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1774, 4th, 1775 (elected, but did not attend), 5th,
1775, 9th, 1776 (election voided on August 15,
1776, because the freemen of Frederick County
illegally appointed election judges after the ones
officially appointed failed to act; subsequently re-
elected and seated; Elections); Lower House,
Montgomery County, 1777 (speaker 1, resigned
as speaker, 1; Manufactories 2; Grievances 2);
1779-1780 (resigned during the 3rd session of the
1779-1780 Assembly; Grievances 1; Tax Com-
missioners 1), 1783, 1784, 1785. ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS: As part of his committee service,
Wootton worked to establish a market house in
Frederick Town, to secure a new church in Prince
George's Parish, to aid relief for the poor, and
to divide All Saints' Parish in Frederick County.
He also favored the inspection of flour in George-
town, the prohibition of raising geese and swine
in Georgetown, the inspection of public offices,
and cutting a wagon road from Ft. Cumberland
to the nearest navigable water on the west side
of the Allegheny Mountains. LOCAL OFFICES: jus-
tice, Frederick County, 1768-1777, Montgomery
County, 1777; Prince George's Parish Vestry,
Frederick (later became part of Montgomery)
County, 1771; Committee of Correspondence for
the Lower District of Frederick County, 1774;
Committee of Observation, Frederick County,
1774; collector of money for arms and ammuni-
tion, Frederick County, appointed 1775; justice,
Orphans' Court, Montgomery County, 1777-1778;
commissioner of the tax, Montgomery County,
commissioned April 16, 1778. STANDS ON PUBLIC/
PRIVATE ISSUES: in his will he instructed his nephew
to make donations to the poor "as I have always
done." He also manumitted three slaves in his
will, bequeathing them a generous donation. He
instructed that the slaves not freed were to be
treated "kindly and tenderly" and that families
were not to be separated. WEALTH DURING LIFE-
TIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed Value
£651.5.0, including 24 slaves, 1783; purchased 10
slaves, 1786. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 236 acres
in Frederick County (all by purchase). SIGNIFI-
CANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELEC-
TION AND DEATH, purchased 938 acres in Fred-
erick and Montgomery counties, 1772-1783, sold
559 acres of this in Montgomery County, 1778;
owned 615 acres in Montgomery County, 1783;
obtained a mortgage on two tracts totaling 222
acres in 1785, which he may have secured by fore-
closure in 1787; purchased a lot in the addition
to Georgetown, 1786; inherited a plantation of
unspecified acreage in Prince George's County
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from his brother Singleton, 1788. WEALTH AT
DEATH. DIED, between January 11 and November
30, 1789. His entire estate was left to his nephew,
Turner Wooton, of Queen Anne, Prince George's
County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: an unspecified
number of slaves and books were mentioned in
his will. LAND: at least 615 acres in Montgomery
County, a plantation of unknown acreage in Prince
George's County, plus 1 lot in the addition to
Georgetown, Montgomery County.
WOOTTON, TURNER (ca. 1695-1760). BORN:
ca. 1695, probably in England. IMMIGRATED:
probably from England as a minor with his father.
RESIDED: in Londontown, Anne Arundel County,
until 1723; "Essington," Patuxent Hundred, Prince
George's County, 1723 until death. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: William Wootton (?-1722) of
Anne Arundel County. BROTHER: William (?-
1744) of Londontown, Anne Arundel County.
MARRIED first, in 1715, Ann Jones (1700/1 -by
1721), daughter of Richard Jones (ca. 1671-1714)
and wife Ann. MARRIED second, on January 1,
1723/24, Agnes Chambers (?-1732) of Anne
Arundel County. MARRIED third, by 1735, Eliz-
abeth Sprigg (?-1787), widow of Henry Wilson,
daughter of Thomas Sprigg (by 1670-by 1739)
and wife Margaret Mariartee (?-by 1739), niece
of Daniel Mariartee (ca. 1676-ca. 1726/27). Eliz-
abeth's brothers were Thomas (?-1725); Edward
Sprigg (1697-1751); and Osborne Sprigg (ca. 1707-
1749/50). Her sisters were Priscilla, who married
Ralph Crabb (?-1733/34); Margaret; and Eleanor.
Her first cousins were John Smith Prather (1706-
1763); Sarah Pierce (?-ca. 1700), who married
John Beale, of Lawson (ca. 1674-1751). Her
nephews were Edward Sprigg (1723-1758); Jo-
seph Sprigg (1736-1800); Osborne Sprigg (ca. 1741 -
1815); Thomas Sprigg (ca. 1747-1809); Henry
Wright Crabb (1722/23-1764); Thomas Sprigg
(1715-1781); Edward Sprigg (ca. 1721-1790); and
Francis King (1724/25-1771). Her niece was Mar-
garet Sprigg (ca. 1726-1804), who married Wil-
liam Bowie (1721-1791). CHILDREN. SONS: John
(?-1774), who never married; Thomas Sprigg
Wootton (?-1789); William Turner (?-1777), who
married Ann (1750-1774); Singleton (?-1788),
a merchant, who never married; and Richard.
DAUGHTERS: Elizabeth; Mary (1735-?). PRIVATE
CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILI-
ATION: Anglican. ADDITIONAL COMMENT: may
have sent his sons to St. Omers, a Roman Cath-
olic school in France, to be educated; gave a dep-
osition printed in the Maryland Gazette on No-
911
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