William Holland (abt. 1663 - bef. 1732)

Born about 1663 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Margaret Holland — married about 1690 (to 1719) in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

Descendants

Died before 25 Oct 1732 before about age 69 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

William Holland was a Maryland colonist.

Origin

No birth record for William Holland has been found, and was possibly born in Maryland, England or Virginia. More research is needed. His year of birth is an estimate based on the fact that he was a grandfather when he died in 1732. He possibly moved to Maryland from Virginia before 1673 when his name is listed on the index of persons applying for a warrant to claim land.^[1] William settled in the Herring Creek area of Anne Arundel County among others with the Holland surname.

He was an important figure in the Maryland Colony and often acted as the local justice. After the courthouse in Annapolis burned down, William served on the court convened to record deeds for land owners who wanted their deeds officially recorded. In that capacity he claimed ownership for some of his own land and proved his connection to his wife. The record states:

“The Hon. Wm. Holland Esq. proves to the court . . . a grant to Capt. Edward Carter of Nangomy in the colony of Virginia for 275 acres of land lying in Anne Arundel County at a place called Herring Creek . . .was transferred under his hand to Francis Holland his father whose heir at law he the said William is and therefore prays the assignment be entered on the records of this court.”^[2]

This deed may give the impression that William was the son of Francis Holland, but the will of Francis Holland who died in 1684 names only one son also named Francis. William must have married the daughter of Francis and thus became the legal heir to the land. It was the custom of the time to call one's father-in-law just father.

Marriage & Family

William married Margaret Holland around 1690. She was most likely his cousin and the daughter of Francis Holland based on the deed mentioned above. Births of the following children of Capt. William Holland & Margaret are recorded in St. James Parish which was located in the Herring Creek area of Anne Arundel County:

Francis Holland son b. 25 SEP 1691

William Holland son b. 2 JUN 1695

Margaret Holland dau. b. 25 OCT 1697 d. 35 AUG 1701

By the birth of his next child, William is identified as a colonel:

Thomas Holland son b. 14 OCT 1700

Frances Holland dau. b. 7 FEB 1703

Margaret Holland dau. b. 21 MAR 1705

Mary Holland dau. b. 10 NOV 1708

John Holland son b. 4 NOV 1710 d. SEP 1719

Susanna Holland dau. b. 12 OCT 1712 d. SEP 1719

1719 was a very sorrowful year for William Holland. Church records report the loss of two young children and his wife, Margaret on 12 NOV 1719.^[3]

William married a second wife, Elizabeth Woolford, the sister of James Woolford and daughter of Roger Woolford. She was the widow of Col. Thomas Ennalls.^[4]

Occupation & Public Service

William Holland was a merchant, a planter and a judge. He represented Anne Arundel County in the Lower House in 1701 and soon moved to the Upper House where he served until 1732. He was chief justice of the Provincial Court 1708-1719 and chancellor from 1719-1721. William also served in the militia as a captain by 1691, a lt. col. by 1701 and a colonel by 1716.^[4]

Death

William Holland of Anne Arundel County signed his will on 17 AUG 1724. The will gives a detailed account of property he owned and his children. A brief abstract follows:

• to Francis Holland all those lands now in my possession and were formerly the right & inheritance of his grandfather & uncle, Francis Holland deceased except what is already disposed of by deed of gift to my grandson, Francis Holland, son of the said Francis and further those 2 parcels called Herring Creek & Conants Chance cont. 135 ac. Bought of Wm. Russell & John Dikes and also 3 tracts in Balt. Co. bought of Bennett Creed & Wiiliam Wilson lying near Bush R. cont. all together about 1100 acs.
• to my sons Francis, William, Thomas Holland & their heirs all that tract called the Minors Adventure 200 acs.
• to my son William Holland tract I purchased from the heirs of Mr. John Abington dec. called Dowsdale & Abington Manor abt. 960 acs. Also all that tract bought of the heirs of Seth Biggs dec. called Biggs Purchase cont. 335 acs. And also that parcel called Batchelors Good Luck lying on Deer Creek in Balt. Co. cont. 950 acs. & also 50 acs. Lof land joining lately bought of Cadwallader Jones.
• to my son Thomas Holland all that tract lying in Calvert County called St. James Enlarged & also 37-1/2 acres part of Alexander Hope adjoining & also 425 acs. Part of His Lorship’s Favour bought of John & Aran Cobreath, also 25 acs. Bought of Hercules Humes & also 50 acs. bought of John Dodson & the remaining part of 110 acs. called the Neglect adjoining.
• to my loving kinsman Thomas Haskins all that plantation called Hurst Chance bought of William Russell abt. 300 acs.
• my loving wife, Elizabeth Holland to receive her thirds part of my estate, all those negroes, cattle and household goods of whatever nature which she was possessed with at the time of our marriage. My further desire is that my dear wife have the house & plantation where I now live together with the land called Bennetts Island and Hollands Additions during the minority of my grandson, Francis Holland if he shall so long live & in case my wife shall die or desert the said lands, my son Thomas Holland take the lands and occupy them during the minority of my grandson.
• to my son Francis Holland my best horse & watch and my further desire is that my executor pay to Richard Bennett Esq. the sum of £130 sterling & to Daniel Dulany Esq. the sum of £140 sterling or thereabouts, which I am security for payment on account of my son Francis which sum he is not to account for to my estate.
• to my grandson Utie Holland 3 negro men & 1 negro girl not under the age of 12
• to my grandson Frances Holland 3 negro men& 1 negro girl of the like age
• to my granddaughter Mary Holland 2 negro men & 1 negro woman, none of their ages to excede 30 years & also the sum of £50 when she shall attain the age of 16 or day of marriage. The boys portions to be paid at the age of 21.
• my further will is that what negroes, cattle & household goods is made over for security of a debt due from my son Francis to me be equally divided between my aforesaid 3 grand children, Utie, Francis & Mary Holland.
• to my grandson, William Thomas 3 negro men & 1 negro woman, none of them to exceed the age of 30 & £50 current money to be paid at age 21.
• to my nephew Thomas Haskins 3 negro men & 1 negro woman not to exceed the age of 30 & £50 current money within 12 months of my decease.
• to my son William Holland my great Bible, silver punch bowl as a particular token of my affection.
• to my loving sister Mary Haskins the sum of £5 sterling & to each of her children that shall be living at the time of my decseae the sum of forty shillings sterling each.
• my further will is that what crop of tobacco shall be growing or in houses at the time of my decease shall be shipped upon the hazard & risk of my estate & accountable to my estate .
• to my loving sons William & Thomas Holland all the residue , & refering to my wife her third part of the whole to be equally divided between them.
• I appoint my wife Elizabeth Holland & my sons William & Thomas Holland executor and in case a difference should happen between my children or my executor, I appoint my friends Col. John Smith & Dr. William Lock my trustees to decide the same.

Signed & sealed with his signature by William Holland Witnessed by: Samuel Harrison, Wiliam Phillips, George Taylor, Mary Lockerman. Probate 25 OCT 1732. Samuel Harrison is called a Quaker & Mary Lockerman was now Mary Haskins.^[5]

The estate of William Holland was valued at £3,220.12.11 (including 67 slaves and 1 servant). He owned approximately 3,000 acres of land when he died. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Gibb, Dr. Carson. “The New Early Settlers of Maryland” [earlysettlers.msa.maryland.gov]
2. ↑ Anne Arundel Deeds Liber Liber IH 3 folio 78
3. ↑ Wright, F. Edward, “Anne Arundel County Church Records of the 17th & 18th Centuries” Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books 2002.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Papenfuse, Edward C. et. al. “A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislalture 1635-1789” Vol. 426 pg. 447
5. ↑ Prerogative Court Wills Liber 20 folio 458 [msa.maryland.gov https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagser/s500/s538/000000/000030/pdf/msa_s538_000030.pdf ]