Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I, Part 29

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 710

USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I > Part 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

NICHOLAS WALN, b. Nov. 14, 1742; m. Sarah Richardson, of whom later.

RICHARD WALN, eldest son of Nicholas and Mary (Shoemaker) Waln, was born about 1737, died May 23, 1809. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Philadelphia and acquired considerable wealth. He removed in 1774 to Mon- mouth county, New Jersey, where he purchased a large tract of land near the Burlington county line, adjacent to the village of Crosswicks, where he built his nansion, a large frame dwelling, still standing. A recent historical sketch of that part of New Jersey says of his purchase, "This entire section of the State was purchased from the Lahwah Indians, many years ago, by a man of the name of Waln, for a barrel of cider and a few beads." "The grotesqueness of this statement", writes a more careful historian, "will be appreciated by all stu-

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dents of New Jersey history. For an hundred years prior to Waln's advent in New Jersey, the Indians of that Colony had very little land to dispose of, for cider, beads or articles of great intrinsic value."

Richard Waln named his place Walnford, a name it bears to this day. Here he lived during the Revolutionary period, and sometime after its close returned to Philadelphia, where he continued to reside until his death, Walnford being his summer home. He married, December 4, 1760, Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Armitt, a Philadelphia merchant, but of an old Burlington county, New Jersey, family, from which descended Henry Armitt Brown, the eloquent orator and able lawyer of Philadelphia a generation ago. Mrs. Elizabeth (Armitt) Waln died in 1790.

Richard Waln and his wife are referred to a number of times in the "Extracts from the Journal of Elizabeth Drinker," edited by Henry D. Biddle, Philadel- phia, 1889, Mrs. Drinker and her husband, Henry Drinker, being among their close friends. Some of these references are as follows, the initials H. D. and E. D. referring to the journalist's husband and herself :

"1774, June 6. H. D. and E. D. went in our chaise as far as Frankford with our neighbors Richd and Elizh Waln who are on their way to their mill near Cross- wicks, N. J., where they are going to reside. Robt Waln and wife went with them as far as Bristol. We took leave of them at our place at Frankford."

"1776, September 12. H. D., E. D. and Billy left home fifth-day after breakfast * * * came to R. Waln's after dark. Sept. 13, * * * we walked about Richd Waln's place; examined ye Mill and got weighed; E. D. weighed 130 lbs., Billy, 56, E. W. 116," (the last being Richard Waln's wife) "Sept. 16, Left Walnford after 12 o'clock, Betsy Waln in the chaise with me",-after spending the night at Joseph Smith's near Burlington, the Drinkers returned to Philadelphia, having evidently parted with Mrs. Waln, though the Journal does not say so.

"October 23. Fourth-day H. D. and E. D. left home about half past 7 o'clock and reached Rd Waln's before dark. Found R. W. very unwell. Oct. 24, R. W. better to-day, and our prospect is to set off in his waggon, with his Betsy on seventh day morn- ing; his health and weather permitting. Oct. 25. Spent this day at R. W's-he being very unwell * * *. Oct. 26. As R.W. is very feverish, tho' somewhat better, he declines attending Shrewsbury meeting. We set out in his wagon with his son Nicholas, and his negro Peter as a driver, about 9 o'clock. * * *

and began our return homewards ; * *

Oct.

30. Breakfasted at R.L's,

* and came to R.W's about 5, found Richard much better. November I. Between 9 and 10 this morning the weather being fine, we left our Friends and proceeded homeward." Richard Waln being a Friend was a non- combatant, and, as is well known, non-combatants were in those days classed as Tories. The Journal has this entry under date of Oct. 22, 1777, a month after the British had taken possession of Philadelphia :- "Richard Waln is taken up, and sent to New York. He had his choice of 3 things, either to go to jail, take ye Test, or go within ye English lines. Ye latter was chosen."

"1777, Dec. II. Near 10 o'clock this evening, who should come in but Rich. Waln-he came from New York in a vessel with a number of others. He's hearty and well." He seems to have stayed in Philadelphia for some months after this as he is mentioned among callers at Drinker's on February 17 and April 2, 1778, and dined there May 8; his family, however, stayed at Walnford. "June 14, First-day. Richard Waln dined with us. He seems at a loss how to determine, whether to stay here or go" This was when the Brit- ish were withdrawing from Philadelphia. "June 17, Richard Waln took leave of us today" "Sept. 4, H.D. received a letter yesterday from Richd Waln, dated from Walnford. We are pleased to find he is with his Family but we do not yet know upon what terms." Thereafter he remained at Walnford until the end of the Revolution. "1783, June 16. Sally, Nancy, and Billy were to leave Middletown this day for Richd Waln's, near Cross- wicks, in ye Jerseys." "June 28. or thereabouts our children returned from R. Waln's." "1785, July 28. Fifth-day. Left home after dinner * * * July 29, came to Richard

Waln's before dark, should have got there sooner, but were delayed sometime on the road, about 3 miles from R.W's by the oversetting of ye chaise. Henry drove. * * *

Found R.W's family well. July 30. Betsy Waln and her daughter set off with us for shrewsbury, H.D., E.W., H.D.Jr., and E.D. in R.W's waggon; Nancy Drinker and Polly Waln in our chaise, * * * *

* July 31 * journeyed on to Lippincott's at Shrews- bury, II o'clock H.D. his son, and ye girls went to meeting, E.W. and self staid at ye Tavern, where we dined, *

* Rode down to ye Bath house in ye evening. Polly

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Waln and our Nancy went into ye water. August

* E.W., myself and our daughters went into ye Bath this morning. * Aug. 4.

* * * * We set off after Breakfast for Long Branch on ye Sea Shore. H.D,E.W .. and E.D. went round in ye waggon- George Eddy and wife, Nancy, Henry and Polly Waln, and John Fry went in a Boat. * * * August 5. Betsy Waln and daughter, G.Eddy and wife left us this morning

for their respective homes. * * * We shall miss Betsy Waln very much." Polly Waln mentioned in the Journal was the one who afterwards married Thomas Wister. "August IO. Left John Corlas' this morning * *

* arrived at Richard Waln's towards even- ing, 40 miles. *

* * Richard Waln gone to Philada with our Horse and Chaise, which detained us there a day longer than we intended. Aug.II, Spent this day at R.W's Rich- ard returned home this evening, bringing us word that all were well at home. Aug 12, Left R.W's after Breakfast."

The will of Richard Waln, "of Philadelphia, Gent.", signed June 3, 1808, proved June 7, 1809, mentioned his sons, Joseph ; Nicholas, to whom he devised his estate in Monmouth county, New Jersey, "commonly called Walnford"; his daughter Rebecca Harrison; son-in-law Thomas Wister; daughters, Elizabeth Waln and Hannah Ryers, and the latter's father-in-law J. Ryers; and appointed Joseph, Nicholas and Jacob Waln executors; a codicil dated May 14, 1809, adds his daughter Elizabeth Waln and son-in-law Thomas Wister to the executorship.

Issue of Richard and Elizabeth (Armitt) Waln :-

Joseph Waln, b. 1761, d. either Sept. 10 or Oct. 9, 1824, aged sixty-three; m. Feb. 12, 1801, Elizabeth, dau. of John Stokes, of a well-known Burlington county family. They resided in Darby, Delaware co., Pa., and had no children; after her husband's death, Mrs. Waln m. (second) April 9, 1829, at Upper Darby Friends Meeting House, Hon. Thomas Pim Cope, of Philadelphia, son of Caleb and Mary Cope, of Lancaster, Pa., and one of the most successful merchants of his day, an eminent philanthropist; a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, and otherwise prominent in public life. Elizabeth (Stokes) Waln was his second wife, and had no children by him.

On Dec. 10, 1794, Joseph Waln was a groomsman at the wedding of Henry Drinker Jr. son of Elizabeth Drinker, the diarist, in whose journal he is mentioned a few days later ;- "Feb. 13. * * * As our son Henry was desirous of having the young people invited here after his marriage, this afternoon was appointed, tho' we are not fond of such parties, * * * ye other two (groomsmen) Isaac Morris and Joe Waln were absent."

Mary Waln, b. 1765, d. 1844; m. 1786, Thomas Wister, b. 1764, d. 1851, son of Richard and Sarah (Wyatt) Wistar and brother of Caspar Wistar, M.D., the eminent physician and scientist of a century ago; see Wistar Family in these volumes, where an account of the twelve children of Thomas and Mary (Waln) Wistar is given; the death of one of whom is mentioned in Elizabeth Drinker's Journal, before quoted in regard to Mary (Waln) Wister, referred to therein as "Polly Waln".

"Sept. 7, 1793, Nobody here to day but H.M. and Betsy Emlen who drank tea with us; Henry and Molly went with them this evening over to Hesser's to see Molly Wharton, who has returned here with her Baby, 4 weeks old. She informed M.D. that about a week past, a little son of Tommy Wister who was at his grand- father's Richd Waln's, as unfortunately drowned in the mill-pond." The Molly Wharton mentioned was daughter of Jesse Waln, Richard's first cousin, who will be mentioned hereafter.

Among the more recent descendants of Thomas and Mary (Waln) Wistar were : Richard Vaux, Mayor of Philadelphia, and Member of Congress; General Isaac Jones Wistar et al. ;

Elizabeth Waln, b. about 1767, lived mostly in Phila .; was one of her father's execu- tors in 1809; d. unm. in Phila., Dec. 22, 1837, aged seventy years. Her will dated May 5, 1834, proved Jan. 4, 1838, was of unusual form and evidently drawn by her- self, it devised everything she possessed except a few personal articles to her niece, Elizabeth Waln Smith, daughter of her sister, Hannah Ryers, and named her nephews, Joseph W. Ryers and S. Morris Waln, as executors ;

Hannah Waln, m. John Ryers, and had issue :

Adrian Ryers, d. y .; Eliza Ryers, d. y. ;

Elizabeth Waln Ryers, m. Aug. 4, 1819, by Rev. William White, (afterwards Bishop of Pennsylvania) rector of Christ Church, Phila., to Thomas W. Smith; she was the principal devisee of her aunt, Elizabeth Waln, above men- tioned ;

Joseph Waln Ryers, m. two of his cousins, (first) June 3, 1830, by Bishop White,

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Susan, dau. of Congressman Robert Waln; (second) her sister, Ann Waln; a fuller account of Hon. Robert Waln will be given later ;

Richard Waln, d. y .;

Rebecca Waln, b. 1772, d. March 17, 1854, in her eighty second year; m. (as his second wife) Matthias Harrison, b, March 2, 1759, d, June 17, 1817, son of Henry Harrison, mayor of Phila., in 1762, by his wife, Mary Aspden; they had no issue;

NICHOLAS WALN, of whom presently;

JACOB SHOEMAKER WALN, b. at Walnford, N. J., 1776; m. Sarah Morris, of whom later ;

NICHOLAS WALN, second surviving son of Richard and Elizabeth (Armitt) Waln, succeeded his father in the ownership of Walnford, where his entire life was spent, he having assumed charge of the estate there on his father's return to Philadelphia, after the Revolution, and inherited it under his father's will in 1809.

He married Sarah, born November 8, 1779, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Wright) Ridgway, of Burlington county, New Jersey, an account of whom and their ancestry and descendants is given in these columns under the title of "The Ridgway Family".

Issue of Nicholas and Sarah (Ridgway) Waln :-

RICHARD WALN, m. (first) Mary Ann Alleln, (second) Caroline Mount, of whom pres- ently ;

Elizabeth Waln, d. unm. about the age of twenty-one years;

Joseph Waln, of the city of Burlington, N. J .; m. and was the father of Robert Wood Waln, a member of the Philadelphia and Burlington county bars, with law offices at 204 West Washington square, Phila., and residence 320 Wood st., Burlington, where he was an elder of Presbyterian church, and active in philanthropic work. He died suddenly in Phila., Jan. 23, 1908; also of Dr. Ryers Waln, of Peoria, Ill., who died suddenly at a Christmas dinner, 1907, and was buried at Crosswicks, New Years Day, 1908; and of two daughters one of whom died suddenly a few years ago, the other being Miss Lillian Waln, now of Burlington, N. J .;

John Waln, of near Walnford, N. J .; m. Maria Kirby, and had among other children, Henry C. Waln, of near Walnford, N. J .;

Mary E. Waln;

S. Morris Waln, a member of the Phila. bar, residing at 1730 Mount Vernon st., Phila .;

Annie Waln;

Dr. Emma C. Waln, of 2602 Ridge ave., Phila .;

Sarah Waln;

Maria (Waln) Wolle;

Nicholas Waln, m. twice, and had by first wife three sons,

George Waln, a retired merchant of 759 No. 40th st., Phila .;

Richard C. Waln, of Allentown, N. J .;

Thomas Ridgway Waln ;

Nicholas Waln married (second) Mary , who survived him afterwards living with her daughter at 1708 Vine st., Phila., where she d. Aug. 6, 1907, and was buried at Crosswicks; this branch of the family still retaining their membership in the Society of Friends; the only child of the second marriage was,

Emma Waln, a well-known instructress in the Friends Central School, Phila., at 15th and Race streets ;

Sarah Waln, b. 1816, d. at Walnford, March 15, 1907; m. about 1855, Jacob Hendrick- son, who died of blood poisoning within a year of their marriage; they had no children; she became the owner of the family estate of Walnford, which at the time of her death consisted of 162 acres, on which, beside the family mansion, were a grist mill and several tenement houses.

RICHARD WALN, eldest son of Nicholas and Sarah (Ridgway) Waln, lived at Walnford. He married (first) Mary Ann, daughter of Riley and Sarah (Warren) Allen, and said to have been a niece of Col. Ethan Allen, of Revolu- tionary fame. They had issue :

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Nicholas Waln, m. Ada Allmendinger, of Phila., and had two daughters, both of whom married; several sons who died in childhood; the mother d. May 27, 1807, and was bur. the 3Ist, from their residence at Hornerstown, N. J .; ELIZABETH WALN, m. John Gaskill Meirs, of whom presently;

Anna Waln, m. Judge Benajah P. Wills, of Mt. Holly, N. J., whose family has been prominent in Burlington county since its first settlement; they had one daughter, and one son, Richard Waln Wills.

ELIZABETH WALN, daughter of Richard and Mary Ann (Allen) Waln, was born at Walnford. She married John Gaskill Meirs, son of John and Lucretia (Gaskill) Meirs, of Monmouth county, New Jersey. John Gaskill was a member of the Society of Friends, belonged to Springfield Meeting, though his father was probably not a Friend, as he as John Meirs, Esq., was appointed December 15, 1823, (commission dated April 1, 1824) Adjutant of the Monmouth Squad- ron, Third Regiment of Cavalry Brigade of the Militia of New Jersey. John G. and Elizabeth (Waln) Meirs lived near Walnford, the family estate of the Waln family.

Issue of John G. and Elizabeth (Waln) Meirs :-

Sarah Meirs, d. inf .; Mary Anna Meirs, d. inf .;

RICHARD WALN MEIRS, of whom presently ;

Job Hillman Gaskill Meirs was adopted by an uncle, Job Hillman Gaskill, (for whom he was named) a wealthy resident of Pemberton, N. J., and sometime State Senator for N. J .; Job Hillman Gaskill Meirs, by right of an Act of Assembly, dropped the surname Meirs, leaving his name the same as that of his uncle and adopted father. He m. his cousin, Helen Meirs, dau. of Collen Butterworth Meirs and his wife, Louisa Butterworth, who were also cousins;

John Meirs, a member of the Camden, N. J., bar ;

Mary Anne Meirs, unm. (1908) ; Fanny Campbell Meirs, d. unm .;

Lucretia Gaskill Meirs, unm. (1908) ;

Elizabeth Waln Meirs, unm. (1908) ;

David Allen Meirs, unm. (1908), living with his three sisters near Walnford, N. J.

RICHARD WALN MEIRS, son of John Gaskill and Elizabeth (Waln) Meirs, born July 26, 1866, near Walnford, New Jersey, entered the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, class of '88, and was graduated with the degree of A. B., after which he removed to Philadelphia. He was a member of the Markham, University, Corinthian Yacht, Racquet and Princeton clubs of Philadel- phia, and the Metropolitan, Princeton, and Stroller's clubs of New York; also a member of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, National Guard of Pennsylvania ; a life member of Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, of Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Genealogical Society of Pennsyl- vania; one of the Board of Managers of the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania; director of Trust Company of North America, Philadelphia; and of Winifred Railroad Company and Winifred Coal Company, in West Virginia.

Richard Waln Meirs, of Philadelphia, married, October 31, 1894, Anne Walker, daughter of Dr. William Weightman Jr. and his wife, Sabine d'Invil- liers, and granddaughter of the late William Weightman, a prominent Philadel- phia manufacturer.

Issue of Richard Waln and Anne Walker (Weightman) Meirs :-

William Weightman Meirs, b. Sept. 18, 1895;

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Anne Walker Meirs, b. Aug. 25, 1898;

Jarvis Meirs, b. June 12, 1901.

JACOB SHOEMAKER WALN, youngest son of Richard and Elizabeth (Armitt) Waln, born at Walnford, New Jersey, 1776, chose a mercantile career, and entered the counting house of his relatives, Jesse and Robert Waln, Philadel- phia, and in time became one of Philadelphia's most prominent and prosperous merchants. He took an active part in public affairs, serving for several years in City Council, and later was a member of the Legislature from Philadelphia. He died in Philadelphia, April 4, 1850.

He married, August 5, 1804, Sarah, born September 2, 1788, died May 18, 1862, daughter of Benjamin Wistar Morris, of Philadelphia, and his wife, Mary Wells, an account of whom and their ancestry is given in "The Morris Family" in these volumes. They had nine children, all of whom lived to mature years, yet but two of them married, a son and a daughter. The second child, Samuel Morris Waln, born October 24, 1807, was the head of the firm of S. Morris Waln & Company, and one of Philadelphia's most conspicuous mer- chants for many years. He was one of the managers of the Pennsylvania Hos- pital, and also of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and was widely known for his benevolence. He died unmarried De- cember 22, 1870.

Edward Waln, another son of Jacob S. and Sarah ( Morris) Waln, born October 22, 1811, (only son who married) was married, November 29, 1843, to Ellen Cora Nixon, born September 5, 1825, who still survives him, residing at "Williamstowe", Cheltenham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Henry Nixon, born in Philadelphia, 1776, died 1840, by his wife, Maria, daughter of Robert Morris, the "Financier of the Revolution" and signer of the Declaration of Independence. She is also a granddaughter of Col. John Nixon of the Revolution, who read the Declaration of Independence to the assembled people at the State House, Philadelphia, July 8, 1776. Edward Waln was one of the leaders of the Philadelphia bar a generation ago. He died Oc- tober 1, 1891. Edward and Ellen Cora (Nixon) Waln had twelve children, six sons and six daughters; of the sons, the eldest, Jacob Shoemaker Waln, who resides at Haverford, and Edward Waln, of The Burlington, are the only ones who reside in or near Philadelphia. Ellen Nixon Waln, the second and eldest married daughter, is wife of Charles Custiss Harrison, provost of the University of Pennsylvania, and they reside at 1618 Locust street, Philadelphia. Another daughter is Mrs. Peter Meredith Graham, of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia; and the youngest daughter, Rebecca Waln, is wife of Rev. Richard Bowden Shep- pard, rector of Christ Church, Riverton, New Jersey. Another son, Samuel Morris Waln, was murdered by his guide in 1881, while hunting in Wyoming. Among the married grandchildren of Edward Waln are: Charles C. Harrison Jr., Henry Waln Harrison, Mrs. C. Emory McMichael, Mrs. Edward K. Row- land, Mrs. Walter Abbott Wood, Mrs. John Baird, Mrs. Alfred P. Morris, and the Baroness de Saint Marc.

The only daughter of Jacob Shoemaker and Sarah (Morris) Waln who mar- ried was Mary Morris Waln, who became the wife of Richard Vaux, himself a descendant of Nicholas Waln, the emigrant as heretofore shown. He was Mayor of Philadelphia in 1856-7, and later a member of Congress. His surviv-

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ing children are: Mrs. Edward Buckley, of 1508 Spruce street ; Mrs. Harry Con- nelly, of 731 South Broad street, and Misses Meta and Elizabeth Waln Vaux, of "Westleigh" Chestnut Hill. The sons and daughter of Jacob Waln Vaux, deceased, are his grandchildren.

NICHOLAS WALN, second son of Nicholas and Mary (Shoemaker) Waln, born September 19, 1742, was one of the most striking characters of his day and gen- eration in Philadelphia, although not directly identified with public life in any manner. He was educated at the Penn Charter School, and began the study of law at a very early age, being admitted to the Philadelphia bar before attaining his majority. In 1763, however, he went to England and renewed his studies at the Temple. After an absence of a little more than a year, he returned to Phil- adelphia and took up the practice of law in that and Bucks counties. He speedily became one of the most distinguished lawyers in Pennsylvania. After prac- ticing for less than ten years and when in the zenith of professional success, he suddenly abandoned the law and became a Quaker preacher. Many references to him and his standing as a lawyer are found in contemporary records and correspondence. Under date of August 28, 1774, John Adams, who had just arrived in Philadelphia to attend the first session of Continental Congress, writes thus in his diary: "Jo Reed is at the head of his profession in Philadel- phia, Fisher is next. Waln and Dickinson have retired." Mrs. Joseph Reed, nee Esther de Berdt, wife of the "Jo Reed" referred to by Mr. Adams, writing to her father in England, February 29, 1772, said : "Out of the four greatest law- yers in the city, three have resigned practice, Mr. Galloway, being a good deal advanced in life, and having a very large fortune, cares very little about it. Mr. Dickinson, also married a wife worth £30,000, is improving and building on his estate, and Mr. Waln, whom you may remember in the Temple with Mr. Reed, has on a sudden turned Quaker preacher. He had a very great business, they say near £2,000 a year, but he has resigned on principle, as he says no good man can practice law." Janney, the Quaker historian, tells of an incident marking the beginning of the radical change of life as follows: "His friend Thomas Aus- tin, who resided near Pennypack, on the Middle Road from Philadelphia to New- town, informed a friend that Nicholas called at his house, on his way to New- town, where the courts of Bucks county were then held, and in the course of the conversation told Thomas 'that he was engaged in an important case that was to come before the court relative to property.' Austin requested him to stop at his house on his return. He did so, and when Austin asked him how the case he had spoken of was issued, Nicholas replied, 'I did the best I could for my client, gained the cause for him, and thereby defrauded an honest man out of his just due.'" It was at this juncture, February 4, 1772, that Waln attended service at the Market Street Meeting House. He had been a man of the world, and had not been in the habit of attending Friends' meetings, though nominally a Quaker. At this particular meeting, greatly to the surprise of those in attendance, he walked to the preacher's gallery, knelt and poured forth this supplication, "O Lord God! arise, and let thine enemies be scattered! Baptise me, dip me yet deeper in Jordan. Wash me in the lava of regeneration. Thou hast done much for me, and hast a right to expect much ; therefore in the presence of this con- gregation, I resign myself, and all that I have, to thee O Lord-it is Thine! and I pray Thee, O Lord to give me grace to enable me to continue firm in this reso-

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lution. Wherever Thou leadest me O Lord, I will follow Thee; if through per- secution, or even to martyrdom. If my life is required, I will freely sacrifice it. Now I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the mountains of difficulty are removed, Hallelujah! Teach me to despise the shame, and the opinions of the people of the world. Thou knowest O Lord my deep baptisms. I acknowledge my manifold sins and transgressions. I know my unworthiness of the many favors I have received : and I thank Thee O Father, that Thou hast hid Thy mysteries from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes and sucklings. Amen."

In commenting upon this wonderful scene a Quaker writer has said : "Slowly, sentence by sentence came forth, and while breathing the spirit of humble sup- plication or bursting forth in a hallelujah of praise, they baptised the hearers into tears."

From that time Nicholas Waln, throwing aside the fashionable garments of the day and arraying himself in the subdued garb of the Friends, withdrew from the scenes of his former achievements and devoted himself solely to the work of the Quaker ministry. He became renowned as a great preacher, not only in his own land, but also in England, where he visited Friends and ministered to them. A local writer, belonging to his own sect, referring to his power as a preacher, illustrates with an incident which occurred at a meeting held at Abington, August II, 1797 :

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Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I, Part 29

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 710

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 710