Domingo Maderas (1) Current belief is that he was born about 1620 but the exact location is not known. He could have been born in Portugal, Spain, the Spanish Netherlands or even England. He may have traveled from the Basque area of Navarre in Northern Spain or Southern France. He could have been born in the Netherlands as his parents fled northward to avoid persecution. He may have even been born here in Virginia. Although there is uncertainty as to where he was born, we do know where he lived in the new Colonies of America. He lived in Lancaster, Essex, New Kent and Kings and Queens County, Virginia in the mid 1600's. This land in an area known as Dragon Swamp eventually became Middlesex County. This land would become home to all of his children and for the next four generations the Maderas family would live, grow up and die in the Dragon.
Domingo settled in the area along the Rappahannock River where he would grow tobacco, raise cattle and farm. We believe he married Elizabeth,and although we do not yet know Elizabeth's maiden name it is suspected that she was related to the Johnson's or Cocks.
Domingo received property by "headrights". He was a tobacco farmer and cattle rancher and owned a vast amount of property in Virginia. Records indicate that he imported his ranch help through indentureship. In the 1600's, indentured servants outnumbered slave labor in this country. Primarily from England and Germany, these servants would bind themselves by indenture or contract to a specified period, usually 4 to 7 years, of service in return for payment of their passage. At the end of their period of indenture, former servants were given clothing, a gun, and land. The financier would receive land as "headrights" for financing the trip of the individuals; 50 acres for each person transported. Other than the land mentioned above, Domingo owned another 1500 acres in Virginia that was received through headrights.
Let's take a look, a snapshot if you would, of Domingo's life in Middlesex County, Virginia. Domingo lived between the Rappahannock River and Dragon Swamp. This fertile ground was perfect for the production of tobacco, the production of which would make these farmers prosperous. These farmers used a method taught by the Indians to grow their tobacco. The farmer would cultivate the soil in a circle several feet in diameter with a hoe. The soil would be worked into a hill in the center. Each circle was three to four feet apart. The tobacco plants after sprouting were placed one to each hill. The plants would be topped to prevent the production of seed allowing the leaves to spread. After drying the leaves in a special house they were packaged in large wooden casks called "hogsheads". This tobacco, which was originally imported from Barbados, was a Spanish Tobacco and it had a "sweet scent". In the early Colonies it was used for money and exchange. Tobacco was the whole economy of this new country.
If we are standing in front of the Maderas home and could take a 360' panoramic view; what would we see? First the house; a simple bare wood framed structure sitting on the ground with no foundation. About 20 feet long and 16 to 20 feet wide the home would only have a single great room. A fireplace made of brick or stone would be at one end representing the kitchen and the heat and light for the home. It would be massive by today's standards capable of holding a four foot log.
The interior would have temporary as well as implied partitions. A space for eating, conversing and a partition made of curtains would separate the sleeping space for Domingo and his wife. A stair or ladder would lead to an attic space where supplies were stored and the children would sleep. A dirt floor and bare wooden walls, openings for windows that had no glass or screens, merely wooden shutters to seal the opening during the cold or rain.
The farm is surrounded by a picket fence. A large tree was placed on the line; several stakes hammered into the ground, leaning against the tree and forming an X to support a rail above, possibly several. This provided a barrier to smaller animals such as wild pigs from crawling under and larger animals from stepping over. Off to one side of the property would be a long narrow structure made of bare wood, specially made for the curing and drying of tobacco. The fields would be sprinkled with mounds for growing tobacco mixed in with stumps form recently cleared forest. The cattle would roam near the property and home along the wood line or in the woods nearby.
Narrow paths would wind through the area leading to neighbors and relatives homes and eventually leading into one main path to the Upper District Church. South of the home was the main road that lead some 35 miles to the bay. Some 15 miles down the road was the main Christ Church lying in the Middle District. Most of the homes north of the road, south of the road lies the Dragon and eventually the Piankatank River. The Rappahannock River was less than one half mile to the north.
We do not know for certain when Domingo died. An early researcher states that in 1668 there is a document relating to Sarah, a daughter of Domingo, being left orphaned. Although an early researcher mentions this document, it has never been found otherwise to prove its existence. If this document does exist it would indicate that Domingo died in 1667 or 1668 which could fit our time line of known events. It is believed that after Domingo's death Elizabeth re-married to Thomas Toseley around 1690. He definitely died before 1694 when the Zachary Lewis document was written. There is also no explanation for the land being deserted as described in the Zachary Lewis document, but it was not uncommon for settlers to abandon land obtained through headrights. Often the owner would obtain more land than they needed or could work. They brought in farm labor resulting in 50 acres of land per person, but did not need the land. Could Domingo have willed this land to his children? He could have but had Domingo died first, the land would have been solely James Johnson's and not likely inheritable by Domingo's descendants. Not only does it appear that Domingo died intestate, James Johnson shows in records past 1700.
Although there is no will or hard document to tie this family group together the circumstantial evidence leaves little doubt. The circumstantial ties by time line and geography are quite strong. These individuals do fall in place by their Middlesex, New Kent and Essex County connections and their ties with Dragon Swamp in other documents. The grandchildren of Charles (2) were born in Dragon Swamp; the same land area we know was owned by Domingo. The other branch's span out from this one central location and into the surrounding counties. All of these lines point directly back to Dragon Swamp and Domingo Maderas.
It is believed that Domingo had the following children:
1. Charles Maderas (2) was likely born between 1665 and 1670 in Middlesex County, Virginia. Charles married Mary Beamon.
2. John Maderas (2) was likely born between 1665 and 1670 in Middlesex County, Virginia. Listed in the Christ Church Parish Register. Died 01 Aug. 1722. He apparently had no children. (Once listed as Jonas. See note below for Bolivar.)
3. Sarah (2) (no hard evidence, but is listed in the William Clinton Madaris and Floyd McKinley Medaris documents.)
4. James (2) married Sarah ????. James and Sarah are the originators of the line of Maderra or Madara. Most researchers in their line believe they are not connected to our line, but James shows in New Kent County, Virginia about the same time as everyone else appears. I have included him here in this spot to aid in research purposes. Although there is no hard evidence to place James here, the locality and dates may be strong indicators. Naming trends in this branch, however, differ considerably from those in the line of Charles (2).
5. Bolivar (2) I have not personally seen any documents with either Jonas or Bolivar listed, however, several early researchers apparently did. These names show on several family group sheets including the ones created by William Clinton Madaris and Floyd McKinley Medaris both very avid and reliable researchers. If anyone has any info on these two individuals please let me know.)
Domingo Medearis 
