Swift Creek, where the Womack's settled in Henrico County, was originally settled by Abraham Peirsey.
Abraham was an investor for the Virginia Company. He came to Virginia from his home in Maidstone, Kent, England, in 1616, on the "Susan" the first magazine ship for the Virginia Colony. He was authorized to trade freely, with expectations that he would sell the goods from his ship in exchange for tobacco and sassafras. After a successful voyage on the "Susan", he returned the following year on the "George" and stayed in Virginia. By 1618 he was the "Cape Merchant" or Treasurer of the Virginia Colony. In 1619, the London Company gave him 200 acres for his service to the colony, the start of what became "Peirsey's Toile"- 1,150 acres on the upper side of the Appomattox River near Swift Creek and the Bermuda Hundred. He renamed this "Peirsey's Hundred." Peirsey traded with John Rolfe of Jamestown, among others.
On March 22, 1622, the Peirsey plantation on the Appomattox was attacked by Indians and four people were killed. At this point Peirsey was 45 years old. He testified in England that year regarding several charges against him. He returned to Virginia on July 31, 1622, on the "James." He was a member of the House of Burgesses in 1622 and the Council from 1624 until his death. However, he was not in Virginia when the census was made in February 1624.
Peirsey also owned the 1,000 acre Flowerdew Hundred Plantation, bought from Sir George Yeardley by 1624, and Weyanoke, 2,200 acres across the James. By 1626 he had 1,150 acres on the Appomattox. He also had property in Jamestown. He was known as the second wealthiest man in Virginia at the time- with only Gov. Sir George Yeardley being wealthier. Besides his land, he had 29 bonded servants and 7 negroes.
Abraham died in Jamestown in 1628. The plantation went to his 2nd wife, Frances Greville, who later married Samuel Matthews. At her death in 1633, the plantation went to his daughter, Mary Peirsey Hill, who renamed it Flowerdieu Hundred. Abraham's daughter, Elizabeth Piercy, married Capt. Richard Stephens, who died in 1636. They had 4 sons. After Stephen's death, Elizabeth married Gov. Harvey.
Abraham Piersey's will (proved 10 May 1633) allows for paying his debts in full, including land patents for persons imported by him since March 1620.
The Majors and their marriages by James Branch Cabell
https://www.geni.com/people/Abraham-Piersey-Sr/295308277430002260
- Virginia immigrants and adventurers, 1607-1635: a biographical dictionary By Martha W. McCartney
https://books.google.com/books?id=orDbMGpInaQC&pg=PA215&lpg=PA215&dq=Elizabeth+Cole+1618&source=bl&ots=WG-9bdo0XK&sig=MuuEo7JkyuotFzvO6QSpvPYhGIE&hl=en&ei=1XHETLPNHYe-sAPx2Ii5BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q=pierce&f=false
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