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- He is the immigrant ancestor on this branch of the family tree. John South stated that he was from Normandy France. Both Normandy and Laval are in the Northwestern region of France. I have followed his parentage as presented in "Mareen Duvall of Middleton Plantation" but it should be noted that there are other theories out there. Ex: According to Harry Wright Newman in "Mareen Duvall of Middle Plantation", it is not certain that Mary is Mareen's wife, but the following will of Thomas Bouth suggests it.
In his will in 1672 it states he died without issue (without children). He does however, bequeath to Mary Dewall (Devall) the first calf of his cow and "one sow shoot." In an I.G.I. file which we have no substantiation for, this Mary Bouth is listed as the wife of Mareen Duvall. His deathdate matches but his parents are listed as Massiott Duvall and Margaret D'Orbin instead and his birth is given anywhere from 1630 to 1635 in Nantes, , Bretagne Province, France.
Her parents are not given but her dates are b. 1634 in Normandie Province, France and died abt 1670. This record is much more prevalent in the I.G.I records than when I originally did my research. I also found an I.G.I record that states he was born in abt. 1632 in Lanal Castle, Mayenne Province, near Remnes,France, but this one lists no parents. "Historic Montgomery Co., Mad Old Homes and History" published in 1952 says that records state he was also born near Nantes, France. This could have been where the IGI record got his supposed birth place. This source does not list his parents. There is no proof yet of their dates or connections.
Marin is listed in "The Early Settlers of Maryland" as Marin DuVall. He arrived in the colonies between 1652-1659. He was a conservative in France, a Jacobite who supported James Stuart, the son of Charles II. France sided with Scotland in supporting Charles II as the King of England and this explains more why Marin, a Frenchman, would have supported Charles II's son. Marin was also a Huegonot (a French Protestant). This was a very unpopular time for conservatives and Hugonots in France.
He was supposedly in the Service in 1659 when the French were siding with the Scotts to help bring Charles II into power. Harry Wright Newman conjectures that he was captured and then transported by Willima Burgess to Maryland from France where he was "sold" as an indentured servant to John Covell. On July 25, 1659, Marin demanded 50 acres of land for performing his term of service with John Covell.
He received 100 acres of land he named "Laval". This is significant in that it could be his origin in France. Laval is the capital of "Mayenne, France, a town 42 miles east of the Rennes. It was a custom in Maryland to name one's land after one's homeland. In 1664, he had surveyed the main property he was to live on, "Middle Plantation". John Ewen gave him 250 acres, Thomas Parsons gave him 50 acres, and Andrew Skinner gave him 300 acres that comprised what he named "Middle Plantation" for work he apparently did as a carpenter. He applied for a patent for that land in that year under the heading "Marin Dewall, Carpenter". It was in Anne Arundel Co., on the south side of the South River though it did not adjoin any major body of water. Ann Covill was one of his neighbors.
In 1665, he and William Young jointly received a land patent for 200 acres called "Rich Neck" on the west side of Jacob's Creek. He added more land that adjoined Middle Plantation. By this time, he was called "Gentleman" in the records. His land purchases became extensive. In March of 1677/78 he obtained 375 acres in what was then Calvert Co., MD from Thomas Bowdle at a cost of 4,000 pounds of tobacco which was half of the land called "Bowdles Choice". Other properties he obtained included Essington, Morley's Grove, and Howerton's Range. He was also referred to as "Merchant" in one of these sales.
He obviously became a very successful businessman of the time, a gentleman in his own right. Even though he started in this country as an indentured servant, he showed ambition, education and intelligence in his business dealings and was a very wealthy man at the end of his life. The value of his clothing alone shows that he lived as a country gentleman before his death. His educational background can also be noted in the inventory of his books including law books at his estate settlement.
He left a will in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland in 1694, Book 2, p. 327 and Book 2A, p. 131. It is extensive and reproduced in "Mareen Duvall of Middle Plantation" by Harry Newman Wright. In it he bequeaths his well beloved wife, Mary, Middle Plantation for her lifetime. He gives his son Lewis 300 acres on the south end of Middle Plantation. He gives his daughter, Elizabeth Duvall, 375 acres called "Bowdel's Choice". Benjamin and Katherine received equal shares of "Howerton's Range". Mareen Duvall "the Younger" by his wife Susannah received "The Plains" in Calvert Co., MD. Mary received "Morley's Grove" and 300 more acres called "Marley's lot" in Anne Arundel Co. Joanna, his "youngest daughter," received Larkins Choice as well as Duvall's range in Anne Arundel Co. These appear to be his younger children whom he wants to have the claims when they are of age, being age 18 for the sons and age 16 for the daughters. He then gives some of his grown children 5 shillings sterling: John, Eleanor Roberts, Samuel, and Mareen "the eldest of that name". He gives 150 lbs sterling to Elizabeth Duvall, Johanna Duvall, Mary Duvall, Katherine Duvall, Mareen "the younger", Benjamin, and Lewis. He lastly gives his wearing apparel and silver tobacco box to his son John. His wife was named executor. (Note because he listed what age the children would be when they received their portions of land, the children's ages could be determined by the land records of the various counties where he owned land.)
There appeared to be some discourse between Mareen's third wife and his older children. He specifically asked that she was not to be molested by anyone named in the will. To her he requested that his younger children remain in her care until of lawful age. He requested that she be "loveing and tender unto them and I do hereby conjoin her to use her endeavour to educate them in that fear of God and obedience to man." Within a month she requested to not be the administrator. Mareen's son John was named same.
Later, Mary requested that she re-obtain the administrative role. Her step son John, was executing the will "to the great Damage and prejudice" of her according to her testament. In the end, she won out.
Here is what we know of him from the following accounts as presented in the Fonda Flax Carrol Genealogy at Rootsweb.(http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=spot54&id=I01800)
The Will of Mareen Duvall "Duvall, Mareen, A. A. Co., 2nd Aug., 1694; 13th Aug., 1694. To wife Mary, extx., part of 600 A., "Middle Plantation" during life, and she is not to be molested by any of testator's children. To son Lewis and hrs., 300 A., part of "Middle Plantation," on which eld. son Mareen now lives; also to inherit wife Mary's portion at her decease. To dau. Eliza: and hrs., 375 A., "Bowdell's Choice" in Calvert Co. To son Benjamin and hrs., 200 A., part of 400 A., "Howerton's Range" in Calvert Co. To dau. Catherine and hrs., residue of "Hoertons' Range." To son Mareen, the younger, son of late wife Susannah, and hrs., 300 A., "The Plains" in Calvort Co. To dau. Mary and hrs., 320 A., "Marley's Grove," and 300 A., "Marley's Lot," A. A. Co. To young. dau. Johanna, 311 A., "Larkin's Choice," and 200 A., "Duvall's Range." To son John, 5 shillings. To dau. Eliza:, wife of John Roberts, and to son Samuel, personalty. Sons John and Lewis and son-in-law Robert Tyler to assist wife in executorship. Sons to be of age at 18 yrs. and daus at 16 yrs. Test: Wm. Roper, Wm. Goodman, Rich'd Cheser, Jervis Morgan, Clement Davis. 2. 327. Sources: "ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY", By Harry Wright Newman, Volume Three, Page # 123 'Ridgely Family' Before August 1, 1695, Colonel Ridgely married the widow of Maureen Duvall, who was Duvall's third or fourth wife but who had no issue by him. On that date Colonel Henry Ridgely had the High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County issue citations against John Duvall who had been granted letters of administration after his step-mother, Mary Duvall, had refused the executorship. In some manner Colonel Ridgely asquired the executorship and denounced the original appraisement of the personal estate. The original alue of the personal estate of Maureen Duvall as taken on February 14, 1694/5 was L947/5/8 plus 81,302 lis. tob. Colonel Ridgely and his wife, Mary, filed an account on the estate on May 15, 1699, when most of the L948 and many pounds of tobacco had vanished. Maureen Duvall the Younger petitioned the court to appoint his brother, John Duvall, his guardian as "his mother-in-law \ step-mother\ with whom he doth live do take little care for his proficiency in learning and lesser of his plantation for his future good."
Sources: "THE SOCIETY of MAUREEN DUVALL DESCENDANTS", Founded December 1926 in Baltimore, Maryland
Maureen Duvall was born about 1625, in the Kingdom of France and settled on the south side of the South River in Anne Arundel County, province of Maryland circa 1655. The first tract of land patented by him in 1659 by Lord Baltimore was called 'Laval', the name of an ancient town, the capital of the present Department of Mayenne in France. He was a planter and merchant, and a public spirited citizen of the Province until his death at his estate, Middle Plantation, located on South River, and patented to him in 1664 by the Lord Proprietary. His public service consisted in part, with leadership in the Jacobite Party, and the Provincial Archives show his appointment to the Provincial Commission in 1683 by the Proprietary and Assembly, to lay out town sites and ports of entry for the encouragement of trade. He was the patentee of numerous tracts of land, and the purchaser of many others containing several thousand acres, as evidenced by the Public Land Records and his will dated, and probated in August, 1694. Founded on 9 December by Dr. Whirt Adams Duvall in Baltimore, Maryland. Sources: "COLONIAL FAMILIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"; Edited By George Norbury Mackenzie, LL.B.; Volume I; Page # 142 Maureen Duvall, merchant and planter, a Hugunot refugee, came to Anne Arundel County, Maryland, about the year 1655, and settled on the south side of the South River, upon a tract of land of several hundred acres, which was patented to him, by Lord Baltimore, by the name of "Lavel". He was b. about 1630-5; d. at his home, "Middle Plantation", on South River, Anne Arundel County, August, 1694, leaving a will whereby he devised to his widow and children several thousand acres of land, silver plate, etc., etc., he m. (firstly) __________ ________' m. (Secondly) Susanna (_________), who d. about 1692; m. (thirdly) Mary Stanton, who d. between 1761 and 1782; she m. (secondly) Col. Henry Ridgely, and m. (thirdly) Rev. Jacob Henderson, Rector of Queen's Parish, George's County, Maryland. Maureen Duvall contributed to the public cost of an expedition against the Nanticoke Indians in 1678; appointed by the General Assembly of Maryland, in 1683, a Commissioner to purchase sites and lay out towns, etc., etc., and was a prominant and useful citizen of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Sources: "LEADING FAMILIES OF BALTIMORE and BALTIMORE COUNTY", Page # 891
The Duvall family is one of the oldest families of this state, being descebded from Maureen Duvall, a French Hugunot, who, during the religious persecutions in Fance, fled from Normandy, his native land, and came to America, settling in what is now known as Prince George County, MD, about the year 1640. Being a civil engineer, he was appointed by the proprietary government, a commissioner to lay out towns and ports of entry in the new colony. Page # 12 'South RIver Hundred'
Maureen Duvall, the Hugunot immigrant from Nantes, France, held a large estate around South River, viz: "Middle Plantation" and "Great Marsh". He came with Colonel William Burgess.
Page # 104 Maureen Duvall, The Huguenot No more striking figure in colonial history is found that the personal achievements of this fleeing immigrant from Nantes, about 1650.
He came as one of the hundred and fifty adventurers, brought over by Colonel WilliM Burgess. He settled near Colonel Burgess, in Anne Arundel County, on the south side of South River and became one of the most successful merchants and planters of that favored section.
When political influences were most active during the revolution of 1689, Maureen Duvall was among the leaders who sustained the Lord Proprietary. His name is found in Colonel Greenberry's letter to Governor Copley, as one of the Jacbin party, whose mysterious meetings he could not solve.
The land records of Anne Arundel and Prince George Counties show that this Huguenot planter and merchant held a vast estate, and left his widow and third wife so attractive as to become the third wife of Colonel Henry Ridgely, and later the wife of Rev. Mr. Henderson, the commissary of the Chapel of England. Together they built old Trinity, or Forest Chapel, near Collington, in Prince George County.
The will of Maureen Duvall is an intelligent one. It was probated in 1694; about the time of the removal of the Capital from St. Mary's to Annapolis. It is not known who were his first wives. One of them was closely allied to the celebrated John Larkin, a neighbor and enduring friend of Maureen Duvall. Five of his twelve children were married during the lifetime of the Huguenot. Page # 106 The last wife and widow of the Huguenot was Miss Mary Stanton. Before 1700 she became the wife of Col. Henry Ridgely, the immigrant, and with him, closed the administration of the estate of the Huguenot. The younger Maureen objected to his guardian, Col. Ridgely, but the courts did not sustain him."
I am related to many famous people as cousins with Mareen as our common ancestor. That includes President Barak Obama, Warren Buffet, President Truman, Wallace Warfield Simpson, actor Robert Duvall and Francis Scott Key to name a few. See famouskin.com to find out how.
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