Notes for Richard Edelen

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Notes for Richard Edelen

The Mudd Family of the United States, p. 518
Maryland Calendar of Wills, Page: Volume II, page 90, listed as Richard Edlen, 1694Philip's son, Richard, was born about 1639, and was named after the family's patron saint. He was apprenticed to James Hills, the husband of his sister Ann, and under him probably learned the skills of surveying and/or law based on his later work in Maryland. In 1663, Richard married Elizabeth Banton (born c. 1639), believed to be the only daughter of the Lord Pannewell. Family tradition holds that the two eloped and fled to Maryland to escape Elizabeth's enraged father, a staunch Catholic. Richard, though the son of an Anglican minister, himself became a Catholic and all of their children were raised Catholic.

Presumably, they first set foot upon American soil at St. Mary's City, the capital and main port of the fledgling colony. During this period, 100 acres of free land were granted to each arrivee who provided their own transportation under the 1632 Charter of Maryland granted to Lord Baltimore, Cecilius Calvert. However, Richard seems to have waived this right in exchange for transportation costs as the following document attests:

"I Richard Edelen do from me and my heirs assign and make over unto Daniel Jenifer and his heirs all my full rights title and interest of mine and Elizabeth's my wife to land for either our transportation unto this Province as Witness my hand this ninth day of February one thousand six hundred and sixty-four"

(signed) "Richard Edelen"
(witness) Edward Savage

Richard and Elizabeth returned to England in 1665, where their first son, Philip, was born. Richard returned to America prior to March 22, 1667, on which date he registered for a cattle mark in the Provincial Court. Crolian Edelen notes that this date follows the Great London Fire. Possibly Richard Edelen lost his property in the fire and may have returned to Maryland for this reason. Furthermore, he notes that the Buebonic Plague was raging about 1665, possibly providing further impetous to leave England.

In 1670 Richard was appointed Deputy Surveyor of the Province. This skill must have been quite in demand, since as mentioned above, as each immigrant to the new colony was awarded a land grant for each person they transported (themselves, family members, and any indentured servants).

In 1674 Richard Edelen and Justinian Funnis were appointed by the Prerogative Court to appraise the estate of Captain William Boarman, which included Boarman's Manor in Charles County, near present-day Bryantown. Some of this land would later come into Edelen hands--indeed remnants of it are farmed by Edelen's to this day.

courtesy: Chris Edelen