William Dryden (1780 - abt. 1842)

Born 14 Aug 1780 in Coventry Parish, Somerset County, Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Pitts (Tilghman) Dryden — married 1 Apr 1816 in Worcester County, Maryland

Descendants

Died about 1842 at about age 61 in Worcester County, Maryland

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Biography

WILLIAM DRYDEN, son of Joshua Dryden and Sarah Bowland/Bowlin; born 14 August 1780, Coventry Parish, Somerset County, Maryland;^[1] died between 1840 and 1844. He married (1) 20 December 1803, Worcester County, Maryland, SALLY BROADWATER^[2] (born 1765-84); married (2) 1 April 1816, Worcester County, NANCY PITTS TILGHMAN;^[3] married (3) 12 March 1837, Worcester County, MARY “POLLY” PITT (BOSTON) MORRIS^[4] (daughter of Isaac Boston and Elizabeth S. Bonnawell; born ca. 1786; married first Isaac Morris; father of Joshua and Elizabeth Morris; died before 12 December 1848; buried in the Boston-Dean family cemetery in Dorchester County next to her first husband). Mary Pitt Boston married Isaac Morris in Dorchester County on 28 November 1808.^[5]

On 14 March 1786: William Dryden and brother Isaac were sold 77 acres (except 1/3 of the land “for and during the natural life” of their mother, Sarah Dryden, widow of Joshua Dryden) of “Dumfries” [in Atkinson’s District #7] by Levin Powell of Worcester County for five shillings (James Townsend had sold the tract to Powell, according to the deed, but actually he had sold it to to Joshua Dryden; Levin Powell was evidently acting as Dryden’s agent in the new deed). Philip Quinton and Isaac Marshall witnessed the sale.^[6]

On 15 July 1826, William Dryden of Worcester County (identified in the deed as son of Joshua) sold to Francis A. Boyer for $200 his horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, farm equipment, crops, and household furniture (three beds, for example), and other property.^[7] Dryden apparently divested himself of almost everything, perhaps in preparation for moving into town [Snow Hill]. The Snow Hill Messenger of 31 December 1833 printed a notice that there was a “Stray boar now in pen of William Dryden”—presumably the pen was in Snow Hill. ^[8]

He obtained a tavern license in 1830 and 1831, but his financial problems evidently continued. On 5 November 1849, Joshua Bevans conveyed to Francis James Hayman the tract “Conclusion” or “Dumfrees” that he had bought from William Dryden at a Sheriff’s sale, formerly the property of Isaac Dryden.^[9] William Dryden and his wife were not listed on the 1840 census for Worcester County (he was 60, she was 54—perhaps they were living with relatives).

DEEDS

17 March 1786, deed (to clear the title): Levin Powell of Worcester Co. to Isaac Dreadden & William Dreadden, sons of Joshua Dreadden of the same place, for 5 shillings, part of a tract called “ Dumfrees” in Worcester Co. “being the same part of land heretofore sold and conveyed by a certain James Townsend to the said Levin Powell,” 77 acres “Excepting one third of the afsd Lands and premises for and during the natural life of Sarah Dreaddon widow of Joshua. [Signed] Levin Powell Witnesses: Philip Quinton Isaac Marshall.^[10]

15 July 1826, deed: William Dryden (of Joshua) of Worcester Co. for $200 to Francis A. Boyer to same co.: “one sorrel mair about eleven years old,” 3 cows, 2 steer yearlings, 2 ploughs, 2 harrows, 2 pair chain traces, 20 head of hogs, 12 sheep, 3 beds, bedsteads & furniture, 4 chairs, 100 pounds of pork, 20 bushels of corn, 20 bushels wheat, 10 bushels oats, one ox cart, lot of flax with straw, 2 spinning wheels, one yoke steer oxens yoke, and “all his the said Drydens part of the Crop of Corn now on the ground,” one ‘dinning’ & one Breakfast tabell,” lot of crockery ware & lot of pots mettle [metal] [William Dryden twice more identified as (of Joshua). 15 July 1826 [signed] William Dryden.^[11]

5 August 1834: William Dryden of Worcester Co. for $300 sold to W.L.B. Cottman, “one bay horse and black mare, one bay colt, one yoke of oxen, two cows, two yearlings, 12 head of sheep, two head of hogs, one cart, six bee hives and bees, three beds, bedding, and bedclothing, two stacks of oats, the crop of corn now growing, two tables, with all the household & kitchen furniture & farming utensils . . .” Dryden sealed the deal by delivering a tablespoon to Cottman; witnesses; John P. Slemaker, W.L. Fassitt; Signed Wm Dryden.^[12]

CENSUSES

Cs. 1810: WC, Md., p. 636;

William Dryden [neighboring Isaac Dryden]

2 free white males under 10 (James B., John N.B.),

1 fwm 10-16 (Unidentified),

1 fwm 26-45 (William),

1 fwm 45 & up (Unidentified);

1 free white female under 10 (Mary W.),

1 fwf 26-45 (Sally).

Cs. 1820: Elect. Dist. 5, WC, p. 210;

William Dryden [neighbors: John Tilghman, Parker Selby]

2 free white males under 10 (John N.B., Robert Henry)

1 fwm 16-26 (James B.),

1 fwm 26-45 (William);

2 free white females 10-16 (Mary W. & Unidentified),

1 fwf 26-45 (Nancy Pitts).

Neither of the William Drydens enumerated in 1830 seems to be him (age wrong on both; constitution of hh. unconvincing)

BROADWATER CONNECTIONS

General Land Office, 17 Nov. 1831. From a letter to William Selden Register Va. Land Office. “I return herewith warrants 6858-60 issued in the name of James Broadwater’s heirs to be issued as follows: To Covington Broadwater, one of the heirs, 666 acres; to Thomas I.W., Levin J.M. Broadwater, and James Dryden, son of Sally Dryden, formerly Sally Broadwater, to each 666 acres; To Mary W. and John Dryden, children [p. 1060] of Sally Dryden, each 222 acres. The above is filed under the original Nos. 6858, etc.

Quartermaster James Broadwater The heirs of James Broadwater, dec’d, received Mil. Land office warrant No. 6858 for 889 acres of land for his three years service as Quartermaster in the Va. State Navy. 1st Mar. 1831. Signed, William Selden, Register.

Princess Anne, Somerset Co., Md. Orphans Court, Nov. 1, 1831. Satisfactory evidence adduced that Mary Broadwater (widow); Covington Broadwater; Thomas J.W.; Levin M.P. and Sally Broadwater (who married William Dryden and is since dead, leaving three children, James, Mary W., and John Dryden) are the children and only heirs of James Broadwater, dec’d, Quartermaster. Copied from the records of the proceedings of Orphan’s Court. Teste, James Polk, Reg. of Wills, Somerset Co., Maryland.^[13]

CHILDREN

Children of William and Sally (Broadwater) DRYDEN:

• i. JAMES B. [BROADWATER?] DRYDEN, b. 22 Mar. 1805, WC [Family Bible]; m. NANCY PATTEY.
• ii. MARY W. “MOLLY” DRYDEN, b. 6 Aug. 1810, WC; m. ELI SMULLEN.
• iii. JOHN N.B. DRYDEN, b. ca. 1810, WC; m. TABITHA HOSIER.

Child of William and Nancy Pitts (Tilghman) DRYDEN:

• iv. ROBERT HENRY DRYDEN, b. 24 Nov. 1817, Worcester Co., Md.; m. (1) SUSAN FISHER; m. (2) ELIZABETH KATHERINE LATCHUM; m. (3) ELIZABETH MCDANIEL.

Sources

1. ↑ Wright, “Coventry Parish Record,” Maryland Eastern Shore Vital Records, 1776-1800, p. 91.
2. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Worcester County, Maryland Marriages, 1795-1850. County court records located at Snow Hill, Maryland. Family History Library film # (0014596).
3. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Worcester County, Maryland Marriages, 1795-1850. County court records located at Snow Hill, Maryland. Family History Library film # (0014596).
4. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Worcester County, Maryland Marriages, 1795-1850. County court records located at Snow Hill, Maryland. Family History Library film # (0014596).
5. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Dorchester County, Maryland Marriages, 1778-1850. County court records located at Cambridge, Maryland. Family History Library film # (0013929).
6. ↑ WC Deed Book L (1784-1786), folios 334-35. In this deed the surname is spelled “Dreadden”; Isaac and William are called “sons of Joshua” of Worcester County, and Sarah is identified as the Joshua’s widow.
7. ↑ WC Deed Book AS (1826-1827), folio 80. The deed was witnessed by Thomas Milbourne.
8. ↑ Wright, Md. Eastern Shore Newspaper Abstracts: Southern Counties: 1830-1834, Vol. 8, p. 17.
9. ↑ WC Deed Book EDM 2 (1848-1850), folios 590-91; Dryden & Dryden 78.
10. ↑ Worcester Co. Deed Book L: 334-35, MSA CE 30-11. Leslie P. Dryden says that “this deed was apparently made to clear the title to the land” [Dryden Family, 43]. But it may have been primarily to prevent the mother of the two children (Isaac was twelve, and William was five) from taking all of “Dumfrees,” especially if she were to remarry—which she promptly did.
11. ↑ Worcester Co. Deed Book AS: 80, MSA CE 30-40.
12. ↑ Worcester Co. Deed Book JCH no. 1: 105, County Clerk’s Office, Worcester County Courthouse, Snow Hill, Maryland.
13. ↑ Louis A. Burgess, compiler & editor, Virginia Soldiers of 1776 (Richmond, Va.: Richmond Press, Inc., 1929), 3: 1059-60.