380 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



came over with William the Conqueror and some of them 

 were very prominent after the conquest. De Lacey was 

 the first viceroy of Ireland under William. Lacey built 

 Kirkstall Abbey at Leeds, and another Lacey built the 

 castle at Chester. The name is not a common one. 



I have found some Laceys in different parts of the 

 South and they nearly always trace their ancestry back 

 to Virginia, apparently deriving their family name from 

 the same stock. 



It is a question much discussed as to whether a man 

 partakes more of his ancestry or of his surroundings. 

 But whatever I know of my ancestry I will try and faith- 

 fully record. ' ' For when the breath of man goeth forth 

 he shall turn again to his earth, and then all his thoughts 

 perish." 146 Ps. 



A few years ago in searching the records of our family 

 at Georgetown, I found the manumission papers filed by 

 Spencer Lacey freeing his slaves. This was in the early 

 part of the present century. It appears therefore, that 

 my grandfather Patten and great-grandfather Lacey 

 were both washing their hands of human slavery about the 

 same time. 



My mother was born a Quaker ; she lost her birthright 

 by marrying my father, who was a Methodist. She joined 

 the same church with my father and lived and died in that 

 faith. She was persistent in her attendance upon the 

 services of that church and was a constant reader during 

 her whole life. 



Her last words were, "The Lord will provide." She 

 had just been reading the ' ' New version of the New Testa- 

 ment" which I had sent her. She rose to walk across the 

 room and fell with the unfortunate results I have de- 

 scribed. 



The year 1880 was the saddest of my life. In that year, 

 May 2d, father died, and October 9th my only son, Ray, 



