William Gordy ¹

On Oct 8 1805, William Gordy, Samuel Gordy and George Smith signed a bond for $500 that bound them to the State of Maryland as administrators of the estate of Thomas Gordy, orphan son of William Gordy, Sr. William was appointed guardian of his brother Thomas. (Note, this record suggests he was at least age 21 in Oct 1805. This, coupled with the 1840 census, suggesting he was aged 50-60 then, bounds his birth year at approximately 1780-1784).

William Gordy wrote his will on Feb 25 1842 and it was proven in Worcester Co. on Jan 13 1845:
I devise and bequeath unto my son John $100.00 to be paid out of my estate and no more......$100.
I devise and bequeath unto my daughter Polly wife of Benjamin Elliott $500 also one half my part of the saw and grist mill called and known by the name Parker's Mills and her heirs forever........$500.
I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mahala wife of Samuel White all the lands I bought of Gideon F. Wooten up to the high water mark except the mill lot which shall contain all on the west side of an old road formerly leading from the end of the mill dam to intersect Betty Morris' land, also one half of my part of the saw and gristmill called and known by the name of Parker's Mill. To her and her heirs forever
I give and bequeath to my daughter Mahala wife of Samuel Q. White, all the land I bought of Gideon F. Wooten up to high water? except the mill lot which shall contain all the land in the ____ ____ and olde road formerly leading from the end of the mill down the ____ _____ known by the name of the Parkers Mills (next line cut off) ....Elihu Hastings and Samson Adkins 79 acres more or lest whereon Henry Brewington now lives, also part of a tract which I bought of Noah Gordy, called "White Oak Swamp", 25 acres more or less.
I give unto my son William all the land which I bought of Richard and John Freeny up to a pine which stands on the northwest side of the branch from where I now live, also one half of the saw and grist mills and one half of all the privileges thereunto belonging which I bought of Gideon F.Wooten provided he shall pay to my daughter Matilda $250.00 which said money must be paid within 12 months after my death
Also I give to my son William my mare Pickers? one bed/furniture
- To my daughter Sarah Caroline lands whereon my son John lived beginning at a marked chesnut being the bounder of "Gordy's Adventure", then southward with a straight line so as to come within twelve? feet of the southwest corner of the said the line to continue straight till intersects the line of "Leah's Fortune". Then east with the line of Leahs Fortune to the division line between my land and Mary Adkins. The line to continue the said division line till it intersects a tract of land called "Mitchells Meadow" so as to include said "Mitchells Meadow" which said land is bounded on the east by Elizabeth Gordy's on the north by Wm. Mitchell & William Parsons and for a division between the aforesaid lands and the lands I bought of George Vincent to commence in the middle of the road at the northwest corner of the said farm thence with a straight line to the middle of the road where the first one from the chesnut tree crosses the road. I also give to Sarah Caroline four hundred dollars out of my personal estate to her and her heirs forever.
- To daughter Matilda $400
- To son, Elijah, all the rest of my real estate including one half of the mills and privileges I bought of Gideon F. Wooten all in Worcester County, also one horse of his choice, bridle/saddle, bed/furniture, one yoke of oxen, one timber cart.
Rest of estate to be divided among all my children except my son John
- Appoint my son-in-law Benjamin and Samuel Q. White executors
Witnesses: Samuel Melson, Cyrus Williams, Leah A. Williams (WoW-1833/50:273)

William married Eliza Melson, daughter of Elijah Melson and Mrs. Nancy Short, about 1805. (Eliza Melson was born about 1790 in Worcester Co., MD and died in 1851-1859 in Worcester Co., MD.)