Mary (Smith) van Sweringen (abt. 1660 - bef. 1713)

Born about 1660 in St Mary's City, St Mary's County, Province of Maryland

Wife of Gerrit (van Sweringen) Van Swearingen — married 5 Oct 1676 in Saint Mary's, Province of Maryland

Descendants

Died before 5 Sep 1713 before about age 53 in Maryland Rose Croft Plantation, St Mary's County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

1660 Birth and Parents

Mary Smith was born about 1660. ^[1] Mike Marshall estimates the year as 1661. ^[2]

1676 Marriage to Garret Van Sweringen

In October 1676 Mary Smith married Garrett Van Sweringen (1636-1698 ^[2] as his second wife. An antenuptial settlement between Garrett and Mary Smith of St. Mary's City had been executed on October 5, 1676. ^[3]

The Historical Marker Database carries a photograph of the painting in St. Mary's City entitled A Busy Kitchen which portrays Mary van Sweringen, her two daughters, and her "staff" of enslaved women preparing a formal dinner for the Governor.

1678 Indenture of Mary Molloyd

In 1678 Mary Molloyd was transported to Maryland from Ireland as an indentured servant and the first owner of her indenture was "Madam Vansweringen. (The second, later, was Peter Beale. Peter Beale and Mary's husband Garrett were associated in various ventures.)

Mary Molloyd had an illegitimate child named Mary by Peter, an East Indian servant of Lord Baltimore in St. Mary's County. Mary, the mother, later became the servant of Thomas Beale. ^[4]

This began a saga described in detail at Fighting Against Enslavement -- The Grandchildren of Mary Molloyd Mary Molloyd's grandchildren sought freedom a century later, alleging that Peter's son John had improperly kept them enslaved. ^[5] However, there was no allegation of wrongdoing by Madam Vansweringen.

1713 Death

Mary Smith died several years after her husband, "in the faith of the English Church." ^[3] Her will was written in February, 1712/3 and proved in September of the same year.

Will Summary

Vansweringen, Mary, widow, St. Mary's County, 17th Feb., 1712-13; 5th Sept., 1713, ^[2][6]

• To daus. Dorothy and Tereshera Vansweringen personalty,
• To son-in-law Wm. Bladen, and dau. (not named) Bladen, and to dau. Minor Carroll personal estate.
• To son Joseph, ex., residue of estate, real and personal.. including 200 A.,, " The Point, " {Chancellors Point} nr. St. Mary's; he to maintain daus. Dorothy and Tereshea afsd.
• Test: Anne Maloni, Hannah Bantom, Wm. Aisquith. 13.557

Will Complete

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Mary Vansweringen of St Maryes County Widdow being Sick of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be to Allmighty for the Same and Considering the uncertainty of this transitory life we are in and that all mortalls must dye do think convenient to settle all such temporall Benefitts as it hath pleased Allmighty God to bless me with in order thereunto doe make my last will and Testament Revokeing Renowncing and makeing void all former will or Wills by me made and this only to be my last will and testament first and principally I give and bequeath my Soul to Allmighty God that gave it Constantly beleiving that through the Meritorious Death and passion of my Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ I shall receive full pardon and remission of my Sins and transgretions past and my Body I bequeath to the Earth from whence it Came to be buried in Decent and Christian Maner as my Executor hereafter named shall think fitt.

• Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Loveing Daughter Dorithy VanSweringen four negroes two feather bedds two Ruggs two pair of blanketts, two pair of Sheets and two bolsters one Silver pint Cupp, Six Silver Spoons one Small English Table to be Delivered to her at the Day of her marriage by my Executor hereafter Named;...
• Item I Give and bequeath unto my Loving Daughter Tereshea VanSweringen four Negroes, two feather bedds two Ruggs two pair of Blanketts, two pair of Sheets two bolsters one Pint Silver tankered Six Silver Spoones a Chest of Drawers and a Small Looking Glass:
• and to Each of them my Said Daughters a Suite of table linen all which to be Delivered to my said Daughters by my Executor at the Day of their Marriage the above said Legacies being in full satisfaction for their part or portion of their fathers and my Estate.
• Item I Give and bequeath unto my loveing Son Joseph VanSweringen all that tract or parcell of Land lying in St. Maryes County near St Maryes Called the point {Chancellors Point} containing two hundred acres or thereabouts to him and his heirs and assignes for Ever; my Said Son being and is to maintain my Said two Daughters handsomly untill they are married.
• Item I Give unto my loveing Son in Law Mr William Bladen and my Daughter Bladen a Ring of thirty shillings price to Each of them;
• Item I Give and Bequeath unto My Loveing Daughter Elinor Carroll two Thousand pound of Tobacco to be paid by my Executor in Convenient time after my decease, it is my Desire that the Negroes which I have Given to My two Daughters Shall be Such as my Said Executor Shall think fitt they not Exceeding forty years a piece;
• Item I Give and Bequeath all the Rest of My Estate both Real and person unto my Said Son Joseph VanSweringen after all my Just Debts are paid
• and lastly I doe hereby Constitute and appoint my loving Son Joseph

VanSweringen my whole and sole Executor of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and Seale this Seaventeenthday of Febry 1712/13

• Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Wm Aisquith, Anne Moloni, Hannah (Her Mark) Bantom MARY VANSWERINGEN (SEALE)
• At ye foot of the aforegoing will was thus written, Sept 5th 1713

Then Came Anne Moloni and Hannah Bantom two of the Witnesses to the within will and made oath that they saw the within Named Mary VanSwearingen Signe Seale and Deliver the Same as her last will and Testament...

• WM AISQUITH Dept Comissry ^[7]

Death

Mary Smith VanSwearingen died before 5 Sep 1713 in St. Mary's County, Maryland - Probate. ^[2]

She died in 1714 in Saint Mary's City, St. Mary's County, Maryland. She is buried in Chapel Field, Saint Mary's City. ^[1]

Inventory

Inventory of Mary Van Sweringen Late of St Maries County Decd 2 April 1714 ^[8]

• A Mulatto boy att 12 pounds

Estate

Mary Vansweringen 35A.131 I SM £399.19.0 Apr 10 1714 ^[2]

• Appraisers: John Lolley, Tobias Toll.
• Approvers: Dorothy Vansweringen, Teresia Vansweringen.

Mary Vansweringen 4.22 A SM £399.19.0 £104.10.5 Oct 11 1721^[2]

• Payments to: Charles Carroll, Esq., George Middleton, William Bladen, Esq. Legatees: (unnamed, all of age).
• Appraisers: Edward Rogers, Griffin Jones.
• Administratrix: Mrs. Mary Vansweringen (widow & administratrix of Mr. Joseph Vansweringen (executor of deceased)).

Enslaved Persons

From her 1721 will we know that Mary Van Sweringen was a slave holder. Four enslaved persons each are willed to her daughters Theresia and Dorothy. Since the will describes how these are to be selected, it may be assumed that there were drawn from a larger number of enslaved persons, who likely went with the other property to Joseph, the executor.

Children

Children by second marriage: Joseph, Charles, Eleanor, Theresa, Dorothy, and a daughter who married William Bladen. ^[3]

1. Joseph Van Sweringen, b. Abt 1678, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. 15 Mar 1721, St. Mary's County, Maryland - Inventory ^[2] Married Mary Neale. Executor of mother's estate. Receives "The Point."
2. Charles Van Sweringen, b. Abt 1679, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. Aft 1712, St. Mary's County, Maryland ^[2] Deceased at time of mother's 1721 will.
3. Anne Van Sweringen, b. 1680, St. Marys City, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. Aft 1727, St. Anne's Parish, Anne Arundel County. Maryland ^[2] Married Bladen.
4. Eleanor Van Sweringen, b. Abt 1681, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. 28 Aug 1727, Calvert County, Maryland - inventory ^[2] to receive 2000 lbs tobacco in mother's 1721 will. Married Carroll, Manning.
5. Teresa Van Sweringen, b. 1683, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. 1 Jan 1754, St. Mary's County, Maryland ^[2] To receive 4 enslaved persons in mother's 1721 will and be maintained by Joseph until married. Married Ford.
6. Dorothy Van Sweringen, b. Abt 1685, St. Mary's County, Maryland , d. 10 Mar 1728, St. Mary's County, Maryland - Inventory ^[2] To receive 4 enslaved persons in mother's 1721 will and be maintained by Joseph until married.
7. Sarah Van Sweringen, b. Abt 1688, St. Mary's County, Maryland, d. 1718, St. Mary's County, Maryland ^[2] Sarah Van Sweringen Slye (1688–1718) ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #161688920 Memorial for Mary Van Sweringen. Accessed 6 February 2023 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} Mike Marshall. Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. Profile for Mary Smith Accessed 6 February 2023 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} John W. Jordan. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915, vol 1, p. 159-162
4. ↑ Heinegg, Paul. Free African Americans of Maryland and Delaware From the Colonial Period to 1810 Baltimore: Clearfield. Second Edition, 2021, p. 129
5. ↑ Ann Fisher at al, Petition for Freedom. 1743.
6. ↑ The Will of Mary Van Swearingen, wife of Garrit Van Swearingen: Will Book #3, Calendar of Wills, Baldwin, #475.2 S 2-C, #13, 557.
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. Will of Mary Smith VanSwearingen Accessed 6 February 2023 jhd
8. ↑ Volume 35a, Roll 70-3 1713-1714, pp 131-2

Acknowledgements

• Smith-66086 was created by Matthew Stalter through the import of Stalter Family Tree.ged on Jul 15, 2014.