In this last post in the series, William Grafton’s entries in Baltimore county, Maryland records in the 1700s will be examined.

This will get a bit messy, because William made frequent appearances in the probates and estate administrations of others as he also purchased land.

1723 – Grafton’s Gift surveyed. 150 acres

1725 – William Grafton purchased Antioch, 100 acres, from Thomas Preston

1726, 2 November – William Grafton gifted 100 acres of Grafton’s Gift to John and Susannah Constant and 50 acres of the same parcel to Thomas and Sarah (Constant) Brashier

1735 – William Grafton purchased Frenchman’s Repose frm Lewis Demos

1735, 7 May – Joseph Johnson, deceased. Bond by Josias Middlemore, John Scott & William Grafton

1739 – William Grafton purchased Brashers Desire, 100 aces, from isaac Webster

1740, 24 November – Robert Love, deceased. Estate appraisers were Robert Clark and William Grafton. Widow Sarah (Bond) Love, Quaker, who married (2) Walter Billingsley. Nearest kin – Robert Clark and William Grafton. Bond posted by Sarah Love, Thomas Johnson and Abraham Jarrett.

1741, 2 August – William Grafton bought back 40 acres of Grafton’s Gift from Thomas and Sarah Brashier.

1744 – William Grafton bought one acre of land from John Sumner.

1745 – William Grafton bought back 50 acres of Grafton’s Gift from William and Susannah (Constant?) Donohoe

1747, 22 August – Abraham Jarrett, will, proved 13 December 1757 Executors: William Grafton & James Billingsley. Witnesses: Daniel Preston, Charles Baker, John Bond. Bond posted by Elinor Jarrett, William Grafton and Robert Collins. Robert Clark and William Grafton, two of nearest kin

1749, 1 May – William Grafton apparently informally allowed William (son of Thomas and Sarah) and Ann Brasher the use of 50 acres of Grafton’s Gift, which he “bought” back from them for £5.

1753 – William Grafton bought 18 acres of William’s Lot from James Billlingsley.

1754, 4 December – Estate administration of Stephen White; Hannah (Baker) White, administrator. Hannah Baker daughter of Maurice Baker & Constant Grafton. Bond by Hannah White, Maurice Baker and William Grafton

1764 – William Grafton purchased 82 acres of William’s Lot from James Billingsley

1767, between 4 October – 26 October – William Grafton Sr. wrote his will, died and his will was proved in Baltimore County, Maryland.

1769, 19 August – William Grafton Jr., will proved 11 September 1769. William married (1) Phebe (MNU) and had 8 children (2) Sarah Billingsley, Quaker. Children: Cassandra married Francis Jenkins, William, Margaret, Samuel, Daniel (under 21 in 1767), Priscilla, Aquilla, Nathaniel. William inherited only one shilling from his father.

1788, 1 April – Bond posted by John Love, James Preston and William Preston. John Love, administrator of William Grafton Sr. and Daniel and Ann Preston, deceased. John Love married Margaret Preston, daughter of Daniel Preston and Ann Grafton.

This concludes my deep dive into the life of William Grafton and his connections to the Constant and Brasher families. I maintain my belief that John Constant’s wife, Susannah, was the connection to William Grafton, although not his daughter. The 50 acres of land gifted to Thomas and Sarah (Constant) Brasher was likely a wedding gift from a wealthy relative.