William Iiams (abt. 1670 - bef. 1738)

Born about 1670 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Plummer) Ijams — married 27 Aug 1696 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel, Maryland

Descendants

Died before 17 May 1738 before about age 68 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

No birth record for William Ijams has been found. He was born around 1670 in Anne Arundel County. He was the eldest son of William Ijams and Elizabeth Cheney and was left a legacy in his father's will of 5 shillings. ^[1]

Marriage & Family

The marriage of William Ijams and Elizabeth Plummer is recorded in the parish register of All Hallow's Church on 27 AUG 1696. The births of seven children are also recorded in the same parish:

Elizabeth Ijams b. 15 JUN 1697, bapt. 19 JUN 1698

William Ijams b. 22 DEC 1699, bapt. 26 JUL 1700

Richard Ijams b. SEP 1702

Mary Ijams bapt. 26 AUG 1705

Thomas Ijams b. 7 AUG 1708, bapt. 24 FEB 1708/09

John Ijams bapt. 6 AUG 1718

Plummer Ijams bapt. 6 AUG 1728^[2]

Property

The courthouse in Annapolis burned down in 1703 destroying the early land records of Anne Arundel County. After the new courthouse was built, land owners came to court to register their deeds. William Ijams brought a deed originally dated 1686 in which Francis Stockett conveyed to Thomas Plummer a 64 acre tract called Dodon located in the woods north of Anne Arundell Manor. He stated in court the land was his in the right of his wife, the daughter of Thomas Plummer. He also recorded a second deed for the same tract, but this one was for 100 acres that was conveyed to Plummer in 1672. ^[3]

Death

Throughout this will the last name is written "Jiams" by the clerk who transcribed it into the book and the signature of William is spelled the same way. William signed his will on 28 JUN 1734: I William Jiams of Anne Arundel County in the Province of Maryland, planter . . . In the name of God Amen I William Jiams of Anne Arundell Co in the Province of MD Planter being of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing tis appointed for all men to Die Do make Constitute and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner and form. Imprimus I bequeath my South into the hands of God that gave it me, and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named and touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to Bestow upon me, after my just debts being paid, I give, divise and dispose of them as following --

I give and bequeath to my Beloved wife Elizabeth Jiams during her natural life, all my personal Estate whatsoever except for the following legacies provided my said wife lives single and remains unmarried, but in case she thinks proper to marry again, then I bequeath all the personal estate aforesaid (except as before excepted) to be equally divided (immediately after such marriage) between my son John Jiams and my son Plummer Jiams and my daughter Ann Jiams.

Item I give and bequeath to my son William Jiams and his Heirs for ever a certain Tract or parcell of Land called Cheney's Resolution containing one hundred acres lying in Anne Arundel Co aforesaid, also the sum of five shillings current money.

Item I give and bequeath to my sons Richard and Thomas, also to my daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Charity each of them the sum of five shillings current money aforesaid.

Item I give and bequeath unto my Son John Jiams and his heirs for ever after his mother's decease a certain tract or parcell of land lying in Anne Arundel County called Bridge Hill containing one hundred acres being the greater part of my dwelling plantation and if my son John die without issue lawfully begotten of his body then I bequeath the aforesaid land called Bridge Hills to my son Plummer & his heirs for ever and further if my son Plummer die without lawfull heirs begotten of his body then I give and bequeath the aforesaid Land unto my son Thomas & his heirs for ever.

Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Ann one negro girl named Bean & her increase and in case my daughter Ann die without lawfull heirs, then I give the said negro girl & her increase to my son John Jiams aforesaid.

Lastly, I constitute & ordain my sons Thomas & John executors of this my last will & testament and I do utterly disalllow, revoke . . . Signed & sealed with his signature Will Jiams. Witnessed by Richard Williams, Richard Welsh, John Nicholson Jr., & Richard Williams Jr. Probated 17 MAY 1738.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Prerogative Court Wills Liber 11 folio 358 [msa.maryland.gov
2. ↑ Wright, F. Edward, “Anne Arundel County Church Records of the 17th & 18th Centuries” Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books 2002
3. ↑ Anne Arundel Deeds Liber WH 1 folio 52 to 55
4. ↑ Prerogative Court Wills Liber 21 folio 878 [msa.maryland.gov https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagser/s500/s538/000000/000032/pdf/msa_s538_000032.pdf]

"A History of William Iiams, The Immigrant, His Ancestors and Descendants, The Poineers, Their Marriages and Related Kin" Compiled by Guy Ross & Roberta Wright Iiames, Spring 1997

• Maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between David Roberds and Brett Strobel his seventh cousin 2x removed. Their most-recent common ancestors are their 8th-great grandparents, William Iiams and Elizabeth Plummer. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 5th-8th Cousins, based on sharing 13 cM across 1 segments.