Axlines

The land patent books of Gloucestor County, Virginia, show that W. M. Thornton received 174 acres of land in the Petsoe Parish on February 16, 1665 for transporting four persons, one of whom Rowland Cornelius, an immigrant from Holland. The "Skordas Book" also lists Rowland Cornelius, "transported" in Maryland. 1677 and again, Rowland Cornelius, "service" in 1679. In addition, the records of Cecil County, Maryland show in the Civil Court files that a summons was issued and served on Rowland Cornelius for not paying a debt. The records also show that the debt was later paid in full in tobacco. Money was very scarce in Maryland and Virginia in the 17th Century, so tobacco was the most common barter. These records of Rowland indicate that he did not remain in Virginia, where he first arrived in 1665. Rather, over a period of about fifteen years he apparently moved along the shore of Upper Neck as far North as Cecil County, Maryland. He may have been visiting other Cornelius relatives who were living in Maryland at that time. There were a John and Eleanor Cornelius living along the Patuxent River in Maryland, which was then Patuxent County, and later became Calvert County, on February 9, 1679. [I have more information filed on them in my Cornelius file.] Rowland did not leave a will and, therefore, no record of all of his children exists. Martha, his wife, was appointed administratrix of his estate, and she signed the inventory of Rowland's estate of April 12, 1727. The inventory is long, substantial, and lists many interesting and unusual items which indicated that Rowland had done very well in America, considering the standards of that era. There is documentary evidence that Rowland had a son, also named Rowland. Other sons were possibly William, who died in Lancaster County in 1749; John, who died in Lancaster County in 1739; Joseph, who died in Lunenburg County in 1750; and maybe Jesse, who was living in Virginia at about the same time. The land grants of Northern Neck, Virginia (1726-1729), Book 3 Page 222, refers to the escheat land of Rowland Cornelius, late of Lancaster County, Virginia, who "died seized of about 50 acres in said County...being an alien at ye time of death...We also find said Rowland Cornelius in his lifetime acknowledged himself to be a Dutchman and therefore an alien and was never naturalized that we hear of and therefore, we find ye said land escheat according to ye best of our judgement." Since Rowland was an alien (never naturalized), and left no will, his 50 acres of land escheated to the Lord Proprietor of the Colony, according to Colonial law if no claim were filed. Rowland Cornelius, the son, who was living in King George County, Virginia, when his father died, made heir's application for his father's 50 acre home located in Lancaster County on December 8, 1727. The application was received and approved by Lord Fairfax, and a conveyance was issued to Rowland on May 10, 1729.