish was erected in 1692 and covered the lower part of Essex, south of Mt. Landing Creek.
Essex County had two churches, Upper and Lower Piscataway. The Rector of the parish had brush arbor services near Miller Tavern for those who lived too far from Upper Piscataway Church. St. Anne was a second parish erected in 1692. It became Caroline County in 1727.
In March 1701/1702 Martin Nalle arrived in the colony of Virginia as property of C.C. Thacker as shown in the following transcripts on page 55 of Patent Book No. 9:
CHICHELEY CORBIN THACKER, 3080 acres, King & Queen County, in Pamunkey Neck;
12 Nov. 1701/2, p. 427. Beg. in Darrell's line; to Perry's Sw; near North Wales Path;
by runn of the up. Herring Cr; to Mr. Whitehead's line, &c. Trans. of 62 pers:
Robert Wilson, Edwd. Cooke, Robert Bagwell, Anne Day, Win. Jones, Richd.
Dobler, John Correll (or Cowell), Dennis Standon, Abigall Nelle, Rebecca Blacke,
William White, Joseph Hide, John Sanders, Charles Ellison, Charles King, Elizabeth
Shaw, Peter Brackwell, Barthomew Bath, Edward Cardenbrook, Katherine
Cardenbrook, Elizabeth Blackey, Jane Goodston, James Home, Win. Williams,
John Sely, Mary Croxen, William Moor, Edward Meeares, Henry Brewer,
William Maine, Clemans Lowe, Edmon Irishman, Thomas Squerel, Edward
Bowen, Mark Rowland, John Smith, William Woodcok, Mary Mackney,
Elizabeth Clarbor, Mary Webb, Elizabeth Clark, John Jones, Esh. Mee,
Thomas Smadge, Richard Baker, John Smith, Thomas Hughs, William Hawkins,
Richard Strawhon, Thomas Maddison, John Flanakin, Philip Colbert, Martin Nalle,
Robert Lorton, Edward Maning, Patrick Maning, Win. Humphris, William
Humphris, Junior, Edward Gill, Richard Willis, Richard Sammon, Anne Gibbins.
Martin’s father may have been Richard Nalle of Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England who was born on 29 June 1632. As for the surname, possible variations of the name are Nall, Nalle, and possibly Nalley. In England, the spelling was Nall.
It is debated if Martin Nalle were an indentured servant or simply paid Mr. Thacker for his passage to the colony. However, Martin married a woman of property, Jane "Mary" Aldin/Alden about 1702. Since few servants married above their station at that time, such a marriage would have been very unusual.
Martin and Mary were tobacco farmers which was the colonial livilihood. Whether one was a small farmer or a large planter, tobacco was part and parcel of the social, political, and economic life of the colony. As one increased production and purchased more land, it could take him and his family up the social ladder. Most of those responsible for the welfare of the colony were planters, and everything could be paid for in tobacco. In 1620 the indentured servants were paid for with tobacco, the young women sent to the colonists to become wives were purchased by paying their transportation charges with tobacco. The wages of soldiers and the salaries of clergymen and governmental officials were paid in tobacco. After 1730 tobacco notes in the form of warehouse receipts worth a certain amount of money served as currency for the colony.
Martin and Mary Alden Nalle (1681 - 1734) had eight children, all born in Virginia. Their children are listed below:
1. John Nalle (1703 – 1782) married Mary Brown (1705 – 1783)
2. Winifred Nalle (1705 – 1744) married Thomas Dillard (1706 – 1744)
3. Elizabeth “Betty” Nalle (1706 – 1762) married John Ennis (1710 – 1762)
4. Martin Nalle (1707 – 1788) married Isabell
5. Amey Nalle (1709 – 1730) married William Frazier
6. Agness Nalle (1712 – 1765) married Thomas Burke
7. Richard Nalle (1716 – 1794) married Elizabeth (1720 – 1794)
8. Nathan Nalle (1721 – 1802) married Sarah Eldridge (1725 – 1802)
Martin signed his will as Martin Naul, listed his wife as Mary Nall, but his sons were listed as Naul. Children named in the will were John, Martin, Winnifret (Winnefred). The majority of Nalls living in the United States today appear to be the descendants of Martin and Mary's four sons, John, Martin, Richard, and Nathan. Most Nall researchers feel he came from England. Some feel his father was Richard Nalle who was born 29 July 1632.
Martin and Mary Nalle are buried in a forty foot square burial plot on Martin Nalle's property near Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia. In his will, Martin Nalle named Thomas Burke as an executor and referred to him as his cousin.
Transcription of Martin Nall's will:
In the name of God Amen the ninth day of Aprill I Martin Nall of the County
of Essex and Parish of South Farnham being very sick and weak but in Perfect
sense and memory Praise be given to the Almighty God for the same knowing
the uncertainty of the Life on Earth do make and appoint this to be my last will
and Testament revoking all other wills by me formerly made and do make and
appoint this to be my last will and Testament in manner and form following that
is to say first and principally I commend my Soul to God my Creator and Redeemer hoping that I shall be saved by the Precious death and merrits of Christ and my
body to be decently buried as my Execr. hereafter named shall think fit and for
my worldly Estate as the Lord in his mercy bestowed on me my will is that it
shall be bestowed as This my will is Exprest
Item I give to my beloved wife Mary Nall a negro man named Bristoll during her
natural life.
Item I give to my beloved son John Naul ten acres of my Land and the Remainder
part of my land I give to my beloved son Martin Naul to them and their
heirs for ever.
Item I give all the remainder part of my Estate real and personall to be equally
divided among my Eight Children only my wife to have an Equal part
of the Personal Estate for her Life and the Eight head of Cattle I lent to
my son John and my daughter Winnifret to be in part of their portion
and I do appoint my beloved Wife and my cousin Thomas Burke
and Thos. Dillard my whole and sole Execrs. of this my last will and
testament.
Ame Nall
Test John Bates
Martin Naul (seal)
George Dillard
The following article about Martin Nalle was transcribed from Nall Families of America, including Nalle, Naul, Nalls.
Martin Nalle is believed to have been born in 1675 – 1680 probably
in England. The exact location of his birth and the name of his
parents have not been found. His death occurred in Essex County,
Virginia between 9 April and 20 August 1728.
Martin Nall was married to Mary Aldin probably around 1702 and
certainly by 5 June 1705 when “Mary Nalle” was named in an Essex
County, Virginia deed.
Mary (Aldin) Nalle is believed to have been born in mid – 1681 in
Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, Virginia, the daughter of
Robert and Ellianor (Willis) Aldin. Although the given name recorded
in the Christian record was “Jane,” other factors indicate that she
may have been the person referred to in other records as Mary.
No further references to a Jane Aldin were found in the parish records.
There was no birth record for Mary Aldin, although those of her brother
John in 1663, and sister Katherine in 1665, were noted. These were the
three children named by Ellianor (Willis) Aldin in a deed in 1714: “…in
consideration for the love I have and bear for my son John Aldin…two
daughters in Essex, Mary Nalle and Catherine Terbett…” Mary Nalle and
Katherine Turbett were named in the will of their step-father, Richard
Kemp, in 1714, and also in divison of land dated 15 October 1722. Mary
(Aldin) Nalle was certainly born before 1685. In his will dated January
1685, Matthew Bentley, step-father of Ellianor (Willis) Aldin, left to his
step-granddaughter “Mary Allden..a young maid.” In 1688 “Mary Allden”
was bequeathed “a good cow and calfe” by the will of her uncle, John
Willis. She may have been called “Mary” after the death of her
grandmother, Mary Willis Bently. Mary (Aldin) Nalle died in 1734 in
Essex County, Virginia.
Martin Nalle’s name first appeared in the court records of Essex County,
Virginia on 2 Februrary 1705/06 when he witnessed a deed from James
Boughan to Richard Holt and William Holt. The name was spelled Nall.
On 5 June 1705 Martin Nalle’s wife, Mary (Aldin) Nalle was deeded land
from her mother and step-father. “Richard Kemp and Ellinor his wife…for
and in consideration of the sum of thirty pounds sterling…give grant…and
confirme unto the said Mary Naule and Jatherine Turbett and the heires
of their bodyes and for want of such heires of the body of either of them
to the longest liver of them and her heires forever…three hundred acres of
land…situate lying and being in the [County of Essec]…to be equally
divided in quality and quanity into two parts and then the said Mary Naule
is to have her first choice…” The 300 acres of land has been conveyed to
Richard and Ellianor Kem by Robert and Elizabeth Deputy on 19 July 1703.