There seems to be a great deal of confusion r.e. the OTWELL or OTTWELL family of Somerset & Worcester Co Maryland. I'm hoping that by presenting actual records, which are now available on the Maryland State Archives webpage, people will begin to correct some of the genealogical errors that have been continually copied into online trees.
Note that when individuals are listed as "Dependents"in these tax lists, it does NOT mean they are children of the tax payer. It only means they live on the land owned by the tax payer, or in the same household as the taxpayer.
All male residents over age 15 were recorded on the Somerset Co MD tax lists. Women land owners also made it onto the lists, occasionally.
Also note that the use of "Sr" and "Jr' does not neccessarily mean "father & son", but possibly "older & younger".
It does not appear that the OTWELL family owned slaves during this time period. It appears from the records that they rented houses or land some of the years, or perhaps were tenant farmers (?). They occasionally appear in households of other individuals, such as JOHN TOWNSEND or ROBERT GIBBS. This by itself does not indicate a familial relationship, but it's worth checking out.
In 1742, Pocomoke Hundred where the OTWELL's lived became part of newly formed Worcester County Maryland. The OTWELLs do not appear in Somerset Co Maryland tax lists after 1740.
1723 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL head, taxed; household 46
--CHARLES OTWELL dependent, household 46
1724 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed; household 129
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr dependent, household 129
--CHARLES OTWELL dependent, household 129
1725 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr, head, taxed; household 171
--CHARLES OTWELL, dependent, household 171
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr, dependent, household 171
1727 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed, household 4
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr dependent, household 4
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent, household 4
--ROBERT GIBBS, head, taxed; household 149
--CHARLES OTWELL dependent, household 149
1728 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr, head, taxed; household 154
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent, household 154
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr, dependent, household 154
(no CHARLES OTWELL listed, but much of this tax list is apparently illegible, according to the Maryland Archives website)
1729 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr head, taxed, household 125
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent, household 125
--JOHN TOWNSEND Jr head, taxed, household 86
--JOHN TOWNSEND (son), dependent, household 86
--CHARLES OTWELL, dependent household 86
(no FRANCIS OTWELL Sr listed, but much of this tax list is apparently illegible, according to the Maryland Archives website)
1730 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed household 20
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent household 20
--JOHN TOWNSEND Jr head, taxed, household 29
--JOHN TOWNSEND (son), dependent, household 29
--CHARLES OTWELL, dependent household 29
--ARTHUR WARNICK head, taxed, household 35
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr dependent, household 35
1731 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--JOHN DENNIS, head, taxed, household 40
--FRANCIS OTWELL (Sr) dependent household 40
--3 slaves, dependents, KINGSTON, JO & CALEME
--JOHN TOWNSEND Jr head, taxed, household 44
--JOHN TOWNSEND (son), dependent, household 44
--CHARLES OTWELL, dependent household 44
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr head, taxed, household 139
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent, household 139
1733 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed, household 171
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, household 172
--JOHN TOWNSEND Jr head, taxed, household 182
--JOHN TOWNSEND (son) dependent, household 182
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr, dependent, household 182
1734 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--DORMAN DONOHO head, taxed, housheold 40
--SAMUEL COOPER, dependent, household 40
--FRANCIS OTWELL, dependent, household 40
--FRANCIS OTWELL (Sr?) head, taxed, household 105
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, household 109
1735 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed household 259
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed household 263
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr dependent, household 263
(no SOLOMON OTWELL?)
1736 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, househodl 167
--FRANCIS OTWELL (Jr) head, taxed, household 168
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent household 168
--EDMUND DICKERSON head, taxed, household 189
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr dependent, household 189
1737 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed, household 67
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr dependent household 67
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent household 67
--CHARLES OTWELL, head, taxed, household 68
1738 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--MARY ANDERSON, head, taxed, household 118
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr dependent household 118
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr head, taxed, household 133
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent housheold 133
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, household 134
1739 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCIS OTWELL Sr head, taxed, household 43
--WILLIAM OTWELL (great grandson?) dependent household 43
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, household 44
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr head, taxed, household 122
--MARSHALL TOWNSEND, dependent, household 122
1740 TAX LIST POCOMOKE HUNDRED, SOMERSET CO MARYLAND
--FRANCES OTWELL Sr head, taxed, household 53
--WILLIAM OTWELL (great grandson?) dependent household 53
--CHARLES OTWELL head, taxed, household 54
--FRANCIS OTWELL Jr head, taxed, household 68
--SOLOMON OTWELL dependent, household 68
--EDMUND DAUGHERTY dependent, household 68
Have a great day!
Betty
© Betty Tartas 2014
