William Lewis was born about 1675 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. William married Ann Bayly around 1699 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. William Lewis died on August 14, 1705, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland .
William Lewis was born about 1675 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, the second son of Dr. Henry Lewis and his wife Elizabeth Slade. When William was around 5 years old, his father died. William was devised the plantation where they lived in the Broadneck area of Anne Arundl County, “The Tanyard”, and 50 acres of land his father had purchased from John Clark between the Severn and Magothy Rivers on Cattail's Neck. William's father's will stipulated that William was never to sell any part of the land and that it should “fall from heir to heir forever”.
Shortly after his father's death, William's mother remarried. It is not known whether William and his older brother remained with their mother and her new husband John Bird. However in November of 1683, a petition was presented by William Richardson and James Frisby in the Lower House of the Maryland Assembly accusing John Bird of fraud. The petition stated that the orphans of Henry Lewis “are extremely injured” and requested the House “ to do therein what by the laws and precedents of this province can be done … for securing what little remains of their Estate”. The petition was endorsed and sent to the higher house. Implied by the petition is that John Bird was responsible for the maintenance of the estate and therefore likely guardian to the boys. The result of the petition is currently unknown.
Around 1696 William reached majority and in 1697, William's older brother Henry sold his portion of their father's estate, “Lewis' Addition”, 325 acres. As an heir-at-law, William also signed the indenture.
Around 1699 William married Ann Bayly Pettibone, widow of Joseph Pettibone, daughter of Richard Bayly and Elizabeth. Ann had a child with Joseph Pettibone, a son named Joseph Pettibone. Ann also owned a tract of land that had been devised to her by her father when he died in 1696, “Piney Plaine” sometimes written as “Pyney Plain”, 70 acres on the north side of the Magothy River.
William and Ann had 3 known children:
- Mary Lewis
- Thomas Lewis
- William Lewis
In 1701 William purchased 2 parcels of land from James Foster. Both parcels were in the Broadneck area of Anne Arundel, 20 acres that at one time belonged to Richard Galloway and another 4 acres which had belonged to George Young.
In 1702 William sold the 50 acres of land that his father had purchased from John Clark.
In 1705 William was guardian to Thomas and John Pettibone, sons of John Pettibone, James Hall, son of William Hall, and Ruth Petticoat, daughter of William Petticoat.
On August 15, 1705, William Lewis, about age 30, died intestate in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. His children were all under the age of 6. His wife Anne administered the estate.
The Anne Arundel rent roll recorded around 1707 showed William's widow Ann Lewis possessed the following properties:
“Piney Plaine”
“Tanyard”
“Pettybone's Rest”
“Stinchcomb's Addition”
Anne possessed “Piney Plaine” in her own right, “Tanyard” in right of her son Thomas Lewis, heir-at-law of William Lewis, and “Pettybone's Rest” in right of her son Joseph Pettibone, heir-at-law of Joseph Pettibone Sr. It is unclear why Ann possessed “Stinchcomb's Addition” but this land may have been part of the land purchased by William from James Foster.
Sometime around 1709 widow Ann Lewis married Edward Marshall. In 1718, both Edward and Ann Marshall appeared in Provincial Court.
In 1729 sons Thomas and William Lewis released their cousin John Merriken from his bond on their father's estate. Thomas and William acknowledged receipt of their portions of their father's estate. The releases implied that their mother was still alive in 1729 and that Edward Marshall was deceased.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch Updated: April 2022
Sources:
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 10 Folio 27.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories and Accounts. Liber 7B Folio 8.
Maryland State Archives. Assembly Proceedings. November 1683, pg. 533.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 7 Folio 247.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel County. Liber IH 2 Folios 128 & 158.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel County. Liber WT 1 Folio 143.
Maryland State Archive. Provincial Court Judgment Record, Liber TB 1, Folio 351.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Mary Lewis, 1700.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Thomas Lewis, 1703.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, William Lewis in entry for William Lewis, 1705.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories and Accounts. Liber 25 Folio 329.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories and Accounts. Liber 28 Folios 131 & 338.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories and Accounts. Liber 33 Folio 22.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories and Accounts. Liber 37C Folio 113.
Maryland Historical Society. Maryland Historical Magazine. “Rent Rolls”. Vols 19 - 26.
Maryland State Archives. Provincial Court Judgments. Nov 1718, pg 270.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel County. Liber TI Folios 210 & 212.
