VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
791
always in the thick of battle, he was engaged
in the siege of Newport. His next post was
on the Hudson river, a few miles above
West Point, and then later he was sent back
into New Jersey, this time to Hackensack,
from which the British forces had just re-
tired, and where, under the command of
Colonel Febiger, he was stationed. Shortly
after this Colonel Febiger was called else-
where, and Major jMassie was left in com-
mand at Hackensack of the Second Vir-
ginia Regiment on Continental establish-
ment. Not long after this the eight old
Continental regiments of Virginia were con-
solidated for the defence of Charleston, and
Major JMassie became a supernumerary
officer. With the permission of General
Washington he now returned to Virginia,
from which he had been absent for so long,
holding his commission as major, ready,
however, for service wherever and when-
ever required. It is told how Major Massie's
commission as captain had been actually
worn out through long carrying it in his
pocket on the field and march and in the
camp, by constant exposure to rain, hail,
snow and the weather generally. During
the winter of 1780-81, Major Massie acted
as aide-de-camp to General Nelson in Vir-
ginia, and it was during his employment in
this service that Benedict Arnold invaded
that State and destroyed the public stores
and houses at Richmond and the arsenal
and foundry at Westham. The war was
nearly over, but ]\Iajor Massie remained in
active service to the very last moment and
was present at the capture of Yorktown and
the final surrender of the British armies
under General Cornwallis, in October, 1781.
In return for the gallant and tireless serv-
ices he had given his country during the
long and sanguinary struggle for freedom,
congress voted to Major Massie a tract of
land lying in the states of Kentucky and
Ohio, amounting to five thousand three hun-
dred and thirty-three and a third acres.
This he exchanged later for lands belong-
ing to Nathaniel Littleton Savage, lying in
Virginia, some in his home region, New
Kent county, and some in Frederick county,
besides other valuable property, such as a
water grist mill and other improvements.
Major Massie was married. .August 11,
1 78 1, to Sarah Cocke, born March 8, 1760. at
"Turkey Island," died April 20, 18.^8, at
"Level Green," daughter of Bowler Cocke,
a prominent resident of Turkey Island, Vir-
ginia. To Alajor and Mrs. Massie were born
three children, all sons : Thomas Jr., Octo-
ber 21, 1782; Henry, mentioned further;
William, March 3, 1789. In 1803 or 1804
they left Frederick county and went to
Level Green, in Nelson county (then Am-
herst), where they lived on lands acquired
on Tye river, an estate which at the time
of Major Massie's death comprised more
than nine thousand acres. iSIajor Massie
was at the time of his death, February 2,
1834, at "Level Green," Nelson county, Vir-
ginia, one of the largest landowners and
wealthiest men generally in Virginia. His
whole personal estate, including seventy-
five slaves, etc., was valued at over a hun-
dred and thirty-one thousand dollars, while
his lands must have been worth still more,
representing a fortune very large for that
time, and this, together with his personal
characteristics and the reputation as a dis-
interested patriot, made him a prominent
man of the new and still struggling nation.
(VI) Captain Henry Massie, the second son of Major Thomas and Sarah (Cocke) Massie, was born October 16, 1784, died January 12, 1841, at "Falling Springs" val- ley. He was the grandfather of William Russell Massie, of this sketch, the repre- sentative of the present generation of that distinguished family. From his father. Major Thomas Massie, Captain Henry Massie. as he was generally known, received a grant of land of three thousand acres in the Falling Springs valley, Bath county, Virginia, for the sum of ten thousand dol- lars. On this noble estate Captain Massie built a handsome residence known as "The Oaks," and there lived with his family dur- ing the remainder of his life. He married (first) October 22, 1810, Susan Preston Lewis, born August 22, 1792, died Novem- ber 22, 1825, and (second) Elizabeth Daggs. Children of first wife: i. Mary, married, December 15, 1829. John Hampden Pleas- ants; children: James, married Carrie T. Massie. and Ann Eliza, married Douglas H. Gordon. 2. Sarah C, married, October 18, 1827. Rev. Stanley. 3. Plenry, mentioned at length below. 4. Thomas Eugene, born 1822, died 1863; married Mary James, of Ohio. 5. Eugenia S., married Samuel V. Gatewood. 6. Susan Lewis, born May 4, 1824, died October 30. 1824. Child of second wife. Hczekiah, to whom his father left his homestead known as "The Oaks."
(\'II) Henry Massie, eldest son of Cap-
