Samuel Fowler was born on October 19, 1706 in Prince George's County, British Colonial Maryland. Sameul married Sarah MNU around 1736, likely in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. Samuel Fowler died before March 12, 1752 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland.
Samuel Fowler, 5th son and 7th child of Thomas Fowler and Susannah Iiams was born on October 19, 1706 in Prince George's County, British Colonial Maryland. Samuel grew up on his father's 400 acre plantation “Ridgley's and Tyler's Chance” in Prince George's County, British Colonial Maryland.
In 1715 Samuel was 8 years of age when his father died intestate. Without an inheritance, Samuel was likely bound in servitude to learn a trade. It appears that Samuel was sent to the Broadneck area of Anne Arundel County.
Around 1736 Samuel married Sarah whose maiden name is unknown. Samuel and Sarah had 2 known sons:
- Samuel Fowler
- Thomas Fowler
In November 1737 the Anne Arundel court bound Ann Spring Harp to Samuel and Sarah Fowler, noting that a doctor was to care for her. Boarding the poor in private homes was the method used to care for individuals in Colonial Maryland. Geoffrey Guest, who researched Maryland court records and wrote “The Boarding of the Dependent Poor in Colonial America”, noted “Disabled or aged individuals who had kin, servants, or slaves to support them did not qualify for relief” and that “households were paid by the court, however that did not mean that a person bound to your household, especially a sick or injured one, was not a big inconvenience.” The next Anne Arundel court session would not occur until the following March which meant that the Fowler's were obligated to keep Ann until then. It also meant that reimbursement of any expenses would not occur until March of 1738. Additionally the presence of a sick or injured individual often disrupted the household chores and routines. It
is not certain why Ann Spring Harp was bound to the Fowlers; however there is another court reference that may provide a clue. At the time Ann Harp was bound, a “Joseph Harp” was “languishing in the Anne Arundel Gaol”.
Samuel and Sarah lived in the Broadneck area of Anne Arundel county where Sarah witnessed the will of Nathaniel Stinchcomb in December of 1742 and Samuel witnessed the will of Mary Burle in November of 1747.
On February 9, 1744, Samuel and his siblings each received 3 pounds 2 shillings 10 ¾ pence from the final distribution of their father's estate.
In March of 1750, Samuel and his older brother John provided security for Thomas Mortimer who was charged with bastardy. Thomas was the step-son of brother Benjamin Fowler.
In March of 1751, Samuel was summoned to court because the tobacco house on his plantation was in “bad repair”. There are no records that Samuel owned any property, however he may have lived on a plantation in right of his wife Sarah, or he may have leased land.
Before March 12, 1752, Samuel died in Anne Arundel County at the age of 45. William Govane administered Samuel's estate. The inventory recorded Samuel's older brother Benjamin and younger brother Richard as his next of kin. Samuel's 2 sons, both minors, were bound to Samuel's older brother John Fowler.
Included in William Govane's account of Samuel's estate was William's request for payments to be made to him for the “extraordinary trouble in gathering, husking, securing, and lofting 21 barrels of corn” and for the “extraordinary trouble of striping, packing, finding cask, and the inspection of one hogshead of tobacco.”
William Govane was married to Anne Hammond Homewood, widow of Thomas Homewood. At the time of his death, Thomas Homewood owned more than 2000 acres in the Broadneck area of Anne Arundel County. When Thomas died, Anne's son Charles Homewood was his only male heir and Anne was entitled to a widow's dower, or one-third of the estate during her life. In 1750 William and Ann became involved in a contentious court case again against each other. When the case was finally settled in November of 1752, shortly after Samuel Fowler's death, the Chancery Court required William to formally relinquish “the lands which the said William Govane holds in right of the said Anne Govane as her right of dower”. One of the lands was a 100 acre plantation “where Samuel Fowler lately lived and died”.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch Updated: March 2023
Sources:
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Samuel Fowler, 1706.
Maryland State Archives. Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Record, Nov 1737, pg 238.
Maryland State Archives. Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Record, Nov 1749/50, pg 517.
Maryland State Archives. Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Record, Nov 1750/51, pg 686.
Maryland State Archives. Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Record, Mar 1752, pg 229 & 231.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 23, Folio 255.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 25, Folio 319.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Inventory. Liber 48, Folio 444.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Accounts. LIber 37 Folio 121.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel County. Liber RB 3 Folio 540.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Testamentary Proceedings, Liber 31 Folio 446.
