Brittania <I>Smallwood</I> Vize

Brittania Smallwood Vize

Birth
Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, USA
Death 24 Nov 1857 (aged 69)
Union County, Kentucky, USA
Burial Saint Vincent, Union County, Kentucky, USA
Memorial ID 7715998 · View Source
Suggest Edits

Mary Gough, the daughter of Benjamin Gough & Susanna Norris, was born 24 June 1762 in St. Mary’s Co, MD. She was named in her father’s 1774 Will along with her brothers Charles and Jeremiah, and sisters Rebeckah and Britannia. Records of their births are found in the records of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Leonardtown, MD & St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Mary’s Co, MD. On May 13, 1787 Mary Gough married Basil Smallwood at St. John’s Parish, a Protestant Episcopal church in Prince Georges Co, MD. In earlier decades this church was known as Piscataway Parish [Register located at the Protestant Episcopal Library, Baltimore, MD].

According to the History of Union Co, KY [p 661], Basil Smallwood was born in Alexandria, VA and is said to have been a sea captain who lived in Alexandria, VA. In 1790, after his marriage to Mary Gough, we find Basil & Mary listed in the Charles Co, MD census along with a son & daughter Brittania, both under the age of sixteen. Also listed is one slave. It is stated in the 1886 History of Union Co, KY that Basil was “lost at sea.” Basil is not found in any other census.

Mary Smallwood is then found in the 1800 census of Charles Co, MD, in the township of St Georges Parish and Pomonkey Hundred. It is interesting to note that Mary Smallwood is found listed in the Baltimore Directory and Citizens’ Register, for the years 1807 & 1808. Her address was “Eutaw between Lumbard street and Whiskey alley.” In the 1814-15 Directory her address is listed as “Bottle alley, near Howard street.” In 1816 her address is the “corner of South Howard & Camden streets.” In 1819 the address is “South Howard north of Camden.” It is important to note that during this same period, 1816, is found William Vize, “tobacconist,” living on “Barre Between Hanover and Sharp Streets.” In 1817 William T. Vize, “tobacconist,” is listed at “82 Camden.”

Basil & Mary Gough Smallwood’s daughter, Brittania ran off and married William Theodore Vize against the wishes of the Smallwood family. They married 11 Jun 1808 in Baltimore, MD. [Baltimore Evening Post]. According to interviews with siblings Theodore Francis Thomas & Verena Thomas Lansden, great grandchildren of William & Brittania, Brittania was disowned by the Smallwood family for marrying William Vize, “who drank and was Catholic.” Verena Lansden related that William was “a peddler who sold nutmegs, cinnamon, buttons, pins and the like. He had a regular route.” Theodore F Thomas used the term “tinker.” William was also a tobacco farmer.

Brittania and William Vize’s first child, Serena, was born 12 Apr 1809 in Baltimore and was baptized at the Basilica of the Assumption, in Baltimore, on 20 Aug 1809. Her sponsor was her grandmother Mary Smallwood. Hanna Vize was born 21 Dec 1812 and baptized 7 Jan 1813. Her sponsor was Clinton Vize. I found another child of William & Brittania listed in the Cathedral records-William DeCoursey Vize. He was born 24 Mar 1816 and was baptized 22 Jul 1816; sponsor-James Claypoole. In all, Brittania & William Vize had ten children. Two children died before 1823-Hanna and William DeCoursey Vize.

Mary Gough Smallwood and the William Theodore Vize family moved to Washington Co, KY in the late 1810’s, early 1820’s. Mary Gough Smallwood’s two brothers, Charles & Jeremiah Gough, & their families also removed to Washington County at this time.

Mary Smallwood must still have had some lingering doubts about her son-in-law, William Theodore Vize, as evidenced from the wording of the indenture she entered on 26 Apr 1823 into the Washington County court records [Deed BK H:193, Washington Co, KY].

William Vize and family are listed in the 1830 Washington Co, KY census. In 1831 both William T and Brittania signed for their daughter, Beatrix, to marry Stephen Pike. The Vizes are listed in the 1840 Marion Co, KY census. Sometime in the 1840’s they moved near Morganfield, Union Co, KY and are listed in the 1850 & 1860 censuses of that county where William is listed as a farmer. William died in 1863 & is buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery next to Brittania. His tombstone is no longer visible. Mary Araminta Barker Thomas & her sister Ursula Martina Barker reported seeing it when they walked to school at St Vincent. I saw the footstone inscribed “WM” in the early 1970’s. Brittania’s tombstone is still standing. -Karen Neeley Thomas

10 children of Brittania & William Vize:
Mary Serena Vize Milbourn
Beatrix Vize Pike
Hanna Vize
Charles Vize
William DeCoursey Vize
Ellen Elizabeth Vize Fenwick
Jerome Smallwood Vize
James Benjamin Vize
Isabella Vize Coleman
Eliza Vize Drury


Family Members


Advertisement

See more Vize or Smallwood memorials in:

Sponsor and Remove Ads

Advertisement

  • Maintained by: Karen Thomas
  • Originally Created by: Mary Thomas
  • Added: 27 Jul 2003
  • Find a Grave Memorial 7715998
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed ), memorial page for Brittania Smallwood Vize (18 Apr 1788–24 Nov 1857), Find a Grave Memorial no. 7715998, citing Sacred Heart Cemetery, Saint Vincent, Union County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by Karen Thomas (contributor 47522396) .