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History and Background

The early settlers of Kent County were largely of English descent. New Yarmouth, the County’s first town, was established in 1675 on Gray’s Inn Creek. The original county court house and jail were located here, along with the county’s first two shipyards. The population gradually declined after the county government was moved to New Town (Chestertown) in 1696.

Earliest Elbon Families in America

See Kent County, Maryland, Inhabitants, 1642. Familiar surnames connected with the Elborn family are Porter and Crouch.

See Revolutionary War Records, 1775-1783.

Charles Elbort, the earliest spelling of the name Elbort on ancestry.com was Charles Elbort born ca. 1782 in Dorchester Co., Maryland. Charles Elbort was a black man, age 25 or thereabouts on 8 June 1807.

Henry Elbone, b. 1702 in England, arrived in 1718 in Maryland at age 16.

Henry (Henrich) Thielbon, arrived 25 Nov 1740 from Rotterdam through Deal, Kent Co., England, and finally to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With him was Anthony Keller whose descendants married into the Elbon family. Both were either German or Swiss. He was imported on the ship “Loyal Judith” with Lovell Painter as the Commander from Rotterdam on 25 Nov 1740 and took the Oath of Allegiance. The name Thielbon could have been Dealbone, which was also Bohn and Dilbone and Diehlmann Bohn.

Hugh Elburn/Elbert, see Hugh Elburn/Elbert.

James Elburn, see James Elburn of Rock Hall, Kent County, Maryland, b. ca. 1769.

John Elbin, see Elborn Family in the Revolutionary War.

John Elbin, see John Elbin of Allegany County, Maryland, born ca. 1765.

John Elbin, the following Index of the 1790 census shows John Elbin on p. 80, plus the two widowed women, Sarah and Hannah, on pages 81 and 83. This definitely proves that John was not the husband of either Sarah or Hannah as they were both listed as widows. Although the 1790 census is not 100% perfect, these 3 people are the only ones listed at that time with the name Elb*, showing no husband for either widow Sarah or Hannah (in the early 1790 census states only).

This John Elbin in 1790 lived in Harford, Maryland. He was aged over 16 living with 2 males aged under 16 plus 3 females, no age stated. Total number of household members was 6. Harford County, MD, is just north of Baltimore and just across the Chesapeake Bay from Kent County, MD.

John Elbin is listed as immigrating on the “Ark and Dove” on 25 Mar 1634 from Gravesend near London, England (then to Cowes, Isle of Wight) and arrived at St. Clement’s Island, Maryland transported by John Saunders. See Details. However, I’ve also seen documentation that the name was Elkin and really not Elbin at all. It seems John Elkin killed Indian Chief Wococomocco and went on trial, got acquitted, and the judge did not like the verdict, dismissed the jury, ordered a new one, and they convicted him.

Because of persecution by the Church of England, two vessels, financed by Caesilius Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore transported over 100 (perhaps over 300) "adventurers", many of whom were Roman Catholic, to the Colony of Maryland in America.

Richard Lowe was Master of the Ark. Captain Winter commanded the Dove. The ship Ark was of about 350 ton burden and the pinnace Dove of about 40 ton burden.

An account of the landing of the Ark and the Dove follows:

“It was March 25, 1634, the initial day of Spring and the first day of the Julian Calendar, as well as the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, all of which were propitious for joyous and solemn celebration and a memorial day for each Adventurer, who had survived the voyage of 123 days or slightly over four months from the sailing from Cowes to their destination. They selected the larger of three islands lying near the shore of the Potomac not too far distant from the mainland to disembark. To the island they gave the name of St. Clement after the fourth Bishop of Rome. Father White directed several of his retainers to construct a huge cross from one of the native trees. It was hastily hewn together and, on that virgin day of Spring in 1634, led by Father White who was assisted by Father Altham, all the Roman Catholics, and not a few of the Anglicans, gathered for the first sacrifice of the Roman Mass ever to have been celebrated in one of the Original Thirteen English Colonies." See List of Adventurers on the Ark and the Dove.

Through research, it appears Elbin was misread and should have been Elkin, whose name appears numerous times as an early immigrant to Virginia from Staffordshire, England, but Elbin or Elben never appears otherwise at that early date.

"John Elbin, A. B. H., fol. 65-66, John Elkin, 1633, liber 1, fol. 20, John Elkms, 1633, fol. 38, liber 1," the Society's list. Upon careful examination the name is John Elkin on each folio quoted, and the engrosser's error which appeared in the executive list, i.e., "John Elbin," is evidently responsible for the mistake giving two names for one man. From “Side-lights on Maryland History, with sketches of early Maryland families” by Hester Dorsey Richardson.

Checking ancestry.com, Ralph Elkin (1636-1690) headed England’s first permanent colony in America – in Virginia. His merchant father, John Elkin, was b. 1588 in England, d. 1642, immigrated 1634 at age 46 to Virginia; however, he returned to England and died there in 1642.

Searching findmypast.co.uk:

“A” John Elbie was born 7 Nov 1619 as son of John, Senior, in West Compton (Abbas), Dorset, England. John Elbie Senior was married Joanna Sammes on 26 Nov 1605 in West Compton (Abbas), Dorset, England. The county of Dorset is very near the Isle of Wight. “A” Jone Elbie was buried 12 Jul 1597 in Maiden Newton, St. Mrary, Dorset.

Searching familysearch.org:

“A” John Elbin was christened 17 Dec 1637 in Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, the son of John and Joane Elbin.

Mathew Elbon, see Elborn Family in the Revolutionary War. The names Reuben, Mathew and Nathaniel do not show with any spelling variation of the surname Elborn in 1776; could they have been elsewhere, unaccounted for, or still in England? Could the entire Elborn family have arrived between 1776-1779?

Nathaniel Elbon, see Elborn Family in the Revolutionary War. The names Reuben, Mathew and Nathaniel do not show with any spelling variation of the surname Elborn in 1776; could they have been elsewhere, unaccounted for, or still in England? Could the entire Elborn family have arrived between 1776-1779?

Reubin Elbon, see Elborn Family in the Revolutionary War. The names Reuben, Mathew and Nathaniel do not show with any spelling variation of the surname Elborn in 1776; could they have been elsewhere, unaccounted for, or still in England? Could the entire Elborn family have arrived between 1776-1779? Also see Reuben Elbon of Shenandoah County, Virginia, born ca. 1763.

Samuel Elburn, see Samuel Elburn of Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, born ca. 1783.

William Elburn, see Elborn Family in the Revolutionary War.

William Elben, see William Elben of Elsinboro, Salem County, New Jersey, born ca. 1730.

William Elben, see William Elben of Licking County, Ohio, born ca. 1778.

William Elbort. QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY COURT (Land Records) RTA. [MdHR 9015;2/1/1/5], pp. 352-355 William Elbort, 13 February 1734 [4]. 07/22/88. Tracking No.: 41257. PD No.: 89-00131.

The Maryland Colonial Census of 1776 shows a William “Elburd” in Nanacoake, Dorchester Co., MD, living with a female aged 30-40 and 7 negroes. If this William Elburd were the same age as the female listed below, he would have been born 1736-1746.

The 1776 Maryland Colonial Census does not list any man named Elborn or any variation except in the Bush River Lower, Harford Co., MD is Mary Elebin, age 60, born ca. 1716, living in the house of Robert Waters. Robert Waters is listed in the same census, same location, as born in 1749, age 27.

Earliest Records of Kent County, Maryland

See Maryland Historical Chronology, 1600-1699. By looking through these records, it is obvious that the Elbin family had not yet arrived in Maryland in the 17^th century. Searching through the NJGENWEB Archives, and the Pennsylvania Archives, the name does not appear. Click the blue titles in order to search.

Birth	Marriage	Death	Census	Land	Probate
1898	1796	1898	1790	1648	1668

The spelling “Elborn” is the earliest spelling we have seen for this family in Maryland. The name Elborn appears in Cambridgeshire, England starting in 1603, while searching for the name Elborn throughout England. The earliest names in England were spelled Ellbourn. Searching the records between 1603 and 1778 at the beginning of the Rev. War in America, 49 names appear; they are all in either Cambridgeshire or Hertfordshire, England. Millions of records exist for other counties in England, but the name Elborn shows up only in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.

Maryland Immigration from Britain

White settlers in colonial Maryland were primarily from the British Isles. In 1660 many English immigrants began settling the Eastern Shore (east of Chesapeake Bay) in what is now Wicomico County. Nearly all British immigrants to colonial Maryland came either as servants or convicts. Maryland received more indentured servants than any other colony.

In Maryland, it was popular to name tracts of land. English colonists often named their tract after their place of origin in the old country. This was a common practice up through the mid 1700s.

The earlier colonists settled along Maryland's rivers and bays, as these were the primary routes of transportation. By about 1740, English, Scottish, and Scotch-Irish immigrants began moving

From 1611 to 1776, more than 50,000 English and Irish felons were sentenced to deportation to American colonies over the centuries. These include Irishmen who rebelled against Cromwell's army in 1649. The 1755 Census of Maryland reveals the distribution of transported convicts across the colony. The highest concentrations of transported felons were in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, and Queen Anne's counties:

Distribution of Convicts in Maryland (1755)
County	Male convicts (taxable; sixteen years of age)	Female convicts (not taxable)	Boy convicts (under age 16)	Girl convicts (under age 16)	Total
Baltimore	472	87	6	6	571
Ann Arundell	184	51	16	0	251
Calvert	0	0	0	0	0
Prince George	73	27	1	0	101
Frederick	94	32	9	1	136
Charles	205	78	16	7	306
St. Mary's	29	13	5	3	50
Worcester	1	1	0	0	2
Somerset	1	0	0	0	1
Dorset	7	0	0	2	9
Talbot	25	4	0	0	29
Queen Anne's	287	73	9	0	369
Kent	82	12	4	1	99
Cecil	47	8	1	1	57
Total	1509	386	67	21	1983

Two Widowed Wives, Hannah and Sarah, in 1790

The following Index of the 1790 census shows John on p. 80, plus the two widowed women, Sarah and Hannah, on pages 81 and 83. This definitely proves that John was not the husband of either Sarah or Hannah. Although the 1790 census is not 100%, these 3 are the only ones listed at that time, showing no husband for either widow Sarah or Hannah. Their husbands would have to be Mathew, Nathaniel, or William, but we have not figured that out yet, except that they died in the Rev. War.

Two widowed Elbon women, Hannah and Sarah Elbon, appear living separately each with their own families in the 1790 census of Kent Co., MD. Various head of households in the 1790 census of Kent Co., MD, are widows, perhaps from men dying in the Revolutionary War. See Kent County History.

Mara’s Hypothesis:

I only "assume" both Hannah’s and Sarah’s husbands died in the Rev. War. That means their husbands would have been Nathaniel, Mathew, John, Reuben, or William. It would really be important to figure this one out as the 1790 census of Kent Co., MD, shows the number of children they had only 10 years after the war. I've eliminated John as an older John shows up in Bedford Co., PA. I have tentatively eliminated Mathew as no Elbon named their son Mathew. So that leaves only Nathaniel, Reuben, and 2 (or 3) men named William, a Corporal and a Private in the war.

By the ages of the children (and we don't even know if they were her children), one would assume both Hannah and Sarah were born about 1750 or earlier as the American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) indicates. Both women could have married Elborn brothers.

For Hannah, I'm assuming the 1 male over age 16 (born before 1774) was James (b. 1769) as he remained in Kent Co., MD, and the 2 males under 16 (born after 1774) could have been William (b. 1780), and Samuel (b. 1783), both who remained in Kent Co., MD. In 1794 at age 11 Samuel becomes an orphan and is warded a guardian. William (b. 1780) is the one who stayed in MD and was there in the War of 1812. CHECK – maybe went to Salem first, then returned, but he is not the one who went to Ohio.

For Sarah, I'm assuming the 1 male under 15 or born after 1774 was William, b. 1780. I’m assuming this was the William who moved to Ohio ca. 1804. Too bad we don't know any of the daughters’ names, nor when Sarah died.

Any help you can give me on this would be appreciated. Two brains or more are better than one. Please email marafrench@mindspring.com.

Hannah Elborn

1790 – Hannah Elborn, head of household, widow, appears in the 1790 census of Kent Co., MD, page 83, Image 3 or Page 3 of 5 of Middle District, Langford Bay, Kent Co., MD, which today would be in District 5 or the District of Edesville where Rock Hall exists. Langford Bay never became more than a landing place and today no evidence of it is to be found. Her name is spelled Hannah “Elborne”. She is listed as head of household, a widow, with a total of 7 in her family:
4 females, including Hannah, head of household, no ages given. As James, William, and Samuel were all not married by 1790, these extra 3 females would probably be sisters to the 3 men, or an aunt or grandmother.
1 male over age 16, b. before 1774, but not head of household, most likely James (b. 1769)
2 males under 16, b. between 1774-1790, most likely William (b. 1780) and Samuel (b. 1783).
No slaves.
Most likely her husband was serving in the Rev. War between 1779 and 1783 and died.

Therefore, she probably had 3 sons and 3 daughters, all underage in 1790, born 1770-1790; I would assume they were born closer to 1770-1780, as her husband probably died between 1782-1783 in the Rev. War as the youngest child, Samuel, was born in 1783.

The Maslin family lived near Hannah Elborne. James Elburn, b. 1769, married first to Elizabeth Covington. She died giving birth to Lemuel J. Elburn in 1879. Page 68 of his 85 probate estate papers shows the name Thomas C. Maslin. Perhaps Hannah Elborne was the mother of James. James and Elizabeth (Covington) Elburn named a son James Elburn Jr. who died in 1871 while living in Wabash Co., IN; therefore, this is probably not meant for him. A very precise person would be son Lemuel Joseph Elburn who died 14 Oct 1879 in Rock Hall, Kent Co., MD. He probably didn’t pay his taxes for 4 Sep 1880 as he had died and they were past due.

Brelain Maslin who lived next to Hannah in the 1790 census had 17 slaves. The AGCI states he was born in 1750 in Maryland. Thomas C. Maslin (below), a Tax Collector, collected taxes from Lem.” J. Elburn on 4 Sep 1880, in the 5^th District of Kent County. The 1880 census shows T. C. Maslin lived with his wife Myra in Edesville, Kent Co., MD, and that he was born in 1841 in Maryland. He is listed as owning a retail grocery and is probably not the same person as the Tax Collector below. This 1880 census shows 6 Maslins, all from Edesville or Charlestown.

According to the American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), Hannah Elborne was b. ca. 1750 in Maryland. Her maiden name is unknown.

There are 25 women named Hannah from Kent Co., MD, who were born between 1735-1755, and have the surname Bowers (d. 1753), Brooks (father was Henry), Burchinal (see below), Chandler (m. Joshua Pew), Chanel (b. 7 Apr 1743 in Kent, father was John), Crow (b. 1 Dec 1755), Debrular (see below), Dunkan (b. 4 Nov 1738, father was George), Falconer (m. John Crumley), Griffith (m. John Evans), Haley (parents John and Elizabeth), Hull (m. Henry Bodien), Jones, Knock (father was Henry), Lilard (father was Edward), Parsons (m. John Melson), Smith (parents were William and Rachel), Spencer (parents were Jarvis and Ann), Stevenson (parents were Samuel and Mary, but she d. 1839), Walles (father was William), Wallis (father was John).

I did the same search for Sarah, and the name Burchinal also appears. Maybe they were sisters. Sarah Burchinal was the daughter of Jeremiah (Jeremy) Burchinal and Elizabeth Woodhal who married 6 Aug 1741 in Kent Co., MD. Sarah born 15 Sep 1751 at Shrewsbury Parish in Kent Co., MD. Hannah Burchinal had the same parents and she was born 8 Sep 1753 in the same parish. Does anyone know who these women married? If so, email marafrench@mindspring.com.

Hannah Debrular interests me because she was born 21 Dec 1746 at Saint Paul’s Parish, Kent Co., MD; her mother was Margrett Debrular. She would have been old enough to have son Reuben in 1763. The DeBrular family (probably French) still lived in Maryland until at least 1953 when William Henry DeBrular died in Harford Co., MD, having first lived in Kent Co., MD.

The Maryland Marriages, 1634-1777, do not list any Elborn or variation on ancestry.com:
http://interactive.ancestry.com/4738/mdmarriages1-000257.25/1418?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsln%3dBurchinal%26msydy%3d1745%26msydy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d0%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3dnye%26msydp%3d10%26cp%3d0%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3d1418%26recoff%3d9%26db%3dMDmarriages%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d8&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord#?imageId=mdmarriages1-000290.58. However, there is a very interesting entry for a William Elson marrying Sarah Peach on 2 Sep 1764 which would be a fairly precise date for having son Reuben. Also listed is a John Elson who married Joanna Bradcutt on 1 Feb 1728/29 who could have been William’s father. A John Elson was born 8 Oct 1732 at Saint Barnabas Church in Queen Anne Parish, Prince George’s Co., MD, the son of John Elson. And William Elson was born 4 Sep 1732 at the same parish and his father was John. A John Elson was born 1708 and died 1750; he is the one who married Joanna Bradcutt. It appears as though he had son Richard who wrote a will in 1804 with details that indicate this family was not the Elbon family.

Hannah Elborne is in the first column, ninth name from the bottom.

Sarah Elborn

1790 – Sarah Elborn, head of household, widow, appears in the 1790 census of Kent Co., MD, page 81, Image 2 or Page 2 of 5, Middle District, Langford Bay, Kent Co., MD.

0 males 16 years and upwards
1 male under 16 years born after 1774. – Samuel?
3 females, including Sarah, head of household, no ages given
No slaves

The AGBI (American Genealogical Biographical Index) determined that she was born in Maryland in 1750.

Perhaps a clue to who she was could be found in names of neighbors, which include: Jane Kaley, John Davis, Elizabeth Graves, John Tittle, Cafty Cronnaday, Mary Greene, Lazarus Tittle. Elizabeth Graves was b. 5 Mar 1746 at St. Paul’s Parish, Kent Co., MD, where many births took place, including the birth of Mary Green on 28 Apr 1725. John Tittle was b. 1748 in Queen Anne’s Co., MD, and d. 6 Aug 1792. See details about St. Paul’s Church. Sarah’s maiden name was none of those listed above.

The 1800 census might let us know more about the whereabouts of Sarah in 1790. Of all the neighbors listed above, only Thomas Ellison shows in the 1800 in Kent Co., MD, but no Elbon is listed at all in 1800.

Searching for the surname of “a” Sarah born ca. 1750 in Kent Co., MD, we find 110 hits. Some of these moved out of the state or just don’t fit the criteria, but possibilities are:

Sarah Murray, b. 12 Nov 1747 at Saint Paul’s Parish, Kent Co., MD, dau. of William and Ann Murray; however, she m. John Thomas.

About 111 women with the forename Sarah appear in Maryland born 1740-1760 and are listed in the 1776 Maryland Colonial Census, but by the year 1776, Sarah would have already been married and using the name Elbon. The only one close to an Elbon in the 1776 Maryland Colonial Census is William Elburd of Nanocoake, Dorchester Co., MD, living with a female age 30-40 and 7 Negroes. He was probably born ca. 1734.

Sarah is in the middle column and about in the middle of that column.

1820 Census

For all census records of the Elburn, Elbourn, and Elbourne families in Maryland, see Census Records.

Name	Location	#
Ruben Elban	Evensham, Scott Co., VA 1 male under 10, 1 male 16-18, 1 male 16-26, engaged in agriculture or manufacture 1 male 45+, b. before 1775, Ruben engaged in agriculture or manufacture 1 female 26-44, b. 1776-1794	5
John Elben	Southampton, Bedford Co., PA 1 male 45+, b. before 1775, John engaged in agriculture 1 female 26-44, b. 1776-1794 1 female 45+	3
Saml Elben	Thornbury, Delaware Co., PA 1 free colored male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, Samuel 1 free colored female 26-44	2
Wm Elben	Falls, Muskingum Co., OH 2 males 0-10 = born 1810-1820, John and William Jr. 1 male 10-15 = born 1804-1810, Reuben 1 male 26-44 = William Elben, head, b. 1776-1794 2 females 10-15 = born 1804-1810, Mary + one other 1 female 26-44 = Margaret Dush, wife, age 33	7
John Elbin	District 7, Allegany Co., MD 1 male under 10 1 male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, engaged in agriculture 1 male 45+, b. before 1775, John engaged in agriculture 1 female 10-15 3 females 16-25 1 female 45+,	8
Reuben Elbin	District 8, Allegany Co., MD 1 male under 10 2 male 10-15 1 male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, Reuben engaged in agriculture 1 male 45+, b. before 1775 1 female 26-44	6
William Elbourn	Chestertown, Kent Co., MD 2 males under 10, b. 1810-1820 1 male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, William, foreigner not naturalized 1 male slave under 14, born after 1806	4
William Elbourne	District 2, Kent Co., MD 2 males under 10, b. 1810-1820 1 male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, William engaged in manufacture 1 female 26-44 1 free colored female 26-44	5
William Elburn	Columbia Furnace, Shenandoah Co., VA 1 male 16-20, b. 1800-1804 1 male 26-44, b. 1776-1794, William engaged in agriculture 1 female 26-44, Catharine Rohrer/Rorer	3
James Elbern	District 1, Kent Co., MD 2 males 10-15, b. 1805-1810, John and James 2 males under 10, b. 1810-1820, George and unk. 1 male 45+, James, b. before 1775 1 female under 10, b. 1810-1820, unknown 1 female 10-15, b. 1805-1810, Ann and Juliann 1 female 16-25, b. 1795-1804, unknown, but born 1800 as marriage was in 1799 1 female 45+, b. before 1775, wife Elizabeth Covington, she may have died soon afterwards. 1 male slave, 14-25	10