HOW DID THOMAS OTTOWELL GET TO YORK COUNTY, VA?

There is information out there that says the Thomas Ottowell owned land (his own plantation) in the area of Chisman Creek, Va. He also died in that area and was buried there. Let's see how this may have happened.

https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/cheesman-john-ca-1598-by-1665/#chron10

John Cheesman (ca. 1598–by 1665)

Contributor: Julie Richter

Contributor: the Dictionary of Virginia Biography

 “He became a merchant and probably established connections with other merchants before he traveled to Virginia in 1621 aboard the Flyinge Hart. "

“He engaged in commerce between Virginia and England during the 1620s and moved to Charles River County (after 1643 York County) soon after that part of the colony was opened to settlement in 1630. Cheesman acquired more than 1,000 acres of land and lived on a 600-acre tract on what became known as Chisman Creek. He may have used his connections to other merchants to acquire the workers of African origin or descent who labored on his plantation alongside the white indentured servants.” 

More information on John Cheesman and the Flyinge Hart (sic) and how it might relate to THOMAS OTTOWELL...

Notes on American History, by Edward D. Neill, published 1876 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590be125ff7c502a07752a5b/t/5b1498961ae6cf60c39a921d/1528076454394/Neill%2C+Edward+Duffield%2C+Notes+on+American+History.pdf

The Flyinge Hart (sic) left England in August 1621 and arrived in Jamestown November 1621.

This is the ship that John Cheesman arrived to Jamestown on. There weren't that many inhabitants in Jamestown Colony at this time, despite the influx of new arrivals. It is possible that

THOMAS OTTOWELL - who seems to have also arrive in 1621 (on the Bona Nova) in the group of ships that the Flyinge Hart was also part of - knew or knew of – John Cheesman and possibly worked for him? There weren't many people who lived around the Jamestown area, especially after the 1622 Indian massacre, and deaths from disease and starvation, etc. so possibly Thomas probably knew of John Cheesman and got land from from him (was given as payment for servitude/rented/purchased?) in York County near the Chisman Creek.

John Cheesman set up his plantation in York County. This would most likely have been after Thomas Ottowell had worked off his indentured servant term. That is unless there had been added years to the number he was originally contracted for. This could happen for a variety of reasons, and was not uncommon to happen to indentured servants.

Could Thomas Ottowell have been “sold” or had his indentured serviture transfered to John Cheeman after the early death of Edward Blaney at the young age of 29? Who would Thomas have been indentured to after Blaneys death? This is IF he was still indentured to anyone at that time.

This could have possibly been one way that Thomas Ottowell ended up in York County at the Cheesman [Chisman Creek] location. Of course this is all conjecture on my part, but it is possible.

According to information at:

https://www.jamestowne.org/bishop---blaney.html

Edward Blaney; died by 6 February 1626. He didn't live on Blaneys Plantation according to other reference material I showed in another blog post, but resided in James Citti (sic) the New Town part of Jamestown.

Edward Blaney died at age 31 (he was listed as being 25 when he first came to Jamestown in 1620). Edward's wife Margaret – who was the widow of Capt. William Powell who had been killed in 1623 by indians - married for the third time to Capt Francis West. Some postulate this was actually Margaret's fourth marriage, because she was supposedly married the first time to some unknown person, then to William Powell, then to Edward Blaney, then to Francis West. She outlive them all. What a survivor!

Anyway, what happened to THOMAS OTTOWELL in all of this transfer of lands, servants, etc. from Edward Blaney's estate?

Sim Family of Buffalo, NY, by Edna (Otwell) Sim, Tuesday, July 3, 2018

https://simfamilyofbuffalony.blogspot.com/2018/07/thomas-ottowell-1583-1645-married-mary.html?m=0

At the above site, this poster states: “Thomas' [Ottowell] plantation was farther inland from James City.  As more colonists moved in, they encroached further into Indian lands staining those relations. He died at age 62 in Lancaster County, north of the Cheeseman plantation.”

The first problem with the above information is that “Cheeseman Plantation” was not in Lancaster County, but in YORK COUNTY, VA on the York River. This is where the CHISMAN CREEK is to this day. It is a branch off of the York River.

Remember from the enclyclopediavirginia.org above it says...

Cheesman “... moved to Charles River County [in 1643 it changed name to York County] soon after that part of the colony was opened to settlement in 1630. Cheesman acquired more than 1,000 acres of land and lived on a 600-acre tract on what became known as Chisman Creek.”

If this is so, then this shows that possibly Thomas somehow acquired part of the 1,000 acres that John Cheeman owned? How or when is unknown.

It was a part of indentured servitude that a “freed” indentured servant would receive land of their own as a reward of their servitude, and surviving to the end of their term! A HUGE portion of indentured servants did not survive, so it was a blessing for all of us who descend from THOMAS OTTOWELL that he did survive, and so did his children!