Dr. Thomas Gerrard

Notes:

From Old King Cole to Constantine, the pdf file below traces the Gerrard lineage through the ages.

My royal Heritage

Dr. Thomas Gerrard 1608 – 1673

My 10th Great Grandfather – David Arthur

Below are several accounts of his immigration to America and records of deeds, Last Will and Testament, ancestral lineage, etc.

•Birth: 10 DEC 1608 in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
•Death: 19 OCT 1673 in Lower Machadoc, Westmoreland, County, Virginia

•Note:

Dr. Thomas Gerard was born on 10 Dec 1608 in Lancashire, England. He died on 19 Oct 1673 in Mochoticks, Westmoreland, Co. Virginia. Dr. Thomas Gerard, Gentleman, was baptized in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England 10 Dec 1608.

Dr. Thomas GERARD (1608-1673) was a Catholic, and came from a noble lineage of Catholics who were activists against the Protestant royalty in England. Thomas Gerard's uncle, Rev. John Gerrard, S. J., was convicted of conspiracy in the infamous Gunpowder Plot in 1605, and was tortured in the Tower of London. Dr. Thomas Gerard's father, Sir Thomas Gerard, Lord Baron of Byrne, was one of the Catholic gentry who financed Cecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, for the initial colonization of Maryland in 1634. On that expedition of the ships Ark and Dove, were Richard Gerard, Knight-Baronett (son of Sir Thomas Gerard), brother of Dr. Thomas Gerard, and a sister, Ann Gerard Cox. Sir Thomas Gerard had been granted land at St. Clements Hundred, over 16,000 acres. Dr. Thomas Gerard was named Lord of the Manor at St. Clements Hundred in 1639.

From the book, "The Baronetage of England, printed for John Stockdale, published 1806:

Sir Thomas Gerard married Frances, daughter of Sir Richard Molineaux, Baronet They had six sons and one daughter Frances. 1. William. 2. Richard. 3.Gilbert 4.Peter. 5. Thomas 6. John Dr. Thomas Gerard was the son of Sir Thomas Gerard and Frances Molyneux. He married Susannah Snow. He died in 1673. He followed his brother Richard to Maryland.

Included in the list of "Gentlemen" passengers reported to be aboard the ships, The Ark and The Dove as they sailed from England on November 22, 1633 for what was to become Maryland: "Ark" and "Dove" Nov. 22nd, 1633 Record Mar. 25th 1634

The twenty Gentlemen with Gov. Leonard CALVERT, and his brother, George CALVERT, Commissioners (of the twenty is) Richard GERRARD - Knight Baronet, s/o Sir THOMAS GERRARD,

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The Gerard family was an ancient and prominent Roman Catholic family whose history has been traced back to the time of the General Survey of the Kingdom 1078.

The following text was provided by Patricia L. M. Stanley, 10505 N. Fores Ave., Kansas City, MO 64155, in January, 1994:

Gerrard- Ellyson

The surname Gerrard is also spelt Gerard and Girard and was originally FitzGerald. The arms of the principal branch of the family are : Argent, a salties, glues, and the crest: A lion, rampant ermins crowned or, and the motto: En Dieu Est Mon Esperance. The linage of the family of Bryn County,England based on Burk's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage is as follows:

William FitzGerald of Carrun Castle, county Pembroke, eldest son of Gerald FitzWalter, constable of Penbroke castle and brother of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Maynooth. He went to Ireland with Strongbow in 1171, but died in England in 1173;Leaving with other issue, Otho, ancestor of the Carew family and:

William FitzWilliam FitzGerald, his youngest son, who was Justice in Eyre, for the county of Chester, and had:

William, Lord of a Moiety of Kingsley, county Chester, in right of his wife, Emma, second daughter and co-heir of Richard de Kingsley, Chief Forester of Delamere. He died before 1259, leaving a son:

William Gerrard of Kingsley, died before 1316 having by his wife, Margaret, his son and heir:

William Garrard of Kingsley and Canten hall living in 1330, who married Matilda, daughter of Henry de Glasshowse of Kingsley and died before 1352. They had:

William Gerrard of Kingsley, born about 1322, who married Joan, the daughter of heir of Peter de Bryn and had:

Sir Peter Gerard of Kingsley and Byrn, who died before 1380, having had:

Thomas of whom presently, and John the ancestor of Gerard of Ince and Macclesfield. His eldest son was:

Sir Thomas Gerard of Kingsley and Bryn, Knight, who died March 27th 1415-16, leaving issue:

John Gerard of Kingsley [d.April 10th 1431] who married Alice, daughter of Sir John le Boteler, and had:

Sir Peter Gerard of Kingsley and Bryn, who married Isabella Strangeways, and had:

Sir Thomas Gerard of Kingsley and Bryn, who married Douce, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Assheton of Ashton-under-Lyne, and had:

Peter Gerard, who married [1481] Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Stanley of Hooton, Cheshire. He died June 19th 1485. They had:

Sir Thomas Gerard, of Kingsley and Bryn, who married Margaret, the daughter of Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford, and widow of Nicholas Longfored and Sir John Port, and had:

Sir Thomas Gerard, of Kingsley and Bryn, who married Jane, the daughter of Sir Peter Legh of Haydock and had:

Sir Thomas Gerard of Kingsley and Bryn, who being accused of a design to deliver Mary, Queen of Scots, out of her confinement, was committed to the tower, and was forced to give his estate of Bromley to his kinsman, Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Attorney General and mortgage many others before he could obtain his liberty. He married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Port, Knight of Etwall, co. Derby. He died in September 1601. He was survived by his son:

Sir Thomas Gerard, born 1560, was created a Baronet on the first day of the institution of the order, May 22, 1611, and received back the fee which he had given for the dignity in consideration of the sufferings of his father on behalf of Queen Mary. He married first, Cecily, daughter of Sir Walter Maney, Knight, and had:

Sir Thomas Gerard, Second Baronet of Bryn, who married Frances, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, First Baronet of Sefton, and sister of 1st Viscount Molyneux, and had:

John, Peter and Gilbert, who are said to have died unmarried [see William Playfair], Frances, who became a Nun. William, the 3rd Baronet, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Cuthbert Clifton, Knight, Thomas (below), Richard [1612-1686], Anne, who married 1st Cox and 2nd Thomas Green, who came on the Ark and Dove to Maryland in 1634 and was governor of the province. He was married three times, first to Elizabeth, sister of Leonard Calvert, 2nd to Anne, and 3rd to the widow, Winifred Seyborne.

Dr. Thomas Gerrard, The Immigrant [died 1673]

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The last quarter of the 16th century witnessed the beginning of a Catholic exile movement to America. As early as 1574 Sir Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh, conceived a plan of colonization which was to have the support of two Catholic gentlemen, Sir George Peckham and Sir Thomas Gerard. A state paper hinted that he was hand in glove with "the Papists" in looking for relief to a new world. Sir Humphrey was not a Catholic, but he was glad of support from this quarter. It was not until four years later that he was able to obtain a grant to discover and colonize any land in North America then unsettled. At the time of this venture there was in force a statue called "An Act against Fugitives over the Sea", which was designed to prevent the migration of Catholic recusants. Notwithstanding this opposition the English Catholics, led by Peckham and Gerard, continued their efforts to plant a Catholic colony under the Gilbert grant. In 1582 they renewed their efforts with Sir Humphrey. At this time an informer submitted to Walsingham the following report.: "There is a muttering among the Papists that Sir Humphrey Gilbert goeth to see a new found land; Sir George Pickham and Sir Thomas Gerrard goeth with him. I have heard it said among the Papists that they hope it will prove the best journey for England that was made in forty years". Walsingham still adhered, however, to his policy of allowing Catholic recusants to accompany the expedition provided they made provision for the payment of their fines. [J.Moss Ives The Ark And The Dove]

On June 11th 1583, Sir Humphrey's fleet of five ships and some two hundred men, including Catholic recusants, sailed from Plymonth and reached Maine on August 20th. On their return trip at midnight on September 9th, during a heavy storm, Sir Humphrey's ship with all on board went down.

In 1632 Charles I granted a charter to Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, making him the proprietor of the largest tract of land granted to a single person up to that time. His father, George, the first Baron Baltimore, had been the promoter of the charter. He had previously received a land grant in Newfoundland, but found the climate unsuitable. Before returning to England he had sailed up the Chesapeake Bay and found Maryland more to his liking and petitioned the King for the grant. He died, however, shortly before the charter was issued and his son, Cecil, succeeded him to both his title and the land. [Ives]

After much preparation the Ark and the Dove spread their sails in the early morning of November 22nd, 1633. The departure was from Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The number of voyagers and the proportion of Catholics and Protestants have been questioned. On September 8th 1635, A Relation of Maryland was printed to attract adventurers to settled in the new province. On page 56 we find seventeen names "of the gentlemen adventurers that are gone in person to this plantation". Among them we find "Richard Garard, son to Sir Thomas Gerard, Knight and Baronet." [Savin's Reprints [No.II] It is also said that Anne Cox, a widow, his sister, came with him. She was to become the 2nd wife of Gov. Thomas Green and to die in Maryland. Richard, who had been the cup-bearer to King James was to return to England, where he was to become a distinguished soldier and to die on September 5th 1686. [Ives, Burk's Peerage, Alice Norris Parran, Register of Maryland's Heraldic Families,Series I and II.]

The First stop for the Ark and the Dove was made at the Fortunate, now Canary Islands. Then after sailing two hundred miles on a southerly course, the Ark changed her course to the westward and sailed across the Atlantic headed for the West Indies. Barbados was reached January 3, 1634, where the Ark joined the Dove. On February 24th, 1634 they dropped anchor at Point Comfort, Virginia. They were there several days and then entered the Chesapeake and reached the Potomac. On St. Clement Island these Maryland colonists made their first landing on March 25th 1634.

According to the Book of Early Settlers in the Land Office, Annapolis, Dr. Thomas Gerrard emigrated to the province in 1638, four years after his brother, Richard, and sister, Anne.

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Thomas Gerard married Susannah Snowe, daughter of John Snowe and Judith Hill of Brookehouse, Staffordshire, England by 20 Jun 1634 (The Lancashire Record Office).

Thomas Gerard, surgeon, came into the Province of MD by April 1638 with five men servants (Md Land Office Patents Liber 1, folio 19). After several trips between Maryland and England, Thomas Gerard sold his holdings in England. On 19 Sep 1650 he demanded 2,000 acres of land for transporting himself, his wife and 5 chidren, a Mr Austin Hill, 8 men servants and 4 women servants in to the Province (Md Land office Patents L AB&H, f 47).

Thomas Gerard became one of the largest land owners in Maryland. On 3 Nov 1639, he was issued one of the first manorial grants to be issued in St Mary's Co. He acquired a patent for 1,030 acres he called "St Clement's Manor" (Md Land Office Patents Liber AB&H, Folio 68). This patent included St Clement's Island, the landing place of the first Maryland settlers in 1634. With this patent, he also achieved the status of "Lord of the Manor".

On 24 Mar 1651, Thomas Gerard received a patent of 1,500 acres, he called "Bastford Manor" and a patent of 500 acres for 'St Winifred's Freehold" (Ibid. Folio 193-194).

Thomas Gerard also acquired 3,500 acres of land called Gerard's Preserve" in Westmoreland County Virginia. He continued to acquire lands and at the time of his death his holdings contained about 16,000 acres.

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ORIGINS OF WASHINGTON, DC:

The first proprietors of what is now called Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. were George Thompson, a lawyer and clerk of the Charles Co. Court and Thomas Gerrard, who patented the land jointly under several titles in 1663. The largest of these grants were Duddington Manor and Pasture, New Troy, and St. Elizabeth. Thompson and Gerrard were remote kinsmen and jointly named "Duddington". In 1664 Gerrard sold his interest to Thompson and in 1670 he disposed of the entire estate to Thomas Notley, an attorney, who united the three grants into one Manorial holding to be known as Gerne Abbey Manor. Notley willed the land to Notley Rozer, grandson of Jane [Lowe] Sewall Calvert, Landy Baltimore. In 1727, Anne Rozier, daughter of Notley, married Daniel Carroll, uncle of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. He died in 1734 leaving three children and a year later his widow married Col. Benjamin Young. In 1758, Mrs. Young, again a widow, petitioned the court to permit her elder son, Charles Carroll of Carrollsburgh to divide the property with his half-brother, Notley Young. By this division, Cerne Abbey Manor went back to the original component parts and Carroll was given Duddington Manor with the remainder to Notley Young. Charles died about 1778 leaving, as principal heir, his eldest son, Daniel, who very property called himself "of Duddington Manor" He with his co-heir, Notley Young, negotiated the sale of the property with President Washington's commission. Of the three commissioners, who purchased the land for the Federal Government, Daniel Carroll of Rock Creek was the brother of the Most Rev. John Carroll, first Catholic Bishop in the United States and uncle of David of Duddington's first wife, Anne Brent, whose brother, Robert, was to be the first mayor of Washington D.C. This purchase by the Federal Government took place one hundred and twenty-seven years after George Thompson and Thomas Gerrard acquired the original title. [Margaret Bret Downing, The American Capitoline Hill and it's Early Catholic Proprietors, The Catholic Historical Review, Vol.II, pp. 269-282] Copy of the original Northern Neck Land Grant held by James Scott

Since Thomas Gerard's wife Susannah and their children were Protestant, he erected an Anglican Chapel for them on St Clement's Manor. According to Edwin Beitzell's writings the chapel was erected "at the head of a branch of St Patrick's Creek". It was the third Protestant church to be erected in Maryland. Thomas Gerard, the surgeon, practiced medicine in Maryland and Virginia. He was also very active in the provincial politics of his day. He served as juryman at St Mary's in May 1638, elected a burgess to the assembly from St Mary's on 19 Feb 1639, commissioned by the Proprietor as Conservator of the Peace" in March 1640 and elected burgess from St Clement's Hundred in Sep 1640. Thomas Gerard was appointed to the Provincial Council by a commission from Lord Baltimore, dated 17 Nov 1643. He held this position until he aligned himself with the Fendall Rebellion of 1660. With the collapse of the rebellion, Thomas Gerard was banished. He went to live in Westmoreland Co Virginia until he was pardoned by the Maryland council and was restored to citizenship in the Province but was forbidden to hold office (Md Archives Liber III, folio 406-407).

Susannah (Snowe) Gerard died in 1666 St Clement's Manor. Thomas moved to "Gerard's Preserve" in Westmoreland County Virginia. It was there that he married Mrs. Rose Tucker.

Thomas died in Virginia in 1673 and he was taken to Maryland and buried beside his first wife, Susannah Snowe. In his will he stated - "Testator desires to be buried by deceased wife Susanna". His will was dated 5 Feb 1672 and it was probated in St Mary's County 15 Dec 1673 (Md Cal of Wills L 1 f 567).

Thomas Gerard, immigrated to St. Mary's County, Maryland He and his family resided at St. Clements Manor. It was there that Thomas Gerard built a chapel. He apparently allowed interdenominational worship, [Susanna and the children were non Catholic, Thomas was Catholic] however, the local Roman Catholic priest said that the arrangement was not allowed. He [the priest] apparently said he would come and live among them to see that the Catholic religion was practiced.

All Saints Episcopal Church remains in the town of Avenue on Rt. 242 as you drive toward St. Clement's Island and the Potomac River Museum at Colton's Point. Dr. Gerard, a Catholic, built it for his wife, an Anglican, as a place where she and her servants could worship.

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Marriage 1st Susannah Snow b: ABT 1613 in Brookehouse, Staffordshire, England

•Married: 21 SEP 1629 in Lancashire, England

Children

1. Anne Gerrard b: ABT 1630 in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
2. Temperance Gerrard b: 1630 in Ashton Manor, Lancashire, England
3. Justinian Gerrard b: 1631 in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
4. Thomas Gerrard b: 1633 in St Clement's Manor, St. Mary's County, Maryland
5. Susannah Gerrard b: 19 APR 1635 in Newhall, Lancashire.England.
6. John Gerrard b: BEF 1637 in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
7. Judith Gerrard b: 1640 in England, married 1st William Love, 2nd John Goldsmith 3rd Richard Cloud
8. Frances Gerrard b: BEF 1643 in Winwick Prish, New Hall, Lancashire, England
9. Mary Gerrard b: 1644 in Newhall, Lancashire, England

From Old King Cole to Constantine, the pdf file below traces the Gerrard lineage through the ages.

My royal Heritage