John Reddish

In Aug 1684, a John Reddish in Charles Co., MD sold land from to Phillips Lynes. He MAY be the father of this John Reddish. (MdProvLR-1676-1700:305)

This John Reddish shows up in the Wicomico Hundred, Somerset Co. Tax Lists for every extant year from 1724 to 1739 and then there are no Reddish families shown again until 1745 when Betty Reddish shows as head with Hiron (Hiram?) Reddish as dependent. Ages of the male children of John and Betty Reddish are estimated based upon their first appearance in the Tax Lists.

John Reddish appears numerous times in the Somerset Courts for actions both for and against him as well as being on the juries. Here are a couple of the interesting cases (See also SoJ-1733/35:007,027,102,114,149,156,193 [Reddish as tavernkeeper?])

In the March Court 1724/5: "Jn.o Redish Pet.n for Comsn To the worshipfull Justices of Somersett County in Court now Sitting the petition of Jn.o Redish Your worships humble Petitioner being Possessed of a peice of Land Called Castlehaven whose bounders Cannot be proved by Levin Evidences and is deprived of the use of his said Land by his Neighbour that denyeth the truth of his Bounder your humble petitioner humbly desireth that your worships would be pleased to ordain Commissioners according to the act of assembly for the proving of Bounders and your humble Petitioner as in duty bound shall Ever pray The Pet.n afd being Read and heard and the premisses Considered It is therefore Ordered by the the Court that a Commission Issue as by the Petition afd is praid and that Joseph Venables James MccMorie, Robert Givans and Joseph Pemberton all of Somersett County Gent be appointed Commissioners to Execute the Commission afd according to Law in Such Case provided &c." (SoJ-1725/27:089)

In the August 1726 Court, a return of the above was given: "John Redish Com & affadavits Somersett County fs Charles absolute Lord & proprietary of y.e provinces of Maryland & avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &.c To James MccMorie, Joseph Venables, Rob.t Givans & Joseph Pemberton all of Somersett County Gent greeting Know ye that we have appointed you or any three or two of you to be our Commissioners to Examine Evidences on behalfe of a Certain John Redish of y.e County afd Planter In Relation to y.e Bounds of a tract of Land Lying in Somrsett County Called Castle haven &c We therefore require you or any three or two of you that at some time & place as to you or any three or two of you shall seem Conveniant you meet on y.e afd Land Called Castle haven & there Cause to Come before you or any three or two of you all such Evedences as shall be to you or any three or two of you Nominated by y.e s.d Complainant (or Deft if any) and that you Examine them upon their Corporall Oaths to be by you or any three or two of you administred on the holy Evangelest of almighty god in y.e presents of y.e Complainant (or Deft if any) Touching the truth or Remembrance of their Knowledge or any thing that may relate to the Cause afd & Reducing the severall Depositions into Wrighting you send y.e same together with this our Commission under your or any three or two of your hands to us to our County Court of Somersett with all Convenient Speed Wittness Sam.l Hopkins Gent Chief Justice of our said Court the 16th day of March in the 11.th year of our Dominion &c Anno Dom 1725 on ye Backside of ye foregoing Commission it was thus Endorsed viz.t aprill 29.th 1726 and Capt Jos Venables Came y.e within M.r James Mackmorie ^Cap.t Jos: Venables^ & made on y.e holy Evangelest of almighty god for to Execute the within Commission according to Law Sworn before me aprill 29.th 1726 Jn.o Handy
By vertue of the within Commission we the Subscribers having by note on publick places given due & timely notes & upon the Land within mentioned did Examine Evedences viz.t Jn.o Redeck ^Rickards^ Sen.r & Mary Jarrel who upon their Oaths both to ye same purpose do declare that near y.e Landing of Rob.t Crouch formerly stood a marked pine w.th was deem'd & said to be a Corner tree of Land but they beleave not of ye Land w.thin named and further sayeth Not Wittness Jos: Venables James Mackmorie. (SoJ-1725/27:160)

From the August Court 1726: "Somersett fs LG Alexander Carlyle @ JP John Redish John Redish Late of Somersett County Planter was attached to answer unto Alexander Carlyle of a plea of trespass upon the Case &.c And whereupon the same Alexander Carlyle by Levin Gale his attorney Complains that whereas the Same Alexander is a good true and faithfull Subject of Our Lord the King that now is and as a good true and faithfull subject of Our Said Lord the King and divers his predecessors Late King's and Queens of England from the time of his Nativity hath hitherto behaved and governed himselfe and of good name fame Creditt and Estimation as well among his Neighbours as all other faithfull subjects of our said Lord the King by al y.e time afd hath been Esteemed accounted & reputed and from all treasons Burgerys felonys thefts or such Like wicked or base Crime & from y.e procureing or abetting such Like wickedness or of y.e same in any maner noted or suspected by the whole Course of his life hitherto free Clear and wholy unsuspected hath abstained remained Lived and Continued by reason whereof y.e s.d Alex.d obtained the favour & good will not only of his Neighbours but of all Other faithfull subjects of our Lord the King to whome he was known nevertheless y.e afd Jn.o redish not Ignorant of y.e premises but Envying the happy Estate and Condition of the Same Alex.d and Malissiously Intending not only to ruin the good name fame Creditt and reputation of the same Allex.d & him into Hatred and Contempt among his neighbours to Cast But also to bring y.e s.d Allex.d in Manifest danger of Loosing his life the tenth day of June Anno Dom one thousand seven hundred & twenty five at the County afd within y.e Jur of this Court these falce feigned & aprobrious words & Lyes following in presents & hereing of Divers faithfull subjects of our s.d Lord y.e King did say afirm declare and with a high voice Publish with great heat and vehemousie you y.e s.d Alex.d viz.t you the afd Allex.d speaking to and meaning marked my Mothers (a Certain Eliz.a Crouch spaking of & meaning) ram in your marke where." (SoJ-1725/27:178)

From the Somerset County court of November 1733: "Robert Crouch bound to John Redish Whereas a Certain Robert Crouch an Orphan being formerly bound by Somerset County Court to a Certain John Venables for to Learn him the trade of a Cooper &a and for as much as it doth appear to this Court here that the said Robert Crouch was so Sickley and weak of body that it was Impossible for him to Learn the trade afd. Whereupon the Said John Venables Master of the afd Robert Crouch and his Securitys are discharged from the recognizance afd entered into for the Learn ye Said Robert Crouch the trade afd &a and Likewise the Guardianship of the afd Robert Crouch &a. Whereupon the said Robert Crouch Orphan afd makes Choice of a Certain John Redish as his Guardian who is approved of by the Court and Ordered that the Said John Redish take into his hands possession and Care all the afd Robert Crouch and all his Estate Reall and personall untill the said Crouch Comes to age to take the Same and Likewise it is Ordered that the afd John Venables the former Guardian deliver up unto the afd John Redish Now Guardian all the estate of the said Crouches that he hath in his hands both Reall and personall &a. Further it is ordered and agreed by and Between the Justices of Somerset County Court in Court Judicially Sitting and the said John Reddish that he the said John Reddish will during the Guardian ship afd give the said Robert Crouch appears Schoolling and Sufficient meat drink washing and Lodging and Cloathing during the time afd and give Security for to Comply with the Guardian Ship afd &a. Whereupon the said John Reddish with Henry Toadvine and Moses Driskill both of Somerset County planters his Securitys all present here in Court in their proper persons acknowledged themselves to be Indebted unto the said Robert Crouch in the Sum of fifty pounds Sterling of their Severall goods and Chattells Lands and tenements Joyntly and Severally to the Use of the said Robert Crouch his heirs and assignes to be made and Levied If it happen that the afd John Reddish do not Comply with the Law in Relation to the guardian ship afd and do not during the Guardian ship afd give the said Robert Crouch one whole Years Schoolling and Likewise ^do not^ find and provide for the said Crouch during the time afd sufficient meat drink washing Lodging and Cloathing meat for him to have and wear and do not deliver up unto the said Crouch his heirs and assignes all his Estate reall and personall that he shall have in his hands and possession peaceably and quietly when ever the same shall be Legally required &a " (SoJ-1733/35:078)

In 1734, Somerset Rent Rolls, John Reddish holds 150a of the land tract "Do Better" that John Crouch (a minor, born Mar 1721) inherited from his father Robert Crouch Jr. By the 1744 rolls, John Crouch holds the land. This researcher believes that John Crouch and the above Robert Crouch, his brother, were either siblings or nephews of John Reddish's wife Elizabeth.

Also in the November 1735 court, Reddish gave security for Jacob Crouch Jr. when he was charged with assaulting James Weatherly (SoJ-1735/37:101)

On May 15 1738, a special warrant was issued to John Reddish, 10a vacant land, partly cultivated, adjoining tract "Castle Haven" [no certificate or patent seen - Lyon Land Records]

John married Elizabeth (Betty)* Crouch, daughter of Robert Crouch and Elizabeth Phillips, about 1728 in Somerset Co., MD. (Elizabeth (Betty)* Crouch was born about 1698 in Somerset Co., MD and died after 1762 in Somerset Co., MD.)