Individual Details
William Cecil
(1666 - Abt 1749)
The following are excerpts from "Knowledge, Assumption and Speculation On William Cecil (b. ca 1666?)" by Penny Cecil Bloodhart. The entire document is in my files. JMT
Three hundred years ago, a man named Solomon Simpson came into Court in the newly formed Prince George's County, Maryland. This court was not held in a proper court building, and the records were kept in a chest in David Small's store. Solomon gave oath that he did see William Sessell sign, seal and deliver the following document:
"March 1697/8 Court. To the Commissioners of PGCo. These are to humbly Sattisfie you that William Sessell, by the request of my wife as she lay upon her deathbed, I have disposed of my children to Marreen Douall (Duvall) and his heirs, till they are of age. John Sessell, aged seven years the 24th of December last past, Phillip Sessell aged 5 years the 28th day of this instant and Susan Sessell aged 2 years of Jan. last. These are humbly to request your Lordships to bind these Ch. This Ct. to the aforesaid Douall (Duvall) and his heirs to the age of 21 and the girle to the age of 16 as witness my hand and Seale the day and year above written.
/s/William Sessell
Wit. Alex Beall, Solomon /X/ Simpson
Solomon presented this document in person and it was recorded at the request of Marreen Duval.
The name of Cecil is spelled many ways in old documents. Since no original existing documents (to my knowledge) relating to the above William Cecil exist, we do not know how he spelled his own name. Most clerks and scribes would spell names phonetically.
Assumptions and Speculations
The geography and age references for the above man are in reasonable concurrence. William was "about forty" in 1706/7, suggesting that he was born about 1666. He would have been 25 at the time of the birth of his first child in 1691; 33 when he was widowed; 42 when he donated tobacco to Queen Ann's Parish; 67 or so when he asked to be "levy free"; and about 83 when he died...a truly remarkable age for that time period.
Many genealogists have condemned William for giving his children to the Duvall family. In fact, William is called perjurer, common laborer, and all around bad father in many older records. This may be true, but the facts could lead to different assumptions. In the late seventeenth century, the Chesapeake region was sparsely populated, with a few small settlements. The growing, transporting and sale of tobacco was a laborious and uncertain industry. If William was involved in this industry (directly as a planter or indirectly as a planter's employee, merchant or whatever), he would have had no time to care for three small children. His wife asked him to give the children to the Duvalls, members of a prosperous and respected family. He may have been a grief stricken husband who wanted to do what was best for his children. We simply don't know.
We can assume that William and the dying Mrs. Cecil knew the Duvall family in some capacity. They might have been relatives, servants, employees or just good friends..again, we don't know. The Duvalls who received the children were probably Mareen the Elder and Frances Stockett Duvall. Mareen the Elder was the son of Mareen the Immigrant, a wealthy and respected man in Anne Arundel County who died about 1695.
Three hundred years ago, a man named Solomon Simpson came into Court in the newly formed Prince George's County, Maryland. This court was not held in a proper court building, and the records were kept in a chest in David Small's store. Solomon gave oath that he did see William Sessell sign, seal and deliver the following document:
"March 1697/8 Court. To the Commissioners of PGCo. These are to humbly Sattisfie you that William Sessell, by the request of my wife as she lay upon her deathbed, I have disposed of my children to Marreen Douall (Duvall) and his heirs, till they are of age. John Sessell, aged seven years the 24th of December last past, Phillip Sessell aged 5 years the 28th day of this instant and Susan Sessell aged 2 years of Jan. last. These are humbly to request your Lordships to bind these Ch. This Ct. to the aforesaid Douall (Duvall) and his heirs to the age of 21 and the girle to the age of 16 as witness my hand and Seale the day and year above written.
/s/William Sessell
Wit. Alex Beall, Solomon /X/ Simpson
Solomon presented this document in person and it was recorded at the request of Marreen Duval.
The name of Cecil is spelled many ways in old documents. Since no original existing documents (to my knowledge) relating to the above William Cecil exist, we do not know how he spelled his own name. Most clerks and scribes would spell names phonetically.
Assumptions and Speculations
The geography and age references for the above man are in reasonable concurrence. William was "about forty" in 1706/7, suggesting that he was born about 1666. He would have been 25 at the time of the birth of his first child in 1691; 33 when he was widowed; 42 when he donated tobacco to Queen Ann's Parish; 67 or so when he asked to be "levy free"; and about 83 when he died...a truly remarkable age for that time period.
Many genealogists have condemned William for giving his children to the Duvall family. In fact, William is called perjurer, common laborer, and all around bad father in many older records. This may be true, but the facts could lead to different assumptions. In the late seventeenth century, the Chesapeake region was sparsely populated, with a few small settlements. The growing, transporting and sale of tobacco was a laborious and uncertain industry. If William was involved in this industry (directly as a planter or indirectly as a planter's employee, merchant or whatever), he would have had no time to care for three small children. His wife asked him to give the children to the Duvalls, members of a prosperous and respected family. He may have been a grief stricken husband who wanted to do what was best for his children. We simply don't know.
We can assume that William and the dying Mrs. Cecil knew the Duvall family in some capacity. They might have been relatives, servants, employees or just good friends..again, we don't know. The Duvalls who received the children were probably Mareen the Elder and Frances Stockett Duvall. Mareen the Elder was the son of Mareen the Immigrant, a wealthy and respected man in Anne Arundel County who died about 1695.
Events
| Birth | 1666 | ||||
| Death | Abt 1749 | Frederick Co., Maryland |
Families
| Spouse | unknown ( - 1698) |
| Child | John Cecil (1691 - ) |
| Child | Philip Cecil (1693 - 1733) |
| Child | Susan Cecil (1696 - ) |