Notes for Benjamin Duvall

Notes for Benjamin Duvall

!Mareen Duvall of Middle Plantation by Harry Wright Newman, pgs 470-484+:
Benjamin DUVALL, youngest son of Mareen the Emigrant, was born in Middle
Plantation, All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel County. His inheritance by his
parent's will was "Howerton's Range", then in Calvert County. A rent roll of
Lord Baltimore shows that "Howerton Range" of 400 acres, lying in Patuxent
Hundred, was surveyed May 17, 1670, for John Howerton on "ye west side of a
branch of the Patuxent River at ye northernmost bounds of land of Gabrl
Parrott". About 1707 Benjamin Duvall "an orphan" held 200 acres and William
Orrick held the remainder. (Prince Georges County Rent Rolls, p. 107, MD
Historical Society)
After destruction by fire of the recorded deeds of Anne Arundel County,
Benjamin Duvall "came into Court and produced a conveyance of John Larkin to
Mareen Duvall". The instrument proved that John Howerton had transferred
"Howerton's Range" in 1671 to John Larkin, of Anne Arundel Co., Innholder,
who on October 20, 1683 conveyed the tract for 7,000 lbs. tob. to "Mareen
Duvall, Merchant" in the presence of William Hopkins and Henry Haanslap. At
the same time Katherine Larkin, wife waived her third before Thomas Taylor,
Esq. and William Burgess, Esq., two Justices of the Provincial Court. (AA
County Deeds, Liber I T no. 5, folio 8)
In 1720 Benjamin Duvall petitioned the Council to release his entail on
"Howerton's Range" in exchange for other lands. It was set forth in the
petition that Mareen Duvall by his last will and testament had devised to his
son, Benjamin, 200 acres or a moiety of 400 acres of Howerton's Range to be
held of the heirs of his body, and inasmuch as the land was then worn out,
timber destroyed, and it would be to his advantage to exchanges with Robert
Tyler, of Prince Georges Co., for 150 acres of land called North West
Corner, being a portion of "Darnall's Grove". (Archives vol. 33, pp. 511, 560;
vol. 38, pp. 263-4). Accordingly, on March 9, 1720/1, the exchange was made,
with Sophia Duvall, wife of Benjamin, waiving all dower rights. (Prince Georges
County Deeds, Liber J, folio 127)
In 1719, he was Constable of Patuxent Hundred, and in 1733, he appears as a
tithable of that hundred, according to the tax list for that year.
In 1713, he married Sophia Griffith, born April 27, 1691, the daughter of
William Griffith and Sarah Maccubin his wife. She died 19 April 1730.