THOMAS BOARMAN MUDD (circa 1707 – 1750)

Thomas Boarman Mudd was probably known in his early life as Thomas Mudd (since few Charles County men were found with middle names in the early 18th century).  This would make him Thomas Mudd III.  He likely adopted the middle name Boarman late in his life to avoid confusion with his first cousin of a similar age, Thomas Mudd son of Henry Mudd.  Documents in Charles County did not show “Thomas Boarman Mudd” until about 1746 and 1747 at which time some of the documents were edited to reveal “Boarman,” which was squeezed in above Thomas Mudd at some point after having been originally written "Thomas Mudd."  Below, the biography will identify him as Thomas Boarman Mudd throughout his life so as to make the story easier to follow.

The common date of birth assigned to Thomas Boarman Mudd ranges between 1707 and 1709 (must be from a document somewhere but I have not seen it yet).  If this date is accurate, he was the first son (but not the oldest child, from the order sons were written in father’s 1739 will) of Thomas Mudd II and his first wife Rebecca Giles-Wright-Lowe-Mudd.  Mother Rebecca appears to have been much older than father Thomas Mudd II and Thomas Boarman Mudd would have had some older step-siblings (same mother and different father).  While still only a youngster, Thomas Boarman Mudd’s mother died about 1709.  Therefore, Thomas Boarman Mudd probably never really knew his older step-siblings (as they were moved to live with their father's family).  Probably in 1710 or 1711, father Thomas Mudd II married Cassandra.  Cassandra was believed to have been a Warburton (Note: I have looked everywhere and find no “Warburton” family members in the Maryland area – wonder if this name somehow connects to “Warburton Manor” which was the home of the Digges family at this time in Prince Georges County).  From an early age, Thomas Boarman Mudd was raised by his step-mother Cassandra Mudd and was likely the only mother he ever knew.  From later records, he seems to have had at minimum a cordial relationship with her (he paid her damages according to a 1747 document). 

By 1710, Thomas Boarman Mudd was living in St. Mary’s County, just south of Charles County with his father Thomas Mudd II and step-mother Cassandra Mudd.  The connection to St, Mary's County is unclear (why did they moved from St. Mary's County to Charles County?), whether it was related to land owned by family or through marriage to Cassandra.  Thomas Boarman Mudd was still living in St. Mary’s County by 1715 and possibly was there throughout his childhood and into early adulthood (no records revealing the location of this family are found between 1715 and 1727).


Port Tobacco in Charles County was the center of commerce for the entire area.  An area known as Warehouse Landing a short distance down Port Tobacco Creek from Port Tobacco town was also called the Naval Port of Entry.  At this location, planters sent and loaded hogsheads of tobacco for trade that was sent to England.  Newport at the Wicomoco River was southeast of Port Tobacco near the St. Mary’s County line.  Bryantown can just be seen near the headwaters of the Zekiah Swamp.

The first true indication of the Mudd family locations are recorded in a 1733 Charles County tax record when Thomas Boarman Mudd was about 25 years of age.  Only four Mudd’s were identified in Charles County:

Thomas Mudd            Port Tobacco   2 taxables        -Thomas Mudd II (c1680-1739)
Henry Mudd               Newport          3 taxables        -Henry Mudd (c1685-1736)
John Mudd                 Newport          1 taxable          -John Mudd (c1695-1756)
Thomas Mudd            Newport          2 taxables        -Thomas Mudd (son of Henry)

This 1733 tax record reveals that – not all the Mudds were in Charles County that are expected to be there.  The Newport Mudds were certainly brothers Henry and John Mudd and the additional Thomas Mudd is assumed to be Henry Mudd’s oldest son Thomas Mudd, born about 1707.  These Mudds were known to have all lived closer to Bryantown.  Their land was probably the St. Catherine’s tract which in a later document was identified at Newport.  Missing is Henry Mudd, believed to be the eldest Henry Mudd child, though he could have been a tithable in the household of father Henry Mudd or brother Thomas Mudd.  Henry Mudd’s son Bennett Mudd could also have been another tithable in these households.

The Thomas Mudd household located in Port Tobacco (in the 1733 record) was certainly located at Hall’s Place, known to have been near Port Tobacco (though interestingly close to Newport, according to the map above – his tract Brierwood was also known to be in the Port Tobacco Hundred).  His neighbor (according to the next person taxed) was William McPherson, later connected to the Mudd tract known as Brierwood.  The Thomas Mudd in 1733 Port Tobacco could have been either Thomas Mudd II or Thomas Boarman Mudd.  Most likely the Port Tobacco Thomas Mudd was Thomas Mudd II and the additional tithable was either Thomas Boarman Mudd or one of his younger brothers James or Jeremiah.  James and Jeremiah Mudd were thought to have been born before 1709 (children of Thomas Mudd II and Rebecca Mudd).  However, others believe they may have been born later and may not have been old enough to be a tithable (a tithable in 1733 would have been born before 1715).  The Thomas Mudd II family was connected to land in St. Mary’s County and even Prince Georges County so these locations could account for the missing Mudds.

The 1739 will of Thomas Mudd II of Charles County, Maryland (written 25 July 1739 and probated 23 November 1739) provided for Thomas Boarman Mudd as it did each of his additional adult and minor children, and wife Cassandra.  However, something about the will did not sit well with Thomas Boarman Mudd and the probate discloses his official renouncement of the Thomas Mudd II will.  He and stepmother Cassandra Mudd were named executors but due to the renouncement, the will was administered solely by Casandra Mudd.  In December 1739, Cassandra Mudd was acting on her duties as executor along with the only next of kin mentioned in the administration at the time – James Mudd and John Mudd. 

Several years later, the administration of the Thomas Mudd II will continued.  Cassandra Mudd was still the acting executor though then, Thomas Boarman Mudd seems to have joined the fray.  In July 1742, Thomas Boarman Mudd was a surety for the will administration, distributing payments for his stepmother to those owed by his deceased father’s estate.  One of those receiving payment was Thomas Boarman Mudd’s brother James Mudd.  He also was testator for the probate of Charles County planter John Gardiner Sr.  (Note: Cassandra Mudd was mentioned in the inventory for former Charles County Sheriff Samuel Hanson Sr. in 1742)

During the years following his father’s death, Thomas Boarman Mudd made a reappearance in the Charles County records.  In 1741 and 1742, he petitioned the state of Maryland to reexamine the boundaries of Hall’s Place.  Hall’s Place must have passed from father to oldest son.  Then on 27 March 1745, Thomas Boarman Mudd (called Thomas Mudd) leased for one year 450 acres known as Hall’s Place (which was described as a part of William Boarman’s Manor) to Marsham Queen.  While Hall’s Place was reexamined for Thomas Boarman Mudd, the last remaining tracts of land in the Maryland Colony was ceded by Native Americans to the Maryland Assembly.  Maryland residents would have less concern over potential Native American depredations though settlers just over the western borders would continue to deal with danger for decades.

A series of legal issues plagued Thomas Boarman Mudd for the next few years.  In August 1746, at the time known as a planter in Charles County, records reveal that he owed 12,200 pounds of “good sound merchantable tobacco in cask” to Cornelius Sandford, a Charles County inn keeper.  Thomas Clarke (probably a distant cousin) represented Thomas Boarman Mudd as his attorney on the case which was ruled in favor of Mr. Sandford.  This document shows the first mention of Thomas Boarman Mudd’s middle name.  One might infer that the designation of a middle name was important to public officials if Thomas Mudd had returned to Charles County resulting in two men who would be called “Thomas Mudd, planter of Charles County” (cousin Thomas Mudd was living nearby).  Therefore the middle name for the younger Thomas Mudd – Thomas “Boarman” Mudd – would help avoid confusion.

As a planter, Thomas Boarman Mudd is separated from those men known as farmers.  A farmer denotes an individual who generally planted a variety of crops on land that may be rented or owned.  A farm could include small or large acreage and was usually worked by the farmer and (if any) a smaller number of slaves.  In comparison, a planter owned a plantation which generally was known for a specific crop, which in Port Tobacco was, of course, tobacco.  Everything was large for the planter – the acreage, the home, and the slave labor.

In April 1747, Thomas Boarman Mudd sold his brother James Mudd, who was at the time was also a planter in Charles County, the 650 acre tract known as Brierwood in northwest Charles County at the Mattawoman River.  The document stated Henry Mudd was already in possession of the land.  Once again, Thomas Boarman Mudd is identified as a planter of Charles County and the document was signed as “Thomas Boarman Mudd.”  Brierwood as a whole and by parcel appears to have been sold and leased many times over the previous 40 or 50 years.  Though the language in this deed seems final, Thomas Boarman Mudd appeared to retain some ownership in the tract.  Also, James Mudd only paid Thomas Boraman Mudd five pounds for the 650 acres so it may have been a lease.

Charles County high sheriff Samuel Hansen took Thomas Boarman Mudd into custody in June 1747 to ensure his would appear in court as Charles Town (actually Port Tobacco, an attempt to rename the town failed and it resumed as Port Tobacco).  Mudd had been accused by Timothy Maccan (McCann) of trespassing.  The case dragged on until November 1748.  Henry Darnell acted as Thomas Boarman Mudd’s attorney during the Charles Town court activities and a final judgment went against Mudd.  He was ordered to pay Maccan 1,200 pounds of tobacco.

The widowed stepmother Cassandra Mudd had not remarried and must have continued living at a Thomas Mudd II estate, most likely Hall’s Place.  As he had done earlier in the decade, Thomas Boarman Mudd once again acted as security for his stepmother in July 1747.  This time, she had some issues that led to her being charged with damages and destruction of property.  The court ruled that Cassandra Mudd was accountable for the damages and as security, Thomas Boarman Mudd was charged to pay Charles County high sheriff Samuel Hansen Jr. 2,450 pounds of tobacco for compensation.  She had previously refused to make amends for the situation and stepson Thomas Boarman Mudd handled to issue.  (Note: A Cassandra Wood, family member of Thomas Boarman Mudd, was mentioned in a 1751 document with other Thomas Boarman Mudd brothers and sisters.  Did widow Cassandra Mudd marry a Wood between 1747 and 1751 or did daughter Cassandra Mudd marry a Wood.  The marriage of daughter Cassandra seems more likely.  However, a Cassandra Mudd was mentioned in an 1800 Charles County will as a witness which could not have been stepmother Cassandra – too old.  There must have been another Cassandra Mudd?)

Thomas Boarman Mudd was still recognized as a planter in Charles County.  Mudd also sold a 50 acre tract, unknown location, in Charles County to Joseph Gardiner Jr. for 9,000 pounds (this deed included the middle name Boarman inserted after the fact on Thomas Mudd’s name).  This tract is believed to have been part of the Carnarvon tract (Joseph Gardiner paid rent to the crown for 50 acres of the Brierwood tract in 1753). Thomas Boarman Mudd made the same lease in the same year for 100 acres on the Brierwood tract to Benjamin Maccatee (McAtee) and William Clements (signed by “Thomas Mudd”).  Part of their deal was that they would plant 100 apple trees and avoid wasting the timber. 

The brother of Thomas Boarman Mudd was also the target of intended tobacco payments in the court documents.  In December 1748, James Mudd was charged to pay Richard Gilbert 3,330 pounds of tobacco.  Mentioned in the record was Thomas Boarman Mudd (called Thomas Mudd) and younger brother William Mudd.  Another brother Jeremiah Mudd leased 100 acres of Brierwood beginning in 1748 from Thomas Boarman Mudd for 15 years.  Thomas Boarman Mudd would receive 800 pounds of tobacco each year during that time.  Part of the lease deal was that Thomas Boarman Mudd was provide upkeep and repairs on the land, including maintaining the buildings, fences, and poles. 

In 1749 and 1750, Thomas Boarman Mudd sold long time neighbor William McPherson three tracts of land.  On 14 June 1749 he sold a 100 acre tract to McPherson for 10,000 pounds of tobacco.  Then on 21 April 1750 he sold McPherson two tracts.  McPherson paid Mudd 9,375 pounds of tobacco for a 75 acre tract and also an undisclosed amount for a 650 acre tract.  This land is an enigma as the Mudd tract of Brierwood was 650 acres in size but it was sold to James Mudd earlier and later, his descendants were in ownership of much of that tract by name).  Evidence from other later documents seem to confirm the land as Brierwood.  McPherson left 175 acres to his children after his death in 1751.  James Mudd, whom Thomas Boarman Mudd sold the entire Brierwood tract in 1747, had family members who were taxed on land identified as Carnarvon in 1783, about 425 acres (however, a Thomas Mudd paid rent to the crown – maybe tax? – in 1753 for 425 acres of land known as Brierwood, as did William McPherson for 175 acres – both of those men had died two years earlier).  Along with 50 acres old in 1747 to Joseph Gardiner, the entire 650 acre Brierwood tract is accounted for.

Very little is recorded about a Thomas Boarman Mudd family.  Descendants have identified him as the husband of Sophia Mudd.  She is known to have had Joshua Mudd – the common ancestor for many Mudd descendants.  The primary connection is the mention of a will and inventory in the Charles County court records of 1751.  In that year, the Thomas Boarman Mudd will was established by widow Sophia Mudd.  Also mentioned in the will were William Mudd (TBM’s brother), Cassandra Wood (TBM’s stepmother or sister), Jeremiah Mudd (TBM’s brother), and George Tarvin (deceased brother in law and husband of sister Eleanor Mudd).  No children were mentioned, presumably because the children, if any, were minors.  Also, no actual will has been seen to show exactly what this will revealed.  (Note: The Cassandra Wood mentioned is unknown – stepmother was still a widow in 1742

The first known communication (to me) of Thomas Boarman Mudd’s death and his will was on 18 May 1751.  Sophia Mudd, called the widow of Thomas Boarman Mudd, brought a petition before Maryland Governor Samuel Ogle and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly.  They “prayed leave to bring bill to establish the will of Thomas Boarman Mudd late of Charles County deceased which will it is alleged a certain George Tarvin deceased stole from off the table of the said Thomas Boarman Mudd before the execution thereof.”  Translated, this may state that Thomas Boarman Mudd had a will but it was taken or stolen by George Tarvin after Mudd died and then died himself.  The petition was rejected and recommended to be taken before a court of equity.  No other information has been found as to the result of that petition or will.  There was however an inventory that was dated 2 July 1751 but that has not been seen either.  It is interesting to note that surety duties for the George Tarvin estate in 1751 were performed by the executors of the Thomas Boarman Mudd will, according to a petition that was presented to the Upper House of Maryland on 24 May 1751.  These activities were also rejected by the House.  George Tarvin was a former sheriff of Charles County.  George Tarvin is known to have died in 1750 (unknown primary source for that date) therefore Thomas Boarman Mudd must have died in 1750 if George Tarvin “stole” Mudd’s will prior to its probate. Also, the Mudd History Book reports his death date as between 27 April 1750 and 15 May 1750 which means there is probably several other documents I have not seen.  (Note: These records have not been seen, only summaries.  To further understand these records, the originals must be seen)

Sophia Mudd may have remained a widow for some time after the death of her husband Thomas Boarman Mudd.  A land document on 13 June 1769 reports that Suffier Mudd (Sophia Mudd) loaned her brother John Mudd Jr. a total of 180 pounds.  John Mudd Jr. put up property known as Carnarvon as collateral on this loan.  This would seem to confirm this Suffier Mudd here was the widow of Thomas Boarman Mudd and that John Mudd Jr. would have been her brother.  John Mudd Jr (from his father John Mudd Sr. who had originally been given 250 acres of Carnarvon by his father Thomas Mudd II) sold the remaining part of his Carnarvon land (about 120 acres) in 1783 (the actual ownership pedigree is confusing and not clear).

Though many Mudd descendants place Sophia Mudd’s date of birth closer to that of Thomas Boarman Mudd’ birth date, her actual birth would be closer to the years between 1725 and 1730.  Her parents John Mudd and Suffaner Smith Mudd (unverified surname) were likely married between 1720 and 1725, but certainly at some point before 1729 (document linking John and Suffaner).  Additionally, Sophia Mudd was reported to the Charles County court in March 1747 as having a child without a father which is believed to have been Joshua Mudd.  The actual record in the Charles County Court read:

“We also do present Sophia Mudd for bearing a base born child by the information of Henry Barnes, Constable.”

At the same time, Henry Barnes reported another base born child conceived by Rebekah Cole.  There were other base born children reported in Charles County in the same month by other county constables – John Douglas, Robert Gill, Richard Anderson, John Frankling, John Penn, and Mark McPherson – and by citizens John Sanders and John Moore.  It would seem that each of these women had to appear before the court for their “offense.”  Also Mary Castel reported that she was given a base born child by William Armstrong, who himself had to appear in court.  In all, 15 women gave birth to base born children this month.  So what does this mean?  Several possibilities can be ascertained from this information:

·    Thomas Boarman Mudd and Sophia Mudd were married at the time and she conceived a child when her husband could not have been the father, due to rape or during his absence for some period of time during conception.
·   Sophia Mudd could have been unmarried and young and had a baby with an unknown man, followed by a marriage to Thomas Boarman Mudd who took the child and mother in.
·        Sophia Mudd could have been unmarried and young and had a child with Thomas Boarman Mudd prior to their marriage.

I would like to think that the third scenario was correct.  If so, Joshua Mudd would have been the oldest child and there would only have been time for one or two more children before Thomas Boarman Mudd’s death in 1751.  This may also explain her extended widowhood, as the mother of a child fathered prior to marriage.  The stigma may have warded off potential suitors.  She may have also remained a widow to have access to her husband’s land.

And so, Sophia Mudd appeared to live for many years after Thomas Boarman Mudd’s death as a widow.  Her alleged mother Suffaner Mudd was the administrator for her husband John Mudd’s will in 1756.  Sophia Mudd’s brothers Clement Mudd and John Mudd were mother Suffaner Mudd’s securities in November 1756 for distribution of estate.  The in December 1756 Clement Mudd and John Mudd conducted the inventory of their father’s estate for Suffaner Mudd (the inventory was filed 8 February 1757).  Mother Suffaner (spelled Sufaner in this record) Mudd was alive and filed an overpayment account in Charles County court 2 April 1760.  Also in 1760, Suffaner Mudd was sued regarding her husband’s estate and Suffaner Mudd won the suit.  Suffaner Mudd appears to have a record in Maryland probates for 1760 Charles County but this record may not have indicated her death (Liber 44, folio 355; believe this was actually the overpayment account filing).  (Note: I think it more likely that Suffaner Mudd died at some time after 1760)

The children assigned to Thomas Boarman Mudd are relatively constant among current family histories though the evidence is very circumstantial.  Joshua Mudd must have been the first child born in 1747.  Since Thomas Boarman Mudd died in 1750, he probably had, at the most, two additional children.  A Francis Mudd has been thought to have been another son, born between 1745 and 1750 (I have not seen any resource that connects Francis to Thomas Boarman and Sophia Mudd) who later lived in Prince Georges County and died there 3 July 1777.  Another child attributed to Thomas Boarman and Sophia Mudd is Ann Mudd, who would have been born also between 1745 and 1750.  On 6 July 1781, the widow Sophia (Sophronia) Mudd, “for the natural love I have for my daughter Ann Mudd,” gave her all of her estate consisting of livestock, household furniture, goods, and chattels.  The deed of gift was signed by Sophia Mudd with her mark, revealing her inability to read and write.  This Ann Mudd could have been her new daughter-in-law Ann Neale Smith-Mudd who had married her son Joshua Mudd sometime around 1775 to 1781.

Sophia must have lived with her son Joshua Mudd in 1790 (Joshua Mudd had two white adult females in his home).  Between 1790 and 1800, Sophia Mudd likely passed away.  Descendants report her death as 1797 though I have yet to see this evidence (may be in county records I have not accessed).  In 1801, the Chancery Court of Maryland reported a case between Joshua Mudd (plaintiff) and Jeroboam Beauchamp and John Smith (defendants) in Charles County regarding the estate of Sophia Mudd.