|
PROPERTY: 25 slaves, 1790; assessed value
£835.0.0, including 21 slaves and 64 oz. plate,
1810. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: at least 649
acres in Prince George's and Charles counties,
plus 1 lot in Nottingham, Prince George's County
(inherited at least 1 lot in Nottingham, Prince
George's County, from his father; purchased at
least 498 acres, plus another 2 acres in partnership
with James Swann). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH:
acquired 599 acres in Prince George's County and
387 acres in Charles County probably by inheri-
tance from his mother, 1779; gave 811 acres in
Charles County to his son by deed of gift in 1782,
but repurchased it in 1790 and sold it in 1793;
purchased 417 acres in Baltimore County, 1793;
purchased 1,430 acres in Montgomery and Freder-
ick counties from Edward Burgess, against whom
Con tee had obtained a court judgment in 1793,
but sold 1,359 acres of it in 1806; by 1810 he dis-
posed of the 599 acres in Prince George's County
that he probably inherited from his mother; ac-
quired 567 additional acres in that county by
1810; acquired 4,833 acres in Kentucky by 1811.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: in January 1811 in
Prince George's County; buried at "Brookefield,"
Prince George's County. PERSONAL PROPERTY:
TEV, $9,167.75 (including 19 slaves, books, and
silver); FB, $1,884.42; there were still debts out-
standing against the estate in 1821, including a
judgment obtained by James Allston for the Un-
ion Bank of Maryland amounting to over $12,000.
LAND: 1,082 acres in Prince George's, Baltimore,
and Frederick counties, 4 lots in Prince George's
and Montgomery counties, plus 4,833 acres in
Kentucky.
COODE, JOHN (ca. 1648-1708/9). BORN: ca.
1648 in Penryn, Cornwall, England; second son.
IMMIGRATED: in 1672 as a free adult. RESIDED: in
St. Mary's County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FA-
THER: John Coode (1622-1713), a lawyer.
MOTHER: Grace (?-1694), daughter of Thomas
Robins, of Glasney College. BROTHERS: Thomas
(1642-1685); William (1652-1716). MARRIED first,
in 1674 Susannah (?-by 1683), widow of Robert
Slye (ca. 1628-1670/71); daughter of Thomas Ge-
rard(1608-1673). Her brothers were Thomas (?-
1686); Justinian (?-1688); and John. Her sisters
were Frances; Temperance; Elizabeth (?-1716),
who married first, Nehemiah Blakiston (?-1693),
second, Ralph Rymer, and third, Joshua Guibert
(?-1713); and Mary, who married Kenelm Chesel-
dyne (1640-1708). MARRIED second, by 1685
Elizabeth, who subsequently married by 1710 Wil-
|
liam Hook. CHILDREN. SONS: John, Jr. (?-1718),
the sheriff of St. Mary's County from 1704 to
1707; William (1679-?), the sheriff of St. Mary's
County from 1707 to 1709; and Richard. STEPSON:
Gerard Slye (1654-by 1703). DAUGHTERS. Winni-
fred; Anne; and Mary, who married Justinian Jor-
dan (ca. 1686-1749). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCA-
TION: literate; Exeter College, Oxford University,
England, 1664-1666, "literatus." RELIGIOUS AF-
FILIATION: Anglican, took orders as a priest in
England, ca. 1669; he was an atheist in later life.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: descended from
a distinguished English family with a long tradi-
tion in the law; Gent, on arrival; attained much
wealth and political power through his marriage
to Susannah Slye; had a controversial career in
politics; his sons held no provincial offices. OCCU-
PATIONAL PROFILE: Anglican priest, Penryn,
Cornwall, England, ca. 1669-1672, "turned out"
in 1672; some minor officiating as a priest during
his initial years in Maryland; planter. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, St.
Mary's County, 1676-1682 (Accounts 2; Security
and Defense 2; Laws 2), 1688 (elected to the 2nd
session); Associators' Convention, St. Mary's
County, 1689-1690 (went to England before the
3rd session); Lower House, St. Mary's County,
1696 (elected to the 7th session; dismissed on the
grounds that he was ineligible because he was a
former priest), 1708 A (election voided), 1708B
(dismissed from 1708B-1711 Assembly on the
grounds that he was ineligible as a former priest).
OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: commander in chief
(acting chief executive), 1689-1690; naval officer,
North Potomac, 1689-1690; agent to England,
1690-1692. LOCAL OFFICES, justice, St. Mary's
County, 1676-1681 (dismissed), 1689-1690 (quo-
rum, 1677-1681, 1689-1690; president, 1679-
1681); coroner, St. Mary's County, 1678; King
and Queen Parish Vestry, St. Mary's County,
1693-1696; sheriff, St. Mary's County, 1694-1696.
MILITARY SERVICE: captain, 1676-1681, 1689-
1694; lieutenant colonel, 1694-1696. STANDS ON
PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: involved in four rebel-
lions (1681, 1689, 1693, 1696-1698), one of which
was successful in 1689; always unable to work co-
operatively for any appreciable length of time un-
der any government; he lost all his offices in 1681
and 1696 for opposition to government; convicted
for blasphemy, 1699. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME.
LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: controlled at least
1,000 acres that belonged to his wife and stepchil-
dren from the estate of Robert Slye (ca. 1628-
1670/71). WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: between Feb-
233
|
