Very little is known about John. The only real sources we have are the will of Peter Lamare and a marriage reference found by Denise ONeal at the LDS Library. John's birthdate is based on his spouse's birthdate of 1670. In the will of Peter Lamare, John is named as Peter's son-in-law, and John's son, Peter ONeale is named as Peter Lamare's Grandson.
For years we have wondered if
John was our immigrant ancestor. New evidence suggests that he might not
be. In the book REBEL ROSE, LIFE OF ROSE ONEAL GREENHOW, CONFEDERATE SPY
by Ishbel Ross, we find the following statement. "As an adult Rose boasted
of having Revolutionary blood in her veins. To prove it she traced her
Family Tree back to a Roman Catholic Colonist who landed on the Western
Shore in 1634." Rose Maria ONeale was the Great, Great Grandaughter of
John ONeale. (Rose, John, Laurence, William, John)
If this should prove to be the
case we can probably guess that the progenitor of our line in America was
John's Father or most probably his Grandfather. I base this statement on
John being born in 1670. If John's father was between 20 and 40 when John
was born, we can place his birth between 1630 and 1650. This would mean
that he either arrived on the Western Shore as a child, or that he was
born in America and his father (John's Grandfather) was the colonist who
arrived on the western Shore in 1634.
For many years it was believed that Ann Lamare was John's wife. However, if you read Peter's will carefully, you will find that Ann was not married to John.
See the following excerpts from Peter's will:
...that moveable estate shall be equally divided amongst my (loving) wife Frances Lemare Frances (sic) and my three daughters as namely Ann Lemare and Mary Lemare and Margaret Lemare and that they shall have their equal proportion at the age of sixteen years or on the day of their marriages.......(Note that Peter states here that his daughters Ann, Mary and Margaret are not yet 16 years old or married.)
Then you will find the following passage: .
.. I also give and bequeath unto my Grand Child Peter Owneill.... and that he shall posess and enjoy the same when he shall attain to the age of one and twenty years and also my will and pleasure is that my son in law Jos. Owneill shall possess the said plantation as soon as the said Joseph Edwards lease is expired and that he shall enjoy the same till the said Peter Owneill shall come to the aforesaid age....
Note that this second passage states that Peter Lamare has a son in law, John ONeale, and a grandson, Peter ONeale. I interpret this to mean that Peter had another daughter, who married our John and bore Peter ONeale. Since this daughter was already provided for, Peter did not leave anything to her specifically, and felt no need to mention her in his will.)
Only two childen of John and Miss Lemare have been found so far, they being Peter and William.
I've often wondered why more records don't exist on John. After reading some history of colonial America, it's a little easier to understand. The first real wave of colonists began to arrive in America in about the 1630's. A colinists first concern upon arrival in the New Country was with the day-to-day neccessities of frontier life. Clearing woods, building shelters, providing food for their families, etc. Churches and local governments, places where we go to find information, were few and far between. Then there were other problems, like Indian raids, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, etc. During these turbulent times in America's history churches and government offices were oft burned to the ground. After reading about some of the tumoltuous times Maryland went through in the early years, it's somewhat surprising that any records are left.
Below is some information on The Lamare Family.
1) Colonial History c. 1660 Prior
to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (October 17, 1665), four brothers
left France in the Mass Exodus of French Hugenots. They came to America
seeking religious freedom. The edict [once] granted civil rights to the
Hugenots. The Lamars anticipated this revocation however, and acquired
extensive land holdings in England and America by 1663.
The Ancestral home of the Lamar
family was near the village of Wirre' not far from Flanders. Two of the
four brothers, Thomas and Peter "Lamore" moved to England where they shortly
acquired considerable wealth as proven by the Will of Thomas Lamore, probated
in Maryland in 1714. Thomas and Peter emmigrated to Virginia but did not
stay long enough to be Naturalized. Naturalization was not instituted until
1649, this another act by Lord Baltimore.
Septermber 14, 1663 The Maryland
Provincial Assembly approved the petition for "petents de Dennizacon" to
Peter and Thomas Lamore of French Descent.
Novermber 17, 1664, Lord
Baltimore, on the 17th of the following November, granted a Certification
of Naturalization that is now to be seen in the Annapolis Land Records.
It States, "Whereas Thomas and Peter Lamore, late of Virginia and subject
to the Crown of France have transported themselves to this province here
to abide; have besaught us to grant the the said Thomas and Peter Lamore
leave to here inhabit as free denizens and freedoms land to them and their
heirs to purchase.
Know Ye that we, willing to
give encouragement to the subjects of the Crown do hereny declare the said
Thomas and Peter Lamore to be free dennizens of our Province of Maryland."
November 8, 1664, Thomas
and Peter Lamore were deeded land on the Petauxent River on the South Side
and binding upon St. Steven's Creek some 350 Acres. Here they immediatly
started to acquire more land and assumed the position as the most prominent
and wealthy planters of Calvert County, Maryland.
Novermber 24, 1665, Thomas
Lamore petitions for land such as would compensate the expense of transfering
himself and his wife into Maryland.
c. 1697 The Ancestoral name
of Lamore is changed to Lamar
2) Below is a transcript of Peter
Lamar's Will.
In the name of God, Amen. That
whereas I peter Lamare of this County Calvert and Province of Maryland,
planter, being very sick and weak of body but in good health and sound
perfect sense and memory, do here make my last will and testament renouncing
all other wills before this present item. I give and bequeath... as followeth;...that
moveable estate shall be equally divided amongst my (loving) wife Frances
Lemare Frances (sic) and my three daughters as namely Ann Lemare and Mary
Lemare and Margaret Lemare and that they shall have their equal proportion
at the age of sixteen years or on the day of their marriages and also I
give and bequeath to my loving wife the plantation whereon we live with
all the writes and priveliges thereunto belong during her natural life
and after her decease to bo equally divided amongst my three daughters
before named my daughter Margaret is to have first choice. I also give
and bequeath unto my Grand Child Peter Owneill that plantation with all
the land on the western side of that branch whereon now Joseph edwards
lives with all rights and priveliges thereunto belonging to him and to
his heirs forever and that he shall possess and enjoy the same when he
shall attain to the age of one and twenty years and also my will and pleasure
is that my son in law Jos. Owneill shall possess the said plantation as
soon as the said Joseph Edwards lease is expired and that he shall enjoy
the same till the said Peter Owneill shall cometo the aforesaid age and
further do I appoint and order my good and so being friends Jo. Davis and
Joseph Edwards to be my Trustees and to execute according to this last
will and testament and so-Committing all to the allmighty God I have hereunto
sett my hand and affixed my seal this 9th day of October 1693-PETER LAMARE
mark & seal signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us
Tho. T. Person,
Francis Q. Dias,
William Dates
Sources:
1) Jason H.Lamar: Internet <http://www.access.digex.net/~sigurd/index.html>
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/eleanorcol/LamarFamily.html
2) Kenneth ONeal, Internet kon@hhs.net : Most
of the information on LEMAIRE and Owneill is from the research of William
Robert ONeal of 2102 N Union Ave. Tacoma, WA 98406 , and Denise ONeal of
317 East Ave. D. East Hutchinson KS 67505.
Sources:
1) Maryland State Archives posted on MDGENWEB
2) Archives of Maryland, An Historical List
of Public Officials of Maryland, new series, Vol. 1. Annapolis, MD: Maryland
State Archives, 1990.
3) Biography of Lawrence ONeal from “Twigg
Family Research Pertaining to the Life and Times of Robert and Hannah Twigg”
by Jerry Twigg. Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by Sharon Banzhoff
4) Donnie Nazelrod donnie@hereintown.net
5) Biography of Lawrence ONeale from "Twigg
6) Land Records posted on USGENWEB compiled
by Ed Twigg and members of the Twigg Genealogy Committee.
7) REBEL ROSE, LIFE OF ROSE ONEAL GREENHOW,
CONFEDERATE SPY by Ishbel Ross.
8) The ONeal Web Site, The Descendants of
John ONeal, John W. ONeal, II <http://www.lor.net/johndortco>