The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 13 Oct 1663, p. 172 - 173 - 174
Indenture, 30 Apr 1655 between James Walker of Wicokomeco and Christopher Carnell of Wicokomeco, planter, a parcel of land lying in the Province of Maryland; bounded by Thomas Michell; containing 200 acres;
signed James Walker;
wit.: John Gooldsmith (mark), Edward Philpot (mark)
Christopher Cornell assigns his rights to William Heard and Richard Morrise to above indenture; 24 Apr 1656;
signed Christopher Carnell (mark);
wit. Robert Robins, John Douglas
from Proceedings of the Provincial Court, 1670/1-1675 Volume 65, Page 688
This Indenture made the thirtieth day of Aprill Betweene James Walker of Wicocomoco & Christopher Carnall of Wicocomoco aforesd in ye Province of Maryland Plantrs.
Wittnesseth That the sayd James Walker hath for a valuable Consideraön bargayned & sold, & by these prsents doth bargaine & sell unto ye sd Christopher Carnall One parcell of Land scituate, lying & being on ye Province of Maryland.
Bounded att a marked Oake att ye side of a Runne, & soe uppon a streight line to ye Land of Thomas Mitchell up ye Hills to another marked Tree opposite to ye first. Cont. by Estimaön Two hund Acres [200] bee it more or lesse.
To have & to hold ye sd Parcell of Land wth all Benefitts & Commodities in as full & ample manner, as hee ye sd James Walker might or ought to have do[ne] by Vertue
of his Patent, unto him the sayd Christopher Carnall his heyres & assignes from ye date hereof for ever, yeilding & paying therefore yearely att ye Nativity of Our Lord & Saviour ifowre shillings of good & current English money, or Two Bushells of good sownd Corne, att ye now dwelling howse of ye James Walker, his heyres or assignes.
And in Case hee shall, or his heyres or assignes make sale thereof, the first profer to bee made to ye sd James Walker. and his or his heyres refusall only to bee capable to sell ye same. In Testimony whereof ye parties above sd to these prnts inter changeably have sett their hands ye day & yeare first aboue written.
Sealed & deliuered in ye prnce of James Walker.
The marke of Se + ale
John Goldsmith
The marke of
Edward E. P. Philpott.
The severall assignnits on ye Backside of this Indenture are as ifolloweth (Viz)
I Christopher Carnall doe assigne all my right & tytle of this Condicön to Willm Herd & Richard Noris, them their heyres & assignes.
As wittnes my hand the 24 of April 1656.
Wittnesses Christopher 0 Carnall.
Willm Marshall his marke.
his marke
John Douglas.
Bee it knowne to all men by these prnts That I Christopher Carnall doe assigne ouer to Willm Herd & Richard Moris all my right & tytle of this Condicön, as wittnes my hand this present 24 of Aprill 1656.
Wittnessed by me Christopher O Carnall.
Robert Robins his marke.
John Douglas.
When a mark is used for a signature, the person was probably illiterate, but may not have been able to sign because of age or infirmity.
Charles County, Maryland Liber L#2, Page 102.
At the request of Walter Story of Charles County, gent, the following conveyance and assignments were recorded May 12, 1723. Apr 28, 1659 from Samuel Parker of Maryland, cooper, to William Heard of same, planter, for a valuable sum of tobacco or parcel of land on Baltemore River, bounded by Pasquohanse [Pasquahanza] Cr mouth, containing for breath, according to the old survey up towards Capt Jenkins' land, and for length up into the woods, containing about 150 acres.
Signed - Samuell Parker.
Wit - William Craford,
Humphrey (HP his mark) Pike, Tho Lomax
On the back of this deed was endorsed thus:
Know that I, William Heard of Maryland, planter, hereby assign over all my whole right of the land within mentioned, unto Peter Carr of Maryland, planter. Signed Jan 4, 1659/[60 -
William (H his mark) Heard.
Wit - Jno Douglas, Tho Lomax.
Know that I, Peter Carr of Maryland, planter,do hereby assign over my whole right in the land within mentioned, unto Henrie Perre and William Crafford.
Signed Jan 28, 1659/60 - Peter (his mark) Carr.
Wit - Samuell Parker, John Douglas.
Know that I, William Craforte, do.assign over all,.my right
Know that I, Henry Peere of Pottomock, planter,-do assign over my write of all the within mentioned land to Walter Story [the original settler] and John Louden of London, merchants.
Signed, Jan 12, 1663 - HP.
Wit - John Emerson, John Small.
A society's legal system reveals much about it. A broad spectrum of behavior was considered criminal in Colonial Maryland and punishment was harsh.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 14 Nov 1659, p. 68 Capt. John Jenkins demands warrant against William Heard; action of defamation; 14 Nov 1659;
subpoena to wam Daniell Hutt, mariner, William Hale, Samuell Parker & Briget Philpot to testify
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 1 Mar 1660, p. 82
172. William Heard enters his mark of hogs and cattle
Cattle were vital to a household and an important legacy.
Unweaned cattle are calves.
Female cattle are heifers and cows (had a calf).
Male cattle are steers (castrated) and bulls.
Oxen are trained draft animals and are often castrated adult male cattle.
Indenture,
23 Apr 1660; from Thomas Baker, planter, to William Empson, planter; a parcel of land on the Potomac on Baker's Creek;
signed Thomas Baker (mark);
wit. Richard Dodd (mark), Thomas Lomax
Endorsed on back: William Empson assigns his rights to William Heard 12 Feb 1660/1;
signed William Empson (mark);
wit. George Thompson, George Roberts;
acknowledged in open court by
Thomas Baker, William Empson, and Elenor Empson to William Heard;
dated 12 Feb 1660 before George Thompson
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay and is about 405 miles long.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 4 Sep 1660, p. 97
William Heard demands subpoenas for Mr. Robert Handley and Samuell Parker in case between him and Capt. John Jenkins
Capt. John Jenkins demands subpoena for William Hall and Thomas Lomax to testify in case between him and William Heard
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 4 Sep 1660, p. 101
252. William Heard, by his atty. Daniell Johnson, Plt.;
Capt. John Jenkins, Def.;
letter of attorney appointing Daniell Johnson; 4 Sep 1660;
signed William Heard (mark);
wit. Mathew Gage, William Robeson [Robertson/Robinson];
Heards petition claims he agreed with Capt. John Jenkings for lease of a parcel of land and cleared it in about 10 weeks then Jenkins forced him off the land;
both parties consent to referral to Gov. and Mr. John Hatch who met 8 Sep and ordered defendant make payment to petitioner for work done
Liber A, p. 120, folio 308; Charles County Circuit Court, Microfilm Cr 35,689, Court 12 Feb 1660/61
Mathias Obrian, age ca 33 years, states that John Tomkinson, in the presence of William Allen and James Johnson, said there were 30 of the inhabitants of this province to be hanged including Zacharie Wade, Joseph Harrison, William Heard and several others.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 9 Aug 1664, p 349 - 250 William Empson assigns his rights in ... patent to William Heard 12 Feb 1660/1;
William Empson (mark);
wit. George Thompson, George Roberts
Acknowledged by him and his wife in court 10 Feb 1660/1;
signed George Thompson
Nov. 27, 1661 - William Heard was granted administration on estate of Joane Parker.
from Maryland Prerogative Court, Testamentary Proceedings, Liber 1C, p. 68.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A, p. 213
8 Jul 1662 Mr. Enock Doughty, on behalf of his brother-in-law Hew Oneal, demands warrant against William Heard as admn. to estate of Samuell Parker
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A;
22 Apr 1662, p. 198 Hugh Oneal demands warrant against William Heard, admn. to Samuel Parker, in action of debt;
subpoena Daniel Johnson, Henry Perre and Ane Ges [Mrs. Walter Guest]
Maryland was established with religious freedom for Catholics. The colonial economy was based on tobacco cultivated by Africans who had been enslaved.
As of 1692,
Charles County, Maryland was divided into 4 parishes (7 hundreds): the
lower and upper part of William & Mary Parish hundreds,
the east and west side of Port Tobacco hundreds,
lower and upper part of Nanjemy (later Durham) Parish hundreds, and
the upper part of King & Queen Parish hundred.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A, p. 216;
8 Jul 1662 William Heard subpoenas Mrs. Long, Andrew Ward, Ane Ges against Heugh Oneale
Hew Oneale subpoenas Henry Peer, Daniell Johnson, Ane Ges against William Heard
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A, p. 223 - 224;
8 Jul 1662
Hugh ONeale, Plt.;
William Heard, Def.;
Plaintiff admn. to Samuel Parker in action of case for 1000# of tobacco; Daniell Johnson swore that in 1660 Samuel Parker said he had a heifer in the hills which he would willingly give Mrs. Vanderduncke now wife of ONeale for the care she gave him;
Ane Ges swore that Joane Parker thought Mrs. ONeale poisoned her with a portion of something in a pot;
Thomas Lomax, Enoch Doughty, Mrs. Oneale made sworn statements regarding the bill for treatment of Joane Parker; mentions Mr. Handly's 30 foot tobacco house;
William Heard and John Waltom also made sworn statements;
Oneale ordered to be non-suited and to pay court costs.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 6 Sep 1662, p. 241
Mrs. Mary Oneal demands warrant against William Heard in action of defamation; subpoena Mrs. Beane, Mrs. Long, Mrs. Walker, Michell Abbot and John Wheeler
Mary Oneal demands warrant against William Heard;
action of case; subpoena Simon Renck
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber A; 2 Oct 1662, p. 251 - 252
Mrs. Mary Oneale, Plt.; William Heard, Def.;
defamation; Heard stated that Widow Parker did say on her death bed that petitioner poisoned her;
John Wheeler, Michell Abbot,
Elisabeth Walker, and Elenor Beane all swore that William Heard said Mrs. Oneal had arrested him for 1000# of tobacco and he could bring Mrs. Oneal before "her 12 Godfathers" for something she gave Joane Parker;
defendant claimed he did not intend to defame or trouble her and asked for forgiveness
Hewgh Oneale, Plt; William Heard, Def.;
Heard being the possessor of the estate of Samuell and Joane Parker has refused to pay 600# of tobacco due Oneale;
Elisabeth Walker swore she heard Mrs. Oneale demand tobacco of Joane Parker for physic that her husband had of Mr. Oneale; Mrs. Parker said she would give Mrs. Oneale one heifer;
Court find no cause of account on a dead man's estate; plaintiff to pay charges
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 17 Dec 1662, p. 42, 43, 44
Francis Gray, Plt.;
William Heard, admn. to Samuell Parker, Def.;
Heard, admn. of Joane Parker, wife of Samuel Parker, dec'd, demands 425# of principal tobacco and cask; bill of debt binding Samuell Parker and Henry Lilly to pay Richard Stearman 420# of tobacco; 6 Jun 1656;
signed Samuel Parker, Henry Lilly (mark);
wit. Thomas Broughton, John Martine
Letter of atty.: Richard Stearman who married the relict widow of Edmond Brent, dec'd, appoints Mr. Francis Gray his atty.;
17 May 1660;
signed Richard Stearman;
wit. Thomas Pope, Ralph Elstone;
defendant request non-suit; granted;
petition entered by William Heard showing that Francis Gray in action of debt and never demanded it;
court orders payment to Heard of 140# of tobacco
A plaintiff (plt, plte, plt) or orator is the person who brings a case against another.
A defendant (def tf) is a person accused of a crime or someone challenged in a civil case.
Charles County is in south central Maryland and was created in 1658. The first settlers were mainly English tobacco planters, their indentured servants and enslaved people. Many of of the settlers were Roman Catholic.
The county, as originally laid out, also included parts of present
day Calvert, Prince George's and St. Mary's Counties.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, p. 79 - 80, 11 Feb 1662/3 William, Heard, as atty. to Absolom Covant, Plt.; Capt. Josias Fendall and Mr. Robert Hundly; admns. to Capt. Christopher Russell, Def.;
referral from the last court; regarding debt of 1309# of tobacco; bill entered binding Capt. Russell of Wicocomeco, planter
to be paid to Absolom Covant, Joseph Clarke and William Floyd of Bristol, merchants, 1309# of tobacco in cask before 1 Nov next; dated 20 Feb 1660;
signed Christopher Russell;
wit. Joseph Cooper (mark), Martin Mordan;
defendant confesses judgment; estate ordered to pay.
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B,, p. 101 27 Mar 1662/3
William Heard presents Elisabeth Stone judged to be 14 years old
William Heard on behalf of Humphery Warren presents servant maid judged to be 18 years old named Anne Lane
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 28 Jul 1663, p. 137
Edward Philpot, Plt.;
William Heard, Def.;
petitions Heard as admn. of Joane the wife of Samuel Parker, dec'd, for debt of 100# of tobacco for building a fence around their graves; defendant pleaded that it was not within 9 months limit by Act of Assembly
Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B,
12 Jul 1664, p. 342 A jury impaneled July 1664 to view the body of John Constable servant to William Heard; verdict that the cause of death was by willful drowning of himself,
signed
John Cage (mark), foreman;
George English,
John Emerson, Mr. John Clarke,
John Small (mark),
Gither Bower,
Thomas Standrige (mark),
Thomas Perce (mark),
Nicholaus Grose (mark),
George Holines,
Henry Grace (mark),
Martin Descora
Mister ( Mr.) was derived from master and Mrs. and Miss were derived from mistress. They indicated people of superior social status in colonial America.
William and Brigit Heard assign rights in above to Thomas Baker dated 16 Jul 1664;
signed William Heard (mark), Brigit Heard (mark);
wit George English, John Emerson
William Heard and his wife acknowledged in open court the following bill of sale:
Indenture made 3 Apr 1660 between Thomas Baker, planter and William Empson, planter; a parcel of land lying on the Potomac River beginning near the mouth of Baker's Creek
Thomas Baker (mark);
wit. Richard Dod (mark), Thomas Lomax
from Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 8 November 1664, p. 383
William and Brigit Heard assign their rights to Thomas Baker fora parcel of land between Mr. Baker and Francis Pope's land; payment acknowledged;
patent to be delivered to Baker by 25 Dec; dated 16 Jul 1664;
signed William Heard (mark), Brigit Heard (mark);
wit. George Thompson, George English
from Charles County Maryland Circuit Court Records, Liber H#2, Page 24
22 Dec 1716;
Deed of Bargain recorded at the request of Francis Goodrick:
3 Jul 1716;
Indenture from William Bladen of Annapolis, Esq., to Francis Goodrick, Jr., planter;
grant dated 20 Sep 1715 for tract called Beach Neck of 2,000 acres;
for £100 part of Beach Neck containing 480 acres; /s/ W. Bladen;
wit. Wit. Story, Michll. Marten, John Smith;
3 Jul 1716
William Bladen and his wife Anne ack. deed;
6 Nov 1706
Francis Goodrick paid alienation
1642-1753 Rent Rolls Charles County MD Hundred -
Port Tobacco: Rent Roll page/Sequence: 317-114:
Beech Neck:
1000 acres;
Possession of -
500 Acres - Lynes, Philip:
500 Acres - Rozer, Notley:
Surveyed 17 Dec 1663 for William Heard
on the East side of the main fresh of Port Tobacco Creek
(in dispute between Philip Lynes & Notley Rozer, half this is Philip Lynes.):
Conveyance notes -
480 Acres -
Francis Gooderick Jr.
from William Bladen Esq;
3 July 1716,
1000 Acres -
Resurveyed into Beech Neck
20 Sept 1715
folio 387
