Benjamin Ricketts Sr (1708 - 1788)

Born 7 May 1708 in Queen Anne Knolls, Prince George's, Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Ann Eliza (Maxwell) Ricketts — married 13 Mar 1723 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel, Maryland

Descendants

Died 13 Aug 1788 at age 80 in Montgomery, Maryland, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kenneth Rickett [send private message]

The Rickards Name Study is also registered with the Guild of One Name Studies.

This profile is part of the Ricketts Name Study.

This profile is part of the Rickards Name Study.

Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/), "Record of Benjamin Ricketts Sr", Ancestor # A096191.

Biography

Benjamin Ricketts born 7 May 1708, married (Ann?) Eliza Maxwell , daughter of Col James Maxwell. Benjamin may have married Jane Cooper 4 Feb 1730. He may have died about 1788 Montgomery Co MD, age about 80. First marriage, probably four children: Benjamin Jr 1724; Mary 1726; Jacob c1728; Druzilla c1728. Second marriage, at least one child: Martha. Mary Ricketts , born 4 Oct 1726 Cecil Co MD, married her first cousin Anthony A Ricketts Sr

Benjamin Ricketts Sr. was born on May 7, 1708 in Maryland. His birth was recorded at Queen Anne Parish in Prince George's County, Maryland. He was the son of Thomas Ricketts, Jr. and Rebecca Nicholson.

He married Eliza Ann Maxwell about 1723. Eliza Ann was born about 1706 in a part of Baltimore County, that is now Harford County, Maryland. Her parents were Colonel James Maxwell and Mary Harmer.

If the birth dates for Benjamin, Sr. and Benjamin, Jr. are correct then Benjamin, Sr. was only 16 years old when Benjamin, Jr. was born.

It isn't clear which of their plantations was their home plantation. Jacob inherited "the home plantation" and it was in Montgomery County.

Benjamin and Ann Eliza's children probably included: Benjamin Ricketts, Jr. (1724), Jacob Ricketts (1725), Mary Ricketts (1726, married Anthony Ricketts) Drusilla Ricketts (1728), and Martha Ricketts.

They inherited part of Maxwell's Conclusion on Gunpowder Neck from her father, James Maxwell, who died in 1728.

at a locust post . . . standing in a marsh . . . and running thence south and by east 166 perches to Chesapeake Bay, then with said Bay to the mouth of a gut lying between two plantations, one called the Old Fort, the other Frame Point.

Gunpowder Neck was in Baltimore County, but is now in Harford County, Maryland and Rickett Point Road led to Rickett Point. It is just south of Edgewood. Rickett Point and Sprye's Island which was part of Maxwell's Conclusion have washed away.

Benjamin Ricketts was the administrator of Hugh McDugal's estate in 1736 in Prince George's County.

Benjamin patented (certificate 1728) Green Marsh, a plantation of 78 acres, on September 7, 1750. It is now in Frederick County, Maryland.

Benjamin signed the Oath of Fidelity to the state of Maryland in March, 1778 at Montgomery County, Maryland.

On May 20, 1778 Benjamin sold the 31 acres of Round Marsh and 5.5 acres of Green Marsh in Montgomery County, Maryland to John Cooke (Cook), for 35£ sterling.

In the Assessment of 1783 of Montgomery County, Maryland, Benjamin Ricketts, Sr. had a number of plantations. In the Seneca Hundred he had Granby which was 15 acres, Needwood which was 19 acres, Rattlesnake Den which was 150 acres and Ricketts Folly which was 52 acres.

He left a will dated on November 16, 1787. He died before August 13, 1788 in Montgomery County when his will was proved. Gunpowder Neck, was in Baltimore, County but is now in Harford County, Maryland. Joppa was a major seaport and the county seat of Baltimore County from 1712 to 1769. St. John's Parish was in Joppa, but later moved to Kingsville, Maryland. Robins Point, Rickett Point Road, Maxwell Point Road, and Ford Point are south of the current Joppatowne on Gunpowder Neck.Spry Shoal is just off Rickett Point.

Children of Thomas Ricketts, Jr. and Rebecca Nicholson: Thomas Ricketts John Ricketts Edward Ricketts Benjamin Ricketts, Sr. William Ricketts Rebecca Ricketts Richard Ricketts Margaret Ricketts Susanna Ricketts Nicholson Ricketts Children of James Maxwell and Mary Harmer: James, the Elder, Maxwell Eliza Ann Maxwell Ricketts

Children of James Maxwell and Anne Groome: Ashael Maxwell Elizabeth Maxwell James, the Younger, Maxwell Ann Maxwell Matthews

A Dower is a provision for a wife's support should her husband die before her. Her dower right was the use of ⅓ of her husband's estate. The dower was settled on the bride at the time of the wedding.

Montgomery County Land Records, 1777-1781 Page 144. May 20, 1778 from Benjamin Ricketts of M, to John Cooke (Cook) of M, for 35£ sterling, a tract of land called Round Marsh, lying in M on the north side of Thompsons Spring Branch, which branch falls into Rock Cr, containing and laid out for about 31 acres.

Also, another parcel of land, being part of a tract of land called the Green Marsh, lying in M, containing and now laid out for about 5-1/2 acres. Signed - Benjamin B (his mark) Ricketts. Wit - Henry Gaither, John Kennedy, Joseph Wilson. Elizabeth Ricketts, wife of the sd Benjamin Ricketts, relinquished her right of dower to the within mentioned land. Recorded Jun 22, 1778

When a mark is used for a signature, the person was probably illiterate, but may not have been able to sign because of age or infirmity.

About 1715 English, Scottish and German settlers found their way to the Montgomery County, Maryland area. It was officially established from Charles, Prince George's, and Frederick counties in 1776.

Assessment of 1783 Montgomery County, MarylandBenjamin Ricketts, Sr. Granby, 15 acres. Upper Newfoundland and Seneca Hundred, p. 6. Maryland State Archives S 1161-8-5 1/4/5/51

Benjamin Ricketts, Sr. Needwood, 19 acres. Upper Newfoundland and Seneca Hundred, p. 8. Maryland State Archives S 1161-8-5 1/4/5/51

Benjamin Ricketts, Sr. Rattlesnake Den, 150 acres. Upper Newfoundland and Seneca Hundred, p. 11. Maryland State Archives S 1161-8-5 1/4/5/51

Benjamin Ricketts, Sr. Ricketts Folly, 52 acres. Upper Newfoundland and Seneca Hundred, p. 11. Maryland State Archives S 1161-8-5 1/4/5/51

from Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 13 edited by William Hand Browne, Louis Henry Dielman

In the year 1754 a division of Maxwell's Conclusion was made between the three daughters, heirs of James Maxwell, one of whom had married John Day son of Edward, another Benjamin Ricketts and the third Thomas Waltham (Baltimore County Land Records, Liber B. B. No. I, folios 303-338)

...The part assigned to Benjamin Ricketts et uxor is described as beginning at a locust post . . . standing in a marsh . . . and running thence south and by east 166 perches to Chesapeake Bay, then with said Bay to the mouth of a gut lying between two plantations, one called the Old Fort, the other Frame Point.

from Maryland Historical Magazine, March, 1958 by William B. Mayre

Also recorded at Bel Air is an 1837 deed whereby Samuel Ricketts conveyed to Dr. David King

all that tract of land lying near Chesapeake Bay and the mouth of Gunpowder River or its intersection with the said Bay known as Spyres Island together with a small island in the immediate vicinity of Spryes Island supposed to contain about ? of an acre will make 79% acres of land with the privilege of a landing on the point known as Ricketts Point or Blind Point (Harford Co. Land Records, Liber H.D. No. 21).

This means that nearly eighty acres have been washed away in the past century. Apparently all the island from Rickett's Point to the present Spryes Island was known by that name. While it has somehow escaped being recorded in seventeenth and eighteenth century land records and elsewhere, the name probably attached itself in the time of Oliver Sprye, the original settler, of that part of Gunpowder Neck, to the peninsula now long since disappeared, which was taken up under the name of Island Point.

American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (or li) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency. Slavery is an immoral system of forced labor where people are treated as property to be bought and sold. It was legal in the American Colonies and the United States until the Civil War.

The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.

from Montgomery County, Maryland, Record Book B, ff. 372-373.

Montgomery County August 13the 1788 When came Zadock Magruder and Thomas Read two of the subscribing witnesses to the within Last Will and Testament of Benjamin Ricketts late of said County, deceased and generally made with the holy angels of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein name sign and seal this will and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament and at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they and Benjamin Macdugle the other subscribing witness subscribed their names to this will in the presence and at the request of the testator and in the presence of each other

Certified by G. Gunner Register

Benjamin Ricketts Sr. ^[1]

Born 7 May 1708. Queen Anne Knolls, Prince George's County, Maryland, United States of America. ^[2]

Died 13 August 1788. Montgomery County, Maryland, United States of America. ^{[3] [4]}

Benjamin was born in 1708.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S869259583
2. ↑ Source: #S869259583
3. ↑ Source: #S869259583
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 December 2020), memorial page for Benjamin Ricketts Sr. (7 May 1708–13 Aug 1788), Find A Grave: Memorial #142235296, ; Maintained by ISOrelatives (contributor 47668347) Unknown, who reports a Unknown.

Title: The Ricketts Family Abbrev: Ricketts Author: Doris Rex Schutte Publication: 1992

"Benjamin Ricketts? Will In the name of God Almighty - I Benjamin Ricketts, Sen of Montgomery County and State of Maryland being in a low state of health but in my perfect senses thanks be to Almighty God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in the following: Infinito I commend my soul into the Hands of Almighty God to be dealt with according to his pleasure and my body to be Christianly and decently buried. Item---I give and bequeath to my son Benjamin Ricketts the following Lands Vis Barcke?s Venture and Green Marsh Item -I give and bequeath to my son Jacob Ricketts the plantation I now live on during his natural life and after his death to my grandson Robert Ricketts son of Jacob to claim and his Heirs forever , Item--- I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Ricketts a parcel of Land called Ricketts Folly containing fifty two acres to her and her Heirs forever- Item- I leave to my grandson Jacob Elliott forty pounds currency Money of Maryland. Item - I leave to my grandson Robert Ricketts son of Jacob forty pounds currency Money of Maryland in the hands of my son Benjamin Ricketts for the purpose of schooling the son of Robert Ricketts. Item - The Residue of my personal estate I leave to be equally divided among my children Viz Benjamin Ricketts, Drusilla Ricketts, Martha Ricketts and Jacob Ricketts and Mary Ricketts wife of Anthony Ricketts. It is my desire that my son Benjamin Ricketts should have a negro fellow named Lindy given him by me appraised with the rest of my personal estate and shall discount the value of him as grant of his grant of my personal estate Lastly I ordain my son Benjamin Ricketts sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament. In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of November and one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven. Benjamin Ricketts (Seal)Signed, sealed and delivered in Presence of Zad K. Magruder ------Benjamin Mcdugle (B his mark)--------- Thomas Reade Document found in Montgomery Co, Maryland, Record Book B, ff. 372-373. Montgomery County August 13the 1788 When came Zadock Magruder and Thomas Read two of the subscribing witnesses to the within Last Will and Testament of Benjamin Ricketts late of said County, deceased and generally made with the holy angels of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein name sign and seal this will and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament and at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they and Benjamin Macdugle the other subscribing witness subscribed their names to this will in the presence and at the request of the testator and in the presence of each other Certified by G. Gunner Register"

• Source: S869259583 Repository: #R851098843 U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HYPW-H8T2 : 12 February 2020), Benjamin Ricketts, 1708.
• edlers.org page 11c10

See Also:

• FamilySearch Tree
• Will of Benjamin written in 1787

Family Data Connections at ancestry.com