Surname Saturday - BRIGHTWELL in Maryland Historical Magazine

First, thanks to Randy Seaver's 16 Jun 2010 post at Genea-Musing.com for pointing out that the Maryland Historical Magazine is now available on line.

Second, I first mentioned BRIGHTWELL in a Surname Saturday earlier this year. I also followed up with a mention on my Ancestor Approved Award comments.

My ancestor, Captain Richard Brightwell, my 6th Great Grandfather, and members of his family, are mentioned 19 times when I entered BRIGHTWELL into the search (some are index entries, some are simple mentions in lists, of course). Through the first 9 of the 19 references, I have gleaned the following two quotes from the Archives of Maryland, reported in the Magazine, that are worthy of further note, here.

Royal Province of Maryland in 1692 (In MHM 1920, Vol 15, #2, p. 127)

The colony was in an uneasy state of mind with reference to the Indians. Though treaties had just been signed, on May 18, about three o'clock in the afternoon, a negro woman was scalped and mortally wounded by a band of about ten Indians in Charles County, while she was going between two houses of her master. The friendly Piscattaway Indians joined the rangers in the pursuit, but apparently failed to capture the miscreants. Then rangers had been ordered to go out, is uncertain, but, at this time, Major Ninian Beale and Capt. Brightwell were in command of two bodies of men so employed.

(In MHM 1920, Vol 15, #4, p.392) The Old Indian Road 1737

The place called the Sugar Lands lay on Potomac River between Broad Run and Seneca Creek, and extending back some distance. It appears to have been a belt of heavily timbered rich land. Probably the earliest mention of this place is in a survey called "Brightwell's Hunting Quarter" laid out August 29th, 1695, for Captain Richard Brightwell " about twenty miles above the falls of Potomack River on the land called the Sugar land." in 1697 Captain Brightwell made a report of his "ranging" between Potomac River and the headwaters of Patuxent. (Archives, Vol. XXIII, p. 261.) In this report he mentions the Sugar Lands. Captain Brightwell then commanded a fort called "New Scotland," which appears to have been situated at the Falls of Potomac River.

[More to follow, next tomorrow - links forward will be added]

Families are Forever! ;-)