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Myth #1: Thomas Hollowell, of Elizabeth River, Virginia was not the son of William Hollowell of Lancastershire, England. Myth #2: Thomas Hollowell's wife Alice, and two children, Sarah and Thomas, did not come to Virginia with Thomas. Myth #3: The name of the ship that brought Thomas Hollowell to the Colonies is unknown. Myth #4: There is no proof that Henry Hollowell had sons named John and William. Myth #5: Henry Hollowell's second wife was not Elizabeth Scott, daughter of William Scott, Jr. Myth #6: The terms JR. and SR. used during colonial times did not have the same meaning as they do today. Myth #7: Not all Hollowells are descended from Thomas and Alice. Myth #8: Smithson Hollowell did not have two sons named Silas. |
Fact #1: If Thomas' father had been named William, one of his children would have been named William. The first occasion of the name William in the Hollowell family was the son of John and Elizabeth Scott Hollowell who named one of their sons William after Elizabeth's father, William Scott. Seventeenth century naming practices were to name the first son and daughter after the father's parents, the second son and daughter after the mother's parents, the third son and daughter were named after the parents, and other children were named after siblings and other relatives. Although this was not set in stone, Thomas and Alice did name their third daughter Alice. Since we do not have proof of their parents, the names of their older children cannot be certain. Fact #2: Thomas Hollowell, of the Western Branch of Elizabeth River, Colony of Virginia, first appeared in the public record as a "headright" of Stephen Gill in a patent registered in 1649. (Nugent, C&P, #1, p. 180). The term "headright" in connection with a patent for land has been subject to much misunderstanding. For the purpose of stimulating immigration and the settlement of the Colony, the London Company ordained that any person who paid his own way to Virginia should be assigned 50 acres of land "for his own personal adventure," and if he transported "at his own cost" one or more persons he should, for each person whose passage he paid, be awarded 50 acres of land. It is not to be assumed that the claim for land in consequence of a person transported was made immediately after the arrival of the "headright" in the Colony. The headrights may have arrived in the Colony long before the patentee had entered claim for land thereby due. Stephen Gill received 1150 acres for the transportation of 23 persons including Thomas Hollowell which should dispel the rumor that his wife, Alice, and two oldest children, Sarah and Thomas, came with him. (23 x 50 = 1150). Fact #3: Thomas Hollowell's exact time of arrival in the Colonies is not known. He first appears as a "headright" in a land patent of Stephen Gill in 1649. A search of immigration lists to this date have proven fruitless in identifying either the exact date of arrival or the name of the ship. Fact #4: The only proven children of Henry Hollowell are his daughter, Elizabeth, who married Richard Ratcliffe on 18 day of 7 month 1700. (Hinshaw, Vol. 6, p. 34) and his son, Thomas, mentioned in the will of Joseph Hollowell as "Thomas Hollowell the son of Henry Hollowell." (Norfolk DB7, p. 88). It is possible there were other children, but there is no proof available at this time. Fact #5: John Scott, the son of William Scott of Chuckatuck married Elizabeth Belson, the daughter of Elizabeth Belson, the 19 day of 8 month 1682. (Early Quaker Records in Virginia, White, p. 6). Henry Hollowell of Elizabeth River and Elizabeth Scott of Nansemon County married on the 20th day of 2 month 1693. (Hinshaw, Vol. 6, p. 30). Benjamin Small and Elizabeth Hollowell of Nansemond County married 12 day 1st month 1699. (Monthly Meeting of Friends, Nansemond Co., VA, p. 27). Elizabeth Small, wife of Benjamin Small of Nansemond County, born 31st of 6th month 1666. Her parents, Edmund and Elizabeth Belson were pious Friends; taken ill the 21st of the seventh month 1717, being the first day of the yearly-meeting at Chuckatuck... quietly departed the 25th of the 7th month 1717, aged 52, a minister about 11 years. (A Collection of Memorials...of the People Called Quakers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Parts Adjacent, from Nearly the First Settlement thereof to the Year 1787). Fact #6: Because of the repetitive use of given names within families, the term JR. meant "the younger" and SR. meant "the elder." Although these terms could denote "son of" or "father of", the most common usage during colonial times was to differentiate between two individuals living in an area who both had the same name. The younger individual was identified as JR. and the elder individual as SR. Fact #7: There were at least four other persons named Hollowell who were transported to the Colonies during the 17th Century, and many others later. Fact #8: The 1850 census of Washington Co., IN lists Smithson Hollowell with two children named Silas living in his household. Only the Silas aged 14 is his son. The other Silas M. Hollowell was the son of John and Hannah Self Hollowell. The Bible of John and Hannah Self Hollowell lists their son, Silas M. Hollowell, born January 28, 1841. (See Bible of John and Hannah) 7 Apr. 1859. JONATHAN LINE and SMITHSON HOLLOWELL, Gdn. Of Ex. Parte partition of MERRIAM HOLLOWELL, et al -- Partition 20 acres of SW 1/4 of SE 1/4, except 7 acres in NW corner; also 13 acres in NE 1/4 of SE 1/4, the SE corner of said land; also 39 acres off SE 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 22, T1S, R1E to be made by WILLIAM HOLADAY, ALEXANDER MORRIS and JOHN M. FREE, disinterested resident freeholders, not kin to any of the parties; to JONATHAN LINE 1/2, MARIAM HOLLOWELL 1/6, LEE HOLLOWELL 1/6, and SILAS HOLLOWELL 1/6. (Orange Co., IN Probate Order Book Common Pleas 3, p. 32). |
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