I follow here the conventions of modern Cody researchers in calling the James Archdeacon whose will was written in 1759 in Prince Edward Co, VA as James Archdeacon II; and his son, who purportedly married Sarah Womack, as James Archdeacon III.
The surname was originally "Archdeacon Cody" but in the early days in America was usually written as just Archdeacon, though it was Cody/Codie in a few tax lists of Amelia Co, VA in the 1740s and 1750s. The Archdeacon family over time all start going by just Cody.
The Archdeacon family is important to Womack research because of two intermarriages:
Margaret "Peggy" Archdeacon married Richard Womack IV
James Archdeacon III married Sarah Womack by Cody family tradition; however the only mention I can find of James Archdeacon III's wife in historical records gives her names as Elizabeth.
Margaret "Peggy" Archdeacon Womack
Margaret "Peggy" Archdeacon Womack is mentioned in the 1759 will of her father, James Archdeacon II. She married Richard Womack IV in June 1753; he died in March 1754, leaving Margaret pregnant with daughter Mary Womack, who died as a child. Margaret had legal actions against father-in-law Richard Womack III and brother-in-law Jacob Womack concerning slaves Margaret believed she had inherited. This legal action occurred in both Lunenburg Co, VA and Prince Edward Co, VA. Two chancery case files are at the Library of Virginia, and include depositions from Margaret's brother, James Archdeacon II, and her sister "Elce" (Allsie) Archdeacon. See Richard Womack IV for more info.
Family Tradition - James Archdeacon III and Sarah Womack (her name possibly Elizabeth)
Various early Cody family researchers wrote books in the early 1900s concerning James Cody and wife Sarah Womack.
The first was Sarah D Hubert (1840-1925). She wrote a book in 1902, in which she stated her 2nd great-grandparents were James Cody (James Archdeacon II) and Sarah Womack.
Sarah Donelson Hubert, her lineage:
Matthew Henry Hubert and Elizabeth Mason Hardaway
Sarah Cody and George W Hardaway
Edmund Cody and Catherine Donelson
James Cody and Sarah Womack
Sarah D Hubert noted this on page 3: "Tradition says that the father of the three brothers [including James Cody who married Sarah Womack] was an Archdeacon in Ireland."
Note also that she conflated James Archdeacon II and James Archdeacon III. She included Mary Achdeacon Cody, who married George Lumpin, as the daughter of James Archdeacon III, while modern researchers have placed Mary as James III's sister. Mary was the daughter of James Archdeacon II, and named as daughter "Mary Lumkin" in his 1759 will. She also stated that Sicily Womack who married James Harris McFarland and Sherwood Womack were siblings of Sarah Womack Cody; however these were the children of Abraham Womack and his first wife Martha Mitchell, and are named in deeds from Abraham, as well as his will.
There is also confusion about where the Codys came from. They were not from Halifax Co, VA and Halifax Co, NC. Rather, they settled in the part of Amelia Co, VA which became Prince Edward Co, VA in 1754. James Archdeacon III later moved to Orange Co, NC, the part which became Caswell Co in 1777 and Person Co in 1792, though by that time, they had moved to Georgia.
Margaret Miriam Strong (1855-1933), published Genealogy of the Ragland Family in 1928. On pages 41-42, she linked Sarah Womack Cody as the daughter of Richard Womack, and gave Richard Womack's lineage, but made several mistakes:
First and most importantly, since Margaret Miriam Strong descended from Mary Cody who married George Lumpkin, she was not a Womack descendant at all, because as explained above, Mary Archdeacon Cody Lumpkin was the sister of James Archdeacon II and Sarah Womack, not their daughter.
She also linked Richard Womack to the Ashby / Edward Womack fraudulent genealogy created by John Warburton Womack, explained here. This lineage was accepted as accurate by several researchers in the early 1900s until disproved by the Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers in 1927. When Strong published her book in 1928, she was unaware of Valentine's book published a year earlier.
Additionally, she took the 1913 work of Jean Stephenson verbatim. Note that Jean Stephenson later disavowed this work, which expanded on the fraudulent John Warburton Womack genealogy by tracing the lineage of Bishop Lawrence Womack.
Nettie Hale Rand (1881-1942), daughter of Margaret Miriam Strong, wrote Rand, Hale, Strong and Allied Families (1940). Like her mother, she mistakenly believed that Mary Cody Lumpkin was the daughter of James Archdeacon II and Sarah Womack. Although she correctly linked Richard Womack to the Womacks of Henrico Co, VA she made several mistakes, which I will enumerate another time, but include:
Stating that Richard Womack, father of Sarah Womack Cody, was the son of Abraham Womack, when he was in fact the son of Richard Womack Jr, by both historical evidence and Y-DNA.
Stating that Richard Womack, father of Sarah Womack Cody,died in Lunenburg Co, VA in 1759. The court records Nettie Rand Hale found of a deceased Richard Womack were actually for Richard Womack IV, husband of Margaret Archdeacon (see above). Richard Womack III died in the 1780s in Georgia.
Archdeacon land records in Virginia indicate the wife of James Archdeacon II was named Elizabeth
When the 1759 will (below) of James Archdeacon II was found by researchers, it indicated that some of the lineages claimed by early researchers were mistaken. In particular, Mary Archdeacon Cody Lumpkin was the daughter of James Archdeacon II, not James III.
Apparently, nobody has previously researched the available deed records in Amelia and Prince Edward Counties, Virginia. I did so in hopes of finding Sarah Womack Cody's name in a historical records, since to the best of my knowledge, her name is known only by Cody family tradition.
Abstract of the deeds are made further down this page.
James Archdeacon II had a Virginia Land Patent in Amelia Co, VA in 1745 for 400 acres on Buffalo River (VA PB 25:37). He sold this land in Mar 1749 (possibly 1750 New Style) to James Thackston (Amelia Co, VA DB 3:464). He then bought another tract of 400 acres on Buffalo River from Charles Anderson in May 1750 (Amelia Co, VA DB 3:442). It was this 400 acre tract he willed to son Edmund Archdeacon in 1759 (Prince Edward Co, VA WB 1:33).
James Archdeacon II willed his son James Archdeacon III 550 acres bought from William Watson. The history of this land is convoluted, but luckily the records exist. This information is best presented in a timeline (fuller abstracts of the records are further down the page):
6 Nov 1745 - William Watson and Robert Moody had a survey in Amelia Co between the South forks of Buffalo River and a Branch of Wards forks for 1100 acres (Amelia Co, VA surveys at binnsgenealogy.com Tax List Club). They apparently did not complete the process of patenting the land from the colonial government.
29 June 1751 - James Archdeacon II made a down payment on 550 acres of the 1100 acre tract to William Watson, who in turn signed a contract promising to convey the land when the balance was paid. (Amelia Co, VA chancery case 1757-001).
23 Dec 1751 - William Watson made his will in Amelia Co, VA naming son William (Amelia Co, VA WB 1:78). Will was proved 26 Mar 1752, meaning William Watson was dead by then.
1754 - this area of Amelia Co becomes Prince Edward Co.
1757 - James Archdeacon II brought a chancery suit against the estate of William Watson, stating that Watson had died before conveying the land, and that Watson's minor son had refused to do so (as a minor, he probably could not). The 29 June 1751 contract is included in the chancery file (Amelia Co, VA chancery case 1757-001).
10 Dec 1759 - James Archdeacon II signs his will, giving the 550 acres bought from William Watson to son James (Prince Edward Co, VA WB 1:33), though the land was still in dispute.
20 July 1768 - VA PB 37:347 - William Watson, 20 July 1768, Amelia Co, 1100 acres between the south fork of Buffalo River and the branches of Wards Fork of Little Roanoke. William Watson's son, also named William, finally completed the patent process on the 1100 acre tract, including the 550 acres belonging to James Archdeacon III.
20 Feb 1769 - William Watson (Jr) conveyed the 550 acres to James Archdeacon III. The 1768 patent is mentioned, and it is stated James was already living there. Finally, the sale price of 30 pounds is the same as the 1751 contract; it had probably already been paid in full many years earlier, but now William Watson (Jr) was an adult, and able to properly convey the land (Prince Edward Co, VA DB 5:109).
25 Feb 1769 - James Archdeacon III sold 200 of the 550 acres to Micajah Harris; no wife for James is mentioned (Prince Edward Co, VA DB 3:350).
12 Oct 1769 - James Archdeacon III sold the remaining 350 acres to Samuel Goode Jr (Prince Edward Co, VA DB 3:444). Unexpectedly, James's wife is listed as Elizabeth, not Sarah: "The within deed from James Archdeacon to Samuel Goode junr was presented in Court and acknowledged by the said James party thereto and Elizabeth his Wife relinquishing her right of Dower and ordered to be recorded."
Where does that leave us?
I still believe James Archdeacon Cody III's wife was a Womack, but possibly Elizabeth Womack, rather than Sarah. Middle names were extremely rare in the mid-1700s, so
"Sarah Elizabeth" was unlikely. The Womack tradition is likely correct, though there are no historical records that prove it. However, James's sister, Margaret Archdeacon, does have direct evidence that she married Richard Womack IV, son of Richard Womack III, purported father of Sarah (or Elizabeth) Womack, wife of James Archdeacon Cody III. Additionally, there are records where James Archdeacon is associated with these Womacks. He bought some property from David Womack in 1785 (Caswell Co, NC DB C:85), and made a survey over to John Womack in 1778 (Caswell Co, NC Land Entries 1778-1795); David Womack has Bible records proving he was the son of Richard Womack III, and John Womack was almost certainly also a son of Richard III.
Amelia Co, VA Tax Lists - Index to tax lists - Note that the area where the Archdeacons lived became Prince Edward Co in 1754.
Archdeacon
Edmd 49g, 51g
Edmond 53g
James 51g
Jas Jr 53g
Jas list 53g
Archtacon
Edmund 50g
James Jr 50g
Codie
Edm'd 52g
Edmd 48g
Jam's 52g
James 48g
Cody
James 48c
1748 - List C - Josias Randle's list
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1748Tith/04.jpg
p.4, Col 1 - James Cody - 2
1748 - List G - John Nash's list
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1748Tith/07.jpg
p.7, Col 5 - Edmd Codie & Jame Codie - 2
1749 - List G - John Nash's list
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1749Tith/02a.jpg
p.2a, Col 2 - Edmd Archdeacon - 1 6
1750 - List G - John Nash
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1750Tith/03a.jpg
p.3a, Col 1 - Edmund Archtacon, James Archtacon Junr and Toney a negroe - 3 18
1751 - List G - John Nash
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1751Tith/04a.jpg
p.4a, Col 1 - Ednd Archdeacon, James Archdeacon & Toney - 3
1752 - List G - John Nash
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1752Tith/05b.jpg
p.5b, Col 1 - (last name, partially obscured) Edmd Codie, Jams Codie & Tony - 3
1753 - List G - John Nash
http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/VaColonialTitheLists/Amelia/1753Tith/03c.jpg
p.3c, Col 2 - Jas Archdeacon Jur - 1
p.3c, Col 2 - Jas Archdeacon's List, Edmond Archdeacon & Tony - 3
Virginia Land Patents, Book 25, p.37
James Archtacon, 20 Mar 1745, 400 acres in Amelia Co, S side S fork of Buffilo River.
http://image.lva.virginia.gov/LONN/LO.html
On S side of South fork of Buffilo River. Beg on a corner hickory in Richey's line thence S7E 356p to a faced corner, thence E22N 156p to a faced corner, thence N43W 152p to Richey's line, thence along his line W43S 52p to his corner, thence W2S 20p to his corner, thence Gum, thence S40W 43p to beg.
Amelia Co, VA Deeds
Amelia Co, VA DB 3:442 - Deed 18 May 1750, Charles Anderson of Amelia to James Atchdacon of same, for 50#, 400a in Amelia Co, conveyed to said Anderson by Abraham Baker, granted to said Baker by patent dated 25 Sep 1746, lying on south side of South fork of Buffillo River. Signed Chas Anderson. No witnesses. Amelia Court 18 May 1750 acknowledged by Charles Anderson.
Amelia Co, VA DB 3:464 - Deed, 6 Mar 1749, James Archtacon of Amelia Co to James Thackston of same, for 150#, 400a in Amelia Co on south side of South fork of Buffeloe River, Richey's line. Signed James Archtacon. Wit: Hugh Challes, George Danier [?, Davies?], James Wimbish, James Wimbish Jr. Amelia Court 10 May 1750 acknowledged by James Archtacon. [Note: the deed does not state that this was James Archdeacon's Virginia patent (VA PB 25:37), but the acreage and metes & bounds are exactly the same as the patent, mentions Richey's line, etc.]
Prince Edward Co, VA Deeds
Prince Edward Co, VA DB 3:350 - Deed 25 Feb 1769, James Archdacon of Prince Edward Co to Micajah Harris of Cumberland Co, for 50#, 200 acres in said county, Hanners line, Robertsons line. Signed James Archdacon. Wit: Charles Venable. Charles Harriss, George Thomson. Prince Edward Court June 1769 proved by witnesses, not named.
Prince Edward Co, VA DB 3:444 - Deed 12 Oct 1769, James Archdeacon of Prince Edward Co to Samuel Goode Jr of same county, for 30#, land in said county, branches of Buffiloe and Wards Fork containing 350a, part of a patent to William Watson dated 20 July 1768, bounded by lines of Micajah Harris, Robert Hannah & Chs Harris, the old divinding line between Watson and said Archdeacon, also Mr Koon's and Robertson line. Signed Jas Archdeacon. Wit: Saml Goode, Rob Goode, Mackness Goode. Prince Edward Court 16 Oct 1769, "The within deed from James Archdeacon to Samuel Goode junr was presented in Court and acknowledged by the said James party thereto and Elizabeth his Wife relinquishing her right of Dower and ordered to be recorded."
Prince Edward Co, VA DB 5:109 - Deed 20 Feb 1769, William Watson of Amelia Co to James Archdeacon of Amelia Co, for 30#, land in Prince Edward Co on the Branches of Buffelow and Wards Fork, 550 acres, upper half of a tract granted to said Watson by patent dated 20 July 1768, land whereon said James Archdeacon now lives, divided by a line that separates the tract. Signed William Watson. Wit: Dudley Rutledge x, Wm E Carey, James I Macdearman x, Saml Goode. Prince Edward Court Feb 1769, proved by 3 witnesses, not named.
William Watson records
Amelia Co, VA Surveys - 6 Nov 1745 - Willm Watson and Robt Moody a survey between the South forks of Buffillo and a Branch of Wards forks on Roan Oake joyning Lidderdales Cobbs and Anderson lines - 1100 acres.
Amelia Co, VA WB 1:78 - Will of William Watson, names son William (not yet 21), wife Amy, other children, daughters mentioned but not named. Dated 23 Dec 1751, proved 26 Mar 1752.
VA PB 37:347 - William Watson, 20 July 1768, Amelia Co, 1100 acres between the south fork of Buffalo River and the branches of Wards Fork of Little Roanoke.
VA Chancery Cases, Amelia Co, 1757-001, James Archdeacon vs William Watson
https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=007-1757-001
Image 1, Bill of Complaint, James Archdeacon of Amelia Co states that on 29 June 1751 he came to an agreement with William Watson late of Amelia Co to purchase a tract of 550 acres in Amelia Co for 30 pounds; Archdeacon paid partially 20 pounds and 6 shillings, and Watson gave him a contract promising to convey the land when the balance was paid. William Watson died before he conveyed the land. Archdeacon attempted to pay balance to Watson's son who was under 21 and refused.
Image 9 - Receipt from William Watson to James Archdeacon dated 29 June 1751, that he received 20 pounds 6 shillings and 6 pence from Archdeacon's son Edmond, part of 30 pounds for 550 acres on the ridge between Buffillo and Wards fork joining Swillivant Cobb and Lidderdale in Amelia Co, being the upper half of a tract of 1100 acres that belongs to me and Mr Geo Currie. Watson promises to convey the land when the balance is paid.
Will of James Archdeacon, Prince Edward County, Virginia, Will Book 1:33.
In the Name of God Amen I James Archdeacon of the St Patrick Parrish in the County of Prince Edward calling to mind the the uncertainty of this trasitory [sic, transitory] Life on Earth and that all Flesh must Yeald [sic, yield] to Death Do make this my Last Will & Testament in manner and form as follows Vizt.
Item I Give and bequeath to my son Edmund Archdeacon my Land where I now Live containing 400 acres and my Negro Fellow Toney to him and his Heir forever.
Item I Give and bequeath to my Son James Archdeacon that Land that I bought of William Watson containing 550 Acres Between Watters of Buffilo & the Waters of Roanoak to him and his heirs forever.
Item My Will and Desire is that all my Stock of Cattle Hogs and Household Stuffs Beads [sic, Beds] and furniture be equally divided between Edmund Archdeacon & Margaret Womack & Allsie Archdeacon.
Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Edmund Archdeacon all my Horses & Mares.
Item I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Ellinor Boose Forty Shillings to her and her Heirs forever.
Item I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary Lumkin Forty Shillings to her and her Heirs forever.
I Desire soon after my Death that all my Just Debts may be paid, I do Nominate my Son Edmund Archdeacon and James Thackeston [?] my whole & Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament As Witness my hand this Tenth day of December 1759.
James his X mark Archdeacon (seal)
Witness
Ben Winbish
George Davies
Sarah Wimbish
Sarah her + mark Davis
[Does not say when will was probated, but followed on next page, p.34, by inventory of James Archdeacon "Pursuant to an Order of Court dated April 1761", by Matt Swinnney [?], William Booker, Jno Bigger; includes slave Toney; signed Edmond his E mark Archdeacon.]
Prince Edward Co, VA WB 2:219 - Inventory & appraisement of the Estate of Edmond Archdeacon by Wm Womack, John Dupuy, Ben Thackston; returned 16 June 1794 by Ann Archdeacon Administrator; includes "Negro Woman Morimush [?] & 2 children".
Prince Edward Co, VA Chancery Case 1811-016, Norry Clarke & WIFE vs HEIR(S) OF Edmund Cody (alias: Archdeacon)
Norry Clarke and Martha his wife, daughter and one of the heirs of Edmund Cody alias Edmund Archdeacon, who died 1793, who died intestate with 2 or 3 slaves. Children of Edmund at time of death besides Martha were James Cody, John Cody, Edmund Cody, William Cody, Charles H Cody, Mary wife of Ashley Nelson, Eley wife of Nat'l Matthews, Anne Cody, Elizabeth Cody and Sarah Cody; that James Cody is since dead leaving one child Martha James Cody under 21, Edmund Cody (Jr) is also dead... Anne Cody admistratrix of Edmund Cody.
Caswell County, North Carolina Records
Marriage Alsey Archdeacon to William Fulcher, Caswell Co, NC, bond date 4 Sep 1787, John H Pryor bondsman.
1790 Federal Census of Caswell Co, NC is lost. Substitute created from tax lists, it appears that for Nash District, the 1789 tax list was used. Although the subsitute says it was from the 1790 tax list, there does not appear to be a complete extant tax list for Caswell for 1790. See https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr26-0053. - one of the 4 "A" names in Nash District was supposedly James Archdeacon, but the actual 1789 tax list shows James Atkinson; the other three "A" names are the same - Charles Allin, Drury Allin, Stephen Austin. 1789 Caswell Co, NC tax list, Nash District, LDS Film Film # 007834311, Image 287/1575 - no Archdeacon or Womack found.
1784 Caswell Co, NC Tax List, Nash District (http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll33/id/1352/rec/3), Image 23 of 40. List is roughly alphabetized,
Archdeacon, James - no land, 1 white poll, 100# amount of property
Archdeacon, Edmund, 100 acres on Mayo Creek, 1 WP, 133/6/8 amt of property
[Image 26 of 40, Nash Dist] Womack, David, 300 acres on Castle Creek, 2 white polls, 6 black poll, 1066/13/4 amt of property.
1786 Caswell Co, NC tax list, Nash District, LDS Film Film # 007834311, Image 275/1575.
Archdeacon, Richard - 1 WP, no land
Archdeacon, Jams [?, James?] - 1 WP, no land
Archdeacon, James Sr - 1 WP, no land
no Womacks found in Nash Dist
1789 Caswell Co, NC tax list, Nash District, LDS Film Film # 007834311, Image 287/1575 - no Archdeacon or Womack found.
Caswell Co, NC Grantor Index
No Archdeacon found
Cody, Wm & wife to Grief & Richard G Lamkin, DB Y:20 - William Cody and Polly S Cody his wife of Charlotte Co, VA to Grief Lamkin & Richard G Lamkin of Caswell Co, NC, 1827, 13 acres, Polly S Cody's share of land of her father James Lamkin.
Caswell Co, NC Grantee Index
No Achdeacon found
Cody, Polly S et al, Lamkin James Est of, Division, Z:158 - 1826
Caswell Co, NC DB C:85 David Womack of CC to James Archdeacon of same, sale of furniture, plantation tools, & 2 cows, total 50 lbs. 6 Apr 1785. Wit: Henry Henly, Alse Archdeacon, ? Archdeacon.
Caswell Co, NC Land Entries 1778-1795
#353 9 June 1778, James Archdeacon enters 250 acres on both sides of Dish Water Creek, borders Isaias Blackwell and entry of Jno Holloway; entry made over to Jno Womack.
Revolutionary War Pension Application of David Barnett - S17826 - served under "Capt James Archdeacon", substituted for David Womack, marched from Caswell Co, NC. "Captain Arch. Deacon" is likely a misreading of "Captain Archdeacon".
Warren County, Georgia Records
Warren Co, GA Deed Index
Cody, Michael A:357, A:608, B:200, C:374, C:384, D:41, D:72
Cody, M B:524
Cody, Edmund B:548, B:575
Cody, Richd C:249
Cody, David C:624
Cody, Barnett D:79