Dr. Thomas Gerard, Gent.

Not the son of Sir Thomas Gerard, 2nd Baronet Gerard of Bryn & Frances Gerard

Dr. Thomas Gerard

• Gender: Male
• Christened: 10 Dec 1608: Place: Winwick Parish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
• Died: 15 Dec 1673 Place: St. Mary's County, Maryland - Probate
• Buried: Place: Lower Machodoc Peninsula, Cople Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia
• Father: John Gerard (1584 - 16 Dec 1655)
• Mother: Isabel MNU Gerard (Bef 1592 - Aft 3 Apr 1632)
• Spouse: Susannah Snow (Abt 1613 - Aft 18 Oct 1667) 1 Married: 21 Sep 1629 Place: Winwick, Lancashire, England
• Spouse: Rose {Unproven} Allerton (1629 - 4 Feb 1713) Married: Aft 31 May 1671 Place: Westmoreland County, Virginia

  ---

IMMIGRANT

Thomas Gerard was born before 1610 in Newhall, Lancashire, England. He married Susannah Snow, daughter of Justinian Snow. He married Rose Newton. He followed his brother Richard to Maryland. Thomas Gerard died December 15, 1673 at Machodoc, Westmoreland, Virginia.

Note:

Among the neighbors of the Washington's, none were more conspicuous than Dr. Thomas Gerrard. His first wife, Susanna, was the daughter of Justinian Snow, one of the founders of Maryland and Lord Baltimore's factor in the Indian trade. Abel Snow, a clerk in the chancery office, London, and Marmaduke Snow were two other brothers. Dr. Gerrard was for a long time councillor, but was finally banished from Maryland for taking part in the resurrection of Josiah Fendall in 1659. Before this he had provided a refuge in Virginia, having obtained on October 18, 1650, a patent for land, and naming among the headrights his wife Susanna Gerrard, and his children Susanna, Temperance, Frances, Justinian, and John Gerrard. The same day Walter Brodhurst patented land next to William Hardwick, on the west side of "Poor Jack" Creek. As Walter Brodhurst had a son Gerrard, it raises the suspicion that his wife, Anna, who afterwards married Col. Washington, was perhaps a daughter of Col. Thomas Gerrard, as well as Washington's third wife Frances.

Origins

According to Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists by David Faris, Thomas Gerard, Gent., lord of St. Clement's, Basford, and Westwood Manors in St. Mary's County, MD, who removed to Virginia and died testate in Westmoreland County, VA in 1673, was the son of John Gerard, Gent. and his wife Isabel. The book states that they are named in the marriage settlement of Thomas Gerard and Susanna Snow dated 21 Sept 1629.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gerard-13

Married: Susanna Snow: Thomas and Susanna married 21 September 1629 "(date of marriage covenant)". Daughter of John Snow of Brookhouse, Staffordshire and his wife Eydreth,[3][6] Lancashire records include John Gerard's "Deed of Covenants" to John Snow and others, "made at the marriage of Thomas Gerard his son with Susanna Snowe",[7] although the marriage may not have taken place in Lancashire. Married at Winwick, Lancashire, England[8] Married at Brookehouse, Straffordshire, England[9]

Rose _____ (born about 1629), widow of Thomas Shepherd, (2) John Tucker. She and Thomas Gerard had no children. They married between 1671 (the year John Tucker died)[3] and 1 February 1672 (when Thomas wrote his will).[10]

Children by Susanna Snow (see Research Notes, below, also):

Sons

1. Justinian Gerard[3][11]
2. Thomas Gerard[3]
3. John Gerard[3][11]

Daughters

1. Susannah Gerard, married (1) Robert Slye,[12] (2) John Coode, and (3) John Washington[3][13] (also called "Hannah")[citation needed] Susannah is listed as eldest daughter of Thomas Gerard[14]
2. Elizabeth Gerard, married (1) Nehemiah Blakiston, Gent.,[3] (2) Ralph Rymer, (3) Joshua Guibert[15]
3. Frances Gerard, married (1) Col. Thomas Speke, (2) Col. Valentine Peyton, (3) Capt. John Appleton, (4) Col. John Washington,[13] and (5) William Hardwick[3][16][17]
4. Temperance Gerard, married (1) Daniel Hutt, (2) John Crabb, (3) Benjamin Blancheflower[3]
5. Patience Gerard, married Daniel Hutt[3][18]
6. Mary Gerard,[11] married Kenelm Cheseldine[3]
7. Anne Gerard,[citation needed][19] married (1) Walter Broadhurst, (2) Henry Brett, (3) Col. John Washington[13]

Rose's children by Jonathan Tucker:[20]

• John Tucker[21]
• Gerrard Tucker[21]
• Sarah Tucker,[21] married William Fitzhugh[22]
• Rose Tucker,[21] married (1) Ebenezer Blakiston,[23] (2) Edward Bathurst[22]

Rose married (4) "before 16 March 1676/7 John Newton."[3]

Thomas removed to Westmoreland County, Virginia in 1664,[3] where he died on 19 October 1673, at Mochoticks.[1]

His will was proved in Westmoreland County on 19 November 1673, and he was buried at St. Clement's, Maryland.[24]

Will

He left a will dated 28 January 1672/3 that was proved in Westmoreland County, Virginia on 19 November 1673.[24] The 28 January date is mentioned as a deed of gift in a transcription of his will, dated 1 February 1672.

The transcription of the will of "Col. Thomas Gerrard" from Lyon G. Tyler's "Washington and his Neighbors", is abstracted below:[10]

• Will of "Thomas Garrard of Machoticks", Westmoreland County, Virginia, dated 1 February 1672
• deceased wife Susanna Garrard
• eldest son Justinian Garrard
• youngest son John Garrard
• daughter Mary (not yet 21, not yet married)
• grandchild Garrard Payton
• executors: son John Garrard and wife Rose

His will also makes reference to his "three sonees and five Daughters yt shall survive me", giving 20 shillings sterling each for a mourning ring, and "also soe much for Sonnes in Law Daughters in Law & Grand-children in like manner." The will gives two mares for the use of Garrard Tucker (not yet 18), with their increase to be used "for ye advantadge and education & schooling of ye sd Garrard Tucker". The will also refers to a deed of gift "made ye 28th of Jany Last... for ye use of y four children in it mentioned."
Proved "19th 9ber 1673", Westmoreland County, by "Mr. Jno: Waugh Majr Isaack Allerton & Cap: Jno: Lee.

An abstract of the will of Thomas Gerrard "of Mathotick River, formerly of St. Clement's Manor, St. Mary's Co." recorded in Maryland included the following information:[11]

• "5th Feb. 1672
• "15th Dec. 1673"
• daughter Mary
• eldest son Justinian
• wife Rose
• young son John
• "other 3 sons and 5 daus., sons-in-law, daus.-in-law grand-child.; viz:
• "Gerrard Paten and
• "Gerrard Tucker at 18 yrs. of age, and to
• "John Wauge, personalty."
• son Gerrard (executor, with wife Rose)
• Test: John Wauge, Isaac Allerton, John Lee.
• "Testator desires to be buried by deceased wife Susanna. 1. 567."[11]

Note: Above are abstracts, but the wording in the Maryland source[11] makes it clear that she and Thomas did not have a male child at the time it was written. Wording in the full transcription[10] is less clear. However, the wording appears to be such that if they had any children before Thomas's death, those children would receive bequests. One source interpreted the wording to mean "that Rose is with child",[25] but that is usually expressed in Colonial Virginia wills as "the child my wife now goes with". My impression is that the February 1672 will and the January deed of gift it mentions were on the occasion of his marriage to Rose, who had been widowed in 1671. There might also be be some confusion with the old/new style dating (prior to 1752, the new year began in March).[26]

Source: “Magna Carta ancestry: a study in colonial and medieval families.” By Douglas Richardson, Kimball G. Everingham. (document attached)

---

References

• *Virginia Genealogies: A Genealogy of the Glassell Family of Scotland and ... By Horace Edwin Hayden GoogleBooks
• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I2245...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gerard-13
• Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families, 2nd Edition .…. By Douglas Richardson. Gerard. Page 144. < GoogleBooks >

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

Lord of the Manor, Patent Holder and Local Conservator of the Peace of St. Clement's Hundred in St. Mary's County, Member of Lord Baltimore's Council, Justice of the Provincial Court, Member of the Assembly, Physician, and Planter.

Thomas Gerard, surgeon, came from a well connected Roman Catholic family that was traced back to the time of the General Survey of the Kingdom 1078. His relative, Sir Thomas Gerard, Lord Baron of Byrne, was one of those who financed Cecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, proprietor of the Maryland colony. Dr. Gerard's first wife, Susanna Snow was the daughter of Justinian Snow, one of the founders of Maryland and Lord Baltimore's factor. Thomas Gerard's first visit to Maryland was in April 1638 when he arrived on the Ark and Dove. He had been chosen by the Lord Baltimore to aid in the development of the "Manor" System in Maryland and was issued one of the first manorial grants to be issued in Saint Mary's County. This was a patent for 1,030 acres which he called "Saint Clement's Manor" and which included Saint Clement's Island, the landing place of the first Maryland settlers in 1634. He sold his property in England and settled in Maryland, bringing over his family and forty servants. He continued to acquire property, and at the time of his death he owned 16,000 acres, mostly in Maryland. He practiced medicine in Maryland and Virginia. He was also very active in provincial politics. He served as juryman at Saint Mary's in May 1638, he was elected a burgess to the assembly from St Mary's in February 1639, he was commissioned by the Proprietor as "Conservator of the Peace" in March 1640, elected burgess from St Clement's Hundred in September 1640, and was appointed to the Provincial Council by a commission from Lord Baltimore in November 1643. In October 18, 1650, he obtained a patent for additional land in Virginia. In 1655, the Puritans of Maryland overthrew the Propriator's government. Lord Baltimore appointed Josiah Fendall to retake control. In March 1660, Fendall attempted to overthrow the proprietary government of Maryland and Thomas Gerard (who at this time was a commissioned member of the Provincal Council) was involved in this action which was called "Fendall's Rebellion". This was considered treason, and he was banished from Maryland. Subsequently, the Maryland Council "Desired that the Sentence of Banishmt be by the Governor pardoned and that the said Thomas GERRARD be had held and reputed as a Freeman of this Province to all Intents and pourposes Saving that he shall not at any tyme beare office within this Province, nor have voyce in Electing nor be Elected Burgess in any Assembly for the future Provided the said Gerrard make Recognizance of tenn thousand weight of tobacco, to the Lord Proprietary for his Good behaviour towards the Governmt here". (Archives of Maryland, Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1660—1661, volume 3, pp. 405-407.) After his first wife, Susanna Snow Gerrard died ca. 1666, he married again, Rose Tucker, and retreated to his property in Westmoreland County, Virginia, where he died at his estate, "Wilton." This home is still standing and I visited it years ago. It is private property. In his will he stated - "Testator desires to be buried by deceased wife Susanna".(Md Cal of Wills L 1 f 567)

During early years there was much intermarriage between families in Maryland and Virginia. Two of his daughters, Anne and Frances, married Colonel John Washington, the great-grandfather of George Washington, although they had no children by him.

Thomas Gerrard married 2nd, Rose Tucker, widow of John Tucker. When he died he was buried as he wished with his first wife, Susanna. The cemetery was washed away years ago.∼Thomas was born in Ashton In, Makerfield, Lancashire, England.
Gravesite Details

A large storm almost destroyed the home and the Gerrard graveyard gave way into the Potomac River.

References

1. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13021994/thomas-gerrard: accessed February 20, 2024), memorial page for Dr Thomas Gerrard (10 Dec 1608–16 Oct 1673), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13021994, citing Gerard Family Cemetery, Coltons Point, St. Mary's County, Maryland, USA; Maintained by Karen Mickel Bennett (contributor 46580610).
2. https://www.speakefamilyhistory.org/images/USA/colthomaspeke.pdf