1733, Maryland

After 1733- Mary French, wife of John Leake, dies in St. Mary's, Maryland. Mary is mentioned in her grandfather, James French's, will as "grand-daughter Mary, wife of John Leek".
Mary is the daughter of Martin French & Mary Browne.

(Mary French is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestor is James French.)

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March 1733, Maryland

Image by smleon via Flickr

March 6, 1733- My sixth great grandfather, William Hayden, dies at the age of 58 in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Will of William Hayden Sr.
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I William Hayden, Senr.of Sainte Mary's County in the Province of Maryland Planter being weak of Body but of sound and perfect Memory and knowing the uncertainty of this Transitory life I do think it Meet and Convenient to settle things in order for a Better (sentence ends here)

First and principally I bequeath my Soul to Almighty God my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whose Meritourius Death and passion I hope to obtain Everlasting Life and my Body to the Earth from whence it came to be Decently buried as my Executrix hereafter Nominated and Appointed shall think Meet and Convenient and for Worldly Estate it has pleased God of his Goodness to lend me I do give and dispose of as followeth in ,manner and form following Vizt.

Imp. Item I give and bequeth unto my son Charles Hayden the Plantation where-on he now lives and my Land there unto adjoining unto him the said Charles Hayden and his Heirs forever.

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Grace Herbert the Plantation whereon she now lives and the Land divided for the same Plantation which said land and Plantation shall be and remain unto the said Grace Herbert & her Heirs forever

I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Tomaszin Cissell all the remainder of my Land called Finchly unto her Heirs forever.

Item My will is that my beloved wife Elizabeth Hayden have all the rest of my Estate both Real and Personal while she lives single to dispose of at her pleasure but if in case sh Marry's again after my Decease that then all my Land to be equally Divided amonghts my eight children namely Francis Hayden and Susanna Hayden James Hayden and George Hayden John Hayden and Clement Hayden Richard Hayden and Elizabeth Hayden or the survivors of them and their heirs forever only it is to be understood that my beloved wife have her Life-time on the Plantation whereon I shall live at the time of my Departure.

Item I will and ordain in case my sd wife marry's as afd that all and every of my aforesaid sons be of age when they arrive ro Eighteen years and that they shall have one thousand Pounds of Tobacco in Lieu of their part of my Estate paid them

Item I will that my Daughters have their Thousand pounds of Tobacco paid when they arrive to sixteen years of age or day of marriage which shall first happen and for the fulfilling and true performing of this my last Will and Testament I do nominate appoint & ordain my well beloved wife Elizabeth hayden my whole and sole Executrix of this last Will and testament making void and frustrate all other will or wills by me heretofore made either Varbale or in writing as Witness my hand and Seal this fourteenth day of July anno Domini one thousand Seven hundred Thirty and Two
/s/ William W Hayden
his mark
Signed and Sealed and Delivered
in The Presence of
Peter Garratt
Michael ( quiset
his mark

J. Thompson


At the foot of the foregoing will was the following thus written Vizt
March the 6th 1733.4 Peter Garrott Michael Quiset and James Thompson the three subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will being duely and Solumnly Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God Depose and say that they saw the Testator William Hayden Sign the foregoing will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last will and Testament and at that time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they Subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said Will in the prescence of the said Witnesses in the prescence of the said Testator and at his Request which oath was taken by the said Witnessess in the prescence of Charles Hayden Son and heir at Law of the Deceased which same Charles Hayden did not object to the Probat of the said Will Sworn to before me. Tho Aisquith Depy of St. Mary's County 7 sides
(Md. Hall of Records, Prerogative Court (Wills) 20, pp. 902-904


March 17, 1733- My eighth great grandfather, James French, dies at the age of 83 in the Newtown One Hundred, St Mary's County, Maryland.
James French was born in 1650 in Galoway County, Ireland.  He was from a distinguished French family, long the Mayors of Galoway.  They originated as a Norman family and immigrated to Ireland before 1400.
In 1671, he was transported to Maryland by Thomas Notley. He arrived under indenture, and in 1674 was listed as servant in the inventory of Captain Luke Gardiner.
In Maryland, he married Elizabeth Meekin, the daughter of William Meekin & Margaret Beard. It was through this marriage that he became the possessor of 129 acres of "Wolver Hampton" which bordered on "Hopton Park". James French owned 3 tracts of land in New Town, St. Mary's County, Maryland, consisting of 379 acres.  He apparently bought 100 acres of this land from the heirs of Authur Thompson in 1707.  His daughter, Mary, was married to Robert Thompson, who would have been an heir of Authur Thompson, but was deceased prior to Authur's death. 


The Last Will of JAMES FRENCH , Dated March 4, 1733, St.Marys County, MD,
Pgs. 26-27:
In the name of God, Amen, I, James French of St.Mary's County______ being weak in body but of sound mind & memory, blessed be God, do make this my last Will & Testament in form as follows:_____
I give & bequeath unto my beloved grandson, John French, to him and his heirs forever, one hundred
& ten acres of land to be laid out on the West side of my land & also on the west side of a Branch unto my well beloved grand child, Mary Leake, wife of John Leake, to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten
forever.

Item: My Will is that my good & trusty servant, James Kirby shall be free from servitude on the day of my death.

Item: My Will is after all my just debts are paid, all that remains of my personal Estate be equally divided amongst all my grandchildren.

Item: I constitute & appoint my said grandchild, John French, my whole & sole executor of this my last Will & Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1733
James French (SEAL)
Signed, sealed & published to be his las Will & Testament in the presence
of:
John Thompson
James Ruil(?)
Elizabeth French. 21. 6.
March 17, 1733

John Thompson and Elizabeth French, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will, being duly & solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, depose & say that they saw the testator, James French, sign the foregoing Will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last Will & Testament that at the time of his doing so he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said will in the presence of John French, grandson & heir at law, which same, John French did not object to the ____of the said Will.
Sworn to before me Tho. Aisquith (?), Dep. County Clk. of St. Mary's
County.

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1733, Maryland

My eighth great grandmother, Elizabeth Meekin, widow of James French, dies at Newtown, St. Mary's County, Maryland.
About 1670, Elizabeth brought 129 Acres of "Wolver Hampton," which Bordered on "Hopton Park" to her marriage to James French. This land had been in possession of Elizabeth's father, William Meekin. Elizabeth had been named in her grandfather Beard's will as an heir in lieu of his grandsons William and Robert Meekin.
Elizabeth witnessed her husband's will on March 17, 1733, so her death came later that same year. Elizabeth Meekin French was a Catholic.

My fifth great granduncle, Anthony Drane, dies at the age of 40 in Maryland.

Henry Massey Hanson is born to John Hanson & Elizabeth Tyler in Charles County, Maryland.

(Henry Massey Hanson is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.)

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September 1732, Virginia

September 13, 1732- John Leake is born to William Leake & Ann Redman in Fauquier County, Virginia.

(John Leake is my third cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.)

1731, Maryland

1731- My fifth great granduncle, James Pike, is born to Archibald & Lucy Pike in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Mary Hanson is born to John Hanson & Elizabeth Tyler in Maryland.

William Leake marries Ann Redman in Maryland.

(Mary Hanson is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.
William Leake is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.)

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1730 Maryland

1730- My fifth great grandmother, Ann Bacon, is born to Henry Bacon & Frances Smith in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

My fourth great granduncle, Benjamin Hardy, is born to William Hardy & Anne Stimson in Prince George's County, Maryland.

 My fourth great granduncle, Robert Livers, is born to Arnold Livers & Mary Ann Drane in Prince George's County, Maryland.

My sixth great granduncle, John Hanson, marries Elizabeth Tyler in Charles County, Maryland.

Ignatius French is born to John & Monica French in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Ignatius French is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.)

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1728 Maryland

1728- My seventh great grandfather, Archibald Pike, dies at the age of 70 in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

John Hardy marries Barbara Allison in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Elizabeth Clare Hagan is born to William Hagan & Eleanor Hanson in Charles County, Maryland.

Mary French is born to John & Monica French in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Rebecca Darnall is born to John & Rachel Darnall in Charles County, Maryland.

Jane Neale is born to James Neale & Jane Boarman in Charles County, Maryland.

Bennett Hoskins marries Eleanor Neale, daughter of Raphael Neale and Mary Brooke, in Bryantown, Charles County, Maryland. A daughter, Mary Ann is born the same year.

( John Hardy is my fifth great granduncle. Our common ancestors are William Hardy & Elizabeth Hayden.
Elizabeth Clare Hagan is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.
Mary French is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.
Rebecca Darnall is my second cousin 5 times removed. Our common ancestors are John Robey & Sarah Hines Luckett.
Jane Neale is my third cousin 8 times removed. Eleanor is her second cousin. Eleanor Neale is my third cousin 7 times removed. Her daughter, Mary Ann Hoskins, is my fourth cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are Benjamin Gill & Mary Mainwaring.)

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1725 Maryland

1725- John Pike is born to Archibald & Lucy Pike in Leonardstown, Maryland.

John Robey is born to Benjamin Robey & Mary Wood in Charles County, Maryland.

John French is born in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(John Pike is my fifth great granduncle. Our common ancestor is Archibald Pike.
John Robey is my first cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are John Robey & Sarah Hines Luckett.
John French is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.)

August 1724, Maryland

August 21, 1724- My seventh great grandmother, Mary French, dies in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
Mary French was born about 1670 in St. Mary's County to James French & Elizabeth Meekin. Sometime before 1685, she married Robert Thompson, my seventh great grandfather. Robert was a watchmaker who had been born in England. They produced four children.
Robert Thompson died in 1697 and Mary went on to marry Thomas Cissell. Following the death of Thomas, she took a third husband, Charles Daft.

November 1723, Maryland

November 26, 1723- John Thompson dies in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

The Maryland Calendar Of Wills; Compiled And Edited By Jane Baldwin (Jane Baldwin Cotton) And Roberta. Bolling Henry; Wills From 1720 To 1726; Volume V; Family Line Publications Westminster, Maryland; 1988, p. 151

Tomson, John, planter, St Mary's Co., 9th Aug., 1723; 26th Nov., 1723.
To wife Jane, extx., "Tomson' Chance."
Two sons (unnamed) to care of wife till of age at 21 yrs.
Test: Anthony Brocklehurst, Richard Ijams, Elizabeth Ijams, Thomas Wellman. 18, 193.
 
(John Thompson is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Robert Thompson & Mary French.)

April 1721, Maryland

April 21, 1721- James Thompson has died in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Will of James Thompson,  St Mary's County, 10th Feb., 1720/21;  21st Apr., 1721.

To son John and to Eliza, (wife of John Griggs), 1s. each, in full of their share of estate.
To son James, ex., interest in dwelling plantation --- and with dau. Sarah, residuary legatee of estate.
To divide same when son James arrives at age of 21.
Wm. Harrise guardian to sd. son.
Test: Wm. Johnson, Eliz. Fisher, Charles Lynch.
===
James Thompson 6.134 SM £65.2.0 Jun 22 ---- Sep 25 1721
Servants mentioned: Charles Smith (boy), Henry Starks (boy).
Appraisers: William Johnson, William Jones.
Creditors: Joseph Delaux, Vitus Herbert.
Next of kin: John Thompson, Elisabeth Griggs.
Executor: James Thompson, Jr.


(James Thompson is my sixth great granduncle. Our common ancestors are Robert Thompson & Mary French.)

1721 Maryland

Decade rosary found at the archealogical dig at St. Mary's City, Maryland.

Blue glass and copper alloy.

1721- Richard Hayden is born to William Hayden & Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of Robert Thompson & Mary French, at Small Hopes, St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Elizabeth Thompson is born to Thomas Thompson & Jane Tant in Charles County, Maryland.

John Mills and Mary Manning are married in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Cornelius Manning dies in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

The Last Will of Cornelis Manning

In the name of God Amen. I Cornelius Manning of St. Mary's County being sick of body but of sound & perfect memory thanks be to god do make & ordaine this my last will & Testament in form following.
First I give unto my loving wife the plantation I now live on commonly called Hattons, during her natural life provided that my said wife shall abide & live hereupon during her life, and if my said wife should leave the said plantation and leave also where that then it shall be in the power of John Mills my other executor to take the said plantation unto his _____ ______ & Keep the the same and the houses in tenent able repair until my son Cornelius Manning shall arive to age and then the said plantation & tract of land thereunto belonging I give and bequeath unto my said son Cornelius Manning all the plantation in porke hall neck whereon Henry Nowell lately lived and now possed by Doctor Johnson according to the meets and bonds that Henry Nowell held to him the said Cornelius Manning his heirs and assignes forever.
I give and bequeath unto my son Cornelius Manning all that plantation and tract of lane in Smiths Neck called Mannings Hold together with a tract of land thereunto adjoyning to Calverts Creek bought of George Parker to him the said Cornelius and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and for want of such heirs to his sister and to the survivour of them & to their heirs and asignes of the survivour of them forever.
I give & bequeath unto my two daughters Mary Mills and Ann Manning the remaining part of Porke Hall Neck to be equally devided between them the said Mary and Ann their & either of their heirs & assignes forever. And my true intent & meaning is that if eaither of my foresaid daughters should die without issue of their bodys that then the surviving daughter & her heirs shall take place and enjoy the remaining part of porke hall neck to the said survivour and their heirs & assignes forever.
I give and bequeath unto John Manning son of John Manning dec'd all that plantation called the rigg on Cornelius Swamp & to the heirs of his body lawfully begotton and for want of such heirs then to the heirs of me the said Cornelius Manning & to their heirs & assignes forever.
I give to William Morgan son to Edward Morgan one three years old heifer and as to my personal Estate after debts and changes payd I leave to be equally devided in three parts, one part thereof to my wife & the other two parts to be equally devided amongst my three children Cornelius, Mary and Ann.
I leave my son Cornelius under the care & government of John Mills untill he arrives to twenty one years of age.
I leave my daughter Ann under the care & Government of her Grandmother Shirly if she will take that care upon her if not to my sister Mills until she arrives to the age of sixteen years or day of marriage which shall first happen.
I give unto Mr. George Thurold my horse a fidler. & I do hereby constitute & Appoint my loving wife Elizabeth and John Mills to be joynt Executors of this my last will & testament, witness my hand and seale this tenth day of April 1721.
Cornelius Manning seal.
signed sealed and delivered August 15th 1721. in presence of Archibald Johnson, Mary Johnson, Rudolph Man, William Johnson.
Then came Mary Johnstone subscribing evidences to the within will & made oath upon the holy evangelist of Almighty God that they saw the testator sign & seal the within instrument as his last will & testament and that he published and declared the same so to be , and that at the time of his so doing he was of sound & perfect mind & memory to the best of their knowledge
August 21st 1721 sworn to before me John Baker Deputy Commissioner
then came Rodham subscibing evidence to the within will & made oath upon the holy evangelist of Almighty God theat they saw the testator sign & seal the same so to be & that at the time of his so doing he wass of sound & perfect mind & memory to the best their knowledge.
Sworne to before __ John Baker Deputy Commissioner

(Richard Hayden is my eighth great granduncle. Our common ancestor is William Hayden.
Elizabeth Thompson is my second cousin 7 times removed.  Elizabeth Thompson and Mary Manning are first cousins. Mary Manning is my third cousin 6 times removed. Cornelius is Mary's father. Cornelius Manning is my second cousin 7 times removed. He is first cousin to Elizabeth Thompson. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.)

1709, Maryland

1709- Samuel Robey is born to John Robey & Sarah Hines Luckett in Charles County, Maryland.

Thomas Elder is born to William Elder & Elizabeth Finch at "Goodwill" in Prince George's County, Maryland.

John Hanson is born to John Hanson & Elizabeth Hussey in Charles County, Maryland.

Mary Tant is born to James Tant & Mary Heard in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

George Thompson marries Rebecca Medley in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

James Thompson marries Margaret Riley in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Samuel Robey is my fifth great granduncle. John Hanson is Samuel Robey's uncle. John Hanson is my sixth great granduncle. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.
Thomas Elder is my fifth great granduncle. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Finch.
Mary Tant is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.
George Thompson and James Thompson are my sixth great granduncles. They are brothers. Our common ancestors are Robert Thompson & Mary French.)

1712 Maryland

1712- Elizabeth French is born to Martin French & Mary Browne in St. Mary's, Maryland.

Mary Thompson is born to Thomas Thompson & Jane Tant in St. Mary's, Maryland.

Sebastian Thompson and Charity Bailey are married in St. Mary's Maryland.

Elizabeth Heard is born to William Heard & Elizabeth Cole in St. Mary's, Maryland.

Anne Medley is born to John Medley & Anne Ford in St. Mary's, Maryland.


(Elizabeth French is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are James French & Elizabeth Meekin.
Mary Thompson is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.
Elizabeth Heard is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Robert Cole & Rebecca Gill.
Sebastian Thompson is my seventh great granduncle. Anne Medley is my fifth cousin 4 times removed. Our common ancestor is Arthur Thompson.)

The Last Will of James French

March 4, 1733- The Last Will of James French,

St. Marys County, Maryland

In the name of God, Amen, I, James French of St.Mary's County______ being weak in body but of sound mind & memory, blessed be God, do make this my last Will & Testament in form as follows:_____I give & bequeath unto my beloved grandson, John French, to him and his heirs forever, one hundred & ten acres of land to be laid out on the West side of my land & also on the west side of a Branch unto my well beloved grand child, Mary Leake, wife of John Leake, to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten
forever.
Item: My Will is that my good & trusty servant, James Kirby shall be free from servitude on the day of my death.
Item: My Will is after all my just debts are paid, all that remains of my personal Estate be equally divided amongst all my grandchildren.
Item: I constitute & appoint my said grandchild, John French, my whole & sole executor of this my last Will & Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1733

James French (SEAL)

Signed, sealed & published to be his last Will & Testament in the presence of:

John Thompson
James Kail
Elizabeth French.

March 17, 1733

John Thompson and Elizabeth French, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will, being duly & solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, depose & say that they saw the testator, James French, sign the foregoing Will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last Will & Testament that at the time of his doing so he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said will in the presence of John French, grandson & heir at law, which same, John French did not object to the ____of the said Will.

Sworn to before me Tho. Aisquith, Deputy County Clerk of St. Mary's County.

(James French is my 8th great grandfather.)

Catesby Cocke, Land Speculation and George Washington

1725-1742: Prominent Tidewater Virginia politicians and businessmen buy huge tracts in this era of land speculation. William Fairfax, uncle of Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax, amasses more than 35,000 acres; Francis Awbrey, 29,000 acres; Catesby Cocke, 23,000; John Colvill, 22,000; Robert Carter, Lord Fairfax's real estate agent, 21,000. These five own 40 percent of future Loudoun's 330,800 acres. The land is often leased in 100- to 200-acre tracts or after a few years is sold; many double their money.

William Cocke and son, Catesby
Dr. William Cocke, of Suffolk, England, came over to Virginia in June, 1710 and settled at Williamsburg. He came over in the Deptford with Alexander Spotswood, and lived there prior to about 1720.

It is known that Dr. Cocke came as private physician to Lt. Governor Spotswood. Then, in June, 1712, Dr. Cocke was sworn in as Secretary of the Colony of Virginia. He had been recommended to this office by Spotswood and Edmund Jenings, former Secretary of State and former acting Governor. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Cocke had sent for his wife, Elizabeth Catesby Cocke, sister of Mark Catesby, the naturalist; and his two children who were in England. They arrived in the Hanover in April, 1712. Apparently, Catesby was with them for a few days after they had been met and taken to Williamsburg in the Governor's coach. Soon Dr. Cocke, his family and Catesby were visiting at "Westover." Cocke had been a classmate of William Byrd in England.

By 1713 Dr. Cocke had been appointed to the Council. From 1716-1718 he was in England on business for the Colony. On October 22, 1720 he "was struck with a fit of apoplexy in the Capitol and died immediately and fell on me," so reported Byrd. Dr. Cocke left a widow and six children: Mrs. Elizabeth Cocke Pratt (widow), Catesby (born 1702), William, Anne, Susanna and Lucy.

He was a member of the Council, Secretary of the Province and a Judge of the General Court.

Catesby Cocke, his son, lived at Belmont, Fairfax County. Catesby Cocke lived next door to George Mason's Gunston Hall and across the Potomac River from Nathaniel Chapman. He was the first Clerk of the Court for both Prince William County and Fairfax County. Like many wealthy men of the day, Catesby was a land speculator. In 1731, 292 acres of land on both sides of Broad Run in Thoroughfare Gap were patented to him by permission of Lord Fairfax. Since he never made any improvements of the land, he had to relinquish it to Lord Fairfax in 1737. Subsequently, Godfrey Ridge bought the land and flipped it to Jonathan Chapman for 10 pounds in 1741. In 1742 Jonathan Chapman bought a sliver of land that would enable the Chapman Mill head race to reach Broad Run above the 87 feet it descends. This information suggests the mill could have been built any time after 1737 and before 1742.

Catesby Cocke and George Washington, Tax Evaders

In making a schedule of his property, an owner took an oath that the list recorded everything subject to taxation. If a man omitted one carriage or slave, he perjured himself.
As inscribed in the hand-written, leather-bound book of the court, the following is the report of the Grand Jury of Fairfax County, Colony of Virginia, rendered to the court on May 21, 1760. The names of the 15  defendants add some color and character, humor and historical interest, to the proceedings.
"We present George William Fairfax, George Washington, John Carlyle, Daniel French, Robert Bogges, Catesby Cocke, Townshend Dade, Sylbill West, Garrard Alexander, J. Emima Minor, William Ramsay, Benjamin Grayson, George Mason, John Plummer, Daniel McCarty and Abraham Barnes for (not) entering their wheeled carriages agreeable to law, as appears to us by the list delivered to the clerk of the county."