#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 5 Influencer: The Case of the Interfering Mother-in-Law

Maria Comegys Boyer, my 4x-great aunt, might be considered an influencer, if one were inclined to be charitable, but she could also be described as the ultimate interfering mother-in-law.

Maria Comegys, the eldest child of Lt. Jesse Comegys and Sarah Everett, was born in Kent County MD in 1778.  Augustine Montgomery Boyer, Maria's future husband, was born in 1772, also in Kent County.  Augustine was a chronic invalid and moved out of Kent County looking to improve his health.  After trying several locations in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, in 1803, he ended up purchasing 1000 acres of land in Tompkins County NY at the town of Caroline, about where the red dot is on the map below, a little south of Ithaca. 

In 1805, Maria and Augustine married at Stroudsburg PA, Maria travelling north and Augustine travelling south for the ceremony. They proceeded to have four children: Mary Amanda (1806), Thomas Montgomery (1807), Augustine Comegys (1808), and Ann Eliza (1812). 

Meanwhile, back in Kent County MD, Maria's sister, Sarah Everett Comegys (my 4x-great grandmother), had married John Wallis in 1803 and had ten children with him, including her daughter, Sophia Brooks Wallis in 1813, who is the object of this story.  In 1835, 22-year-old Sophia was engaged to Albert Maxwell in Kent County, when she went to New York for a visit with her aunt, Maria Comegys Boyer. Sophia was unaware that her aunt had plans for her that didn't involve Mr. Maxwell. Maria had decided that Sophia would be the ideal wife for her eldest son, 28-year-old Thomas. (I have to wonder if Thomas had some kind of problem that made his mother think he couldn’t find a wife for himself?)

So, when letters arrived from her fiancé, Maria made sure that Sophia never saw them. With Maria's encouragement, Sophia became convinced that Albert had forgotten about her and extended her stay in New York to help heal her broken heart. Perhaps her cousin Thomas's charm helped in that process. In any case, Sophia married Thomas that same year and had her first child--Wallis Montgomery Boyer--in 1836. 

Family accounts suggest that Sophia and Thomas's marriage was not a happy one. Although they did have nine children together between 1836 and 1853, only four of the children lived to adulthood, and one of those died of typhoid in his early twenties. Sophia returned to Maryland at least once to visit her family in 1846. She brought her one-year-old son, John Wallis Boyer, with her, who fell ill and died in Maryland and is buried there in the family cemetery.

Maria Comegys Boyer died in 1849 at the age of 70, having finally confessed what she had done.  Sophia later contacted Albert, who was reported to be "distressed" about the deception.  He died childless at the age of 94.  

Sophia and Thomas appeared to live separately a good deal of the time. The 1865 Census of New York shows Sophia as the head of household and Thomas not living there. Her 500-acre farm, valued at $9800, seemed to be thriving, producing hay, wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and apples, and livestock of cows, pigs, and sheep.

Sophia died in Tompkins County in 1869 at the age of 55. Thomas died a pauper in 1894 at age 86. Both are buried in the Caroline Center Cemetery. 

Sophia's Obituary in the Ithaca Journal: 

Maria Comegys Boyer certainly influenced the course of her son's and her niece's lives, not to mention Albert Maxwell's life, but possibly not for the better. 

(With thanks to Guy Wallis and Elma Fraser Perry, Descendants of Cornelius Comegys in North America.)

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 4 Witness to History: Levi Agee--An Ordinary Life

 This week's prompt--"Witness to History"--may suggest someone who was deeply involved in the affairs of the country and impacted historical events.  But I am choosing instead to write about an ancestor who was not a mover or a shaker in his time. Rather, I am focusing on a man who was a simple farmer without a lot of influence who was nevertheless affected by the events of history in his lifetime. 

Levi Agee did not leave much of a record for his descendants.  He didn't leave a diary or letters that explained how he felt about the events he witnessed.  Even so, I'm going to try to put him in some historical context and speculate a little about how he might have been affected. 

Levi Agee, the 4x-great grandfather of my grandchildren, was the son of Matthew Agee and Mary Ligon, and great-grandson of the immigrant, Mathieu Agee, about whom I have previously written. He was born about 1790, the seventh of nine children, on his father’s plantation near the Blackwater River in Franklin County VA.  Franklin County, located in the Blue Ridge foothills near Roanoke, was formed in 1785 and named for Benjamin Franklin. 

The world into which Levi was born was full of changes as the new nation sought to establish itself on the world stage, building an economy based on industry and commerce and not just on agriculture. 

Washington Iron Furnace

Franklin County was already boasting some industry as the Washington Iron Works manufactured munitions for the American cause during the Revolution. Political parties were beginning to develop with the Federalists arguing for a strong central government and the Democratic-Republicans pushing for more states’ rights. George Washington was the president. In the election of 1790, in which Matthew Agee, as a landowner, was likely able to vote, the pro-Washington faction was able to retain control of both the House and the Senate. (Yes, there was an anti-Washington faction!)

The first national census in 1790 showed just about 4 million people living in the country, 95 percent in rural areas like Franklin County. The population of Franklin County was about 6800 people. Like most of the families in the county, the Agees were farmers, probably growing tobacco along with some food crops.

In the early 1800’s, Washington DC was established as the nation’s capital, and President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase.  Virginians Meriwether Louis and William Clark set out to explore the country and reached the Pacific Ocean in 1805. Their success was a source of enormous pride to Americans and inspired many future explorers and pioneers. I have to wonder if teenage Levi had dreams of being an explorer himself or if he was always content with a farmer’s life?

In his early 20's (1811), Levi Agee married Sally Maxey, the daughter of Josiah Maxey, in Franklin County. By this time, the country had grown to almost 8 million inhabitants, still largely living in rural areas, 10,700 of them in Franklin County.  James Madison was president. The states of Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio had been added to the Union. Levi and Sally’s first known child—Permillia Agee--was born in 1814, while the War of 1812 was still being fought, although the war did not have much impact in southwest Virginia.  None of the Agee men served in the military in this period. 

By 1820, the US population was getting close to 10 million people, 12,000 in Franklin County.  The Agees, still living in Franklin County, had added 3 more children to their family: Lucy Levinia (1815), Susannah (1817) and their only son, Daniel (1818), 3X-great grandfather to my grandchildren. James Monroe was the President, advocating the Monroe Doctrine which opposed further colonization in the United States. Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, and Maine had become states.

Levi’s father, Matthew, died in 1823 at about age 76, and Levi may have received an inheritance at this time.  The Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution, returned in 1824 for a grand tour of all 24 states, but it is doubtful that Levi and his family living in the countryside had a chance to see the great man.

Although Levi Agee was not a slaveholder, there were many in Franklin County. Nat Turner’s Rebellion in nearby Southampton County VA in 1831, which killed about sixty white people, probably scared the family and their neighbors. The 1830 Census shows the Agees still living in Franklin County with a young man and six young women (presumably their children) between the ages of 5 and 19.  They probably heard the news of the tragic siege of the Alamo in 1836 and the deaths of Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, although it may have taken several months for the news to reach them.

By 1840, the country had grown to include 26 states, with a population of over 17 million. The Agee family had joined many other families in moving west, possibly because tobacco farming had depleted the soil of their farm. They didn’t move too far west, though, just to Mercer County VA (now West VA), formed in 1837 from Giles and Tazewell counties. In 1840, Mercer County had a population of 3181, a majority farmers and farm laborers, with a little over 100 enslaved people. 

The map below shows the Agee's migration route, ending in the small mountain town of Egeria.  In the 1880's, Egeria boasted a blacksmith, two cabinet makers, a general store, a machinist, a flour mill, and nine "principal farmers," one of whom was probably Daniel Agee. Egeria didn't get a high school until 1913 and its enrollment was usually in the teens. This is where Levi's great-grandchildren would have been educated. 

Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and James Polk assumed the presidency during the 1840’s.  Polk having run on a platform of expanding US territory, Florida and Texas joined the Union, and the United States declared war on Mexico which refused to acknowledge the annexation of Texas.  While thousands of people rushed to California in 1848 in the grip of gold fever, the Agees were not caught up in this rush. All of Levi's children stayed and raised their families in or near the tiny town of Egeria in Mercer County. 

The 1840 Census shows Levi in Mercer County with a young man (his son Daniel), five young women (his daughters) and an older woman (his wife Sally).  Sadly, Levi suffered a serious mental decline, probably dementia, and by 1847, he was declared a lunatic and also had that designation in the 1850 Census where he is shown, age 60, living with his 65-year-old wife, Sally, and his 30-year-old son Daniel, a farmer, in Mercer County VA. By the end of the year, Levi was dead, and his son Daniel administered his estate. 

The inventory of his estate shows a modest list of farm property and livestock, totaling about $200. 

When Levi Agee died in 1850, California had just been admitted to the Union as the 31st state. The population of the US stood at just over 23 million people, still largely (85%) in rural areas. Zachary Taylor, a national hero for his victories in the Mexican-American War, was the president. 

At the time of his death in 1850, Levi had 16 grandchildren from his daughters’ marriages to the Hatcher, Cadle, Ferguson, and Meador families. Daniel Agee did not marry until 1855, after the deaths of both his parents. But he eventually married twice and had five children, including Alonzo Lee (Lon) Agee, the 2x-great grandfather to my grandchildren. 

Levi and Sally Agee were buried on their farm in Egeria, Virginia (now West Virginia), now known as the Agee Cemetery.  Many of their relatives and descendants are also buried there, including Daniel and Alonzo. 

Agee Cemetery, Egeria WV

  

Levi Agee led a quiet life, farming his land, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Like most Americans, the enormous changes in the country around him did not disrupt his family to any great degree, but they did open up new possibilities for future generations of Agees in an expanding nation. 

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 7 Immigration: Part 2 Immigrant Ancestors Maternal Line

 

In this blog, I am continuing to look at my immigrant ancestors, this time focusing on those from my mother's family. 

1.  Summers

The immigrant ancestor of my Summers family was John Summers, my 7x-great grandfather, who was transported to Maryland from England in 1671.  That probably puts his birth about 1650. By 1672, he was paying ground rent on 120 acres of land called "Pitchcroft" in Calvert County (now Prince George's County), Maryland. A few years later, he married Rebecca (possibly a Dent) and had three children with her: William, John (my 6x-great grandfather), and Sarah. In 1680, John claimed 50 acres of land, having completed his indentured service. John Summers died in Prince George's County MD in November 1705, leaving his estate to his wife, Rebecca and naming his three children in the will. 

2. Gwynn

The immigrant ancestor of this line may have been Hooper Gwynn, my 5x-great grandfather on both my paternal and maternal lines.  He is as far back as I have been able to trace this line.  He was in Prince George's County MD in the 1730's as a School Master and Court Scrivener, indicating that he was an educated man. A man of this name married in Yorkshire, England in 1725.  It's an uncommon name and odds are it is the same person or at least a close relative, but I really can't be sure if the man was born in England (or Wales, since Gwynn is definitely of Welsh origin) or was born in Maryland to immigrant parents.  Hooper Gwinn died in Fairfax County VA about 1759.  He had one son that can be documented: Bennett Gwynn, my 4x-great grandfather on both sides of my family. I have written more about Hooper and the Gwynns here. (With thanks to Effie Gwynn Bowie, Across the Years in Prince George's County.)

3. Hill

The immigrant ancestor of my Hill family was Clement Hill, Jr., my 6x-great grandfather, born 24 February 1670 at Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, England. He came to Maryland in 1693 and stayed with his uncle, Clement Hill Sr., who was a prominent figure in the Province, a member of the Lower House of the Assembly and a member of the Privy Council. In 1696, Clement Hill Jr. married Ann Darnall, the daughter of Col. Henry Darnall. In 1699, he purchased 748 acres of land in Prince George's County MD on the west side of the Patuxent River and built his home there, which he named Compton Bassett, after his home in England. Clement Hill Jr. was the Surveyor General of Maryland. Clement and Ann Hill had five children, including my 5x-great grandfather, Henry Darnall Hill.  Clement Hill died in Prince George's County MD in August 1743. (With thanks to Effie Gwynn Bowie. Across the Years in Prince George's County, Maryland.)

4. Childs

The immigrant ancestor of my Childs line was Henry Childs, my 7x-great grandfather, about whom I have previously written. Henry was born in Amersham, Hertfordshire, England about 1652. He married Ann Ball in 1671 and had ten children with her: Benjamin, Sarah, Mary, Ann, Henry Jr. (my 6x-great grandfather), Ruth, Rachel, Cephas, John, and William.  In 1687, Henry purchased 500 acres of land from William Penn, a fellow Quaker, land which he later gave to his son, Cephas. Henry moved to West River, Anne Arundel County MD where he and his family joined the local Friends Meeting. He died in Anne Arundel County in 1740, leaving his various properties to his children. 

5.  Sasscer

According to family tradition, the Sasscers came from France, but other sources say the Sassers originated in Westphalia/Saxony/Germany and migrated to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.  The earliest person I have found in my line of Sasscers is Roger John Sarcer/Sasser/Sasscer, my 6x-great grandfather, who may or may not have emigrated from Europe.  A Benjamin Sawcer was found on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1671, but I do not know how or if he is connected to Roger.  Roger John Sasser purchased 300 acres of land in Prince George's County MD called "Sarcer's Green" in 1713, so he was probably born in the late 1600's. He later settled near what is now Brandywine, where he purchased additional land. In 1737, Roger deeded "Sasser's Green" to his son John, my 5x-great grandfather. Roger died in Prince George's County MD in 1752.  (With thanks to Lieze Sasscer Moffett, The Sasscer Family of Maryland.)

6.  Gibbons

The earliest Gibbons ancestor I have found is Thomas Gibbons, my 6x-great grandfather.  Thomas, age 14, was in Charles County MD in 1685 when he was presented in court as a servant to William Barton.  So Thomas was born about 1671.  He may have been born in Maryland, or transported to Maryland by William Barton as an indentured servant.  By 1697, Thomas, a planter, was in Prince George's County MD and purchased 100 acres of "Barton's Hope" from William Barton. In 1704, he made further purchases of "Smith's Green" and "Brookefield" in Prince George's County. By that year, Thomas had married Elizabeth (MNU, but possibly Turner). Thomas and Elizabeth had children: George, Turner (my 5x-great grandfather), Christiana (who married my 5x-great grandfather, John Sasscer), and Thomas. Thomas Gibbons died in Prince George's County in 1711, leaving his various properties to his children. 

7. Wallis

The probable immigrant ancestor of my Wallis line is Henry Wallis, my 8X-great grandfather, born about 1650 in England or Scotland. About 1685, Henry petitioned the Lord Proprietor to obtain title to the tract "Boothbies Fortune" in Kent County MD. He probably died in Kent County MD, or he may have gone back to England.  Unfortunately, no other record has been found for Henry.  Henry's son Samuel Wallis, my 7x-great grandfather, was possibly born in England or Scotland and was said to have come to Maryland about 1700 along with William Comegys, another of my 8x-great grandfathers. Samuel married Anne, the widow of William Pearce in 1703/4 in Cecil County MD. He died in Kent County MD about May 1724 and his estate was administered by his wife, Anne. Samuel was an Episcopalian and longtime vestryman of Shrewsbury Parish.  He served in the lower house of the Maryland legislature and owned considerable property on the Eastern Shore, including Boothbies Fortune, presumably inherited from his father, Henry. He bought several properties jointly with William Comegys. Samuel and Anne had seven children, including my 6x-great grandfather, John Wallis. (With Thanks to Guy Wallis, The Wallis Family of Kent County, Maryland.)

8.  Willson

The immigrant ancestor of this Willson family was John Willson, my 7x-great grandfather, born 10 January 1690 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Willson came to Maryland in 1731 and settled on the Wye River at "Greenwood," along with his wife, Elizabeth, and young son Thomas. Willson was a staunch Catholic and engaged in many business dealings with his wealthy Catholic neighbor, Richard Bennett III, who was considered one of the richest men on the continent. Richard Bennett was godfather to Willson's son, Thomas Bennett Willson, and paid for his medical studies in Edinburgh, starting a line of four generations of doctors in the Willson family.  John Willson died in Queen Anne's County MD about 1728. (With thanks to Thomas Joseph Peterson. Catholics in Colonial Delmarva.)

This exercise has reminded me of the relative scarcity of documents for the 17th and early 18th centuries and how fortunate I am that Maryland has a fairly good collection of probate, court and land records from that period.

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 7 Immigration: Part 1 Immigrant Ancestors Paternal Line

 

With the theme of immigration, I decided to look at how many of my immigrant ancestors I have been able to identify.  However, since there are a lot of them, I'm breaking it down into sections.  Here, I'm looking at the first eight immigrant ancestors from my father's family.

1. Scrivener

As best I can tell, the immigrant in this line was Richard Scrivener, my 6x-great grandfather.  He was born, probably in England, 2 April 1686.  His marriage to Mary Burck was recorded at St. James Parish in Lothian, Anne Arundel County MD on the 1st of September 1709. The parish register also records the birth of three sons to this couple: John (my 5x-great grandfather), Richard, and William.  Richard Sr. was alive in Anne Arundel County until at least 1753 when he is mentioned in an estate settlement, and was likely a tobacco farmer. As I have written about elsewhere, I have not been able to trace Richard back to his origin in England, but I strongly believe that is where he came from. 

2. Barber

The immigrant ancestor of the Barbers in Maryland was Dr. Luke Barber, my 9x-great grandfather, born 28 February 1615 in Yorkshire, England. Dr. Barber married Elizabeth Younge in 1641 in Yorkshire.  At one time, he worked for Oliver Cromwell, probably serving as a physician or surgeon in the Lord Protector's army.  He came to Maryland in 1654 aboard the Golden Fortune, and settled in St. Mary's County in southern Maryland. He was a zealous friend of Lord Baltimore and served as a member of the Assembly, a Justice of the Provincial Court, and Deputy Governor. He died in St. Mary's County about 1674, leaving his home plantation, Lukeland/Luckland, to his son Edward, my 8x-great grandfather. Dr. Barber had children: Luke, Elizabeth (8x-great grandmother), Mary, Edward (8x-great grandfather), Thomas, and Ann. (With thanks to Robert Barnes, British Roots of Maryland Families II.)

3. Gwynn

The immigrant ancestor of this line may have been Hooper Gwynn, my 5x-great grandfather on both my paternal and maternal lines.  He is as far back as I have been able to trace this line.  He was in Prince George's County MD in the 1730's as a School Master and Court Scrivener, indicating that he was an educated man. A man of this name married in Yorkshire, England in 1725.  It's an uncommon name and odds are it is the same person or at least a close relative, but I really can't be sure if the man was born in England (or Wales, since Gwynn is definitely of Welsh origin) or was born in Maryland to immigrant parents.  Hooper Gwinn died in Fairfax County VA about 1759.  He had one son that can be documented: Bennett Gwynn, my 4x-great grandfather on both sides of my family. I have written more about Hooper and the Gwynns here. (With thanks to Effie Gwynn Bowie, Across the Years in Prince George's County.)

4. Keene

The immigrant ancestor of the Keenes in Maryland was Richard Keene, my 8x-great grandfather, born 7 December 1628 in Worplesdon, Surrey, England. Richard arrived in Maryland in 1653 with his brothers, Henry and Edward. He was a Quaker and was fined for refusing to train for military service. He was a close friend of Maryland's Governor, Charles Calvert and a large landowner, with over 10,000 acres on both sides of the Patuxent River. (Possibly these two facts are connected?)  His principal estate was St. Richard's Manor in St. Mary's County, where Lord Baltimore's Council frequently met. Richard married Mary, the widow of John Hodgkin shortly after he came to Maryland.  They had two sons: Richard and John, my 7x-great grandfather.  Richard Keene died in 1675 in Calvert County MD. 

5. Dent

The immigrant ancestor of this line of the Dents was Captain John Dent, my 8x-great grandfather, born in Yorkshire, England about 1635. He emigrated to Maryland about 1661 and married Mary Hatch shortly after his arrival in the colony. There is some evidence that he had an earlier wife in England and children there. He inherited land in Charles County MD from his uncle Thomas Dent, but eventually resided in the northern portion of St. Mary's County near Charlotte Hall. He was appointed Captain of the Chaptico Hundred in 1689 and served for some years as Justice of the Peace.  Like some of my other great-grandfathers, he was involved with Josias Fendall's rebellion against Lord Baltimore. (I’m looking at you, Thomas Gerrard!) John Dent had children (some with Mary Hatch): Peter, Michael, John, my 7x-great grandfather, George, Mary, Lydia, Anne, Abigail and Christian.  Captain Dent died in St. Mary's County MD about 1712, leaving tracts of land to each of his children. (With thanks to Harry Wright Newman, Charles County Gentry.)

6. Wright

I haven’t found the immigrant ancestor for my Wright line. The earliest Wright I have found is Littleberry Wright, my 4x-great grandfather. The 1860 Census puts him in Newnan GA, next door to his son, attorney William Wright, my 3x-great grandfather. The census says he is 60 years old at that point, born in South Carolina. He probably met his wife Henrietta Austin there and moved to Georgia with her family. He subsequently won two lots in the Georgia Land Lottery. He is found in the 1830 Census of Harris County GA, aged 30-39, along with 3 young boys, 2 young girls, a woman aged 30-39 and 6 slaves. His property in Harris County was sold to pay his debts in 1833. Henrietta filed for divorce in 1835, apparently on grounds of abandonment.  I haven't found Littleberry again until the 1860 Census, so I'm not sure if he stayed in Georgia.  I also haven't found a death or probate record for him in Georgia.  So, dead-end on this for now. 

7. Turner

I have a candidate for the immigrant Turner ancestor, but not a solid trail.  I believe the immigrant was William Turner, my probable 9x-great grandfather, who settled around St. Leonard's Creek in Calvert County about 1650. He probably came from England. He died in Calvert County MD about 1663. He left a will that named his children: Eldest son William, Edward, and Richard, all receiving land along the Choptank River (Dorchester County) and daughter Jane, wife of Stephen Clifton.  No wife is named, so I assume she is dead at this point. The reason I connect him to my line of Turners is because the family stayed around the St. Leonard's Creek area. William Turner Jr., who was of age in 1663, died in 1719 in Calvert County.  William's son, John, called John of St. Leonard's, predeceased his father about 1716. His will names his wife Johanna and sons John, Thomas, Gideon who are not yet of age. After that I can trace the Turners pretty clearly in my line. So, for now, I'm going with this rather tenuous thread of location/land ownership.  Calvert County having lost most records to several courthouse fires, it is hard to turn up more evidence. 

8. Somervell

The immigrant ancestor of this line was Dr. James Somervell, about whom I have previously written. Dr. Somervell, my 7x-great grandfather, was born 20 February 1688 in Ayershire, Scotland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh and was captured at the Battle of Preston and exiled to America. He prospered in the new world, married Sarah Howe in 1722 and had children with her: Rebecca, John, James and Alexander, my 6x-great grandfather, about whom I have written previously. Dr. Somervell served as a Justice of Calvert County and as the Sheriff.  He died in Calvert County in 1750. 

On the whole, then, I have done pretty well at identifying the immigrant ancestors for this section of my family tree. Four immigrants are very well documented since they were prominent land owners and active in provincial politics.  They knew and interacted with other ancestors of mine. Only one complete dead end, one kind of tenuous tie, and two open-ended connections back to England. I'm probably lucky that so many of these immigrants landed in Maryland and knew and interacted with each other, making connections somewhat easier to find. 

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 33 Favorite Discovery: Hooper Gwynn, My maternal and paternal great-grandfather

 

Hooper Gwynn

Susanna Hilleary-----                           Bennett Gwynn                       -----Mary Belt

John Hilleary Gwynn—Ann Eliza Dyer                        Thomas Belt Gwynn—Eliza Ann Gardiner

Andrew Jackson Gwynn—Louise Keene                     Ann Eliza Gwynn—John Francis Summers

Louise Carmelite Gwynn—FP Scrivener                     John Kostka Summers—Regina Ann Hill

Frank Phillip Scrivener Jr.—Elizabeth Dent                 Paul Francis Summers—Evalina Sasscer

Frank Phillip Scrivener III                    -----                  Anne Theresa Summers

My 5X-Great Grandfather, Hooper Gwynn (also Gwinn/Gwin), has the distinction of being my grandfather through both my father’s and my mother’s family. See the chart above.

Grandfather Hooper is somewhat of a mystery man since I haven’t really been able to trace his family further back.  There is a marriage record in St. Peter’s Parish, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, for a marriage between Hooper Gwin and Martha Wainman on the 27^th of June, 1725.  Given that Hooper Gwin is a fairly unusual name, most researchers have assumed that this is the same man who later shows up in Maryland.  The further assumptions are that Hooper was born in England or possibly Wales, since Gwynn is of Welsh origin, and that he was probably born in the early 1700’s if he married in his early 20’s. Of course, no one has shown any evidence for these assumptions, and they could be wrong. Other researchers think Hooper Gwynn was born in Maryland and the Hooper Gwin in Leeds is a relative (father, uncle cousin). Either way, I don't know who Hooper's parents were, but there is likely a Welsh origin in there somewhere. 

In any case, by 1736, Hooper Gwynn was in Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a School Master and later as the Scrivener to the Court, indicating he was an educated man who could read and write. Other records show him with “a wife” but do not give her name, so it may or may not be Martha.

In 1743, Hooper Gwynn witnessed a mortgage between Humphrey Hasseldine and John Hepburn of Prince George’s County MD and later witnessed the wills of John Mawdesley (1748) and Richard Clagett (1752) in the same county.

Given his name and location, you might expect to find Hooper Gwynn connected to the Hooper family who settled in Calvert County MD in the 1650's and later moved across the Chesapeake Bay to Dorchester County (a short boat ride, keeping in mind there was no Chesapeake Bay Bridge). This is further reinforced by that fact that Richard Clagett, whose will was witnessed by Hooper Gwynn, was the son of Mary (MNU), the widow of Richard Hooper (d. 1672 in Dorchester County), who married Capt. Thomas Clagett as her second husband. However, I have not been able to find any definitive connection between Hooper Gwynn and any other Hoopers.  Doesn't mean there isn't a connection, just that I don't have any evidence of it.

Hooper Gwynn apparently moved from Prince George’s County to Fairfax VA where probate records for him appear in 1759, an administrative bond and an inventory, but not, alas, a will. His administratrix was Ann Gwinn, who may have been his surviving widow.

Hooper Gwynn had at least one son who has a proven connection to him: Bennett Gwynn, my 4X-great grandfather.  In 1777, Bennett Gwinn, the son of Hooper Gwinn, deceased, age 19, comes into court in Prince George’s County MD and chooses Thomas Hagan as his guardian. Thomas Hagan accepts the guardianship, and Bennett’s estate is delivered over to Thomas who gives a bond for four hundred pounds. (With thanks to my redoubtable great-aunt, Effie Gwynn Bowie, who ferreted out that document when she published Across the Years in Prince George's County, her genealogical magnum opus.)

This record puts Bennett Gwynn’s birth at about 1758 or shortly before Hooper Gwynn’s death in 1759. It is not clear why Bennett is choosing a guardian in 1777, but possibly it is because his mother had died and he is not yet legally of age (21). He is possibly the son of the Ann Gwinn who administered Hooper Gwinn’s estate in Fairfax, and his name, Bennett, may suggest his mother’s family, but I do not have evidence for that. 

Thomas Hagan was possibly/probably Bennett’s brother-in-law, having married his older sister Grace Gwynn.  A brother, Thomas Gwynn, born about 1755 (and therefore of age by 1777 and not needing to choose a guardian) migrated from Maryland to Nelson County KY about 1790 along with a wife and a number of children.  Thomas Gwynn was instrumental in spreading Catholicism in Kentucky, but that is the subject for another blog. Thomas Gwynn died in Bardstown KY in 1835.

Bennett Gwynn was living in Prince George’s County in the 1790 Census, in a household of 5 white males over age 16.  It is not clear if they are related to Bennett, sons of his brother perhaps? or farm workers who lived there.  There are no slaves shown in the household.

In 1795, 37-year-old Bennett married his first wife, Mary Belt, the daughter of John Belt and Diana Lane. They had one child—Thomas Belt Gwynn, my 3X-great grandfather on my mother’s side.  Mary Belt Gwynn died shortly after the birth of her son.

Bennett Gwynn married secondly in 1797 Susannah Hilleary, the daughter of Henry Hilleary and Cassandra Magruder. They had three children: John Hilleary Gwynn (1797), my 3X-great grandfather on my father’s side; William Henry Gwynn (1800), and Anne Gwynn (1801).  Susannah Hilleary Gwynn died about 1806.

Bennett Gwynn married for the third time in 1807 to Rebecca Edelen, the daughter of Richard Edelen. They had no children.  Rebecca Edelen Gwynn died in 1818.

In 1815, Bennett Gwynn administered the estate of his erstwhile guardian, Thomas Hagan, and later purchased part of Hickory Plains from his son, Leonard Hagan.

Bennett Gwynn married for the fourth time in 1819 to Ann Theresa Elder, widow of Ignatius Boone. There were no children from this marriage. Ann Theresa Gwynn died in 1848 at age 90 at Mt. St. Joseph’s convent in Emmitsburg, having outlived her husband by many years. 

Bennett Gwynn spent his married life, raised his family, died and is buried at his estate at Hickory Plains in Prince George’s County. He was a devout Catholic.

Bennett Gwynn died at his home on May 29, 1826.  His son William, who had married his step-sister, Rosella Boone, administered his estate and inherited the Hickory Plains plantation.  Thomas Belt Gwynn inherited the plantation at Locust Grove. John Hilleary Gwynn inherited Marlowe’s Resurvey which bordered the property of his friend, John Francis Summers.

The map below shows William Gwynn’s property in 1861 in the Piscataway District of Prince George's County, underlined in red at the lower center section. 

 

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 8 Heirloom: Grandma’s Heirloom China

My mother had several sets of fine china which she kept in a glass-fronted cabinet.  On special occasions or big holidays (Christmas, Easter) when lots of family came to the house, we would use my mother's wedding china, the beautiful Minton "Ancestral" pattern. 

Well, the adults would use it.  The children, of course, used the everyday dishes or paper plates depending on the size of the crowd and the ages of the children.  Being able to use the "good" china was a mark of singular privilege and a rite of passage into adulthood. 

As the years went by, Mom no longer hosted big family events at her home.  We shifted over to my brother's home which was large enough and had enough younger folks around to accommodate the big family crowd. So Mom's china sat unused in her cabinet. We persuaded her to pass along the "Ancestral" china to the next generation, and held a grand dinner to celebrate the transition and remember all the wonderful occasions when it had played a part. We were very fortunate that my brother and sister-in-law could accommodate the gift and keep it in the family for future celebrations. You can see some of the china in use in the picture from that dinner, below.

Dama

However, there was another set of china that rarely got used. It belonged to my great-grandmother, Theresa Evalina Wallis Sasscer, or Dama Sasscer, as we knew her.  (I have written about her elsewhere.) My mother was her oldest grandchild, and she inherited a tea service from Dama, cake plates, cups and saucers, a dozen or so of each, plus a lovely set of demitasse cups, which always fascinated me as a child with their tiny beauty.  Periodically, Mom would pull these out of the china cabinet to wash them, but they hardly ever got used. 

As a child, I paid little attention to such domestic concerns.  As an adult, however, I loved the fact that these cups had been in the family for such a long time, a real family heirloom. 

When my mom died, she still had that set of her grandmother's china.  We wanted it to stay in the family, but none of us really had space to keep it or use it.  So, we decided we would give it to all the women and girls, her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters. (I know, very sexist, right? But Mom had nearly 70 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and there were only so many pieces to go around. We made sure the boys got a suitable remembrance too.) We decided to hold a tea party where we could use the china and gift each of the young girls with a cup and saucer and/or a cake plate or one of Dama's demitasse cups as a special remembrance of their grandmothers, who had lovingly preserved this tea service for so many years.

Dama's china was Minton's "Princess" pattern created in England in 1924 according to the markings on the back. Minton is still considered a premier china house to this day. It has a delicate, hand-painted floral design and an unusual triangular handle on the cups. I think that the red marking indicates the painter. I do not know how Dama acquired this tea service.  By the time I thought to ask that question, no one was left alive who might know the answer. But she surely must have treasured it; otherwise, it would never have survived in her farmhouse for so many years.  

I hope the young women who inherited these pieces treasure them too. 

#52Ancestors 2023 Week 39 Surprise: How Grammie Learned about her first Grandchild

 My son Matthew married his wife Heather in October 2010. Of course, I always had my secret hopes that there would be grandchildren!  However, I did my best to keep my mouth shut on the subject. Nobody needs their mother/mother-in-law to suggest how they should make such a decision. 

In 2011, I was working in Boston at the time, but I came back to Maryland to celebrate the Easter holiday with my family. As it happened, my April birthday fell very close to Easter that year.  Matt and Heather called me out to the porch of my Mom's house to give me a birthday present.  

They handed me a small, wrapped package.  When I opened it, I found a photo album.  Then I noticed the tag on the front of the album: "A grandparent's world is filled with love."

I gasped when the significance struck me.  I opened the album and on the first page was the very first picture of Baby Agee, a sonogram taken April 7, 2011.  Then I started to cry.

I was so excited to know that I would be a grandmother.  I hugged Matt and Heather.  Then I ran into the kitchen to show off my wonderful birthday surprise to the rest of the family.

Henry arrived in November of that year, the beginning of my great adventure as Grammie. 

#52 Ancestors 2024 Week 3 Favorite Photo: Grammie's Heirloom Photo

 

This photo op took place in 2014 when my grandchildren were all under the age of three. It remains one of my favorites, my first picture with all four of my grandchildren. 

As everyone who knows me is aware, I have four grandchildren, all, in my completely unbiased opinion, totally adorable. Two of them were born within a few months of each other in 2011 and 2012, one in Maryland and one in Florida.  The other two were born within a few months of each other in 2014, again, one in Maryland and one in Florida. 

So, I did not have many opportunities to see all four of them together at the same time, and when the Florida family came to visit in Maryland, I was determined to take advantage of the opportunity to get a photo with all four of my grandchildren.

Not an easy task to get four children under the age of three to hold still long enough, look at the camera, and not cry! 

At least I could hold the two lap babies, although sometimes it was a struggle to keep them on my lap. They were wigglers. With sufficient antics from their parents, they would eventually look at the camera, although Emily seemed much more fascinated with something in the far-right corner of the room. 

But the older two (aged not quite two and two-and-a-half) required considerably more coaxing by way of snacks, bribes, and praise to get their participation. 

Finally, three down. 

Anna reluctantly agreed only if she could sit in her Mommy's lap. 

So, here is the heirloom picture at last with Emily, Harper, Henry and Anna all together for the first time.  I hope they appreciate this someday!  It definitely holds a treasured place in Grammie's scrapbook.