COLONEL ARCHIBALD THOMAS EDMONSTONE

Genealogy

1. Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties
2. Genealogy.com: Edmondsons in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania

Colonel Archibald Thomas Edmonston is first mentioned specifically in the land records of Annapolis. The transfer of an assignment of 1,000 acres, called Beall's Camp, by Colonel Ninian Beall is recorded in 1680.

Archibald Thomas Edmonston, known after 1700 as 'Colonel Edmonston', patented various extensive tracts of land in Prince George's County, part of which, after the division of that county, was within the boundaries of Frederick and later Montgomery and even Washington counties.

Colonel Archibald Thomas Edmonston is said to have succeeded his brilliant father-in-law as Commander of the Prince George's County Militia.

Around this time, the "e" was dropped from the Edmonstone name.

Commander .

of Prince George's County Militia

1696 EDMONSTON, ARCHIBALD PrinceGeorgesCo MD 546 Petitioners MD Early Census Index MDS1a979329

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Archibald Edmonston-1670 Maryland Calendar of Wills: Volume 7

Edmonston (Edmondson), Archibald,Prince George's Co.,

Edmonston (Edmondson), Archibald,Prince George's Co.,13th Mch., 1734;

28th June, 1734.

To sons James and Archibald, daus, Mary Beal, Ellenor Offutt, Ruth Orme, Martha Allen and granddau. Jane Allenn, personalty.

To dau. Martha Allenn and hrs., dwelling plantation, “Dunkell,” at decease of wife Jane.

To son-in-law Thomas Allenn and hrs., 200 A. out of “Dear Park” and “Bare Garden,” sd. tract to be e. n. e. of plantation where son Ninian formerly lived.

To son Thomas and hrs., residue of afsd. tracts, also 200 A. “The Goar” on e. branch of Potomack and 60 A. “Addition to the Goar” and personalty, to be for himself at age of 17. Sd. son dying without issue his portion of “Dear Park” and “Bare Garden” to son Archibald, and two tracts last named to son James.

To wife Jane and hrs., personalty, to divide the residue of personal estate with son Thomas, wife Jane to have charge of personalty bequesthed son Thomas until he arrives at age of 21.

To Clement Hill and hrs., other half of “Cool Spring Level,” half of which has been conveyed by deed of gift to dau. Ellinor Offutt.

Test: George Wells, Samuel White, William Beall, Elizabeth White. 21. 159.

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Archibald Edmonston-1670

By Kathy Davis June 25, 2007 at 07:47:36
Just some info I have on Archibald Edmonston. 1696 EDMONSTON, ARCHIBALD PrinceGeorgesCo MD 546 PetitionersMD Early Census Index MDS1a979329

Edmonston (Edmondson), Archibald,Prince George's Co.,13th Mch., 1734; 28th June, 1734.

To sons James and Archibald, daus, Mary Beal, Ellenor Offutt, Ruth Orme, Martha Allen and granddau. Jane Allenn, personalty.

To dau. Martha Allenn and hrs., dwelling plantation, “Dunkell,” at decease of wife Jane.

To son-in-law Thomas Allenn and hrs., 200 A. out of “Dear Park” and “Bare Garden,” sd. tract to be e. n. e. of plantation where son Ninian formerly lived.

To son Thomas and hrs., residue of afsd. tracts, also 200 A. “The Goar” on e. branch of Potomack and 60 A. “Addition to the Goar” and personalty, to be for himself at age of 17. Sd. son dying without issue his portion of “Dear Park” and “Bare Garden” to son Archibald, and two tracts last named to son James.

To wife Jane and hrs., personalty, to divide the residue of personal estate with son Thomas, wife Jane to have charge of personalty bequesthed son Thomas until he arrives at age of 21.

To Clement Hill and hrs., other half of “Cool Spring Level,” half of which has been conveyed by deed of gift to dau. Ellinor Offutt.

Test: George Wells, Samuel White, William Beall, Elizabeth White. 21. 159.

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THE SCOTCH-IRISH OR THE SCOT IN NORTH BRITAIN, NORTH IRELAND, AND NORTH AMERICA

CHAPTER XXXIX THE EMIGRATION. FROM ULSTER TO AMERICA

The death of the Queen had caused a dissolution of the Irish Parliament. In 1715, a general election took place, and a few Presbyterian candidates were successful in northern constituencies. Clotworthy Upton and Sir Arthur Langford were returned for the county of Antrim, Hugh Henry for Antrim borough, George Macartney for Belfast, Archibald Edmonston for Carrickfergus, and Hercules Rowley for county Derry. A desperate effort was made to keep out Colonel Upton, but, notwithstanding the fury of the territorial aristocracy, he was supported by a majority of the Presbyterian freeholders.

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Jane Beal , married Archibald Edmonston Sr. (b. 1680, Duntreath, Scotland, d. 1737, Prince George County, Maryland). One of their children was Archibald Edmonston, Jr. (b. 1734 in Prince George County, Maryland , d. 1787 in Calvert County, Maryland.) He married Blanch Hannah Shane (b 1754 --) in Calvert County. One of their children was Reuben Edmonston (b. 1802, Todd County, Kentucky, d. 1892, Weakley County, Tennessee). Reuben Edmonston was one of the first settlers of Weakley Co.

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Archibald Edmonston the son in law of Col. Ninian Beall.Appearing in New Scotland Hundred of Prince Georges County,Md. abt. 1707. He must have come to America with great wealth as he immediatly began acquiring land in that area and just west of there. Does anyone know of his origins in Great Britain.Edmonstons were staunch Presbyterians and had established a church in Ulster as early as 1609. Washe was from Fifeshire, Scotland?

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Ancestral Records and Portraits vol 2p. 468-9

A settler in Talbot County, Md., 1685, Archibald Edmonston (son of Thomas, son of John), is first mentioned in the land records at Annapolis in a transfer of an assignment of one thousand acres, called "Beall's Camp," by Colonel Ninian Beall's patent, dated 1689. He was known after 1700, as "Colonel," and patented extensive tracts of land in Prince George's County, later divided into Frederick, Montgomery and Washington Counties. He married Jane, the youngest daughter of NINIAN BEALL, and is said to have succeeded his father-in-law as Commander .

of Prince George's County Militia. He died 1733. Issue:

James, married his cousin Mary Beall; he was Justice of Montgomery County, and Captain of Colonial Militia; Archibald, married Dorothy Brooke; Ruth, married the Rev. John Orme.72

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Colonial Families in the U.S.

VI. Jane, m. Col. Archibald EDMONSTON, d. 1733, who emigrated to Maryland circa 1680-83 and settled in Prince George's Co.

• 1. Captain James EDMONSTON, b. 1669; d. 1753; one of the Judges of Prince George's Co., 1741-51; m. Mary BEALL, dau. of Ninian BEALL, Jr.
• 2. Mary EDMONSTON, m. James BEALL, Jr., son of James BEALL, Sr.
• 3. Archibald EDMONSTON, d. 1779; m. Dorothy BROOKE, b. 1709, dau. of Roger and Elizabeth (HUTCHINS) BROOKE. (See BROOKE, Col. Fam. 1907.)
• 4. Elinor EDMONSTON, m. Edward OFFUTT.
• 5. Jane EDMONSTON, b. 1693; d. 1750; m. William SMITH, Esq., of Prince George's Co., Md.
• 6. Ninian EDMONSTON, d. yng.
• 7. Ruth EDMONSTON, m. 14th Mar. 1720, Rev. John ORME of Prince George's Co., Md. (See ORME.)
• 8. Martha EDMONSTON, m. Thomas ALLEN.
• 9. Thomas EDMONSTON, m. Ruth OFFUTT.

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jane pottenger beall, daughter of Ninian and Ruth Beall married Col. Archibald Edmonstone one of their daughters Mary Anne Beall Edmonstone married James Beall (of Alexanderand Elizabeth Coombs of Alexander Beall and Margaret Ramsey of Maryland )

Born: c. 1667 Prince Georges County, Md. Died: 28 June 1734 Prince Georges County, Md.

Wife: Jane Beall of Colonel Ninian Beall and Ruth Moore Born about 1652 Prince Georges County, Md. Died about 1745 (found on internet that she died before 1733, see text below)

Father: Thomas Edmonstone, circa. 1648-1690

Will dated March 13, 1734

Children:

James Edmonston, 1697-99 to 16Oct1753, Both in Prince Georges Co., Md. Mary Ann, married James Beall of James Beall and Sarah Pierce Archibald (#2), Prince Georges County, Md., buried 14 April 1787 Eleanor, 1682-unk. Married 10Nov1735 to Edward Offutt Margaret (from WEB) born 1700-08, died after 1740. Married 1728-32 to James Beall of Alexander Beall and Elizabeth Dick Ninian, born 1704, Died 1753, Prince Georges County, Md. (Both) Ruth, Born about 1688. Married about 1708 to John Orme Martha, Born about 1689, Married about 1705 to Thomas Allen Thomas, Born About 1690, married about 1715 to Ruth Offutt Jane, Born about 1715, Married 1730 to Samuel Beall of Ninean Beall and Elizabeth Magruder

Remarks: A lot of the above information came off the internet, & a lot of it contains conflicting dates.

From the book “My Edmonstons and a few more” by Charles Ninian Edmonston (1903-1979) :

In a genealogy compiled by Dorothy Edmonstone Zimmerman Allen, "Zimmerman, Allen and allied families" published about 1902, there is the following, in part. "Our ancestor, Archibald Edmonstone, according to tradition, reached Maryland about 1680-83. All indications point to the conclusion that he was from the family settled in County Antrim, in Ireland. The Edmonstones of Red Hall and Braidens Island. The Presbyterians in Ireland suffered greatly for their faith. Briggs, in his history of American Presbyterians says, "During the troublous times from 1670 to 1680 a considerable number of families removed from the North of Ireland to the Barbadoes, Maryland and Virginia. "After the Battle of Worcester, 3 Sept 1651, the commissioners in Dublin issued a proclamation for removing the popular Scots of Ulster. This Proclamation specified the conditions on which it was proposed to transplant the leading Presbyterians in the Counties of Down and Antrim to certain districts in Munster. The Proclamation was accompanied with a list of 260 persons including all those who by their known attachment to monarchical and Presbyterian principles and by their station and influence were most obnoxious to the reigning faction.," That was from "Scotch-Irish in America," by Hanna, Vol. I/page 604. "The fact that Capt. Edmonstone, evidently an active rebel was banished to Munster, made it easier for his son to take ship to America. Possibly poverty as well as religious persecution drove him, Archibald, to our shores; tradition says, to Baltimore County, Maryland. The first mention of the name in either deed or archives places him in Prince Georges County, where a band of Scotch immigrants were already established. The leading Scotsman at that time, one Ninian Beall, was settled on the Western Shore of Maryland. Archibald Edmonstone married his daughter, Jane." In the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore, there is the following account. #51932. Filing Case A. Mrs. Harvey Thomas' genealogical collection. It contains a letter from Washington, D. C. to Mrs. Anne H. Thomas. "Dear Madame: A Thomas Edmonston, a relative of my mother, Catherine Anne Edmonston, whose father; Ninian Edmonston was my grandfather, called at my office. He is a lawyer and his visit was some years ago. He told me that he had just returned from Scotland and had called on Admiral Edmonston, a member of Parliament, of the House of Duntreath, Scotland, and through him had procured a genealogy of the Edmonston family, printed in pamphlet form in Glasgow. Having heard my mother say that she was decended from the Royal House of Scotland. The Edmonstons were Scotch, of the House of Duntreath. Margaret Edmonston married on of the heirs of the throne of "The Candlemilk:" branch of the Royal House of Stuart. The Christian names such as Basil, Archibald, Robert, etc., are still in use and come down to the present time. "The Edmonstons were all Roman Catholics when the House of Stuart was in bad odor; a large number of them, as exiles, came to America and first settled in Baltimore County and then settled throughout Prince Georges County and Montgomery County, Maryland. Having an abundance of wealth they bought large tracts of land and deeded a good portion of it to various persons for 99 years as was customary in those days. Edmonston Avenue in Baltimore is named after the Family. (The avenue mentioned is Edmondson Avenue and is said to have been named for another branch of the Family who may or may not be related.) The Beall and Orme Families intermarried with the Edmonstons." The letter was written by George B. Towles. His mother, Catherine Anne or Kitty Ann Edmonston was a daughter of Brooke Edmonston )1771-1820) who was a son of Ninian and Dorothy Edmonston.

Another version of the Edmonston family beginnings comes from a report of the General Records Commission, Dist. Of Columbia D.A.R. 1934-1936, Vol. 29, part one in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. pages 212-213. Presented by Mrs. Kathleen Birch from a letter written by Samuel Boots Edmonston, St. Louis , Missouri, 1885. He says: "In the year 1063, three years before the Battle of Hastings, England, William Edmonston, son of County de Edmont, a Duke in Flanders, accompanied Queen Margaret of Flanders to marry King Malcolm Canmore of Scotland. His portrait is in Holy Rood Palace, Edinburgh. William Edmonstone, ancestor, founded the House of Edmonston in Scotland 1063. "About 1670, Thomas Edmonston, with his son, Archibald, came from Scotland, together with Col. Ninian Beall, William Offutt, and others, some seventy persons in all, settled on lands, afterwards Georgetown. Archibald Edmonston married Jane Beall. Their children were: James, Mary Beall, wife of James Beall, Ruth Orme, wife of John Orme, Eleanor, wife of Edward Offutt, Archibald, Ninian, Martha, wife of Thomas Allen, and Thomas. The grandparents of Samuel Boots Edmonston were William Edmonston and Elizabeth Mackaye." Very interesting and may be partly true. Just one more sample of the Edmonston Family beginnings should be sufficient. In "Missouri, the Center State" 1821-1915 Illustrated. Chicago-St. Louis Vol. III by S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., page 300, there is a story of the Edmonston family contained in a biographical sketch of Archibald T. Edmonston. "Archibald T. Edmonston, Supervisor of State, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1915. Born in St. Louis, Dec. 12, 1870. His father was Samuel B. Edmonston of Georgetown, D. C. and a direct descendant of Archibald Thomas Edmonston, the first colonial owner of what is now Washington, D. C. He held the grant from Charles I and the Stuarts before the execution (regicide) and in the subsequent reign of Cromwell. Archibald T. Edmonston, the American progenitor married a daughter of Col. Ninian Beall, the founder of Georgetown. The family estates in Scotland was Dumbarton and all his ancestors were Scotch and of the Stuart Clan. The Edmonstons originally went to England nine hundred years ago with William the Conqueror. The first Edmonston, historically reported, married Margaret, a daughter of Bruce, the First King and Stuart of Scotla As before noted, I have not found any evidence to support the claim that Archibald Edmonston was a son of a Thomas Edmonston although it is very probably true since the name, Thomas, is in almost all the Edmonston families who descended from him. There is an appraisal for an estate of a Thomas Edmonston in the records of Prince Georges Co., Maryland, dated 1698, but no other record of him that I was able to find. In Talbot Maryland, the County, there was a Thomas Edmondson and his family and descendants who were Quakers, probably from England, but there seems to be no records of his being involved in any way with the family of our Archibald Edmonston. There are various Edmondson Families in Virginia who came to that colony in very early times, but again, there appears to be no connection with ours. In a recorded statement made in 1733, Archibald Edmonston gave his age as "sixty-odd Years" so that the date, 1667 is as close as I can come to estimating his birth date. His birthplace then could have been either Scotland, Northern Ireland, or even Maryland,. The date of his first appearance in Maryland too is a matter conjecture unless more records can be found than the one given by Dorothy E. Z. Allen. In her book, Dorothy Allen, page 83 wrote: "In a deed concerning land claimed by two parties is this: ' Sept. 29th, 1731, Archibald Edmonston, aged sixty years and upwards, being duly sworn, etc'" The upwards being indefinite. The date of his death can be established as being between 13 March 1734 when he made his will, and 20 June 1734 when it was proven. From Will Book TD Folio, 159. Prince Georges County Wills. He was married to Jane Beall, daughter of Ninian Beall as shown by a record of a deed of gift of a female slave from Ninian Beall to Archibald Edmonston. Book E Page 68 Land Office, Prince Georges County Maryland. "Out of love and affection…toward my loving son-in-law, Archibald Edmonston, I give and devise 1 negro woman called Moll, age 16 years, etc." While Ninian Beall, at this time, did not give the name of the wife of Archibald Edmonston, she is mentioned by name in the will of her husband.. (I found 28June1734 on the Internet as being his date of death, which conflicts with the above - Ernest Edmonston). In a deed dated 16Feb1704, Ninian Beall sold to Archibald Edmonston, for seven thousand pounds of tobacco, the plantation called "Dunkell", of which there will be more later. In this deed, Archibald Edmonston is described as a carpenter. Ruth Beall, wife of Ninian Beall, acknowledged the deed or in effect wived her dower rights to the land. There were 490 acres of land altogether, mentioned in this deed. Two other parcels of land, one called "The Gore" and another, called "The Meadows" were sold at the same time by Beall to Edmonston. Others have stated that Archibald Edmonston assumed the rank of Colonel of Prince Georges County Militia when his father-in-law became a member of the Maryland Assembly. I have not found it expedient to explore any of his military achievements. Records about the time of his death call him "Captain". He did become the owner of large tracts of land in Prince Georges County and he made gift deeds to his sons and sons-in-law by which we may prove that Smith was married to a daughter, Jane Edmonston, who was not mentioned in his will.

I obtained a facsimile copy of the will. It was written by someone other than himself, but signed by him in a very shaky hand which would indicate that he was either very weak or very ill at the time of signing. The text of the will with punctuation added by me. "IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I, Archibald Edmonston of Prince Georges County, in the Province of Maryland, being in good health of body & of sound and perfect mind & memory, praise therefor given to Almighty God, I do make & ordain this, my present last will and testament in manner and form as followeth: "First, I commend my soul into ye hands of Almighty God, hoping through ye induring Death and Paftition of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, to obtain pardon & forgiveness for all my sins & to inheritt 2. EDMONSTON, Archibald (Colonel), Continued

everlasting life & my body I commit to ye earth to be decently buried at ye discretion of my wife, Jane Edmonston, whom I leave & appoint to be by sole administratrix over my whole personal esteat & to sech temporal efsteat as itt hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth: "Imprimis: Itt is my will that all my debts & funeral charges be paid without suite of law or trouble by administratrix above mentioned. "Item: I give my son, James Edmonston, all my wearing apparell. "Item: I give unto my daughter, Mary Beall, the sum of four pounds. "Item: I give unto my daughter, Eleanor Offutt, the sum of four pounds. "2. EDMONSTON, Archibald (Colonel), Continued

Item: I give unto my daughter, Ruth Orme the sum of five pounds. "Item: I give unto my son Archibald Edmonston the sum of twenty shillings and my cane. "Item: I give unto my daughter, Martha Allen, my now dwelling Plantation with the land thereunto belonging, itt being part of a tract of land called, Dunkell, unto her & her heirs forever, after the decease of my wife, Jane Edmonston. "Item: I give unto my son-in-law, Thomas Allen, two hundred acres of land to be laid out of the two tracts of land, ye one called, "Dear Park", ye other, "Bare Garden" Enlarged, to be laid out on ye outermost bounds of ye sd two tracts to ye east north east of ye plantation my son, Ninian formerly lived on and joyning to my son, Archibald Edmonston's land. To him and his heirs forever. "Item: I give unto my daughter, Martha Allen, one negro man named Sam & a feather-bed & furnitue. "Item: I give unto my grandaughter, Jane Allen, one pound five shillings to pay for a year's schooling. "Item: I give unto my son, Thomas Edmonston, ye remaining part of the two tracts of land before mentioned called "Dear Park" & "Bare Garden Enlarged" & also a tract of land called "Ye Goar" containing sixty acres with the improvements on all ye aforesaid lands & also one malato man called John, or Jack, one negrow girl named Doll, to him & his heirs forever." "Item: It is my will that if my son, Thomas Edmonston, die without heirs of his body lawfully begotten that those two tracts of land called "Dear Park" & "Bare Garden Enlarged" fall to my son, Archibald Edmonston & those called "Ye Goar" & "Ye addition to ye Goar" to my son, James Edmonston. "Item: I give unto my dear and loving wife, Jane Edmonston, one negrow woman called Moll and one other negrow woman called Sarah; one other called Clare also two other negrow men called, Cephas & Ammodo, to her & her heirs forever. "Item: I give ye remaining part of my personal esteat to be equally divided between my wife, Jane Edmonston & my youngest son, Thomas Edmonston. Item: Itt is my will that ye negrow & malato, with ye part of ye personal esteat before left to my son, Thomas Edmonston until he arrive at ye age of twenty-one years that he have his education out of ye labor of ye negro and malato & that esteat left him be kept in my wife's pofsefsion for him till he arrive at the age of twenty-one years. "Itt is my will that my son, James Edmonston & my wife, Jane Edmonston inspect into ye behaviour & deportment of my son, Thomas Edmonston & he to be under their controlment during his minority. "Item: I give unto Mr. Clement Hill & his heirs forever ye other half part of parcel of a tract of land called, "Cool Springs Level" according to ye quantity and Quality fo land ye one half of which I have conveyed by deed of gift to my daughter, Elenor Offutt. "Item: I do hereby revoak & make nell all former wills by me made as sitnefs my hand & seal this thirteenty day of March one thousand, seven hundred thirty-four. Archibald Edmonston (Seal) Signed, Sealed, Acknowledged, Published and declared in ye presence of us, George Wells, Samuel White, William Beall, Elizabeth White." George Wells, William Beall & Samuel White, three of the subscribing witnefses to the within will solemnly swear on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God. Deposed and swore that the testator within mentioned, sign, seal this instrument and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last will & testament. That at the time of his so doing he was, to the best of their apprehension & judgement, of sound and disposing

2. EDMONSTON, Archibald (Colonel), Continued

mend & memory and lastly that they subscribed their names as witnefses to the said will in the presence of said testator & at his request. "Sworn to before me this 20th day of June, 1734. D. Dulany, Comm. Liber ST #238. Recorded in Will Book TD Fol 159 Prince Georges County wills. Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland. Somehow, writers of Edmonston history gave out the information that Jane Beall Edmonston predeceased her husband. In Box 9 Folder 32 of the Hall of Records in Annapolis, Md. There is a recorded in 1734 Archibald Edmonston's estate inventory signed by his executrix, Jane Edmonton. Recorded in Liber DD 1, Folio 70, also recorded in Liber ST, Folio 216. "Jane Edmonston, Exec. Of Archibald Edmonston, do make oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that the within is a true & perfect inventory etc. D. Dulany, Comm." "An inventory of the goods, chattels, rights and credits of Capt'n Archibald Edmonston, late of Prince Georges County dec'd, apprised by us, the subscribers, in current money this eleventh day of September,

A.D. 17342." A detailed list of the inventory would be too lengthy for this work and would add little of val ue to it. The estimated total of 418, 11 shillings and 8 1/2 pence was given by Henry Wright and Wm Smith Appraisers. Jno Magruder and James Bosswell were creditors and James Edmonston and John Beall were kin.

In her book, "Sidelignts of Maryland History", Hester Dorsey Richardson gives, on page 34, "Cool Springs Level, granted to Archibald Edmonston, April 28, 1717, 592 acres on the road from Offutt's Cross Roads to the Great Falls of the Patomac on the north bank of this road." Page 38, "Bear Garden Enlarged, surveyed for Archibald Edmonston, Nov. 10, 1716. 1265 acres. On the same page, Deer Park, Surveyed for Archibald Edmonston Feb. 14, 1720. 682 acres. This grant lies between West Point and East Point Branches. Mrs. Richardson did not document these statements.

JANE (BEALL) EDMONSTON, Wife of Archibald (1)

In book DD 2 Inventories of Prince Georges County, Md., there is a record of the inventory of the chattels of Madame Jane Edmonston's whole estate. The Administrator was James Edmonston. The inventory was dated 13 Oct. 1745 which would indicate that she probably died sometime during that year. The year of her birth has been given by others as about 1685, so she would have been about thirteen when her son James was born in 1698 according to a record which will be mentioned later. Indulging in my own form of guesswork, I would say that she must have been born between 1670 and 1680. No exact record, so far as I know, has been found of her birth, marriage, or death date. Here father was Ninian Beall, at times known as "Ringing Bell" and the name Beall is pronounced, "Bell". Her mother was Ruth Moore. Other researchers and writers have done a better job of writing the history or biography of Ninian Beall, so that I will merely repeat some of the things they said. He was born, they say, in Scotland about 1625 and was married once before he came to America and had two children by that first marriage. Then, so tradition tells us, he was captured by Cromwellian troops at the Battle of Dunbar, 3 Sept. 1650. He, with others , were taken to England and tried on a carge of rebellion, found guilty and sentenced to a term of servitude in the British Plantations. Some say the term was seven years. Further, it is believed that his contract of bondage was bought by a William Hall, who is supposed to have taken him to the Barbadoes before bringing him to Maryland. Whether or not the story is true in every detail, it at least makes for interesting speculation. His will, Will Book 1, page 92, Prince Georges County Wills was made 15 Jan. 1717, and signed with his mark which would probably indicate that he was too ill or weak to write his signature as he had on other earlier documents. In the will, he bequeathed to his son, George, his Rock of Dunbarton Plantation, the present site of Dunbarton Oaks in Georgetown D. C. His son-in-law, Andrew Hambleton was mentioned as was another son-in-law, Joseph Belt. The two children of a deceased son, Ninian Beall Jrreceived bequests of land. Also mentioned was a son, Charles. The will was witnessed by John Bussey, Rebecca Gotward, and Edward Gillett. It as proved 28 Feb. 1717. Other members of his family were not mentioned in the will. We are most interested in his daughter Jane, who married Archibald Edmonston and in the son and Daughter, Mary and Samuel Beall, children of his son, Ninian Beall, Jr., and his wife, Elizabeth Magruder, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Bell) Magruder.

External Links

• Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties., Colonel Archibald Edmonston Tree: https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0083...
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHD5-N2K

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• FOLLOWING RECORDS DISCOVERED BY GEORGE ARTHUR TRAIL IV
• (Maryland Prerogative Court Records Abstracts 1685-1701) "....May,9, 1689...Thomas Ellis (deceased)...Calvert County...Appraisers: Robert Edmunson (also Robert Edmundson) and John Chittam.." ( This is the first record that Robert Edmonston, documented father of Archibald, ever appears in the Maryland records.)
• Maryland Probate Records, Prerogative Court Abstracts 1688-1698......1694....John Abington (merchant)...Calvert County....Feb. 19, 1694....List of debts:......Daniel Danielson, Archbold Edmondson, Edward Fenick......John Davis, Robert Edmonson, Charles Walker..." ( This is the first record Archibald Edmonston appears in the Maryland records.)
• Maryland Probate Records, Prerogative Court Abstracts 1688-1698......April 2, 1695....William Nuthead (deceased)....Saint Mary's County....List of debts:.........Thomas Waughop, Maj. Beall, Robert Edmundson, William Haymes......." ( Maj. Beall was one and the same as Ninian Beall who apppears right next to the father of his future son in law Archibald Edmonston in the list.)
• (P.G. Land Records, Vol. A,p.3)....Sept. 24, 1695.....Deed of Gift...From; John Browne of Calvert County, planter To; Thomas Davice of Calvert County, and Honnor his wife, during their natural life. Price; Love and affection Property; the east part of a tract called "Warmister".......witness; Edward Willet, Archable Edmonson, William Powell.."
• Prince George's County Circuit Court (certificates patented,PG)...1717..."Girl's Portion " for Mary Scott....100 acres...patented cert. 924......" I Thomas Fletchall ...sett over unto Mary Scott, daughter of William Scott.......to one hundred acres... witness my hand 1715....witness; Archibald Edmonston and William Scott.
• Baltimore County Court (Land Records).....Liber TR A pg.245...." This indenture made the twenty ninth day of October in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and thirteen (1713) between Archibald Edmundston of Prince George's County in the province of Maryland Carpenter and Jane his wife on the one part and Daniel Scott of Baltimore County...planter..for 5000 pounds of tobacco....to them in hand paid...by the said Daniel Scott...part of a tract of land called " Beals Camp"....at the head of a river called the Bush River...containing 1000 acres...as by the certificate thereof remaining upon record in the land office bearing date the twenty second of September one thousand six hundred and eighty three (1683).....witness: Robert Bradly and Patrick Hepburn
• Baltimore County Court (Land Records)...TR A pg. 307..." This indenture made the 30 day of August in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and fourteen (1714) between Archibald Edmondston of Prince George's County...carpenter..and Jane his wife of the one part and Daniel Scott Jun. of Baltimore County...planter.. of the other part....in consideration of ..3000 pounds tobacco...part of a tract of land called "Beals Camp"...Witness; Richard Rose, Henry Dick, and Robert Oram
• Baltimore County Circuit Court (certificates patented)..7/19/ 1749..."Beals Camp" for Aquila Scott....." The petition of Aquila Scott, Jacob Bull, John Bowen, Robert Clark and Thomas Smithson all of Baltimore County Humbley showeth that a certain Capt. Ninian Beal late of Calvert County had on the 22nd day of Sept. anno domini 1683 surveyed and laid out for him a tract or parcel of land called Beals Camp lying and being in Baltimore County on the head of a river called Bush River...containing 1000 acres...the aforesaid Capt. Ninian Beal afterwards gave all the aforesaid tract unto his daughter Jane who intermarried with a certain Archibald Edmonston of Prince George's County , the aforesaid Edmonston and wife having since sold and conveyed....all rights..unto the said petitioners....(Ref: MSA S1190-616..Patented Certificate 520A)