John Howell 's Genealogue

300 Years of Freeney's in Delmar

Freeney -> Howard -> Howell

This all started as a result of seeing the spelling of Freeney as Freeny in the newly found Freeney family Bible (see earlier entry).  Now confident that both spellings are used in our family, a renewed effort was made to find more of our Freeney ancestors.  

We know our Freeney’s / Freeny’s have a long history in the town of Delmar which is split by the Maryland – Delaware state line.  However a new discovery made this week says that history goes much further back than we knew… Here is what I have learned from the research compiled by Charles Freeny III:

In 1707 Peter Freeny arrived from northern Ireland and settled near what is today the town of Delmar.  Peter’s grandson Joshua Freeny (who fought in the Revolutionary War), documented the following as reported in “Peter Freeny and His Descendants in America”:

The first of the family who came to America was Peter Freeny of Ireland, who settled in the disputed territory, near the boundary between Maryland and Delaware, near the town of Delmar. Here he cut and hewed the logs from the forest and built his home on the land he supposed to be in Maryland. When the boundary dispute was settled, the boundary line ran through his plantation but the home was then in the province of Delaware. Freeny was not pleased with the prospect of being a resident of Delaware, and wishing to remain a citizen of Maryland, carefully pulled down his home and carried the logs across the line and built his home on the part of the land that was in the province of Maryland.

Peter Freeny and his family were protestants and most likely were part of an ethnic group in Ireland known as the Ulster-Scots – persons descended mainly from Lowland Scots who settled in the Province of Ulster during a planned process of colonization during the 17^th century.

Our Connection (tree)

John Freeny (b.1675 Ulster, Ireland). John’s son, Peter Freeny (b. cir. 1695 Ulster, Ireland arrives Delmar area in 1707). Peter’s son, John Freeny (1718 – 1786) lived in Delmar. John’s son, Joshua Freeny (1739–1828) a Revolutionary War Soldier. His son, Richard Freeny (b. cir 1779). His son Peter Freeny (1810–1896). His son Thomas Barton Freeny, Sr. (1850 – 1884) whose headstone references his parents and was moved from his farm to St. Stephens cemetery. His son, Thomas Barton Freeney, Jr (1884 – 1950). And his daughter, Sara Marguerite Freeney (1911 – 1987) who married Dr. W. L. Howard (1906 – 2005).

Why Didn’t Marguerite Freeney Howard document this?

My grandmother, Sara Marguerite Freeney Howard is buried in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Delmar, DE with her husband, her parents (Thomas Barton Freeney, Jr and Sara Jane Webster Freeney) and her grandparents (Thomas Barton Freeney Sr. & Emily Goslee Freeney). Thomas Barton Freeney, Jr. was an optometrist in Delmar, DE.   

Until a few days ago I had not been able to trace further back than Peter and Elizabeth Freeney, who were the parents of Thos. Barton Freeney, Sr.  Our knowledge of Peter and Elizabeth was limited to the fact that their names were mentioned on Thomas Barton Freeney, Sr.’s gravestone – nothing more could be found.  I had always thought this unfortunate as Sara Marguerite Freeney Howard was interested in genealogy and did some research, but as far as I know never documented her father’s paternal Freeney / Freeny line. There is always the possibility that she was aware of the connections above, but did not believe they were hers.  On the other hand, the research we are relying upon was published after her death.  One final new tidbit that surfaced:  The names of Thomas Barton Freeny, Sr.’s siblings includes one Sara M. Freeny.

 

Thomas Barton and Emily Freeney Bible Found

Freeney -> Howard -> Howell

While packing the attic to move West, Dana DeRussy Langston re-discovered an 1873 bible belonging to Thomas Barton Freeney Sr (1850-1884), of Wicomico County, Maryland and his wife Emily Goslee Freeney (1849-1923). The bible records family births, deaths and marriages. There were also photos, documents, postcards and other memorabilia placed between many of the pages. Even a carefully wrapped lock of very light brown hair.

Some of the photos found in the Freeny / Freeney Family Bible include:

Photo of Emily Goslee Freeny, surrounded by her daughters L to R: Ella May Freeney, Fannie Freeney, Leonia Freeney, Anna Freeney

Unknown – from Freeney / Freeny Family Bible

Emily Goslee Freeny (age ~64), center, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Clockwise: 1 o'clock: unknown; 2 o'clock: Ella May Freeney; 3 o'clock: ?; 4 o'clock: Kathleen Ellen Freeney; 5 o'clock: Sara Marguerite Freeney; 7 o'clock: unknown P; 8 o'clock: unknown; 10 o'clock: unknown; 11 o'clock: unknown.

Unknown

The complete set of scanned photos and documents that were included in the bible is here.

The new (to our research) family records information includes:

1. The spelling of “Freeney” as written by hand in the family records section varies between Freeney and Freeny.  So the same persons name in the bible could be spelled Freeny at birth, and Freeney at death.  
   


2. The spelling of Leonia Freeny's name (not Leona)


3. Leonia Freeny's birth date: 31 August, 1874 (previously had Cir 1874)


4. Fannie E. Freeny born 13 Jan 1876 (prev cir 1876)


5. Ella May Freeny born 27 May 1879 (prev cir 1879)


6. John Thomas Edgar Freeny b. Jan 28, 1882 (prev did not have a birth date, and did not have Thomas in his name)


7. Marriage date of Senora Anna Freeny.


8. Kathleen Ellen Freeny birth date (prev cir 1908)


9. Death date of Fannie E. Freeny.


10. Death date of T.B. Freeny Jr is 4 Jan 1950. (not 3 Jan 1950)


11. Death date for Ella May Freeny.


12. Death date for John Edgar Freeny.


13. Death date for Leonia Freeny.

The information confirms:

1. Marriage date of Thos Barton Freeney Sr.


2. Marriage date of Thos Barton Freeney Jr.


3. Birth date of Sara Marguerite Freeney.


4. Death date of Thos B. Freeney Sr.


5. Death date of Emily Goslee Freeney.

Unknown Malcom / Malcomb Campbell

Who is this Malcomb? This stone found in Kent County, Ontario, says he was born “a native of Scotland”, died 24 Jul, 1852, age 71, implying he was born cir. 1781. None of the Malcolm’s we have seem to be him. The closest ancestor we have is Malcolm b. 1787 in Auchindrain, Scotland and who died 20 Oct 1862 in Morpeth, Howard Twp., Kent County, Ontario, Canada.  Further compounding the mystery is that I cannot locate any other information on the Malcolm/Malcomb cited on this gravestone.

“…just off the road behind a tree near a corn field. It is located in Kent County, on Kent Bridge Rd (which is #15), South of Hwy #2, at the 911 marker #22405.”




Malcomb Campbell
who died
July 24, 1852
Aged 71 years
He was a Native of Scotland

There was more at the bottom but I could not make it out.

Thanks to Bev Waukey for the above photo and information!

Field of Stones.

King Hywel, Nesta and Henry I

Corresponding with Gareth Howell in England who reminded me about Nesta who is descendant of Hywel Dda “The Good” King of Deheubarth (Wales). Gareth writes:

Many of the early Cambro-Norman invaders were related, as indicated in the descendant chart of Nesta, a Welsh princess. Nesta was known as one of the most beautiful women in Wales. Her father was Rhys ap Tewdwr Mawr, Prince of South Wales (1081-1093) She had children from (at least) three relationships: Stephen the Castellan (of Cardigan), Gerald FitzWalter (of Windsor) and Henry I (King of England)

We have not (yet) established a connection between our Howell who appear in Virginia in the 1500’s and King Hywel. We have however previously established a connection to Nesta’s husband, Henry I (Beauclerc) via his marriage to Matilda Editha Caenmoor of Scotland.  Their descendants are documented in the well researched Clopton genealogy. (Howell -> Heard -> Perrin -> Clopton -> Waldergrave -> Drury -> Calthorpe -> Stapleton -> de la Pole -> Stafford -> de Audley -> de Clare -> Plantagenet -> de Castile -> Plantagenet -> Beauclerc). 

Descendancy for Henry I Beauclerc, of England: John and Susan Howell's Family History Pages.

Big Progress on the Spencer genealogy

Spencer -> Howell

New found Spencer cousin Linda Portwood writes from Australia with the details of her breakthrough information on the Spencer line:

A great deal of our ancestry is on the internet so will point you in the right direction and you can discover it for yourself.   I was so amazed when I first found all that I did on the excellent website by John Palmer who's ancestors also came from the area where our family came from.  The website is www.wirksworth.org.uk  It is free to access, and much acclaimed,  I have authenticated  all of the information about our family by checking copies of original Parish Registers on microfilm at a local library,  and have found everything correct. The site is a goldmine of information.

 

Within the site you will find a section called "Inces Pedigrees"  and explanations about its origins and authenticity  etc. An amazing pedigree has been transcribed for our family, amongst many others.  An easy access to this is if you enter Timothy Spencer Ince Pedigrees into Google and it is the first Web Link to come up.  Click on this and it will take you to the Inces Pedigree pages within the www.wirksworth.org.uk website.  Some reference numbers are shown click on Page 083d and the Pedigree is shown, you will find William Spencer emigrated to Canada mentioned as a son of Timothy and Mary.  You will also see Thomas Spencer of Hurstfields in Alton Co Derby farmer, who is my ancestor.  

The above sources confirm that William Spencer (grandfather of Spencer Stone) was born in Matlock, Derbyshire, England and then moved to Canada.  The new (to us) information shows William ancestors to his 3x great grandfather, James Spencer, baptized in the parish of Ashover in 1679 – 4 miles from Matlock. 

 

Many thanks to Linda for authenticating the Spencer information relevant to us, and for passing on this great breakthrough! 

Andrew McBride: John and Susan Howell's Family History Pages

McBride -> Howell

Thanks to John Guy Jackson, it looks like we have found the parents of John McBride, father of Elmina McBride who m. John Johnson Howell.  John Guy Jackson writes:

I am a gg-grandson of John McBride and Elizabeth C. 'Betsy' Veazey via their daughter Melissa Frances McBride (Elmina McBride Howell's sister); Melissa Frances married John Stephen Jackson in Taliaferro County on14 Apr 1840.

John McBride was the son of Andrew McBride and Phebe Boran; Betsy Veazey was the daughter of Abner Veazey and Delilah Rhodes. 'The Veazeys and The McBrides' are thoroughly documented in Chap. 9 of 'My Search For John Stephen Jackson, His Ancestors And His Descendants'.

I will be ordering a copy of Mr. Jackson’s book from the Augusta Genealogical Society, Inc., P. O. Box 3743 Augusta, GA 30914-3743. Tel: (706) 722-4073

Andrew McBride: John and Susan Howell's Family History Pages.

Ancestors of William Spencer

Spencer -> Howell

It looks like a new breakthrough on the Spencer line....thanks to this email from newly found 4^th cousin Linda Portwood.

I stumbled across your very interesting Howell Family Genealogy Pages, and was surprised to find your Ancestor, William Spencer. I think that we are distantly related, through my Great Great Great Grandfather Thomas Spencer, who I think was the elder brother of your ancestor William Spencer. I noted that you had no Ancestors for William Spencer. I have traced my Spencer Ancestry back to 1687, and would be willing to share this information with you. In my information, William Spencer is mentioned as emigrating to Canada, and later America. He is also a marriage witness at his brother Thomas Spencer's marriage in 1826. My Spencer ancestors lived in the area that you give as William's birthplace.

William Spencer: John and Susan Howell's Family History Pages.