Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Christmas Book

For five years now, I've made a book for my great-nieces' and nephew's Christmas present. Of the four books I've made so far, two are family stories and two are about animals (cats in New Orleans and wild animals in Sewanee).

This year's book focuses on their names and their family histories. As a result, I've done a lot of research, especially about the Coulbourns (also spelled Coulbourne) of the Delmarva Peninsula on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. My mother's mother was a Coulbourn, a descendent of a long line of Anglican Marylanders tracing their family back to the first William Coulbourn who came to America in the early 17th century. She was even born in the Coulbourn(e) family 1820 house (it still stands) on 400+ acres of the original 1400+ acre property (on which an earlier house stood) deeded to William after he left Virginia, having been found guilty of consorting with Quakers.

Among many online documents are William Coulbourn's 1689 will and estate inventory, listing three shirts, three pairs of drawers, two pairs of britches, three pairs of stockings, two pairs of shoes, three swords, two guns, six books, a looking glass, six oxen, eleven cows and calves, two horses, two sows, six hogs, twelve ewes, thirteen lambs, five feather beds and two blankets, two sets of window curtains, and other household goods. In his will, he bequeaths five slaves to various family members. Even though his inventory seems meager by today's material standards, when he died he was among the richest men in Somerset County. His wealth, valued at 255 pounds sterling, was higher than that of all but two other men.

What I have discovered, beyond the things of his life, are these revealing and contradictory details: he was a Quaker sympathizer who freely broke religious laws but supported the king and owned slaves; he was a sheriff
who signed one of the first peace treaties with the Nanticoke Indians; he was a self-made man who died wealthy; and his name lives on in hundreds of families along the Eastern Shore and throughout the United States.
As I read about him, I think about my grandmother Dear, who told me her family stories about the Coulbourns and the Roaches (another Eastern Shore family from whom she descended), the family homes Pomfret and Makepeace, and her forebears and cousins (including Margaret Mitchell of Gone with the Wind fame). I find myself wishing I had listened more carefully, but children rarely do. That's why I decided to give family history to the children for Christmas. Some day they will have what I don't: a gift of memory.

3 comments:

LWaples said...

Good Afternoon,
I came across your blog after doing some research of my own on the Coulbournes. You see, I believe I am a descendent of the slaves the Coulbournes owned. My maternal grandfather's last name is Coulbourne and he was a resident of Crisfield and Marion Station in Somerset County, MD. for most of his life. His brothers and sisters also made their homes there and most of them are buried there now. As my grandfather and his siblings all passed away when I was a child, I have no way of going through my family history except via the Internet. So far I have done well finding information and was glad to read that you are making your familiy's information available to your grandchildren. I am the mother of three and I am working on having somewhat of a family history for them to pass on to their children.

Robley H said...

Ms. Waples, I would love to communicate with you. There are many Coulbournes still living on the Eastern Shore, and there are, I understand, entire books about them and their relations. How lovely that you found me! My grandmother, as you read, descended from Coulbournes and Roaches, as well as other English families who settled the Eastern Shore. There is a local museum with records, I believe, in Crisfield. I have never been there myself but would like to visit one day. Thank you so much for commenting! I hope to hear from you. Would you send me an email?

Unknown said...

Hi Robley & Waples,

Wow I am so glad I came across this blog. I was starting to feel like my family wasn't important enough for a family tree because I could only find one cousin doing a tree other then my myself.

My fathers father was Victor C Coulbourn & he was married to Bertha Mae Eskridge.

I have a granddaughter that loves history. She (Aubrey) tells me that she will carry on this tree when I'm gone. I am also doing books for all the kids.

I would love to hook up with both of you if possible. Sounds like we could be related. I'm really hoping to find cousins etc. My father & two of his brothers are still with me but they don't remember a lot as they are 85, 84, & 83. I just recieved a DNA kit in the mail and hoping that will help me some. Now to just get one of them to do it for me. lol

I would love to get ahold of some of the books if you know the names of them. I am trying to set up a tour for Pomfret but to no avail right now. They aren't calling me back. I would love to go there. My email address is marybeth913@gmail.com

Thank you,
MaryBeth (Coulbourn) Moore