Person:Samuel Wallis (1)

No record has been found to verify the date Samuel Wallis came to this country if he wasn't born here, the date of his marriage to Ann, or the maiden name of his wife. In the Appendix to the 1936 edition of Hanson's Old Kent, and an unpublished history of the Wallis family, Mrs. Thomas Smythe Wallis (Ellen Isham Schutt), a long-time student of the family of Samuel Wallis of Kent County, states that Samuel Wallis came to this country from Kent England with William Comegys in 1700 and that he married Ann Beck, a widow, about 1702. (It has since been learned that Ann is widow Pearce not widow Beck.) Samuel Wallis was an Episcopalian and a long time vestryman of Shrewsbury Parish. His name appears numerous times in the vestry meeting records between 15 Jan 1703/4 and 6 Apr 1724. He was elected to the lower house of the Maryland legislature first in 1708 but that election was voided at the county level when he stated that he did not own the required amount of property. He was again elected in 1722 and served until his death in 1724. In addition to his farming operation, Samuel Wallis and William Comegys jointly took up tracts of land, of which, according to the land records in Kent County, MD, Samuel Wallis sold his share, of Agreement Chester Grove Ratcliffe and Stepney. Only the tracts Conclusion, and Partnership, and parts of the joint acquisitions of Agreement and Timber Level in Kent County and Boothbie's Fortune in what is now Queen Anne's County were mentioned in his will. In his will (Hall of Records, Prerogative Court (Wills) 18, pp270-271, 9 May 1724,) Samuel Wallis left property to his children as follows:

   Partnership  To Samuel, John and Hugh - 300 Acres each.
                     To William               -  70 Acres.
   Timber Level To Margaret his part of the land jointly acquired with 
                     William Comegys.
   Agreement    To Ruth his part of the land jointly acquired with
                     William Comegys.
   Boothbie's Fortune To William 500 Acres land.

His wife Ann was named Executrix. The inventory of his estate made by William Comegys and John Hurt, husband of Margaret Wallis, was subscribed to the court on 23 June 1724, amounting to £330-0-7. (Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD Prerogative Court (Invent) 9, pp 408-410, 27 Jun 1724). Little detail was given about the home furnishings and equipment beyond mention of beds, bolsters, and furniture; indicating a very plain and simple style of living. The only live-in workers were listed as one negro woman (sick), 2 small negro children, 1 negro boy, and a white boy named Jno. Goucher. The farm equipment and tools mentioned seem totally inadequate to operate a 970 acre farm: 6 axes, wedges, drawing knife, cleaver, a gouge, hammer, hatchet, sickle, 2 broad and 2 narrow hoes, a grubbing hoe, 1 plow, shears, 3 pitch forks, several trenchers and only one saddle and bridle. The farm animal population included were 34 head of sheep, 22 cattle, 11 horses and hogs. The crops produced were tobacco, flax, wheat, rye, barley and oats. He sheared his own sheep and spinning was evidenced by 4 old spinning wheels (out of order). An administrative account, in the amount of £252-11-11, filed by his son Samuel Wallis, was approved 20 Aug 1729, under the title of "The Account of Sam. Wallis - Adm. of all Singulars--the Goods, Chattles, Rights and Credits of Ann Wallis, Late of that County, Decd." This account establishes the date of death of Ann Wallis as prior to 20 Aug 1729. The following statement in this account gives credence to the deduction that Ann Wallis was Ann Pearce, widow of William Pearce Jr and mother of Isabella the wife of William Beck prior to her marriage to Samuel Wallis: "of a cow and calf left verbally by the dec'd to Mary Beck, Grand-daughter to the dec'd and paid by this accountant as P Receipt appears of said cow and calf being appraised in the dec'd inventory". (Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD. Prerogative Court Accounts, 10, pp 14-20, 20 Aug 1729.)

1. ↑ Kent County Probate Records
   Vol 1 page 277.
2. ↑ Will probated 9 May 1724
3. ↑ Samuel's estate was administered by Anne.
   Samuels inventory was signed by a Francis Kiney as next of kin.