This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: StephenDennehy29 Surnames: Powell Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.powell/7201/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Walter has become distorted because people have mistakenly assumed the Walter Powell transported to Lancaster Co., Vir. in 1643 by Capt. Samuel Mathews is the Walter who settles in Somerset Co., Md. in 1668 or 1669. These are 2 different men. Walter was not a common name in southern Eng. and Wales in that period, but was also not an unusual name, Familysearch.org shows 5 Walter Powells born 1618-1635 in Hereford County and adjoining Somerset County. The Walter of Lancaster was transported from Lancaster to Calvert Co., Md. in 1650 by Wm. Eltonhead who had migrated from Lancaster Co., Vir. to Calvert Co. in 1649. Wm. Eltonhead requested to recieve land due him "for transporting John Hollingsworth and Walter Powell into the province [Maryland] two years since" 24 Jan. 1652/53. This Walter Powell is listed as a debtor to the estate of Charles De La Roche in Charles Co., Md. (borders Calvert Co.) Jan. 1675/76. Walter is listed as a creditor to the estate of Hugh Hopowell in Calvert Co., Md. 30 Apr. 1695. Walter transports himself his first wife Elizabeth and daughter Elizabeth from Virginia to Somerset Co., Md. in 1668 or 1669. The earliest record we have on him is the birth of his 2nd. daughter Mary 30 Jan. 1669/1670 "to Walter Powell and wife Elizabeth". In July 1670 Walter buys 3 pieces of land from Thomas Walker --"Greenfield", "Middle" and "Exchange". Where did he get the means to do that ? Walter of Somerset being listed as born 1622 or 1626 (rarely given as "circa" but given as definite dates) has no legitimacy. We have no record that gives Walter's age or birthyear. He marries c. 1667, has daughter Elizabeth probably in 1668. This would put his birth as c. 1643 (age 24 in 1667, broadly 1640-1645). I think he clearly came from the Eastern Shore of Virginia. the only possibility for his father there is John, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth of Northampton Co., Vir. Thomas was born c. 1594 "(aged 3 score" in a deposition given in 1654 in Northampton Co.court). He came on the ship "The Sampson" in 1618 and was on the Eastern Shore where he had been sent with another man to gather salt for Jamestown. This would make these 2 probably the first Europeans in Delmarva. He probably married in 1619 to Elizabeth _______. (Some state he married Elizabeth person in Bermuda 1609 but that is a different Thomas Powell.) His son John was born c. 1620. Thomas Powell and "Gody" Powell are listed in the list of inhabitants on the Eastern Shore in 1623/1624. "GodY" is a mispelling of "Goody", a shortened form of "Goodwife"--not a name but a term of addressing a married woman of the common people, comparable to the modern term "Mrs." Thomas shows in Northampton records up to 1662; he died there 1662-1666. He was not wealthy, not prominent and appears to have been illiterate; he was a man of the common people. John, Thomas' son, gives a deposition in 1638 in which he is living at his parents, single, most likely in his late teens, early 20's. He probably married c. 1642, had Walter c. 1643. he is stated to be mentioned by Thomas in Thomas' 1654 deposition. John W. Jordan in his book "Colonial and Revolutionary families of Pennsylvanis" (1911) states that "Walter was supposed to be the son of John,m grandson of Thomas of Northampton Co., Vir.". He doesn't give hios source, though possibly it was an oral tradition among Walter's descendants in the Somerset Co., Md. area. He also listed Samuel Powell as a son of Thomas. Samuel was,charged with stealing a pair of britches in 1638. (Northampton Co. Court Records Bk. 1, p,. 107.). the assumption seems ot have been that Thomas was the only Powell on the Eastern Shore in 1638 so he assumed Samuel was gthe son of Thomas. But records list Samuel Powell as transported by 1638 by Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.