Hellen was born on November 4, 1764, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. Hellen married (1) Thomas Small around 1782 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and (2) Robert Weedon on February 16, 1793, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Hellen Lewis Small Weedon died before June 9, 1812, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Hellen Lewis, also known as Helen Lewis and Hellender Lewis, was born November 4, 1764, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, the second child of Nicholas Lewis and Hannah Small.
When Hellen was less than a year old her father died devising Hellen ½ of a tract of land named “Scotland”, about 100 acres. Hellen's mother was entitled to a widow's ⅓ dower of “Scotland” until her death.
Following the death of her father, Hellen's mother Hannah married Charles Small who died shortly after the marriage. Hellen's mother married next Richard Weedon. Through Hellen's mother's marriage to Richard Weedon, Hellen gained 5 half siblings: Henry Weedon, Sarah Weedon, Richard Weedon, Daniel Weedon and Hannah Weedon.
Hellen, her brother William, and her half siblings likely grew up on the plantation “Scotland”, the family's ancestral home.
In 1782 Hellen reached the age of majority, 18 years of age for women, and married Thomas Small. Hellen and Thomas had 2 known children:
- Sarah Small
- Thomas Small
The family likely lived on Hellen's portion of “Scotland” although Thomas owned a plantation across the Chesapeake Bay on Kent Island in Queen Anne's County named “Ship's Point”.
The 1783 Maryland Tax Assessment recorded Thomas Small, Hellen's husband, in possession of 66 acres of “Scotland”, ⅔ of her inheritance from her father, the other ⅓ possessed by her mother as her mother's dower. “Ship's Point” was in the possession of Thomas' mother.
On January 9, 1791, Hellen's husband Thomas wrote his will and by March 22, Thomas was deceased. In his will Thomas referred to his wife Hellen as “Hellender”. Thomas devised his son Thomas his 100 acre plantation “Ship's Point”.
On February 16, 1793, Hellen Lewis Small married Robert Weedon in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Hellen and Robert had 3 known children:
- Eli Weedon
- Cloudsberry Weedon
- Samuel Weedon
In June of 1805, Hellen Lewis Small Weedon resurveyed her portion of “Scotland”. Upon resurvey, the tract was found to contain 95 5/8 acres. Hellen patented the land on April 21, 1806 and called it “Weedon's Scotland”. The resurvey suggests that Hellen's mother Hannah was deceased by this date.
On January 11, 1812, Hellen wrote her will. She mentioned that her husband Robert was deceased and that his personal property was mixed with hers and his estate unadministered due to her poor health. She also noted that her own estate was much more considerable than that of her husband. The will mentioned that her sons by Robert Weedon were all minors. To her daughter, Sarah Small Seeders, widow of Henry Seeders, she devised “Scotland”, containing near 100 acres, also noting that Sarah was very weak. After Sarah's death, “Scotland” was to be sold and divided equally among Eli, Cloudsberry and Samuel Weedon. Hellen willed that several of her slaves be manumitted. She devised her son Thomas Small a bedstead and bed furniture “and this is all that he is to have out of my estate for as he inherited all his Fathers Land”.
On February 25, 1812, Hellen made a codicil to her Will. Her daughter Sarah Seeders had “departed this life”. Hellen bequeathed wearing apparel intended for Sarah to her half sister Hannah Weedon, who had married George Mitchell.
On April 21, 1812, Hellen made another codicil. This time she revoked the manumission of one of her slaves and devised him to her half siblings, Hannah Weedon Mitchell and Daniel Weedon, to serve a term of 5 years and then be manumitted.
By June 9, 1812, Hellen Lewis Small Weedon was deceased at the age of 47 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch Completed: March 2021
Sources:
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Helly Lewis, 1764.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Vol 33 Folio 331.
Maryland State Archives. Assessment of 1783. Index. Anne Arundel. MSA S 1437.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hellen Small in entry for Sarah Small, 1783.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Helen Small in entry for Thomas Small, 1790.
"Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel. Wills 1788-1797. Vol 36 Folio 217; Hall of Records, Annapolis.
"Maryland Marriages, 1666-1970", database, FamilySearch, Hellen Small in entry for Robert Weedon, 1793.
Maryland State Archive. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel, Patent Certificate #1667.
"Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel. Wills 1797-1813. Vol 37 Folio 571; Hall of Records, Annapolis.
