Hannah Small Life Sketch

(abt. 1747 - abt. 1804)

Hannah Small was born about 1745 in Queen Anne's County, British Colonial Maryland. Hannah married (1) Nicholas Lewis on April 14, 1761, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, (2) Charles Small about 1765 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, and (3) Richard Weedon about 1767 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. Hannah Small Weedon died about 1804 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.


Hannah Small was born around 1745 in Queen Anne's County, British Colonial Maryland, the youngest child of Richard Small. Hannah grew up on her father's plantation on Kent Island, directly across the bay from the Broadneck in Anne Arundel County.

On April 14, 1761, Hannah Small married Nicholas Lewis of Broad Neck, Anne Arundel.

Hannah and Nicholas Lewis had 2 known children:

  1. William Lewis
  2. Hellen Lewis

On July 14, 1765, Hannah's husband Nicholas died. Nicholas devised his 200 acre plantation “I now live on called Scotland” to his son William Lewis, 2 years of age and his daughter Hellen Lewis, less than a year old. William was also devised “The Tryal”, 154 acres, and “Rattle Snake Point”, 52 acres. Hannah and her cousin Charles Small were named executors of the will. As Nicholas' widow, Hannah was entitled to a widow's dower, a third of the 3 properties during her life.

When Nicholas' estate was inventoried in October of 1765, Hannah was married to Charles Small. Hannah's marriage to Charles Small did not last long. By June 25, 1766, Charles was deceased. Charles left his estate to Hannah, with the exception of 2 guns, provided that she not marry “any of the family of Todds”. Charles' estate appears to have consisted of personal property, no real property.

Hannah married a third time around 1767, Richard Weedon. Hannah and Richard Weedon had 5 known children:

  1. Henry Weedon
  2. Sarah Weedon
  3. Richard Weedon
  4. Daniel Weedon
  5. Hannah Weedon

Rent roll records from 1769 to 1774 show that the properties “Scotland”, “The Tryal”, and “Rattle Snake Point” were possessed by Hannah's husband Richard Weedon for the orphans of Nicholas Lewis.

In 1770 Hannah's father Richard Small died. He devised Hannah a negro woman, Dafney, which after Hannah's death, was to go to "grandchildren, William Lewis and his sister Hellen Lewis".

In 1783 William Lewis reached majority and received his share of his father's estate minus Hannah's widow's dower. The 1783 tax assessment showed Richard Weedon, Hannah's husband, in possession of Hannah's dower “Scotland” 67 acres (⅓ of 200 acres), “The Tryal” 55 acres (⅓ of 154 acres) and “Rattle Snake Point” 18 acres (⅓ of 52 acres).

Hannah's son William Lewis died in 1789. Hannah, along with Hannah's daughter Hellen, were recorded as William's next of kin on the Inventory. Hannah's husband Richard Weedon was a testator to William Lewis' will.

Hannah Weedon died sometime prior to 1805 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. In 1805 Hannah's daughter Hellen resurveyed the portion of "Scotland" she had inherited from her father indicating that Hannah no longer held dower rights to the tract.

Genealogical Research and Life Sketch completed: April 2021


Sources:

"Maryland Marriages, 1666-1970", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Small in entry for Nicholis Lewis, 1761.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Lewis in entry for William Lewis, 1762.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Lewis in entry for Helly Lewis, 1764.

Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 33 Folio 331.

Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventories. Liber 89 Folio 216.

Maryland State Archives. Rent Rolls. Anne Arundel. Index 56.

Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 34 Folio 259.

Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 38 Folio 41.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Weedon in entry for Henry Weedon, 1768.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Weedon in entry for Sarah Weedon, 1771.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Weedon in entry for Richard Weedon, 1773.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Weedon in entry for Daniel Weedon, 1775.

"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Hannah Weedon in entry for Hannah Weedon, 1779.

Maryland State Archives. Assessment of 1783, Index. Anne Arundel County. MSA S 1437.

"Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel. Inventories. 1787-1790 Vol 1 Folio 373. Hall of Records, Annapolis.

"Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch, Anne Arundel. Wills. Vol 36 Folio 68. Hall of Records, Annapolis.

Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel. Patent Certificate #1667.

Hannah Small genealogy research