| John Gaither II resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies |
Various persons named John Gater or Gaither have been confused or conflated in order to provide an English pedigree for an American Gaither family. No Trans-Atlantic connection has been found between the Gaters of Lamberhurst, Kent, England, and the Gaithers of Virginia and Maryland, North America. John was a popular name in more than one Gaither family. They will be designated as follows in the biographical narratives of each profile:
John Gaither II was the son of the immigrant John Gaither I (John Gater), who arrived in Virginia from London on the Assurance in 1635. John Gater, age 36, was married to Joan, age 20, when they arrived in Virginia in 1635, and claimed 800 acres of land for bringing himself, his wife Joanne, and 14 other named passengers to the colony. [2]
Joan was deceased prior to 1642; John Gaither returned to England and there married Mary Walter at St. Luke's Church, Chelsea, Middlesex County. In 1646 John Geather was administrator as "brother-in-law" of the estate of Henry Waters/ Walters. [3]
Captain John Gaither was born in Virginia before 1646 [4]
It is not known which of the father's wives was Captain John Gaither's mother, but it should be noted that he named a daughter Mary, as did at least four of his children. The name Joan was not used among his known children or grandchildren. [5]
John Gaither, born in Virginia, was transported to Maryland by his parents around 1650. [6] This was the period when Puritans were persecuted in Virginia and invited by Maryland's Lord Baltimore to settle in Maryland. John Gaither I and his family settled in the South River Hundred adjacent4 to Joseph Morely, John Freeman, Mareen DSuval, George Pudsdington, Colonel William Burgess, and Richard Beard, brother in law of William Burgess. [7]
John Gaither, Immigrant, father of Captain John Gaither, died in 1652, when his wife Mary was named his administratrix. In 1652, the younger John, born 1646, would have been 6 years old. While his mother, Mary, as administratrix, survived her husband, there is no further record in her name, leaving a question of how the mother and child sustained themselves until Captain John Gaither's majority.
The question seems answered by the presence of Thomas Mears who made John Gaither an heir in his will. John Gaither had reached the age of majority by 1662 because he requested the renewal of a land warrant for 460 acres dated March 26, 1662. Thoms Meares, his father and grandfather's friend of early Virginia days, bequeathed him a legacy at his death. [6]
In 1662, John would have been aged 16. If the required age for majority was 21, that would require pushing John's birthdate back from 1646 to 1641, and would likely make his mother to be Joan rather than Mary.
John was the first of his family to obtain a land grant in Maryland. Patents were issued upon beautiful South River in 1660 for Pole Cat Hill and Round About Hills. [6][8]
On 8 Oct. 1662 John Gather demanded renewal of warrant dated 26 March 1662.[5] for 460 acres; 200 acres were surveyed and patented to him under the name Gatherly and lay on the Little Choptank River in now Dorchester County.[6]
On January 26, 1663/4, John Gaither and Robert Proctor patented jointly "Abington," of 875 acres between the North Run and the South Run of the South River. It was on the outposts of the settlements along the Severn and South Rivers and became the ancestral estate of the senior branch of the Gaither family for a number of years.[6]
Later, John Gaither built the “Three Beall Moro”, and “Bite the Biter” and “Left Out” plantations and became the largest land holder in Maryland.[9]
1674 Creditor of George Puddington
George Puddington (gentleman) 1.92 1 AA #116734 Oct 6 1674[10]
John Gaither married Ruth Beard. [11]
John Gaither III was deposed in court 1716-1717, proving that his father John Gaither II was the Patentee of Abington and his mother was ruth Beard. [12]
While 1676 is an appropriate surmise for their marriage year, some genealogies show an exact marriage date of 15 Jan 1676/7 in Anne Arundel County, but no reliable source has been found for this.
John Gaither, later Captain John Gaither, born 1646, would have been aged 30 at the time. The births of seven of their children, which commenced the next year, were recorded at All Hallow's Parish, South River.[6]
Ruth's father, who did not died until 1681, had written his will the year before John and ruth were married. The phrase "Ruth and her sons" refers to sons who might be born in the future, as she had no sons in 1675.
Test: Geo. Green, Jno. Easter, Eliza: Cornton, Thos. Pinethwickie. 2.143.
- Beard, Richard, A. A. Co.,24th July, 1675; 10th Aug., 1681.[13]
- To wife Rachel, execx., home plantation during life.
- To sons Richard and John and hrs., sd. plantation at death of wife afsd., and all other lands except those mentioned below:
- To dau. Ruth and her sons, part of "Timber Neck" and sd. Richard's share in event of his death without issue.
- To dau. Rebecca and her sons, part of "Indian Range;" also son John's portion in event of his death without issue.
- To dau. Rachel Clarke and her sons, all lands above mentioned in event of death of other child., viz., Richard, John, Ruth, and Rebecca, without issue.
- Overseers: Brother-in-law Wm.Burgess, and sons afsd. of testator.
John Gaither participated in the Nanticoke Indian War of 1678 under Colonel William Burgess and for his services received 80 lbs. tobacco. He became a militia officer and took part in the punitive expedition against the Indians in 1679, contributing liberally to the defense of the settlers against Indian invasions. In 1681 he received an additional 585 lbs. tobacco for public service. [6]
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court[10] Land Surveys and Condominium Plats
Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1685 Patent Record 22, p.274 0 0 MSA S 1581-4159 Round About Hill, 120 Acres; Patent Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1685 Patent Record NS 2, p. 396 0 0 MSA S 1581-4160
Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1687 Patent Record 22, p. 184 0 0 MSA S 1581-3812 Poll Catt Hill, 391 Acres; Patent Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1687 Patent Record NS 2, p. 380 0 0 MSA S 1581-3813
Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1699 Patent Record DD 5, p. 44 0 0 MSA S 1581-6 Abington ( Part of ), 364 Acres; Patent Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1699 Patent Record DD 5, p. 44 0 0 MSA S 1581-7
Developer/Owner: Gaither, John 1699 Patent Record WD, p. 375 0 0 MSA S 1581-8
Developer/Owner: Gather, John and Robert Proctor 1664 Patent Record 7, p. 386 0 0 MSA S 1581-3 Abington, 875 Acres; Patent Developer/Owner: Gather, John and Robert Proctor 1664 Patent Record 7, p. 387 0 0 MSA S 1581-4
Dr. Michael Cusack 9.427 I £13.9.6 Sep 10 1687[10] Appraisers: John Gather (also John Gaither), Richard Jones.
In 1696 as John Gaither he signed a document by which he declared himself to be a military officer under the then Royal Government of the Province. He was styled Captain.[6]
George Bruce 19.25 I £166.0.0 Apr 22 1699[10] Appraisers: John Gather, Leonard Wayman.
At his death, the estate of John Gaither II included five negro slaves. [6]
Death and Burial
Captain John Gaither died intestate in 1702. [6]
According to the register of All Hallow's Church, South River, (Birdsville or Davidsonville), Anne Arundel County, he was buried on November 12, 1702. [14]
Letters of administration were issued to his widow, Ruth Gaither. The personal estate was appraised on May 29, 1703, at £437/-/10. John Gaither and Benjamin Gaither were approved as the kinsmen. There was a great number of livestock, 97 lbs. of pewter ware, five negro slaves, one white servant-man, parcels of old books, and interesting household furniture including six high back leather chairs, writing trunk, etc.[6]
Estate
Mr. John Gather, Sr. 1.634 I AA £437.0.1 May 20 1703[10]
Mr. John Gater 24.129 I AA £56.3.0 {1703}[10]
Mr. John Gather 26.338 I £44.10.0 Jun 9 1707[10]
John Gather 26.336 A AA £437.6.0 £20.11.8 Jun 17 1707[10]
Distribution to: widow, Rachell Gather, Edward Gather, Rebecca Gather, Mary Gather, Susanna Gather, John Gather.
John Gaither 27.13 A AA £550.17.3 £550.17.3 Jun 17 1707[10]
After the death of John Gaither, his widow Ruth married as her second husband Francis Hardesty on 13 Jan. 1703 [1703/4].11 Francis Hardesty and Ruth had a child, Francis HARDESTY born 27 Feb. 1707 [1707/8].11 Ruth was buried 5 Oct. 1719 at All Hallow's Parish, Anne Arundel County.11[5]
Francis Hardisty apparently became the guardian of the younger children.[6]
"John Gather and Ruthe, parents of: [15]
Some genealogies show an exact birth date, such as January 26, 1642. Professional genealogist Rick Saunders notes, "An exact birth date for John Gaither is new to me. This sounds to me like someone forging a date. [26]
It is more likely that John's mother was Mary, not Joan, but Joan's name is unknown. There is no record of Joan's name. [3]
Some popular genealogies show the birthplace as Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This is an error, because the family did not move from Virginia to Maryland until 1649 or later.
No Trans-Atlantic connection has been found between the Gaithers of Lamberhurst, Kent, England -- John Gaither Sr Baptised February 16, 1604 and his son John Gaither Jr Baptised March 5, 1634 on the one hand, and the Gaithers of Virginia and Maryland -- John Gaither I , born March 5, 1599, Immigrant from England and his son Capt. John Gaither II who died in Anne Arundel CO, MD. Fredric Z. Saunders, a widely respected professional genealogist, has stated that "The English origin and parents of John (GATER) GAITHER, born 1599, of Virginia and Maryland are unknown." [5]
On 24 July 1635 three Gaters were listed among the passengers sailing from London to Virginia on the "Assurance": John GATER age 36, Joan GATER age 20, and a John GATER age 15. [27] The 15-year old John, born in 1620, could not have been the son of Joan, age 20, only 5 years older. If he had been a son of John Gater I, the elder John would have included him in his claim for land for having brought people into the colony, which he did not. [5]
Some Genealogies show that John Gaither, Immigrant, born 1599, had a son John Gaither II, born 1620 and age 15 when they arrived in Virginia on the Assurance, and that John Gaither II then had a son John Gaither III, born before 1646. The available documentation does not support such a genealogy, but rather that Gaither, born before 1646, was Captain John Gaither, the son of John Gaither, Immigrant, born 1599. Thus Newman and those citing Newman refer to Captain John Gaither as John Gaither III. "Capt John Gaither, III was born in Virginia 1646." [6]
Bibliography of Frequently Cited Works.
See also:
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Newman, Harry Wright. Anne Arundel Gentry: A Genealogical History of Twenty-Two Pioneers of Anne Arundel County, Md., and Their Descendants (Baltimore: The Lord Baltimore Press, 1933) "The Gaither Family"; pp 353-391 Internet Archive (Full View)
edited by Carole (Kirch) Bannes
Please continue to manage normally, and review US Southern Colonies Project Editing Guidance before editing.
1. Birth place in data field changed to Virginia to be consistent with documentation.
2. Suffixes like I, II, III are not allowed by WikiTree in the data field unless their use by the person himself is documented. I have not changed them but these will be eventually be removed from the data field. Their use is explained in the narrative, as there were multiple John Gaithers, and in the narrative I continue to refer to this John as "John Gaither III".
3. Documentation has now been found that establishes Beard as the surname of John's wife Mary. A merge of wife Mary Unknown into the profile for Mary Beard has been accomplished.
4. Given the history of changes to the data field that did not follow documentation in the narrative, Project Protected status has been given to this profile.
5. Some edits have been made to associated profiles.
edited by Jack Day
edited by Larry Campbell FSA Scot