Matrilineal Monday - Councill family of Maryland

When I started researching my Councill family, I could only trace back to my 2x great-grandparents Francis Councill and Mary Ann Meredith from Queen Anne's County, MD. Using a combination of church, land, and probate records, I've been able to go back four more generations to Henry Councill and Elizabeth Banroche. There are still several mysteries and conjectures on here, but this is what I have in my family tree software so far. I have quite a few dates, marriages, and children that aren't entered yet, so I'll update the tree in a future post.

Outline Descendant Report for Henry Councill:

 

1 Henry Councill b: England, d: 1760 in Maryland
  + Elizabeth Banroche b: France
...2 John Councill d: 1795 
      + Sarah Carey
......3 Edward Carey Councill
        + Bridget Nowland
.........4 John Councill Jr. d: Aft. 1827
           + Ann Baynard or Browning m: 1808, d: Bef. 1834
............5 Francis Councill b: 1817 in Maryland, d: 1888
              + Mary Ann Meredith b: Abt. 1825 in Maryland,
                m: 08 Jul 1840 in Queen Annes, Maryland
...............6 John Wesley Councill b: 09 Feb 1859 in Centreville, Maryland, d: 05 Dec 1916 
                  in Baltimore, Maryland
                 + Ariana Sparks b: 18 Apr 1864 in Centreville, Maryland,
                   d: 16 Dec 1929 in Baltimore, Maryland
..................7 John Herbert Councill b: 1888, d: 1966 + Ollie W. Reed
..................7 Mary Blanche Councill b: 1889, d: 1889
..................7 Barbara Anna Councill b: 1890, d: 28 Dec 1964 in Salisbury, MD
                    + George Borcherding
..................7 Mabel Councill b: 1892 + Peter Lee
..................7 Myrtle Councill b: 1893, d: 1971
                    + Thomas William King m: 1912
..................7 Samuel Leonard Councill b: 1894, d: 1927 + Anne
..................7 Winifred Councill b: 1895, d: 1954 + Forest Goodrick
..................7 Hersey Hall Councill Sr. b: 06 Dec 1896 in Centreville, Maryland,
                    d: 06 Mar 1986 in Silver Spring, Montgomery, Maryland, USA
                    + Estelle Gibson
                    + Annetta Williams McPherson
..................7 Hilda Councill b: 02 Aug 1898, d: May 1983 in Baltimore, Maryland
                    + Fred Noble
                    + Tony Melka
..................7 Julius King Councill b: 1899, d: 1918
..................7 Royce Rufus Councill b: 17 Jul 1902 in Queen Anne's County, MD,
                    d: Nov 1970 in New Castle, DE
                    + Edna Catherine Willis b: 12 Jan 1905 in Queen Anne's County, MD,
                      m: 13 Jun 1925 in Queen Anne's County, MD,
                      d: 28 May 1973 in New Castle, DE
..................7 Oscar Fearson Councill b: 1904 in Queen Anne's County, MD,
                    d: 25 Aug 1986 in Orange City, Florida
                    + Grace Green b: 1905
..................7 Ruby Ordel Councill b: 1907,
                    d: 10 Mar 1990 in Holiday, Pasco, Florida, USA
                    + Justis Ehlers
                    + Edward Parlett
...............6 Robert Councill b: Abt. 1853
                 + Martha Sparks
..................7 May Councill
..................7 Margaret Councill
..................7 Lillian Councill
...............6 Mary Councill b: Abt. 1860 + Unknown
...............6 Anna Councill
                 + McDodd
..................7 Ida McDodd
..................7 Lizzie McDodd
..................7 Henry McDodd
...............6 Marietta A. Councill b: Abt. 1842
                 + James Booker m: 18 Dec 1862 in Queen Anne's County, MD
                 + Charles J. Weaver m: 28 Dec 1878 in Queen Anne's County, MD
...............6 Richard Councill b: Abt. 1850
...............6 Frank Councill b: 1859
............5 Thomas Henry Councell b: Abt. 1829 in Maryland,
              d: 16 May 1883 in Easton, Maryland
              +    Martha Rebecca Cooper b: 18 May 1841 in Talbot County, Maryland,
                    m: 10 Jan 1867, d: 1881 in Talbot County, Maryland
............5 William Councill b: Bef. 1813
............5 James N. Councill b: 1816
............5 John Councill b: 1821
.........4 Francis Beaston Councill
.........4 Elijah Councill
...2 Joseph Councill
     + Rebecca
......3 John Councill
......3 Mary Councill
......3 Ann Councill
...2 Catharine Councill
...2 Martha Councill
...2 Mary Councill
...2 Anastasia Councill

Henry Councill is said to be from England and Elizabeth Banroche from France. Elizabeth's surname is a bit suspect since I've never found anyone else with that name. One of my Councill cousins suggested that it may actually be referencing a place: Ban de la Roche in Alsace, France. I think that may be a good guess!

On page 281 of the book Catholics of Colonial Delmarva by Thomas Joseph Peterman, it says "She (Anastasia Councill) was the daughter of Henry Councill of Tully's Neck... The other children of Henry Councill (who had come to Maryland in 1729) and his wife Elizabeth Banroche (who was of French parentage)..." It goes on to name the children and their wives. The source the book gives for the paragraph is Carley, "Baptismal Register of Joseph Mosley, S.J.." 41.

I've seen several trees on Ancestry that have Dennis Councill as the father of Henry Councill. There are references to a Dennis Councill listed in the debts for the estate of Jacobus Seth in Talbot County, MD in 1698 and 1702. In the 1702 entry, Dennis is called a runaway, so I've wondered if he could've been an indentured servant. I need more information to prove whether or not he was the father of Henry, so I haven't added Dennis to my tree yet. I noticed that the reference in the above paragraph states that Henry came to Maryland in 1729, so that doesn't match up with the dates for Dennis.

Another mystery is the surname of the mother of Francis Councill. Most of my evidence points to her being Ann Baynard, but there are some sources that say Ann Browning. Despite the mysteries, I've learned a lot about my Councills since my first post about them in 2011.