Thomas Whitaker

Notes:

Petitioners Seeking Creation of All Saints' Parish, 1742
(Through Division of Prince George's Parish)
list of about 50 names includes:
Flower Swift (married Elizabeth Whitaker daughter of Mark & Eliz. Empson Whitaker)
Mark Whiteacar
Thos Whiteacar
John Wilcoxon, Sen
John Wilcoxon, Jun

LAND AND COURT RECORDS

In Baltimore County Court Procedures, Book HWS#6, p, 151 is: Thomas Whitaker, orphan aged 17, in June 1729 petitioned the Court that he had left his step-mother [Elizabeth Empson] and wanted to live with his uncle Thomas Mitchell. [Thomas Mitchell was Thomas' uncle, the husband of his mother Catherine Teague's sister Ann]

The reason for this petition is explained by futher court action a few months later. Elizabeth Empson/Emson, widow of Mark Whitaker married Francis Taylor 6 Oct 1729 in Baltimore County, Maryland (I.S. No. K, p. 109). A record at St. George's Parish, Maryland, June 1733, reads: "Francis Taylor is indicted for not taking care of Mark Whitaker's orphans.

Thomas Whitaker was listed in the 1733 list of "taxables" in Prince George County, MD.

Thomas Whiteacre, on Feb. 25, 1739, sold the 100 acre Westwood tract given to him by his father Mark Whitaker, to Robert West for 2500 pounds of tobacco

Thomas Whitaker and his brother,Mark Whitaker, Jr., owned land bordering Kittoctin Creek in Prince George County, MD.

The two brothers were listed as the overseers of the road from Catoctin to South Mountain in 1741. (When Frederick County was created in 1748 their holdings on Kittoctin Creek were in Frederick County.)

In 1750 in Frederick County MD, Thomas Whitaker sold "Goose Bill" to Nicholas & Charlotte Fink.

In 1755, Thomas Whitaker was a juror in Frederick County. In 1762, both Mark and Thomas were involved in the signing and disposition of Edward Johnson's will.

Cecil County, Md. Land Records, Vol. I 1674-1810:
Thomas Whitaker from Nicholas White et ux, Vol. 8, p. 107 (A Nicholas White is named in the 1764 road order through Reedy Creek NC settlement)

Mark Whitaker as a co-administrator of the Edward Johnson will's provisions filed an accounting in 1765.

In 1770, according to the March Court Minute Book for Frederick County, MD, Mark Whitaker, Jr., and Thomas Whitaker, served as Grand Jurors. The Frederick County, MD, paper trail fades at this point in time.


WILL
In the name of God amen; this (none written) day of March in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand and seven hundred and eighty seven

I Thomas Whitticar of the County of Surry and State of North Carolina being in perfect mind abd memory though in weak lingering state of health and knowing that it is alotted for all men to once to die, do make and ordain this to be my last Will & Testament.

And first I recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave me, and my body to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. And as to my worldly goods wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with I dispose of in Manner and form following.

Imprimis. I lend unto my beloved wife Mary all the land and plantation thereon, on the East side of the Creek, from *Harvey's line up to the mouth of; thence up the meanders od said **Spoons branch to my back line, meaning all the land to the East and North of said Creek and branch within my living during her natural life.

Item, I also lend to my beloved wife Mary all my stock of (illegible) and all my household furniture and all my moveable estate of what nature and kind soever during her natural life.

Item, I give and bequeath to my son Mark Whitticar all the land and plantation theron on the East side of Creek from **Harvey's line up to Spoons branch to my back line meaning all the land I now lend to my beloved wife which land & plantation he is not to take any possession of until my beloved the death of his mother, at which time he his heirs & soforth is to have possession to him & his heirs forever.

Item, I give and bequeath to said son Mark, the one half of my stock, household furniture and moveable estate after his mother's decease to him and his heirs forever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Margaret the one half of my stock, household furniture and moveable estate to take possession thereof after her mother's decease to her & her heirs forever; mind the stock household furniture and moveable estate of what nature or kind soever there is at my wifes decease is to be equally divided between my sd. son Mark & my daughter Peggy.

Item. I give and bequeath to my son Jonathan Whitticar all the rest of my tract of land not to heretofor given my son Mark meaning all the land West & South of the Creek & Spoons branch to take full possession thereof at my decease to him and his heirs forever.

Item. As to the rest of my children namely Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy, and Jane I conceive have had as much of my estate as I am able to give them. However my will and desire is that each of them have five shillings each in money over and above what has been given them heretofore to them and their heirs forever.

Lastly I do hereby appoint my beloved wife Mary & my sons Mark and Johnson executors of this my last Will & Testament,

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal the day & date above written

his
THomas T Whitticar (seal)
mark
Signed, sealed acknowledged &
pronounced in the presence of

John Harvey

his
Mark M Whitticor the elder
mark

J. Williams Jurat

Thomas married Mary Wilson. Mary (daughter of Thomas Wilson and Priscilla) was born ca 1715, Prince George Co. MD; died Bef 1795, Surry Co. NC. [Group Sheet]

1. Rev. Mark M. Whitaker was born ca 1760, Surry Co. NC; died Bef Feb 1815, Castle's Woods, Russell Co. VA.
2. Margaret Whitaker
3. Johnson Whitaker
4. Elizabeth Whitaker
5. Mary Whitaker
6. Nancy Whitaker
7. Jane Whitaker

Notes:

Christopher Richards (cmrichards@blueyonder.co.uk) has done the best research on Mark and his ancestors to this point. Here is his reasoning for the Maryland Mark Whitaker to be the same as the one baptized in Thornhill, Yorkshire, England.

1. The spelling is the same as in the Thornhill registers
2. The naming patterns used for his children are the same as the naming patterns for his presumed ancestors.
3. Mark seems to be of some status when he arrived in New England. So were his presumed father and grandfather in Yorkshire.
4. The dates fit.
5. Mark of Thornhill's younger siblings died young but he seems to have survived.
6. Mark Whitaker (and all spelling variants) is not a common name but there is a group of Mark Whitakers in the Dewsbury are in the seventeenth century.

But these are all reasons for making the identification - they do not prove that Mark of Maryland is the same man as Mark of Thornhill.

However, the Mark Whitaker of Maryland was an educated man as evidenced by his position in St. George's Parish and status in society. Records show that he worked for the St. George's Parish as a vestry clerk in 1724, 1725 and 1726.

He went to Cambridge. The records of his matriculation are as follows:

Whiteacre, Mark
Adm. sizar at EMMANUEL, Nov. 27, 1693. Of Yorkshire. S. of Thomas, of Thornhill. Bapt. Nov. 8, 1677. ' Matric. 1697. (J. B. Peace.)

[Note: "Sizar" is an undergraduate at Cambridge University, receiving financial help from the college and formerly having certain menial duties.]

Emmanuel was the seminary school for Church of England Priests/ministers.

--------

Why did Mark Whitaker immigrate? The educated and religious class in England had a secure life and had little desire to leave that life for one of danger and struggle. On the other hand, England was desperate to secure educated and church trained immigrants to the Colonies. We may never know the reason. His father, Thomas, died in 1684 and we don't his mother's name or death at this time. His only surviving sibling, George, died in 1698. With no surviving family and possible inducements from the Church of England for a responsible position in a church in the colonies, Mark may have decided to immigrate. There may not have been many opportunities for church positions in Thornhill or Dewsbury or advancement may have been limited. We may never know the true reason, but the Colonies may have offered an opportunity he couldn't refuse.

In the period of 1670-1700, the Colonial Parish Church was both the church and the local government. The vestry house was used to hold civil trials, as a jail, record wills and deeds and keep records of business transactions with England. Church records show Mark was a Vestryman. Crops, primarily tobacco, were harvested and shipped to England. The merchant would pay the church and the funds would be dispersed to the farmers after debts were settled. This position required an educated and a trusted man by the inhabitants. Many deed and wills were witnessed by Mark, another indication of trust in the man.

----------

Beaumont W. Whitaker, "The Whitaker Family of Baltimore County, Maryland, 1677-1767" Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 79 (Summer 1984), pages 165-182

"Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759"

He appears in the Tax rolls of Spesutia Hundred for 1702, 1703, 1704, 1705 and 1706.

Mark Whitaker & Elizabeth his wife, Baltimore Co., MD (Ellerton) 500 acres, 1 Nov. 1725, Reference PL6/143; ILA/636 Emerson, Anne & Rachel: Baltimore Co., MD (Ellerton), 500 acres; 1 Nov. 1725.

3 Mar 1713, Robert & Sarah West, planter, of Baltimore Cp., Maryland to Mark Whitaker, planter, of same, 2,500 pounds of tobacco, 100 acres...Deer Creek. Signed Robert (X) West. Wit: John Miles and Gregory Farmer.

3 Mar 1713, John & Mary Miles, carpenter, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to Thomas Cullin, shoemaker, of same, 100 acres. Signed John Miles. Wit. Mark Whitaker and Gregory Farmer.

3 Aug 1715, John & Mary Miles, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to Robert Hawkins, planter, of same, 2,800 pounds of tobacco, 100 acres. Signed John Miles and Mary (X) Miles. Wit: James Isham and Mark Whitaker.

June 1718 Mark Whittaker appointed overseer of the rolling road from Deer Creek to the rolling house of John Hall, Esq., and the other roads from said creek to the main road through the county or to the water.

14 Aug 1718, Robert West, planter, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to John Hall, gentleman, of same, 78 acres...Dear Creek. Signed Robert (X) West. Wit: John Deavor, Marke Whiteaker and Thomas Bucknell.

1722, Thomas & Mary Tully, gentleman, of Baltimore Co., Maryland and Jane Thomas, of Anne Arundel Co., Maryland to Samuel Howell, of Baltimore Co., Maryland, 24 lbs., formerly owned by Richard Freeborne, deceased of Baltimore Co., Maryland. Signed Thomas Tolley, Mary Tolley and Jane Thomas. Wit: Mark Whiteaker and John Stokes.

20 Jul 1725, Samuel & Mary Brown, planter, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to John Durbin, gentleman, of same, 200 acres...head of Bush River...except part sold to Charles Whiteacre. Signed Samuel Brown. Wit: Mark Whiteakers and Thomas Jones.

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WITNESS TO DR. EVANS' WILL

Page 101. Evan EVANS, D. D.. St. George's Parish, Baltimore CO; 25 may 1721;
10 Nov 1721. To Rev. Geo. ROSS, of New ___ ___, for preaching funeral sermon, 2 guineas; eldest son of only dau. Mary (wife of Rev. Thos. LOYD, of Denbigh CO, England), proceeds from sale of 2 tracts of manatiane, Philadelphia CO, PA, viz. 600 A. "Rhydyearn" and 400 a. "Trevaglnys"; sd au. Failing male issue, to her eldest dau, rs. Int. of proceeds for use of wife Alice, during widowhood, to revert t hrs of dau. Mary as afsd; wife Alice, rents & profits due from living at Sutterton, CO Lincoln, and 1/3 int. in mortage on est. of Wm. ROBINSON, Esq, CO Denbigh, during life; dau Mary afsd, res. Of sd. Mortage, w/reversion of third beq. Wife; Mr. Charles READ, mercht, in Philadelphia, 5 lbs; Edw. HALL & Roger MATHEWS, exs, personalty. Test. Directs he be buried a n. end of the altar table in st. George's Church. Test: Mark WHITAKER, Chas. BAKER, Obidiah PRICHARD.
Maryland Calendar of Wills: Volume 5

PROBATE

Prerogative Court Abstracts 1728-1734
MARK WHITAKER 15.452 BA (Baltimore) L50,186 June 14, 1729 Apr.18, 1730 Appraisers: Antel Deaver, Richard Deaver
Creditors: Jon. Middlemore, Tim Keen
Next of Kin: Flowers Swift [husband of Elizabeth; son-in-law of Mark Whitaker] Administrex: Elizabeth Taylor. widow of Mark Whitaker. She married Francis Taylor.Mark Whitaker died intestate.

CHURCH HISTORY

St. George's Episcopal Church is also known as Spesutia Church is located in Perryman, Harford County, MD. Detailed church records exist going back to the 17th century. It is the oldest Episcopal parish in MD.

Founded in 1761, the original wooden church was built in what is now part of Aberdeen Proving Grounds, about 2 miles away from its current site. In 1718 the parish moved to the current location with the present church constructed in 1851. It is the third to be built on the site. The cemetery dates from 1718 when the second church was built on the same site.

Source: Maryland Historical Society, "The Migrations of Baltimore Town."
http://www.mdhs.org/migrations-baltimore-town

Rev. S. W. Crampton, in 1851, published an account of St. George's Parish, in which he states, " The first Church stood near Michaelsville, at a place called "Gravelly." Here are the almost obliterated remains of the Log Church where the first founders of this Parish worshiped, while the sunken graves on every side mark their last earthly resting places. A bridge near this locality called 'Church Bridge,' corroborates this evidence."

In the journal of Freeborn Garretson in 1809, he wrote, "As the country became more settled and probably with a desire
to reach a less miasmatic region, James Philips, Esq., the
ancestor of the Philips already mentioned in the epitaph, gave in 1718, two acres of ground to the vestry of St. George's Parish, at what is now known as " Spesutia Church," and about that year, six years after the decadence of Old Baltimore, the remains of the dead with their tombstones were probably removed to the new burial ground about seven miles westwards.

The monuments in the Spesutia ground are of a historical
character, representing generation after generation. Among the names I recognized, was that of Giles, a family recorded among the earliest settlers of Baltimore County. Edward Giles married Cordelia, daughter of James Philips.

There is belonging to the vestry of this parish a parchment
Registry of births, marriages and deaths, and the first name recorded is John Cook, son of John Cook, born at Bush River, 25th September, 1681. The record of Vestry Acts is unfortunately lost."

-----------------

The St. George's Parish Vestry House, also known as Spesutia Vestry House, is a small structure of Flemish bond brick construction dating to about 1766. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Although it was built after Mark Whitaker served as vestry clerk, the building he used was a meeting place to conduct parish business and to perform certain civil duties, particularly the monitoring of the moral codes of the day and the administering of justice for violations in colonial Maryland. Vestry Houses were often used as schoolhouses, school being conducted by the clergyman or a member of his family, or someone else hired by the parish for the purpose.

According to an article in the Baltimore Sun, the church had its final service in December 30, 2012.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/harford/publications/the-aegis/ph-ag-st-georges-0102-20121230-story.html

A Pentecostal congregation now uses church, but churchyard remains Maryland diocesan property of the Episcopal Church.

AREA HISTORY

Harford County Maryland was explored in 1608 by Captain John Smith of the Virginia Colony, when he mapped the upper country and its islands and shores. Colonel Nathaniel Utie came from Virginia to explore the upper bay region and find a place to settle around 1649, and he was granted an island located a few hundred yards south of Havre de Grace. He named it Spesutie, using the Latin Spes-Utie, meaning Utie's Hope. The spelling was later changed to Spesutia. When the Church of England became the established church in Maryland, Spesutie Parish was divided into St. George's and St. John's Parishes. The Spesutia Church of St. George's Parish was erected near Perryman, where it still stands today. Until 1773 it was part of Baltimore County.

Source: THE MIGRATIONS OF BALTIMORE TOWN, Maryland Historical Society

http://www.mdhs.org/migrations-baltimore-town


In 1659, Baltimore County was established, including not only Harford, Cecil and Kent, but all the Western Shore north and northwest of Anne Arundel County. Baltimore County was divided into Hundreds. The site of our present Baltimore City was in Deptford Hundred (then Patapsco Hundred), Gunpowder, Middle River, and that part on Bush Neck up to the Susquehanna River was known as the "Baltimore Hundreds."

The " Hundreds" included so many able-bodied men, and
their history would furnish a most interesting chapter extending back to their introduction into England by Alfred the Great, derived by him from Denmark, where they yet exist. "Old Baltimore" was, in 1674, "New Baltimore." It became old when its Court House was removed to Forster's Neck, on Gunpowder River, in 1700, at which time the ground probably reverted to the original proprietor.



Birth:
James Drew-Whitaker and Christopher Richards were the sources for this information.

Christened:
Source: Thornhill Registers: Yorkshire Parish Registers,
Edited by John Charlesworth,1907, Vol 1 Page 202.

"Marke the sonne of Mr Thomas Whiteakers junior of Thornhill bapt 8 Nov 1677"

He was baptized by Rev. John Savile rector of St. Michael All Angels (1671-1701).

---------------
Source: West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512-1812
Name Marke Whiteaker
Father Thomas Whiteaker
Baptism 8 Nov 1677 - Thornhill, St Michael and All Angels
Vital 8 Nov 1677 - Thornhill, St Michael and All Angels, Yorkshire, England

Name:
He spelled his name Marke Whiteakers when he signed documents.

Buried:
Memorial Marker and photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=81096764&ref=acom

Inscription:
MARK WHITEAKER
MARK WHITAKER
1677 - 1729

Marke was christened "8 Nov 1677 the sonne of Mr. Thomas Whiteakers junir of Thornhill by Dewsbury, Yorkshire England."'

He was admitted "sizar"[an undergraduate at Cambridge University receiving financial help from the college and formerly having certain menial duties] to Emmanuel college, Cambridge University on 27 Nov 1693 and matriculated in 1697.

Mark first appears on the 1702 tax rolls of Spesutia Hundred: present day Harford County MD.

3 mar 1713: Mark Whitaker planter, bought from Robert West for "2500 pounds of good tobacco" 100 acres in a tract called Westwood.

Vestry records say "1726 by an order to Mark Whitaker for his "sallery being clk of the vestry . . . . "

Mark died 1 May 1729, his grave is lost to time.


Died:
Now in Harford Co. MD, formed in 1773 from Baltimore Co..

Mark married Catherine Teague 13 May 1705, Maryland. Catherine was born Between 1690-1695, Teggs Delight, Cecil Co. MD; died 15 Nov 1717, St. George Parish, Baltimore Co. MD. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Mr Thomas Whitacres is listed in the 1672 Hearth Tax list for Thornhill as paying for 9 hearths. It is not certain if this refers to the father or the son. Most probably it is the father because in the baptism registers the son is referred to as "Junior".

Name:
Name is known from his son's baptism entry in the Thornhill Parish registers:
"Marke the sonne of Mr Thomas Whiteakers junior of Thornhill bapt 8 Nov 1677"

Buried:
Source: Thornhill Registers: Yorkshire Parish Registers,
Edited by John Charlesworth,1907, Vol 2 Page 311.

1684 March 11 Mr Thomas Whiteakers of Cowne-hill buryed

Died:
Probate granted May 21 1685 at Pontefract but the will not entered in registers.

Notes:

Notes from Christopher Richards (cmrichards@blueyonder.co.uk):

His son Thomas Whiteaker is described as "junior" in the baptism entry for his first two children.

He and his son are the only Thomas Whiteakers in the Thornhill registers. I think it likely that the Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Whiteakers who died in 1678 is his wife rather than his son's wife. The sequence of his son's children doesn't really leave room for a death and remarriage.

Mr Thos Whitacres is listed in the 1672 Hearth Tax list for Thornhill as paying for 9 hearths. Again it is not certain if this refers to the father or the son.

IN the Thornhill Parish Registers for 1653 there is a note that Thomas Webster of Dewsbury, George Allan of Chickerley and Thomas Whiteakers of Dewsbury agreed to pay for any bastard children of Mary Brooke of Thornhillees. I take this to be him.

And in the Thornhill burial registers for 25 November 1663 there is a record of the burial of Peter Alcock, Mr Whitteakers' man in Thornhill.

I deduce from this entries that Thomas Whiteaker was from Dewsbury. His marriage was in Thornhill but there are no baptism entries in the Thornhill registers for his children. So it is likely that his wife came from Thornhill and he took on her Thornhill property while continuing to live in Dewsbury. I think it is also likely that his son Thomas took on the Thornhill house when he got married.

This leaves the problem of which Thomas Whiteaker of Dewsbury he was. It is not certain that this Thomas is the brother of Mark. I'm basing it partly on the 2 year interval and partly that only one Thomas Whitakers is having children bapt at Dewsbury at this time.

I take it that he is the Thomas Whiteakers who was married at Thornhill on 26 July 1654 and therefore the grandfather of the Mark who was baptised in 1677 who is probably the same as Mark of Baltimore.

Naming patterns support this indentification. This Thomas comes after an Elizabeth and a Mark. His presumed son Thomas of Thornhill had a daughter called Elizabeth followed by a son called Mark. Mark of Baltimore had children Elizabeth, followed by Thomas, followed by Mark.

There are several records submitted by members of the LDS church giving his date of birth as 10 February 1634.

I remain unclear about his marriage. There are lots of Thomas Whittaker and variants marriages. I suspect that Elizabeth Thomas died before 1666 and that the Elizabeth Whiteaker in the Thornhill registers is the wife of Thomas the younger of Thornhill.

Source: FamilySearch.org

England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Thomas Whitakers
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 21 Feb 1635
Baptism/Christening Place: DEWSBURY,YORK,ENGLAND
Father's Name: Thomas Whitakers
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: P00905-1
System Origin: England-ODM
Source Film Number: 100089

Christened:
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512-1812

Name Thomas Whitaker
Father Thomas Whitaker
Baptism 21 Feb 1634 - Dewsbury, All Saints
Vital 21 Feb 1634 - Dewsbury, All Saints, Yorkshire, England

"Thomas Whitakers Christening 21 Feb 1634 Father Thomas Whitakers"

Thomas married Elizabeth Thomas 26 Jul 1654, Thornhill, Yorkshire, England. Elizabeth was born ca 1632; died 23 Apr 1678, Thornhill, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
Source: Thornhill Registers: Yorkshire Parish Registers,
Edited by John Charlesworth,1907, Vol 1 Page 250.

"23 April 1678 Elizabeth the wife of Mr Thomas Whiteakers of Cowmehill"

Notes:

Married:
Source: Thornhill Registers, Edited by John Charlesworth,
Yorkshire Parish Registers Society, 1907, page 145.

"Thomas whittekers and elezsebeth thomas was marryed the 26th July 1654"