clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 319   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

BIOGRAPHIES FEN

who married George Plater (17 35-1792); Alice (?-
1789), who married, in 1788, John Weems (1737-
1813); and Eleanor Ann (?-1806). Her first cous-
ins were Thomas Sim Lee (174 5-1 8 19); Sarah Fen-
dall (ca. 1732-1793), who married Thomas Contee
(ca. 1729-1811); Richard Potts (1753-1808);
Rebecca Potts, who married Benjamin Mackall IV
(1745-by 1810); and Sarah Potts, who married
Thomas Gantt, Jr. (?-1808). MARRIED second, by
1786, Elizabeth. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION:
literate. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent.,
1758. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: officeholder,
1756-1778; merchant. Before the Revolution Fen-
dall was the principal agent on the Potomac River
for James Russell, merchant, of London, England.

PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Conven-
tions, Charles County, 4th, 1775 (elected, but did
not attend), 5th, 1775. LOCAL OFFICES: clerk,
Charles County, 1756-1778, succeeded his father;
receiver of alienation fines, Charles County, 1768;
clerk and cryer, Court of Oyer and Terminer and
Gaol Delivery, Charles County, 1772; clerk, Court
of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery, Charles
County, appointed 1773 and 1776; Committee of
Observation, Charles County, elected 1775.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST

ELECTION: probably 690 acres in Charles County
(495 acres by gift and inheritance from his father,
195 acres by purchase and patent); also owned
land in Virginia. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND

BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: sold 690

acres in William and Mary Parish, Charles
County, 1786. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: after
1798, probably in Virginia; size of estate unknown.

FENWICK, CUTHBERT (1614-1655). BORN in
1614 in England. IMMIGRATED: in 1633/34 as an
indentured servant from Virginia. RESIDED: in St.
Mary's County. MARRIED first, probably (first
name unknown) Cornwaleys. MARRIED, second, in
1649 Jane Eltonhead (?-by 1661), widow of Ro-
bert Moryson, of Kecoughtan, Virginia. Her
brothers were William Eltonhead (ca. 1616-1655);
Richard. CHILDREN. SONS. Cuthbert (1640-1676),
a justice of Calvert County from 1674 to 1676;
Ignatius; Thomas (?-by 1655); Robert (ca. 1651-
1676); Richard (ca. 1653-1714), a justice of Cal-
vert County from 1685 to 1689; and John (ca.
1655-1720). DAUGHTER: Theresa. PRIVATE CA-
REER. EDUCATION: literate; probably well edu-
cated. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Catholic. SOCIAL
STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: arrived as a servant;
probably served Thomas Cornwaleys (ca. 1605-
1675/76) in a responsible administrative capacity;
free by 1637/38 and called Gent, almost immedi-

ately thereafter. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: servant,
1633/34; overseer, steward, and attorney for
Thomas Cornwaleys (ca. 1605-1675/76); probably
an independent planter from the early 1650s until
his death. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE
Assembly, present 1637/38, present 1638/39, spe-
cial writ 1640 (did not attend), Mattapanient
Hundred, St. Mary's County, 1641 (elected to the
2nd session), special writ 1642 A, present 1647/48,
St. Mary's County, 1649 (Accounts); Lower
House, St. Inigoe's Hundred, St. Mary's County,
1650-1650/51 (elected to fill vacancy in the 1st
session; Laws, chairman 1). OTHER PROVINCIAL
OFFICE: proprietary agent to New England, 1643.
LOCAL OFFICE: justice, St. Mary's County, 1644.
MILITARY SERVICE: commission to seize illegal
traders, 1638-1639. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE
ISSUES: supporter of the Jesuits and upholder of
Cornwaleys's position against proprietary policies
in the struggles of the first decade with Lord
Baltimore. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL
PROPERTY, at least 6 Negro servants in 1649 (from
his marriage settlement). LAND AT FIRST ELEC-
TION: 2,000 acres in 1651. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED: prior to December 1655. LAND at least
2,000 acres.

FENWICK, IGNATIUS (?-1784). BORN: proba-
bly in St. Mary's County, of age by 1763; proba-
bly eldest son. NATIVE: fifth generation. RESIDED:
in Charles County from at least 1763 until about
1774; "Wallington," St. Mary's County, until
death. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Ignatius
Fenwick (?-1776), of St. Mary's County, served on
the Committee of Correspondence for St. Mary's
County in 1775; owned 922 acres in St. Mary's
County at the time of his death. MOTHER Mary,
daughter of Edward Cole (?-1761), of St. Mary's
County, and wife Ann Neale (?-1768). BROTHERS:
Edward; James, a mariner and ship's captain in
partnership with his brother Joseph in a merchant
firm in Georgetown, Montgomery County, who
married Catherine Ford in 1778; Henry; Joseph
(by 1773-?), who married ca. 1792 Elenoire Me-
noir, of Bordeaux, France, and who served as U.S.
consul in Bordeaux, France from 1790 to 1801;
Richard; and Rev. John Ceslas, O.P. (?-1815).
SISTERS: Helena; Elizabeth; Ann, who married
(first name unknown) Clarke; and Mary, who
married (first name unknown) Jenkins. MARRIED
by 1761 Sarah (ca. 1744-by 1784), daughter of
Michael Taney (ca. 1695-1743/44), of Calvert
County, and second wife Sarah; stepdaughter of
George Cole III; granddaughter of John Brooke.
Her half nephew was Michael Taney (1750-ca.

319



 

clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 319   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives