. In 1723, the sons of James Mize of Surry County, Virginia, petitioned the King of England for land in the new country called America. In September of the year 1728, King George II issued a Royal Patent inVirginia Colony which gave James Jr. and Jeremiah Mize 118 acres of land joining the river and the Stony Creek. Here is how the land was described: The Mize land ran from the mouth of Ruine Creek (same as Stony Creek), up the creek as it meandered to a beech, then the line crossed the creek..east..north to a pine, then east..south..to a corner hickory, then east..north..to the Little Creek, then down the creek as it meandered to the river, and up the river to the start. Jeremiah's place was known as Mize's Mill and Mize's Ford. Jeremiah moved to Oxford, NC, in Granville County, and bought land there from Israel Eastwood on February 18, 1773. Jeremiah sold some of his Granville County land to John Mize on March 1, 1773, and onFebruary 1, 1775, he executed a deed of gift, for 5 shillings, of 100 acres in Granville County to Howell Mize, for "care to Jeremiah and his wife Tabitha for their naturnal lives." From Joel Mize: Mize is of an unknown origin; first seen in Surry Co., VA, in 1696. A dominan, repeated legend had to do with sailing on a whaling ship from Rotterdam to British Isles, thence to America." .