Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant: Matthew Strickland in Maryland and a Matthew Strickland in Virginia - Are They the Same Person? by Sharon Anderson, July 2003

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Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant: Matthew Strickland in Maryland and a Matthew Strickland in Virginia - Are they the Same Person? by Sharon Anderson, July 2003

Fellow researchers: This is my “journal” of the current contained the following listing: state of my research on Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant. Please note that my opinions are my current but are sub- 2) January 14, 1641 - Matthew Strickland christened at ject to change as I unearth additional documentation. I am Crosswaithe-cum-Lyth, Cumbria, England - parents Ed- comfortable and sure of my conclusions only when I have ward Strickland and Elizabeth Basse. (see Attachment 1 copies of documentation in hand and I don’t have copies at end of this document for the text of the listing from the of all of them currently. A chart entitled “Earliest Strick- Mail List Archives) To date, no FHC record has been lands” on my home page lists the documents which are in found of the above birth to confirm the Archive posting. my possession. ------The Family History Library’s microfiche records entitled: Reading L.C. Strickland’s article in the 1982 Strickland Crostwaite-Cum-Lyth Parish; Westmoreland, England, on Scene1 inspired me to do my own research. L.C.’s article, page 188, also listx the following: entitled “Two Matthew Stricklands”, explained his belief 2 Nov 1630 - Ann, daughter of Mathew Strickland of that in two Matthew Stricklands; one in Maryland and one Crostwaithe was christened in Virginia. Additional land records shed additional light on this sub- 20 Nov 1642 - Edward, son of Mathew Strickland of ject which suggest that the two Matthews may have been Barkbooth, was christened father and son. Until L.C.’s cited sources as well as the Calvert County< Additional records from the Cumbrian Genealogy site Maryland records can be found and examined, they will be (http://jennylittle.members.beeb.net/index.htm) which assumed true for this analysis as follows: The documents features Cumbrian Parish Records from a variety of books located at the Annapolis, Maryland Hall of Records; Land of compiled abstracts. The following citation from this site Grant to James Tanner, dated May 29, 1680; the Calvert shows an earlier birth to a Matthew Strickland, as father of County, Maryland testamentory proceedings, Vol 16, ppg a son, as follows: 30-31; the Calvert County, Maryland tax rent list and docu- STRICKLAND, William: son of Mathew Strickland of ment; and the Calvert County Maryland family records. Crooke, baptized, 1618 Mar28 (Kendal PR) These two documents are the underpinning of the theory of two Matthews. From the above, we see adult Mathews in 1618, 1630, and 1642 and the birth of two Mathews in 1627 and 1641, MATTHEW FROM ENGLAND? in different towns, but within a few miles of each other. Most researchers show that Matthew immigrated from More records would be needed to determine if any of England to the colonies in the latter part of the 17th cen- these were persons are related, but it doesn’t appear that tury. Some show that Matthew was the son of Edward any of these would be the same person. However, this Strickland and Elizabeth Basse and others show he was does give us a history of the name Mathew of the correct the son of Jacob Strickland. There is documentation of time and locations in England. This may (or not) mean one birth of a baby Matthew listed on the Family History that our Mathew’s name was an historical family name. Library’s microfiche records entitled: Crostwai: TE-Cum- Lyth Parish; Westmoreland, England, on page 188: 1618 - ADULT - Mathew of CROOKE, father of William 1) February 20, 1627 (or 1628), Matthew Strickland 1627 - CHILD Mathew born to Edward of CROOKE christed at Crosswaithe-cum-Lyth, Cumbria, England - parents, Jacob (or James) Strickland of Crooke (mother’s name 1630 - ADULT - Mathew Strickland father of Ann of unknown) CROSTWAITHE 1641 - CHILD - Mathew Strickland born to Jacob or A second citation was found listed on the Rootsweb Strick- James of CROSTWAITHE land Mail List Archives of 1998, where an email from a 1642 - ADULT - Mathew of BARKBOOTH father of “David” in England was posted by a mail list subscriber. It Edward

1 Strickland Scene, Vol 3, No. 2, 2nd Quarter 1982, ppg 22-23 1 Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant

Map: This map shows the locations of Crook, Crosthwaite, and of Sizergh Castle in northern England, near the Scottish border, in the district known as “Lake District”, and area within the District known as “Cumbria” since 1974. (Map by Sharon Anderson, June 2003, based various area maps) Crosthwaite-cum-Lyth is located near the Lyth Valley, would certainly help! in Cumbria, England. It is located a few miles Northwest of Sizergh Castle, in present-day Cumbria, known as One of the Mathews born in England - either the the “Lake District”. In 1974, the areas of Wesmor- Mathew born in Crook in 1627 or the Mathew born in land, Lancanshire were merged into Cumbria. Siz- Crosthwaite in 1641 - could be the Mathew in Vir- ergh Castle, the home of one branch of Stricklands, ginia in the 1670s. It is also possible that the Virginia in located 2.5 miles south of Kendal. From the map Mathew was born in Virginia or Maryland. At this above, we can see that Crook is approximately 15 point, given lack of records, nothing for sure is known. miles from the Strickland Sizergh Castle, and Crosth- waite even closer. If our Mathew was born in Crook ARRIVAL IN THE COLONIES or Crosthwaite, the fact that his family lived so near The first document for the Maryland Matthew states that to the Stricklands of the castle suggest that there may in May 1680, a James Tanner received a land grant for have been some relation in the past. As titles and the transportation of Matthew Strickland (and Elizabeth Loreen Golsam ?) to the colonies on the ship named the property were handed down to the eldest son, could “Globe”. This court date of the land grant has been often our Mathew descend from a younger, non-inheriting used as the “entry” date for the Maryland Matthew Strick- son? Anything is possible, but records of relationships

2 One of these court actions was: Oct 6, 1694 - (Boddie’s 17th Cent IOW VA, pg 617) - Catherine Pierce appoints Thomas Moore her attorney to answer an action brought against her by Matthew Strickland, witnessed by Robert Kae and William Thomas 3 Page 329, Vol 7, VA Land Office Patents 1679-1689, November 20, 1683: Deed revoking Matthew Strickland’s land patent for 902 acres for desertion & failure to seat, to Edward Chilton and Capt. Henry Applewhaithe. 4 The term seating refers to the act of settling on land; building a dwelling, clearing and planting, etc. which was to done within 3 years.

2 Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant

2 land. L.C. cites a DAR report as stating: Strickland in Maryland before 1679 and proven documentation of a Matthew in Virginia as early as 1678. “Matthew Strickland, Sr. who married Elizabeth Loreen, of Liverpool, England and came to Maryland OTHER STRICKLANDS IN VIRGINIA in 1679 on the HERRON3. August 4,1699 his land was divided between his sons.” Other Stricklands who immigrated or were transported to the colonies during the period of Matthew’s arrival are: When did the Maryland Matthew arrive? A study of the few existing documents of the time shows us that persons From: Peter Wilson Coldham’s “The Complete Book of who paid their own transport to the colonies received a Emigrants” and “The Complete Book of Emigrants in “headright” of 50 acres of land. If someone else paid the cost of transport, the arriving person was “bound” to Bondage” and supplement: work off the cost of transportation. This system produced “Bristol Register of Servants sent to Foreign Plantations”, “speculators” who financed transportation for the land to 1654-1686, ed. Peter Wilson Coldham: receive the headrights for land. The headrights were also 18 November 1673: “The following apprenticed traded and bought and sold. When applying for land, one in Bristol: Henry Strickland to Edward Gibbes, 5 years only had to produce the headright “receipt” that they may Virginia have purchased or received in trade. Some speculators 5 October 1674: The following apprenticed in saved their purchased headrights until they had enough Bristol: Joseph Strickland to Edward GIbbes, 4 years for large acreage. Therefore, the date the court awarded Virginia” land grants cannot be relied upon as an entry date because The “Passanger and Immigration Lists Index” (citation the transported person(s) had arrived much earlier and by each entry) contains two Thomas Strickland’s that may have never known the person claiming the headright. immigrated to America. Usually, a person who paid his own transport, claimed his own headright. A claim for land ganted for the transport 1) Thomas Strickland, Virginia, 1677, Ref 6221, Page 180 of many people, most likely shows the claimant as merely 2) Thomas Strickland, Virginia, 1691, Ref 6221, Page 368 a trader, buyer/seller of headrights and doesn’t necessar- ily mean he was the person who actually transported the Through various colonial documents, the following listed persons. Stricklands were known to be in colonial Virginia: 1655 - A Robert Strickland and a Mary Strickland Therefore, the Maryland Matthew Strickland and Eliza- were known to be in Lower Norfolk Parish beth Loreen may very well have arrived to the colonies on 1664 - Elizabeth Strickland in Charles County, the ship “Herron” well before 1679. And, perhaps this Virginia Matthew was Elizabeth’s son, not her husband. It is pos- 1678 - A Richard Strickland was among the sible that the son, Matthew Senior, arrived on the Globe claimed headrights on Matthew Strickland’s grant of 902 before 1680. acres in Isle of Wight, Virginia. No relationship between the two is known, and no Richard appears on documents The first record of Matthew Strickland in Virginia is a reviewed to date. known reliable document and is dated 1678. This Matthew receives a land grant of 902 acres in Isle of Wight County. LIFETIMES COMPARED This document clearly places a Matthew Strickland in what is now Isle of Wight County Virginia in 1678. The award A chart (see Comparison from home page) has been of this land was for the transportation of 18 people, which prepared using the known christening dates of the two included one Richard Strickland. Unfortunately, the fact Matthew Stricklands born in Westmorland County (now that Matthew received land in Virginia does not mean that called Cumbria) England. Using these beginning dates, a he resided there. It was most common, due to trading and timeline chart of documented events in both Maryland & land speculators, that much of the land awarded was to Virginia show the age each Matthew would be at the time “absentee landlords”. of each event. My present speculation (always subject to change and Thus far, we have questionable records of Matthew correction!) is that the Matthew, son of Jacob, probably did not emigrate to the colonies. The average lifespan of a

3 Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant male in the colonies or in England at that time was at very amongst the sons was 600 acres, however, it is not known most, 55. Matthew, son of Jacob, would’ve been 43 or 53 how much land Matthew Junior possessed at the time of (depending on which date is used) and I believe it unlikely this division.) a man of that age would undertake the trip, let alone the It is highly probable that the court actions of 16944 and hardships of the colonies. Additionally, it seems unlikely 1696 were those of Matthew Junior and not those of his that his wife would’ve been Elizabeth Loreen (Golsam?). father. In 16835, a court record clearly shows the patent Given the date of christening (see Attachment 2, on pg 5) it given to Matthew in 1681 for 902 acres, revoked and is unlikely she would’ve married a man of 35 or 47 (de- reawarded, as Matthew had “deserted” the land. Although pending on the date used for Matthew Jr’s birth and the two this revocation may have been restored later, there is no dates of Matthew son of Jacob’s christening). document so stating. Few records have been found for Matthew Strickland in Given the health of Matthew Senior in 1687, it can be Maryland, however, the Strickland surname appears on the speculated that he died within 2 to 4 years and if so, died tax rent list and family records of Calvert County, Mary- between 1689 and 1691. This would put the death dates land for the correct era. However, these documents do not of the Maryland Matthew and the Virginia Matthew in the show a Matthew, but do show a Henry, Joseph and John same time range. The “two” Matthews then, could in fact, Strickland. be one and the same individual, subject to discovery of new There is said to be a document recorded following this documentation, of course! Maryland Mathew’s death. This record, dated November Matthew Senior may have never left Maryland and still 1691, was recorded in Calvert County, Maryland was men- received land grants in Virginia. The sons may have been 6 tioned in the “Strickland Scene”: sent to “seat” the Virginia property which he had procurred for them. This scenario would explain Matthew’s alleged “Thomas Greenfield came into Court November 1691, “desertion” of the land and failing to seat the first grant of Calvert County, Maryland, and requested Letters of 902 acres in Isle of Wight Virginia. As many did at that Administration of goods and possessions of Mathew time, Matthew may have been an “absentee landlord”, Strickland late of Calvert County, deceased, who e buying the headrights in order to obtain the Virginia land died intestate. Whereupan this Thomas Greenfield for his sons and not for himself. This of course is pure was directed to give an inventory accounting within speculation, but is based on the documents available. three months. (Editor’s Note: Photocopies of the If the above speculation is true, this would place Matthew original documents referred to in this article are in the Senior firmly in Maryland. This Mathew may have been Strickland Library Document File. They are negative related to the Henry, John and Joseph who appear on tax photocopies, and will not reproduce clear enough to lists and on will abstracts in Calvert County Maryland, print in the quarterly. NJC) although there is no proof of any relationship to date. This record reflects that the death had taken place before This would still not dispute L.C. Strickland’s theory of November 1691 and states that our Maryland Matthew died “Two Matthews” as Matthew Senior plus his son, Matthew “in testate”, or without a will. Leaving no will, there is no Junior, makes two Matthews! way of knowing whether he was married or had children or It can further be speculated that perhaps Matthew Senior other heirs. Additionally, no record of the inventory which came to the colonies before his family to seat some was ordered by the court has yet to be discovered. property and to obtain headrights to obtain land for his Meanwhile, we have court records of the dealings of the sons, and only then sent for his family. Therefore, there Viriginia Matthew and of his health with which to speculate would indeed be two arrivals of a Matthew Strickland! on his possible death date. In 1687, Matthew was too ill to go to court to present a deed selling off some of his land, so he appointed a proxy. INPUT OF OTHER RESEARCHERS? In the years 1694 and 1696, it is said that Virginia court records show four law suits were brought by a Matthew There must be some researchers working on the colonial, Strickland for debts owed him and that one suit was immigration era, right? Any feedback and/or additions and brought against him. This process takes them a few years, corrections are welcomed as the objective of my work is to when in 1699, the eldest son of Matthew, Matthew Jr. provide a correct and factual basis for all of us Strickland divided his father’s property among his brothers, Samuel, descendants related to Matthew Strickland. Joseph, John and William. (Matthew received two land grants for a total of Any documentation or citations that would provide a clear 2.705 acres. In 1699, the total acreage known to be divided 4 Matthew Strickland, the Immigrant proof of the christening date for Matthew son of Jacob is 20/9/1640 Elizabeth d. of James welcomed. Until proof that differs from the research done 24/1/1640 Matthew s. of Edward of Crosthwaite in the Parish records in England is unearthed, the date of 30/11/1642 Edward son of Matthew of B christening of Matthew, son of Jacob (could also be James) 23/7/1643 William s. of John of Cartmel Fell (CF) will be relied upon. 1/11/1643 Anthony s. of James of CF 17//7/1644 Edward s. of John of CF 18/9/1644 James s. of Tobias of B 22/12/1644 William s. of Miles of Crooke These par- ticular transcripts go to 1812.

ATTACHMENT 2: ATTACHMENT 1: Posted on the Strickland Mailing List October 20, 1998, THe following was posted on the Rootsweb Strick- condensed: “LDS FHL in SLC, UT., Northumberland land Mail List Archives by a subscriber. Evidently, England Christening records: the following had been sent to the subscriber and then Elizabeth Lorains dated 2 Feb 1657 at Earsdon posted by them to the Mail List in 1998: by North Shields, Northumberland England. Father (Dates are UK notation - eg 6 April 1589 is 6/4/1589) isAnthony Lorains. Three other children, John Lo- Births rains (or Loarins) christened in same place on 29 Dec 13/8/1579 Matthew son (s.) of Edward 1656, with same father. 2/11/1579 Annas daughter (d.) of James Robert Loreine , christened 24 Jun 1657 in Hor- 23/4/1581 Edward s. of Edward bury, Yorkshire, England. Grace Loreyne, same 23/9/1583 William s. of Edward father, dated 8 oct 1644, Horbury,Yorkshire, England. 11/2/1585 Walter s. of James Also a marriage record for Anthony Loreyne and 25/11/1586 Matthew s. of Edward Anne Binnes dated 19 Dec 1643 in Horbury, York- 1/11/1589 Ann d. of Edward shire, England. LDS microfilms 94991 (for Northum- 17/2/1593 James s. of Edward berland) and 844552 (for Hornbury). 12/5/1596 Jayne d. of James NOTE: Although this could be the Elizabeth 11/10/1597 Margaret d. of Symond “Loreen” we are seeking, she was too young to be 19/3/1597 Myles s. of James a wife or mother if Matthew Jr. was born in 1663. 8/12/1598 Thomas s. of Thomas Further, many researchers give Elizabeth’s name as 19/11/1599 Elizabeth d. of John Elizabeth Loreen Golsam. Currently, I do not know 27/1/1599 William s. of William the source of the name Golsam however, I speculate (births missing until 1626) that the source may be the research work of Mary 20/2/1626 Matthew s. of Jac. of Crooke Curtis of Texas. Mary was the publisher and editor 18/9/1633 Ellen d. of Matthew of Barkbooth (B) of the Strickland papers, the precursor to the “Strick- 13/3/1635 John son of Jo or Tho (indistinct) of B land Scene” of the 1980s. Mary has been well known 28//4/1636 Elizabeth d. of Matthew of B and respected for her research on the Stricklands for 2/4/1637 James s. of James of B decades. 4/11/1638 William s. of Thomas of Crook 9/11/1638 Ann d. of Matthew of Crosthwaite 22/11/1638 Annas d. of John of ‘Carpmellfell of the Chappell House’ 16/2/1639 Christabella d. of Gervase of Lyth