From the Probate Files: William Richardson - Anne Arundel County, Maryland - 1698

I wasn't able to locate a scan of eighth great grandfather  William Richardson Senior's will but here's a transcript of it:

[Descendants of Richard & Elizabeth (Ewen) Talbott of Popular Knowle, West River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland' 

Ida M. Snirk, author. Genealogical Publishing Com, 2009. Source: Google books.]

Although William stated in this 1691 document that he was "sick and weak of body" he didn't die for another 7-1/2 years as it wasn't  presented for probate until 1698.

He made specific bequests of land to his two younger sons Daniel and Joseph, a smaller tract to his daughter Sophia, and his eldest son William (Junior) was granted permission to use land that was part of his widow Elizabeth's plantation known as Watkins his Hope "always provided that he makes use be not prejudicial to his mother." Since no tract of land was left to William by this will I think it's almost certain that William, who seems to have been his only child to have attained his majority, had already been provided for.

William remembered his step-children, leaving a cow calf to each of them. He also bequeathed a heifer to his daughter-in-law. The remainder of his estate after all the bequests was to be divided into three parts with his widow receiving her choice of them and the rest being divided into four parts shared equally between his four children.

Five pounds "Sterling money" was left to "the stock in Friends called Quakers" within three years of his decease.

I think the most interesting part of his will is what his intentions were for "the three negro children* that I have given and bequeathed to my children, called by the names of Chargoe, Mary and Susan, shall serve until they attain the ages of fifty years and then be set free." I wonder if that happened.

*Daughter Sophia was bequeathed Mary, C[h]argoe was left to son Joseph and Susan was to be given to his grandson William Richardson.



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Working on Wednesday: William Richardson (? - 1697) Planter & Quaker Minister

My most recent research has brought me very far up the family tree to William Richardson, my maternal eighth great grandfather.

[Extract from "Descendants of Richard & Elizabeth (Ewen) Talbott of Popular Knowle, West River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland."

Ida M. Shirk, author; Genealogical Publishing Com, 2009.]

 I wasn't able to find a creditable birth date for William but he has to have been at least 5 years younger than his bride, Elizabeth Ewen Talbott who already had four children by her first husband. She and William had eight children - four sons, William*, Daniel, Joseph (died as a child) another Joseph, & four daughters, Sophia Elizabeth, Sapphira, Elizabeth, and Sarah.

As you can see from the extract above, William was an ardent Quaker and monthly and weekly meeting of the Friends were held in his house in the West River.** He served as a member of the Lower House of the General Assembly of Maryland in 1678. He's described as a friend of William Penn who visited him in 1682.**
\

[Maryland State Roads Commission Marker-photo found on Waymark.com]

 He died in 1697 leaving a substantial estate. I'll cover his will and probate in a future post.



*I descend from William Jr.

[Ancestry.com]

**The West River Quaker Meeting was the most important Meeting in the Chesapeake region and the site of the first gathering of all the Quakers in Maryland.
***The purpose of the conference referred to by the road marker was to set the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania.

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Martha Woodward (1676 - 1775)

My maternal eighth great grandmother Martha Woodward is named in her her father Richard's will and she survived her husband Joseph Baker Jr. by more than 20 years.

It seems there's only one mention of Martha in Quaker records for the Chester Monthly Meeting it doesn't specify what she had done that merited a visitation but Lewis Woodward, the author of a family history of the Woodwards, thought that was likely that the complaint referred to something to do with her marriage.*

[Genealogy of the Woodward family of Chester county, Pennsylvania, with an appendix giving a brief account of the Woodwards of some other portions of the United States by Woodward, Lewis, b. 1848; Publication date 1879. Digitizing sponsor Boston Public Library.

Source: The Internet Archive.]

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

*I tried to locate the original of this Chester Monthly Meeting record but didn't have any luck.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Working on Wednesday: Joseph Baker, Jr. (1667 - 1735) Yoeman

It seems there were two men known as Joseph Baker, Jr. in late 17th century Pennsylvania only one of whom was the son of Joseph Baker Sr. who arrived in the colony in 1684 with his older brother John. And that Joseph Jr. isn't my direct ancestor.*

Of course, historically the appellation of Junior could be applied to the younger of two men with the same given name without it signifying a father-son relationship and that what happened here. My Joseph Baker is believed to be the nephew of Joseph Sr. and John, therefore he would have been a grandson of John Baker, Sr. of Edgmond in Shropshire (about 2 miles west of Newport). His father's name is unknown.

['Shropshire by John Seller' Seller, J. (c. 1703) Furneax Antique Maps]

It's unclear when Joseph Jr. left Shropshire for Pennsylvania--he may have traveled with his uncles but the reason they all left was because they were Quakers** and hoped to find greater religious freedom in the New World. The township they ended up living in was named Edgmont, originally in Chester County, now in Delaware County.

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

Thomas Maxwell included a "fac-simile" of the page of the Baker family bible.

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

And here's a reminder of how I'm descended from him:

[Ancestry.com]

*Joseph Sr.'s son Joseph had four children we know of: Robert, Sarah, Hannah and Joseph.
**There are numerous mentions of "Joseph Baker" in the Chester Monthly Meeting Minutes but I don't know which ones might refer to my ancestor.





© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Hugh Kennedy (1725 - 1814): Another Quaker Ancestor?

When did this Irish-born fifth great grandfather* arrive in Pennsylvania? The usual answer of 1741 from Grange in Ireland seems to be based on this quote from Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750 : with their early history in Ireland:

[Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750 : with their early history in Ireland (1902) by Myers, Albert Cook, 1874-1960.

Online source: the Internet Archive.]

However, according to another quote from the same source the Hugh Kenedy in this record is an much older man with grown children and therefore can't be my ancestor who was only about 16 at the time:

[Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750 : with their early history in Ireland (1902) by Myers, Albert Cook, 1874-1960.

Online source: the Internet Archive.]

Since traditionally Hugh's father is believed to be William Kennedy who mentioned a son with that name in his 1787 will, my ancestor can't be connected to this Quaker family.

Was he a Quaker? I don't know but since DAR records show him enlisting in the local militia in 1746 (and later serving in the Revolution) he doesn't appear to have subscribed to the pacifist tenets of that denomination.

Here's how I'm related to him.

[Ancestry.com]

*His surname is spelled variously as Kenedy, Kennedy and Canady.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: William Coale - Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1678/9

If William Coale's estate was as substantial as it appears from the bequests in his will, the tobacco which he was to receive as noted in the Quaker Mens Meeting of 1676 doesn't appear to have been an act of charity.

I William Coale of ye County of Ann Arundell in the
Province of Maryland being sick and weake of Boddy
but of Sound and Perfect memory calling to mind [ye]
ffrailety & Mortality of all man kinde doe make
Ordaine Constitute and Appointe this my Last will
& testament in Manner & forme following & I give &
Bequeath my Soule unto god that gave it my Body
unto ye Earth from whence it was taken to be buried
at ye discretion of my Executrix hereafter to be 
named. Imprimio I give and Bequeath unto my [Sonne]
William Coale Borne of ye Boddy of Hester my
wife all my Land Knowne by ye name of Great
Bonnerstum Seituated Lyeng & being in west Ri[ver]
In ye county of Ann Arundell According unto the
meates & Boundes contained in ye land Pattint
ye same Bearing date the 16 day of ffebruary 16[59]
unto him & his heirs forever with one ffeather B[ed]
Curtaines & vallued of ye price of Seven poundes w[ith]
two pairs oof Sheetes one man servant A new hand {for]
terme he shall have to serve this to be delivered
next shiping after my decease with two Cowes {&]
two Breeding Sowes
(2 O doe give & Bequeath unto my Second Sonne W[m]
                           Coale
=====
Coale Begotten of Ye Boddy of Hannah my Second
wife One Hundred Acres of Land part of ye Sd Land
Knowne by ye name of Hickrey Hills being ye lower pat
theirof next unto Potexson River unto him & his heires
for Ever with one ffeather Beed & Curtaines and 
Valleined of ye Price of seven poundes & two pairs of
Sheetes together with ye Sume of four thousand 
poundes of tobacco when he attains unto age of one 
& twenty with one man Servant two Cowes with  
Calve or Calves by theire sides two breeding Sowes: and
ffoure thousand poundes of Tobacco when he attains
ye age of two & twenty
3 I give & Bequeath unto my Sonne Samuell Lawfully
Begotten of ye Boddy of my wife Elizabeth Eight
thousand poundes of tobacco to be paid unto him
when he shall Attaine to ye age of one & twenty together
with two men servants one of them my Negro Knowne
by ye name of Jack if he Shall then be alive & in case of
his mortality one Abell man Servant a new hand for
ye terme he shall have to serve, Alsoe two hundred
Acres of Land Part of Portland Mann: next unto
Potucson River & soe downward unto him & his
                               heires

Heires Lawfully Begotten of his Boddy & for w[ant]
of such heires to come Descend unto Phillip my
Sonne & his heires Lawfully Begotten of his boddy
& if my Sonnes should dye without Issue my Will
is ye ye Said Land descend unto ye next heire maile
of ye Coales & for want of such heire Maile to go[e]
unto ye next heire femaile
4) I doe give & Bequeath unto my Sonne Phillip
Bournn of ye Boddy of my wife Elizabeth three
hundred Acres of Land ye Resedew of Portland
Mann. after ye decease of Elizabeth my wife
unto him & his heires lawfully begotten of his
Body & for want of such heires to come and c[?]
descend unto my Sonne Samuell & his heires [?]
lawfully begotten as aforesaid & In case they
shall both dye without Issue then ye said Land [?]
fall & go unto ye next heire male of ye Coales and
for want of such heire hale to descend unto ye n[ext]
heires female & theire heires for Ever  I doe al[soe]
will unto my Somme Phillip two men Servants one of
them my Negro Knowne by Ye name of Roger if [he]
                            shall
======
Shall then be Alive & if not then one New hand & in
his Toome for ye terme he shall have to serve together
with two Cowes with Calfe or Calfesby theire sides &
two Breeding Sowes a ffeather Bedd & curtaines of
furniture of ye value of Seven poundes & two pr: of sheetes
& Eight thousand poundes of Tobacco
5) I doe give unto my daughter Elizabeth Eighteen
thousand poundes of Tobacco ye one helfe within
one year after she att ye age of fifteen together with
one ffeather Bedd Curtaines & Vallens of ye Price
of seven poundes & two pr of sheetes
Lastly  I doe constitute Ordaine & Appointe my ???
and well beloved wife ElizabethCoale my Sole &
whole Exe'x. of this my last will & testam: giving unto
my said Exe'x: my now Dwelling plantacon and three
hundred Acres of Land Adjoyning unto her owne
Proper use to her for during her naturall life & after
ye Exspiation theirof to descend unto my Sonne c
Phillip According and ??m this my Last will before
Expressed I doe also give & Bequeathunto my
Said Loving Wife & Ex'x: after my Just debts are
                   paid

[Will books; Author: Maryland. Prerogative Court; Probate Place: Maryland. Notes: Wills, vol 4-10, 1670, 1676-1679, 1682-1700. Ancestry.com. Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Maryland County, District and Probate Courts.]

Paide & satisfyed & those my Legacies delivered
all ye Reaining of my Said Estate whither in
goods or Merchandize Tobaccoe goode or Moneys in
England unto her owne proper use [?] behoofe In
Confirmacon wheireof I have sette my hand & Seale
this twenty Six day of Octob: one thousand Six
hundred seventy Eight
Signed Sealed & delivered in 
the presence of ??                          WM Cole (Sealed]
Samuell Lane
Thomas ffrancis
And on ye Backside of ye Said will was written
Febry ye 6:78
Came Maj'r Samuell Lane of An Arundell County &
at ye house of ye Said Samuell Lane did then & th[ere?]
make oath & he ye Said Samuell saw ye testa[tor]
within menconed Instrument to be his Last will &
Testam: & that he was of a sound disposinge m[ind]
when he saw signed published & delivered &
further ye said Maj'r Lane as Physician to ye
Testat'r doth upon his oath further declare
said Testat'r not Long after ye publishing of [ye]
=====
Instrument was not capable of making another &
doth veryly believe that neither did or could make
another sworne before me  Thomas Taylor
Febr'y 24|78 then came Thomas ffrancis one of ye evidences
to ye within menconed testamt: before me at my
dwelling house & made Oath to ye same and the
above menconed Maj'r Lane verbatim Jurat Cor????
                            Thomas Taylor

As you can see from the will, William Coale's two surviving oldest sons were both named William*.My direct ancestor is the second one, the child of Hannah, whose first husband's surname was Galloway** but whose maiden name is unknown.

It seems likely that this William Coale was born in England and came to Maryland in the 1640 or 50s, although there are some believe that he was born in Virginia. You can read about the various claims here and decide for yourself.



*It isn't uncommon to find the same given name used by different wives of a man.
**The Galloways were a well-known family in the area.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Working on Wednesday: William Coale in Maryland, 1676

This extract is from the Minutes of a Mens Meeting at the Third Haven Friends Meeting House* in Talbot County, Maryland. I've transcribed the final sentence which contains the only mention of this maternal 8th great grandfather.**

[Ancestry.com. U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA. Original data: Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Men's Minutes, 1676-1746; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 607]

The Meeting Ordered that William Coale Should have Two (or possibly Five) hogshead
of tobacco.

[Old Third Haven Meeting House. Credit: Photograph by James Rosenthal, HABS]

[Detail from A New Map of New England New York New Iarsey Pensilvania Maryland and Virginia, 1685.

Source: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.]

I don't know why my ancestor was given tobacco which served as currency at the time*** but looking at several other meeting notes, I found other grants made from "our Stock".


*You can read what the Society of Architectural Historians have to say about this building here.
**William Coale is the father of William Coale Junior whose marriage to Elizabeth Sparrow is covered here.
***Was the tobacco a gift, a loan, a reward or payment?


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Gone for Soldiers? Richard Richardson, Senior & Richard Richardson, Junior

While in search of more information about my Tomlinson upline I came across this paragraph about my 6X great grandfather Richard Richardson and one of his sons, also named Richard.* It appeared in a 1912 reference book (which has been reprinted several times) and, although I can find evidence for Junior's support of the American Revolution, so far I haven't been able to locate anything about my ancestor's expulsion from by the Quakers because of an involvement in the earlier war.

[Ancestry.com. Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Mackenzie, George Norbury, and Nelson Osgood Rhoades, editors. Colonial Families of the United States of America: in Which is Given the History, Genealogy and Armorial Bearings of Colonial Families Who Settled in the American Colonies From the Time of the Settlement of  Jamestown, 13th May, 1607, to the Battle of Lexington, 19th April, 1775. 7 volumes. 1912. Reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1966, 1995.]

I'm going to see what I can discover about this and report back in a later post.




*Richard, Junior, seems to have undertaken the administration of his father's 1761 will after the named executors refused to act in that capacity.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

William Coale Junior and Elizabeth Sparrow Get Married in 1689

Last week I posted the 1730 marriage record for a pair of maternal 6X great grandparents, Margaret Coale and Richard Richardson. Now I'm going back another generation to Margaret's parents William Cole Junior and Elizabeth Sparrow.

[U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1994. Ancestry.com. Original Data: Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Marriage 1682-1824; Collection: Baltimore Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: RG2/B/S361 3.3]

Wheras William Cole Jun of Ann arundell
County in the province of Maryland Planter
And Eliz'a Sparrow of the Clifts in Calvert County
in the Said Province haveing Declared their Intent-
=ions of marriage two Sundry times at Sev'll meetings
of the people of God called Quakers at West River
in the County of ann arund'll afs"d w'ch was approved
on by the Said Meetings
Now these are to Certifie all people whom it may
Concern that for the full accomplishing of ye Intention
afs"d this Thirtieth day of ye fifth Month commonly
called July in the Year one thousand Six hundred Eighty
and Nine in an assembly of the people of God afs'd at
their Meeting place at the house of Richard Johns at
Clifts afs"d The Sd Wm Coale did stand up & takeing
the Sd Eliz'a Sparrow by the hand did Declare viz t
Frds in the presence of God & before this Congregation I take
Eliz'a Sparrow to be my wife and do promise to be a
Loving & faithfull husband unto her during both our Lives
And the Sd Eliz'a Sparrow did Declare viz t Frds
In the presence of God and before this Congregation I do
take Wm Coale to be my husband and do promise to be
unto him a Loving and faithfull Wife during both our
Lives  - - - And We who were present at ye Said
Meeting have hereunto Sett our hands as Wittnesses
the day and Year abovesaid
Rich'd Johns            Christ'n Harris            William Coale
Solom Sparrow        John Pardo                  Elizabeth Sparrow
Wm Coale                Rich'd Gibes                & now Coale
Rich'd Galloway       John Talbott                _______________
Edw'd Talbott           Frn's Hutchins
Wm Richardson       Marg't Richardson       Eliz'a Johns
Phil Coale                Eliz'a Hutchins             Eliz'a Coale
Tho's Sparrow         Wm Holyday
Abra Johns               Wm Chew
Sam'll Coale             Hanah Everest
Sam'll Constable      John Cutting
George Royston       Tho's Everest
John Austin              Wm Edmondson                          
Hoa's Bilingsly         Mary Webb
Rob't Johnson           Marg't Kidd 
Rob't Harper            Eliz'a Mears
                                 Hesther Pardo
                                 Tho's S___________
                                              Jasho                   

Here;s a reminder of how I'm related to this couple:

[Ancestry.com]

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Richard Richardson & Margaret Coale Get Married in 1730

As a result of the realization that enough attention hasn't been paid to my ancestors from the Mid-Atlantic states, I've been looking into my maternal Tomlinson upline in Maryland which includes my 5X great grandfather Jesse Tomlinson's wife Milcah Richardson. And I found the Quaker marriage record from West River* for Milcah's parents Richard Richardson and Margaret Coale.

Maryland
                            Whereas Richard Richardson
Son of W"m Richardson and Marg"tt his Wife, 
and Marg"tt Coale Daughter of W"m Coale and Eliz"a his
Wife, Deceased, both of Ann arundel County in
the Province Afs"d Having publickly declared
their Intentions of Marriage with each other
in two Several monthly Meatings of the people
called Quakers which after Just deliberation
thereon no Impedement being found to their
Said Intentions they were approved of by the
Said Meatings and Left to their liberty to
Appoint Convenient time and place for the
Consumation thereof ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now these are therefore to Certifie whome it
may Concern, that on the twenty sixth day of
the third month Commonly Called May, Anno
one thousand Seven hundred and thirty____
Appeared the Afore Said Richd Richardson and
Marg"tt Coale, at the publick Meating house of
the people Called Quakers at West River in the
County afs"d and in a free and open Assembly
of the Said people and others there meet together
did take Each other in Marriage mutually and
Solemnly, promising in the presence of God
and the Afsd Assembly true and faithful fidelity
Each to other as Husband and Wife till Death
Should Seperate, and as a further Confirmation
thereof they the Said Rich"d and Marg"tt She
according to the Custome of marriage assuming
the Name of her Husband have hereunto
Subscribed their names and wee who were
present at the above Said Solemnization
as Wittnesses thereto the day and
year above Said

[Ancestry.com. U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Swarthmore, Quaker Meeting Records. Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes. Hege Friends Historical Library, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina.Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes. Earlham College Friends Collection & College Archives, Richmond, Indiana.Haverford, Quaker Meeting Records. Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania.]

Ann Thomas                                   Natn Rigbie                               
Margaret Thomas                           Casandra Rigbie                      Rich Richardson[?]
Elizabeth Galloway                        Gerrard Hopkins                     Wm Richardson
Anna Thomas                                 Margaret Hopkins                   Margaret Richardson
Eliza Richardson                            Solomon Sparrow                    Richard Galloway
Mary Galloway                              Sarah Coale                              Joseph Richardson Junr  
Samuel Galloway                           Rebecca Richardson                Thomas Richardson
Ann Galloway                                Henery Child                           Sarah Galloway
Samuel Smith                                 Elizabeth Galloway Junr         William Coale
Philip Hopkins                               Elizabeth Wooden                    Daniel Richardson
Joseph Yates                                  Hannah Foard                           Richard Galloway Junr
J Richardson Junr                          Mary Richardson                      Joseph Richardson
John Coulston                               Mary Thomas                            Joseph Hill
Sophia Galloway                          Allridge Frankling                     Sarah Hill
James Elderton                             Peter Galloway                         Nathan Richardson
                                                      Joseph Cowman                       W"m Richardson



Richard Richardson's parents' marriage record from 1689 also survives and I'll be sharing it next time.


*Here's a 19th century description of location of the West River Meeting House:

[The early Friends (or Quakers) in Maryland (1862) by Norris, J. Saurin (John Saurin), 1813-1882
Source: The Internet Archive]



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Milcah Richardson (1748 - 1823)

Milcah* (a maternal fifth great grandmother) was born into a Quaker family in Frederick County, Maryland. Her mother Margaret Coale predeceased her father Richard Richardson who died in 1761, leaving a will** which names his children, including 13-year old Milcah.

As shown in this abstract from Hinshaw's U.S. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy it was her parents' wish that their children would be raised as Quakers.

[Ancestry.com. U.S., Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol I–VI, 1607-1943 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: Hinshaw, William Wade, et al., compilers. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 vols. 1936–1950. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991–1994. Hinshaw, William Wade. Marshall, Thomas Worth, comp. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Supplement to Volume 1. Washington, D.C.: n.p. 1948.]

But it seems that Milcah had other ideas.

[Ancestry.com. U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Swarthmore, Quaker Meeting Records. Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes. Hege Friends Historical Library, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina.Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes. Earlham College Friends Collection & College Archives, Richmond, Indiana.Haverford, Quaker Meeting Records. Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania.]

Milcah Richardson who has had her Education among
Friends but of a light and airy conversation, has strayed
from that which would have preserved her if given heed unto
has gone out from among us in marriage with a man not
of our Society. This meeting therefore appoints Jane Hayes
and Rachel Hollingsworth to draw up a Testimony against
her and produce it to next mo's meeting ----------

The Quaker Encyclopedia's entry explains a bit more, including the surname of her husband:

Consulting my copy of Thee & Me, this is what's being said:

Milcah (daughter of Richard & Margaret deceased) reported married out of unity October 31, 1767, to TOMLINSON; disowned November 28, 1767; paper to be read at Bush Creek Meeting Maryland

The Tomlinson referred to is my 5X great grandfather Jesse.***

Since the notice of her dismissal was to be read at Bush Creek near Monrovia in Fredericks County, I assume that's near where the abandoned hussy was living at the time. We know from the first federal census in 1790 that Milcah and Jesse were still residing in the area along with nine of their eventual ten children (including my ancestor Hugh).

They moved to Ohio by 1803 although I haven't been able to locate the Tomlinson family in either the 1800 or 1810 U.S. Census. Milcah Richardson Tomlinson is buried in Chenoweth Cemetery in Pleasant Township in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1823. She was 75.

[Chenoweth Cemetery . Photo by Gene #47100930; Findagrave.com]

*Milcah is a common transliteration of the Hebrew name מִלְכָּה (meaning "queen" or "ruler").
**Which I'll be covering on Friday.
***He and Milcah were the grandparents of the Jesse Tomlinson in last week's posts here and here.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.