I do not intend this to be the definitive Addison family genealogy; its purpose is only to explore the individuals from whom our specific family line descends. Bold face type indicates individuals who are ancestors of my particular line, most of whom are connected by marriage with the Addison family. Their lines have been posted and linked to this one. If any reader has corrections or additions to this particular Addison line, I would appreciate
hearing from you via e mail to 
.
To see the sources click on the bracketted number. Citations and notes can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also see an explanation of the numbering system used on this page.
English Ancestors
The
Rev. Launcelot AddisonA, M.A. is said to be the progenitor of our line. But there were two men of this name, and ours is often conflated with the more famous one who was a priest of the Established Church born at Mauldismeaburn, in the parish of Crosby Ravensworth, four miles north by east of Orton, in Westmorland.[1] The parish was one of the huge northern ones, containing 8,942 acres in the fertile valley of the Birkbeck and Lyvennet rivers. The source of the Lyvennet is Black Dub where Charles II and the Scottish army halted in 1641. The area was famous for its breed of hogs, whose hams had particularly fine flavor. There were also extensive
limestone quarries. By the mid nineteenth century the ancient manorial mansion, probably in use when Launcelot would have called there in the course of his pastoral duties, had disintegrated to a “tower building embosomed in trees, and formerly moated”.[2] Our Launcelot
may have been the son of William Addison, but this is not entirely
clear.[3]
According to Effie Gwynn Bowie, quoting from Burke's Peerage, the Rev. Launcelot "of the Hill" Addison had arms. For those who enjoy decoding heraldic short-hand, the description is: "ERM.; on a band GU., 3 annulets OR; on a chief AZ. 3 leopards faces of the third. Crest: A unicorn's head erased, transpierced by an arrow in bend sinister gutté. Motto: "vulnus opemque fero." (I carry a wound [or weapon] and a remedy.) The Addison arms motto refers to a Saxon superstition of the Middle Ages that the horn of the unicorn was not only an offensive weapon but also had a valuable remedial quality."
Launcelot had the following children (order uncertain, may be incomplete):[4]
i. Thomas Addison1, merchant at Whitehaven, Cumberland, England.
ii. Henry Addison, merchant at Whitehaven, Cumberland, England.
iii. Launcelot Addison II, Dean of Litchfield, chaplain to King Charles II. Papenfuse, et al calls this son "probable", rather than proved.
iv. Anthony Addison, rector of St. Helen's Church, Abingdon, Berkshire,
and chaplain to the Duke of Marlborough.
v. John Addison, emigrated to Maryland.
Immigrant Generation
John
Addison1 was born in Westmorland, England, and died in England in late 1705 or early 1706. His father was probably the Rev. Launcelot Addison, M.A. John and his brothers may have been educated in the local school founded in 1630.[5] As a younger son, John’s economic prospects were limited, so he emigrated to Maryland as a free adult in 1674, on the Vine out of Liverpool, under Mr. William PREESON.[6] He settled in St. Mary’s County. By 1677 he was married to Rebecca WILKINSON, the daughter of the Rev. William Wilkinson, first Anglican priest accredited to the Province, and widow of Thomas DENT (ca. 1630-1676), who had served in the Lower House as a representative from St. Mary’s County. Rebecca was born in 1612 and died in 1663. By her first marriage she had four sons, and two daughters: Margaret and Barbara Dent. Barbara’s granddaughter, Christian SIM, married John
Addison’s great grandson, Walter SMITH, and thus is our ancestor, too.[7]
As a member of a socially ascending family in England, John was styled Gentleman by 1670, before he emigrated. After the coup in Maryland
following the “Glorious Revolution”, he was called Esq. in 1692. By 1687 he had moved his family to Charles County, where he owned
at least 3,289 acres. After 1695 he and his family were established
in Prince George's County, where they became a politically powerful dynasty, members of the Anglican church.[8]
Most men of property were called upon by their neighbors to witness their wills or serve as executors
for their estates. John was named executor and residuary legatee
in the nuncupative will of Nicholas PRODDY of Charles County on 2 February 1676.[12] He witnessed the
will of John BROADRIB of Talbot County on 13 September 1680.[13]
Perhaps John’s political sympathies supported his economic interests. These might be glimpsed in the smuggling from which he hoped to make a profit. A ship in which he owned a share, the Liverpool Merchant, was seized and its cargo sold for violation of the Navigation Acts, 1679-1682. Smuggling was not uncommon in the Chesapeake Bay. John might have found it easier to justify such flagrant flouting of the law by siding with the party that attacked the government that passed and tried to enforce the Navigation Acts.[14]
John’s public career actually had begun
earlier with a term as justice in Charles
County from 1687 to
1692. But it gathered momentum when he was on the winning side in
the struggle against the proprietary. He was named coroner of Charles
County in 1691. The
next year he served as justice on the Provincial
Court, and in 1693 was a judge in the
Court of Chancery. He was named associate chancellor in 1696, and
associate commisary general 1699-1700.[18] He
was said to have been Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal from 1696 to
1699.[19]
As for his military career, John was appointed “Captain of the Foote” of Charles County in 1692, then later was appointed Captain of the Horse.[20] From 30 July 1694 till his death in 1705 John was a Colonel in the militia, first in Charles County, then after Prince George’s County was created he was put
in command of its Militia on 17 August 1695.[21]
John was an Anglican, as were his father and brothers. By the mid-nineteenth century the family could boast of six generations within the Anglican fold.[22] In 1692 the Maryland legislature ended Maryland’s freedom of religion and established the Church of England. On 3 October 1693 John, Thomas BROOKE, and five other men signed the test oath swearing they did not believe in transubstantiation.[23] John served in the Piscattaway Parish Vestry from 1693 to 1705. Its first meeting was held in the Addison home. The men decided to purchase 78 acres, part of “Lisle Hall” at Broad Creek, and construct a church building there. They levied a poll tax of 40 pounds of tobacco on each adult, payable to John Addison and William HUTCHINSON to build the church.[24] The so-called Broad Creek church, was more officially known as St. John’s.[25] John was the “leading spirit” of St. John’s Parish, and his grandson was its “beloved rector” in later years.[26]
As
part of the establishment, perhaps reflecting a belief in the importance of liberal education, John was a generous subscriber to King William's School. He also served as one of the original trustees when it was established by the Assembly in 1696.[27] The building on the south side of the State House (where the DeKalb statue now stands) was completed in 1701. In 1785 it became St. John's College.[28]
John died between November 1705 and
April 1706, while on a visit to England.[29]
His estate inventory was valued at £1,840.0.1 sterling,
and included fourteen slaves and one indentured servant, plus a balance
of just under £1,000 sterling in the hands of London merchants.
He owned 6,478.5 acres at the time of his death.[30]
In addition to Rebecca’s six children by her first husband, John and
Rebecca (Wilkinson) Dent Addison had one son:[31]
i. Thomas Addison, b. 1679; d. 1727; m(1) Elizabeth TASKER; m(2) Elinor SMITH.
Second Generation
Thomas Addison2 was born in 1679 in St. Mary’s County, Maryland and died in Prince George's County in 1727. He was his father’s only son, although he had six older step brothers and sisters. By the time he was eight years old his family had moved to Charles County. When he was seventeen he moved to St. Elizabeth’s, Oxon Hill Creek, in Prince George’s County. As befitting the son of a wealthy family which considered itself upper class, Thomas was educated at Oxford University in England.[32]
The Register of Piscataway Parish has the following entry: "Thomas Addison, ae. about 22, son of Col. John Addision and Elizabeth TASKER, ae. 15, dau. of Thomas Tasker, Esq. were joined in Holy Matrimony on Tuesday ye 21 of April, 1701." They had two little girls, then Elizabeth died on 10 February 1706/7, at the age of twenty.[33]
Thomas married secondly 17 June 1709 Elinor SMITH, 19-year-old daughter of Col. Walter Smith of Patuxent River.[34] Elinor’s brother, Richard Smith, married her step-daughter (Thomas’s daughter by his first wife), Elinor Addison, and they also became our ancestors. Elinor is also spelled Eleanor in some sources. I do not know which she preferred, herself.
Thomas was a surveyor, planter, and merchant. He owned 800 acres in 1704, and at least 8,294 in 1706 after his father died.[35] He had 2,300 acre “Addison’s Choice” surveyed on the east side of the Monocacy River, presumably as a speculative investment. Following the pattern of his own privileged upbringing, after his death his son John became constable of Monocacy Hundred in 1734. A decade later John signed a petition requesting the establishment of Frederick County.[36] But that is getting ahead of the story.
Thomas and Eleanor were hospitable hosts, making their home, “Oxon Hill”, which overlooked the Potomac opposite the modern city of Alexandria, “one of the notable great houses of that day.”[37 It was built by Thomas’s father John, and supposedly named after Thomas’s alma mater.[38] Oxon Hall itself burned to the ground in 1895.[39] In 1980 the Oxon Hill Manor site was rediscovered by the Maryland Geological Survey while making studies for improvements to Md. Rt. 210-Interstate 95 interchange. The following year additional surveys were made, and the Maryland State Highway Administration decided to shift the interchange slightly to avoid the foundation of the house. Additional surveys were made of the new site of the interchange. In 1985 there were large-scale data recovery excavations in the northern half of the Oxon Hill site, and the following year the southern half was surveyed. This section was now part of a proposed PortAmerica Development and included the actual manor house foundation and associated outbuildings. The land was taken over by the National Harbor Development and payment for archaeological work ceased. The artifacts that had been discovered were turned over to the Maryland Archaeological Laboratory, which cleaned and curated the objects. A few objects are on display at the M.A.L. at Jefferson Patterson State Park. An excellent, popular report that sheds light on the lives of the folks at Oxon Hill was published in November 2010.
John D. Biggs, an amateur architectural historian (meaning he is on no payroll for 
this labor) has carefully studied the spotty records of the house, and has created these drawings of what the manor house probably looked like in its glory days. He explains that he added a window in the center of the facade as a photo taken in 1892 of the staircase hall clearly shows a center window on the second floor landing. The hyphens and wings are based on similar houses of that age and scale, like Tulip Hill in Galesville, Md., and Montpelier in Laurel, Md. My thanks to John for granting permission to post his two drawings on this web page.[40] The cupola was probably added later.
His father’s high status opened doors for young Thomas. At the age of eighteen in 1696-97 he was surveyor for Prince George’s County. He served as justice in Prince George’s County for the 1704-05 term, then as Sheriff for 1705-07/8. He was one of the few men appointed to the Provincial Council without prior experience in the Assembly, serving from 1708 till his death in 1727. He served in the Upper House in 1710-11 (joining the third session of the 1708-11 Council), 1712-14, 1715, 1716-18, 1719-21/2, 1722-24, and 1725-26 (dying before the start of the fourth session).[41]
In 1697 Thomas was a deputy naval officer for the Potomac. By 1713 he was a lieutenant colonel in the militia, and the next year was made full colonel.
Thomas’s will was signed 9 April 1722 and probated 28 June 1727. His estate was inventoried
at £5,722.11.8 and included 71 slaves and three indentured
white servants. The final balance after his debts were paid was £5,369.18.8.
He owned between 14,000 and 15,000 acres at the time of his death.
Thomas bequeathed one quarter of the residue of personal property
to his wife Elinor, with the other three
quarters going to her five children. He specified that if she married
a Catholic, his overseers were to take the children and their estate
and see that they were brought up in the Church of England. He named
as overseers Benjamin TASKER (his first wife’s brother), James BOWLES (his son-in-law), and George NOBLE. A codicil of 2 November 1725 specified that 2,300 acre “Addison’s Choice” on the Monococy be divided equally between Thomas, Henry, and Anthony. Other bequests are mentioned below.[44]
Elinor lived for many years as a widow. On 31 [sic] September 1727 Elinor Addison, widow, of Prince George’s County, conveyed 250 acres, which was half of “Bear Neck” to her brother Richard SMITH of Calvert County. This was Elinor’s half of 500 acres granted 10 November 1695 to her father, Walter Smith, deceased.[45a] She gave her son Henry a Bible and prayer book in which he wrote, “Presented to me by the honored Lady, my Mother”. As of 1913 it was still in his family.[46] Her death was reported in the Maryland Gazette. She died at her home at Oxon-Hill, on the "Potowomack" River; on Monday, 19 January 1761, in her 72nd year. Elinor’s will, dated 17 December 1759, bequeathed land and enslaved humans to her son Thomas, a mourning ring and guinea to her daughter Ann HALL, a silver tea pot to daughter Ann MURDOCK, enslaved people to her sons John and Henry. She also left things to her sister Elizabeth BALL, and to granddaughters Catherine SIM, Eleanor Addison, Ann Addison, and Eleanor Addison (daughter of her son Henry).[47]
Children of Thomas and his first wife, Elizabeth (Tasker) Addison:[48]
i. Rebecca Tasker Addison3,
b. Monday, 3 June 1703, about 11:00 a.m.; m(1) James BOWLES (?-ca. 1727/8), his second marriage; m(2) 10 June 1729 Hon. Col. George PLATER (1695-1755). Both these men served in the Maryland legislature. Rebecca and George resided at the elegant plantation, "Sotterly", St. Mary's Co., in which she held a life interest. After her death George bought it from Rebecca’s heirs. Their son George was Governor of Maryland.[49]
ii. Elinor Addison, b. Monday, 20 Mar. 1705, about 9:30 a.m.; m(1) Bennett LOWE (d. 1722), son of Col. Henry Lowe (d. 1717) and his wife Susanna Maria (BENNETT); m(2) Col. Richard SMITH (d. 1732) son of Walter Smith, her step grandfather; m(3) Posthumous THORNTON; m (4) Corbin LEE (d. 1774). Her first two fathers-in-law and her fourth husband served in the Maryland legislature.[50]
Children of Thomas and his second wife, Elinor (Smith) Addison:[51]
iii. Ann Addison, b. Tuesday, 18 Feb. 1711/2; d. 24 Mar. 1753; m. William MURDOCK (d. 1769) who served in the Md. Legis.; his first wife was Margaret DULANY, sister of Rebecca who m. Ann’s brother Thomas Addison. Ann and William had a daughter Catherine Murdock (ca. 1735-29 Nov. 1771) who m. Joseph SIM, brother of our Christian (Sim) LEE who m (2) Walter SMITH. Other children were John Murdock (b. 10 Feb. 1729), Addison Murdock (b. 31 July 1731, d. ca. 1792), John Murdock (b. 16 May 1733, d. 3 Aug. 1791, m. Ann BELT), Ann Murdock (m. Rev. Clement BROOKE), Eleanor Murdock (m. 7 Mar. 1757 Benjamin Hall, son of Francis and Dorothy [LOWE]), and Mary Murdock (d. 1792).[52]
iv. John Addison, b. 15 Aug. or 16 Sept. 1713; m. Susannah WILKINSON; Burgess, Prince George's Co. 1745-57; styled Capt., 1756, then Col. served in the Maryland legislature. He inherited some 3863 acres of his father's estate, specifically 1,430 ac. “Saint Elizabeth”, 512 ac. “Discontent”, 545 ac. “Barnobie”, 100 ac. “Canton”, 226 ac. “Force”, 340 ac. “Gleening”, 370 ac. “Locust Thicket”, and 340 ac. “Maddox Folly”. Shortly after his wife died he added a codicil to his will, leaving all his personal property to his daughter Ann Addision, and named her executrix. John and Susanna's children:
a) Ann Addison, m. Overton CARR of Va.; had 4 children.[52a]
b) Thomas Addison, d. 24 Sept. 1774, m. 3 Dec. 1767 Rebecca DULANY, eldest daughter of Walter of Annapolis. They res. at Oxon Hill and drove a coach and four with liveried outriders. This Thomas is often confused with his uncle Thomas, Jr. (1715-1770) who left the bulk of his estate to his nephew Thomas [Jr.].
c) Anthony Addison, mariner, m. 6 June 1794 Rebecca MURDOCK;
d) John Addison, m. 24 Jan. 1787 Lucy WATKINS;
e) Eleanor Addison, m. the Rev. Jonathan BOUCHER.[53]
v. Thomas Addison, Jr., b. 1715; d. Thurs., 27 Nov. 1770 at his house on the Potomac, in his 56th year. His obituary in the Maryland Gazette said he was "sometime Major of His Majesty's 35th Regiment of Foot. He left the bulk of his property to his nephew, Thomas Addison, Esq. of Oxon-Hill."[54] It is this nephew, called Thomas Addison, Jr., who was the son of the dec'd Thomas's brother John, who is often confused with this Thomas. It is the nephew, Thomas, Jr., who m. Mon. evening 30 Nov. 1767 Rebecca DULANY, niece of his uncle Henry's wife, eldest daughter of the Hon. Walter Dulany, Esq. Thomas Jr. inherited 850 ac. "Gisborough", 300 ac. "Berry", 260 ac. "Pasture", 336 ac. "Prevention"; and everything south west of a line drawn through 393 ac. "The Union", 209 ac. "Barwick upon Tweed", 236 ac. "Brother's Joynt Interest", 106 ac. "Nonsuch", and 300 ac. "North Britton". Thomas Jr. was educated at Oxford, and was rector of St. John's for 30 years.
vi. Henry Addison, b. 1717; d. 31 Aug. 1789 in Prince George’s Co.; m. 1 Aug. 1751 his wealthy first cousin Rachel DULANY, widow of William KNIGHT; she was the second daughter of Daniel Dulany (1695-1755) and his wife Rebecca (SMITH), sister of Henry 's mother; Rachel d. 19 Oct. 1774. Daniel served in the Maryland legislature. Henry matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford at the age of 16 on 3 Mar. 1734/5; was awarded a B.A. in 1738 and an MA in 1741. He was an Anglican priest, serving as rector of St. John's Parish, Prince George's Co. from 1751 till his death.[55]
Inherited from his father 400 ac. "Chichester", 289 ac. "Addition", 428 ac. of "Friendship" at the Eastern branch, owned jointly with Mr. Abington; 400 ac. of "Friendship" near the Falls of the Potomac, and tracts northeast of the line dividing tracts with his brother Thomas. Rachel d. Wed. 19 Oct. 1774.[56] Henry was a Tory during the American Revolution, fled to England, but returned after the War. Henry and Rachel had 3 children:
a) Anthony Addison, b. 25 Apr. 1754;
b) Daniel Addison, b. 10 Oct. 1756;
c) Eleanor Addison, b. 8 July 1759, m. Garland CALLIS.[57]
vii. Anthony Addison, d. 1753; unmarried. Inherited from his father 400 ac. "Whitehaven", 400 ac. "Philip and Jacob", and 1,200 ac. of "Friendship" near the Falls of the Potomac. He kept this estate in the family by bequeathing it to his brothers and nephews.
Third Generation
Elinor Addison3, the second daughter of Thomas and his first wife, Elizabeth (TASKER) Addison was born 20 March 1705 at Oxon Hill Creek, Prince George's County; her date of death is unknown. Her mother died when she was only a year old. Her father remarried when she was four, and she eventually had five step-siblings.[58]
In 1727 her father bequeathed to Elinor and her sister Rebecca £500
each along with some personal property. If the legacies could not be paid,
then three tracts and £200 were to be divided between them in lieu
of the £500 apiece. The tracts were named “Batchelors Harbour” (850 acres), “Swan Harbour” (345 acres), and 396 acres of “Strife” held with Mr. PARKER at Mattawoman.[59]
Elinor had her portrait painted. This crude copy shows a small reproduction, given to me by Charlotte Price Curlin of Auburn, Calif., that was printed in Some Family Bible Records. I do not know where the original is. However, a better reproduction, although still in black and white, is printed in Colonial Dames of America, Ancestral Records and Portraits: a Compilation from the Archives of Chapter, Vol. II, between pages 672 and 673. My thanks to Barbara Haddaway for bringing this to my attention.
Elinor married first, Bennett LOWE, son of Henry Lowe (d. 1717) and his wife Susannah Maria BENNETT, daughter of Richard Bennett, and widow of John DARNALL. Henry was a planter and merchant who had served in the Lower House of the Assembly from St. Mary’s County in 1701-04. He was dismissed from the fifth session that year for refusing the oath. He was also dismissed from the Provincial Court. Although Henry was a nominal Protestant, his wife and daughter were Roman Catholics and he refused to take Governor Seymour’s oaths. His son Henry was an Anglican, as was Bennett, presumably. The family were strong supporters of the proprietary, unlike the Addisons.[60] Bennett’s aunt was Jane Lowe whose second husband was Charles CALVERT, Third Lord Baltimore. His uncle was Vincent Lowe, a Catholic member of the Council who was quite unhappy about the efforts of Friends to gain legislative relief from taking oaths. In response to some particularly unpleasant remarks from Vincent Lowe, Friends instructed their delegate, John EDMONDSON, to get a letter from Robert RIDGELY, the Clerk of the Assembly, exonerating them. Ridgely complied, and Vincent had to cease his slanderous attacks.[61] Bennett died in 1722.
Elinor married for the second time, Richard SMITH, son of Walter, who had also served in the Maryland legislature. As Richard was a Vestryman of All Saints’ Parish from 1723 to 1729, and Elinor’s father had been active there until his death, presumably Elinor was also a member of that Anglican church. They had five children. Richard died in 1732.[62]
Elinor married a third time, Captain Posthumous THORNTON of Calvert
County. He died in 1738.[63]
Elinor married a fourth and final time on 31 January 1754, in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Corbin LEE. He was the son of Philip Lee (ca. 1681-1744) and his second wife Elizabeth LAWSON, widow of Henry SEWALL (d. 1722). Philip's first wife had been Sarah (BROOKE), widow of William DENT (ca.
1660-1704), and daughter of our Thomas BROOKE.
Corbin's grandfather was Col. Richard Lee (1646-1714) of Virginia.
Corbin and his father Philip were Anglicans. Corbin was an ironmaster,
and possibly also a planter. He was elected to the Lower house in 1762-63 and 1765-66.[64]
Children of Richard and Elinor (Addison) Smith (order uncertain):[66]
i. Walter Smith, m. Christian SIM; d. Jan. 1755.
ii. Richard Smith.
iii. John Addison Smith of Baltimore Town, d. 8 May 1776; m. 17 Oct. 1765 Sarah ROGERS.[67] A portrait of John Addison Smith is printed in Colonial Dames of America, Ancestral Records and Portraits: a Compilation from the Archives of Chapter I, the Colonial Dames of America (N.Y.:The Grafton Press, Publishers, 1912), Vol. 2, between pages 672 and 673. [68]
v. Rebecca Smith, m. Roger BOYCE (d. 1772); she d. 1775.
vi. Rachel Smith.
The story continues with the Smith and Sim families.
The Addisons and their colonial Maryland relatives and ancestors are described in The Southern Connection: Ancestors of Eleanor Addison Smith Holliday Price. It delves into the social system, economics, religion, and politics that developed in colonial Maryland. The white elite considered themselves the pinnacle of civilization, and their wealth and power were dependent upon a horrifically brutal racist enslavement system. This hardback print-on-demand book provides the context for Eleanor's colonial Maryland plantation elite ancestors. It also explores the Addison family back in England for several generations before immigration. The book is available at lulu.com. Click on the title, then on "preview" to see the table of contents and a few sample pages. The price is the cost of printing and binding, plus shipping. I make nothing on it.
See some other colonial Maryland families that link one way
or another with these Addisons:
Bale,
Brooke,
Browne,
Dent,
Dorsey,
Ely,
Hall,
Hatton,
Holliday,
Howard,
Isaac,
Molton,
Norwood,
Owings,
Randall,
Ridgely,
Sim,
Smith,
Stone,
Tasker.
Warfield.
and Wilkinson. All of these are included in The Southern Connection.
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This page was most recently updated 1m/27/2015.
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