A society's legal system reveals much about it. A broad spectrum of behavior was considered criminal in Colonial Maryland and punishment was harsh.
Guardianship is when a court gives an adult custody of a child and/or the responsibility of managing the child's property. Before women could own property, guardians were appointed for their minor children if their husband died.
The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.
William Harbert (Heabeard, Herbert) was born about 1644 in Maryland.
He was described as a gentleman.
His first wife was Mary Lovett. She was listed as his wife in Joseph Carnell's will in 1693 of which he was the executor. In the will, William Worrell was made his ward.
Their children may have included:
Catherine Harbert, and
Anne Harbert Dent ( 1691/92-1764) married Colonel George Dent.
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al said he married Mary Sentel.
In 1694 he was appointed guardian of John, William, and Eliza Cheribub in John Cheribub's will. He was left the residue of estate in trust and was appointed the executor.
His second wife was Eleanor Pattison Angell. Eleanor was born about 1660. Her parents were James and Margaret Pattison. She was the widow of John Angell (Aingell, Angel). When her father died in 1698 she and William were the executors of his estate and his will named his grandchildren.
John and Eleanor's children included:
John Angell (1690),
James Angell (1691), and
Anne Angell Dent (1692).
William and Eleanor's children included:
Vitus Harbert (1693, married Winifred Tant),
Eleanor Harbert (1694),
Michael Harbert (1695),
Francis Harbert (1696),
Mark Harbert (1697),
Luke Harbert (1699), and
Matthew Harbert (1700, married Grace Hayden).
His third wife was Sarah Bonner. He was her 4th husband.
William was a justice in
Charles County from 1700-1714 and in 1708 he served in the Lower House of the Charles County legislature.
Sarah signed her will on July 8, 1718. She died soon after at Bowles Plantation. Her next of kin were her step daughter's husband, George Dent, and her grandson, Douglas Gifford.
Bowles Plantation (Bowls, Bowlesley) was a plantation on the Potomac River near Pickawaxon Creek in Charles County, Maryland. Sarah Bonner inherited it from William Bowles who had inherited it from his father Edward Bowles. Sarah left it to her son, Joseph Douglas.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Piccowaxen Parish, Maryland was on Cobb Neck between the Wicomico and Potomac Rivers. It has been spelled as Pickawaxon, Pickiawaxen, Pickwaten, Pickwixon, Pykawaxen in Douglas family records. Christ Church Wayside was built there in 1692.The parish became William and Mary Parish.
Calvert County Maryland was originally part of Charles County. It was settled about 1650. It was called Patuxent County between 1654 and 1658.
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.
Marylandwas established with religious freedom for Catholics. The colonial economy was based on tobacco cultivated by Africans who had been enslaved.
