Joseph Melson

He sold 75a of land in 1741 in Whitelaw tract A170, south of New Church, Accomack Co, VA. In 1699 James Taylor Sr. & his wife Elizabeth deeded 75a each to two daughters, Margaret Taylor and Elizabeth with her husband Thomas Wilkinson. In 1719 Samuel and Margaret (Taylor) Melson of Nanticoke sold their 75a to Thomas Wilkinson. So Thomas Wilkinson thus became the owner of both parts. In 1733 Thomas Wilkinson, son-and-heir of Thomas, and his mother deeded 50a to Joseph and Elizabeth Miers, which had been left to them by the will of Thomas Sr. (no record) but in 1741 they deeded it back to Thomas and the deed also was signed by Joseph Melson as heir-at-law of Samuel and Margaret Melson.

Joseph was mentioned in Joseph Taylor's will on Dec 15 1744 in Worcester Co., MD. In it, Taylor left his brother Mathis a gun in the care of Henre Graham, 5 shillings in Samuel (as Samawell) Melson's care, clothing in Joseph Melson's hands, and a saddle and bridle in Samuel Melson's care.

Joseph Melson disappears from the Somerset Tax Lists in 1749. An Inventory of his estate was filed with the Somerset County Court on Jul 19 and Nov 23 1749. The value of his estate was set at 14-19-2 3/4 pounds and his land tract "Poplar Ridge" that his father Samuel Melson had patented, went to his brother, Benjamin Melson. The inventory listed as his nearest relatives his brother, Samuel Melson, and his brother-in-law, Henry Graham. The Melson line that populated the area around "Poplar Ridge" between modern day Laurel and Millsboro, DE come from this line (Benjamin, brother of Joseph).