In a message dated 5/26/06 6:00:46 PM Mountain Daylight Time, PA-OLD-CHESTER-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: Also, I am interested to know where "Marple" is located in reference to today? Is it in New Jersey and about what location? Hi List - here are some answers to your questions, From a very old map I have of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, Thomas Pearson, the surveyor, settled in Marple, which was located below Newton township and above Springfield township, west of Haverford and northwest of Darby. This map is old, about 1692. The owners of land in the area of Marple are Jonathan Hayes, Peter Worrall, Henry Hamuns, James Stanfield, Francis Stanfield, Joseph Selby, Thomas Pearson, Ralph Dracott (2nd owner), George Willard. The road from Radnor to Chester seperates the township. David Morris, John Pugh, Jonathan Tayler, Josiah Tayler, Richard Thomson, Daniel Williamson, John Howell, Thomas Massey, Joseph Rhoads and Barthl Coppock Senior own land on the east side of the road from Radnor to Chester. Marple was laid out in 1691. Darby Creek is the eastern boundary of Marple and Crum Creek is the Western boundary for Marple. It is in Pennsylvania, not New Jersey. The question of the naming of Chester and whether Thomas Pearson was on board with Penn is also clarified in "The History of Chester County Pennyslvania" by Futhey and Cope. It appears that this is not a legend but fact, that Thomas Pearson was on board. Per page 21, Penn is quoted as saying..."turning round to his friend Pearson, one of his own society, who had accompanied him in the ship 'Welcome,' he said, 'Providence has brought us here safe. Thou has been the companion of my perils. What wilt thou that I should call this place?' Pearson said, 'Chester,' in remembrance of the city from whence he came. William Penn replied that it should be called Chester, and that when he divided the land into counties one of them should be called by the same name.' Thus from a mere whim the name of the oldest town; the name of the whole settled part of the province; the name that would naturally have a place in the affections of a large majority of the inhabitants of the new province, was effaced to gratify the caprice or vanity of a friend. All great men occasionally do little things." Since Pearson was the surveyor, he would have come over to survey the lands so that Penn would have an idea to present to the king's representative, Lord Baltimore, on how much land would be needed for his purpose. In fact, after his arrival, according to Cope, he dispatched messengers to Lord Baltimore, the kings representative here, evidently for the purpose of procuring an interview and settling their difficulties and he went to New York to "pay his duty" to the duke by way of a visit to his government. When he returned he caused three counties to be laid off, - Chester, Philadelphia, and Bucks, done on Nov. 25, 1682. Regard Pierson (Thomas and Marg..) and Pearson Again, from the History of Chester County Pennsylvania, by Futhey and Cope... pg. 22 arrivals 1682 and 1688...There is a Tho: Pierson & Margt his wife, late of Pownell in Cheshire, mason arrived on the Endeaver of London, Geo. Thorp Master, arrived here the 29, 7 mo. 1683. I believe there is the above Thomas Pierson, married to Margaret, as I believe it should be Margaret because Cope puts a small "t" behind Marg). Then there is another Thomas Peirson listed on page 238, a Quaker, who is ..."on 7, 10, 1716 - [I use the spelling as in the book] "Calne meeting mak report to this meeting that they have appointed Thomas Peirson and William Cloude to be overseers for their meeting which this meeting doth approve of." 8, 8, 1717 " Elizabeth Swaffer and Susanna Mendenhall are chosen overseers of Calne meeting." at Quarterly meeting: 6, 6, 1716 - The Request of the ffriends of the Inhabitance of Calne for a firs-Days meeting to be settled amongst them, being considered it is the sence of this meeting that they may keep a first days meeting there & have Liberty to build a meeting house on the land of John Mendinhall according to the friends Proposall." and.. At Concord Monthly Meeting: 8,7, 1717 - John Mendenhall, Junr, is appointed overseer for Calne in room of Wm. Cloude who desire to be excused." Makes me think that this Thomas Peirson is the one related to the Mendenhalls. Thomas Pearson the surveyor, settled in Marple, as he came from Chichester, England. Any thoughts on this? see below Per Futhey and Cope "History of Chester County Pennsylvania page 655: under John and Benjamin Mendenhall.... "John Mendenhall married Elizabeth in 1685, daughter of George Maris and had a son John b. 4, 3, 1688 who married Susanna Pierson, 1709, son Aaron, b 9,20,1690 d. 4, 30 1765 who married 4, 16, 1715 to Rose Pierson, sister of Susanna and daughter of Thomas Pierson. John, Jr., and Aaron settled in East Caln, whence John went to Lancaster County and finally to Virginia." Then there is the third Thomas Pearson who married Hannah Blunston and had daughter Susanna who married Hugh Lloyd. Susanna was born in 1746, in Darby per the book Colonial and Revolutionary Families. I also have a very old book, that is falling apart, "The History of Delaware County Pennsylvania", written in 1862 by George Smith, M.D. in it, is written about Thomas Pearson, and I quote from page 490: "Pearson, Thomas, frequently called Thomas Person, with his wife Margery, came from England with William Penn when on his first visit to Pennsylvania. If any reliance can be placed on tradition, it was upon his suggestion that the name of Upland was changed to Chester. He settled in Marple township on the tract marked "Thomas Perce" on Holme's map. His children were Robert, Thomas, Lawrence, Enoch, John, Alice, Sarah and Benjamin, all born in this country. His daughter Sarah, intermarried with John West and was the mother of the great painter Benjamin West. His son Robert Pearson, intermarried with Catharine the daughter of James Thomas of Merion. Thomas Pearson the elder was alive in 1706. Besides Pearson, some of his descendants took the name of Parsons, Person and Pierson." the next Pearson is not the son of the above Pearson since he did not immigrate until 1712 from England. also pg 490: Pearson, Benjamin, with his wife Susanna and family emigrated from the town of Rotherham in the West Riding of Yorkshire England about the year 1712, and settled in Darby. His wife's maiden name was Susanna Burbeck. They were in membership with Friends at the time of their arrival. Benjamin was a very sedate man, strongly English in his notions, and never became fully reconciled to this country. He never would admit that its products were equal to those of England - turnips only excepted. He died in 1763 aged 81 years, the death of his wife having occurred eighteen years earlier. They had been better educated than was usual for immigrants in that day, but Benjamin feeling so little interested in the country never made any exertions to acquire property in it. Their children were Benjamin, Thomas and Isaac born in England and John, Joseph, Samuel and Joshua, born in this country. Thomas, the second son married Hannah, the daughter of Samuel Blunston and grand daughter of the immigrant John Blunston, and settled in Darby. From their oldest son John Pearson, who married Anne Bevan all the Darby Pearson families have descended. ---------------------------- Morris Llewellyn was born at Castlebith, Pembrokeshire, South Wales in the year 1645 and his wife Ann, whose maiden name was Young, was born two years later. They migrated about the year 1686 to Pennsylvania and settled in the northwest part of Haverford township. Morris had suffered persecution in his native coutnry by distraint for the payment of tithes. They were exemplary member of the Society of Friends, Morris being frequently entrusted with responsible appointments by the meeting. Their children were David, Mary, Morris and Griffith - all born in Wales, except the last named. David intermarried in 1706 with Margaret Lawrence of Haverford and after her decease, with Margaret Ellis of Gwynedd and Morris with Elizabeth Thomas of Merion. All quoted from the History of Delaware County, by George Smith M.D. printed 1862page 480 Hope this information helps you. Dottie

>From a very old map I have of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, Thomas >Pearson,...about 1692. The road from Radnor to Chester seperates the township. Any idea if the township still matches the road line? Can you tell me more about the map of Marple and Radnor Chester Road or where you found it? Can you share a copy or point me to a source? My parents live on a Radnor-Chester Road, about 1 mile from Radnor Meeting in Radnor. Nowadays that area is more known as Wayne. I would be very interesting in seeing the map because I know the old roads around there well. Currently a south end of the road named Radnor-Chester is at Radnor Meeting and the north end is by Radnor train station at King of Prussia Road. This is actually north of Radnor Meeting and Chester is south, so I think the original road name change and left just a fragment. In late 1600's I know that an Evans family owned land around the north along this, and that some Roberts families were just past that a few miles. This link is to the approximate location of Radnor Friends Meeting. <http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=Conestoga+Road+And+Sproul+Road,+Radnor ,+PA> Radnor Meeting is at about 8 O'Clock on the intersection of the new interstate 495, Conestoga, and Sproul Road. It should be centered on this if you zoom in. It's just south of where Radnor Chester ends at Conestoga Rd and west of 495 and 320. I suspect 320/Sproul was the original Radnor Chester Road extending to Chester. If you zoom in you see a nexus of Conegstoga Road headed west, probably predating Lancaster Pike a bit. Lancaster Pike (rt 30) to the north connects east via the Welsh Quaker tract past Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Merion to Philadelphia and was the first major road west. Head east from Radnor Meeting and it heads to Haverford and Merion Meetings. I-495 almost displaced Radnor Meeting some years ago. What's left of Radnor Chester road runs a bit north of that, but I suspect that this is just a north leg of a mile or so really headed towards Matson's Ford Road, Conshohoken and Plymouth Meeting. King of Prussia road also intersects nearby, as well as Darby Paoli Road. That area must have been an early crossroads since so many of the roads remain named after the places they are from or two. Probably great land for taverns and inns. I think the Marple question may have been answered, but if you run directions to Broomall, PA from the link on Google at Radnor it will map to Marple Township and Broomall down old Sproul Rd (320).