Posted By:	JDMagru
	Email:
	Subject:	Re: Speculation on the birth family of Sarah, wife of Samuel Magruder (son of Alexan
	Post Date:	July 26, 2003 at 06:06:26
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/magruder/messages/1185.html
	Forum:	Magruder Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/magruder/

Now, this is what I'm talking about. There is more of a "tradition" than just a son named "Ninian" and an old mistaken family tree. Although I don't have these ACGS Yearbooks myself, I have seen them referenced enough to know they contained a lot of good, well documented, family history information. Rob Roy, thanks for the input and the reference. By your post, I hope you are not really worried about joining in these discussions (although by the way some conduct themselves at times, I could understand why one might be hesitant). This IS supposed to be a discussion forum, so everyone should be free to share their information and opinions. So, by this Lt. Col. Fielder Montgomery Magruder Beall's information, there are other theories that exist concerning the (alleged) sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. By his name alone, I would assume that Lt. Col. Fielder is a descendent of a Beall - Magruder marriage, which is interesting since this whole discussion thread seems to be about "Magruder's claiming Sarah was a Beall" and here is a Beall making the claim as well. In any case, there seems to be a documentation source for Mary and Sarah coming to America, ca. 1666 and 1675. Even by the claim of their earlier marriages, the dates given still would allow for them to be married and re-marry, per tradition, and still have John Pottinger (Pottenger) married to Samuel's half-sister, Elizabeth, between 1684 and 1687. (Side note: if this indeed is the case, then Samuel Magruder (I) and John Pottenger (Pottinger) would have been "brothers" twice by marriage; once to his half-sister Elizabeth, and again when they married these sisters.) Also, the mention of the Willet's and their cross-connection to this Mary and Sarah, via the New Scotland settlement / church on land donated by Ninian Beall; along with their presence in Samuel Magruder and Ninian Beall's wills; may provide some insight. I see by one of Peter's previous posts, both Samuel Magruder and Edward Willet appear in Richard Chaffey's will (1698) and again later in Thomas Sprigg Sr.'s will (1704) together. Edward also appears again with Samuel Magruder (II, Jr.) and John Clagett (Clagget) in Benjamin Berry's will (1719). Of course, there have also been notes in these same posts that Samuel Magruder (I), Edward Willet, and Ninian Beall were all Prince George's Co. officials and possibly appearing in wills as a matter of course, not relationship; which makes the whole business of interpreting the wills very messy. There may be other reasons for people appearing in wills, besides just being county officials, which also has nothing to do with being related. If you analyze the wills and land transactions, there is a strong trend being indicated that many of the people mentioned are neighboring land owners. The Executor of the will is almost always the surviving spouse or eldest surviving child. However, the witnesses, overseers, etc. are coming up time and time again as the people who owned the land next to the land being distributed in the will itself. Ex: In Samuel Magruder (II)'s will, he gives land called "Potamac River Side" to sons Josias and William Mills, described as joining land owned by Josias' uncle (and Samuel II's brother), Alexander; witness to the will is (uncle) Alexander Magruder. This same uncle, Alexander Magruder (m. Ann Wade), shows this trend again later in his own will. He gives land to his son, Hezekiah, which borders on Zachariah Magruder's; and he gives land to his daughter, Elizabeth, which was "in partnership with Samuel Magruder ye 3rd." Witnesses to the will include: Zachariah Magruder and Samuel Magruder ye 3rd. So, when it comes to the wills, it's not just a question of relatives and friends being mentioned as witnesses and overseers...but WHICH relatives and friends. This, unfortunately, allows for the options that the people mentioned could be: 1.) relatives, 2.) neighbors, or 3.) relatives and neighbors, or 4.) just close friends of the family. Which also means that, except for the obvious wife and child relationships, the wills are no proof of anything by themselves unless a specific relationship is mentioned (i.e. "brother John Pottenger"). The Beall's and Mill's have already been identified as being neighboring land owners to the Magruder lands, and clearly there were others. The Taylor's, Trumans, Hilleary's, Clagget's and others may all have had a land interest in the will transactions, regardless of family relationship; or perhaps this mention in the will is an indication of being a neighbor AND a relative; who knows? Also, the name of the settlement / church being "New Scotland" is an interesting tie-in, in and of itself. Later on, in 1776, Haswell Magruder is a Constable for the "New Scotland Hundred," indicating that name for the area (presumably in Prince George's Co., MD) may have survived at least up to the Revolution, in one form or another. All of this really does bear further investigation and uncovering all of these facts is really helping out. Maybe if we could get Sue Emerson to dig through her ACGS Yearbooks (1909 - ?) we can find other early mentions of this relationship, too. (SUE! Are you following this?) JD