Daniel Melson Jr.

  Notes:

Daniel Melson Jr. had an account at John Nelms store in Salisbury, MD in the mid-18th century as shown in surviving ledgers from that place and time. He is listed from 1765 to Feb 6 1768. A previous balance of £0/2/10 was carried from Ledger C . He then purchased stock locks, a Jews harp, linen, thread, pipes, cordage, a tin pan, and a pair of snuffers for £0/15/0. He paid with corn in 1768 that was delivered by Josiah Carmean. In 1767, he received credit on Isaac Phillips account of £1/7/6.

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An interesting finding from the following references concerning Daniel Melson's activities during the time of the Revolution, particularly in 1777. This was a time of turmoil and patriots and loyalists/tories lived side-by-side on land that had owned for decades. Tensions ran high and accusations of treason and disloyalty to the newly-formed United States ran rampant.

975.2061 FROM THE RECORDS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND, Volume 16:
Saturday, March 1st, 1777 Council met as on yesterday. In Council of Safety, Annapolis, February 28th, 1777
The Council of Safety on Obedience to the request of the Honourable The General Assembly have considered the cause of such of the Insurgents from Somerset and Worcester Counties, as have been brought before them, and beg leave to report their opinion as follows: That Doctor Andred Francis Cheney and Jesse Gray, as also Daniel Melson from Sussex County are not bailable.

From MHR Box 2, Folder 168, PETITION OF JESSE GRAY AND OTHERS, 1777, March 13. Annapolis, March 13th, 1777 The humble Petition of Jesse Gray, Boaz Walston, Daniel Fooks, John Parsons, Jonathan Fooks, Daniel Melson, Samuel Williams and Jerman Bethard. To the Honourable the Council of Safety Humbly Showeth - That you poor Petitioners hath been even joined the seventeenth day of last Most February confined in the Main Guard House in the City of Annapolis and that upon Examination before the Council of Safety, there is nothing found against us only that we were among the Number of those that were deemed Enemies to their Country. Therefore Most Honourable Gentlemen as We ever have hitherto obtained the Cause, and is still willing to maintain it, and to affirm the Reverse of some ill-provisioned Persons as the Honourable House has been pleased to pass an Act for the Releasement of all those willing to take an Oath of Allegiance, We are willing to comply with the Honourable House's Rules and take the Oath of Allegiance, in one Obedience thereto shew that we are Men for Liberty than Slavery. Therefore, Most Honourable and considerate Gentlemen, hopes therefrom that you will take the above Matter into you Honours most serious Consideration,and weigh Matters most deliberately, and grant us a Releasement from our present Emergencies as We never have been prejudicial to the present State of Affairs Your granting us,most honourable Gentlemen,another answer in Favour of the Foregoing,your poor Petitioners shall ever be in Duty bound to pray. Signed by the Whole of the Petitioners To God bless the Congress and direct our General. (The preceding Petition is the original; entry 610, Calendar of Maryland State Papers #5, Executive Miscellana, 1958 is an ambigious abridgement).

975.3 IBID
April 3, 1777 The Petitions of Whitley Turpin, Angelo Atkinson, Levi Longford, Daniel Melson, Stoughton Maddox and Josephus Beale, Insurgents from Somerset and Worcester Counties praying for discharge from their confinement, were referred by the General Assembly to the Governor and Council, with full power to take such action therein, as they think proper.

MHR RED BOOK #17 1-96 MANUSCRIPT,ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND MISC. CORRESPONDENCE 1777, PART 1
Worcester County July 18th.1777 Sir/ The Barer John Hall wishes to see if it is possible to Bail Daniel Melson of the Delaware State who you have under Guard. I am convinced that Jno.Hall is Good Security for Two or three hundred pounds and as Daniel Melson was always till this Insurrection a quiet member of Society I would if at Annapolis Willingly Be his Security mySelf. Under the Present Distressed Situation of his family his wife Nears Laying in and no one to take care of her but Six Little Children and one Negro woman-Nothing New heare, I wrote you Seven days ago by Capt. Dashiell our Success in Making up our first class of Militia to which I refer.
I am your Very Obt. Sevr. Joseph Dashiell

MHR RED BOOK #17 IBID
Thursday 2nd October 1777 The Sheriff of Ann Arundell County is hereby required to receive,into his Custody the bodies of Jesse Gray, Hambleton Calliho and Daniel Melson, charged with Treason against the state and committed .to a Guard and them safely kept in the Common Jail till Lawfully discharged.

Worcester County Decr. 3rd 1777
May it please your Excellency.
I am informed that Capt. Jesse Gray is Discharged upon giving Security which Incourages the Distressed Wife of Daniel Melson to Make appeal for him and has requested me to Certify to Your Excellancy and Councel that Peter Gordy the Barer is Good Security for One Thousand pounds & a resident of this County. I can assure you upon my Honour that Daniel Melson has always Bin a good sort of Man till this unhappy affair & his wife is much Distressed, that Bin Lately delivered of Twins
I am with Due Regard & Esteem your MOS
Joseph Dashiell
To Gov.Thomas Johnson

January 1, 1778
Daniel Melson has written that he could come out on good bail: the Barer, Daniel Fooks is good security for 1000 pounds.
I am with Due Regard & Esteem your. MOS
Joseph Dashiell
To Gov.Thomas Johnson

MARYLAND STATE PAPERS (SERIES A) [MDHR 6636-10-4]
5 Jan.1778
Know all Men by these presents that We Daniel Melson and Daniel Fooks are held and firmly bound to the State of Maryland in the Sum of one thousand pounds Current Money to be paid to the said State to which payment will and truly to be made we bind ourselves and each of us our own and each of our heirs Executors and Administrators in and for the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents with our Seals and Dated this fifth Day of January 1778. The Condition of the above Obligation is such that if the above bound Daniel Melson do and shall make his personal appearance at the next General Court to be held on the Eastern Shore of this State or any Special Court appointed or to be appointed for the trial of persons charged with having committed any or all of the Crimes or Offenses mentioned in the Act of Assembly of this State entitled "An Act to enable the Governor to issue Commissions of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery in certain cases" in Somerset and Worcester Counties or other of them if such special Court shall sit before the said General Court and shall demean himself as a true and faithful Subject of this State then the above Obligation to be held also in full Force.
Sealed and Delivered) in the presence of

T. Johnson DANIEL MELSON (SEAL) DANIEL FOOKS (SEAL)
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In the preceding, correspondence found in the Official Papers of the State of Maryland reported the circumstances surrounding the detention of Daniel Melson and other Worcester County residents resulting from a disturbance in Salisbury during January 1777. Throughout this period Daniel and the others were detained at Annapolis on the Governor's Orders while efforts were made by his wife and friends, who petitioned many times for his release. Finally the Governor agreed to this after Daniel Melson gave bond and took the Oath of Allegiance to the State. In another series of State Papers, a copy of this Bond given by Daniel Melson and his surety, Daniel Fooks, is evident. In this Bond, Daniel Melson agreed to attention the next session of the General Court of the Eastern Shore. That would have been the Spring Session, 1778. However the documents of the Meetings of this Court, began not with the Spring Session, but that of the Fall 1778. In the records for that meeting and all others through 1790, there is no mention of Daniel Melson or any of the others listed in the State Papers; Jesse Gray, Boaz Walston, John Parsons, Jonathan Fooks, Samuel Williams, or Jesse Bethard. The conclusion from the absence of any of their names must be, once Bond was accepted, and the Oath of Allegiance taken, the cases were dropped. Later Boaz Walston served at a Justice of the Peace for Wicomico Hundred, Worcester County, MD.

On Oct 1 1791, Daniel Melson sold negro girl Kesiah to William Gordy for £5 (WoLR-O:229).

On Oct 10 1796, "between Daniel Melson Junior of Worcester County State of Maryland of the one part and Daniel Melson Senior of the other part for and in Consideration of the Sum of One hundred and thirty five pounds lawful money of the State aforesaid to him in hand paid before the Signing and Sealing of these presents the receipt whereof he doth thereby confess and acknowledge and thereof doth acquit Exonerate and discharge the said Daniel Melson Senr his heirs and assigns forever by these presents hath granted bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant bargain and sell unto the said Daniel Melson Senr his heirs and assigns forever all of the two tracts of land which was left to me by my Grandfather Daniel Melson decd lying and Situated in Worcester County and State of Maryland aforesaid one called and known by the name Good Hope containing One hundred Acres of Land as per patent, the other called and known by the name of Addition to Good Hope containing forty-five Acres of Land as per patent,the farm more or less together with all its rights privileges properties appurtenances thereto appertaining or in any manner belonging To have and to hold the aforesaid bargained premises with the appurtenances thereto belonging to him the said Daniel Melson Junr his heirs and assigns forever and to no other purpose or intent whatsoever and the aforesaid Daniel Melson Junr for himself his heirs Executors and Admns the aforesaid bargained premises with the appurtenances aforesaid unto him the Said Daniel Melson his heirs and assigns forever from all persons claiming the farme in by from or under him or them will warrant and forever defend by these presents - In Witness whereof the said Daniel Melson Junr hath hereto set his hand and affixed his Seal the day and year above written." (WoLR-R:412)

On May 9 1798, William Gordy sold 17a of land in "Peters Choice Enlarged" to Daniel Melson for £10 (WoLR-S:414). On Mar 16 1799, William Gordy sold 50a of land called "Addition to Peters Lot" to Benjamin Melson for £75. The land is decribed as near Queen Horns drean on the south side of a plantation formerly belonging to Daniel Melson and on NE side of the Rum Ridge (WoLR-T:202).

"In the name of God amen The Second Day of September in the year of our Lord one Thousand and Seven Hundred & Ninety Seven I Daniel Melson Farmer of Sussex County & State of Delaware Being in Reasonable Health thanks be to God Therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed For all men once to Die Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to say principally and First of all I Give and recommend my Soul to the hands of All mighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in Decent Christian manner at the Discretion of my Executors Nothing Doubting But at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mighty power of God that gave it and as Touching Such Worldly Estate Wherewith it hath Been pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give Devise Dispose with it in the Following manner and form viz:
- Item I give and Bequeath unto my Well Beloved Wife Love one third part of all my lands and moveable Estate During her natural Life & Widowhood.
- Item I give and Bequeath unto my son Elijah Melson part of a tract of land Called "Stephens Security" Lying and Being in Worcester County & State of Maryland Eighty three acres and allso Fifty acres of Land in County & State aforesaid called "Melsons Addition" and allso Sixty one acres of Land in County & State aforesaid called "Hog Range" all to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
- Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Joseph Melson all the Land that I hold in Sussex County & State of Delaware and Eighteen acres in Wotcester County & State of Maryland Called "Melsons Lot" all to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
- Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son Benjamin Melson all the Land that I hold in Worcester County & State of Maryland that is not Devised and allso thirty Pounds to be Levied and Raised out of my Estate all to him & his heirs & assigns for Ever.
- Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Son John Melson Thirty seven pounds ten shillings to be Raised out of my Estate to him & his heirs & assigns for Ever.
- Item I Give & Bequeath unto my three Daughters Tabitha,Elizabeth & Nance Eighty Pounds Each in Goods at the appraisement,to them & their heirs & assigns for Ever.
- Item I Give and Bequeath all the remainder of my Estate to be Equally Divided Between these Eight Children Viz: Elijah, Joseph, Benjamin,Sally, Tabitha, Elizabeth & Nancy and Love.
- Also I appoint my Son Joseph Melson my whole and Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby Utterly Disannul Disallow and Revoke all Former Wills Legacies & Bequests By me heretofore made in Witness Whereof I have herewith set my hand and Seal the Day and year above written.
Signed Sealed and pronounced By the said Daniel Melson as his Last Will and Testament in the Presence of John Williams, Susannah Parremore, Thomas Records
Filed for Probate Dec 4 1798. (SxW-E:189)

The accounting made by Joseph Melson, Executor of the Testament and Last Will of Daniel Melson, late of Sussex County,decd., as well as such and so much of the Goods, Chattels & Credits which were of the said deceased as came to his hands or Possn as also his Payments and Disbursements of the Same. The Said Accountant charges himself with all and Singular the Goods and Chattels of the said Deceased afsd Inventory amounting to 668-7-51/2 also with Sundry articles. Addl Inventory 0 15 3 Also with cash recd of John Hall 4 2 6, John G.Anderson 10 12 8, Ezekiel Timmons 9 17 3 1/2, Jesse Davis 16 15 0, Elijah Melson 1 11 3, Daniel Elliott 5 6 2, Aaron Gordy 0 7 6, John Hearn 0 5 9, John Hall 6 5 9
724 6 2

Amount Disbursements Bal to be divided as follows 1/8 to Elijah Melson, same to Joseph Melson, Sally Atkins, Tabitha Melson, Elizabeth Smith, Nancy Melson, Love Hearn, Benjamin Melson. The account was exhibited to the Register Dec 4 1799 on Oath by Joseph Melson with an additional account Feb 9 1802. (SxAcct-A88:42)

Daniel married (?) (?).

Daniel next married Lovey Cannon, daughter of Elijah Cannon and Tabitha Wingate, about 1760 in Worcester Co., MD. (Lovey Cannon was born about 1745 and died after 1798 in Sussex Co., DE.)