John Neville

Disputed Origins

John Neville, one of the younger sons of Edward, Baron [A]Bergavenny, was drowned with his brothers Charles and Thomas, boating off Gravesend, in March 1616. This is obviously not the same person.

https://archive.org/stream/courtandtimesja00willgoog#page/n418/mode...

A John Nevill(e) is recorded as a transportee on the "Ark" (the "Dove" was a supply ship and carried mainly a small crew and much cargo). Whether it was *this* John Neville is not quite certain, as there seem to have been two men of the same name, one in Charles County, one in Calvert County. (On balance, though, the "Ark and Dove" Nevill(e) was probably the Charles County man.)

John Nevill(e) of Charles County wrote his will and died in early 1665 (late 1664, Julian calendar).

John Nevill(e) of Calvert County was still alive in Oct 1673, when he wrote *his* will.

That John Nevill(e) of Charles County was illiterate (so was the other John - they both signed with - different - marks) and indentured argues STRONGLY against any recent connection with any Neville family of prominence or wealth.

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1664[/5] Jan - will of John Neville of Port Tobacco, Charles Co., MD. I
give to my wife Johanna the real & personal estate in a deed of gift given to her. To my son William Nevill the plantation where I dwell. Moveables to be jointly divided between son William Nevil and daughter Ellen Lambert except that which I formerly gave by deed of gift to my wife and such other legacies here after named. To my son [in law] John Lambert my best suit of apparel & to my grandson John Lambert one filley foale. To my son [in law] John Lambert my horse foale. My son William Nevill to be administrator of my will and my son [in law] John Lambert and my loving friend William Price to be assistants and overseers. My cattle are not included in the moveables given to my daughter Ellen Lambert. All accounts between me and my friend William Price are to be balanced and I discharge him from a bill of 600 pounds of tobacco he owes Francis Wine. 7 (or 15?) Jan 1664. John signs by mark. Wit: Henry Bailye & Andrew Bashar (mark). Proved? 4 Feb 1664[/5] [Land Records, Vol. 1, p221-22]

This identifies two children, son William and daughter Ellen (married to John Lambert).

1674 - 14 Oct will of John Nevill, of Calvert Co, Gent, written 5 Oct 1673, was probated in Calvert Co, MD. To Richard Tillman, Talbot Co, 6--- lbs tobacco provided he demands no more satisfaction for my sickness, it being according to an agreement. Rest of estate to friend Patrick Sullivant of Talbot Co, planter, he to be exr. Wit: Ralph Blackhall of Kent Co, Jas Backhurst of Talbot Co. [Calvert Co Wills 1674-1704, vol. 2, p15-17 also Baldwin, MD Cal of wills v1:15; Gregory, Finley L Underwood & Mahala Dowden, p309] NOTE: The will was written 5 Oct 1673 the same day that the will of Dr. Richard Tilghman of Talbot Co. was written. One of Tilghman's pieces of property was Poplar Hill.

No wife, no child(ren).

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One source claims he was born in 1612.

The following is copied from the work of Joseph B. Neville, 2624 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, Az 85282 from his A 370 YEAR HISTORY OF ONE NEVILLE FAMILY (1612 - 1982) 1988

[After leaving Cowes, Isle of Wight, November 22, 1633, passengers of Lord Baltimore's vessels landed in Maryland the following March 25, 1634. In that company was John Nevill, not more than 22 years of age.

This date of March 25 was New Year's Day in 1634 because Great Britain then was under the Julian Calendar. The landing was on an island to which they gave the name, St. Clements. Shortly, they moved to the mainland and established the colony at St. Marys.

A historical note of interest is that Harvard College had been founded in Massachusetts in 1633.

A discussion of the spelling of John's surname seems appropriate here. The various branches of the noble family seem, with general uniformity, to have used the Neville spelling; but family members not in line for succession to a title (for instance sons other than the eldest) probably spelled the name in various ways. In the Archives of Maryland it regularly spelled Nevill, but in one volume Neuill is used. Among John's descendants we find Neavil, Neavill, Nevil, Nevill, Neville, and Nevils. Spelling was not a problem for John, he could not write.

John Nevill was among 15 "able men" transported by Leonard Calvert. As such a transportee, he apparently had certain obligations to fulfill before he could take his place as a "freeman". On March 14, 1637, he appeared before the Assembly and "claymed voice as freeman & was admitted". the record shows that immediately afterword he found himself on a jury in a murder trial in which the defendant was found guilty and promptly sentenced to be hanged. This was the first of many cases in which our ancestor was plaintiff, defendant, witness, or juryman. And, later in Charles County, he acted nine times as attorney for others.

In 1639 John transported his first wife, Bridget Thoresby, presumably from England. He demanded and received 400 acres of land for transportation of his wife and himself. This would further indicate that he had repaid Governor Calvert. This land is believed to have been in St. Michael's Hundred.

Maryland leaders were Roman Catholic, but most of the people were Protestant, and John Nevill, and Anglican, was in this majority. In 1642 Lord Baltimore sent word to other colonies that all creeds would be protected, and soon thereafter Puritans began arriving from Virginia. In 1648 the Puritan agitator, Richard Bennett, led several hundred followers to Maryland. This man bought land from John Nevill in 1650 and was appointed governor of Virginia in 1652.

It appears not long after John Nevill became a freeman that he began to be addressed as "goodman", a title reserved for the middle class. Wives of goodmen often were called Goodie, as "Goodie Nevill". Eventually John became a gentleman and was known as John Nevill, Gentleman.

John and Bridget's first child, James, was born about Christmas 1640. Later, one Richard Garnett "demanded of John Nevill 150 lbs. of tob. due for 1 barrell of corne for two months diett of his wife at and afore her lying in, about xmas, 1640"

Daughter Ellen (or Eleanor, as Newman calls her) was born about 1642.

Boogher found a second son, John. Whom lived from about 1646 to 1672. He is not know to have married.

By 1651 Immigrant John Nevill had married his second wife, Johanna Porter. In the following year he demanded 100 acres of land for the transportation of Joan Porter "whom I bought of Thomas Doynes" according to Newman, page 240. This may indicate that Doynes had originally paid Johanna's passage. With Johanna, John's life took a definite turn, which must have been caused largely by Johanna's temperament. Volume 53 of the Archives on page xvi mentions John Nevill's "virago of a wife". At one time Goodie Nevill and one Goodie Dod had a regular name-calling, hair-pulling, and nail-scratching street fight over a scandalous charge uttered by Johanna against Mary Dod. the affair is set out in Billingsgate language at its crudest in Archives, Volume 53, beginning on page 376. Goodie Nevill was found guilty of assault and battery and forced to pay damages of ten groats, a groat being worth fourpence.

John and Johanna had two children, William (1652-1700) and Rachel. It appears that William as an adult spelled his name Neville.

Johanna made a trip to England in 1656. In her absence John apparently became enamored with the charms of one Susan (Susanna) Attcheson, wife of James Attcheson, who filed adultery charges against John Neville.

In 1658 John Nevill filed a slander suit against a neighbor, Thomas Baker, whose "Slandering tounge" had defamed the character of Goodie Nevill. The frank, coarse, and vulgar language quoted in the case makes vivid reading. The only pleasant aspect of this case is that the Nevill's won the suit, and Baker was required on bended knee to ask their forgiveness. However, Goodie later testified that she "doath absolutly go in feare of her life of Thomas Baker".

For about the last 5 years of John's life, the Nevill home was at Portobacco in Charles County, where John died in 1664. His will is in the Salt Lake City Mormon Library. The record shows that he died on January 15 (Julian Calendar) and that his will was probated February 4. the will does not mention his sons, James or John, both grown men, or his daughter, Rachel, about six years of age. By August 1666, Johanna had married Thomas Hussey, Gentleman, who had testified for the Nevills in the Baker case.

John Nevill acquired considerable land in Maryland, and three of his farms were given names. One; "Nevill's Cross" is interesting, whether or not John knew anything about a monument in England of the same name. I should like to state definitely the location of each of John's homes and farms, but I cannot. I am setting out my guesses with the hope they may be helpful to some researcher more capable than I. Nevill's Cross may have been very near the mouth of the Patuxent River on the south bank. thomas Peteels, the farm sold to Richard Bennett in 1650, may have been near the present town of Poplar Hill, about 28 miles up the Patuxent. At the time, John's dwelling plantation was said to adjoin Thomas Peteels. Huckleberry Swamp, I believe must have been near the present town of Port Tobacco.

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After more than 15 years of researching our family, I remain convinced that our immigrant ancestor descended from the Nevilles of Abergavenny, a branch domiciled in Southern England. Since about 1450 the seat of this family has been at Tunbridge Wells.

Maurice Neville Blakemore in his THE BLAKEMORE FAMILY AND ALLIED LINES said; "I have done considerable research in England and have visited the castles and manors which belonged to several branches of the Neville family including the houses of Raby, Brancepeth, Warwick, Westmoreland, Latimer, and Abergavenny, the latter being the oldest barony in Wales. All these families were related and sometimes one member of the family inherited two or more baronies. Basing my opinion on personal investigations in England, which seem to agree with family traditions, I conclude that the American Nevilles are descendants of Ralph Neville of Raby and Westmoreland and probably through his youngest son, Edward Neville, who married Elizabeth, the only daughter of Richard Beauchamp, Lord Abergavenny and Earl of Worcester. Edward succeeded him as Lord Abergavenny in 1450, being the first Neville to hold the title which still is held by his descendant whose present residence is Eridge Castle, near Tunbridge Wells, 39 miles southeast of London."

Blakemore and others give details about the colonists. Others include William F. Boogher THE NEVILLE FAMILY OF MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA, Harry Wright Newman THE FLOWERING OF THE MARYLAND PALATINATE, Hester Dorsey Richardson SIDELIGHTS OF MARYLAND HISTORY, and ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND. This last has been published by the Maryland Historical Society, beginning in 1883. Most of the available court records can be found in the Archives, but no claim seems to be made that all are there. Volumes that would have been most helpful to Boogher were not in print when he did his research in and before 1902.]

Arrived St. Mary's, MD 1630 [sic!]

Source: Jesse Macon Lawrence, Jr.'s Rootsweb page: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&d... &id=I26283

William Fletcher Boogher showed James in his 1902 very first genealogy of the Neville family, other respected genealogists like H.W. Newman did not. The only work I know about by Newman was his "The Flowering of the Maryland Palatinate" in 1984, in which he devoted 7 pages to John and his children. In it Newman observes that John's last will, probated 1665, identified only one son, William, one daughter, Ellen Lambert, and one grandson, John Lambert. He mentioned that William may have married late in life, and that there was also a court record of a Thomas Nevill who may or may not have been William's son. Newman positively identified no male descendant of John in this work. He did find another daughter, Rachael, who was not shown in his will. By his will, John left his son William the plantation on which he (John) lived. The will also mentions a separate deed of gift to his wife Joanna. We know John had several plantations and more children (at least Rachael) than were shown in the will -- probably because they had been provided for earlier. I do not see anything in Newman's writing that precludes the existence of another son, James. In fact, Newman leaves with no Nevill ancestor at all that explains where any of us came from -- unless he had other writings of which I am not aware.

On the other hand, Boogher states: "James Neville, first of John and Bridget, born in 1640, at the Clefts in Calvert County , Maryland; settled in Northampton County Virginia in 1660-1, where on March 22, 1662, he obtained a warrant for 1300 acres of land (See Liber 4, Folio 339, Land Office of Richmond, VA) and where he doubtless married; settling later in Isle of Wight County. On March 6, 1674, James Neville, Sr., purchased 100 acres of land in Gloucester County, VA, in the name of his son John, then a minor, from Duncan Bohannan, formerly of Charles County, Maryland. It would appear from the records that the said 100 acres of land were deeded by Bohannan in settlement of the suit brought by his father, John Neville, Sr., against the said Duncan Bohannan, in Charles County, Maryland,in 1662. (See Liber 6, folio 549, Land Office, Richmond, VA)." This statement was quoted in footnote 1 to page 6 of J.B. Neville's "370-year History."

walkerjg@juno.com (James G. Walker)8/27/97

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Note: Milo K. Miles, of the Miles Files http://espl-genealogy.org/MilesFiles/site/index.htm , has so far only found one James Nevill(e) in Northampton County, and that one (fl. 1655-1683) was the only son of Richard Neville, carpenter (1625-before 2 Nov 1659).

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SOJND suggest that John Nevill with his "brother" Richard Nevill land on St. Clements Isle on 3-25-1634. In 1639, Pordinado Pulton demanded land for transporting Richard Nevill and "others" in 1633 (Maryland Land Office, Liber a.b-h, folio 150. Richard Neville acquied land in 1640 and was on the rent rolls of St. Marys and Charles Counties. On 10-14-1651, John Lewger demanded land for transporting persons amoung whom was Ann_______, now wife of Richard Neville. By citation we know that Johanna (Joan) Porter was the wife of John Nevill before 1-29-1652 when he demanded 400 acres already assigned to him and 100 additional for transporting Joan Porter, his wife. It would seem that he could not have married the same Ann sometimes attached to him in 1651 because she was the wife of Richard. I have seen it published that this Ann was Ann Burroughs. Can I assume that John Neville only had then two wives, Bridget Throsley whom he married in 1639 and Johanna Porter whom he married in 1651? Yet, it is said that by his "third" wife, he had a son William. In Johns will, he mentions only his wife Johanna, son William and daughter Ellen Nevill Lambert. John had a girl friend by the name of Susanna Attechson which he received 20 lashes for adultery and fornication......was there any Nevill issue by this little affair. I believe SOJND attached James Neville as a child of John, perhaps on the strength of Boogher, which I have never seen any proof be it birth, death, wills or land transactions (yet). There is evidently a record that James purchased land in the name of his son John b: 1661 who married Elizabeth Bohannen, whos five children are evidently documented by will. Now I'm old and my reason and logic is failing, however, I can not make the assumptions of the SOJND regarding the John descendants, nor can I "assume" that John b: 1612 "made provisions" for elder (non-documented) children outside of the provisions of his will. I believe the Ark and Dove Society did "not" list John as a passenger but (here we go again) determined he was by a "preponderance of evidence". They state he was a "mariner" and they set his birth date at 1618, chiefly because it was not until 3-14-1637-8 that he claimed voice as a freeman and was admitted to "the Assembly". It had something to do with the fact that if they accepted the birth date of 1612 then they had to assume he had fulfilled his freedom rights until that date which was in some sort of conflict with some other junk not reported (as usual), so who cares at this point anyway. The Ark and Dove Society I believe also could not find proof that Rachael (dau. of Johanna) who married Michael Ashford was his child. They just state that they definitely established Rachel as a child of John Nevill, but don't say how. I do not have any copies of the Ark and Dove Society papers, all I have seen is copies of letter "reporting" this to be fact.

Now as to John being a "Founder" I'd have to question this thinking and just call him another emigrant based upon what little I think I know, which is: John married Bridget and had a proven daughter Ellen Nevill Lambert. John married Johanna Porter and had a son William Neville. William reportedly married a Joan and one Sarah Noble and I do not know of any issue, thus I consider the John Neville b: 1612-1618 "line" dead in the water at this point. I am as anxious to attach myself to this John as most. My question, does anyone know anything about this "Richard" Nevill "reported" brother of John, or have we determined this was Richard Nevitt or Knevitt contrary to the "reported" facts. Does anyone have access to the Richard Nevill "evidence" as listed in part above? This James Nevill issue still has me bothered. Do we know for sure that James had a issue other than his documented son John. Excuse me, but where did the proof come from that he leaves one area is is found down the road a piece in Nort Carolina. Was there any "records" that show transactions between the individuals in the various areas or did we just happen to find another James down in Bath County , North Carolina and "assume". Unfortunately, these individuals, John Neville b: 1612 and his reported son James b: 1640 and the perhaps same or other James who appears in North Carolina ARE THE KEYS to a bunch of people on this list Jim Walker 8/28/97 _________________________________________________________

Shirley L Wilcox wrote:

I am of the definite opinion that much of what has been written on the > early Neville descendants of John is based on Boogher's 1902 report to > his client. Apparently many people never went to the trouble to check out > what he wrote to see if the sources were accurate or to see if they > agreed with his conclusions. In addition, I think there is an element of > many wanting to be connected to a noteworthy person & somehow being a > descendant of an Ark & Dove passenger is desirable. > > I have pulled out Boogher's report, and will make a few comments. His > first page talks about the derivation of the name & famous Neville's of > the past. That is fine as long as one does not assume that we > automatically connect to a certain Neville family just because we have > the same surname. On the second page Boogher says "Whether John Neville, > the founder of the family in America, descends from this ancient house of > France and England need not be discussed in these pages." If Boogher were > alive, I would ask, "Why even bring it up then? By including it, it > implies that there must be a connection." > > I would also question the statement that John is the founder of the > family in America. This is what has caused so many problems. Everyone is > trying to trace back to John, when in fact there appear to have been a > number of early immigrants of the Neville surname, and all the rest seem > to be ignored. > > Perhaps we need to keep in mind that Boogher was commissioned to do the > research & may have felt pressured by his client, to at least make > references to "possible" ties to the noteworthy families of Britain & > France. If you read it carefully, he only hints at a possibility, but > does not say it is so. > > I lived in Maryland from 1963-1978 and in the 1970s I made a number of > trips to the Maryland State Archives to check records. Several years before we > moved, I was going once a week. Our son was in a co-op 1/2 day morning > program, nursery school. One day a week there was an option of the child > staying for the afternoon. This was my day of "freedom" & I usually went > to Annapolis to pursue my love of genealogy. This was the only Branch of > my family that had possible ties to Maryland. > > By that time I had become friends with Ada Belle Allan. I would look for > records & send them to her. Boogher, to his credit, gave some citations, > for the early generations. Some I was able to verify, others I could not. > I looked at both published & unpublished sources (mostly originals; very > little was on microfilm). > > I will make a few comments about Boogher's work. He uses commas in some > citations where there should be a period. For instance he cites "Liber > A, B and H" which should be A.B.& H. As an aside, my recollection is that > the volumes were labeled with the initials of the clerk or officer in > charge. That is why they do not follow an alphabetical order. > > Very early records have been published in the Maryland Archives series. > In a number of instances I looked at the published version and the > original record.

Page 3 of Boogher's report mentions the stock mark of John Neville, but gives no reference. This can be found in the published Maryland Archives, Vol. 10, p9. It is also repeated in 1662 when he gave a cow named "Ring" to his son William (MD Archives, Vol. LIII, p214).

Page 3 also says that John Neville married three times. I believe that the Ann he found in records is Johanna, and that there were only two wives. I don't know if anyone has ever followed her. If she indeed was the sister of Margaret Porter who married Francis Pope (?Newman, Flowering of Maryland Plantinate, p?), records of Francis might be helpful. He was a sheriff & commissioner of the court; an important person in his time.

On page 4 Boogher mentions that "5 May, 1662 John Neville instituted a suit by attachment against Duncan Bohannan for debt. (Chancery record for Charles county 1662), and in 1664 this suit was continued by counsel on account of the death of the Plaintiff." I could never find this in either the published Maryland Archives or in the original records. It is hard to believe that Boogher would make this up. Note that the citation is very "loose"; there is no book/liber and page/folio number. It may be that the date or something else is wrong and has therefor sent us looking in the wrong place. Unfortunately, this is a crucial document if it indeed does connect with the Gloucester County family.

On 10 April 1979 I wrote to Joseph B. Neville to let him know that after several tries at the Maryland State Archives, I could not find the suit of John Neville vs Duncan Bohannan. On several occasions I asked staff at the Archives for help in finding the chancery suit. After telling them what I had already searched, all agreed that I had searched all possible places.

I was told there were no special chancery records kept at this time, they were part of the regular court proceedings. The record of court proceedings does not show that the court met on 5 May 1662. I found no court listed in session between 22 April 1662 and 8 July 1662, although it is always possible that the clerk failed to write in a court date.

Now, on 5 May 1662, the date Boogher gives, there is a bill in which John Benham agrees to pay James Lee by the 10th of November, 622 pounds tobacco, wit: Edward Leake, John Merehill. On the back of the bill James Lee assigned all his interest in the bill to John Nevill, 11 Feb 1662/3. Then on 11 Feb. 1662/3 James Lee gives John Nevill his power of attorney to recover the said bill. Wit: Humphery Haggate, George Thompson. Mr. Francis Pope [he was one of the court commissioners] who had more of Benhams tobacco in his hands than the bill amounted to, was then ordered to pay 622 pounds of tobacco to Mr. Nevill. (Charles County Court Proceedings, 1662-1666, published in Maryland Archives LIII:433-I have a photocopy).

My notes show that the above record was in a volume at the Archives labeled Charles County Land and Court Records, Vol. 1, B #1 and that originally only the right hand pages were numbered and then later all the pages were numbered in pencil. The original shows that the court date was 5 Jan. 1663, and that John Nevill having laid an attachment upon the estate of John Benham in the amount of 722 lbs tobacco, shows the following bill... then it goes on to the bill of John Benham to pay James Lee on 10 Nov next, 622 lbs tobacco, dated 5 May 1662. This is on page 113/225, according to my notes. I did not find a continuance. Maybe someone needs to look at the estate of John Benham.

I did find a 1664 continuance in the court record of 12 July 1664 (& also other dates) when it was ordered that John Nevills attachment against Mr. Henry Hudsons goods bee continued till the next court. (Chas County, Deeds B#1, p170-5/341-352). In what follows, & also in an earlier record, it appears that John Neville had an ordinary & that Henry Hudson who was a merchant and non-resident of Maryland, owed Nevill for food and lodging. When Henry Hudson posted security, 13 Oct 1663, using goods & cash, it was witnessed by John Lambert and William Nevill. (Chas County, Deeds B#1, p175/351-2). If this was John's son William, he was legally old enough to witness a deed. On 13 Sept. 1664 John Nevill was represented by his attorney William Price. The sheriff was ordered to appraise Hudsons goods & deliver to Nevill 2,259 lbs. tobacco as satisfaction of bill & costs. (Chas County, Deeds B#1, p181/364).

20 Sept 1664 John Nevill demanded a warrant against James Lee in action of a debt of 918 lbs tobacco (Chas County, Deeds B#1, p190/382) & the defendant was ordered to pay (p192/383-4). Perhaps this was the continuance Boogher referred to. If so, maybe I needed to follow it further to find the name of Duncan Bohannan.

Benham could possibly by a stretch be Bohannan, but the first name was John, not Duncan. Perhaps the record Boogher talks about was recorded in some other county. If it was in Maryland, one would expect it to have been abstracted in the published Maryland Archives. I have not searched all sources, Maryland & Virginia At this point I don't remember if I searched the Maryland Archives to see if Duncan Bohannan was in any of those records.

There is an index to Charles County Court Proceedings and Land Records. I was told Liber T & W have been lost. T was for 1694 and W was 1697; according to my notes, both had William Nevill references.

In 1996 Esther E. Gregory (I corresponded with her in 1986 & 1987) published "Finley L. Underwood and Mahala Dowden, Their Ancestors and Descendants". She cites a number of early Maryland records & ought to be studied if others have not done so. I quote from page 308: "There are some descendants of a James Nevill of Virginia who believe that he was the eldest son of John Nevill of Maryland, and was born at The Clefts about 1640. I tried very hard to find some proof of this. I read film of Charles County original records and the Maryland Archive books of the same records in print, and I did not find a single mention of a James Nevill or any indication that John Nevill had a son James."

She goes on to say, "I haven't found anything to prove that James Nevill was John Nevill's son. John Nevill's wife had a child in December 1640, which some researchers think was James. I think it was probably Eleanor, because I found nothing to give a different birth date for her. I found no mention of John Nevill transferring land or other property to James. I didn't find any time James served as a witness to a deed or ther document in the Records of Charles County, where John lived after it became a county. If John gave any property to James or to a John, Jr., the record should be in Charles County deeds, because they were mere boys when he moved to Charles County."

Has anyone ever researched John Courts as a possible relative? Maryland Archives, Vol. L III, Proceedings of County Ct. of Charles County 1658-1666 & Manor Ct. of St. Clemently Manor 1659-1672, p170-1: John Nevill of Charles County , planter, gives to John Court Jr (son of John Courts Sr of Charles Co) one black heiffer aged about 2 years. If John Court Jr dies before he comes of age then the heifer & her increase shall fall to his sister Elisabeth Courts. If she dies before she comes of age then the property to go to John Courts Sr., father of John Jr. & Elisabeth. Wit: William Price & Merely Quite.

On page 5 of Boogher's work, he says that Mrs. Johanna Neville, "doubtless married a second husband..." The records do show that by 13 August 1666 she had married Thomas Hussey (Chas County, Deeds, Book C #1,, p61-64). It seems strange that Boogher did not find this deed.

Given the dates of records in which William Neville was a witness, he may have been a child of Bridget, not Johanna.

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9/14/97 Notes for JOHN NEVILLE , SR.: This family is one of the oldest and greatest in English history. Various members of it have left an impress upon the story of the nation to which they belonged that will endure until the last legends of English history shall have been forgotten.

The Nevilles are of Normn-French descent. Lodger's history of the existing British peerage states that Henry De Newburgh, 2nd, son of Roger De B/Dellemonte and Earl of M/Nellant was the founder of the family in England and that the castle of Warwick, was conferred upon him by William the Conqueror, and mentions that in Normandy two (2) places were called Neville and at least eighteen (18) places Neuville.

While the authoriies do not entirely agree as to the origin of the family in England, yet it is beyond argument that Neville is a French name. Neville, Neuville and DeNewburgh, mean the same thing, and the beginnings of this family were undoubtedly in Normany, the North of France.

Note: There seems to have been some out-marriage with husbands taking their wives' Neville name circa the 12th century - one such case is known and a couple of others are strongly suspected.

The greatest of them all was Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the "King- maker" of England, who was beyond compare, the ablest and greatest subject of the English crown at any period of history.

John Neville, the founder of the family in America, descends from this ancient house of France and England need not be discussed in these pages. Possibly he belonged to one of the junior Branches and came to America in order to better the broken fortunes of his family. Much might be said in proof of this opinion; but it is not possible at this late date to support this contention by positive evidence from the America records.

Note: Which, bluntly, is bogus.

It is better to regard John Neville as a man of good family in his native land, but being of an active and enterprising disposition, determined to seek larger fortune in the New World. The valor of his descendants in the male lines in every war waged in this country and the domestic virtues of the women in the female lines, are the best tributes that can be paid to the courage and good qualities of John Neville who migrated to the colony of Maryland, not later than 1635.

Note: A man of "good family" would not be illiterate and would not wind up in someone else's debt for his passage. A yeoman, husbandman or working man might.

It is clear from the land records of Maryland that John Neville was a planter residing at the Clefts on the west side of the Patuxent river, in St. Mary's county, now Calvert, possessed of some means for at least four years as a single man, and about fourteen years before he made any demand upon the Lord Manor for lands due him under the law for transporting himself in 1635, and his wife Bridget in 1639, into the province of Maryland.

In 1639 he transported his first wife, Bridget Throsley, an English woman as appears from his affidavit dated November 8, 1639, in which he states te transported his said wife, Bridget of some twenty years previous. (See liber 4, folio 186 warrant land office, Annapolis, Maryland. In 1649, according to the law of the colony, John Neville recorded his stock mark (Right ear slit, left, Under-Kovled) from this we understand his herd was pasturing on the public lands as well as his own.

In 1649 John Neville demanded 200 acres of land for transporting himself and wife Bridget into the colony. (See liber A, D, and H, folio 27.)

In 1651 he demanded 400 acres of land which had been assigned to him by George Ackrick, and one hundred acres for transporting Johanna Porter, his now wife, and on August 1, 1651, "A warrant was issued to lay out for John Neville Five Hundred acres upon Wiccokomico river (now Wicomico) in Charles county, joining the lands of Thomas Mitchell then to the southward of the Paturent river not formerly taken up & etc." (See Liber A, B and H, folio 241, land office, of Maryland).

By his third wife there was born a son, William. In 1651 John Neville purchased five hundred acres of land in Charles county called Mooredith from Henry Moore and Elizabeth his wife. (See liber B, folio 89 which lands he deeded to his wife Johanna. Liber F, folio 23, Charles County record, land office of Maryland). In 1663, July 15/16, John Neville by deed from Robert Taylor for 300 acres of land in Charles county. (See liber B, No. 1, folio 84) and on Feb. 24, 1664, 400 acres by deed from Francis Armstrong, in Charles county (See liber B, No. 1, folio 92).

May 5, 1662, John Neville instituted a suit by attachment against Duncan Bohannan for debt. (Chancery record for Charles county 1662), and in 1664 this suit was continued by counsel on account of the death of the Plaintiff. John Neville died June 1664, as July of this year his will bearing date Jan. 7, 1664 was proven, in which are mentioned his wife Johanna and their son William, and his daughter Ellen Lambert, now wife of John of Charles county, and appoints his son William and his son-in-law John Lambert executors. He doubtless had provided for his elder children by deeds of gift or otherwise; hence no mention of their names in the will, this being a practice quite common in colonial times where there were more than one set of child (See will recorded in liber 1, No. E, folio 87) Letters testamentary, Provincial wills office, Annapolis, Maryland., (but not one of the regular Provincial will books.) By order of the court John Neville, Jr., was appointed as one of the appraisers of the estate of his father. (Liber 3, folio 242, Testamentary proceedings.) No report of final settlement of said estate by his executors has been found of record.

In 1665, Johanna Neville, widow of John, purchased additional lands in Charles county on Wicomico river (See Liber C, No. 1, folios 1 and 150.) In 1666 her son William also purchased a small tract of land in Charles county, (See Liber C, folios 61 and 150.) The date of the death of Mrs. Johanna Neville, relic of John, is not know. She doubtless married a second husband; hence her name as Neville is lost in the records, there being neither will, deed or intestate account to be found of her after 1665. As we have seen, the children of John Neville, the immigrant, by his three wives were four.

Attempts have been made to say that he was the son of a certain Lord Neville in England, but that lord's son John died while young.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Neville-262

Some genealogies show John Neville, the immigrant, as having three wives, viz; Bridget Thorsbey [Thorsley], Johanna (Joan) Porter, and Ann. Some other genealogists believe that this is an error. The documents in the Hall of Records at Annapolis, Maryland, show that he had only two wives, viz; Bridget Thorsbey [Thorsley] and Johanna (Joan) Porter.[3] Other records show that John Neville m. Bridget Thomsley [Thorsley] c. 1638/9 Clefts, Calvert, MD.[4]

According to state records, John Neville married Bridget Thorsbey in St. Marys County in 1639.[5] Issue:[6]

• James (b.1640 Clefts, Calvert Co., MD - d. btw 1696 - 1700) m. Elizabeth
• Eleanor
• Mary Neville
• Ellen Neville, m. John Lambert

In his will John Neville devised his wife, Joanna, the real and personal property formerly bestowed by deed of gift, and to his son, William, the dwelling-plantation. To his daughter, Ellen Lambert, he bequeathed personalty. These are the only children mentioned in his will.

The father of Rachel is unknown. This is confirmed by a lawsuit detailed in Archives, 53:380-382, and Charles Co. Court and Land Records, G:72, when Joanna and her second husband Thomas Hussey on 13 Nov. 1677 gave to Rachel Ashford, "natural daughter of Joannah and wife of Michael Ashford of Charles co., carpenter" a tract on the west side of Zachiah Swamp called Moore's Ditch (Charles Co. Court and Land Records, C:61, G:72.

(John Neville had only two children, both by his first wife Bridget.)

• https://archive.org/details/descendantsofhug00bren/page/128/mode/2up page 128

came on the Ark and Dove 1634