Judy and Ellen, I'm going to be ordering some microfilm from the LDS this week, can you give me the number to order for Cecil Co., or at least tell me what to look for? And I will be glad to do so. Thanks, Shirley Middleton Moller ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judy Ardine" <downeast@concentric.net> To: <mdcecil@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 6:12 AM Subject: Re: [MDCECIL] Smith, Peirce/Pearce, and Ward families > > Fri, 26 Jan 2007 06:20:50 -0500 "Ellen Ward" <ellen@bcpl.net> said: > Have you found a relationship between the Ward family of Cecil Co. and > your > Smith, Pierce, Hoe or Drewry familys? I was looking at the two deeds below > where Wards were witnesses. I guess they just could have been neighbors. I > know we've tried to find a connection with your Pierce family in the past. > > No, haven't found any connection, Ellen. I haven't gone back and ordered > that LDS microfilm in again wherein I found Henry PEIRCE's father's death > in England to see if I could find the marriage, baptisms and if Henry had > siblings. > > Henry PEIRCE was b: Calne, Wiltshire, England c 1673. His father, Anthony > PEIRCE, a clothier, d: there c 1677. His widowed mother, Katherine PEIRCE, > by then of Devizes, apprenticed Henry to Francis SMITH, gentleman of > Devizes, for a term of 7 years. Henry arrived in PA October 2, 1685 by the > Unicorn. Francis SMITH settled in the eastern part of Kennett which later > became Pennsbury and w/him and his family, was Henry PEIRCE. Henry served > as Constable and as Supervisor of the Highways for Kennett twp 1705 & 1706 > and Justice of the Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the Court of > Quarter Sessions 1709 & 1710. About 1707 Henry purchased land in Concord > and a larger piece in 1710 on which he then settled. He was instrumental > in > the formation of St Paul's PE Church, his children were baptized there and > his oldest son, Henry[2] md: Sarah HUNTER at St Paul's. Henry PEIRCE d: at > Concord 1744. His wife, Sarah nee SMITH predeceased him. > > It is interesting. The couple who currently own a large piece of what was > Francis SMITH's Knowlewood have the original paperwork showing ownership > of > the land by a BOULDING. > > Francis SMITH's son, also Francis SMITH, purchased 1,000 acres in Cecil > cnty, called Knowlewood. His wife's name was unknown, but she d: just a > day > or so before Francis d: and they left no children. Francis[2] had prepared > a will prior to his final illness but at a gathering at his sick bed the > Rev Richard Sewell and several neighbors asked him if he intended to leave > his land to St Stephen's parish for a school for the area children. > Francis > according to several depositions did agree that they write such a will but > he was too weak to sign it. The deponents were Samuel ALEXANDER, Gavin > HUTCHINSON, Mildred BRISTOW and Mary WALTHAM. The original will was > contested. Francis[2] SMITH's sister, Sarah nee Smith PEIRCE, wife of > Henry > PEIRCE above, apparently ended up inheriting all or a major portion of > Knowlewood which she then passed on down to three of her daughters, Sarah > REYNOLDS, Jane HOE and Elizabeth HALL. > > Francis[2] SMITH and Sarah nee Smith PEIRCE had a sister, Ann SMITH, who > md: Robert EYRE and resided in Bethel twp, PA. Robert EYRE and Ann nee > Smith EYRE, had a son, Robert[2] EYRE. Robert[2] md: Elizabeth, maiden > name unknown, and purchased land in New Castle, DE where he resided at > Francis[2] SMITH's death. Robert[2] EYRE, in Francis[2] SMITH's original > will, was to have inherited 200 acres of Francis[2] SMITH's estate. > Robert[2] was a carpenter and he built the coffins for Francis[2] SMITH > and > Francis[2]'s wife, payment made from the estate. > > Francis[2], Sarah nee Smith PEIRCE and Ann nee Smith EYRE had a sister, > Alice SMITH, who md: 1st William VANDEVERE and 2nd Samuel KIRK. She > resided > in New Castle Hundred, DE and d: there in 1732 w/o issue. The key to > actually DOCUMENTING all these family ties came w/Alice nee Smith > VANDEVERE > KIRK's will: > > Item: I likewise Give to my well beloved brethern in law Henry PIERCE my > Silver Tanchard together with six silver spoons out of which foresd six > silver spoons after the Decease of the foresd Henery to my cousin Richard > HOE and his children. > > And from Henry[1] PEIRCE's will: > Item - I give to my said son my walnut desk and clothes press and one > large > walnut table and one large iron pot also my clock, also one silver > tankard. > Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Joan HOE the sum of twenty > pounds. > Item - I give and bequeath to my son's five children, viz. Alexander, > Hannah, Henry, Rachel and Elizabeth the sum of five pounds apiece to be > paid to them the boys at twenty-one years of age and the girls at eighteen > and as to what remains of my personal estate I give and bequeath to my son > Henry except five silver spoons which I give to his five children as above > named, to each child one, > > Whilst I failed to order the inventory of Henry[2] PEIRCE's estate, he > obviously passed the silver tankard and his silver spoon on down to his > son, Henry[3] PEIRCE as we find them mentioned in Henry[3]'s will: > And further I give to my Said son Henry my Silver tankard and my Silver > Spoon and my Watch and twelve Silver Vest buttons. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MDCECIL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message