William Lewis was born on July 28, 1762 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. William married Mary MNU around 1782 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. William Lewis died in 1789 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
William Lewis was born July 28, 1762, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, the only son and first child of Nicholas Lewis and Hannah Small.
When William was 2 years of age his father died devising to William 3 tracts of land: ½ of a tract named “Scotland” about 100 acres, “The Tryal” 164 acres and “Rattle Snake Neck” 52 acres. William's mother was entitled to a widow's dower, ⅓ of the tracts until her death.
Following the death of his father, William's mother Hannah married Charles Small. Charles died shortly after the marriage and William's mother married next Richard Weedon. Through William's mother's marriage to Richard Weedon, William gained 5 half siblings: Henry Weedon, Sarah Weedon, Richard Weedon, Daniel Weedon and Hannah Weedon.
William, his sister Hellen, and his half-siblings likely grew up on the plantation “Scotland” in the Broadneck of Anne Arundel County. “Scotland” was the ancestral home.
In 1783 William reached the age of majority and received his father's estate less the widow's third which was in his mother's hands. The 1783 Maryland tax assessment recorded William in possession of “Scotland” 67 acres (⅔ of 100 acres), “The Tryal” 109 acres (⅔ of 100 acres) and “Rattle Snake Point” 134 acres. The acreage from “Rattle Snake Point” appears to be a transcription error since “Rattle Snake Point” is only a 52 acre tract. Reinforcing that “134 acres” is a transcription error is that ⅔'s of 52 acres is 34 acres.
Around 1782 William married Mary whose maiden name is unknown. William and Mary had the following known children:
- Nicholas Lewis
- Elizabeth Lewis
- Rebecca Lewis
On August 19, 1788, William “being very sick and weak in body” wrote his will. By April 14, 1789, William was deceased. William Lewis died at the age of 26 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
William devised slaves to his daughters Elizabeth Lewis and Rebecker Lewis, and to his son Nicholas Lewis. The will was witnessed by Richard Weedon, William's step-father, Thomas Lewis, a cousin, and William Seeders. While land was not mentioned in the will, by law William's plantations would descend to his son Nicholas.
William's estate was inventoried in the fall of 1789. William's wife Mary administered the estate. The next of kin were Hannah Weedon, William's mother, and Hellender Small, William's sister who was married to Thomas Small.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch Completed: March 2021
Sources:
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, William Lewis, 1762.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Vol 33, Folio 331.
Maryland State Archives. Assessment of 1783. Index. Anne Arundel. MSA S 1437.
“Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999,” images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel, Wills 1788-1797. Vol 36, Folio 68.
“Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999,” images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel, Inventories 1787-1790. Vol 51 Folio 373.
