Captain John Oldton

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Oldton-1

John Oldton was born c. 1635. This date is a guess, based on the birth date of his wife, Anna (Gorsuch) who was baptized in 1639.

Family

John married twice, 1st to Anna (Gorsuch) (Todd) Jones, and 2nd to Mary Watkins.

John married sometime prior to August 1693, probably at Baltimore County, Maryland, as his 1st, and as her 3rd, to Anna (Gorsuch) (Todd) Jones, widow of David Jones, and before him of Thomas Todd of Gloucester, and daughter of John Gorsuch and Anne Lovelace.[1] The exact date of their marriage is not known.[1] They had no children.[1]

We do not know the date of wife, Anna's, death, but on September 2, 1702, John Oldton had married, as his 2nd, and as her to Mary Watkins, (widow of Francis Watkins), when John and Mary signed a deed together as husband and wife.[1]

Property and Positions

John was the commander of Fort Garrison.[1] On March 23, 1694/5, he was appointed by the Governor and Council of Maryland as Commander of the Baltimore County Rangers (P 438).[1] He was also a member of the Baltimore County Grand Jury in 1708.[1]

Oldton was an extensive land owner in Baltimore County, as evidenced by the Rent Rolls.[1] We know he returned to England at least once, as the Rent Roll for 1700 refers to him as then in England.[1]

Oldton's Garrison

John owned a large tract of land (among others) on the south side of Green Spring Valley, near Fort Garrison, which was known as Oldton's Garrison.[1]

Death and Legacy

John died between May 4, 1709 (will written) and June 30, 1709 (will probated) (P 439).[1]

Anna Gorsuch was the daughter of Rev. John Gorsuch and Anne Lovelace. She was baptized 13 Mar 1638/9 at Walkern, England, and came to America and married first Thomas Todd of Virginia and Baltimore County, Maryland. She married second David Jones of Baltimore County, and third, she married Capt. John Oldton of Baltimore County. (See Baltimore County Families, p266)

Anne Gorsuch Jones married her 3rd husband, prior to Sep. 1693, Capt. John Oldton. He died by 30 Jun 1709. He was a Captain of the Baltimore County Rangers. [Todds Farm Book, p.41,42]

Notes

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rothlisberger/genealogy/rothlisberge...

John Oldton is a fairly enigmatic individual. What we know is that he was born in England, no trace of when he came to Maryland and he died after 1704 in Baltimore County, Maryland. In 1688 he became the third husband of Anne Gorsuch, she died in 1695 leaving no children of Oldtons. He next became the third husband of Mary Watkins Barker who died in 1709. In 1691 he was convicted for the murder of Dennis Garrett and scheduled to be hanged but was pardoned by King William in celebration of the Glorious Revolution. He was a tailor but in 1694 he was commissioned as a Captain of the ranging company for Baltimore County, in which he served until dismissed in 1698. In 1697 one Elizabeth Blackiston requested permission from the Council to bring a suite against Oldton for failing to pay a debt to her deceased husband and one Edward Wynn, to the value of 40 shillings and 1200 pounds of tobacco. He was a man of property and some wealth as he is shown to have owned three negro slaves, not a common thing at this time with so many indentured servants. According to the probate records Oldton's inventory was valued at L1.14.6 when he died, of interesting note many of the items are listed as burnt, and indication the his house was burned down with the old Captain inside.

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Here is the passage from "Baltimore County Families", hope it helps. >Jodi > >"Dennis Garrett was in Baltimore Co., (Maryland) by 1685 when Edward >Mumford >conv. to Garrett and to Thomas Stone 100 acres Long Island Point; m. >Barbara >(poss. a dau. of Thomas Stone); she m. as her 2nd husband John Broad; >Garrett >was murdered by Captain John Oldton, who hit him on the head with a >sword >worth 20 shillings on July 31, 1691, and Garrett died on 2 Sept.; >Oldton >(Odham) was tried for murder, sentenced to death, pardoned by the >King, and >later became Commander of the Balto. Co. Rangers; in March 1693 Thomas >Stone >conv. the tract Long Island Point to Barbara Garrett and her ch. by >Dennis >Garrett;

References

• *Pleasants, J. Hall, "The Gorsuch and Loverlace [sic Families (Continued): Anna Gorsuch and the Todd Family of Virginia and Maryland."] The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Oct., 1916), pp. 425-440, Virginia Historical Society, JSTOR.org https://www.jstor.org/stable/4243555?seq=10#metadata_info_tab_contents
• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23334573/the-evening-sun/ Alert for Indians, Oldton and his Rangers patrolled Mds frontiers WHEN THE BALTIMORE Beltway was the Indian-ridden frontier of Baltimore County, Capt John Oldton was an honored hero. He was the head of the armed scouts who ranged into the unsettled wilderness to watch and wait for marauders. It was this ranging that gave them the name Rangers and began a tradition still upheld by today's American - army. Oldton was tough . Peter enough and mean for the job. He was also Kumpa overbearing, had a .' quick temper and toler- - a ted no opposition, no criticism. When John Copas claimed that Oldton had picked up a stray heifer, he had to go to court in 1688 to get it back. A few years later, Oldton was back in court accused of slamming Dennis Garrett in the forehead with his proper 20-shilling sword. For more than a month, Garrett "did languish" from the blow and then "did dye." There were six eyewitnesses to the assault. Oldton was convicted and condemned to hang, but he appealed back to London. In time, he was "graciously pardoned" by their Majesties, William and Mary. The royal pardon indicated that Oldton had powerful friends in court. He had London origins and that may have helped him. He also had married well since he settled in Baltimore County. His first wife was Anne Gorsuch, twice a widow and the sister of four land-holding brothers. …