Wills: Will of Major John WELSH (1683) Anne Arundel County, Maryland This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Stella Cotrill ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* " Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 1 " ************************************************************************************************* " Will of Major John Welsh " ************************************************************************************************* " Anne Arundel County,Maryland " ************************************************************************************************* Made on January 6,1683 ************************************************************************************************* " Recorded on March 3,1683/4 " ( Liber 4,Folio 35 ) ************************************************************************************************* In the name of God, Amen **************************** I, John Welsh, of ye County of Ann Arundel in ye Province of Maryland, Gent, being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect Memory (praised be God for ye same) and considering ye fraile state and condition of human nature and ye certainty of death and ye uncertainty of ye time thereof, do make and constitute ordain and appoint this my last will and test in manner and forme fol ye 6 January anno Doin 1683, making void and null all former and other wills by me made. ************************ Impremis: I bequeath my soul to Almighty God my Creator from whom I received same, faithfully trusting to his infinite and unbounded mercies through Jesus Christ my Savior and Redeemer to obtain forgiveness of all my sins great and many fold and a blessed and glorious resurrection amongst the faithful at ye last day and a happy and blessed state of inheritance in the world to come which shall endure to all eternity(???)and my body to ye Earth whence it came: and as for such wordly goods as it hath pleased God of his goodness here to intrust me withall I will and dispose of same in manner and forme following (that is to say): ************** 2nd. I give and bequeath to my two eldest sons Silvester Welsh and John Welsh all ye my tract and plantation called Arnold Gray lying near South River in Ann Arundel Co. aforesaid(???) equally to be divided between them to have and to hold same unto them ye sd Silvester and John Welsh and their heirs forever, from and after such time ye sd. Silvester and John do and shall attain of them ye full age of one and twenty years. *************************** 3. I give and bequeath unto my third son Benjamin Welsh my now dwelling place with all ye lands and premises thereunto belonging situate and being on ye Ridge near Herring Creek in ye County of Ann Arundel aforesaid to have and hold same unto ye sd. Benjamin and his heirs forever from and after such time as he shall attain to ye full age of one and twenty years. ******************** 4. I give and bequeath unto my four daughters (yt. is to say) Mary Welsh, Elizabeth Welsh, Sarah Welsh, and Damaris Welsh all yt. my tract or pcell land lying and situate and being near Gunpowder River in Baltimore Co. (surveyed and laid out for 1000a more or less) equally to be divided between them ... after ... shall attain ye full age of sixteen years. ***************************** 5. And whereas my now wife Mary is supposed to be with child ... unto ye same my child ... male or female all ye my tract or parcel of land called Prestons Enlargement lying and being near ye Beaverdam in Herring Creek County Ann Arundel ... after ... he or she ... attain ... one and twenty ... ********************* 6. Provided ... if no such child ... be born ... nor if ye sd child do die and not live to attain ye full age of 21 ... then(???)my will is ... Prestons Enlargement be and go to my eldest son Silvester Welsh ... And for my personal estate yt is to say my Goods and Chattels I dispose of them as follows: ***************************** 7. I give ... unto my loving brother Henry Welsh my silver tobacco box, my cane with a silver head and my broad cloth suit of clothes(???)and after my just debts be truly satisfied and paid and also my legacies herein mentioned ... ye residue ... to be equally divided amongst my wife and children ... my wives share or pt be in lien of her thirds ... ********************* 8. And I do hereby make ... my sd loving wife Mary Welsh my whole and sole exect ... discharge my just debts ... bury ... ***************************** 9. And my will further is yt my sd wife Mary ... have ye tuition and education of all my children before mentioned and to have and receive ye profits and benefits of all and every of their respective estates ... real and personal until they ... respectively attain their ... ages above mencioned toward ye charges of maintaining and bringing of them up without rendering any further account. ********************* And I do further appoint ... my said loving brother Henry Welsh, Edward Dorsey, Gentman (Colonel Edward Dorsey, his brother-in-law) and Edward Talbott to be supervisors of this my will ...Lastly I ... make void all former wills. ******************* In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seale ye day and year above written. ********** John Welsh. *********************************************************************************************** Signed, sealed and delivered published and declared in Ye presence of : ****************** Henry Hanslap Wolfran Hunt Samuel Warner Elizabeth Hanslap ********************** Probated March 3, 1683-4 (Annapolis Wills, Liber No. 4-G, fol. 35). ******************************************* An imperfect abstract is given in " Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 1." ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* Welsh, John, Anne Arundel County, -- -- --; 3rd March,1683. To eldest son Sylvester and son John and heirs, plantation on South River equally, at 21 yrs. of age. To 3rd son Benjamin, plantation on Herring Creek. To 4 daus., viz: Mary, Eliza:, Sarah and Damaris and heirs,100 Acres in Baltimore Co.at 16 yrs. of age. To unborn child, "Preston's Inlargement;" in event of death of sd. child to pass to eld.son Sylvester. To wife Mary, execx., personalty. ******************************** Overseers: Henry Welsh, Edward Dawson, Edward Talbott. Test: Henry Hanslap, Eliza: Hanslap, Woolfran Hunt, Samuel Warner. 4. 35. ************************ The Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume I Wills from 1635 (Earliest Probated) to 1685, Pages 124-137 Originally Compiled by Jane Baldwin ( 1904 ) ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************************* An English immigrant,born about 1622. John served in the "Nanticoke War" (the Indian Wars)and was the High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County,Maryland. Major Welsh was supposed to have a " Coat of Arms " and was a " Gentleman Justice of Anne Arundrel County,Maryland. " ************************************************************************ Will made in Anne Arundrel County,Maryland.,January 6,1683,and Recorded, March 3,1683/4. ( Liber 4,Folio 35 ) ************************************************************************************** Names his wife, Mary and Kids, Silvester(Oldest)John, Benjamin, his Unborn Child-(Robert) daughters Mary,Elizabeth,Sarah, and Damaris. And his cousin, Richard Snowden and John's brother, Henry Welsh !!!! Its possible that these are John's other brothers,Robert,Richard,Thomas,and Samuel Welsh. ***************************************************************************************** Richard and Thomas Welsh appointed executors of his planations in Baltimore,Maryland. His sons, Robert and Benjamin Welsh appointed executors of Robert Welsh's Will !! **************************************************************************************** A Family pamphlet says that that John came from over Wales at the age of " nineteen " years old. Which would make it about 1641,when he came over. According to his grandson Nicholas Welsh ( 1819-1914 ) in an official pamphlet written and published about 1865,it says he settled in Anne Arundle County,Maryland. Nicholas Welsh was a resident of Ripley Township,Huron County,Ohio. ************************************************************************************** From Welsh book : " The Welsh and Hyatt Families " of Maryland,written by Author Luther W.Welsh *************************************************************************************** From Welsh Book; "Welch and Allied Families" Named as: " Major John Welsh of ye County of Ann Arundrel in ye Province of Maryland,Gentleman " ***************************************************************************************** Listed as a "Gentlemen Justice" of Peace in Anne Arundrel County,Maryland ( Colonial Families VII ) Bowie states that he was Justice in 1666 "Founders",page-91,that he was the " Commissioner" of the County Court in 1667 ) ***************************************************************************************** Following from official records: " Commissioned Justice 4 May 1668 (Maryland. Arch. 5,30) 4 June 1674 (Maryland. Archives 15,37,38, 2 March 1675-6 (Ibid.67), one of the "Gentlemen of the Quorum " 13 September 1676 (Ib. 130) ********************************************************** In 1677 or 1678 he was appointed by the Governor, the High Sheriff of the County and served to March 10,1678-9 (Ib. 198-201,226,231) *********************************************** Anne Arundrel County was the seat of Indian warfare in 1678--referred to as the " Nanticoke War." *********************************************************************************************** John was held in high esteem for his leadership abilities and his character,gained the reputation of being an excellent Indaian fighter. Major John Welsh was chosen as one of 24 commissioners *********************************************************************************************** " Men of the highest importance,the civil,and Military officers of the Counties", to represent Anne Arundrel County in the initatiion of the " Act for the Advancement of Trade." Major Welsh was fifth on the list,than John died the following year in 1683,and was considered one of the " Worthies ' in American history who helped to lay the foundation of our nation as it is today." ************************************************************************************************ Its a Welsh family " tradition " in the Major John Welsh families that the " Immigrant " Welsh ancestor was a man of Wealth,and bought with him a "Coat of Arms" Beyond the fact that he was a Prominent early Colonial Official who wrote " Gentleman " after his name in his Will ( believed by some authories to be proof of Armorial station ) there is no definite proof found yet!!! ************************************************************************************************ Title: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland Maryland, Society of Colonial Wars Author: Johnston & Culver Publication: Williams & Wilkens Company, Volume I, 1905 & Volume I, 1940 Page: Page 37, Plate II ************************** Title: Anne Arundel Gentry, Maryland Maryland, Anne Arundel Gentry Author: Harry Wright Newman Publication: Author, Annapolis, Maryland, 1970 Page: Volume II, Page 379, Stockett ************************************************************************************************* ARNOLD:--Richard Arnold and John Gray, in 1668, surveyed a tract of land in Anne Arundel County, Md., called "Arnold Gray" (300 acres), on the west side of South River; which was resurveyed in 1701 for Sylvester and John Welsh and found to contain 605 acres (Anne Arundel County, Rent Rolls). Richard Arnold purchased from Thomas Pratt 100 acres of land, being a part of a larger tract called "Cumberston", and d--about 1684. He m--Martha, dau--of Philip and Sarah Harrison Thomas, and had Sarah Arnold, who m--Samuel Waters (see Keene Chart). ************************************************************************************************ The home plantation, named in above will, was known as : "Burrage, Burrage Blossom, and Burrage End," 300 acres, bought of John Burrage; contract of sale dated 9 Dec. 1668;consideration 4000 lbs. of marketable casque tobacco. The 3 original tracts, lying on the Ridge to the west of Herring Creek, were surveyed in 1662 and 1665 by John Burrage,the 3 comprising 850 acres. Division of these tracts was made by "cutting across them all and taking part of each of them." (See Rent Roll of Anne Arundel County,page 3 and Annapolis Deeds, J. H. No. 2, pages 60, 61.) *********************************************** "Arnold Gray," which became subsequently the home plantation of Colonel John Welsh, 2nd, was surveyed on 26 June 1668, as of 300 acres, for Rd. Arnold and John Gray, in the woods on the west side of South River; resurveyed 10 February 1701, for Silvester and John Welsh, it was then found to be 605 Acres. (Rent Roll of Anne Arundel County, page 35). "Preston's Enlargement," 65 acres, was surveyed June 1, 1669, for John Welsh, " at a bounded tree of the land called Burrage End. Possessor, Robert Welsh." ( Anne Arundel County Rent Roll, page 10. ) ************************************************************************************************ *************************************************************************************************