Jane (Mackall) Smith
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Jane (Mackall) Smith (abt. 1645 - bef. 1713)

Jane Smith formerly Mackall aka Prather
Born about in Scotlandmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married about 12 Sep 1660 (to Aug 1680) in Calvert, Marylandmap
Wife of — married after Aug 1682 (to Sep 1707) in Calvert, Marylandmap
Descendants descendants
Died before before about age 68 in Brooke Wood, Mattapany Hundred, Prince George's, Marylandmap
Profile last modified | Created 2 Apr 2012
This page has been accessed 2,970 times.
US Southern Colonies.
Jane (Mackall) Smith resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776.
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Contents

Biography

Jane (Mackall) Smith[1]

Flag of Virginia
Jane (Mackall) Smith migrated from Virginia to Maryland.
Flag of Maryland

Preface

This updated biographical sketch of the woman known by previous researchers as Lyle Jane McKay Prather Smith (McKay-479) is derived from the intensive research conducted by Beth Golden (Brown-18795) from March through August 2020. Because of the the extent of the findings which would be too long for the space provided below, a brief outline follows. Please see the attached PDF document, Jane Mackall Prather Smith- A Brief Biography, for additional information. Even more details, additional research including One-Name Studies and other data are available by contacting Beth.

Comments, suggestions, corrections, etc. are most welcomed; but please do not make changes without consulting with the profile managers.

A GRACIOUS LADY TOBACCO PLANTER AND MERCHANT

c. 1645 Birth

Jane was born a Mackall (spelling variations) about 1645+/-5 in the area southeast of Edinburgh, Scotland, with the parish of Haddington being the most likely. She is very likely the sister or cousin of George Mackall (1636-1675) and they are second cousins once removed from James Mackall (abt.1630-1693) with their common ancestors being John McCall and Issobell MacMorane of Edinburgh, Scotland. If she and George were siblings, their father was John Maccall (abt.1615-abt.1680). If first cousins, Jane's father was Thomas Maccall (abt.1620-abt.1680). Note that John and Thomas were brothers and sons of Robert Maccall (abt.1600-abt.1650).

In official records. Jane never used the name Lyle. The previous last name at birth, McKay, cannot be correct as there is no record of a McKay of the right age to be a father living in the colonies of Virginia or Maryland between 1635 (her previously listed birth year) – 1660 (approximate date of residence in Maryland). MACKALL may have been read as MACKAY. The 2 “L's” in Mackall may have been interpreted as the 2 humps of the “Y” in Mackay. [1] There are numerous spelling variations for this surname in Scotland, Virginia and Maryland and include Macall, M'Call, McCall, Macgael, Makcall, and even M'Kawele (1370-1380) [2]

c. 1653 Immigration

She likely arrived in the colony of Virginia, along the Mobjack Bay with other Mackall (spelling variations) families in the early 1650s. [3] [Please see MYTHS DEBUNKED section in the attached PDF regarding the incorrect assignment of Jane to George Gouldsmith (Gouldsmith-4) and related information regarding George Gouldsmith.]

Family

Jane's first husband was Jonathan Prather (Prather-72). The exact date and place of their marriage is unknown, but likely about 1661 on Thomas Spriggs' plantation, Resurrection Manor, Calvert County, Maryland. [Please see MYTHS DEBUNKED section in the attached PDF regarding the often cited Prater's Hall on Swan Creek located near Fort Washington as their place of marriage.]

Children: Jane (Prather-2), Jonathan (Prather-71), George (Prather-94), William ((Prather-92), Thomas (Prather-11), John (Prather-93) and Elizabeth (Prather-95)

Jonathan Prather died before 21 August 1680. Jane then married John of Mattapany Smith in Calvert County, Maryland (later Collington Hundred, Prince George's) after 24 August 1682. [4] The ceremony may have taken place on Thomas Sprigg's property, Northampton. [Note: They were not married at Brook Wood, Mattapany Landing, Prince George's County, which was previously thought as John had not yet purchased it and Prince George's County was formed from a part of Calvert County in 1695] Since this was a late in life marriage, she and John did not have any natural children, but John was a loving step-father and Jane's children were mentioned in his Last Will (1707) with significant bequests. [5], [6]

Land and Slave/Servant Ownership

Jane owned land, slaves and servants most if not all received from her husband, John Smith, at his request in his Last Will and Testament. See John Smith (abt.1640-1707) [highlights of the biography written by Beth Golden; full biography available upon request.

Education

Jane had a degree of literacy and knowledge skills as she managed the tobacco production and sales following John Smith's death. She signed her Will with her signature, a mark and a seal indicating her ability to at least write her name as well as her status. Her Inventory included printed books suggesting the ability to read. [7]

Occupation

Likely among very few woman in the early years of 18th century Maryland, Jane managed the tobacco production, shipping and sales from 1707, the year of her husband's death, until her own passing in 1713. Jane may have learned or at least experienced business skills from her relatives in Edinburgh, Scotland. In particular was David McCall. During his lifetime, he was a wealthy merchant conducting international trade. [8] David was munificent and as the first treasurer of the Tron Kirk (Church) [9] in Edinburgh, gave over 12,000 merks to provide for a week-day preacher. [10]

1713 Death

Jane died in November 1713 at her home, Brooke Wood Plantation, Mattapany Hundred, Prince George's, Maryland. Her Last Will was presented to the Prerogative Court on 7 December 1713. [11], [12] Her cause of death is unknown but was likely malaria, lead poisoning from pewter, contaminated food, tainted water or a cooking fire. [13] Her burial site was likely on her property, Brooke Wood [14] or in the old Patuxent Presbyterian Church graveyard in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. [15] Her tombstone remains have not been found and are probably lost to time.

Last Will and Testament

In the Name of God Amen. I Jane Smith widow & Relict of Jno: Smith late of Prince Geo.'g's County dec'd being sick & weake in body but through the Infinite mercy of God of sound & p.fect memory calling to mind the uncertainty of this Transitory Life & that it is appointed for all men once to dye do make ordain constitute & appoint this to be my Last will & Testament: in manner & forme following that is to say.

First & Cheiffley I give & bequeath my Immortal Soul into the hands of allmighty God my Creator that gave it wth: true & harty sorrow for all my sins committed agt: him hoping & trusting that through the death Resurrection assention & mediation of my Dear redeamer & Lord Jesus Christ I shall receive pardon & remission of my sins & at the Last day be received up into Glory & for the Temporall Estate wch: was left me by the last will & Testamt: of my Dear husband dec'd I give & bequeath in manner & forme following as is hereafter expres't.

Imprimis I give & bequeath to my son's Wm: Thos: & Jno: Prater & to two sons of Jonathan Prater viz. Jonathan & Thos: Prater all my ?oth: & dividend of the household goods to be equally divided between the son's of the Eldest Jonathan ?oth: between his two sons before mentioned.

Item. I will that my son Jonathan Prater have one English woman servt: named Prudence Blyth five years to serve.

Item. I will the Eldest Daughter of Jno: Prater called Elizh: Prater have one negro man called Jack aged 25 yrs:

Item. I will that Pricilla Prater Daughter of Wm: Prater have one negro female child called Pegy & that she continue with the mother till she is one year old.

Item. I will that my son Wm. Prather have one Scotch Servt: a Tayler called George Dunbar.

Item. I will that Thos: Prater have one negro man named Cook.

Item. I will that the Eldest Daughter of my son Thos: Prater have one negro woman named Pegy.

Item. I will & bequeath to my Jno: Prater one Irish boy called Thos: Daniell.

Item. I will my son Jno: Prather's eldest Daughter Mary have one negro boy named David.

Item. I will that James Mullikin's Daughter Jane have one negro boy named Jerry.

Item. I will that the three sons of James Mullikin viz. Thos: Wm: Jno: have each of them a heiffer two year's old.

Item. I give & bequeath to my Grand-Children Ann, Martha, Jane, Susannah children of Jonathan Prater & to Thos: Jno: Philip Eleanor & Rachell children of Thos: Prather as as also to Wm: Prissilla & Margett, children of Wm: Prather as also to Jno: & the youngest next to Jno: Prather children of Jno: Prather all the residue of my estate be it in money goods Cattle horses hoggs or of what nature or kind so ever it be, be it in England or any other part of her majesty's Dominions or on the seas or wheresoever it be, & i'ts further my will that if any of my grandchildren should be called from this life before they have rece'd their portion's of the residue of my Estate that his her or their part or parts be equally divided among the surviving children of that family or surviver if but one.

Item. I will that Mr. Thos: Brooke, Junr: & Mr: Philip Lee if they will be pleased to favour me so far as see an equall division among the grandchildren, wch. said children I will be capable to receive their portions as the following years viz. Both males & females at the age of seventeen but if the females should marry before that the day of marriage & I do hereby request & desire my well beloved son's Wm: Thos: & Jno: Prather to be Exers of this my last will & Testamt: & I do hereby fully & absolutely revoke & make null & void all or any other will Testamt. or Codicill by me formerly made or in my name made or pretended to be made & do make constitute & ordain & publish this to be my last will & Testamt: wittness my hand & seal this 27th: day July anno Dmi. 1710

Jane (signum) Smith (seal)

Signed sealed & declared to be the last will & Testamt: of the above named Jane Smith in presence of us

Philip Lee George Dunbar Jno: (his mark) Bryon

And on the back was Endorsed

Decembr: the 7th: day Anno Dmi. 1713

Then came Geo: Dunbar & Jno: Bryon wittnesses to the wth:in will & did make oath upon the holy Evangelist of Almighty God that they were present at the time that the dece'd Jane Smith did signe seale & acknowledge the wth:in will to be her last will & Testamt: & that att the same time she was in her perfect sences

Sworn before me

Benjn: Berry Depty: Comry: Prin: Geo: Co:[16]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Golden, Beth “One-Name Studies” 2020
  2. Calendar of the Laing Charters, A.D. 854-1837 p. 18-19; https://archive.org/details/calendaroflaingc00edin/page/18/mode/2up?q=karsnelohe
  3. Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers; abstracts of Virginia land patents and grants, 1623-1800; Richmond, Press of the Dietz Print Co., 1934. https://archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge
  4. Hall, Thomas John. Jane referenced as widow Prater in court petition dated 24 August 1682
  5. Ancestry.com, Maryland, Calendar of Wills, 1635-1743 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 1998), Volume: III, Wills from 1703 to 1713
  6. Ancestry.com, Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015), Will books; Author: Maryland. Prerogative Court; Probate Place: Maryland.
  7. Ancestry.com, Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015), p. 623-625
  8. Brown, James J. THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INFLUENCES OF THE EDINBURGH MERCHANT ELITE, 1600-1638; Vol. II https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/6860 p. 492
  9. Tron Kirk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tron_Kirk A well-known landmark in Edinburgh along the High Street.
  10. Wood, Marguerite. The Tron Church; The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club Vol. 29; 1956. pp. 96-99, 110. http://www.oldedinburghclub.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BOEC-OS/Volume-29.pdf
  11. Bowie Walter Worthington, author, The Bowies and their kindred. A genealogical and biographical history (Washington: 1899), digital images, https://archive.org/details/bowiestheirkindr00bowi accessed online 23 March 2020
  12. Marshall, Mike. Jane Prather Smith profile; Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland Virginia's Northern Neck https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I010319&tree=Tree1
  13. Healy, David. https://davidhealeyauthor.com/2012/11/02/excerpt-from-great-storms-of-the-chesapeake-about-the-hurry-cane-of-1667
  14. In the area shortly west of The Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Natural Resource Management Area along the north shore of Mataponi Creek, in the vicinity of GPS coordinates 38.736820, -76.730423
  15. "Chapter 6 Presbyterian Beginnings in Prince George's County" http://www.ronsgospelmusic.org/covebook/Thomfiles.pdf accessed 28 Sep 2018
  16. Doliante, Sharon J. Maryland and Virginia Colonials: Genealogies of Some Colonial Families : Families of Bacon, Beall, Beasley, Cheney, Duckett, Dunbar, Ellyson, Elmore, Graves, Heydon, Howard, Jacob, Morris, Nuthall, Odell, Peerce, Reeder, Ridgley, Prather, Sprigg, Wesson, Williams, and Collateral Kin; Genealogical Publishing Com, 1991. Volume II, Prather-Prater p. 707-710. accessed 5 July 2020 through ancestry.com. Book also available as Google eBook.

Acknowledgments

  • Thank you to Beth Golden for spending the Summer of 2020 doing research on the profile of Jane (Mackall) Smith. We are grateful for your dedication “thank you!”
  • Thanks to Stephanie Sanchez for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Stephanie and others.
  • WikiTree profile McKay-366 created through the import of Kuehn Family File.ged on Oct 26, 2011 by Timothy Kuehn. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Timothy and others.
  • WikiTree profile MacKay-243 created through the import of Mulkerin Family History Site.ged on Dec 15, 2011 by Samantha Mulkerin. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Samantha and others.
  • Thank you to Daniel Justice for creating McKay-965 on 1 Oct 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Daniel and others.
  • WikiTree profile Gouldsmith-3 was created by Linda DeFrees through the import of Julia Ann Empson.ged on Jul 23, 2014.
  • Thank you to Chet Snow for merging profiles, researching and editing the biography sketch, on Feb. 18-19, 2015.
  • Thanks to all the other wikitree members who have made changes, added updates, corrected formatting, etc. over the years.
  • Thanks to Bruce and Linda East and Angela Fox for their peer reviews, comments and suggestions. Also, I appreciate the support given by my cousins on Wikitree: Linda Franks, Greg Hays, Leroy Matlock, Chet Snow, Kenneth Shelton and Jack Day.
  • Numerous authors of articles, books, and websites, particularly Sharon J. Doliante and her research contained in Maryland and Virginia Colonials: Genealogies of Some Colonial Families, Volumes I and II1 and Louise Joyner Hienton and her book Prince George's Heritage.2




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Jane by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Jane:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 33

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Wonderful research, Beth. Thank you for compiling and sharing it here.

I see the use of the project box which requires project co-management. Project protection will also protect the great research you've done here.

Question: what about her using a mark to sign her name leads you to believe she could sign her name or was literate? My understanding is that use of a mark instead of signing a name is indication of lack of literacy.

Jillaine, co-leader, US Southern Colonies project @ wikitree

posted by Jillaine Smith
Thank you, Jillaine. I deeply enjoyed researching Jane in order to tell her true life's story.

I'm not sure who put the project box on the page, but it prompted me to be in touch with Jack Day and from there join the SoCOl/MD and main SoCOL projects, and to send a request for Project protection. I'm still waiting to here whether that's approved.

Answer: I need to rewrite that sentence. She signed, used a mark and used seal.

posted by Beth (Brown) Golden
Beth,

I added project protection to the profile (edited the locked status) of Jane Mackall Smith per your request.

Regards, David Douglas

posted by David Douglass
thanks so much! I thought perhaps this is what you did, but wanted to be sure.
posted by Beth (Brown) Golden
After researching Jane for the last 5 months, evidence strongly suggests that she was born a MACKALL about 1645 (+/- 5) in Scotland and related to Robert, James (Mackall-38) and George Mackall (Mackall-173). I'd like to discuss this with others.

Also, at the very least, I suggest her surname at birth should be Mackay, as McKay is the Irish spelling.

I hesitate to make any profile changes without collaboration. Thanks!

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
edited by Beth (Brown) Golden
Further analysis of John Smith's Last Will and land records shows that name for the property where John and Jane lived at the end of their lives was Brooke Wood, 2 parcels of the land known as Brookes Field which were sold to John by Thomas Brooke and wife Barbara in 1700 for 100 British pounds. The Brooke Brothers, Thomas and Robert, both sold land to John Smith, Robert in Collington Hundred and Thomas in Mattapany Hundred. All of these lands include their surname Brooke and depending on the source are spelled differently - either as one word or as 2 separate words.

Also, the Brooke.... properties owned by John Smith were bequeathed to his nephew John Bowie upon Jane's death. Satisfyingly, the property in Collington Hundred, a part of Robert Brooke's Brookewood, also known as Frienshipp, stayed in the family through the 1850's when it was owned by the Eversfield family. Note: there is a plantation known as Brookwood, located at 12807 Duley Station Road, Upper Marlborough, MD, which was built about 1850 by the Eversfield family and is listed on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (PG:86A-4) https://mht.maryland.gov/mihp/MIHPCard.aspx?MIHPNo=PG%3a86A-4 accessed 12 July 2020. Fielder Bowie, grandson of John Bowie, married Elizabeth Claggett Eversfield about 1765. Brookwood may have been named in honor of the plantation owned by John and Jane Smith and subsequently by John Bowie, or this Brookwood may actually be the land originally granted to John Bowie by his uncle, John Smith in his Last Will of 1707 and the Eversfield family improved the property.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Hooray! We now know exactly where Jane and John Smith lived along the Mataponi Creek, Prince George's, MD! Please see IMAGES. If anyone is able to go 'tromping through the woods' please let me know.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
UPDATE: We also now know who currently owns the land. The property is now owned by William M. Halterman, II et. al. who purchased a 12.71 acre portion of John Halterman's land on 10 January 2007 for $13,001. It has a 2020 tax assessment and land valuation of $2,300. It is designated as a wetland and tree conservancy area. John Halterman received 106.92 acres on 13 January 1954. The property is currently assessed at $326,300 and land valued at $106,400. This was likely a Last Will bequest or gift as no money changed hands.

It is unknown if the Halterman family somehow connects to Jane, one of her 2 husbands one of her children, and/or John Bowie (John Smith's nephew who inherited Brookewood after Jane's passing)

By happenstance I discovered that just a 1/4 mile or so further south, Francis BEALL owns land! I'm not sure how or from which Beall he descends. He could possibly be a direct male descendant of Ninian who owned land in the general vicinity. The land appears to once been a part of the all the Brooke family lands.

Both of these land records were found using https://www.pgatlas.com/ on 9 July 2020

I've untagged Jane and John Smith from the pdf and will soon be uploading a new document. Also I plan on sharing the other land location research I've done which tracks Jane's residences through Maryland.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
edited by Beth (Brown) Golden
If Jane was born about 1635 near Newport News or Elizabeth City, her parents arrived after 1624/5. There are no listings for Mckay or Mackay in the Jamestowne 1624/5 Muster Rolls <ref>http://www.virtualjamestown.org/Muster/muster24.html</ref> On the off chance, that whoever first listed her name as Lyle Jane McKay neglected to include a comma between Lyle and Jane, again, there are no Lyle (with spelling variations) listed.

As mentioned in my post last week, the first McKay I've found living in VA in 1635 is Melashus (MacKay-6622). Unfortunately, intensive research to date has not resulted in any information regarding his life in VA.

It may be that Jane was born about 1650 in either VA, MD, England, or Scotland, as the birth year of her first known child is 1664 and some women during this time married as early as 14 years old. Plus a later birth year makes sense with her age at death. Dying at age 78, if born in 1635, was not normal during this time and place.

After 4 months of researching, I've several possibilities as to Jane's parentage, but no proof. I'm about at the point of concluding my research and finishing up my bio of her which includes proven facts as well as one-name studies conducted to verify her LNAB and my theory as to her parentage based on this.

At least I've been able to document that she was not the biological or adopted child of George Gouldsmith and have updated his wikitree profile, have documented John Smith's life and created his wikitree profile, and found Melashus Mackay who may have been her father and created his wikitree profile. Perhaps future researchers can build on this and finally document the beginnings of Jane's life.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
I've discovered a possible man, Melashus McKay (McKay-6622) who arrived in VA in 1635 and have changed Jane's father to him. Please take a look and let me know what you think, help research, etc. Thanks!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
I stand in awe of you, Beth! You do so well at online research and knowing the resources available. It is as good an assumption as any and certainly is more likely than most. Good work.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Linda (DeFrees) Franks
As always, Frankie, I'm grateful for your praise that surely helps me keep knocking on that brick wall :D Unfortunately, no VA (or MD) records for Melashus are revealing themselves after his arrival. I'm beginning to wonder if he might have died on the way over or like many did, returned to England, or perhaps he changed his name to begin a fresh start. Also, his seeming lack of presence in the New World makes me doubt even more that Jane was born in 1635 in VA. She could have been born much later (based on the year of her first child's birth) and in MD. The hunt continues!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Thanks for the information. Please feel free to edit the profile with the correct information and sources.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Greg Hays
You're welcome and thanks for your thanks, Greg. I'd be glad to edit the profile with sources if all managers are in agreement that I can. I've about 300 hours of research into Jane so lots to share :D
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
John and Jane Smith did not live at Brookefield Plantation. John purchased 2 lots of the Brookefield Plantation and named it Brookewood.

BROOKEWOOD PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY LAND RECORDS, Deed, 6 June 1700 From: THOMAS BROOKE of P. G. County, Esq. To: JOHN SMITH of P. G. County, planter Price; 100 pounds sterling Property: The 12 acre and 130 acre tracts being part of "Brookes Field" bounding on Brookes Creek Branch, land of JOHN SMITH being also formerly part of "Brookes Field," on land of Major NICHOLAS SEWELL, and on Bridge Branch. Signature: THO. BROOKE Wit.: THO. GREENFIELD, R. BRADLY Ackn'd: THOMAS BROOKE and wife BARBARA, 6 June 1700 Recorded: 18 October 1700, Vol. A, p. 215

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Could someone please provide the source for the following stated in paragraph 2 above "Maryland's archives cite Robert MacKay in 1658 as saying he had been a groom "for several great persons" in Scotland and England" ? Thanks so much!

FOUND - see my comment for details

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
edited by Beth (Brown) Golden
I do not know anything about the Maryland Archives. I wonder what they have online, if anything.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Linda (DeFrees) Franks
Thanks, Frankie. The Maryland State Archives has 'tons' of digitized records, including the super biographies of Maryland legislators written by Edward Papenfuse, as well as land, court and church records and many more items. Unfortunately, I've yet to master how to conduct an adequate search. If you'd like to take a look - https://msa.maryland.gov/
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
I. Am. Senior. I don't feel like a senior. Who ever thought 70 would arrive so quickly! I would like to check it out. I have Empson clan that also were in Cecil Maryland. Back home I have copies of records from the Maryland Archives (from over 20 years ago). I shall save your email, or just come back to this page!

Hope you had a great Mother's Day.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Linda (DeFrees) Franks
I am a senior too. There are days that I feel it and others that I don't :D Yes, we'll keep in touch when you get back home and can see your records! My Mother's Day was different, but nice. Hope that yours was delightful!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Robert MacKay in 1658 as saying he had been a groom "for several great persons" in Scotland and England" Found it! Proceedings of the Provincial Court, 1658-1662, Volume 41, Page 277 http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000041/html/am41--277.html and

pdf at http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000041/pdf/am41--277.pdf Please note that the date is 1659.

Also "The MacKay clan was an important Scottish clan in the 17th Century" needs documentation please, as what I'm finding indicates that Mackay was actually Mackall. Thanks!

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
edited by Beth (Brown) Golden
Mackay is Mackall: There are a lot of primary documents that support this. For one see: Proceedings of the Provincial Court, 1658-1662 Volume 41, Page 344 aomol.msa.maryland.gov/000001/000041/html/am41--344.html On Wednesday, 29 Feb 1659, Thomas Gerard served on Council of the Court and he among the other council members appointed George Mackall to the Jury. This indicates the Mackall family including this George and Robert lived in St. Mary's County at the same time as Thomas Gerrard/Gerard. The 2 tops of the LLs may have been misread as the top of a Y.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
I'm having difficulty accessing the gencircles citations. The links take me to the main page of MyHeritage. Various searches are coming up empty. Hope someone can assist. Thanks!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Beth, you are doing a terrific job. I have done some more researching, but haven't found any of the items you have found. Of course, I am doing missionary work also. And, I admit, working on some other lines and helping others, too. I am fine with you updating the bio. Afterall, you deserve the credit for sleuthing through all these records. So much documentation.
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Linda (DeFrees) Franks
Hi Frankie, thanks so much for your praise and acknowledgement. You and other descendants of Jane and Jonathan have done super work in the past, so thank you! You all laid the foundation for me to apply my research skills and winnow out the wheat from the chaff, which I truly enjoy doing. As you know, the profiles for George Gouldsmith (Gouldsmith-4) and John of Mattapany Smith (Smith-22641) are good examples of my research results (more info and pix on both are available from me). Such fun to find and tell their stories!

From your recent research into Jane, is there anything new? If so, please share either here or in an email to me.

If the majority of profile managers agree with you, then I'll be glad to update Jane's profile. While I await other responses on this, I've more research to do on Jane in hopes of proving her full name, birth date/place, parents, arrival to the Colonies, and marriage to Jonathan. fingers crossed :D

Thanks again!

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
It would be great to revise this bio with my current, primary-sourced research results, but since I'm the 'new kid on the block' I hesitate to do so. Other profile managers, what say you? Glad to send you my information for you to edit the bio, or I'd be glad to do so. Thanks!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
After extensive research into George Gouldsmith, Sr. (Gouldsmith-4) I believe that he was likely not the guardian of Jane. I think that this all began with an early researcher misreading "Proctor's Hall" as "Prather's Hall" which was given by George Gouldsmith to his daughter Mary in his Last Will. Some researchers have confounded this confusion by claiming that Prather's Hall was located on Swan Creek near Ft. Washington. George Gouldsmith did own land on Swan Creek, but the one north of Baltimore, along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay near Spestia Island and Narrows and located in what is now the Eleanor and Millard Tydings Park and the small town of Oakington. He did not own land near Jonathan Prather in MD. Likewise, their residences in VA were not in close proximity. George lived on the Corrotoman River and Jonathan lived in the Newport News area, which is about 60 miles south of the Corrotoman River. and https://archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/4/mode/2up/search/Practer p. 5

Also, an earlier researcher seems to have interpreted this bequest of land as a dowry to Jonathan Prather. Unfortunately, the dates do not fit. The bequest was made in 1666 and Jonathan and Jane were married about 12 years before then.

Additionally, Jane is not mentioned in George's Last Will.

The only possibility of George being Jane's guardian is if Jane was born in England and the guardianship took place prior to 1650 in England when George transported himself, his wife and 3 children to VA (along with 8 others). It may be that one of these children was Jane. p. 196 All of George's 3 children were under the age of 16 at the time of his death in 1666. [See Ancestry.com, Maryland, Calendar of Wills, 1635-1743 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1998), Volume: I, Wills from 1635 (Earliest Probated) to 1685.] Additional research into the birth dates/places of George Gouldsmith, Sr.'s children as well as searching records in England is needed to prove/disprove his guardianship of Jane. A few days ago I did search the British Archives-Kew and found no records of guardianship for George Gouldsmith and Jane.

Would be glad to explore/discuss this further.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
edited by Beth (Brown) Golden
Please also see:

STUDY OF THE WILL OF GEORGE GOULDSMITH. WRITTEN 1-_DAY OF APRIL 1666 and PROVED JULY 20th 1666. John W. Prather, Jr. 1997. http://prathergenealogy.com/jwpst21.htm accessed 7 April 2020

Doliante, Sharon J. Maryland and Virginia Colonials: Genealogies of Some Colonial Families : Families of Bacon, Beall, Beasley, Cheney, Duckett, Dunbar, Ellyson, Elmore, Graves, Heydon, Howard, Jacob, Morris, Nuthall, Odell, Peerce, Reeder, Ridgley, Prather, Sprigg, Wesson, Williams, and Collateral Kin; (Vol 2), Genealogical Publishing Com, 1991. Chapt 17 Prather-Prater p. 651

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Additional research since 2 May 2020 suggests a slim possibility if the woman known as Lyle Jane Mackay/McKay was actually born a Mackall. Nugent transcribed a passenger transport relating to the land patent/grant for Edward Kemp and others in 1653 as Jane Macklatt. However, Greer has transcribed this passenger as John Macklatt. The writing of Macklatt may have been a confusion for Mackall. Curiously, the land patent/grant was along the Corrotoman River, as follows:

900 acres in Lancaster County, 25 November 1653. Upper north side of Rappahannock River bounded upon south side of of an eastern branch of the Corrotoman River beginning upon a point upon the eastern most side dividing this and land of William Clapham. George's land was on the western branch of the Corrotoman River, but the properties may have been in close proximity. In my opinion this is really stretching information, but it may prove helpful to future researchers.

Nugent. Cavaliers and Pioneers; abstracts of Virginia land patents and grants, 1623-1800; p. 256 https://archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge accessed 23 May 2020. Greer, George Cabell. Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666, 1912. http://www.evmedia.com/virginia/ accessed 3 May 2020.

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Please let me know if you would like to collaborate with me to sort all of this out and find the truth with primary documentation about Lyle Jane Mackay Prather Smith (my 8th ggm)? Thanks!
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
I am a full-time missionary at this time, but the Novel SARS-Covid-19 is keeping us fairly housebound. We are not shutdown but just stay in more frequently now. I probably have time to assist with this endeavor. I have never seen proof one way or the other and it is confusing.

Frankie aka Linda Franks

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Linda (DeFrees) Franks
Hi Frankie, I'm so glad that you're interested in getting the facts straight about our shared ancestor! Would you please send me a private message with your email address? I've also heard back from another profile manager through private message that he too is interested in about 10 days time. I've been gathering quite a few things over the last week - at this point tracking down the primary documentation for all that's been posted here and other sites. Look forward to hearing from you through email and our work together!

Beth

posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Beth (Brown) Golden
Mackay-1141 and McKay-479 appear to represent the same person because: same dates and places of birth and death;spouse and child in common;
posted on McKay-479 (merged) by Greg Hays