Ancestors

Joseph Colvill

Joseph Colvill was the eldest son of Joseph Colvell, who farmed on the west side of Opequon Creek in Frederick County, Virginia, near Winchester, and of his wife Elizabeth. His own birth is not recorded. He was a grown man and a farmer by 1755, so he was born before about 1734.

On 8 and 9 September 1755 his father gave him land. The deeds run from "Joseph Colvell of the County of Frederick" to "Joseph Colvell Jun of the said County farmer," for two shillings. The land was 200 acres "on Opeckon Creek ... part of a Tract containing three Hundred and Sixty Acres purchased from Jost Hite by the said Joseph Colvell as by the Records in Orange County Court." Jost Hite had held the original patent to the Opequon lands.

When his father made his will on 17 October 1757, he wrote "my oldest son Joseph hath Received his Portion already in Land." Joseph and his brother Andrew were to give their mother "a Sufficient Maintainance" out of the land and keep "two Cows and one Horse to Ride" for her. They also owed their younger brother Samuel a legacy, part of it "after the Troubles is Ended." Joseph and his mother were the executors. On 2 May 1758 "Elizabeth Colvill and Joseph Colvill the Executors" presented the will to the Frederick County court.

His wife was Martha, very probably the daughter of James Colvill of Cedar Creek, south of Winchester. Their son James was born near Winchester in 1767. In 1776 James Colvill made his will and left "my Grandson James Colvill the son of Joseph Colvill one Heifer" and "my daughter Martha Colvill Ten Pound." The same will named Joseph as one of three executors, with James's sons John and Samuel. It was proved at the Frederick County court on 2 September 1777. On 5 August 1777 Joseph bought another hundred acres near his farm from Mary Wood.

Some time after that Joseph took his family west over the mountains to Washington County, Pennsylvania, in the far southwest corner of the state. He settled in Cross Creek Township. On 1 April 1794 "Joseph Colvill & Martha his wife of Washington County and State of Pennsylvania" sold the Virginia land to Joseph Wood of Frederick County for four hundred pounds. It was "the Tract said Joseph Colvill lived on ... said to contain 200 acres purchased of Jost Hite as by Record of Orange County Court," with the Mary Wood purchase, 269 and a half acres on the south side of the Opequon, at a corner of the Widow Jones's land. Martha released her dower privately on 20 June 1794. Among the witnesses was Daniel McCauly. A Daniel McCaulley had witnessed James Colvill's will in 1776, and James's granddaughter was Elizabeth McCaully.

His son James contracted for fifty acres of the Reynoldsville tract in Cross Creek Township in February 1798, beside the land of James Jackson, and sold it in 1804.

Joseph wrote his will on 20 May 1812, "being weak in body, but of sound mind and memory." He was a careful man with a small estate and six children to provide for. He left his son Robert one hundred dollars, paid at ten dollars a year, and the bed he slept in when he was at home. His daughter Mary received one hundred pounds. His son James received fifty pounds and "my bed and beding." His married daughter Ann Adams received twenty-five pounds. His daughters Martha and Jenny, still at home, each received one hundred and twenty-five pounds, with the bed and chest "which was called her own." Whatever was left was to be shared equally among the six. If the estate fell short, each legacy was to shrink in proportion.

The will names no wife. Martha was living in November 1802, so she had probably died before 1812. Joseph died between the day he signed it and 26 February 1816, when it was proved. The Rev. Thomas Marquis and William Marquis swore to it before the deputy register. Joseph's executors were Thomas Patterson, John Marquis and William Vance.

Settling the estate took years, because three of the children had gone west to Knox County, Ohio. Jennet signed for part of her legacy in March 1816. Martha signed for thirty dollars in November 1818. In May 1822 Martha, then of Knox County, gave her brother James a power of attorney to collect what was left, including the share of their sister Janet, who had died in Knox County after making her own will in August 1821. James signed the final receipt at Washington in June 1822. The same day John Adams took his wife Ann's distributive share of sixty-five dollars.

If Joseph Colvill is in your family, start your own tree.

Cite: Heirology, "Joseph Colvill", https://heirology.com/ancestors/joseph-colvill-e44eef.