the will of Robert Slye is strong evidence of their identity. Ebenezer is not named among the children of George and Barbara Blakiston in the will of his uncle John the regicide judge, dated 1 June 1649, but at that time he was not born. In a deposition before the Maryland Council in 1697, "Capt. Ebenezer Blakiston" of Cecil County gives his age as 47 years (Md. Arch. xxiii. 177), so that he was born in 1650, the year following the date of his uncle's will. Whether he came to Maryland with his parents in 1668 or arrived somewhat later is uncertain. In any case he was in St. Mary's County in January 1670/1 when he witnessed the will of Robert Slye, and soon after removed to the Eastern Shore. 17 October 1671, "Ebenezer Blakiston" of Baltimore County proved his right to 50 acres of land for transporting himself into the Province (Land Office, Lib. 16, fol. 341). At this time Baltimore County extended around the head of the Bay to the Eastern Shore, and included territory included in Cecil County, erected in 1674. 17 October 1681, by virtue of several assignments, Ebenezer Blakiston obtained a certificate for a tract of 500 acres called St. Taunton's (Land Office, Lib. 21, fol. 347). 4 Sept. 1689, he was commissioned Captain of a foot company in "Worten and South Sassafras" Hundred, Cecil County (Md. Arch. xiii, 244), and he was one of the Justices of the County in 1697-98, and 1702 (Md. Arch. xxiii, 129, 401; xxv, 125). According to the register of St. Paul's Parish, Kent County, he was buried 25 October 1709. He died intestate, but the following extracts show that he had at least two sons. 8 Dec. 1709, Inventory of Mr. Ebenezer Blakiston, late of Kent Co. deceased, appraised by Wm. Ringgold and Edward Scott, and approved by Nathaniel Hynson (Annapolis, Inv. & Acc'ts, Lib. 31, fol. 193). 14 Dec. 1710, additional inventory of Capt. Ebenezer Blakistone by Wm. Blakistone his executor (sic!)-contains an item of "2588 lb. Tobacco made on my father's plantation" (Kent Co. Invs., Lib. 1. fol. 71-72). 26 May 1711, additional account of Wm. Blakiston administrator of Capt. Ebenezer Blakiston late of Kent Co. deceased-contains an item of a silver cup appraised to the estate but belonging to Ebenezer Blakiston son of the deceased (Annapolis Inv. & Acc'ts, Lib. 323, fol. 242). The wife of Ebenezer Blakiston was Elizabeth sister of John James, and they also had a daughter, Anna Blakiston, named in the will of her maternal grandmother Mrs. Anna 11. Tolson (Baldwin's Calendar, i, 34, 188, 213; Test. Proc., Lib. 10, fol. 185). Capt. Ebenezer Blakiston and Elizabeth (James) his wife had issue : i. EBENEZER BLAKISTON, b. 1684/85; d. about 1746. 12. ii. WILLIAM BLAKISTON, d. 1737. iii. ANNA BLAKISTON. 4 2 8. NATHANIEL BLAKISTON, (John, John, Marmaduke1) was made free of the Merchant Adventurers' Company of London in 1698 (Surtee's Durham, iii, 402). When Gov. Francis Nicholson was transferred to Virginia, in October 1698, Nathaniel Blakiston was appointed his successor and took the oath of office as Governor of Maryland 2 January 1698/9 (Md. Arch., xxv, 51). His administration was highly acceptable to the Province, but some two years later, on account of ill health, he tendered his resignation which was accepted in June 1701 (Md. Arch., xxiv, 219), though he remained in office until his departure for England in July 1702 (Md. Arch., xxv., 121, 125). For some time thereafter he acted as Agent for the Province in England (Md. Arch., xxiv, 227, 364, 400). A number of his letters, written between 1710 and 1714, are published in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (iv, 15–23), and show that he continued to interest himself in colonial affairs. In one of them his daughter Rachel is mentioned (ibid., p. 17). A letter of James Blair, dated 6 Jan. 1704/5, mentions Gov. Blakiston's brother-in-law, "Major Nott, deputy Governor of Berwick, who married Blakiston's sister" (Va. Mag., v, 53). An abstract of Maj. Nott's will is given in the Virginia Magazine for January, 1907 (xiv, 302-303). The name of Gov. Blakiston's wife is unknown, but he had at least two children (Surtees' Durham, iii, 402):— i. NATHANIEL BLAKISTON.5 ii. RACHEL BLAKISTON. 4 9. JOHN BLAKISTON (Nehemiah,3 John,2 Marmaduke1) inherited Longworth's Point, which, by the terms of his mother's will, was entailed upon him and his heirs male "being Protestants." He also appears to have inherited land from his father. In September, 1720, an action of ejectment was brought by Thomas Bolt, lessee of Thomas Shanks, against John Blakistone of St. Mary's County, Gent., for a parcel of land in St. Clement's Manor, called Little Hackley, containing 300 acres. It was in evidence that John Shanks, grand-father of the plaintiff's lessor, devised said land by his will (dated 17 June 1683; proved 16 Feb. 1684) to his son John Shanks, who conveyed it, 2 March 1690, to Nehemiah Blakiston, father of the defendant, of which said Nehemiah the defendant is heir-at-law. The question at issue was as to whether the devise in the will of John Shanks constituted an estate tail, and a verdict was rendered for the plaintiff (Prov. Court, Lib. W. G., No. 1, fol. 299 ff.). John Blakiston married Anne Guibert, daughter of his step-father, Joshua Guibert who names in his will (dated 26 March, proved 16 May, 1713) his daughter Anne Blakistone and her husband John Blakistone. He died intestate in 1724, before the 4th of November on which date his widow Anne Blakistone gave bond for the administration of his estate in the sum of £600, her brothers Joshua and Thomas Guibert being her sureties (Test. Proc., Lib. 27, fol. 111). John Blakistone and Anne (Guibert) his wife had issue :— i. NEHEMIAH BLAKISTONE,5 mentioned in his grandmother's will; apparently died young. 13. ii. JOHN BLAKISTONE, d. 18 Jan. 1756; mar. Eleanor, dau. of Col. George Dent. 14. iii. THOMAS BLAKISTONE, d. s. p., Nov. 1742. iv. ELIZABETH BLAKISTONE, mentioned in her grandmother's will; mar. Roswell Neale (b. 1685; d. 1751) of St. Mary's Co. v. SUSANNA BLAKISTONE, mar. Robert Mason of St. Mary's Co. 10. JOHN BLAKISTON (John,3 George, Marmaduke 1) was born in 1669 and died in December 1733. In a deposition, made in 1726, he gives his age as 57 years and states that he has lived about 50 years "in these parts" (Kent Co., Lib. I. S., No. 10, fol. 44). He would therefore appear to have been born in St. Mary's County and to have been brought to Kent County by his father on the latter's removal thither about 1676. In 1699 he was one of a jury to value two acres of land adjoining the parish Church of St. Paul's, on the north side of Chester River and, in 1720, he and Ebenezer Blakiston occupied pew No. 25 in the parish church (Old Kent, pp. 347, 353). He inherited Boxley from his father, is recorded as possessing it in the Rent Roll of 1707, and devised it to his children in his will. John Blakiston died in December 1733. His will, dated 2 Dec. 1733, was proved 2 January following. In it he bequeaths his whole real and personal estate to his wife Hannah during widowhood; to his sons Vincent and Ebenezer, "my now dwelling plantation," containing 100 acres, equally between them; to his son Prideaux Blakiston, the plantation whereon said son now dwells; to his three sons Thomas, William, and Michael, 150 acres part of Boxley; to his son John, with remainder to the testator's son Benjamin, 50 acres called Tolley's Chance; to his two daughters Mary Covington and Sarah Blakiston, two seats in St. Paul's Church, with 2000 lb. Tobacco to Sarah at her mother's decease. 2 January 1733/4, Hannah Blakiston, widow of the deceased, declares that she abides by the will. John Blakiston and Hannah his wife had issue (order of birth uncertain) :— i. JOHN BLAKISTON, 5 died interstate, and without issue, about 1720. 14. ii. PRIDEAUX BLAKISTON, b. 1696. 15. iii. THOMAS BLAKISTON, bapt. 4 May 1701; d. 1753. 16. iv. VINCENT BLAKISTON, bapt. 6 Feb. 1703/4; d. 1769. 17. V. EBENEZER BLAKISTON, d. 1777. 18. vi. WILLIAM BLAKISTON, d. 1758. 19. vii. MICHAEL BLAKISTON, bapt. 2 Dec. 1711; d. 1758. 20. viii. BENJAMIN BLAKISTON, d. 1760. ix. MARY BLAKISTON, mar. . . . . . Covington. x. SARAH BLAKISTON. N. B. The above dates of baptism are from the register of St. Paul's Parish, Kent Co. 4 2 11. MAJ. EBENEZER BLAKISTON (Ebenezer, George, Marmaduke1) was born in 1684 or 1685. His age is given in depositions as 41 in 1746 and 61 in 1745. He represented Kent County in the Maryland Assembly 1724, 1727-1734 (House Journals), and was a Justice of the County 17331744 (Commission Book). In the Journal of Assembly for 1724 he is styled "Captain," and in a deposition made in 1745 he is styled "Major" (Kent Co. Lib., IS. No. 25, fol. 327). He was undoubtedly the eldest son of his father. 28 Feb. 1721, Ebenezer Blakiston of Kent Co., with Sarah his wife, conveys to William Blakiston of said County, all his right, title, &c. to a tract of 100 acres called St. Taunton's (Kent Co., Lib. IS. No. 10, fol. 218). 20 Jan. 1714/5, Ebenezer Blakiston of Kent Co., with Sarah his wife, quit claims to Hans, George, and Frederick Hanson, a tract of 500 acres in Kent Co. called Tolchester and Tombe, formerly sold by Capt. Ebenezer Blakiston deceased, father of the grantor, to Col. Hans Hanson, father of the grantees (ibid. Lib. BC. No. 1, fol. 43). Maj. Blakiston married Sarah daughter of Thomas Joce of Kent County. Her father names his "daughter Sarah Blakiston" in his will (proved 11 Feb. 1712), and the will of her brother Nicholas Joce (proved 3 May 1734), appoints his "brother Ebenezer Blakiston" his executor. Maj. Blakiston died intestate between 1745 and 1748, and his widow Sarah married John Garrett. The account of John Garrett and Sarah his wife, administratrix of Ebenezer Blakiston late of Kent Co. deceased, rendered 23 July 1748, states that Rosamond, wife of William Wilmer, is the daughter and sole representative of the deceased. (Annapolis, Accounts, Lib. 27, fol. 171). Maj. Ebenezer Blakiston and Sarah (Joce) his wife had issue : 5 i. ROSAMOND BLAKISTON b. 1722, sole dau. and heir, mar. William Wilmer of Kent Co. See Old Kent, p. 326. 4 3 2 12. WILLIAM BLAKISTON (Ebenezer, George, Marmaduke1) administered on his father's estate in 1709. He represented Kent County in the Maryland Assembly 1722-1724 (House Journals), and died in 1737. His will, dated 16 March 1736/7, was proved 10 May 1737. In it he names his wife Ann; his daughters Ann Miller, and Mary, Hannah, and Rose Blakiston; his sons Ebenezer and William Blakiston; the child whereof his wife is pregnant; and his grandson Arthur Miller. Testator's four youngest children are minors. His wife Ann Blakiston is appointed executrix. 10 May 1737, Ann Blakiston, widow of the testator, elects to abide by the will. William Blakiston and Ann his wife had issue : i. EBENEZER BLAKISTON," a minor in 1737. ii. WALTER BLAKISTON, a minor in 1737. iii. MARY BLAKISTON, b. 9 Marr 1711/2 (St. Paul's Register). |