A few years back I was a guest in a house near New London. From the outside all seemed normal, an ordinary Chester County stone farmhouse. Upon entering the front door, however. I found myself in a hallway that ran along the front of the house. I was led across the hallway into the main room of the house. It was a large room, about 25-30 feet square that served as a living room, a dining room, a fine place to have guests. The original log construction was plainly visible. I was told the original farmhouse was a log cabin, dating from the 1700's. At one time the owners had simply built a stone house around and above it. Maybe not typical but there it was. Going back a bit further, when I was real young I lived in an old farm house in New Castle County. It had been built in three stages. First, a log cabin, about 20-25 feet square. One room, with a huge fireplace. A closet next to the fireplace contained a narrow winding staircase that went to a second story. There were two very small rooms, one with a small fireplace. Second, a stone addition added to the rear of the log cabin. It was three floors with a roof that covered the log cabin also. There were fireplaces in each room. Third, a frame addition on one side of the original log part. No fireplaces. Two floors and a narrow stairway in a closet. A small room was added in the angle of the ell, that was the kitchen. The bathroom was at the end of an upstairs hallway, between the original log section and the stone wing. I do not know the timeline for the different stages of construction. There was a basement under all three sections. The house was built on the side of a hill. The ground floor of the stone wing was the level for the basement of the other two parts. The joists for the main floor were logs, bark still adhering. Under the log section was a huge structure that I always assumed was a fireplace. I found out later it was the base of the chimney. The frame wing basement was divided into small rooms for a laundry and miscellaneous storage. The ground floor of the stone wing was basement, workshop , etc. The builder used flax straw and horse hair as binders in the mortar in the basement walls. The original owner bought over 900 acres of land from Letitia Penn in 1740. Why he built his house in that spot is anybodies guess. Maybe he dug a cave in the hillside and later expanded it. An archaeologist from the U of DEL told me the flax and horsehair were typical building materials for that time period. C. A. Weslager, a local historian, was invited to inspect it before it was torn down, but he declined. He said he was familiar with the house and it was typical for the time and place. My goal has not been to explain where the children slept, but to describe two examples of local building techniques.

You might go to your local public library and look at back issues of Early American Life which often feature early PA houses. And explains how they were expanded over the years. The publisher Rizzoli has some nice books out on early houses in America and libraries buy those, too. Roderick Blackburn is an architectural historian who does some of these and although one of his is about early houses built by the Dutch in rural NY (and northern NJ, I think), he also talks in a wider sense. The library will have an architecture section and there are a number of books that explain early houses in America from early settlers' primitive cabins on upwards. They often have floor plans and sketches or even photos if available. There must have been quite a few house carpenters in Chester County who could help them/show them how to build what they needed. Liane

Where did everyone sleep?"......and, I think the best answer to that would probably be anywhere they could! There were trundle beds, beds that let down from the wall and then were hooked back during the day, box beds, but the luxury of a bed probably would have been reserved for Mom and Dad, if anyone had one. So, pallets on the floor would probably have been the most likely. Privacy was a commodity that came only to those who had the money to provide it, and wasn't the expected norm for most people of that era, and later. Privacy had to be paid for by the folk could afford it. The majority could not, I'd imagine. As far as building on to an existing structure, it would not have been difficult, and could have been accomplished in a good many ways...One, it could have been left as is and been added onto by adding a door to the new structure on one side of the cabin....the cabin could have been in the middle, with new structures on either side and doors into the original cabin, the roof removed from the existing structure and a new second floor built onto both new and the old, incorporated structure.The new structure could have been behind or in front of the original cabin, and made an L on the new structure, etc, etc, etc. Lots of ways of doing this. But cabins of this early type, by their very nature of being erected quickly, NEVER had a basement. Most all probably had dirt floors...after all, shelter was first on the list of needs, and speed was a must. No one would have dug a basement...that would have been unheard of in a frontier cabin. The more substantial homes of the time, no matter where they were in the eastern colonies, might well have had one, but not a cabin, no matter if it were in NC or PA. A basement was another of those luxuries that came with a better, more substantial building. There are many documented cases where the new immigrants in PA lived in caves which were really holes that were dug out of a bank , where families lived till they built their permanent dwellings. Also, don't "buy" anything unless it comes with the documentation that proves it's so! This is the watchword of all genealogists.... documentation ......and the absolute only way we can know something is so! We can make educated guesses about some things, based on what was the norm was in certain areas, how certain religions influenced the members, and things of this sort. But, it all finally comes down to proof, doesn't it. S.

My emigrant Smith ancestor came penniless from Ireland with his young wife, and they lost their baby on the way over. They got off at Newcastle, in the closing days of September sometime in the 1790's. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs. A local farmer hired them almost certainly as indentured servants. Being industrious and thrifty they soon became possessed of a small farm, where their labor was divided between the plow and the loom. Their employer was a local justice of the peace in London Britain township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, John Whitten by name, a prominent Baptist and dairy farmer, who owned slaves. Both he and his son Davis Whitten, also a JP, were known as very scrupulous (for Baptist slave owners). Apparently Pennsylvania colonial law required that an indentured servant be given the means to support himself at the end of his term, which could be a piece of land, the money to get a piece of land sufficient to support a family, or the tools of his trade. John Smith bought 29 and a half acres of land nearby in October of 1798, I suspect with money he was given for that purpose when his term ended. The land was carved from a bigger farm and there was no house on it. According to the person who owned that piece of land in the 1990's, the house where he lived was built around the original small log cabin, in the 1850's . There had also been a barn. Excavating the house when they bought it, they found the walls stuffed with newspapers from the 1850's for insulation, and the remains of a fireplace in the corner of the basement, where the occupants lived while they built the log cabin during the winter of 1798-99. The Smiths had a toddler and a newborn baby at the time. The Smiths were Presbyterian, and tax records show that most of their assessed value came from their loom. This means that John Smith was a village weaver. Both John and Isabella were born in 1769, and they didn't come to the U.S. until probably 1794, certainly not before 1791, so he was also a weaver in Ireland (where both were born). Family records tell us who her parents were but not his, nor where in Ireland they were born or married. Every Sunday they loaded their 7 children into their one and only wagon, drawn by their one and only horse, which sometimes had a colt (from the tax records), and drove to the Presbyterian church in New London, 12 miles away - though the Baptist church where they had surely been dragged by their previous masters, was much closer. The Smiths also had two cows, and sometimes a dog. In the 1830's the Smiths lost the farm, because they had taken out a mortgage and never paid on it. Two of their sons had done extremely well in business and stayed nearby. One, my 2x grandfather, became possessed of a thousand acres of land soon after that. The other son bought out the mortgage and sold it. One of them must have taken in the parents, who were now in their 60's. At the church my 2x great grandfather helped found, with his name in the window, is a big memorial marker of quite a number of the family but John and Isabella are not listed on it as buried there. These Smiths were civilized people. I don't know for a fact that hte log cabin had an actual floor, or beds, or a table, but I suspect so. Isabella is described as intellectual of feature. There is no mention of the kids attending school. My 2x great grandfather was a lively active lad who loved sports, and he was apprenticed to a stone mason. Later he was supremely successful in business, acquired a thousand acre farm, helped found a church, and served two terms in the Delaware state legislature. He saw two it that his own ten children attended local private schools, even secondary school; we're told what advanced subjects they studied. In his younger days while figuring out what he wanted to do, my 2x great grandfather visited relatives (possibly siblings) in Ohio, decided he didn't want to live in the back woods, and returned to Pennsylvania/ Delware/ Maryland (the farm actually contained the three state boundary marker) and began assembling his thousand acres. These Smiths weren't your not better sort of Scotch Irish. They weren't Andy Jackson running around in buckskin with guns chasing whatevers, though they may have liked to hunt. Isabella almost certainly educated her children very well in that log cabin, and she almost certainly made sure they had a table to do their lessons at. (I don't know if Andy Jackson ever actually learned to read and write; he comes across as a prototype of George Bush.) William Smith, my 2x great grandfather, who became possessed of a thousand acre farm and served in the Delaware state legislature, after running a successful farm equipment selling business, built a nice two story house. He married the daughter of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmer across the road, who had a tavern directly across from teh little Smith farm. This tavern was the local hangout, and also served as the town hall. Meetings were held there and I wonder if the JP even held court there. The probate records make it clear that they served large quantities of coffee and cider, and they also had bedrooms upstairs where people could stay. In addition to this tavern, which was a reasonable sized two story house and is now occupied by a family, and was not built until I think the 1830's (about when the Smiths lost their farm?) the Dehavens had one of those stereotypical Pennsylvania Dutch two or three story large rectangular brick houses with many windows. They had a large family, and no more than two children could possibly have slept in any one bedroom. One gets the idea of extremely industrious and very clean Pennsylvania Dutch people. My point is would a daughter of that family, even a slightly nuts woman as she appeared to be, have married a pig who lived in a hovel on a dirt floor, with an open central fireplace - even though he no longer lived there. He seems to have gotten to know her when he was an apprentice or journeyman. But if that's how the clearly not at all well off people across the road from the tavern lived, everyone would have known it! Also, the Dehavens attended the same church as the Smiths, the Presbyterian church in New London. So they would have known the family well. OK, here's my question. The Smiths had 7 children Where did the children sleep? Typically in Scotch Irish log cabins, the children slept in the loft, but I wonder if this particular log cabin can have had a loft, if it was possible to build a two story house around it. I have been doing a whole bunch of research on what the houses my Smith ancestors lived in in Ireland and Scotland would have looked like. Evidently children were typically stuffed into trundle beds, or coffin beds, a second bed built into the wall, etc. In the American west, in log cabins, the Scotch Irish typically put their children in the loft to sleep, like in Little House on the Prairie, or maybe not always that nice. But it required a half second story under the roof, which required a high, sloping roof and walls. I am wondering how a standard two story house would have been built around such a cabin, particularly if the original cabin became the living room of the new house. I don't know if that was really the only room of the log cabin. I understand that John Smith's loom may have been in a separate building, in an adjoining room, or in the same room with everything else, in a corner. I have reconstructions, photos of weavers' cottages, and period paintings depicting all three scenarios. All my pictures depict four post looms, but Sandra assures me that John Smith's loom was probably the four harness type, which was similar but didn't have the big four post frame. It isn't the first time I've been told that. Amazingly, the period paintings that depict the loom IN the one room Scottish cottages, depict the four post variety. They all depict the children sleeping in a heap around a central open fire pit, which I strongly doubt is how my Smiths lived. The Y DNA suggests my Smiths are likely to have come from the northern limit of the Scotch Irish home region (southwestern Scotland), as distinct from the borders proper. I wonder if people and their cottages were less severely primitive to the north, up the coast, and the people less characteristically ignorant. According to EVERY Scotch Irish social history, a typical borders resident lived in a little scantily constructed one room hovel, which he shared with the livestock, that had a dirt floor, and an open central fire place, and everyone slept huddled around it. Privacy was unheard of. Nothing was ever washed because of whatever would attack if they did. If someone was dying, the whole community crowded around the bed to make sure as many other people as possible also died - well, not actually, but how can people have been that stupid. historians are unanimous that these people WORKED at being ignorant. They had their own brand of staunch individualism; they slavishly obeyed their lairds, who would ring the bell and summon them to fetch weapons (could be pitchforks) and go raiding. It must have been quite a sight to see these people galloping in with their pitchforks. I must say that if it weren't for the evidence to the contrary I'd have SWORN these MUST be my father's direct ancestors. He was clearly raised by people who loved violence, even though my great grandfather evaded the draft in the Civil War, an offense for which my father would have taken his belt to us for even talking about it, and my father had a stanuch attachment to paradoxical ideas about patriotism and liberty - a 1960's era Republican to the core. I thought his ancestor MUST have been Andy Jackson. Smith men, though successful in careers, seem to have been characteristically pretty useless at home, too, especially toward their sons, as well as violent tempered. Mind you, the homes were well kept; they just didn't seem to bond normally, except with wives and selected daughters. My father was outright proud of how ignorant he could be, even though he was an Episcopal minister and his walls were lined with books. He didn't trust books. If the evidence weren't that his ancestors were intelligent and industrious and educated to the point of defying the odds, I'd really think his direct ancestors lived in dirt hovels with their livestock and never washed anything. At the least there's some streak of real ignorance, and superstition, in his background. This kind of paradox is typical of the Scotch Irish. All of Scotland may have been a wonder; I recently read a book about an indentured servant, who had fled a village in Scotland because the people thought she was a witch on account of something odd about her hair. Yet the same people seem to have seized on any chance of education they could get. I kept catching snatches about children in his mother's line, which was Pennsylvania Dutch from Berks and Dauphin Counties, crowded together, as many as seven children in one room, upstairs with terrifying men yelling up the stairs for them to be quiet or else. Distant matches who share my brother's distinct I1 DF29- cluster trace to Ayrshire and Lanarkshire and one family insists they came from Perthshire (where they were allegedly aristocrats, I don't know whether to buy it). The other family that was not allegedly aristocrats, were village weavers and subsistence level farmers, before becoming coal miners in the 19th century. They lived in small villages in cottages. The family that WERE allegedly aristocrats kept showing up (three times) on the eastern shore, and buying large quantities of land, and one emigrant died owning books and pictures, whatever that all means. The nearest common ancestor to all these people lived between 1100 and 1400, one would tend to think in the same part of Scotland. There is some reason to wonder if they came from Flanders during medieval times, including the background of the aristocrats, and also possibly the Y DNA trail. Not a single one of these families is made of stupid people. Smiths have always been bright and creative. My 2x great grandfather's inexplicable skyrocketing career is pretty typical, though the record is uneven, and as many Smiths came to nothing. There is serious evidence of one of the milder and mixed up forms of bipolar disorder throughout the Smith family history. One could also have to explain how a family from Flanders had such a varied record. Smiths don't even seem to have ever made up their minds whether they wanted to stay put or wander. So, back to the topic, I'm wondering where and in or on what John and Isabella's seven children in a log cabin, around which a two story house was built, in London Britain township, at the corner of New Hope Road near where the town hall now stands, across the street from a house and outbuildings that was the Dehavens' tavern, would have slept in? Thanks for your ideas! Yours, Dora Smith

Your ancestor probably used a simple 4 harness loom without a flying shuttle... the latter were, I believe, used mainly by large weaving concerns, not a simple village weaver who produced useable fabric for local trade. A lot of things changed in the world of weaving around 1830 (a bad time to be a weaver), when Jacquard looms came into being, and revolutionized weaving. They used something like a punch card that allowed very intricate designs to be made with a Jacquard attachment to the loom. However, I doubt most small town weavers could have afforded a Jacquard 'fix' to their loom, and many went out of business as unable to compete. (an interesting aside is that the word sabotage came into being with the advent of Jacquard looms. In France, I believe it was, weavers saw the 'writing on the wall' and knew they would be phased out by these looms, so they would drop their wooden shoes in the 'works', to stop the process...their wooden shoes were called sabots, thus the word sabotage came into being!!) Hopefully you will only get this message once.....the internet "gremlins" are at my house, today! S. > My emigrant ancestor, John Smith, was a village weaver. In their > little log cabin on 29 acres of land, in London Britain township, the > Smiths had a loom, which was the biggest amount they paid taxes on. > They bought the farm in 1798, probably the year they ended indentured > servitude, and they lost the farm in 1832 when the first textile mills > opened in New Garden and most local village weavers were ruined. The > holder of the mortgage foreclosed on it. > > What kind of loom did they have? I've asked this before, but I didn't > et the detail of if it would have had a flying shuttle.

. . . . and the Jacquard loom was the earliest ancestor of the modern computer. Genealogy permeates the lives of all things. On 7/7/2012 4:44 PM, Sandra Ferguson wrote: > Your ancestor probably used a simple 4 harness loom without a flying > shuttle... the latter were, I believe, used mainly by large weaving > concerns, not a simple village weaver who produced useable fabric for local > trade. A lot of things changed in the world of weaving around 1830 (a bad > time to be a weaver), when Jacquard looms came into being, and > revolutionized weaving. They used something like a punch card that allowed > very intricate designs to be made with a Jacquard attachment to the loom. > However, I doubt most small town weavers could have afforded a Jacquard > 'fix' to their loom, and many went out of business as unable to compete. > (an interesting aside is that the word sabotage came into being with the > advent of Jacquard looms. In France, I believe it was, weavers saw the > 'writing on the wall' and knew they would be phased out by these looms, so > they would drop their wooden shoes in the 'works', to stop the > process...their wooden shoes were called sabots, thus the word sabotage came > into being!!) > Hopefully you will only get this message once.....the internet > "gremlins" are at my house, today! > > S. > > >> My emigrant ancestor, John Smith, was a village weaver. In their >> little log cabin on 29 acres of land, in London Britain township, the >> Smiths had a loom, which was the biggest amount they paid taxes on. >> They bought the farm in 1798, probably the year they ended indentured >> servitude, and they lost the farm in 1832 when the first textile mills >> opened in New Garden and most local village weavers were ruined. The >> holder of the mortgage foreclosed on it. >> >> What kind of loom did they have? I've asked this before, but I didn't >> et the detail of if it would have had a flying shuttle. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PA-OLD-CHESTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Flying shuttles were invented around 1730 but I think were generally used by large weaving establishments, rather than small, one man shops. S. Sent from Sandra's iPod ???? > My emigrant ancestor, John Smith, was a village weaver. In their > little log cabin on 29 acres of land, in London Britain township, the > Smiths had a loom, which was the biggest amount they paid taxes on. > They bought the farm in 1798, probably the year they ended indentured > servitude, and they lost the farm in 1832 when the first textile mills > opened in New Garden and most local village weavers were ruined. The > holder of the mortgage foreclosed on it. > > What kind of loom did they have? I've asked this before, but I didn't > et the detail of if it would have

My emigrant ancestor, John Smith, was a village weaver. In their little log cabin on 29 acres of land, in London Britain township, the Smiths had a loom, which was the biggest amount they paid taxes on. They bought the farm in 1798, probably the year they ended indentured servitude, and they lost the farm in 1832 when the first textile mills opened in New Garden and most local village weavers were ruined. The holder of the mortgage foreclosed on it. What kind of loom did they have? I've asked this before, but I didn't et the detail of if it would have had a flying shuttle. Thanks! Yours, Dora Smith

Thank you Sandra, You were kind enough to provide me with the BULLOCK info quite a few years back. I'm not at all new to the area and have been on the rootsweb site it's just these HAMPTONs that are proving a bit too slippery! As always, I appreciate all of your assistance, Kristin -----Original Message----- From: Sandra Ferguson <ferg@ntelos.net> To: PA-OLD-CHESTER <PA-OLD-CHESTER@rootsweb.com>; Kristin <redkdc13@aim.com> Sent: Wed, Jul 4, 2012 2:28 pm Subject: Re: [PaOldC] PYLE and HAMPTON 1758 When researching a new area, it's always a very good idea to visit the rootsweb site for that county, to see what they offer. In this case, THE HISTORY OF CHESTER CO, is included as a free lookup, as is the book on CONCORD, and a will CD....so you DID have access to all these things, just for the asking! SandraSimon and Samuel Hampton are included on the taxable list for Thornbury, in 1753. I found several mentions of Simon Hampton in CONCORD TWP - THE COLONIAL LEGACY, by Case, but only concerning his financial worth, not any mention of the family itself. ( total wealth 211 lbs 1758-1789)HAMPTON, SIMON. Concord.March 1, 1774. March 12, 1774.To wife Sarah all estate real and personal except following legacies -- To son Walter, daughter Rebecca Pyle, son Thomas and daughter Sarah Baldwin 1 shilling each. Testator died before signing will.Executor: Son-in-law John Baldwin.Wit: Nicholas Newlin, Wm. Bell, Nathanl. Newlin. (ps....those who witnessed the will are both my ancestors!!!)HAMPTON, THOMAS. Tredyffrin. July 1, 1815.Joseph Hampton, administrator.BULLOCK, JOHN, Concord Twp.December 24, 1831 - April 16, 1832.Wife Sarah BULLOCK, children: Isaac, Sarah WILDEN, Hannah SMITH, Margary PECK, Hester VERNON, Mary GRAY, Jane PEIRCE, Moses, John, and wife Sarah, and Thomas H. BuLLOCK - mentions children of son John.Exrs: Thomas H. BULLOCK.Wits: Adam G. PALLEY and Lewis BULLOCK. #791.BULLOCK, ISAAC, Concord, Chester County.September 19, 1797 - June 11, 1802.Wife Margery, land from the old shop door to a certain large willow tree. To sons Thomas and Moses - mentions Joseph MORRISON'S and Thomas SPEAKMAN'S lines. Residue of land to son John. Legacies to daughters Mary HALL and Jane. Exrs: Sd. three sons.Wits: William FOULK and Stephen FOULK. #203BULLOCK, JOHN, Concord Tw9 December 24, 1831 - April 16, 1832.Wife Sarah BULLOCK, children: Isaac, Sarah WILDEN, Hannah SMITH, Margary PECK, Hester VERNON, Mary GRAY, Jane PEIRCE, Moses, John, and wife Sarah, and Thomas H. BULLOCK - mentions children of son John.Exrs: Thomas H. BULLOCK.Wits: Adam G. PALLEY and Lewis BULLOCK. #791.:>" I found Thomas HAMPTON son of Sarah and Simon HAMPTON of Concord> Township. Simon mentions 4 children in his will dated 1774: Walter,> Thomas, Rebecca PYLE, and Sarah BALDWIN. Witnesses to the marriage of> Isaac PYLE and Jane NEWLIN (Concord MM 1757) include, Rebecca PYLE,> Sarah HAMPTON Jr., Thomas HAMPTON, and an Esther HAMPTON. After further> searching I find that Esther PYLE (b. 1737 daughter of Joseph PYLE and> Sarah PENNELL) and Thomas HAMPTON were married but I found nothing> else, nothing that mentions their children.> So, anyone know anything about Thomas and Esther PYLE HAMPTON? Any> chance they had a daughter named Sarah 4.15.1760 to 1.5.1854 who> married John BULLOCK son of Isaac and Margery SMITH BULLOCK?> I noticed there is something about Simon and Thomas HAMPTON in Futhey> and Cope but I don't have access to it."

When researching a new area, it's always a very good idea to visit the rootsweb site for that county, to see what they offer. In this case, THE HISTORY OF CHESTER CO, is included as a free lookup, as is the book on CONCORD, and a will CD....so you DID have access to all these things, just for the asking! Sandra Simon and Samuel Hampton are included on the taxable list for Thornbury, in 1753. I found several mentions of Simon Hampton in CONCORD TWP - THE COLONIAL LEGACY, by Case, but only concerning his financial worth, not any mention of the family itself. ( total wealth 211 lbs 1758-1789) HAMPTON, SIMON. Concord.March 1, 1774. March 12, 1774.To wife Sarah all estate real and personal except following legacies -- To son Walter, daughter Rebecca Pyle, son Thomas and daughter Sarah Baldwin 1 shilling each. Testator died before signing will.Executor: Son-in-law John Baldwin.Wit: Nicholas Newlin, Wm. Bell, Nathanl. Newlin. (ps....those who witnessed the will are both my ancestors!!!) HAMPTON, THOMAS. Tredyffrin. July 1, 1815.Joseph Hampton, administrator. BULLOCK, JOHN, Concord Twp.December 24, 1831 - April 16, 1832.Wife Sarah BULLOCK, children: Isaac, Sarah WILDEN, Hannah SMITH, Margary PECK, Hester VERNON, Mary GRAY, Jane PEIRCE, Moses, John, and wife Sarah, and Thomas H. BuLLOCK - mentions children of son John.Exrs: Thomas H. BULLOCK.Wits: Adam G. PALLEY and Lewis BULLOCK. #791. BULLOCK, ISAAC, Concord, Chester County.September 19, 1797 - June 11, 1802.Wife Margery, land from the old shop door to a certain large willow tree. To sons Thomas and Moses - mentions Joseph MORRISON'S and Thomas SPEAKMAN'S lines. Residue of land to son John. Legacies to daughters Mary HALL and Jane. Exrs: Sd. three sons.Wits: William FOULK and Stephen FOULK. #203 BULLOCK, JOHN, Concord Tw9 December 24, 1831 - April 16, 1832.Wife Sarah BULLOCK, children: Isaac, Sarah WILDEN, Hannah SMITH, Margary PECK, Hester VERNON, Mary GRAY, Jane PEIRCE, Moses, John, and wife Sarah, and Thomas H. BULLOCK - mentions children of son John.Exrs: Thomas H. BULLOCK.Wits: Adam G. PALLEY and Lewis BULLOCK. #791. : >" I found Thomas HAMPTON son of Sarah and Simon HAMPTON of Concord > Township. Simon mentions 4 children in his will dated 1774: Walter, > Thomas, Rebecca PYLE, and Sarah BALDWIN. Witnesses to the marriage of > Isaac PYLE and Jane NEWLIN (Concord MM 1757) include, Rebecca PYLE, > Sarah HAMPTON Jr., Thomas HAMPTON, and an Esther HAMPTON. After further > searching I find that Esther PYLE (b. 1737 daughter of Joseph PYLE and > Sarah PENNELL) and Thomas HAMPTON were married but I found nothing > else, nothing that mentions their children. > So, anyone know anything about Thomas and Esther PYLE HAMPTON? Any > chance they had a daughter named Sarah 4.15.1760 to 1.5.1854 who > married John BULLOCK son of Isaac and Margery SMITH BULLOCK? > I noticed there is something about Simon and Thomas HAMPTON in Futhey > and Cope but I don't have access to it."

Hello Listers! I hope everyone is well. I am looking for any thoughts you may have on a lead I am following. Now, this is just a thread, no proof or substance really, I'm just following up on a lead... I have been looking for Thomas HAMPTON, father of Sarah Hampton BULLOCK (1760-1854) for some time to no avail. There are certainly enough Hamptons to choose from but nothing definitive. Yesterday I stumbled upon a Thomas that fits pretty well as far as dates and locations are concerned but have found little on him to prove or disprove a connection. Here goes: I found Thomas HAMPTON son of Sarah and Simon HAMPTON of Concord Township. Simon mentions 4 children in his will dated 1774: Walter, Thomas, Rebecca PYLE, and Sarah BALDWIN. Witnesses to the marriage of Isaac PYLE and Jane NEWLIN (Concord MM 1757) include, Rebecca PYLE, Sarah HAMPTON Jr., Thomas HAMPTON, and an Esther HAMPTON. After further searching I find that Esther PYLE (b. 1737 daughter of Joseph PYLE and Sarah PENNELL) and Thomas HAMPTON were married but I found nothing else, nothing that mentions their children. So, anyone know anything about Thomas and Esther PYLE HAMPTON? Any chance they had a daughter named Sarah 4.15.1760 to 1.5.1854 who married John BULLOCK son of Isaac and Margery SMITH BULLOCK? I noticed there is something about Simon and Thomas HAMPTON in Futhey and Cope but I don't have access to it. Any thoughts or ideas or leads or further proof I am pulling at straws would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kristin

There is no mention of the name Theophilus Blake/Bleak mentioned in THE HISTORY OF CHESTER CO, PA ,by Futhey and Cope. It is not found in wills, tax lists or any other records I could find. Of course, as a servant, the places their names would be found are few, so they could have been in Chester, but appeared on no sort of records... Servants tend to be pretty anon. There are also none named Kennett in the HISTORY OF CHESTER CO, wills, etc. The name of the township and MM of Kennet was said to have been suggested by Francis Smith, who had come from Devizes.in Wiltshire, England, in which there is a village called Kennet. So, it is possible that they lived in Kennet TWP, the reason for their son's middle name, or could have lived in Kennet while in England.. ( the name is now Kennett,here, but the original spelling had only 1 T) I also failed to find a Thomas Brown in any records. Boy, I am batting zero today.....sorry. Sandra "A group of Blake researchers are seeking information on Theophilus Blake, his wife Margaret, and their family. We are not sure if they emigrated from the northern part of England, the lowlands of Scotland or from Ulster, Northern Ireland and are attempting to narrow our search by assessing the family names in these areas, as well as the areas listed below, in an attempt to find a place to start our research for their homeland. Since they came to this land during the time period of the migrations of the Scotch-Irish we feel they may have come with this migration from Ulster. They are thought to be of the Presbyterian faith and are found living with Scotch-Irish immigrants in the areas of Virginia and West Virginia where they migrated after landing and settling for a time in Pennsylvania just west of Philadelphia. "

>From early court records; 1700..Sarah Harding and Jacob Usher acknwd a deed to Jno Besonge for one tenement lying in Chichester bearing date the 31st, 3 mo, 1700. 1700,,,Caleb Pusey, attorney to Sarah Harding and Jacob Usher delivered a deed to Humphrey Johnson att. for Jacob Chandler for 3 tracts of land lying in Chichester, bearing date the 28d, 8mo, 1700. 1707-8 Jacob Usher's name is mentioned in a petition to build a road from Thomas Garratts to Naamas Creek mill, but there is no way of knowing where it is by the description, which often happens in these early deeds. There are things like "beginning at a corner marked Hickory tree", and "by a stake with 5 notches thence by a stake with 5 notches".....you get the idea. These are the only mentions of Jacob in early court records up to and including 1710. Jacob is not mentioned in the HISTORY OF CHESTER CO. PA,by Futhey and Cope, but there is a Thomas if interested. from the Phil MM records; Usher Jacob d 10 10 1738 Joseph d 4-12-1722 Mary, w Joseph 11-8-1711 Ruth, d Jacob and Ruth d 12-12-1709-10 Ruth w Jacob d 12-18-1714 Thomas s Jacob and Ruth d 6-27-1706 1699-12-23 Jacob itm) Ruth Wood 1716-5-27 Jacob declared ltm Hannah Sallaway (proposal dropped by mutual consent) 1717-8-25 Jacob ltm Mary Brown I also found this which I thought interesting. 1686-10-31 itm Ruth Wood and Thomas Duckett (wonder what happened to Ruth and Thomas....I couldn't find a death date for him, so perhaps, for some reason, they decided not to marry) 1699-12-23 Ruth Wood Itm Jacob Usher (ltm = liberated to marry)...exact marriage date is not included Phil wills that mention the name Jacob Usher; HOOTON, THOMAS. Phila.July 29, 1693. August 5, 1693. A. 237.Estate to wife Elizabeth who is sole Executrix and to children Thomas and Mary. Legacies to mother Elizabeth Hooton; friend George Keith; Mary Bradshaw, widow; servants Jacob Usher and Ann Newington and to each trustee. He held an estate in West Jersey.Trustees: Thomas Holme, Andrew Robeson, Thomas Budd and Joseph Willcox. Witnesses: John Duplounys, Bulah Jaques, John Wilkinson. HARDING, NATHANIEL. Phila. Basket-maker.June 13, 1699. September 9, 1699. A. 484.Estate to wife Sarah who is sole Executrix and to son Francis. Legacies to wife's son Jacob Usher and to the Free School of the Monthly Meeting of Phila. He held an estate on the Delaware River near the mouth of Neshaminy Creek in Bucks Co., PAWitnesses: Eliz. Knowles, Thomas Smith, Junr., John Parsons. (these are the only 2 wills of the entire area that mention the name Jacob Usher) *The Quakers did not use the 'regular' dating system that non-Quakers used, so the 12m is NOT December. You may go online and read up on how to change them to 'regular' dates, but in lieu of that, just leave them as they are 12m 12d 1699. He appears in no Chester Co Quaker meeting records that I have, but don't suppose he would. He was a member of the Phil. MM and dies while a member there soI don't suppose his death would have been recorded in the minutes of that meeting. Sandra "Seeking additional information on Jacob USHER. What I know to date is that he lived in Philadelphia, was a Quaker, married Ruth Wood 23 Dec, 1699. He was a carpenter, and took on James WEST, the orphan of James WEST and Prudence, as an apprentice in 1708. 25 August 1717 he married Mary BACON. In 1722 he mortgaged land in Chester, as per below. In 1730 he witnessed the Will of John LADD in Gloucester, NJ. I am primarily interested in his movements and his links to the LADD, BACON and WEST families, not his descendants. Does anyone have a clue to where the property might have been located? (Naamans Creek is really long) or know if he appears in the minutes of the quaker meeting at Chester?".

A group of Blake researchers are seeking information on Theophilus Blake, his wife Margaret, and their family. We are not sure if they emigrated from the northern part of England, the lowlands of Scotland or from Ulster, Northern Ireland and are attempting to narrow our search by assessing the family names in these areas, as well as the areas listed below, in an attempt to find a place to start our research for their homeland. Since they came to this land during the time period of the migrations of the Scotch-Irish we feel they may have come with this migration from Ulster. They are thought to be of the Presbyterian faith and are found living with Scotch-Irish immigrants in the areas of Virginia and West Virginia where they migrated after landing and settling for a time in Pennsylvania just west of Philadelphia. Their information as we know it is as follows: Theophilus Blake (aka Bleak on some records in Pennsylvania & Virginia) birth estimated as 1722 - 1725, died in 1797 in Green Valley, Bath County, Virginia, United States. He immigrated to Chester County, Pennsylvania, 28 May 1745. His wife: Margaret (possibly Kennett) birth may have been about 27 June 1725 in Lanchester, Durham Shire, England (based on a christening record for the Church of England to a father named George Kennett. This information is not proven.) is buried at Sinking Creek, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. Margaret was listed on indenture papers as Mrs. Blake which leads us to believe they were married before coming to this country. The ages of Theophilus & Margaret are estimated by the birth of their children. The information we have on this husband and wife is limited to records found thus far in the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia in the American Colonies which follows: Immigrant Servants Database: http://immigrantservants.com/servant/show.php?servant=5748 Immigrant Servants Database: http://immigrantservants.com/servant/show.php?servant=5749 Source Citations: (1) William Pim, His Book, 1739-1751, For Recording Assignments of Servants, Etc. Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Microfilm 20994 Item 3, Family History Library, Salt lake City, Utah. Indenture papers Research Notes: Proof of Immigrant Servant Status: James Bredin assigned Theophilus Blake to Thomas Brown bound 6 yrs from ye 28 3 mo last (1745). (1) "Theophilus Blake & Margret his Wife bound themselves to Hugh Heny for 3 yrs each from the 28th of last month without freedom dues & to live together." (1) Name on Indenture papers for Margaret is listed as Margaret (Mrs.) Blake. No other information is listed to show where they immigrated from or the names of their parents. Margaret's maiden name remains a mystery, though Kennett is a likely candidate. The last name of Margaret is thought to be Kennett because of the middle name of one of their sons who was named George Kennett Blake. This also leads us to think that the name of Margaret's father may have been George Kennett. Any information you could give us would be appreciated. Thank you. Marlene Borgstrom mborgstrom@earthlink.net

Thanks for the hint. On Jul 4, 2012, at 10:33 AM, Scottie wrote: Jacob Usher 1788 North Ward Philadelphia

Seeking additional information on Jacob USHER. What I know to date is that he lived in Philadelphia, was a Quaker, married Ruth Wood 23 Dec, 1699. He was a carpenter, and took on James WEST, the orphan of James WEST and Prudence, as an apprentice in 1708. 25 August 1717 he married Mary BACON. In 1722 he mortgaged land in Chester, as per below. In 1730 he witnessed the Will of John LADD in Gloucester, NJ. I am primarily interested in his movements and his links to the LADD, BACON and WEST families, not his descendants. Does anyone have a clue to where the property might have been located? (Naamans Creek is really long) or know if he appears in the minutes of the quaker meeting at Chester? Thanks. Carol From Abstracts of Chester Cnty, PA Land Records 1681-1730 by Carol Bryant: Mortgage. On 16 Aug 1722 Charles DINGEE of Little Egg Harbor in county of Burlington in western division of New Jersey to Jacob USHER of the city of Philadelphia, carpenter. Nor for £110 Charles DINGEE grants to Jacob USHER a tract in Chichester bounded by land of Walter MARTIN, Francis HARRINGTON, Robert EYRE, Naamans creek & of the late William THOMAS, containing 42 acres. Also tract bounded by Naamans creek, land of Walter MARTIN, Francis HARRINGTON, of the late Robert EYRE & of the late William THOMAS, containing 42 acres. Also a tract bounded by Naamans creek, land of Francis HARRISONS, Jacob CHANDLER, John HULBER, containing 42 acres (unable to read the description of the other tracts). In whole 252 acres, known as Jacob's Well. Signed: Charles DINGEE. Delivered in the presence of George SIMPSON & Joseph PARKER. Recorded: 12 Feb 1722. (D4:189)

Hopefully those of you from the east coast lived through the terrible storms of Fri and Sat nite and the after effects. We, personally, have electricity, but are in the minority in our state (just the luck of the draw). In our town thousands are still without power, with the temp,up around 95, the absolute WORST time to be without AC. We lost hundreds and hundreds of trees in our town and many houses and vehicles sustained considerable damage. The city and elect co. are out in force, doing their durndest, but many streets are still blocked by trees and downed wires and poles. (These things happen just to show us how, in the face of Mother Nature, we are pretty durn helpless, and 'put us in our place"!!!) Sandra This is an interesting peek at what was going on one year after the initial 4th...and reference the Hessian band & Trenton as a preamble. When Washington and his men crossed the Delaware, catching the Hessian troops completely off guard, this constituted the first real success for the continental forces. Before that, they had been continuously forced into retreat, and had lost, to battle and desertion, a large percentage of American troops. So, the battle of Trenton, coming when it did, breathed new life into the fight for independence and gave people hope. The Hessian forces were composed of men who had been pressed into service by their rulers...they didn't fight because the believed in the cause but rather because they were conscripted and then sent halfway around the world to fight and die, simply to put money into the coffers of their various ruling factions. Too, King George III was the hereditary ruler of Hanover, and as such these troops were blended into the British Army. Many Hessians were more than happy to be 'captured', and a great many stayed in the new world rather than return to the tyranny of their homerule, and threw their lot in with the Colonials and their dream of liberty. "Yesterday the 4th of July, being the Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in this city with demonstration of joy and festivity. About noon all the armed ships and gallies in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colours of the United States and streamers displayed. At one o'clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen gallies, in honour of the Thirteen United States. In the afternoon an elegant dinner was prepared for Congress, to which were invited the President and Supreme Executive Council, and Speaker of the Assembly of this State, the General Officers and Colonels of the army, and strangers of eminence, and the members of the several Continental Boards in town. The Hessian band of music taken in Trenton the 26th of December last, attended and heightened the festivity with some fine performances suited to the joyous occasion, while a corps of British deserters, taken into the service of the continent by the State of Georgia, being drawn up before the door, filled up the intervals with feux de joie. After dinner a number of toasts were drank, all breaking independence, and a generous love of liberty, and commemorating the memories of those brave and worthy patriots who gallantly exposed their lives, and fell gloriously in defence [sic] of freedom and the righteous cause of their country. Each toasts was followed by a discharge of artillery and small arms, and a suitable piece of music by the Hessian band. The glorious fourth of July was reiterated three times accompanied with triple discharges of cannon and small arms, and loud huzzas that resounded from street to street through the city. Towards evening several troops of horse, a corps of artillery, and a brigade of North Carolina forces, which was in town on its way to join the grand army, were drawn up in Second street and reviewed by Congress and the General Officers. The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Every thing was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal. Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious and ever memorable day, be celebrated through America, by the sons of freedom, from age to age till time shall be no more. Amen, and amen ." (Virginia Gazette, 18 July 1777).

Carol, are you just seeking descendants of these people OR are you actually seeking information on these folks? When I see a query looking for descendants, I never know whether to do a lookup or not......So, if you are looking for information, please let us know......otherwise we'll assume you only want descendents. Sandra " I am seeking descendants of James West of Philadelphia. A couple in Chester County that contains descendants is John Starr = Mary West: John was the son of John Starr and Sarah Martin. I have traced the West line back to Bristol, England and would be happy to share info. "

Hello Listers; I am seeking descendants of James West of Philadelphia. A couple in Chester County that contains descendants is John Starr = Mary West: John was the son of John Starr and Sarah Martin. I have traced the West line back to Bristol, England and would be happy to share info. Carol

I've been going back and forth between my Ipod, PC and lap top, and somewhere I lost a request for help with their relative......I 'hope' I'm right in saying that the surname was Case......but I might be wrong. So, if you're sent me a request lately, and not heard from me, please send it again....it's lost in the ethers somewhere between PC/Ipod/laptop. S. from EARLY CHURCH RECORDS OF CHESTER CO PA VOL 3 by Martha Reamy; Sometimes the change in county lines makes it confusing to know what was where, and when. The following are the MMs that remained in Chester Co, established prior to 1800. 1. Newark (now Kennett) 1686. first held in New Castle Co (now Del) later moved to Kennett after a period in Centre. 2. New Garden MM (1718). formed by division of Newark MM and included meetings of New Garden, Nottingham and Londongrove. Cope has compiled these records. 3. Goshen << (1722) formed from Chester MM, ca 1722. At that time it included the particular meetings of Goshen, Newton and Uwchlan, to which Nantmeal and Pikeland were added. These records also were compiled by Gilbert Cope. 4. Bradford MM (1737) was established to include the meetings of Bradford and Caln. 5. Sadsbury MM (1737-38) was established by the division of New Garden MM records...later was in Lancaster Co.. 6. Uwchlan MM (1763) was formed by the division of Goshen MM. 7. Nottingham MM (1730) was part of the Baltimore Yearling Meeting. It was established by a division of New Garden MM in 1730. 8. Londongrove MM (1792) was established by a division of New Garden MM.