Mary Chenoweth

Mary Calvert is presumed to be the daughter of John Calvert and wife Judith Stamper. She was born December 19, 1687, in Pennsylvania. She died in Maryland before 1737. Mary Calvert’s parentage has long been a subject for controversy and the prevailing theories are discussed below.

She married John Chenoweth I in 1703, probably in Pennsylvania. John Chenoweth was born between 1682 - 1683 in Cornwall and died about May 1746 in Frederick Co., VA. They had eight children, all known by will, married, and had children. Lines are known to present day for seven of these eight 2nd generation families.

Children of John Chenoweth and Mary Calvert:

• John Chenoweth b: 1706 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: March 05, 1771 in Frederick Co., VA m: Mary M. Smith b: Bet. 1701 - 1713 in Baltimore Co., MD m: November 26, 1730 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD d: Aft. 1773
• Mary Chenoweth b: 1708 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: Aft. 1746 m: John Watson b: Bef. 1703 m: May 24, 1733 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD d: Abt. 1740 in Baltimore, MD
• Richard Chenoweth b: 1710 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: December 12, 1781 in Baltimore Co., MD m: Kezia ? b: Bet. 1705 - 1717 m: Abt. 1733 in Baltimore Co., MD d: Unknown
• Hannah Chenoweth b: 1713 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: 1764 in near Winchester, Frederick Co., VA Burial: Frederick City, Virginia m: James Carter, Jr. b: 1710 in Southampton Twp., Bucks Co., PA m: Abt. 1739 in Baltimore Co., MD d: November 18, 1758 in near Winchester Frederick Co., VA Burial: Winchester, Virginia Father: James Carter Mother: Susannah Griffith
• Arthur Chenoweth b: August 15, 1716 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: March 14, 1802 in Baltimore Co., MD Military: French and Indian m: Saphira Hooker b: Abt. 1720 in Baltimore Co., MD m: Abt. 1738 d: May 16, 1800 in Baltimore Co., MD Comment: also Sophia Father: Samuel Hooker Mother: Sarah ?
• William Chenoweth b: 1718 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: Bef. December 20, 1785 in Berkeley Co., VA (now WV) m: Anne Polk? b: 1722 in Baltimore Co., MD m: February 12, 1742/43 in Virginia d: Unknown
• Thomas Chenoweth b: 1720 in Pennsylvania or New Jersey d: Bet. 1778 - 1787 in on the North Branch of the Potomac, Washington Co., MD m: Mary Prickett b: 1723 in Burlington Co., NJ m: November 11, 1742 d: Aft. 1790 in Mason Co., KY Father: John Prickett Mother: Martha ?
• Ruth Chenoweth b: 1722 in Pennsylvania or Maryland d: Abt. 1760 m: John Peteet b: 1721 in Virginia m: Bef. 1743 d: 1788 in Caswell Co., NC Comment: Harris, Will of John gives Petit, Buckely also gives Peteate Father: John Richard Pettit Mother: Elizabeth Craswell

The Charles Calvert, Lord Baltimore Connection

It has been traditionally accepted that John Chenoweth, a Welshman, came to America, probably around 1715; that he came from St. Martin's-In-Menage, Cornwall, England; and that he had been born there about 1682-3. Family tradition also has it that this John Chenoweth and Mary Calvert, daughter of Charles Calvert, Third Lord of Baltimore, were married about 1705; that Mary was the daughter of the third wife of Charles Calvert, the widow Mary Banks (Thorpe), who Charles married December 16, 1701.

The acceptance of the statements in the paragraph above can be found in many writings about the Chenoweth family history written in the late 1800's and early 1900's, but outside of documentation of the marriage of Charles Calvert to a Mary Banks (Thorpe), entries supporting the union of John and Mary Calvert found in two diaries belonging to the families of John's sons Arthur and Thomas, and an entry in a Bible which came from the family of John's eldest son John, no other, more substantial proof for any of it has ever been found.

Besides the lack of proof, it only takes a quick review of the known data to see that some of the most vital evidence itself is faulty. If the Third Lord of Baltimore, Charles Calvert, did marry his third wife, the widow Mary Banks (Thorpe) in "about" 1701, how could they possibly have a daughter Mary, who would be of an age to then become the bride of John Chenoweth in 1705? Even if the most liberal interpretation of the word "about" is taken, the theory is still improbable.

There is the possibility that Mary was the stepdaughter of Charles Calvert. Mary Banks (Thorpe) was, after all a widow, and of uncertain age, but very possibly old enough to have had a daughter by her prior marriage that would satisfy the information available to us. This is at least as fair a premise as the assumption that Charles Calvert and his third wife had a daughter at all. No genealogy of the Calverts has ever supported that position. Worthy of consideration is the fact that Charles Calvert, born August 27, 1637, would have been "about" 63 years of age when he fathered this daughter, Mary.

We are then left with suspicious evidence, hazy theories, and perhaps even wishful thinking as a basis to accept that John Chenoweth joined the Calvert family through this marriage. But other explanations that have been advanced also leave unresolved questions. So on the chance that we have seen only the few remaining scattered threads of what was once the whole fabric, we will only express reservations and continue on.

The Calverts were Catholic and John was Protestant. If John and Mary Calvert were indeed married, this is given as a reason why no record of the marriage was made. Presumably, this is because a priest would probably have performed the marriage, but because John was not Catholic, the union would not have been approved by the Catholic Church, and so not recorded.

There is another possible reason given for the lack of surviving proof of a marriage between John Chenoweth and Mary Calvert. One that hints at more sinister motives, and one that requires a more thorough accounting. After arriving in Maryland from England, John Chenoweth, his wife and their family are said to have settled on a large estate known as "Gunpowder Manor", located near the then thriving town of Joppa on the Gunpowder River, close to this river's outlet into Chesapeake Bay. Having as his wife a daughter of the Third Lord of Baltimore, John's source for this large estate was most likely an inheritance from Charles Calvert to his daughter, Mary. Charles Calvert died February 21, 1715, which is the year, as mentioned above, that John Chenoweth and his family are believed to have come to Maryland from England, and so, the gift, or inheritance of the estate in Maryland would seem a most credible reason for relocation to the New World.

The estate was presumably granted in perpetuity to Mary Calvert and her heirs, which with her marriage to John Chenoweth, made it a Chenoweth family property forever. In time, the chronicle goes, the estate became known as "Chenoweth Manor", and under that name, remained intact until 1806. The size of the estate is not known for certain, but it was substantial, one source gives it as being more than 7200 acres, located primarily in present day Baltimore County, and with at least a part being within what is now the city limits of Baltimore.

In 1806, for purposes not explained, the Chenoweth family heirs leased the estate, supposedly in its entirety, to the city and/or the county of Baltimore for 99 years. Of course, by the end of this 99 year lease period in 1905, the property would have had an immense worth, estimated by some to be at least $600 million. Therefore, around the turn of the century, there was much activity from the Chenoweth family heirs to recover either the property or its equivalent worth. It has been asserted that, because of the possible legitimacy of the claims, that "those in power" managed to remove all evidence of the lease and the Chenoweth family involvement with it. This, it is said, is the reason, or at least another of the reasons, why documentation concerning John Chenoweth and Mary Calvert was never found.

In his will, John describes himself as.... "John Chenoweth, of Frederick County, Virginia". It is almost certain the John, the progenitor, lived and died in Virginia, and was not there on a visit as researcher Cora Hiatt proclaimed. This is clearly evident in the inventory of his assets conducted in Virginia and presented on July 11, 1746, in settlement of his estate. The items describe a "well-supplied farming household complete with livestock". The disposition of a "fabled Gunpowder Manor" cited by Cora Hiatt is not mentioned in the will, nor for that matter are any lands in Maryland.

The Quaker Connection

As noted above, Mary is presumed to be the daughter of John Calvert and wife Judith Stamper. This John Calvert was born on 6 October 1648 at Stranmillis, Belfast, Ulster, Ireland, the son of Thomas Calvert and Jane Glassford. He married Judith Stamper on 29 May 1673 in Ireland. They had seven children, among them a daughter named Mary, born on February 19, 1687 at Cumberland, Pennsylvania. This Calvert family has been identified as Quaker immigrants from Ireland. Several descendants of John and Mary chose Quaker spouses, lending credence to this theory.

Links to additional material:

• http://www.chenowethsite.com/chenweth.htm#family
• http://www.chenowethsite.com/chenwill.htm#john1
• http://www.vnla.com/vnl/gen/mcq/Calvert.htm#John2
• http://chester.pa-roots.com/biographies/Calvert,%20Thomas.htm
• Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750, with their early history in Ireland by Albert Cook Myers. Published 1902 by The author in Swarthmore, Pa .
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kawbrey/aqwg30.ht...

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• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Apr 10 2018, 18:24:56 UTC