AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

 

AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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Direct descendant is highlighted in red  

Mary Conner
  FAMILY TREE
Born: Abt. 1730 Prince William County, Virginia

   
Died: After 1794    

FATHER

Samuel Conner

HUSBAND

Samuel Hopewell

CHILDREN

1. John Hopewell  b. 1751

2. Thomas Hopewell b. 1755

3. Samuel Hopewell b. 1759 
Samuel Hopewell, son of Samuel Hopewell Sr. bound out to Isaac Votaw
Order BK F pg. 501   1774

4. Mary Hopewell b. Abt. 1764

5. Sarah Hopewell b. Abt. 1766
Sarah Hopewell an infant under the age of twenty one years by Samuel Hopewell her father vs. Thomas Drake.
The plaintif being married the just abates (no tespass Assault & Battery)  Order BK 1 pg. 218    1786

6. Elizabeth Hopewell b. 1770

Mary Conner
by Susan Brooke
Jul 2023

Mary Conner seems to have been one of the oldest children of Samuel Conner.  She must have married Samuel Hopewell in Fairfax County, VA sometime in the 1740's however, there is no reference to any Hopewell in Fairfax County at that time. The first time Mary is in the records is 1771 when Samuel Hopewell and "his wife Mary,  are bringing a suit against "Charles Connah."  Her father, Samuel Conner, had died in 1768 and her brother Charles Conner was administrator of their father's estate but he was not making any distributions. (1)
Before this case could get settled, her brother Charles died, in 1778, and Clator Smith became the executor of the estate of Charles Conner.  Mary Hopewell, without any mention of her husband,  again brought suit.  However, it does not seem that Clator Smith was any more forthcoming about making distributions to the other Conner children. 
Mary's husband, Samuel Hopewell, had been in court several times before with problems of debt.  In 1773 he seems to have sold everything he owned, including his penknife just to pay off some debts.  So, Mary could have used some money from her father's estate.
Theirs sons, John and Thomas Hopewell were young adults by this time.  In the tithables for Loudoun County, John Hopewell, their son, is listed as "lives with Samuel Hopewell" in the 1773 tax list for Shelburne Parish. In the 1776 Loudoun County tithables there is a listing for "Mary Hopewell's Thomas Hopewell." in Shelburne Parish.  Mary and Samuel Hopewell may not have been living together.  The two sons enlisted in the army in 1777 and left Loudoun County.
Samuel Hopewell died in 1794 and Mary Hopewell was summoned "to declare whether she will take upon herself the administration of the estate of Samuel Hopewell, deceased.  Oct 13, 1794  Loudoun County Order BK Q pg 42 (3)

Sources

(1) George the third by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defendor of the Faith.  To the Sherif of Loudoun County Greeting  We command you that you Summon Charles Connah to appear before our Justices of our Court in Chancery of our said county on the second monday in May next to answer a Bill in Chancery exhibited against him by Samuel Hopewell and Mary his wife, and this shall in no wise omit under the penalty of One hundred pounds and have then heard  this writ Witness Charles Binns clerk of our said court at the court house aforesaid the twelfth day of April in the Eleventh year of our Reign 1771  Cha' Binns  
Loudoun County Chancery Court Case 1771-004

(2)

Chancery Court Record M1357
1788

1792-002

















To the worshipfull Court of Loudoun County sitting in Chancery Humbly complaining wherewith unto your Worship Your Orator Mary Hopewell, that Samuel Connor departed this life sometime in the year of our Lord  ----- Intestate leaving a considerable personal estate leaving Charles Conner his son, Sibby Reeves wife of ----Reeves, Sally Salter wife of John Salter, Winifred Smith wife of Clator Smith, Elizabeth Smith wife of Samuel Smith, Jane Conner and your oratrix his daughter and representative that the said Charles Conner administered on the estate of the said Samuel Conner and took into his possesion all the estate of the said Samuel Conner, that the said Charles Conner departed this life on or about the ---- day of --- in the year of our Lord------Intestate and without making any distribution of the estate of the said Samuel Conner among his aforesaid children and representatives, that Clator Smith administered on the estate of the said Charles Conner whom your orator prays may be made a defendant to this Bill of complaint and that the said -----Reeves and Sibby his wife, John Salter and Sally his wife, the said Clator Smith and Winifred his wife, Samuel Smith and Elizabeth his wife and Jane Conner may be made parties to this bill of complaint.  Your orator further sheweth that the said defendant Clator Smith possesed himself of all the goods and chattles of the said Samuel Conner as well as those of the said Charles Conner, and that no distribution thereof hath yet been made by the said Clator Smith among the Representatives of the said Samuel Conner decd, nor hath the said Clator Smith settled his account of administration of the said Estates.  In tender consideration whereof and for as much as your orator is remedieless by the strict rules of common law and is only relievable in a Court of equity to the end therefore that the said Clator Smith may full true and perfect answer make to all and singular the    is as fully and particularly as if the same were herein reinstated and integrated and that he may be compelled to fill       his account of administration of the estates of the said Samuel Conner, Charles Conner and to pay unto your oratrix her share or proportion thereof may it please your worship to grant unto your oratrix the common wealth       writ of supena in chancery directed to the said codefendants commanding them.        .
f page one of court record

page two of court record


3) Oct 13, 1794 
Ordered that Mary Hopwell be summoned to appear here at the next Court to declare whether she will take upon herself the Administration of the Estate of Samuel Hopwell dec'd on the Motion of Bazill Rhodes

Loudoun County Order BK Q pg 32