Summerhill, William

"Samuell"

St. Mary's County, Maryland

...the voyage

from Bristol, England to the Colonies...

"1665 October 11th William Summerhill bound to Richard Ward
for ffower years in Virginia, the same conditions."
                                                        ~"Servants To Foreign Plantations"

Shipper by the "Samuell" of Bideford, England, Mr. Henry Pardon (Captain?), bound from
Barnstaple for Viginia.  Passengers were signed up for passage 6 Oct 1665 through 24 Oct 1665.

Our first emigrant ancestor was a William Summerhill who left the Port of Bristol, England
about the 25 October 1665 bound for the Colonies as an Indentured Servant.  William's
departure was recorded in the English ledger, "Servants to Foreign Plantations."  This
ledger was  found a  few short years ago behind some old shelving during construction in
England.  There were 10,000 entries of men and women bound for Virginia, Maryland, and
the West Indies.

 Richard Ward was a landowner in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia.  He paid passage
for several Indentured Servants including William and *John Nichols who both signed
the Ledger at the same time.  Did they come over as single men or with families?
 Indentured Servants bound themselves to the land owners for a fixed term of service,
usually four to seven years, with the certainty of becoming freeholders at the end
of that period.  Upon completion of their service, they were to  receive 50 acres of
land, a gun and some clothing.

Did our William Summerhill actually arrive in Virginia?  It's doubtful!  My research
in Virginia has not shown a William Summerhill (or any Summerhill) in that time period.
 The first record I've found for William in the Colonies is March 23, 1674 in
Saint Mary's County, Maryland records.   That's almost a nine year period from the
time he left Bristol and most anything could have transpired.   It's this researcher's
belief that he did not go to Virginia but to Maryland.  There are at least three men
who signed up for the Samuell, same trip as William, who wound up in St. Mary's
Co.; John Bullock, John Nichols, and John Pearce.  Study the following excerpt:

"When a person came to the colonies (particularly Virginia) his coming entitled somebody
to take up Fifty Acres  of Land.  If he paid his own passage (over) that right was his own.  It was
his headright.  He could assign or sell it for his fare over, or for a sum of money...or for anything
else of value.  SO COULD THE PERSON WHO ACQUIRED IT.   Headrights were bought and sold
as a speculative venture.  Some made it a business.

The list of emigrants were swapped back and forth, first in the hands of one planter, then years
later used by  another, and so on.  Thus...comes about the strange fact that some person appears to
have been 'brought over' by some shrewd planter, whom he never saw or heard of in his life, and who
in fact had nothing whatever to do with his coming.  It is an empty fallacy to believe that when
(say, Richard Ward) took up land, (in Henrico County), with a long list of headrights, that the named
headrights settled on that land or in that part of the colony.  They may have located somewhere two
or three hundred miles away.  So called, 'Early Emigrant Lists' tend to irritate and confuse...Just
because your ancestor's name appears on or attached to a patent away up in the Northern  Neck of
Viginia, don't jump at the conclusion that the name of the persons attached to the patent settled there."
                                        ~"Granville County (NC) and It's People"

The following was the rule in Maryland: "Until 1680 substantial numbers of grants were ceded on
a headright basis, i.e. an allowance of fifty acres of land for each new settler transported into the
Province to reside.  There was consequently a brisk commercial trade in the disposal and sale
of such rights...In 1680 the headright system was done away with and land could normally be
acquired only by purchase...."
                                                                     ~"Settlers of Maryland 1679 - 1700" by Peter Wilson Coldham

Thus, we know not HOW William arrived in Maryland but only
that he did.  Take a few minutes and read over my sites then
arrive at your own conclusion!
As I've stated before, none of my research is written in stone!

NOTE:  *John Nichols, also, was in St. Mary's & Charles Co.  His indentured
service was completed before Aug 1684 because at that time,
he owned a 135 acre tract of land called"Nicholls Hope."

So, is this William Summerhill who shows up in 1674 in St. Mary's
Co. Maryland, the same William who left the Port of Bristol in
1665 to come to the Colonies?
(This researcher thinks it's a strong possibility and will stick with it until
further information is forthcoming.)

~Finding Our Records~

In 1831, a tragic fire destroyed St. Mary's Co. Court House, depriving us of records that could have
proven our lineage and relationships.  But, even with the Court House loss, all Maryland records were
not gone.  In many cases, the state kept a second set of Colonial Probate Records in the Prerogative
Court.  And in addition, numerous estate inventories and accounts, debt books, church records,
and other records have survived and are located in the Maryland State Archives.  I've researched
in the Archives and hired a professional genealogist, but I'm sure there are things still to be found.

So, with the few found records in hand, I turned to the study of names and migratory
patterns of those associated with the early Summerhill's.  You'll find my observations
throughout this site.

**John Bullock and John Pierce also passengers who came
over with William Summerhill.

St Mary's Co. MD              9 April 1675

John Roberts, planter died leaving a will: "...to John Roberts,
son of Peter Roberts...to have the disposing of the said cattell
and their encrease female, at sixteen years old and in case of mortality
before, the said cattell to be equally divided between William Sommerhill
and Clement Haley and the said cattell to remain in the hands of the
said Sommerhill and Haley in keeping for the said John Roberts, until
he come to the said age of sixteen years old."
                               ~Saint Mary's Co. MD Wills

NOTE: I believe John Roberts was a relative as most executors, testators and witnesses
were related or close friends.  Clement Haley in all probability, related also.

Chaptico

The Summerhill's lived in Chaptico.  It was located "ten miles NW of Leonardtown
(St. Mary's Co).  A cross-roads village named for the Chaptico or Choptico Indians
who formerly inhabited the area.  Chaptico was designated a river port in 1683
at the head of a creek (Chaptico) on the east side of the Wicomico River, and shipping
continued until the early 20th Century; but the creek is now silted up and most of the
population scattered. From here in 1689, John Goode organized a rebellion against
Lord Baltimore.

Chaptico again saw action in 1814 when the British damaged the town.  Christ
Church, built in 1736 on a site dating from 1642, suffered much interior damage
when their soldiers used it as a stable.  It has undergone extensive repairs
and the tower was added in 1913.
                                                      ~"Maryland A to Z - A Topographical Directory"~

(Possible) Children

*Administered William's Estate

WILLIAM'S DEATH

St. Mary's Co. MD Inventory of Estate - 23 Jun 1714

James Somerhill administered the estate.

          "...The account of James Somerhill, admr., Wm. Somerhill late of
St. Mary's Co. dec'd...."
 
Nearest of Kin: Jn. (his mark) Somerhill & Mary Keech

Question:  Were these three children of William?

The Summerhill puzzle pieces will begin to fall into place as you "walk the deck."  

This site created and maintained by Aletha Summerhill Rogers.   Any published or  
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"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said."
St. Matthew 28: 6 - King James Holy Bible