#52 Ancestors 2023 Week 41 Travel: The Travelling Parson, Mason Loch Weems

My 6X-great uncle, Mason Loch Weems, travelled extensively as an itinerant evangelist and book seller. He is probably best known for his 1800 biography of his contemporary, George Washington, that included the famous "I cannot tell a lie" story, mostly considered a morality fable, but also claimed to come from a servant in Washington's household. Weems' biography of Washington went through more than 50 editions and along with his other biographies of Benjamin Franklin and William Penn made him one of the most-read authors of the early 19th century. 

Parson Weems was the 19th and youngest child of David Weems and his second wife, Esther Hill, born in October 1759 at Marshes Seat in Anne Arundel County MD. (His older brother James, the son of David's first wife, Elizabeth Lane, was my 6X-great grandfather. I have previously written about him here.) At the age of 10, Mason's father sent him to study at the Kent County Free School (later Washington College) in Chestertown. He later studied medicine in Edinburgh and after a religious conversion, studied theology in London. 

All Hallows

At the time, in the 1780's, Weems could not get ordained because there were no bishops in America and the English bishops would only ordain those who swore allegiance to the king, which Weems would not do. But eventually, that rule was changed, and with a little help from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Weems was ordained in the Episcopal church 1784 and became pastor of  All Hallows Parish in his native Anne Arundel County. However, his tendencies toward Methodism displeased the new American bishop, Thomas John Claggett (a cousin about whom I have previously written), so by 1792, Weems resigned as rector and began a travelling ministry which included selling religious pamphlets and his moral biographies.  

While travelling through northern Virginia, Weems met Frances "Fanny" Ewell, the daughter of prominent Virginia planter, Jesse Ewell. He married her in 1795, and they set up housekeeping and a bookshop in Dumfries at what is now the Weems-Bott museum. 

It was while he was living in Dumfries that Parson Weems penned A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits of General George Washington, shortly after Washington's death in 1799. Weems knew Washington personally and had preached at Pohick Church where Washington attended.  Weems' wife Fanny was a relative of the Washingtons. This book and Weems' other hagiographic biographies contributed to many early Americans' understanding of history and the high regard in which the Founding Fathers were held. Abraham Lincoln read the Washington biography when he was a young boy. 

Here, for your edification, is the famous story as it appeared and was later reprinted in McGuffey's Reader and thus learned by thousands of school children across the country, and led to Washington's birthday being often celebrated with cherry pie.

The following anecdote is a case in point. It is too valuable to be lost, and too true to be doubted; for it was communicated to me by the same excellent lady to whom I am indebted for the last. "When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! Of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything that came in his way. One day, in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it. The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring at the same time, that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance. "George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden?" This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself: and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run to my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold."

After his father-in-law's death in 1805, Weems moved his family to the Ewell plantation at Bel Air. The plantation became his home base, but he continued his itinerant ministry until his death. 

Parson Weems was reputed to be an excellent fiddler and often entertained crowds with his music during his travels in order to help him sell his wares, sometimes to the scandal of pious clerics who disapproved of dancing. When called upon to marry a young couple, he often stayed to play for the dance afterward. One story is told of him that he managed to charm a band of robbers with his music and saved himself from their predations with his expert fiddling. 

Mason and Fanny Weems had ten children, eight of whom lived to adulthood: Frances (1796), Susan (1798), Jesse (1799), Charlotte (1801), Ann (1802), Harriet (1804), Mason Loch (1806), Marion (1808), Francis Marion (1809) and Milton (1812). 

Parson Weems died on a bookselling trip in Beaufort SC in May 1825.  He is buried at Bel Air, although the exact spot is not known.  His wife Fanny died in Baltimore in 1843 and is also buried at Bel Air. 

#52 Ancestors 2023 Week 29 Birthdays: Cornelia Smith Sewell

Of all the thousands of people I have researched over the years, I have found only one that shares my birthday--April 30--my 6X great-grandmother, Cornelia Smith Sewell, born 30 April 1759 in Pennsylvania.

Sadly, I know very little about grandmother Cornelia.  

The first record I have for her is her marriage to Clement Sewell in Pennsylvania on 31 October 1775, at age 16, as his second wife.  Since she was married in Pennsylvania, I assume she was also born there. Her birthdate appears in the Sewell Bible in the Calvert County Historical Society. 

Her husband, Clement Sewell, the son of Clement Sewell and Mary Smith, came from a long-established Maryland family. (I wonder if Cornelia was related to her mother-in-law's family, but I have no evidence of that and Smith is, after all, a very common family name.)

Clement and Cornelia had four daughters: Mary 1775, Cornelia 1776, Henrietta 1782, Maria 1784, and one son Charles Smith Sewell 1779, my 5X-great grandfather. As far as I can tell, all of the daughters died young and/or unmarried. Based on her son's name, I am making a guess that Cornelia was the daughter of a Charles Smith. 

The 1790 Census shows Clement Sewell in Queen Anne's County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with 2 males over 16, 2 males under 16, 5 females (one of whom is most likely Cornelia) and 23 enslaved persons.  The second male in the household is most likely Charles Smith Sewell and the younger people are Charles' children. 

Clement Sewell died in Queen Anne County in 1795.

Cornelia married for a second time to John Sotheren 23 May 1797 in Baltimore County MD. Again I know very little about Mr. Sotheren, except that he applied for insolvency in Baltimore County in 1807.

John Sotheren was probably dead by 1820, although I have not found a record of his death. 

In the 1820 Census of Harford County MD, a woman over age 45 appears in the household of Charles Smith Sewell; I believe that is his mother, Cornelia Sotheren. 

Cornelia Smith Sewell Sotheren died in Harford County in January 1821 at the age of 61. She is buried in Cokesbury United Methodist Church Cemetery at Abingdon, Harford County MD. 

Cornelia's son, Charles Smith Sewell, (my 5X-great grandfather) was born in 1779 in Queen Anne County MD and was an active participant in Maryland politics. After serving in the 42nd Regiment of the Maryland militia during the War of 1812, Charles went on to serve in the Maryland House of Delegates and the state Senate.  He was twice elected to the US Congress, once as a Jacksonian and once as a Democrat. 

In 1805, he married Ann Catherine Keagy of Lancaster PA and had ten children with her, seven sons and three daughters,  including my 4X-great grandmother, Cornelia Olivia Sewell, who was named after her grandmother.  Charles retired to Harford County and died at his Rose Hill estate in 1848, at the age of 69. He and his wife are both buried in the Cokesbury Cemetery along with his mother. 

#52 Ancestors 2023 Week 32 Reunion: Two Scrivener Reunions

When I was growing up, we lived in a large farmhouse, and since it was the largest space in the extended family, my parents would periodically host a gathering of their respective siblings, nieces and nephews.  So, I was lucky to get to know my many cousins fairly well because of our family reunions. 

I have two pictures from these gatherings of my father’s family in 1969 and 1986.

The photo below shows my Scrivener grandparents, Frank Philip Scrivener Jr. and Elizabeth Dent Scrivener with their children and their spouses. I am sure that dozens of my cousins were also there that day, but the only picture I have is this one of the adults. I notice that most of the women are wearing dresses rather than pants or shorts.

In the back row is Uncle Robert Kent (Bobby) Scrivener and his first wife, Betty Respess. Aunt Louise Carmelite (Reds) Hangarter and her husband Theodore John (T John) Hangarter (who, by the way was a cousin of future president Joe Biden.) Uncle Keene Gwynn Scrivener and his wife Olivia Boyd Raphel.

Seated: John Marshall Dent Scrivener (Uncle Jack) and his wife Betty Gavin. William Boswell Scrivener (Uncle Chick) and his wife Nan Emmerich. Pa and Ma Scrivener. Frank Philip Scrivener III (my dad) and my mom, Anne Theresa Summers Scrivener.

The second picture below is from 1986.  I think this may be the last big Scrivener reunion at my parents’ home.  My grandfather Scrivener died in 1980, and my grandmother Scrivener died a year after this gathering in 1987. Happily, all of my father’s siblings are still around for this picture.

I love all the interactions in this picture, children in arms, on laps and shoulders, arms draped casually over a sibling or spouse's shoulder.  I wonder what set everyone laughing? 

In the back row: Jeff Rogers holding his daughter Meg; Phil Scrivener; Dave Scrivener; Rob Scrivener holding his son Bryan;  Billy Scrivener; young woman with just her hair showing, possibly Teddy Hangarter’s wife, Susan Confer Hangarter; Teddy Hangarter; John Scrivener with his son Brad on his shoulders; Mark Scrivener (?); Michael Scrivener with his niece Jennifer Scrivener on his shoulder;

2nd row: Anne Marie Hinkell Scrivener; Anne Summers Scrivener; Gwynn Scrivener; Peggy Scrivener; Gwynn’s wife, Kathleen Herbert Scrivener; Betty Gavin Scrivener; Audrey Scrivener; Olivia Raphel Scrivener; T. John Hangarter; Kim Gavin Scrivener; Tammy Smith Scrivener; 

Seated: Maripat Scrivener Rogers with Vance Rogers on her lap; Frank Scrivener with Julie Rogers on his lap; Lib Scrivener; Jack Scrivener; Keene Scrivener; Reds Hangarter; Bobby Scrivener; Chick Scrivener; Nan Emmerick Scrivener; 

In front: Dan Rogers; Anne Scrivener Agee; James Agee; maybe Jack Hangarter (?); Matt Agee; Timmy Scrivener 

This was not the whole Scrivener clan in 1986.  I see that my sister Louise is not in the picture and none of Uncle Bobby's children are there.  Nevertheless, it's a pretty good representation and brings back a happy memory of time with my extended family. 

I'm sure that both of these gatherings involved cooking lots of hamburgers and hotdogs on the oil drum grill out back, and maybe some steamed crabs if we were lucky, plus intense games of pitch and poker among the adults on the patio under the shade of a gigantic maple tree. 

#52 Ancestors 2023 Week 43 Dig a Little Deeper: My Dutch Heritage

Flag of the Netherlands

 The vast majority of my ancestry comes from the British Isles: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.  However, digging a little deeper, I do have one line of ancestors that originates in the Netherlands from my 9X great grandfather, Cornelius Comen-Gyhsen (Comegys in America). 

Cornelius, born about 1630, came from the town of Lexmond in the province of Utrecht, a little south and east of Amsterdam. Lexmond, a small village of about 300 people, was part of the lands of the lord of Vianen, on the south bank of the river Lek, noted for its cattle-breeding and its fine horses. 

Cornelius was the youngest son of Cornelius, an alderman and church warden in Lexmond, who owned a boat and made a living fishing or shipping goods along the river. As an ambitious younger son, Cornelius followed a classic migration path, moving to Amsterdam and eventually to New Amsterdam where he owned a farm on Manhattan Island by 1658, located about half a mile south of today’s UN building. At the time of Cornelius’s arrival, New Amsterdam was “a wretched little town of about 1000 residents and some 120 brick and wood houses huddled at the lower tip of Manhattan Island.  Pigs rooted in the streets made nasty by offal and privies.”

New Amsterdam ca. 1664

In 1658, at the Dutch Reform Church in New Amsterdam, Cornelius married 16-year-old Willementje Gysbert, born in Barnevelt, Holland. By 1661, Cornelius and Willementje, along with their son Cornelius, had moved to Kent County in Maryland, after a brief stay in Jamestown VA. 

On 20 October 1671, Cornelius's naturalization petition was accepted, along with that of his wife, and four children: Cornelius, Elizabeth, William (my 8x-great grandfather), and Hannah. Willementje was dead by 1676, and Cornelius married a second time to Mary, an English woman, with whom he had a son, Nathaniel Comegys, about 1680.

Cornelius married a third time about 1687 to Rebecca, the widow of English mariner Benjamin Smith of Cecil County, and had six children with her: Edward, Gysbert, Rebecca, Martha, Mary Ann, and Sarah. 

Arriving in Maryland at the age of 31, Cornelius Comegys prospered, helped by having an education that allowed him to read and write and also by an inheritance that gave him a head start on purchasing property, instead of starting out as an illiterate indentured servant as so many immigrants did. By the time of his death in Kent County MD in 1708, after a lengthy illness, Comegys had acquired more than 3300 acres, including two tracts named for his native place—Utrick (Utrecht) and Vianna (Vianen). He served many years as a Justice in Kent County and was the Captain of a militia company in 1689.

The inventory of his estate showed Cornelius living in a two-storey house with four rooms and an attached kitchen. His goods included a mirror and a punch bowl and glasses as well as the usual tables, chairs and beds. His livestock included 61 cattle, 32 hogs, 6 horses and 77 sheep as well as 2600 pounds of tobacco in storage. 

William Comegys, my 8-x great grandfather, married about 1685 to Elizabeth Tyler and had three sons (William, my 7-X great grandfather, Nathaniel and Cornelius) and three daughters (Elizabeth, Ann, and Margaret) with her. About 1708, William Sr. built a fine gambrel-roof brick house near the Chester River, considered one of the most unusual buildings in Kent County, with its catslide addition on the back. The original glazed brick exterior still survives, although the interior has been completely renovated. William Comegys Sr. died in Kent County MD in 1736.

Comegys House

Besides the Comegys House, the Comegys name lives on in Kent County with Comegys Creek and Comegys Bight, a small cove on the north shore of the Chester River (see map below).

Comegys Bight

I am indebted to these researchers for information about my Comegys ancestors.

Robert G. Comegys. Cornelius Comegys (1630-1708): Young Man from Lexmond, His Career and His Family. 

Guy Wallis and Elma Fraser Perry. Descendants of Cornelius Comegys in North America. 2012.