The children of Daniel Neale-3 and Ursula Presley
Hannah Neale-4, mentioned first in her father’s will, may have been the oldest.
PRESLEY NEALE-4 was mentioned second in his father’s will and may have been the second-oldest child.
Daniel Neale-4, mentioned third in his father’s will.
Christopher Neale-4, of Prince George County, Maryland, died in July or August, 1756. He was prominent in the affairs of church and State. He owned a large estate in Prince George County, Maryland, and his wife was Anne Osborne, who divided her property, at her death in 1782, between her daughters, Mary Neale-5, Elizabeth Neale-5, and Hannah Neale-5 Brent, and named her son, Thomas Neale-5. Christopher-4 was mentioned fourth in the will of DANIEL-3.
Rodham Neale-4, mentioned fifth in his father’s will.
Frances Neale-4, mentioned last in her father’s will.
Most widows and widowers of the “middle” classes remarried after the deaths of their spouses as a matter of economic and social necessity. If there were children to raise, slaves to oversee, and a plantation to run, women were at a disadvantage unless they had older sons that could take over the place of the deceased husband. Widows could and did conduct business and oversee plantations, but this was not the rule. Men could have a slave woman run the “home,” but without a mistress to oversee the household management, the home did not run as smoothly. Children, especially female children, needed a mother-figure to oversee their upbringing and social education. Black slaves were not considered suitable for this task.
Wharton Ransdell’s will, in Westmoreland County Virginia Book 13, page 143, starts off in the “standard form” and mentions his son, Edward Randell “the lands on which I now live,” his Mulatto girl, Susanna Wood, and Negro girl, baptized by the name of Mary, also his silver “wach” and silver-hilted sword, as well as his “still and worm,” and all “tyte casks.” Land bought of Willoughby Newton, on Beaver dam run of _?_ River, in Stafford County, part of which he had given his daughter, Sarah Elliott Pierce. Then he mentions son, Wharton Randell-2, to have a Negro named George, and his clothes of every kind. Son, William-ii received lands in Prince William County and a Negro girl named Pegg, and his “molatto boy,” Robert Wood. He next mentions Sarah Elliott Pierce, his daughter, to have money to buy a mourning ring, as she had already received her portion. He mentioned his wife, Sarah Randell, having chairs and a couple of horses. The rest of the estate was to be divided between his wife, Sarah, and his three sons, Edward-ii, Wharton-ii, and William-ii. His will was probated April 25, 1758.