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Court Records in St. Mary's County, Maryland

Abstract of 1751 Will of Roswell Neale, his father:

• NEALE, ROSWELL, St. Mary's Co. 24 March 1751; 7 May 1751

To wife Elizabeth Neale, my dwelling house and 240 A. which runs from branch of creek called "Tomachokln Creek" to the original west line of same tract called "St. Winifreds Free Hold," as near upon a square from the branch of said creek ... and after he decease to my son James Neale and In case he should die without heirs then to sons Raphael, Bennett and Jeremiah Neale. To son James Neale about 30 A. whereon he now lives and which adjoins land before devised to my wife to be that parcel which was lately surveyed by Basil Wheeler. I give my water mill and 6 A. for Its use adjoining to my four sons: James, Raphael, Bennett and Jeremiah. The rest of my land I give to my three sons Raphael, Bennett and Jeremiah, my son Raphael to have that part whereon he has built and now lives, In case all my four sons die without Issue then I will -the land to my three daus: Anne Gibson, Mary Wheeler and Elizabeth Neale. And If they also die without Issue then to my two sons William Neale and Henry Neale. There being a settlement made by me before my marriage to my present wife whereby a provision Is made for her I do therefore hereby give unto her 2 Negro women, Nell and Jenny, To son James Neale, Negro Will and Lucy. If wife takes back Negro Charles and Negro Rose from son Raphael, as some of these Negroes included in the settlement before mentioned, then I give to son Raphael Negro Robin and Negro Phillis, but If wife releases to my said son her right to Charles and Rose then I will her to have said Robin and Phillis. To son Bennett Neale, Negro Tom and Negro Bridgett. To son Jeremiah, Negro Ned and young Harry. To dau, Anne Gibson wife of William Gibson,, Negro Lucy and Negro Tublus. The Negroes called Jack and Henry already given to dau. Wheeler I hereby confirm unto her, To dau. Elizabeth Neale,, Negro George and Negro Nancy, All remainder of Negroes I bequeath to my seven children: James Neale, Raphael Neale, Bennett Neale, Jeremiah Neale, Anne Gibson, Mary Wheeler, Elizabeth Neale. My four sons James, Raphael, Bennett and Jeremiah, exs. Wit: John Somervell, John Daily, Abrm. Lovelace. Codicil: It is further my will that my dau. Elizabeth Neale have Negro called old Harry. To son William Neale 1 s. To son Henry Neale 1 s. 28.61

William's 1735 claim to the land left to him by his uncle William Chandler:

• Charles County Court Records, August Court 1735 Court, Liber T#2, Page 72. William Neale, by his Petition to this Court, sets forth that he is seized of a tract of land lying in CC called Chandlers Hope, the bounds whereof he is desirous to prove, and he prays a Commission may issue for that purpose. Thereupon it is ordered that Commission issue, returnable here &c: To Messrs Robt: Hanson, Henry Hawkins, John Hanson, and Samuel Hanson, to examine witnesses touching the premises.
• Charles County Court Records, November Court 1735 Court, Liber T#2, Page 100. Pursuant to CC Court order of last Aug, authorizing a commission to examine witnesses concerning the bounds of a tract of land called Chandlers Hope, in possession of William Neale, as follows - To Robert Hanson, Henry Hawkins, John Hanson, and Saml Hanson of CC. Whereas William Neale, seized of a tract of land called Chandlers Hope, lying in CC, did, on Aug 12, in the 20th year of our Dominion, prefer his petition to this Court before Robt: Hanson and his associates, CC Justices, for Commission to examine witnesses to prove and perpetuate the memory of the bounds of the sd tract of land, know that we have given you, not being any way related to the Petitioner, contiguous proprietor, nor interested in the land, authority to examine all witnesses which shall be nominated to you by the petitioner or other person concerned. Signed Aug 15, 1735, in the 21st year of our Dominion - Sam: Hanson, Clerk. And now here, on the 2nd Tuesday in Nov afd, Robert Hanson and Henry Holland Hawkins, 2 of the Commissioners afd, return to this Court, the Commission afd, as follows - We certify that we have examined such witnesses as were nominated to us touching the bounds of Chandlers Hope and have reduced the same into writing (in the presence of the Petitioner and Alex:r Contee of Prince Georges County, Gent, a contiguous proprietor). Signed Oct 27, 1735 -
  • Robt Hanson, Henry Hawkins. CC, Oct 27, 1735. The deposition of William Whitter of CC, aged about 57 years, declares that about 26-27 years since, being present at the surveying of Colo John Contee's land at Portobacco, this deponent heard Nicho: Cooper declare that a marked white oak standing by a marsh side on the east side of Portobacco Creek near a small branch, was the beginning tree of the divisional line between Mr. Rozer and Mr. Chandler, and is the tree whereon he now lays his hand, and that the Surveyor ran a line from it. Signed - Wm: Witter.
  • The deposition of Ralph Shaw of CC, aged about 50 years, declares that about 8-9 years since, Mr. William Chandler, then possessor of Chandlers Hope, told this deponent that the oak mentioned in Wm Witter's deposition, was the dividing tree between his land and Mr. Alex'r Contee's, which he understood was formerly Mr. Rozer's. Signed - Ralph Shaw.
  • The afd Ralph Shaw, at a bounded hickory standing in a valley near a Stony Branch, further declares that 20 odd years ago, this deponent thinks that Geo: Goodrick, decd, told him that when Colo. Contee ran out his land, the surveyor ran to a bounded hickory, the dividing tree between the sd Contee and Mr. Chandler, which was afterwards shown this deponent and is the tree whereon he now lays his hand.
  • CC, Oct 27, 1735. The deposition of Francis Ware, aged about 40 years, declares that for this 10-12 years past, this deponent has understood the hickory mentioned in the deposition of Ralph Shaw, to be one of the dividing trees between Mr. Contee & Mr. Chandler. Signed - Francis Ware.
  • Charles County Court Records, August 1736 Court, Liber T#2, Page 225. Pursuant to an order of last Jun CC Court to examine witnesses in order to perpetuate the memory of the bounds of Rozers Refuge, in possession of Alexander Contee, Gent Commissioners appointed were Robert Hanson, Henry Hawkins, John Hanson, & Samuel Hanson (not being any way related to sd Contee, contiguous proprietor, nor interested in sd land). Rozers Refuge lies in CC. Signed Mar 19, 1735 - Sam: Hanson, Clerk.
  • Now here, at sd Aug Court, we certify that we met on the land within mentioned, on Jul 6, 1736, and then and there, in the presence of William Neale, a proprietor of some lands contiguous, we took the depositions of Robert Hanson and - Francis Ware. Signed - John Hanson, Sam: Hanson.
  • CC. Jul 6, 1736. Robert Hanson, age about 56, declares that about 14 years since, Mr. William Chandler showed this deponent a bounded hickory standing on the side of a Stony Valley near a Branch, and told him that it was the reputed dividing tree between the sd Chandler's land and Rozers Refuge, now in the possession of Mr. Alexander Contee of Prince Georges County, and accordingly directed this deponent to have recourse to the sd hickory as such, which he did (being at that time Surveyor) and was executing a land warrant for the sd Chandler, and amongst several lines which this deponent then ran, for satisfaction of sd Chandler, he ran an east line from a marked white oak known by the name of Early's Oak (being a tree of sd Chandler's land) to a small branch near the plantation where John Smallwood then dwelled, to a place where this deponent thinks Leadstone Smallwood then said he had been told a bounded beech of the sd Chandler's land stood, and from thence ran a south course which brought him very near the sd hickory, and that this deponent has, several times since, made use of the sd hickory in his business of Surveyor as the sd division tree, and that he has understood by several people that it was allowed to be the sd tree, but this deponent remembers that what the course missed the tree, was to the westward. Signed - Robt: Hanson.
  • CC, Jul 6, 1736. The deposition of Mr. Francis Ware of CC, age about 41, deposes that about 12 years ago, he was about purchasing a piece of land of Mr. Notley Rozer, called Butchers Quarter, that he applied to Mr. Geo: Goodrick to inform him of the bounds of the sd land, the sd Goodrick showed him a place on the east side of the first Branch to the Southward of Butchers-Quarter, very near the Path that leads to Priest Mullineux's, and told the sd deponent that a tree that stood at the afd place was the beginning tree of a piece of land containing 100 acres belonging to the sd Rozer, which lay to the southward of the sd Butchers Quarter, and that to the best of this deponent's remembrance, the bounds of the sd 100 acres of land run from the place afd SW about 75 perches then east 320 perches then NE to the line of one, Oversees Land, then with the sd Oversees Land to the beginning, and this deponent asked sd Goodrick which was St. Johns Branch, upon which the sd Goodrick told this deponent that he had often heard his father, Robert Goodrick, John Attwood, & Nicholls Cooper discoursing about St. Johns Branch and that they all agreed that the Branch by which the bound tree above mentioned stood, was always reputed St: Johns Branch, and sd Geo: Goodrick further added that the Branch afd was really St: John's Branch.

Court Records in Charles County, Maryland

Concerning the 1725 estate of his uncle William Chandler

• William Chandler 16.100 CH £977.13.7 Nov 18 1730 Jan 4 1730 ; Appraisers: Robert Hanson, Matthew Stone. ; Creditors: John Hevirie (?), Martha Yoakley. ; Next of kin: Gerard Fowke, George Dent. ; Executors: William Brent, William Neale, Henry Neale,
• William Chandler 11.259 A CH £977,13.7 £42.17,2 Dec 4 1731 ; A second inventory is cited in the amount of £92.12.6. ; Received from: Mr. Charles Diggs, Daniel Bryan, John Ensey, Edmond Maggatee [McAtee]. ; Payments to: Martha Yoakley, John Eburnathy, John Speake, executor of Mr. Anthony Neale, Samuell Adams, James Mattingly, ; Thomas Royston, Rand. Morris, Charles Calvert, Esq,, Samuel Hanson, Benjamin Reeder. ; Executors: William Brent, William Neale, Henry Neale.
• William Chandler 20.351 A CH £104.12.2 Jul 22 1744 ; Sureties; Rosal [Roswell] Neale (of St. Mary's County), Francis Goodrick (of Charles County), ; Received from: William Black (merchant in London), Mr. Samuel Hyde, Peter Dent, Allen Huton, Walter Pye, Daniel Watts. ; Payments to: Mr, George Thorold due from Mr, Samuel Hyde, Stephen Mankin, Thomas Glascock, John Hunce, Charles Calvert, Esq., Samuel Hanson, Walter Hanson. ; Executors: William Brent, William Neale, Hen[r]y Neale.

Overseer of Road

• Charles County Court Records, November 1741 Court, Liber T#2, Page 292

The Justices here do describe the following main Roads, and do appoint the several persons hereafter named overseers of sd Roads for the ensuing year according to the several precincts and divisions following, viz - From the head of Portobacco Cr to the plantation whereon Walter Hanson lately lived from Courts Keech's bridge to the old Courthouse, and the road from Colo. Dent's to the last mentioned road, and the Church Road from Dr. Brown's 'til it falls into the road that leads from Portobacco to the Old Courthouse. William Neale and Charles Byrn, overseers.

• Charles County Court Records, June 1742 Court, Liber T#2, Page 385.

Sundry the inhabitants of CC, on their petition to the Court to have the Landing Place at Mrs. Contees Quarter made public, it is ordered that the overseer, William Neale, with all convenient speed, cause the way to the usual landing place in sd petition mentioned, to be opened.

• Charles County Court Records, November 1742 Court, Liber T#2, Page 485. The Justices here do describe the following main Roads, and do appoint the several persons thereafter named, overseers of sd Roads for the ensuing year, according to the several precincts and divisions following, viz - From the head of Portobacco Cr to the plantation whereon Walter Hanson lately lived from Courts Keech's Bridge to the Old Courthouse, and the Road from Colo. Dent's to the last mentioned Road, and the Church Road from Dr. Brown's 'til it falls into the Road that leads from Portobacco to the Old Courthouse, and the usual Road that strikes out of Port°Road near Mrs. Contee's Quarter to Chappel Point. William Neale & William Cox, Overseers.
• Charles County Court Records, November 1742 Court, Liber T#2, Page 486

Ordered by the Court here that it be inserted in William Neal's & William Cox's Overseers' Warrant, that they cause to be cleared, the usual Road that strikes [out] of Portobacco Road near Mrs. Contee's quarter to Chappel Point.

Listed as Next of Kin in 1761 Appraisal of the Estate of James Neale:

• James Neal/Neale 76.274 CH £829.11.8 Jun 3 1761 Sep 29 1761. Appraisers: Nathaniel Harris, Edward Smoot. Creditors: Philip Key, John Semple. Next of kin: William Neale, Bennett Neale. Administratrix: Elisabeth Neale.

Concerning his 1763 estate

• Mr. William Neale 82.182 CH £1450.3.6 Apr 29 1763 Nov 28 1763 ; Appraisers: Joseph M. Simms, William Leigh, ; Creditors: Mungo Muschett, James Craik, ; Next of kin: Raphael Neale, Clear Neale. ; Executrix: Mrs. Anne Neale.
• William Neale 5.67 D CH £2098,4.3 Feb 22 1768 ; Sureties: Roger Smith, William Mathews. ; Distribution to: Widow (unnamed, 1/3). ; Residue to children (unnamed, except Molly (daughter), equally). ; Executrix: Anne Neale.
• William Neale 5.67 D CH £2098,4.3 Feb 22 1768 ; Sureties: Roger Smith, William Mathews. ; Distribution to; Widow (unnamed, 1/3). Residue to children (unnamed, except Molly (daughter), equally). ; Executrix: Anne Neale.

Court Records in Westmoreland county, Virginia

1742 Deed from Willam & Anne Neale to James Berryman

• WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEEDS & WILLS. No. 9; 1738-1744 {Antient Press}: pp 227-231

THIS INDENTURE made the twenty second day of June one thousand seven hundred and forty two, Between WILLIAM NEALE and ANN NEALE his Wife of CHARLS County in the Province of MARYLAND of one part and JAMES BERRYMAN of County of Westmoreland in Colony of Virginia of other part; Witnesseth that WILLIAM NEALE and ANN his Wife in consideration of the sum of Five shillings to them in hand paid by JAMES BERRYMAN the receipt whereof WILLIAM NEALE and ANN his Wife doth hereby acknowledge, hath and by these presents doth bargain and sell unto JAMES BERRYMAN his heirs all that parcel of land scituate on the Lower side of MOCHODOCK CREEK in Washington Parish in County of Westmoreland in Virginia and bounded by certain lines between the Land ELIZA BERRYMAN purchased of COSSIN BENNETT on one side and on the other side adjacent to the land ELIZA BERRYMAN now liveth containing by estimation One hundred and twenty acres more or less being that part of JAMES NEALs Pattent granted to him the fourth of October one thousand six hundred & ninety five which he leased to BENJAMIN BERRYMAN by a Lease bearing date the Third of June one thousand seven hundred and one; Together with all houses orchards profits and appurtenances to the same belonging; To have and to hold the one hundred and twenty acres of land more or less and premises with appurtenances unto JAMES BERRYMAN during the term of one year to the intent that JAMES BERRYMAN may be in the actual possession of the premises and by force and virtue of the Statute for transferring uses into possession be enabled to take a release of the land and premises to JAMES BERRYMAN his heirs; In Witness whereof the parties to these presents interchangeably set their hands and seals the day and year first above written Signed Sealed and Delivered in presence of WM. BERRYMAN, EVAN PRICE, WILLIAM NEALE, DANIEL FRENCH, ANN NEALE. ARTHUR his mark SMITH

Westmoreland sct. At a Court held for the said County the 27th day of July 1742 This Deed of Lease for Lands passed from WILLIAM NEALE and ANN his Wife to JAMES BERRYMAN was proved in open Court by the Oaths of WILLIAM BERRYMAN, EVAN PRICE and ARTHUR SMITH, three of the witnesses thereto, which at the instance of the said JAMES BERRYMAN is admitted to Record. Recorded the last day of July 1742. Test GEORGE LEE, C. W. C.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Abstract of Will of William Neale, in Charles, Maryland, United States. Charles County Will Book ???.

   NEALE, WILLIAM, Charles Co. 3 Feb, 1763; 8 Feb, 1763
   - Desire to be buried at the Chappel Point, about three steps southward of a cedar tree standing near a tombstone by the side of my two children ...
   - To son Raphael Neale, tract whereon I now live, called "Chandler's Hope" and "Chandler's Addition", near Port Tobacco Creek, between John Hanson and myself. Mentions Port Tobacco Warehouse, and if he dies without Issue, to young. son Francis Ignatius Neale and heirs,
   - To wife Anne Neale, use of 1/3 of lands during life, tracts mentioned above. Mentions road that leads to John Hanson's, commonly called Court House John Hanson.
   - To son Charles Neale, tract called "Chandler's Hope" and "Chandler's Addition", beginning at the bridge on the head of Port Tobacco Creek, drawn thence toward Court House John Hanson.
   - To son Leonard Neale and heirs, but if any of my four sons, Raphael, Leonard, Charles or Francis Ignatious Neale should become religious or die before age twenty-one, -then the surviving sons not being religious, shall inherit the lands equally; If only one survives who is not a religious, then he shall inherit the whole,
   - To son Francis Ignatious Neale, my lott in Port Tobacco, No. One, where my storehouse stands; also another lot whereon Gilbert McQuaker has at present a garden, as also other lott adjoining.
   - Desire sons Charles and Francis Ignatious Neale be sent home to be educated, and ex. pay for same with money he has on hands at the date of his death.
   - To wife Ann, 7 slaves,
   - To daus. Clare and Eleanor Neale, 3 slaves.
   - To son-In-law William Matthews, all that is due from him to me by bond book debt or other ways.
   - To the poor Roman Catholicks of Charles County, 20 pistoles or the value In such other curent money, as the Rev. Mr. Geo. Hunter or his successors shall in his discretion, think proper.
   - To Rev. Mr. James Ashby, one pistole,
   - To son Wm. Chandler Neale, 20 pistoles to buy him a horse, if he ever returns to this pte of the world.
   
   Ex., guardian and trustee to my children who are not of ages son-in-law William Matthews; If he dies, then son Raphael, shall be ex. and etc.
   Wit: Fredr. Stone, David Walker, Robert Mundell. 31, 918

2. ↑ Abstract of Will of William Chandler, in Charles County Maryland Will Book ???.

   Chandler, William, Charles County, 19th Aug., 1725; 17th Sept., 1730.
   ... To nephew William and hrs. (son of sister Mary Neale, dec'd), 1,000 A., "Chandler's Hope" at age of 21 yrs.; and certain personalty at age of 18. ...
   ... Exs: 3 nephews William Brent, William Neale and Henry Neale. ...