#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 2023 Week 45 War and Peace: Col. Alexander Somervell

 My 6X great grandfather, Colonel Alexander Somervell, made a mark on his community both in war and in peace. 

Alexander Somervell was born in Christ Church Parish, Port Republic, Calvert County MD in 1734, the son of the immigrant, Dr. James Somervell  (about whom I have previously written) and Sarah Howe Somervell, the youngest of their four children. 

MD State House

Somervell was an ensign in the county militia by 1757 and later served in the Continental Army as a
colonel. The legislature rewarded him in 1765 for his service in the French and Indian War. He served as the High Sheriff of Calvert County from 1769 to 1772.  He was a member of the Maryland Assembly in 1774 and served in the Continental Congress in 1775.

In 1762, Alexander inherited land in Calvert County and a warehouse from his brother John, so he was probably engaged in farming and some kind of merchant activity.

Col. Somervell was also active in his Christ Church parish at Port Republic, helping to build a new church on the site in 1772, a building which is still in use today. 

On the south wall of the present edifice is a tablet to the memory of Col. Alexander Somervell, the builder of the church. The name of Somervell, spelled in different ways, is found in many of the private burial grounds of the county, and it represents a family known for its attachment to the traditions of the Episcopal Church. The inscription is: In memory of Col. Alexander Somerville and Rebecca his wife Decessus 1783 AEtatis 49 Decessa 1812 AEtatis 72.

Alexander Somervell married Rebecca Dawkins, the daughter of William Dawkins and Dorcas Mackall, in December 1759 at Christ Church.  Alexander and Rebecca had two sons and two daughters:

Thomas Somervell 1760 (no further information)

Dr. William Dawkins Somervell (my 5X great Grandfather) 1763-1816; he married Elizabeth Wilson Ireland in 1795 in Calvert County and had four daughters and two sons with her, including my 4x great grandfather, Alexander Somervell. 

Rebecca Somervell 1765-1837; she married James Duke in 1786 in Calvert County and had four sons and three daughters with him. 

Sarah Somervell 1770; she married Joseph Leonard and moved to Kentucky, where she died sometime after the 1850 Census. 

Col. Alexander Somervell died in Calvert County in 1783, leaving a considerable estate: 490 acres of land in Calvert County plus a lot and warehouse in St. Leonard's Creek town. His personal property was more than L1000 including 27 slaves. 

Rebecca Dawkins Somervell died in Calvert County MD in November 1812. 

#52 Ancestors 2022 Week 33 Service: James Somervell and the Battle of Preston

The Somervell name, although we associate it with Scotland, is actually Norman French in origin from the town of St. Omer Ville. The family moved over to England and eventually Scotland at the time of William the Conqueror and the Norman invasion (1066). Motto: Fear God in Life. 

Our family owes its existence in America, at least in part, to our 7X-great-grandfather, Dr. James Somervell, and his devotion to the cause of the Stuarts in Scotland. 

To give a little background: In 1688, the "Glorious Revolution" in England overthrew the Catholic Stuart king, James II, king of England, Ireland, and Scotland (the great-grandson of Mary Queen of Scots and son of the recently beheaded Charles I) and replaced him with his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. 

The Scots Catholics, naturally enough, did not take kindly to being dumped from the throne and by 1715, there was a full-fledged Jacobite uprising determined to put their man James Stuart (the Catholic son of James II) on the throne in place of the German Protestant George I. (Note to self: Avoid religious wars at all costs. They are very messy, and neither side ever seems satisfied with the result.) 

The final battle of this effort took place at Preston in Lancashire England. It was a rout for the Scots; almost 1000 Scots Jacobites were taken prisoner, including one 27-year-old cadet James Somervell.  The defeated soldiers drew lots to determine if they would be hanged or sent into exile in the colonies. Family history says that James refused to draw and one of the officers drew for him, to which James said "If you draw hanging, I trust that you will hang for me."  

Fortunately for James and his descendants, he drew banishment and was supposed to be shipped off to Maryland.  

(Just as a matter of interest, some of our Weems ancestors are also said to have been at the Battle of Preston, leaving behind orphaned children who were sent to an uncle in Maryland. So, this battle was significant for our family in more ways than one. Scotland's loss was Maryland's gain.)

Battle of Preston 1715

However, while James' name is on the passenger manifest for that ship to Maryland (the Goodspeed), it seems that he wasn't actually on the ship.  Family history reports that James escaped to the continent and studied medicine there before making his way to Maryland in 1719 to cast his lot with the rest of his fellow exiles. 

Dr. James Somervell was born in Ayrshire Scotland about 1688. Family history says he was married in Scotland and his wife died of a broken heart when he was exiled; sounds pretty romantic, but it could be true. We know for sure he settled in Calvert County MD about 1719 and married Sarah Howe, the daughter of Thomas Howe and Rebecca Mauldin, in 1722.   

Dr. Somervell is said to have brought quite a bit of silver with him to Maryland and was soon the owner of several large properties in Calvert County.  He served as Justice of Calvert County and High Sheriff in the 1740's. He died in Calvert County in 1750. His wife, Sarah Howe Somervell died in Calvert County in 1755. 

James and Sarah had a daughter and three sons:

*Rebecca Somervell, born 1724, married Jesse Jacob Bourne in Calvert County and died there about 1750. She had a daughter Sarah Bourne who was named in her grandfather's will. 

*John Somervell, born 1726, died in Calvert County about 1762.

*James Somervell Jr., born 1731 in Christ Church Parish, married Susannah Dare in 1755 and had five children with her: James, John, Sarah, Howe, and Susanna Somervell. James died in Calvert County MD in 1773. 

His son, James Somervell III, served in the Revolutionary War as a Captain in the Maryland Line and was wounded, losing an arm, at the Battle of Camden. Captain Somervell was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati, the nation's oldest hereditary society, founded by Continental Officers of the Revolution.

*Alexander Somervell, my 6X-great grandfather, born 1734 in Christ Church Parish, married Rebecca Dawkins, the daughter of William Dawkins, in 1759. Alexander and Rebecca had four children: Thomas, William Dawkins, Rebecca, and Sarah Somervell. My 5X-great grandfather, William Dawkins Somervell, married Elizabeth Ireland in 1795. My grandmother, Elizabeth Dent, is descended from this line. 

Alexander Somervell served as a Lt. Colonel in the Calvert County militia and later in the Continental Army. He was the Sheriff of Calvert County from 1768-1772 and later served in the Maryland Assembly representing Calvert County.  

He helped to rebuild Christ Church at Port Republic in 1772 (The stucco-covered brick building is still in use today.) and a plaque there commemorates Alexander and his wife Rebecca.

 He was a planter and merchant and owned a warehouse at St. Leonard's Creek. 

Alexander Somervell died in Calvert County MD in 1783. 

And in case you really want to celebrate our Scots heritage, here is the Somervell tartan: