George* Tull

*This connection is speculative based upon a son of David Brown (1763/5-183x) being named George Tull Brown. Was George Tull a grandfather of George Tull Brown? There is a George Tull in the area of the Brown family in the Somerset Tax Lists which survive up to 1759. While there is a George Tull in the Pocomoke Hundred for many years up to 1759, we see an instance where a second George Tull shows up in 1759, Wicomico Hundred, a dependent of William Smith and next to Owens, Hopkins, Pollitt (John Pollitt became his guardian), Disharoon and Christopher families in what is near modern-day Fruitland, MD. This compiler believes that this George Tull is whom the George Tull Brown becomes to be named after and quite possibly is Brown's grandfather. Since, to get listed on the Tax Lists, males had to be age 15, and there is no surviving list for 1758, we might assume the George Tull of Wicomico turned age 15 in either 1758 or 1759, placing a birth year of 1743/44. A land deed sale conducted by Tull on Jun 21 1764 would further narrow the birth year to 1743 since he would have needed to be age 21 at that time. Connections backwards in ancestry from here are clearly indicated through a study of the land records. Even with the specultaive nature of this, the land records and family connections make this an 80% or higher probability that this George Tull is a grandfather of George Tull Brown.

In the June Court of 1760, we find where George Tull choses a guardian (note that this corraborates our estmate of a birth year at c1743):
George Tull Chose John Pollit as his his Guardian: George Tull an Orphan Above the Age of fourteen Years Came here into Court in his proper person &m Prays that he may be permitted to Chose a Certain John Pollit of Somerset County as which Guardian is by the Court here unto him Granted &c. Thereupon the Said George Tull present here in Court as afd. Made Choice of the afd. John Pollit as his Guardian Accordingly Whereupon the Said John Pollit is Ordered by the Court here to take into his Care and possession the afd. George Tull Orphan afd. and all his Estate Reall and Personall and that the afd. Guardian Give Good Security to Comply with the Law in Relation to the Guardianship as afd. and to deliver up unto the afd. Orphan his heirs Exrs. or Admrs. all his Estate Reall and Personall that he Shall take into his hands and Possession peaceably and Quietly whenever the Same Should be Legally Required Whereupon the Said John Pollit together with Littleton Dennis and Joshua Merrill of Somerset County Gentlemen his Securitys all present herein Court in their Proper Persons Acknowledged themselves Indebted unto the Said George Tull in Two hundred pounds Current Money of Maryland of their bodys Goods or Chattles Lands and tenements Joyntly and Severally to the use of the Said George Tull his heirs or Assigns to be
made and Levied if it happen that the Said John Pollit Guardian as afd. his heirs Exrs. and Admrs. do not Comply with the Law in Relation to Such Guardianship as afd. and do not deliver up unto the afd. George Tull his heirs Exrs. or Admrs. Guardian or Guardians all the Estate Reall and personall of the Said George Tull that he Shall take into his hands and Possession Peaceably and Quietly when ever the Same Should be Legally Required &c (SoJ-1760:226)

In the Somerset land records, we find where John Pollitt, appointed guardian to George Tull, son of George Tull, son of George Tull, deceased, was to enter upon the real estate of to make an annual evaluation of the land and the plantation and improvements. They did this on Jun 28 1763 and viewed improvements made by George Tull's son Jonathan Tull formerly lived. The tract names are "Colemans Adventure" and Bickles" (SoLR-C:187). These tracts lie, in the modern-day (2019), about 2 miles due north of Pocomoke City, MD.

On Jun 21 1764 (and again on Feb 5 1765), George Tull (devisee of George Tull) sold land to John Pollitt for 35 pounds, parts of "Colemans Adventure" and "Bickles" except that land George Tull deceased sold to sons Jonathan and Noble Tull. (SoLR-C:220,244) NOTE: by the time George Tull sells these lands, he was apparently living further north, up in the Wicomico Hundred area of Somerset Co. as explained above from the 1759 Somerset tax list (This would be within the bounds of modern day Wicomico County).

On Apr 11 1776, we find commissions for officers in the records: "Commissions issued to Robert Hitch appointed Captain, Jacob Bell first Lieutenant, Thomas Humphreys second Lieutenant and George Tull Ensign of a Company of Militia in Somerset County, belonging to the first Battalion of this Province." (Journal and Correspondence of the Maryland Council of Safety, August 29, 1775 to July 6, 1776)

From the November 1792 Somerset Court: "RESOLVED, That the attorney-general be and he is hereby directed to discontinue the action of trespass and ejectment, now depending in the general court of the eastern shore, and which was instituted on behalf of the state against George Tull, for the recovery of a tract of land called Tower Hill, as confiscated property belonging to Adam Carlisle, a British subject, provided, that the state pay no costs incurred by the said George Tull; and provided also, that John Anderson, who purchased the said land of the late intendant of the revenue, be at liberty to prosecute the said suit at his own expense, if he should think proper, and shall make his election at the next term, and, in case he shall not elect to prosecute the suit aforesaid, that the treasurer of the western shore shall deliver to the said John Anderson his bond passed for the said tract of land, called Tower Hill, to the state of Maryland."

George* married.