Ralph T. Whitelaw letter to Merrel Price Callaway, 1944  

Letter from Ralph T. Whitlaw to:
Merrel Price Callaway, May 25, 1944.
Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Research, Accomac Co., Virginia

submitted by:  Brandon Waring

Dear Mr. Callaway,
    I appreciate your kind letter of the 22nd.
    I am truly sorry to learn that Mrs. Callaway is no longer living. I enjoyed my brief contact with her and only wish I could have gotten my information to her in time to have given her some pleasure.
    I believe it has appeared that Savage Cowdry was a son of one William Cowdry. This has been in print and has been accepted by many, but to the more thoughtful it has seemed impossible because of the great span of years between them. I am glad I have been able to identify them both, and Savage was the grand nephew, rather than the son, of William.

WILLIAM COWDRY

(All books quoted are the records of Northampton County, Virginia, and are in the Courthouse at Eastville)
XI-Pages 124 and 125-May 13, 1676
    William Cowdry-Ordinary Keeper-made deeds of gift of cattle to his father, BENJAMIN and his sister FRANCES. This gives him definate family connection and will be referred to later.
XII-Page 315-December 11, 1678-Will Capt. John Savage
    He left to “my son in law William Cowdry” the plantation where Cowdry then lived. This was a life interest and after the death of Cowdry it was to go to a granddaughter Susanna, the daughter of Savage’s daughter Susannah and John Kendall. The name of Cowdry’s wife was not given and she must have been dead. As Savage made bequests to every known relative it can be assumed that there was no issue from this Cowdry-Savage union, particularly as Savage cared enough for his son in law to leave him some land for life. (Cowdry sold this life interest in 1679 to Henry Matthews. Later it was purchased at public outcry by Col. William Kendall, descended to his son William, and he gave a deed of release to Susannah the ultimate heir.)
    That William Cowdry married his step mother-in-law is proven by the following:
XIII-Page 219-3/29/1682-is a deposition about something that happened,”on ye day Wm. Cowdry was married to the widow Savage”,etc.
XIII-Page 223-6/1/1682-there is a reference to “Mary the wife of Wm. Cowdry and relict of the said Savage”.
    As nearly as can be determined there was only one issue of this union.
XVII-Page 22-2/28/1689/90-“Upon the peticon of Thomas Savage on the behalfe of his mother Mary the wife of Wm. Cowdry settinge forth that inasmuch as her said husband hath absented himselfe and left her in a desolate condition & shee beinge of an unsounde minde care may bee taken for her reliefe and maintenance. Itt is therefore the Judgmt of the Court and accordingly Ordered that Major John Robins bee Instructed and Impowered by the Court to looke after & take into his custody such Rents as now are or shall futurely grow due and other concerns as belonge to the said Cowdry in the right of his said wife or otherwise wch hee hath left behinde him in this Country for her maintenance& reliefe as aforesaid and to render an accountt thereof when required.”
XVII-Page 123-7/28/1691-“Grace the Daughter of Wm. Cowdry” was to continue with Maj. John Robins until she was of age. (There has been found no reference to any other child and what became of Grace is unknown)
    This is the end of William Cowdry and his known line.

SAVAGE COWDRY

XV-Page 102-12/1/1684-the will of BENJAMIN Cowdry was probated. He described himself as “formerly Cittizen and Vintner of London.” His wife was not mentioned so she must have been dead and so she must remain anonymous.
    He had daughters ANN and FRANCES and left his land to sons THOMAS and Benjamin II.
He did not mention a son William. He may have felt that William was already well taken care of - had disinherited him - or he had already departed for regions unknown (as reported above). However, the names BENJAMIN and FRANCES seem to leave no doubt but that William was a son of Benjamin as I indicated at the beginning of the letter.
XVII-page 490-7/28/1698-The will of THOMAS was filed for probate. He left a wife Ann (last name unknown); sons Josias, William and THOMAS; and daughters Elizabeth and Frances.

            NOTE:  I have a copy of the will of Benjamin Cowdrey and William is very much mentioned in his will.
                        "I Both will and Bequeath to my son Wm Cowdery one musquett and one Barrell of Corne
                                which said Corne would have him purchase And give half for the good of his children."
 
THOMAS COWDRY II
    THOMAS COWDRY II later appears in the picture as follows:
XXIVR-Page 305-5/23/1732-in a division of the estate for Elkington Savage two parcels of real estate were assigned to a daughter Esther Savage. (Elkington was a son of Capt. John Savage and his second wife Mary Robins. He left a wife Winnefred, but her last family name is unknown).
DB 18-Page 289-9/30/1745-One James Delpech sold one of the above parcels and his deed stated that he had bought it from THOMAS and ESTHER COWDRY. (This deed to Delpech is not recorded in the county records. At this period many deeds were entered in the General Court deed books in the Secretary’s Office and all of these were burned in Richmond in 1865. It is assumed that this deed was so recorded).
OB 21-Page 60-3/18/1742/3- THOMAS COWDRY II had died intestate and his estate was administered to his widow ESTHER.
WB 19-Page 112-3/13/1743/4-In a division of the estate of Thomas Cowdry, a son SAVAGE COWDRY was given his share.
                                Q. E. D.
    You can put this with the family archives and maybe some day some one will be interested in properly tieing up the threads.
                                    Sincerely yours,
                                              Ralph T. Whitelaw

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Submitted by:  Brandon Waring,  April, 4,  2001 
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