John COURTS

                   Name Suffix: II REFN644 JOHN COURTS II (9th Great-grandfather of Kelsey Elizabeth Denkers) married Charity Henley an d was referred to in the will of Robert Henley, dated February 15, 1683, in Charles County, M aryland as "my well-beloved son-in-law." JOHN COURTS II of Charles County, Maryland in September, 1689, was named in an ordinanc e for regulating civil affairs and was appointedone of the Justices of the Quorum. Sir Lione l Copley, the first Governor of Maryland, appointed by the Crown, arrived in St. Mary's, Mary land in 1691. Instructions to Gov. Lionel Copley, August 26, 1691---"Where being arrived yo u areforthwith to call together the members of our Council for that our Province andTerrito ry by name." Sir Thomas Lawrence, Kt. and Bart. Henry Jowles, John Addison, Nehemiah Blackist on, Nicholas Greenbury, Charles Hutchins, Charles Robotham, David Browne, Thomas Tench, Joh n Coates. James Frisby, Thomas Brooks, ESQ. In September, 1691, JOHN COURTS II was named "in ye list of good, honest, substantial Pr otestants in Maryland" sent to London and was recommended as a suitable person to be a membe r of the Governor's Council. He was selected and served as a member of the Council from 169 1 to 1702. The Honorable Captain JOHN COURTS was appointed by the governor on November 15, 1692, a s one of the Justices of a special court held at St. Mary's City which was the capital of Mar ylanduntil it was moved to Annapolis in 1695. William and Mary (Pickawaxon) Parishof the Church of England was established in 1692. I n the court records of Charles County, Maryland, it is recorded: "Bounds of Pickawaxon Parish . Beginningat the plantation of JOHN COURTS, Senior, and running with a straight line to th e plantation formerly Samuel Creesayes Landing, the said COURTS on the northside of the sai d line and the said Creesayes on the south side of the said line and bounding with the Potoma c River to the mouth of the Wiccocomico River and so up the Wiccocomico River to the head o f said river and with the branch thereof to the said COURTS Point." Colonel JOHN COURTS II  s erved from 1693 until 1697 as a Vestryman of William and Mary Parish, Christ Church, the Pari sh Church of William and Mary (Pickawaxon) Parish is located in Wayside, Maryland. On March 17, 1702, Governor Nathaniel Blackiston sent a bill to the Lower Housefor esta blishing religious worship in Maryland according to the Church of England. The Council record s show that on March 20, 1702, "Came Major Dent and Mr.Edward Lloyd from the House to desir e a conference of some members of their house with some members of the Council upon the bil l proposed for establishmentof religious worship within this province, which conference wa s readily granted when they shall see fit. Col. Addison, Col. COURTS, Mr. Brooks, and Col.Hammond appointed to confer with the members assigned by the House." JOHN COURTS II served from 1689 until 1695 as a Captain in the Colonial forces and fro m 1695 to 1702 as a Colonel. His will was dated March 14, 1702, in Charles County, Maryland . He owned some 2,260 acres of land.