chrisman.org · People Search

Mary Howlett

b. 1680

Most distant known ancestor in this line

Events

Birth
1680

Family

Spouse: Etienne Stephen Chenault (1675–1747) · m. ABOUT 1699 · London, England

Children:

  1. Stephen Chenault (ABOUT 1703–)
    Children: Benjamin Chenault (1723–1766)
  2. John Chenault (1705–1740)
    m. Ann
    Children: John Chenault; Elizabeth Chenault
  3. Mary Chenault (ABOUT 1707–)
  4. Howlett or Hugo Chenault (ABOUT 1708–Feb 1738)
    m. Mary (–AFTER 21 Jun 1738)
    Children: John Chenault (1726–1781); Stephen Chenault (1727–1768); Felix Chenault (1732–); Lancelot Chenault (–1738)
  5. William Chenault (ABOUT 1712–ABOUT 1780)
    · ABOUT 1732
    Children: William Chenault (1740–1812)

Notes

Information about Estienne Chenault's wife is scarse. They were probably newlyweds at the time of their immigration to America since Estienne Cheneau was listed with a wife on the ship's passenger list, but without children. This would indicate that they were probably married in England, probably about 1699. Some family legend claims her name to have been Mary, which seems quite consistent with the naming of their eldest daughter. The maidenname has been assumed by descendants based only on the naming of the eldest son, whereby it was not uncommon to give a son the mother's maiden name. R. Stanley Harsh points out that Mary Howlett was likely a wife of Estienne, given the naming of the first born. But, the assumption that she was his first wife and the one who came over with him in the Nassau might be wrong. That wife might have died soon after arrival, possibly even after a child or two, with Estienne then marrying Mary Howlett. This conjecture is based on a Howlett family being located in Essex County at that time. A letter from Lucy Adele Chenault Robinsn stated [Rogers p.4]: "Estienne Chenault must have been enterprising. While he was in London waiting for the ship to be outfitted, he met and married Mary Elizabeth Howlett, who already had relatives in the colonies." In 1711, William Howlett owned land in Essex County next to "ffrancis and Martha Gouldman in St. Ann Parish."