Hester (Larkin) Baldwin (abt. 1663 - aft. 1726)

Born about 1663 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Nicholas Nicholson — married 1679 (to 1688) in Anne Arundel, Maryland

Wife of John Baldwin — married about 1689 (to 1715) in Anne Arundel County

Descendants

Died after 1726 after about age 63 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

Origin

Hester was the daughter of John Larkin of Anne Arundel County. John Larkin was living in Maryland as early as 1663 when he entered a claim for 450 acres of land in Anne Arundel County using the patent process so it is possible Hester was born in the colony. ^[1] The relationship to her father is proved by a deed recorded after the courthouse in Annapolis burned down in 1705. At a hearing held in March 1719/20 The deed between John Larkin, inn holder and Nicholas Nicholson for a tract called Millhaven was presented to be recorded as owned by Zachariah Maccubbin. Several parties connected with the land made depositions including Hester Baldwin. Her deposition states:

Hester Baldwin, aged about 55 or thereabouts, declared that Thomas Wyneat conveyed to her former husband, Nicholas Nicholson, a tract of land on the main branch of Rhode River called Wyneats Rest . . . ^[2]

Her son-in-law, Zach Maccubbins also gave a deposition stating his age as about 41 years and that he saw the deed for the property. There is no primary source evidence of the name of her mother.

Marriage and Family

Hester was married at least three times:

to William Gough from about 1678 to 1678 (no known issue)

to Nicholas Nicholson from 1679 to 1688 at least one daughter named Susannah

to John Baldwin from 1689 to 1715, exact children of this marriage can't be proved

This deposition above becomes a problem when her marriage to William Gough is examined. Her first marriage to William Gough of Calvert County ended with his death before 12 MAY 1678. If she was telling the truth about her age, she would have been only 13 when she married William Gough. Girls did get married at a very early age in colonial Maryland, but Hester must have been at least 15 to marry considering the customs of the time period. Hester was granted 800 acres of land along the Susquehanna River in Cecil County as a widow after the death of her husband. She named the tract Widower Lot and sold the land with her second husband, Nicholas Nicholson, to a London merchant named George Yallop in 1683 for 50 pounds sterling. The deed shows that both Nicholas and Hester could write their own signature and did not use a mark.^[3] Nicholas spent many days in court answering complaints regarding the debts of William Gough who was identified in several documents as a merchant with ties to London merchants. William died intestate and Hester married son after to Nicholas Nicholson.Hester was married to Nicholas between 1679 and his death in 1688 when an inventory of his estate was taken. ^[4] Hester and Nicholas are proved to be the parents of Susannah Nicholson based on land records and the marriage record for her Nicholas Maccubbin

Hester married as her third husband John Baldwin. They were married some time before 1695 when she entered the final account of the estate of Nicholas Nicholson. ^[5] Hester is left a legacy in John Baldwin's will and was the executor of his estate. ^[6] Hester is proved to be the mother of at least one of John Baldwin's children as there is a baptismal record for him in St. Anne's Parish:

Thomas Baldwin of John and Hester baptized 10 JUN 1710. Several entries after this are baptismal records for Thomas's cousins, the children of Zachariah Maccubbin and Susannah Nicholson.^[7]

The last evidence of Hester in the public record came when she presented the final accounting of the estate of John Baldwin with John Baldwin Jr. in 1726 ^[8] She was about 63 years old. There is no record of her death.

Sources

1. ↑ Maryland Archives Patent Index
2. ↑ Anne Arundel Land Records Liber IT 5 folio 29
3. ↑ Archives of Maryland Vol. 717 pg. 301-301
4. ↑ Prerogative Court Inventories & Accounts Liber 10 folio 225
5. ↑ Maryland Provincial Accounts Liber 13A folio 313
6. ↑ Prerogative Court Wills Liber 14 folio 30
7. ↑ Wright, F. Edward, “Anne Arundel County Church Records of the 17th & 18th Centuries” Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books 2002
8. ↑ Prerogative Court Accounts Liber 8 folio 104