Cleek, Dunmore, Gum, Hill, Stephenson, Suit Family - Person Sheet
Cleek, Dunmore, Gum, Hill, Stephenson, Suit Family - Person Sheet
Misc. Notes
Elizabeth (maiden name unknown) was an indentured servant to Peter Johnson for five years, but married John Tennisson before her indenture expired.11003
Image SC 5094-4120-01 Tennison, John #632: Wife: Elizabeth Marr: by 1684 James Green. James Green sues executors for 1/3 estate. She had been “banished” from John Tennison for 3 years. See Arch. 17 p. 132.21349
Image SC 5094-4120-01 Tennison, John #632: Wife: Elizabeth Marr: by 1684 James Green. James Green sues executors for 1/3 estate. She had been “banished” from John Tennison for 3 years. See Arch. 17 p. 132.21349
Spouses
MemoEngland?
Residence1651, St Mary’s County, MD28869
Memo1657 now Calvert County, MD
Land Purchase1656, St Mary’s County, MD28870
Memoland from Richard Preston, on Leonard's Creek called "Stratupt."
Memoadditional land from Thomas Gerrard of St Clements Manor. This is where he lived and his homeplace was known as "Persimmon Point" and there is a creek in St. Clement's Hundred called "Tennisson's Creek" named for his property line.
MemoPC 1 pg 111
Deathaft 20 Dec 1682, St Clements, St Mary’s County, MD28882,28883,28884,28878,28885,28886,28887,28880,28881
Memobef 08 Feb 1682/3 OS; Jan 1682?
Memo/1682 Will Probated
Occupationplanter, Appriaser 1672, Jury Homage28889
FatherTennison (ca1600-)
Misc. Notes
But the most interesting court appearance was in 1682 when John was summoned to court on 25h Oct to hear his wife's complaints against her husband... John denied the charges and thought them unreasonable but did confess in court that he never entertained the love and respect for his wife and neither afforded her the countenance in his house due for man to wife. John had banished Elizabeth from his home some 2-3 years earlier. Elizabeth was rewarded one bed and furniture, all wearing apparel and yearly for time to come 300 pounds meat, 3 bushels corn, 100 pounds tobacco, during her natural life. This quite possibly is the first divorce on American soil!!11003
(John Tennyson) appears to be a man of means as the inventory shows he owned Delft china place settings, and apparently was not illiterate as his inventory included two Bibles and several books. At the time of his death he had, among other items, several parcels of land, two slaves and could afford a serving maid who is mentioned in his will.11003
John Tennison Will dtd 20 Dec 1682 St Mary’s Probate 8 Feb 1682 Book 4 Pg 16:17765
Image # 01499 Liber 4 folio 16 Wills10138
Eld son John Tennison, personalty in addition to property already given to him
Son-in-Law, William Cheshire and Mary, his wife, personalty
Son, Matthew Tennison, personalty
Henry Fernely, personalty
Sons Justinian and Absalom, ext, plantation and all other land; in event of death of either without issue, survivor to inherit deceased’s portion
Test: Jno Buttler, Vincent Mansell, Wm Goddard, Thos Parker
(John Tennyson) appears to be a man of means as the inventory shows he owned Delft china place settings, and apparently was not illiterate as his inventory included two Bibles and several books. At the time of his death he had, among other items, several parcels of land, two slaves and could afford a serving maid who is mentioned in his will.11003
John Tennison Will dtd 20 Dec 1682 St Mary’s Probate 8 Feb 1682 Book 4 Pg 16:17765
Image # 01499 Liber 4 folio 16 Wills10138
Eld son John Tennison, personalty in addition to property already given to him
Son-in-Law, William Cheshire and Mary, his wife, personalty
Son, Matthew Tennison, personalty
Henry Fernely, personalty
Sons Justinian and Absalom, ext, plantation and all other land; in event of death of either without issue, survivor to inherit deceased’s portion
Test: Jno Buttler, Vincent Mansell, Wm Goddard, Thos Parker
Research
General Index of Wills of St Mary’s Co MD 1633-190028890 (Him?)
Pg 118 Dec 20, 1682 Tennison, John, Liber PC # 1 Folio 111
Md Indexes Probate Records Colonia 1634-177710138
Name Date County
Image # 01498 Tennison, John 1683-5 St Marys Lib 8 fol 91 Inv; fol 483 Acct
John Tennison Will dtd 20 Dec 1682 St Mary’s Probate 8 Feb 1682 Book 4 Pg 16:17765,20286
Henry Fernely, personalty (Who is this?)
Pg 118 Dec 20, 1682 Tennison, John, Liber PC # 1 Folio 111
Md Indexes Probate Records Colonia 1634-177710138
Name Date County
Image # 01498 Tennison, John 1683-5 St Marys Lib 8 fol 91 Inv; fol 483 Acct
John Tennison Will dtd 20 Dec 1682 St Mary’s Probate 8 Feb 1682 Book 4 Pg 16:17765,20286
Henry Fernely, personalty (Who is this?)
Marriage1650, England28854
Misc. Notes
James Green continued the suit after Elizabeth's death (1684/1701) to get her portion of John's estate. He eventually won.11003
Vol 2 Pt III p.7 John Tennison Sr: Greene brought this suit Jan 1684/5 court and it was heard and decided at the 3 Mar 1684/5 court held at St Mary’s City. Justinian & Absolam Tennison raised as their defense that there was no law or custom in MD that entitled a widow to 1/3 of her husband’s estate. One would have thought that to be a settled proposition but apparently it was not because the Court convened a 12 man jury to decide whether there was such a law or custom. The jury found that there was, and, based on that finding, the Court decided in favor of Greene, awarding him the 69/17/7 he had sued for, plus an unspecified amount in tobacco for his costs.
Although the case was decided in Greene’s favor, the Court ruled that Greene could not have execution on the judgment until he posted security in favor of Justinian and Absolam that was sufficient to guarantee that Greene would refund to Justinian and Absolam any of the 69/17/7 that turned out to be more than 1/3 of Tennison’s estate, to be determined when the Probate Judge or Commissary General approved the administration account of John’s estate. (Source: MD Provincial Court, Judgment Record, Liber DSA pp 61 (Jan 1684/5 - docket item only) and 101-103 (Mar 1684/5 - case narrative and decision).20287
Vol 2 Pt III p.7 John Tennison Sr: Greene brought this suit Jan 1684/5 court and it was heard and decided at the 3 Mar 1684/5 court held at St Mary’s City. Justinian & Absolam Tennison raised as their defense that there was no law or custom in MD that entitled a widow to 1/3 of her husband’s estate. One would have thought that to be a settled proposition but apparently it was not because the Court convened a 12 man jury to decide whether there was such a law or custom. The jury found that there was, and, based on that finding, the Court decided in favor of Greene, awarding him the 69/17/7 he had sued for, plus an unspecified amount in tobacco for his costs.
Although the case was decided in Greene’s favor, the Court ruled that Greene could not have execution on the judgment until he posted security in favor of Justinian and Absolam that was sufficient to guarantee that Greene would refund to Justinian and Absolam any of the 69/17/7 that turned out to be more than 1/3 of Tennison’s estate, to be determined when the Probate Judge or Commissary General approved the administration account of John’s estate. (Source: MD Provincial Court, Judgment Record, Liber DSA pp 61 (Jan 1684/5 - docket item only) and 101-103 (Mar 1684/5 - case narrative and decision).20287