The Family of William and Elizabeth (Everingham) Everngam (1786-1820)
(1st Revision, July, 2012)
The first known record of William Everingham on the Eastern Shore of Maryland appears to be in the Tax Rolls of Caroline County for 17831. William Everingham and Elizabeth Willis were granted a marriage license in Caroline County, MD on March 12, 17862. William died intestate before 11 Feb 18123, most likely in December 1811 or January 1812, and Elizabeth died late in 18204. It appears that Elizabeth Everngam (spelling was changed by the family about 1795 – see Appendix 1) listed her children in birth order in her will, a practice also noted in the sale of part of her father’s legacy in 18055. The ages of some of William’s and Elizabeth’s children were listed in a guardianship process in April 1814 as: Willis - 17, Joseph - 16, Eliza (Elizabeth referred to this daughter as Eliza in her will) - 15, and Peter – 106. Three of the children, Nancy, Mary and Thomas, do not appear in this court record. Nancy was born in 17887, and married Stephan Dawley on June 12, 18108 and thus did not need a guardian. Mary was born in 17989 and married Levin Seward (Soward, Swords) on January 27, 182010. Eliza was born in 180011 and married Michael Todd on 20 Jan 181912. Thomas’ gravestone reflects his birth date as February 4, 180113.
Combining the above information with data extracted from the 1790, 1800, 1810 and 1820 US Censuses in Maryland14 makes it possible to create a framework which depicts a likely history of the William Everingham family from 1786 to 1820, and also makes possible a reasonable estimate of genealogically significant dates. In the table below, the enumerations of the census takers are shown in boxes listed under the categories which were used in the census. Inserted under each data box is a listing of the person(s) most likely to be represented in the census counts based on the facts available. The assumed birth order in Elizabeth’s will is confirmation.
Household created / March 12, / 1786Head of Household: William Everingim / Dorchester County
1790 Census / FWM >16 / FWM <16 / FWF
2 Aug 1790 / 2 / 1 / 2
Probable persons: / William / Unk_M_2 / Elizabeth
Unk_M_1 / Nancy
Head of Household: William Evengame / Dorchester County
1800 Census / FWM <10 / FWM 10-15 / FWM 16-25 / FWM 26-44 / FWM 45- / FWF <10 / FWF 10-15 / FWF 16-25 / FWF 26-44 / FWF 45-
4 Aug 1800 / 2 / - / 2 / 1 / - / 2 / 1 / - / 1 / -
Probable persons: / Willis / Unk_M_3 / William / Mary / Nancy / Elizabeth
Joseph / Unk_M_4 / Eliza
Head of Household: Wm Everingham / Caroline County
1810 Census / FWM <10 / FWM 10-15 / FWM 16-25 / FWM 26-44 / FWM 45- / FWF <10 / FWF 10-15 / FWF 16-25 / FWF 26-44 / FWF 45-
6 Aug 1810 / 2 / 2 / - / 1 / 1 / 1 / - / 2 / - / 1
Probable persons: / Thomas / Willis / Unk_M_5 / William / Eliza / Mary / Elizabeth
Peter / Joseph / Unk_F_1
Head of Household: Elizabeth Everngam / Caroline County
1820 Census / Headings omittedà / FWM 16-18 / FWM 16-26 / Headings omittedà / Headings ßomitted / FWF 45-
7 Aug 1820 / 1 / 5 / 1
Probable persons: / Peter / Willis / Elizabeth
Joseph
Thomas
Unk_M_6
Unk_M_7
F = Free; W = White; M = Male; F = Female; < = less than; > = greater than; - = range; numbers are ages; Unk_M/F_1 to _7 = Unknown Male/Female 1 to 7.
This assignment of persons to census categories cannot be viewed as certain. Nonetheless, the table presents a reasonable idea of this family’s membership at ten year intervals from 1790 to 1820. What can be learned from this effort? If the table is accurate, then:
1. William and Elizabeth moved from the “26-44” age category to the “45-” age category between 1800 and 1810. Neither was older than 44 in 1800 and both were older than 45 in 1810. Therefore both must have been born in, or after, 1756, and in, or before, 1765. At Peter’s birth in 1804 Elizabeth was not likely to have been much older than 40, arguing that Elizabeth must have been born late in the period 1756 to 1765. Until further research provides better data it is assumed that Elizabeth was born about 1764. Since William had established a taxable property in the Lower Choptank District Hundred by 1783 it seems sure that he had reached majority and that he had been living at his homestead long enough to have improved it sufficiently to meet the minimum standards for taxation. Then William must have arrived in the area in 1782 or before, and he must have been born in 1761, or before. This would make William’s birth between 1756 and 1761.
2. Using a rule of thumb that most children are born within the first 15 years of a marriage, Elizabeth’s parents would likely have been married between 1741 and 1765. In William’s case, and given the discussion above, they must have been married between 1741 and 1760. This could be important in trying to identify Elizabeth’s mother and to locate and identify William’s parents, believed to be from New Jersey.
3. Using the data from the chart we can confirm that Nancy was born between March 1786 and August 1790; and Mary was born after August 1790 and before August 1800. Mary’s birth date is assumed to be between Willis’ and Joseph’s because there is no FWF 10-15 listing in the 1810 Census. Less probable, Willis and Mary could have been twins. The 1810 Census most likely contains enumeration errors, since Mary and Eliza should both be in the 10-15 category in 1810. If Eliza were born in August, 1800, her entry could be an enumeration error. Mary’s inclusion in the 16-25 category is unexplained.
4. Willis and Joseph, as well as their still underage siblings Thomas and Peter, were still living at home and unmarried in 1820.
5. Unk_M_2 could have been a child born after Nancy but before 1790 (about 1789) which didn’t survive. A child born in this time frame would partly explain the gap between Nancy and Willis. Another possible explanation, indirectly suggested by Tom Phillips, is that William was traveling during this time as a part of an Everingham-Willis business enterprise and no children were conceived.
6. Some of the unknown males who appear in the census can partially be explained by William’s taking in apprentices as part of his millwright business15,16. Any number of other possibilities, from hired workers to indentures to guardianships, could also exist.
7. Summarizing the family’s birth years from all of this: William – between 1756 and 1761; Elizabeth – about 1764; Nancy – about 1788; Willis – about 1795; Mary – about 1797; Joseph – about 1798; Eliza – about 1800; Thomas – 1801; and Peter – 1804. If there were other children, they most likely would have been born between Nancy and Willis.
William was a millwright10. Joshua Willis, Elizabeth’s father, was a businessman, planter, and possibly, a shipper-merchant5. Tom Phillips’ work suggests that Joshua Willis and the Everingham family of Freehold, NJ had trade connections17. This NJ Everingham family contained both sea captains and mill operators (See Appendix 2). If Joshua Willis had a part in the construction of a mill it is possible that William came to Dorchester County through this family connection to oversee or construct the mill.
William and Elizabeth were married in 1786, and by 1788 William received the deed for 4 pieces of property in Dorchester County18. These purchases may have been a payment for work done, or perhaps an investment, because they were sold in 179519. Also, there are these indications that an Everingham family homestead was established further north and east of these properties, in Caroline County, between Hunting Creek Church and Concord, MD:
1. William and Elizabeth chose to be married in Caroline County and not Dorchester County2.
2. Census records from 1810 and after reflect Caroline County as the site of their household14.
3. William was a member of the Caroline County Militia20.
4. Several members of the family show up in later Censuses in this area of Caroline County.
5. William was active in Caroline County affairs21.
This paper summarizes the information on the family of William and Elizabeth which I have collected as of July 10, 2012. It is my hope that further research will provide more complete information on this family during the lives of William and Elizabeth, and in particular, on the ancestry of William Everingham. Further work on Elizabeth’s ancestry, and the lives of the children of William and Elizabeth, is also underway.
Source notes:
1. Maryland State Archives: Maryland Indexes (Assessment of 1783, Index), MSAS S 1437; Caroline County; “William Efferingham. CA Lower Choptank District Hundred, p. 47. MSA S 1161-3-6, Location: 1/4/5/46”
2. Maryland State Archives: Caroline County Marriage Licenses 1774-1865; also on film LDD#0013780; IGI M535591.
3. Maryland Register of Wills Books, 1629-1983; Caroline County Administrators Bonds, 1803-13, p 160, available on www.familyearch.org; Elizabeth Willis and Daniel Leverton appointed administrators to the estate of William Everngam, late of Caroline County, on 11 Feb 1712.
4. Caroline County, MD Register of Wills: 1816-13 Dec 1825 Liber JR B, I Transcript Folio426 as abstracted by Leslie & Neil Keddie, www.familytreebookshop.com shows that her will was probated on March 7, 1821. Since she was still living at the time of the 1820 US Census, it is assumed she died during the Fall of 1820. Heirs listed as Nancy, Willis, Mary, Joseph, Eliza, Thomas, and Peter (assumed birth order).
5. Abstracts from Patent Certificates Located at the Hall of Records in Annapolis, Maryland For Tracts mentioned in Caroline County, Maryland Land Deeds, by Sandra L. Willis: Willis's Landing, Joshua Willis - Survey 20 April 1793, Patent - 14 May 1805 containing 7 1/2 acres; Patent made out to Elizabeth Everingham, Joshua Willis, Francis Baker, Deborah Lucas, Charles Willis, Peter Willis, Thomas Willis, James Willis, John Willis, and heirs of Annaritta Fleming's (Mary Fleming and Robert Fleming) because Joshua died intestate before the original patent was issued. Described as “Located on the east side of main road that leads from Lower Hunting Creek Mill to the Upper Mill”.
6. Caroline County, Maryland, Guardian Bonds Book JR-D #10013 (1813-1815), Folio 86, 12 April 1814, p85-88.
7. Yates Publishing, US and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [data base on line], Provo, Utah, USA: The Generations Network, Inc. 2004: Nancy Everingham.
8. Maryland State Archives: Caroline County Marriage Licenses 1774-1865; also on film LDD#0013780; IGI M535591.
9. Yates Publishing, US and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [data base on line], Provo, Utah, USA: The Generations Network, Inc. 2004: Mary Everingham.
10. Maryland State Archives: Caroline County Marriage Licenses 1774-1865; also on film LDD#0013780; IGI M535591.
11. Yates Publishing, US and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [data base on line], Provo, Utah, USA: The Generations Network, Inc. 2004: Elizabeth Everingham. This reference gives Eliza’s birth year as 1790. I believe this to be inaccurate because if she were born in 1790 she would have been first married at 29 and to a younger man, unusual circumstances for the time, and because I believe the birth order in Elizabeth’s will is accurate. If her birth were between Joseph and Thomas she must have been born about 1800.
12. Maryland State Archives: Caroline County Marriage Licenses 1774-1865; also on film LDD#0013780; IGI M535591.
13. Personal observation of gravesite by Mike Everngam; photo backup.
14. Extracted from US Census images available on www.ancestry.com.
15. Abstracts from the Land Records of Dorchester County, MD, Vol I, 1782-1790, p109, 9NH 424: William was listed as “Millwright” in deed.
16. Maryland Eastern Shore Newspaper Abstracts, Vol 1 - 1790-1805; by F. Edward Wright, Willow Bend Books, Westminster, MD, 2000. Item 210, page 39; extract from Maryland Herald and Eastern Shore Intelligencer/Maryland Historical Society, Sep 5, 1797: …/ "William Everngam, Hunting Creek, offers reward for apprentice lad, Charles Lecompte, age about 19"/…
17. Based on several e-mail messages from Tom Phillips.
18. Abstracts from the Land Records of Dorchester County, MD, Vol I, 1782-1790, p109, 9NH 424; James A. McAllister, Jr. DELMARVA Roots, Lewis, DE.
19. Abstracts from the Land Records of Dorchester County, MD, Vol K, 1795-1799, p33, 9HD 423; James A. McAllister, Jr. DELMARVA Roots, Lewis, DE.
20. Maryland State Archives: Militia Records, Caroline County, No.2, f.26.
21. The Laws of Maryland from the Year 1799…Killy, William, et al (eds.) Vol 192, page 1115 [1810]: passed Dec 24 Chap. CXII “An act to incorporate a Company for erecting a Bridge over Choptank River, at or near Dover Ferry.” Lib. TH No. 2, fol 582. This act cites William Everngam as one of 6 commissioners appointed from Caroline County by MD Assembly to construct a toll bridge over the Choptank River in the area near the present day Dover Bridge.