Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birthabout 1695, Baltimore, MD
Memo(JD Collett says 3 Jul 1701 but I think it was earlier)
Memo(church record)
Father7G/8G GF Samuel Collett (~1673-)
Mother7G/8G GM Catherine
Spouses
Marriageabout 1717
Marr Memo(son Moses born 1718)
Parent-Proof notes for 6G/7G GF Daniel Collett
I am pretty certain I have traced our ancestry to Rachel, Moses and Daniel. But who was Daniel’s father? Was it David or Stephen as others say -- neither of whom I can even document? And whoever it was, was there any connection to John and Samuel Collett who I can document as having been in Baltimore County in the 1600’s? Until more information comes along, I am showing Samuel (the younger) as Daniel’s father and our link to those earlier Colletts.
It is possible that Daniel Collett was the immigrant of this line. And it’s possible that he was born in America but somewhere other than Baltimore County and came there in the 1720’s or so. But, geographically, he just happened to pop up in the area of then Baltimore County where the earlier Colletts lived. I subscribe to the theory that he was a descendant but really there is only weak evidence of it. But they were interesting people who I know something about, so this is the path of least resistance. Until and unless I get more information, I am saying that Daniel was the son of Samuel who was the son of Samuel who was the son of John.
It is possible that Daniel Collett was the immigrant of this line. And it’s possible that he was born in America but somewhere other than Baltimore County and came there in the 1720’s or so. But, geographically, he just happened to pop up in the area of then Baltimore County where the earlier Colletts lived. I subscribe to the theory that he was a descendant but really there is only weak evidence of it. But they were interesting people who I know something about, so this is the path of least resistance. Until and unless I get more information, I am saying that Daniel was the son of Samuel who was the son of Samuel who was the son of John.
Research notes for 6G/7G GF Daniel Collett
An estate accounting was filed by Ralph Low in 1733.
My Comments notes for 6G/7G GF Daniel Collett
Daniel Collett existed. The records of St. George Parish in (later) Harford County tell what little we know of his life story:
• Daniel Collett, son of Daniel and Ruth, was born 13 Feb 1724/25.
• Daniel Collett departed life 13 Feb 1725/26. [This is confirmed by various records of his estate being settled starting in 1728.]
• Daniel Collett and Susanna McKenley were married in 1749, it says 14 May in one place and 1 Aug in another. No matter though, to us.
• And I can add from county estate records that Daniel Collett died with a will proved 16 Jun 1784 and Susan Collett was the Executrix. I believe this was Susan (McKenley) Collett.
And remember, too, there was that land-lease transaction. It was clearly in the name of Daniel Collett (with no mention of David). On 13 Aug 1723, Daniel Collett leased from Thomas Bladen of London part of a tract called Lynes and Tents for a term of “three lives” -- the lives of Daniel, Ruth and Moses. I have seen other such deeds like this and sometimes they specifically state the relationships and/or ages of the named persons and often the lease period is the lives of a man, his wife and a child. We are not so fortunate here to have those additional facts but nonetheless I believe that is exactly the case here.
And there was one other land-lease agreement I’ll mention here. In 1742, Thomas Brerewood leased land on My Lady’s Manor to Moses Collett for the joint lives of Moses age 24, Daniel (whose name I originally read as David but now I think says Danl) age 18 and William Anderson age 14 son of Benjamin. I believe Daniel who was 18 in 1742 was none other than the Daniel, son of Daniel and Ruth, born in 1724 and that he was the brother of Moses. I do not know what familial connection (though there must be one) of Benjamin or William Anderson who interestingly seem to be descendants of our ancestor John Anderson. [Yes, this land-lease is an exception to the man-wife-son pattern.]
I think these various facts present a consistent picture and it is straightforward to understand what they tell us. Taken together they contradict certain biographical details about these people that seem to be widely dispersed and widely accepted by others, but the facts themselves are not contradictory.
1. Daniel and Ruth obviously married prior to the 1724 date that seems so widely accepted. There’s no reason to think she was anything but his one and only wife, thus the mother of Moses, thus they married before 1718.
2. Moses was not born in 1725, a date that is also widely accepted. The evidence strongly suggests a birth year of 1718 (family bible and land-lease agreement). It doesn’t seem possible that J D Collett was right that Daniel was born in 1701 (I have no idea where he came up with an exact birth date) and Ruth 1703.
3. Daniel was most likely, in my opinion, born before 1701 as he married Ruth in, say 1717.
4. It was Daniel’s son Daniel, the one born in 1724, who married Susanna McKenley. It could not have been a second marriage for Daniel the father, as some sources claim, since he died not long after his son Daniel’s birth.
5. The J D Collett genealogy which says that David had three children: Daniel born 1701, Ruth born 1703 and Moses born 1705 is just wrong. I think J D got those names from that land lease he misunderstood and made things up from there.
• Daniel Collett, son of Daniel and Ruth, was born 13 Feb 1724/25.
• Daniel Collett departed life 13 Feb 1725/26. [This is confirmed by various records of his estate being settled starting in 1728.]
• Daniel Collett and Susanna McKenley were married in 1749, it says 14 May in one place and 1 Aug in another. No matter though, to us.
• And I can add from county estate records that Daniel Collett died with a will proved 16 Jun 1784 and Susan Collett was the Executrix. I believe this was Susan (McKenley) Collett.
And remember, too, there was that land-lease transaction. It was clearly in the name of Daniel Collett (with no mention of David). On 13 Aug 1723, Daniel Collett leased from Thomas Bladen of London part of a tract called Lynes and Tents for a term of “three lives” -- the lives of Daniel, Ruth and Moses. I have seen other such deeds like this and sometimes they specifically state the relationships and/or ages of the named persons and often the lease period is the lives of a man, his wife and a child. We are not so fortunate here to have those additional facts but nonetheless I believe that is exactly the case here.
And there was one other land-lease agreement I’ll mention here. In 1742, Thomas Brerewood leased land on My Lady’s Manor to Moses Collett for the joint lives of Moses age 24, Daniel (whose name I originally read as David but now I think says Danl) age 18 and William Anderson age 14 son of Benjamin. I believe Daniel who was 18 in 1742 was none other than the Daniel, son of Daniel and Ruth, born in 1724 and that he was the brother of Moses. I do not know what familial connection (though there must be one) of Benjamin or William Anderson who interestingly seem to be descendants of our ancestor John Anderson. [Yes, this land-lease is an exception to the man-wife-son pattern.]
I think these various facts present a consistent picture and it is straightforward to understand what they tell us. Taken together they contradict certain biographical details about these people that seem to be widely dispersed and widely accepted by others, but the facts themselves are not contradictory.
1. Daniel and Ruth obviously married prior to the 1724 date that seems so widely accepted. There’s no reason to think she was anything but his one and only wife, thus the mother of Moses, thus they married before 1718.
2. Moses was not born in 1725, a date that is also widely accepted. The evidence strongly suggests a birth year of 1718 (family bible and land-lease agreement). It doesn’t seem possible that J D Collett was right that Daniel was born in 1701 (I have no idea where he came up with an exact birth date) and Ruth 1703.
3. Daniel was most likely, in my opinion, born before 1701 as he married Ruth in, say 1717.
4. It was Daniel’s son Daniel, the one born in 1724, who married Susanna McKenley. It could not have been a second marriage for Daniel the father, as some sources claim, since he died not long after his son Daniel’s birth.
5. The J D Collett genealogy which says that David had three children: Daniel born 1701, Ruth born 1703 and Moses born 1705 is just wrong. I think J D got those names from that land lease he misunderstood and made things up from there.
My Comments notes for Ruth (Spouse 1)
There is much more to be learned about Ruth. Obviously, it would be nice to know her maiden name and names of her parents. And it is quite possible, likely in fact, that she married again after Daniel’s early death. This causes me to consider some possibilities:
• One thought is that she married Benjamin Anderson and that William Anderson, named in Moses’ land-lease agreement was her son, Moses‘ step-brother. That would make a lot of sense. There was a Benjamin Anderson whose wife was Sarah who baptized four children at St. George’s including William 30 Mar 1730, Benjamin 4 Feb 1732, Mary 18 Feb 1736 and John 8 May 1741. This William would have been 12 at the time of that 1742 land-lease to Moses Collett but it’s quite possible saying he was 14 then was a small mistake. If this is the same William Anderson, then that rules out Ruth as his mother.
• But another curious thing is that on the appraisal of Daniel’s estate submitted by Ralph Low in 1729, John and Ruth Balsher were “approvers”. Who was Ruth Balsher? Why would she be an approver? In this case too, though, there seems to be contradictory information. The records of St. George’s Parish list a John Belsher who married the Widow Perkins in 1706 and a daughter Ruth born 6 Oct 1708 and then Mary, wife of John died 20 Feb 1735. Was Ruth Belsher the approver the girl born in 1706? Why would she have such a role? Did John Belsher have a son by an earlier wife, named John, who would have been more the right age to marry Ruth Collett?
In this case, I have no theory, I just suspect there is more to learn about Ruth.
• One thought is that she married Benjamin Anderson and that William Anderson, named in Moses’ land-lease agreement was her son, Moses‘ step-brother. That would make a lot of sense. There was a Benjamin Anderson whose wife was Sarah who baptized four children at St. George’s including William 30 Mar 1730, Benjamin 4 Feb 1732, Mary 18 Feb 1736 and John 8 May 1741. This William would have been 12 at the time of that 1742 land-lease to Moses Collett but it’s quite possible saying he was 14 then was a small mistake. If this is the same William Anderson, then that rules out Ruth as his mother.
• But another curious thing is that on the appraisal of Daniel’s estate submitted by Ralph Low in 1729, John and Ruth Balsher were “approvers”. Who was Ruth Balsher? Why would she be an approver? In this case too, though, there seems to be contradictory information. The records of St. George’s Parish list a John Belsher who married the Widow Perkins in 1706 and a daughter Ruth born 6 Oct 1708 and then Mary, wife of John died 20 Feb 1735. Was Ruth Belsher the approver the girl born in 1706? Why would she have such a role? Did John Belsher have a son by an earlier wife, named John, who would have been more the right age to marry Ruth Collett?
In this case, I have no theory, I just suspect there is more to learn about Ruth.
Children Names notes for Ruth (Spouse 1)
Daniel died young. We know he had a son named Moses, referred to in the land-lease agreement, and a son named Daniel known from the church record of his birth. I believe that was it. Moses, and all of his sons, moved to western Virginia probably a few years before the Revolutionary War. Daniel stayed in Baltimore County where he died in 1784. So by the early 1800’s, I think we can simplify the map and say that Moses’ male descendants all lived in western Virginia and further west including Ohio and the male Colletts remaining behind in Baltimore were descendants of the younger Daniel.