John Whitaker who settled in Baltimore County, Maryland no later than 1686 is the immigrant ancestor of this Whitaker family. To date, there have been no clues found as to his European origins.
However, a John Whitaker is mentioned as a servant in early St. George church records. There are two John Whitakers on ship passenger lists, either of which might pertain to this John.
The first John Whitaker was transported on the ship Elizabeth Catherine on 3 March 1676/77. The second John was transported on the ship Jacob in 1677.
A seven year indentured servant in 1677 would complete his contract about 1684.
The first known child born to my husband’s John Whitaker is recorded in the church records as being born on 12 January 1686/87.
The timing would align quite nicely with a man newly freed from servitude in 1684, making his way in the world for a year or so before marrying and having a child born in 1687.
This is just speculation, though, and even if one of those transported men was “my” John, nothing more is known about them before arriving in Maryland anyway.
John Whitaker married Catherine (MNU), c1685 or 1686, probably in Baltimore County, Maryland. It is thought that Catherine died c1702. John then married (2) Mary (MNU). Mary married (2) Jacob Robinson, 5 July 1714, Baltimore County, Maryland.
John Whitaker left a will, dated 9 November 1713 and proved 26 December 1713, in which he named wife Mary, his children and also noted an unborn child.
I have no found a copy of his will, but it is referenced in the Maryland Historical Magazine article, The Whitaker Family of Baltimore County, published in the Spring 1984 issue.
John Whitaker devised 250 acres, Whitaker’s Ridge to sons John and Charles. He gave the rights to Enlargement to sons Peter and Abraham. He further bequeathed 150 acres called Whitaker’s Ridge to son Isaac and an unborn child.
He also left bequests to his daughters Elizabeth, Sarah, and Hannah with wife Mary as executrix.
The mother of the younger children is uncertain, although Isaac, Hannah and the unborn child mentioned in the will were likely children of second wife, Mary.
Children:
- Elizabeth, born 12 January 1686/87, Baltimore County, Maryland. Elizabeth is mentioned in her father’s will, but nothing more is known about her.
- Ruth, born 27 March 1690, Baltimore County, Maryland; died young. She is not named in her father’s will.
- John, born 23 April 1691, Baltimore County, Maryland; died 26 April 1720, Baltimore County, Maryland; married Ann Dodd, 27 April 1714, Baltimore County, Maryland.
- Charles, born 10 October 1693, Baltimore County, Maryland; died 3 October 1738, Baltimore County, Maryland; married Mary (MNU), widow of William Kimble, 30 January 1716/17, Baltimore County, Maryland. Mary predeceased him by just a few weeks, dying on 30 August 1739.
- Peter, born 27 April 1696, Baltimore County, Maryland; died before his will was probated on 10 February 1777; married Frances Brown, 10 January 1721/22, Baltimore County, Maryland.
- Sarah, born 10 November 1699, Baltimore County, Maryland; married Benjamin Norris, 8 October 1719, Baltimore County, Maryland.
- Abraham, born 19 September 1702, Baltimore County, Maryland; died before 31 December 1739; married Ann Poteet, c1725.
- Isaac, died c1765; married Sarah (MNU)
- Hannah, married (1) Alexander McComas, 23 August 1728 (2) Thomas Miles, by 1762.
- Unborn child, mentioned in John Whitaker’s will, but no further information found.
This completes the information I have about the descendants of John Whitaker.