Peake - Stiles - Person Sheet
Peake - Stiles - Person Sheet
Misc. Notes
Daughter of the Piscataway chieftain Kittamaquund, helped establish peaceful relations between English immigrants to the Maryland and Virginia Colonies and their native peoples..
At a young age, Mary Kittamaquund married the much older English colonist Giles Brent, one of Margaret's brothers. After trying to claim Piscataway territory upon her father's death, the couple moved south across the Potomac to establish a trading post and live at Aquia Creek in present-day Stafford County, Virginia. They were said to have had three or four children together. Brent married again in 1654, so his child bride may have died young.
After Jesuit missionary Rev. Andrew White healed his son in 1639, Kittamaquund converted his family to the Catholic faith. Two years later, he sent his seven year old daughter, renamed Mary at her baptism, to be raised by Governor Leonard Calvert and his sister-in-law Margaret Brent. Kittamaquund wanted the English colony's leaders to educate Mary so she could communicate between the two cultures, and solicit their help against hostile tribes. Margaret Brent and her other unmarried sister Mary Brent were probably religious women, affiliated with the Mary Ward society, because they never married yet remained high status within the Maryland colony. The Mary Ward society was associated with the male Jesuit religious order, which was itself controversial at the time.
Nevertheless, Giles and young Mary stayed together, moving to Chopawamsic Island in the Potomac River in 1647, then the following year to the Colony of Virginia in what is now the Northern Neck near Aquia, Virginia.[14] Giles set up a trading post, shortly after the third Anglo-Powhatan War, and ultimately a plantation named Retirement. His sisters Margaret and Mary later joined them and lived at Giles' first Virginia plantation, named Peace in what became Stafford, Virginia.[15] Margaret Brent perfected title to many acres of land in Virginia, as she had earlier in Maryland, based upon headrights earned for people helped to emigrate across the Atlantic Ocean to the colony. Giles and Mary Kittamaquund Brent had at least two sons (one also named Giles), and at least one daughter (also Mary).
No records exist concerning Mary Kittamaquund's death, although in 1654 Giles Brent married Frances Whitegreave Harrison, who had emigrated from England to York County, Virginia the previous year and married the recently deceased Dr. Jeremiah Harrison. Thus, it is unclear whether Mary died as a young woman (childbirth deaths being common), or whether she left Giles and resumed her (matrilineal) Native American identity, or he divorced her as discussed below. In any event, Giles and Frances either had two or no children.[18] The last wills and testaments of Giles (d. 1671) and Margaret (d. 1663) mention Giles' six children "of which four lived," but not his wife Mary.[19] Giles' other quasi-monastic sister Mary died in 1658.
Virginia erected a historical marker to honor Mary Kittamaquund in 2009.[34] It stands on the historic road to Richmond (Route 1), in front of the Aquia post office, about two miles south of the crucifix erected in 1930 to honor the first Catholic settlers in Virginia and Margaret Brent,[35] as well as the later road marker honoring the same English people.[36]
Mary Kittamaquund, daughter of the Tayac (Paramount Chief) of the Piscataway Indians, was born in Maryland probably about 1631.[i] Her father ruled over as many as 7,000 people between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers.[ii] Following about six months of dialogue and study with Jesuit Missionary Father Andrew White, Mary’s father converted to Christianity and was baptized on July 5, 1640.[iii] Soon after February 15, 1640/1, Mary too was baptized, and her father sent her to the English settlement called St Mary’s City, near the mouth of the Potomac River, to be educated by Governor Leonard Calvert and his sister-in-law, Margaret Brent.[iv]
Mary married Giles Brent, brother of Margaret Brent, before January 9, 1644/5.[v] A band of Parliamentarians led by Richard Ingle and William Claiborne attacked St Mary’s City on February 14, 1644/5, and carried Giles Brent, Father Andrew White, and others in chains to England. Upon his arrival in London, Giles brought suit against his captors and returned to Maryland before June 19, 1647.[vi] Mary and Giles moved to present day Aquia, Stafford County, Virginia, after November 8, 1648, and before August 20, 1651.[vii] Mary died probably after April 18, 1654, and before September 4, 1655.[viii] Giles Brent died in Middlesex County, Virginia, on September 2, 1679.[ix]
At a young age, Mary Kittamaquund married the much older English colonist Giles Brent, one of Margaret's brothers. After trying to claim Piscataway territory upon her father's death, the couple moved south across the Potomac to establish a trading post and live at Aquia Creek in present-day Stafford County, Virginia. They were said to have had three or four children together. Brent married again in 1654, so his child bride may have died young.
After Jesuit missionary Rev. Andrew White healed his son in 1639, Kittamaquund converted his family to the Catholic faith. Two years later, he sent his seven year old daughter, renamed Mary at her baptism, to be raised by Governor Leonard Calvert and his sister-in-law Margaret Brent. Kittamaquund wanted the English colony's leaders to educate Mary so she could communicate between the two cultures, and solicit their help against hostile tribes. Margaret Brent and her other unmarried sister Mary Brent were probably religious women, affiliated with the Mary Ward society, because they never married yet remained high status within the Maryland colony. The Mary Ward society was associated with the male Jesuit religious order, which was itself controversial at the time.
Nevertheless, Giles and young Mary stayed together, moving to Chopawamsic Island in the Potomac River in 1647, then the following year to the Colony of Virginia in what is now the Northern Neck near Aquia, Virginia.[14] Giles set up a trading post, shortly after the third Anglo-Powhatan War, and ultimately a plantation named Retirement. His sisters Margaret and Mary later joined them and lived at Giles' first Virginia plantation, named Peace in what became Stafford, Virginia.[15] Margaret Brent perfected title to many acres of land in Virginia, as she had earlier in Maryland, based upon headrights earned for people helped to emigrate across the Atlantic Ocean to the colony. Giles and Mary Kittamaquund Brent had at least two sons (one also named Giles), and at least one daughter (also Mary).
No records exist concerning Mary Kittamaquund's death, although in 1654 Giles Brent married Frances Whitegreave Harrison, who had emigrated from England to York County, Virginia the previous year and married the recently deceased Dr. Jeremiah Harrison. Thus, it is unclear whether Mary died as a young woman (childbirth deaths being common), or whether she left Giles and resumed her (matrilineal) Native American identity, or he divorced her as discussed below. In any event, Giles and Frances either had two or no children.[18] The last wills and testaments of Giles (d. 1671) and Margaret (d. 1663) mention Giles' six children "of which four lived," but not his wife Mary.[19] Giles' other quasi-monastic sister Mary died in 1658.
Virginia erected a historical marker to honor Mary Kittamaquund in 2009.[34] It stands on the historic road to Richmond (Route 1), in front of the Aquia post office, about two miles south of the crucifix erected in 1930 to honor the first Catholic settlers in Virginia and Margaret Brent,[35] as well as the later road marker honoring the same English people.[36]
Mary Kittamaquund, daughter of the Tayac (Paramount Chief) of the Piscataway Indians, was born in Maryland probably about 1631.[i] Her father ruled over as many as 7,000 people between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers.[ii] Following about six months of dialogue and study with Jesuit Missionary Father Andrew White, Mary’s father converted to Christianity and was baptized on July 5, 1640.[iii] Soon after February 15, 1640/1, Mary too was baptized, and her father sent her to the English settlement called St Mary’s City, near the mouth of the Potomac River, to be educated by Governor Leonard Calvert and his sister-in-law, Margaret Brent.[iv]
Mary married Giles Brent, brother of Margaret Brent, before January 9, 1644/5.[v] A band of Parliamentarians led by Richard Ingle and William Claiborne attacked St Mary’s City on February 14, 1644/5, and carried Giles Brent, Father Andrew White, and others in chains to England. Upon his arrival in London, Giles brought suit against his captors and returned to Maryland before June 19, 1647.[vi] Mary and Giles moved to present day Aquia, Stafford County, Virginia, after November 8, 1648, and before August 20, 1651.[vii] Mary died probably after April 18, 1654, and before September 4, 1655.[viii] Giles Brent died in Middlesex County, Virginia, on September 2, 1679.[ix]
Spouses
Birthca 1604, Admington, Gloucestershire, England
DeathAug 31, 1671, Brentsville, Stafford Co., Virginia Colony
FatherSir Richard BRENT (ca1573-1652)
MotherElizabeth READE (ca1572-ca1631)
Misc. Notes
The younger son of a prominent Gloucestershire family, he had immigrated St. Mary's, Maryland on November 22, 1638 with three siblings. His Catholicism, affluence, and education led to his quick attainment of positions of authority, such as member of the assembly, councillor, and chief militia officer on Kent Island. More often than not the Brents opposed proprietary prerogatives, both in protection of their own interests and in rallying dissident groups against the Calverts. Despite earlier conflicts Lord Baltimore appointed him acting governor in April 1643. An ardent Royalist, the elder Giles Brent antagonized Protestant supporters of Parliament and helped set off an uprising in the colony before being dismissed from office and transported to England in 1645. After obtaining his freedom he returned to Maryland and was briefly reinstated as a councillor. A final break with the Calverts prompted Brent and his equally influential sister Margaret Brent to move to Virginia about 1649 and settle near Aquia Creek. Giles Brent married the orphaned daughter of a Piscataway leader who had been raised by Margaret Brent and Jesuit missionaries who had converted her and her father to Christianity. If he had hoped that the marriage would secure him a claim to Indian lands and that he could promote her right of succession to her father's title, he was disappointed on both counts. Despite legislation restricting the rights of Catholics and occasional complaints about Catholic influence, the Brent family prospered in Virginia. The senior Brent became a militia officer, and his nephew George Brent (b. ca. 1640) held several responsible public offices in the Northern Neck.