Individual Details

Notes:
Contee, John, Col, gentleman, Chas. Co, 31 Jul 1708; 21st Aug, 1708.
To nephew John, son of brother Peter, personalty.
" son-in-law John Coates, 2 parcells of land ---, left him by his father, John Coates.
" mother Grace Contee and sister Agnes Berry, of England, "Effton Hills" and "Rozebury" in Chas. Co, also to sd. mother, money to purchase rings for relatives --- in England.
" brother Peter, of Barnstable, England, plantation --- nr. Pope's Creek and land bought from John Baker.
" neph. Alexander, son of sd. brother Peter, 327 A, part of "Walberton Manor" at Piscataway, Chas. Co, bought of John and Luke Gardiner, also a plantation, 100 A, --- in Chas. Co, nr. land of Oliver Burchis and John Noes.
" 3 children-in-law (by marriage with Mrs. Charity Coates, widow of John Coates), viz, Charity, Charles and William, personalty at majority.
" the ministry, personalty.
Wife Mary and hrs, extx. and residuary legatee of estate, real and personal, including 1000 A, "Baltimore's Bounty," 1000 A, "Rozer's Refuge" on Port Tobacco Creek, 2 tracts --- in Chingumuxon, bought of Edward Ruck-wood, 1 tract --- bought from John Speake, and "Buck Range" in Balto. Co. Personalty to include that also in England and Virginia.
Prooved by Will not signed.
Depositions of Philip Lynes, Francis Searson, John Frasier (Clerk Rector of Port Tobacco Parish), Col. James Small-wood, Eliza: Berry, spinster, aged 30 yrs, Alex Contee, gent, aged 17 yrs, John Courts, gent, aged 17 yrs, John Warren, aged 21 yrs. 12. 276.

Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin; Winter 1984 Vol 25 No 2; Charles County, MD: Probate Records and Inventories Part I 1673-1753; [The first number is the page or folio number for the beginning of the document (spelling is as read) (the date is that of the Inventory) Charles County Maryland Probate Records, Inventories, Book 1677-1717
278: Col. John Contee decd 23 Feb 1708/9 (home house at Portobacco)-Madam Mary Contee relict & Exex.

Col. John Contee 31.6 I CH £812.8.8 Feb 23 1708 Apr 4 1710
Appraisers: Philip Lynes, Esq, Maj. William Harbert.
Executrix: Madam Mary Contee (relict).

Col. John Contee 31.7 I CH £1440.9.11 Nov 27 1709; ---- ---- ----;
Appraisers: Maj. William Harbert, Mr. Ubgat Reeves.
Witnesses: Alexander Contee, John Courts.
Executrix: Madam Mary Contee (relict).

Hon. John Contee, Esq. 33B.123 A CH £2252.18.6 £917.12.3 Aug 4 1712
Payments to: Christopher Shadwell, Capt. Henry Smith, Col. Henry Darnell, Mr. Samuell Wartherington, Capt. Ralph Williamson, Charles Musgrove, Ralph Lomax, Philip Jenkins, James Causenlare, Justinian Burch, Mr. Robert Yates, Thomas Readings, John Mathews, John Nickalls, William Nickalls, William Strict, John Courts for account of estate of his father Col. John Courts, His Excellency John Seymour, Madam Seymour, Capt. James Atchison, Daniel Casee, Robert Charlsworth, Thomas Hunt, Mr. John Rogers on account of his wife Ann, William Taylard.
Legatees: Mr. Alexander Contee stock bought of Samuel Fearson.
Executrix: Mary Hemsley, wife of Philemon Hemsley (gentleman).

Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin; Fall 1985 Vol 26 No 4; Extracted from microfilm by Carol Gehrs Mitchell. Charles County, Maryland Administration Accounts 1708-1738; The first number is the page or folio number on which the document begins.
60. John Contee Esq dec'd acct of Philemon Hennley of Charles Co. gent & Mary Hennley his wife Exex will of John Contee. Alexander Contee legacy in will cattle & hogs bought of Samuel Freeman, John Courts for acct of his father Col. John Courts estate, John Rogers on acct of his wife Ann Rogers estate, Mo Courts on acct of his father Col. John Courts. 8 Aug 1712.

Colonel JOHN CONTEE was an English immigrant that served as a Colonel in the Maryland Militia.

Archives of Maryland; Volume 27, Assembly Proceedings, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 7, 1708. Page 368; Lib. L. L. No. 64; p. 374: December 17th 1708: On the behalfe of our Sovereigne Lady Anne Queen of Great Brittain &ca I will this be a Law Jo: Seymour
An Act for Confirming and making Valid the last will & Testament of Colonell John Contee
Whereas Colonell John Contee late of Charles County deceased on thirty first Day of July one thousand seven hundred [p. 375] and Eight made his Last will and Testament in writeing and now Recorded in the prerogative Court of this Province leaveing Mary his wife Sole Executrix thereof and haveing well Considered and perused the same Will declared his full approbation thereof but before he Could Signe & sollemnly publish the same dyed suddenly. This present Generall Assembly being well Informed thereof and willing (as in good Reason and Conscience obliged) to see the Will of the Dead performed. do pray that it may be Enacted. And be it Enacted by the Queens most Excellent Majty by and with the Advice and Consent of her Majtys Governour Councill and Assembly of this province and the authority of the same That the afd Last will & Testament of the said Colonel John Contee Recorded as afd shall by the authority of this Assembly and by Vertue of this Act in all Courts and before all Judges be Held deemed reputed and taken to be the Last will and Testament of the afd Colonell John Contee as if the same had been by him in his Life time actually Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of the three wittnesses who have proved the same in Cornon forme & that the Severall Devises and bequests therein specified shall be deemed taken & adjudged to be of full force & Efficacy to all Intents and purposes whatsoever to intitle the severall Persons therein named and their heires & Assignes to the Goods Chatteils Lands & Tenemt; therein & thereby to them Expressed to be bequeathed & devised not withstanding the Defect of the same Will not being Signed Sealed published & declared by the said Coll Contee any Law Statute Vsage or Custonte to the Contrary in any wise not withstanding.
By the house of Del 15th December 1708. Read and assented to by the house of Del, Signed p order Richd Dallam Cl: ho: Del: December the 16th 1708. Then was this bill read assented to by her Majtys honble Council. Signed p order W Bladen Cl Council. December 17th 1708. On the behalf of our Sovereigne Lady Ann Queen of Great Brittain &c. I will this be a Law Jo: Seymour

Archives of Maryland, Volume 38, Assembly Proceedings, 1694-1728, Acts; Page 385 Liber LL, 5; p. 84: Acts of 1725, ch. 21 p. 83 (Repeals 1708, ch. 13) An Act to Repeal an Act Entituled an Act for Confirming and Making Valid the Last will and Testament of Cohlonel John Contee Whereas att a Session of Assembly held at Annapolis the twenty ninth day of November in The year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Eight An Act past Entituled An Act for Confirming The Last Will and Testament of Colonel John Contee Reciting that whereas the said John Contee had on the Thirty first day of July then Last past made his Last will and Testament In writing Acts then Recorded in the perogative Court Of This province naming Mary his wife Sole Executrix thereof and that he had well Considered and perused the said will and declared his free Approbation thereof but that before he Could Sign and Solemnly publish the Same he died Suddenly notwithstanding which recital it is now made manifestly Appear to this Assembly that the said pretended will was wrote by a person Verry Officious to Oblige The said Mary in a room Distant from that in which The said John Contee Lay Sick where it was not possible for him to Communicate his mind to the said writer and that after the said pretended will was wrote and brought to him he Refused to perfect the same and Declared his Disapprobation thereof and Could never be prevailed on to perfect the same Though Frequently Importuned and tho he Lived Severall Days after the writing the said Instrument and Continued all the time of Sound and disposing mind And whereas it is Likewise made Appear to This Assembly that the Evidence which Induced The former Assembly to pass the said Act were partial Examinations of wittnesses by an Officer who had Certified under his hand in the name of his Office which was Judicial that the said Will was prov'd in Common form before him whereas in truth the very paper Pretended to be the Designed will of the said John Contee being produced to this present General Assembly Appears to have been neither Sign'd nor Sealed By the pretended Testator and Consequently could not be prov'd in Common form without Evident perjury By which and other means too shocking to be Transmitted to posterity but not too shocking to be then made use of by the Interest and Influence of particular persons in power by whose Interest and Influence the said Act past both Houses of Assembly the very next Day after Leave was given To bring in the Bill Contrary to the Standing rules of The Lower House whereby the Heir at Law and other Legal representatives of the said John Contee who were Subjects of Great Brittain and then actually resideing in Great Brittain were Devested of the real and personall Estate of the said John Contee without The Least notice of such a proceeding or Opportunity of defending their Right Contrary to Equity and naturall Justice all which appears more fully sett forth in the petition Lodged in the proper Office and is well made Out to this present Generall Assembly And Whereas Due notice of the application hath Been Given to Mr John Bruce the father and Natural Guardian of Charles Bruce Son and heir att Law of a Supposed Sister of the said Mary the wife of the said John Contee and unto William Rogers John Courts John Speake Richard Speake and John Neale being all the persons known that had any Claim to the Estate of the said Mary by purchase or Otherwise within this province Or under the said pretended Will, Be it Therefore Enacted by the Right honble the Lord Proprietary by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordships Governour and The upper and Lower Houses of Assembly and the Authority of the Same That the said Act Entituled An Act Confirming the Last will and Testament of Colonel John Contee be and is hereby repealed Abrogated and made Void Provided nevertheless That no person that hath Purchas'd any of the Lands or Tenements whereof the said John Contee Died Seized and that hath actually really and Bona fide paid the Consideration Agreed for shall Be prejudiced by this Act nor any Contract for The sale of Any the said Lands made by the said Mary be Defeated provided the purchase Money be paid to the said heir at Law Where not already Actually paid to the said Mary Any thing therein To the Contrary notwithstanding And in regard the whole personal Estate of the said John Contee is Disposed of Be it Enacted that nothing in this Act shall Extend or be Construed to Extend to prejudice any person now possest of any part thereof but that all persons so possest shall hold and Enjoy the same Saving to his most Sacred Majesty his heirs and Successors and to all Body's politick and Corporate and all others not mentioned in this act their Severall and respective rights Anything in this Act to the Contrary notwithstanding.

From: mike marshall
To: Shirley Moller ; Norma Lundgren ; Linda Reno
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 10:48 AM
Subject: CHRISTIAN CONTEE
possible son of John Contee (d1708) ?
===
STAFFORD COUNTY VA DEED & WILL BOOK 1699 - 1709; THE ANTIENT PRESS; p. 214
At a Court held February 9th 1703/4
Stafford Sct. To the Worshipful Court etc.
CHRISTIAN CONTEE sheweth that notwithstanding that he is a free man and ever since the 25th day of December past ought to be yet nevertheless Mr. JOHN PRATT his now pretended Master keeps him & detains him wherefore he prays your worships the premises may be considered & that he may have an order for his liberty & be satisfied for the time the sd Pratt hash unjustly detained him as also an order for his Corn & Cloaths according to Act of Assembly And as in duty bound shall pray.
STAFFORD COUNTY VA DEED & WILL BOOK 1699 - 1709; THE ANTIENT PRESS pp. 224-225
CHRISTIAN CONTRE by his petition sets forth that Mr. JOHN PRATT detains him in his service notwithstanding he is a free man & ever since the 25th of December past bath been Therefore he prayed he might be at liberty & be paid for the time the said Pratt hath unjustly detained him & have an order for his Corn and Cloaths according to Act of Assembly To which Mr. Pratt Junr. by Mr. BENJAMIN BERRYMAN & Mr. NATHL, POPE his attorneys pleaded that the said servant belonged to Mr. John Pratt of Westmoreland County & therefore if he was damnified he ought to have his redress there which pleas by the Court was ordered for that it appeared the said Contee paid his Levy in Stafford County and for the fuller determination of the matter it is ordered the petition of the said Christian Contee be recorded & the said Contee not being able to make his defence for want of evidence it was therefore ordered he have time till the next Court in the interim Collo. RICE HOOE has promised to inquire into the Truth of the premises of Mr. JOHN CONTEE to Vender to Mr. Pratt.
This Indenture witnesseth that Christian Contee of his own free will & voluntary will path bound himself apprentice to John Contee & his assigns for the term of 4 years to commence after the arrival of the ship Rogers of Plimouth in Virginia where she is now bound to do such work & labours as his said Master or assigns shall put him to & the said John Contee or his assigns unto the said apprentice shall find & provide sufficient meat drink apparel & lodging & all other necessaries meet & conveniences for such an apprentice for & during the said term with two new suits of apparel at the end of the said term according to the Custom of the Country wherein he shall serve .-13th day Octr. 1699.
Presence Thos. Palmer, John Contee
Martin Campbell
These are to certify .. that the above Indenture is good to this man that now assures the name of JOHN JONNEWAYS for att the time of his binding himself to me he could say nothing that I could understand but Christian Contee which made me to set his name so in the Indenture and I do say I am ready to give my oath that he was free last Christmas as witness mv hand.
John Contee
Charles County in the Province of Maryland
I the Subscriber do testify that Mr. John Contee of this county Merchant did with his own hand write the within affidavit at the bottom of this within written Indenture & did affirm the same to be truth .. 14th day of Febry
1703/4. Richd. Howard CI