Thanks Bluchp56@aol.com for this link. "Click here: University of Delaware: SAMUEL MEREDITH PAPERS http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/meredith.htm" I have always been fascinated with this Meredith Quaker family in PA because they seemed so involved with the early days of the United States. Maybe they would not be on the list of the top ten most influential Founding Fathers, but they would be in there pretty high. The renowned 1st Treasurer of the U.S. Samuel Meredith's father, Reese Meredith, was a very successful merchant and trader who actually invested in some slave trading trips at about the time that Quakers were becoming overtly anti-slavery. This seems to have caused him some difficulty with the church, but I do not believe that he broke completely. Merediths seemed to hae been involved with the major issues of the first centrury of the country. Almost certainly, Reese Meredith was a close acquaintance of Benjamin Franklin and most of the other Philadelphia founders. My interest was peaked because of a similarity of names to the contemporary Merediths of VA who were also rather prominent. Reese/Rhys/Rice/Reece are all the same name I think, and my interest has been a Rice Meredith from the Old Albemarle/Amherst co areas of VA between 1745-1776. Just from my personal study, and completely unscientifically, I think that most of the Welsh who came to the colonies in the late 1600's early 1700's were Quakers, and the Merediths of Philadelphia fit that mold rather well. However, the VA Merediths seem to descend from a George Meredith from Liberty Hall, New Kent Co, VA where Samuel I was born 1698. He died Sep 30 1762 probably in Old Albemarle Co, VA. His son seems to be the Col. Samuel Meredith who purchased "Winton" in New Glasgow/Clifford, VA from Cabell. Of course, he married Governer (etc.) Patrick Henry's ("Give me Liberty or give me death.") sister Jane Henry, and their mother Sarah Winston Henry died at "Winton" ultimately. Given conditions of the times where freedom of religion did not really exist in most of the colonies, these Merediths were almost surely Episcopalians. Whether these Meredith families were related or not, I do not know, but they were both quite active in the early days of this country. Certainly, Samuel Meredith, the financier, from PA was known to Virginian Geo. Washington who appointed (or promoted his appointment) him 1st Treasurer. The presence in the same area of Virginia as Samuel Meredith the owner of "Winton" of Rice Meredith (my particular interest and distant ancestor) suggests some similarity of names, but Samuel and Rice/Reese may have been really common, I suppose. There may have been no relaltionship whatsoever. Does anyone have knowledge of these families who might contribute information which could help? Hurston Anderson ----- Original Message ----- From: <MEREDITH-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <MEREDITH-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 2:00 PM Subject: MEREDITH-D Digest V04 #8