gdedw010

OWEN & MARY HEWES

It is not known where or when Owen Hewes was born. However, I have found the names Owen Hewes with son Gabriell Hewes born 1652 in York England. To find the two names again in the same family raises the possibility of a connection. Owen and his wife, Mary first appear in the St. Stephen's Parish Records in the late 1600s. St. Stephen's is a lovely old Anglican church on the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Cecil County, Maryland surrounded by pastoral corn fields.

From St. Stephen's Parish Records, page 55 the following births to Owen and Mary Hewes are recorded:
1. "Owen Hews son of Owen & Mary b 16 Aug being Thursday ye sunn being one half an hour high in ye morning 1689"
2. "Mary Hewes dau of Owen & Mary b 27 Mar being fryday between nince and tenn a clock in ye morning 1691"
3. "Gabriall Hewes son of Owen & mary b 3 nov ye sunn about 2 hours high in ye mrning 1694"

Gabrial Hewes died before April 18, 1718. He was just 24 years old. Richard Bowling was his administrator. Cecil County Md Accounts 1717-1776, Book 1, page 144.
I believe the named Richard Bowling was actually Richard Bouldin, Gabrial's brother in law.

Owen and Mary's daughter, Mary wed Richard Bouldin at St. Stephen's Parish church on Jan. 17, 1716. Also from the St. Stephen's Records, page 90 as well as
Maryland Marriages 1634-1777 by Barnes, Book 3-CE-page 10

Mary and Richard lived on a plantation granted to him in 1723 "Richard's Chance" on Back Creek. Back Creek is now the Delaware Chesapeake Canal.
Cecil County Certificate 335A, Lib IL#A, folio 35. He had apparently taken possession before the Certificate just mentioned, because The Rent Roll of Cecil County 1658-1724, p 158 state "Richard's Chance, June 17, 1720. 335 acres beginning at a locust tree standing on a point "Ned's Point" on north side of Bohemia Back Creek and east side of the mouth of Thomas Branch." I cannot find Ned's point or Thomas Branch.

I cannot find any documents that suggest Owen Hewes owned property. However, He was the executor for the estate of Edward Johnson, and inherited the bulk of his property, including "Misfortune" on Back Creek. The Will was written Oct 1697 and proved April 17, 1698. Cecil County Maryland, Will book 1, page 91-92. Specifics included:

    to Thomas Hedghoke, "Paradise" and "Swamp"
    to Anthony, son of Jno. Cousen and hrs., 200!. (unnamed) on Elk R
    to Willaim Prise, Jr., Ellinor Minerdoe, Richard Cousen and his brother John Cousen, John Neales, Charles Crow, and Ann Hedgehoke, personalty
    Owen Hewes, Ex. and residuary legatee of estate, real and personal, including "Misfortune" on Back Ck.
    Test: Jno. Cousine, Peter Mainardoe, Joan Lovis, Eliza. Cousen

Currently we do not know the relationship of Owen Hewes to Edward Johnson. Was Edward Johnson related to Owen's wife Mary? That is a possibility. It would also be interesting to see a map showing both Misfortune and Richard's Chance. However, what is very interesting is that in 1664 a patent was created for St. John's Manor, on Elks Neck of Cecil County. The land was divided and paid for by 10 different people. They included Thomas Hitchcock, John Cozne (or Cousen, Couzen, Cousine, etc) Peter Manado and Richard Lewis.

Owen Hewes died in 1703. I have 2 similiar but slightly different references to his will that was probated that year.
The Index of Maryland Colonial Wills, compiled by Magruder, says it is found in Cecil County Will Book 3, page 301-2.
The Index to Cecil County MD wills 1674-1777 by Raymond B. Clark Jr. says that it is found in Lib 11, F 341 (I don't know if it is Roman numeral II or the number 11)

It is not known when Owen's wife Mary died.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Where and when was Owen born?
2. Is there a connection to the Owen Hewes of York England 1650s?
3. What was Mary's maiden name?
4. Where and when was she born?
5. Why was Owen tapped as Edward Johnson's heir?
6.. When did Mary die?

Doc; gdhew020.html
Date created: 11/26/2010
Date edited 7/8/2015
Date edited 12/12/2020