excerpt:

August 1997

The Nicolas Tostevin on your chart that you say appears to disapear from Guernsey is a very tempting connection point. In an attempt to approach this rationally, here are reasons for linking Nicholas Toadvine to the Tostevin family of Guernsey, specifically that one Nicolas Tostevin:

1. His last name, Toadvine, pronounced in English soulds like the name Tostevin as it is pronounced in the Channel Islands.

2. I don't know what the record book designation is for this yet:
   8 June 1675: William Breton proved his right to 315 acres of land for trasnporting himself, Sarah his wife; William, his son; Nicholas Toadvane; William Gordy, Edward Prime and Mary Neale in the Province to inhabit."
   
   

   This supports the claim that Nicholas Toadvine arrived in America in 1675.

3. A person by the name of 'Toadvine or Todvane' is on the passenger list of a ship called Bachelor, captained by Roger Bagg (writing on form made the 'a' in Bagg ambiguous, but I'm not sure what other letter it could be), which left from England in April (questioned month) of 1675. This is from a Passenger Ship Search & Attestation form from the MacDaid Memorial Library. I don't know where the library is located though.

4. On your chart, as you pointed out, there is a Nicolas Tostevin born circa 1644 who, by absence in record books, appears to have left Guernsey. Nicholas Toadvine arrived in Maryland in 1675. A match would mean he was about 31 years old. That would allow for sufficient time in Guernsey to learn farming skills needed to make good use of the land he received in Maryland.

5. Probably Liber IKL, Somerset County Court House: "Nicholas Todvin and Sarah Lowey were mary'd by Mr. William Brereton [possibly Brewington] one of his Lordshipps Justices of ye Peace for ye County of Sommersett ye 15 November 1675."
   

   This is more evidence to pin down his arrival date and age.

   
   
6. His first name, Nicholas, according to the information you've compiled, was a common name in Guernsey among Tostevins in the 1600's. Nicholas Toadvine named a son Nicholas. He also named a son Thomas -- the Nicolas Tostevin on your chart had a brother named Thomas!

7. From the book Land Records of Somerset County Maryland by Ruth T. Dryden which organizes the land records by the patent:
   
   • Guernsey
     

     Patented 1 Mar 1681 by William Stevens and assigned to Nicholas Toadvine for 150 acres in West Princess Anne Election district 1 [Liber B, Number 23, Folio 50 at the Land Office of Maryland]

     Rent Rolls 1666-1723 Nicholas Toadvine, 150 acres.
     

     [Since Nicholas had a son named Nicholas it is possible that after Nicholas Sr's death that it is his son that appears on the rent rolls. Nicholas Jr's will mentions no children, only siblings and he also got in a bit of trouble for keeping unlawful company -- a likely contributing factor to not getting married.]

     22 Mar 1749, Henry Toadvine sold to Alexander Adams rector of Stepney Parish for 5 shillings, patented by Nicholas Toadvine a resident of "Guernsey Island" in Europe father of Henry called Good Luck (apparently a change in the name of the acreage from Guernsey to Good Luck as part of the sale).
     

     [my quotes -- next chance I get I'll try to nail down what record book this is in and see if I can look at it and maybe get a copy to verify that it is the original that says Nicholas was from Guernsey]

   • Jersey
     

     Patented on 14 May 1689 by Nicholas Toadvine for 100 acres in West Princess Anne Election district 1

     28 July 1756 Henry Toadvine sold to Alexander Adams, rector of Stepney Parish 100 acres