USA > Pennsylvania > Welsh settlement of Pennsylvania > Part 6
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Katharine Williams, who came over with her father, and d. s. p.
He m. secondly, about 1681, Jane, daughter of John ap) Edward, (who, of course, was not his brother), a farmer- near Bala, and had by her, who came over with him, four children :-
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Sarah Williams, b. 20. 8mo. 1685, in Merion. She m. Thomas Lawrence, son of David Lawrence, and his wife, a daughter of Thomas Ellis.
Edward Williams, only son, b. 7. 12mo. 1689; he received from his father his Blockley land; will proved at Philadel- phia, 21 February, 1749. He was very particular as to be- quest to his wife, leaving her "a clothes-press in the par- lour," and his "white mare and colt, and new blue-plush side-saddle." He m. Eleanor, daughter of David Law- rence, of Haverford. Issue: Joseph, father of Rebecca, m. Amos George; Eleanor, m. Joseph Bond, and Sarah, m. Edward George) Daniel, Sarah (wife of Joshua Hum- phreys) Edward and Jane (wife of Evan Thomas) .
Ellen Williams, b. 19. 4mo. 1691, m. Henry Lawrence.
Mary Williams, b. 11. 11mo. 1694, m. Richard Preston, of Haverford.
JOHN AP EDWARD, the brother of William ap Edward aforesaid, was another of the parties to the "Thomas & Jones tract," but he did not come over with him in the Dr. Jones party, arriving in August, 1682, as supposed. In the testimony before Penn's Commissioners, of Dr. Jones, in June, 1702, taken in the matter of a servant of the late John ap Edward claiming his "time" was up and desiring to be relieved from further servitude, the Doctor declared that this servant man "came to this Province about the year 1683, as the servant of John ap Edward," and there is evidence that John brought over four servants, therefore, if John ap Edward and servants came over with the Doctor in 1682, I think he would have so stated, and not have put his arrival "about the year 1683." Nor did John ap Ed- ward come over in the party of Hugh Robert, bound for the Thomas & Jones tract, because his will is dated 16 October, 1683, when he was very ill, and the Roberts party was then at sca, having sailed in September, 1683. The reference
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in John's will that he had brought servants over, is proof that the will . was written here after arrival. Nor should I imagine that he arrived in 1683 after Roberts arrived, for, being ill in October, he would hardly have sailed in time to arrive "about the year 1683." Therefore, I judge that John ap Edward arrived here, in some party coming out to Philadelphia, between August, 1682, and October, 1683. The two witnesses to his will were probably servants, possibly his, as the names of only two of his, a man and a maid, have been found.
When John ap Edward arrived, he found his land laid out for him. He had, as we have seen, contributed £6. 5. 0. to- wards the fund to buy 5,000 acres of Penn's land through Mr. Thomas and Dr. Jones, and that his share amounted to 3121/2 acres, for which he received the deed, dated 18 April, 1682. When Ashcom roughly laid out the Thomas & Jones purchase into lots, 24 August, 1682, he assigned, by order of the surveyor-general, only half of this purchase (as was the treatment of all the other Welshmen, much to their disgust, for they had been given to understand, and it was not absurd, that the purchaser of each lot would have all of his land in one place), 1561/1 acres to John ap Edward, who found it laid out about 1 1/5 mile from the Schuylkill river, and the balance was a right to the same amount to be laid out in Goshen township, miles away, which was not a pleasant surprise for a practical farmer, one that would expect his farm should be in one tract, or at least, in contiguous parcels. However, as this was the misfortune of the other Welsh farmers, John accepted his allotment.
On Powell's map of the Thomas & Jones tract, John is credited with only 1531% acres, as Powell supposed he was entitled to three acres of Liberty Land, and that his land stands in the name of "Edward Joans, Jun'r," who was his son who succeeded to it on the decease of his elder brother. As this draft was made by Powell in 3mo. 1684, Evan, the
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heir, and his father were then both dead, and Edward, a minor, was the heir apparent.
When John ap Edward came over, he brought with him four servants, possibly. three men, farm hands, and his wife's maid. He found his land, though far from the great natural highway, the river, of quality equal to any other's, as was the bargain, and much better than most of it, for we know it lay in the beautiful, rolling country near our Merion settlement. He apparently lived only long enough to see one crop gathered. From his will it may be known that he was a shareholder in the Free Society of Traders in Pa., and was a prosperous man, and a Friend, and a founder of the Merion Meeting.
His will, dated 16. 8mo. 1683, when he was "weak of body"; witnessed by Gabriel Jones and William Morgan (probably servants), was not proved until 8. 2mo. 1686, by his brother, "William Edward, of Merion."
To his eldest son, Evan Jones, he gave the 3121/2 acres, which he had "purchased from William Penn."
To his youngest son, Edward Jones, he gave "the land due me for bringing over of servants, 200 aeres," [that is, he brought four servants, receiving the usual allowance of fifty acres for each], and in addition his interest, or shares, "in the Society Trade of Pensylvania," [i. e., Free Society of Traders], valued by him at £5.
He gave to his daughter, Elizabeth, £15 "of English money," with two feather beds, and bed clothes belonging to them, two brass pans, two pewter dishes, and one large trunk.
The balance of his personal estate, and his interest in the servants, he desired to be sold to pay his debts, and if any- thing remained, he desired his sons to have it.
He gave ten shillings to "my nephew John Evan."
He appointed "my beloved brethern Evan and William ap Edward, and my trusty friends Hugh Roberts, David Davies, John Roberts, and Hugh John Thom-
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as," to be his executors, (although none but Wil- liam was in this country, but he had reason to expect they would come), "to whose care I leave my children," as they were minors at that time. He desired that the monthly meeting decide what it was best to do with his estate should both of his sons die young, and without issue. As this will was written a month, or more, before the presumed time of organizing the Haverford Monthly Meeting, he may have expected it, or referred to the Bur- lington Monthly Meeting, which covered the meetings then in Pensylvania.
"My maid, Mary Hughs, [or Hughes] the sum of two pounds at the expiration of the time of her appren- ticeship."
The executed will has not been preserved, but there is a copy of it on file, which shows he marked his will with simply a large E. In the package of testamentary papers connected with the settlement of his estate, at the office of the Register of Wills, Philadelphia, is the original rough draft of the will, unsigned, and undated. Also the original inventory of his personal estate, made as it says by Thomas Ellis, Hugh Jones, and John Roberts, on "the 3 day of the first month 1683-4," which is evidence that John died be- tween 16 October, 1683 and 3 March, following.
It seems that all the personal property was sold in a lump per inventory, after John's death, and that the appraisers filed a copy of the inventory on 20 February, 1702-3, when the heir, Edward, became of age, to show the sum derived from the sale, and stated :- "The Inventory was cast up and found to be £63. 15. 9, according to English money, which being reduced to pensilvania money is £79. 14. 8. five pounds of English money being allowed to the buyer of the said Inventory by the trustees, [which made the sale net] £73.9.8."
The value of the unexpired time of the servants is given :- "The Soms of the Servants being £30. 15. 0."
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which is in addition to the aforesaid valuation of the per- sonalty. From the inventory, we learn that John was well supplied with agricultural and household implements, bedding, clothing, and some grain, cows, and horses, and harness, and that there were sold his pair of spectacles, children and women's clothing, pewter, a gun, powder, four powder horns, fishing tackle, "leathen dresses," and "lethern waistcoats."
There is also preserved the receipt of Elizabeth Jones, endorsed "no part of the record," that is of the original testamentary proceedings, "Received from William Ed- ward administrator of the Estate of my Father, John Ed- ward, the Summe of fifty pounds, seven Shillings currant silver money of Pensylvania, in full of all bequests and Leg- aceys bequeathed to me by my sd father in his last will & testament bearing date of sixteenth day of the eight month in the year 1683, and in full of the shars that befell me of my deceased brother Evan Jones his estate, and I do acquitt and discharge the said William Edward his heirs, of all trusts and Legaceys, dues, debts, and demands from the beginning of the world to this day, 22 of 3mo. 1699." She wrote her name "Elizabeth Jones," and was then twenty- eight year of age, and apparently unmarried. The wit- nesses to this receipt were the same as those to the copy of the inventory mentioned, namely, Hugh Jones (marked), Thomas Jones, and Robert Jones.
The name of the wife and mother of his children of John ap Edward has not been found. She was apparently de- ceased when he made his will. His descendants assumed the name "Jones." Of his issue :-
Evan Jones, eldest son, b. 2. 2mo. 1677, mentioned in his father's will, died young and unmarried before 3mo. 1684.
Edward Jones, second son, and youngest child, b. 5. 8mo. 1681. He succeeded to all of his father's land when he be-
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came of age, in 1702-3. According to a note, he had his father's will copied into the records.
By deed, dated 13. 2mo. 1702-3, he conveyed all of the lands of his inheritance to Dr. Edward Jones, of Merion, giving "Receipt of Edward Jones, of Philadelphia, only son of John ap Edward, deceased, and nephew of William ap Edward, of Blockley," dated 23 January, 1702, Recorded in Philadelphia County Deed Book, No. C. II., fo. 198. His Merion tract of land extended from about the old Lancaster Road (Montgomery Avenue), across the Pensylvania Railroad between Merion station, and the borough of Nar- berth.
Elizabeth Jones, first child, b. 18. 12mo. 1671. She m. after 22 May, 1699, John ap Robert ap Cadwalader, or "John Roberts," of the Gwynedd settlement. They were the founders of the Roberts family of "Woodlawn" plan- tation, in Whitpain township, Montgomery county, Pen- sylvania.
Sarah Jones, b. 8. 11mo. 1673, not named in her father's will.
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FAMILIES AND LANDS OF SECOND ARRIVALS
MERION ADVENTURERS
The second party of Welsh from Merionethshire, mem- bers of the Penllyn Monthly Meeting, who were purchasers of land in the "Thomas & Jones Tract," to remove here, were:
Hugh Robert.
Cadwalader Morgan.
Edward Owen.
Hugh John.
William John. Katherin Thomas.
Gainor Roberts.
This is the party generally known as "Hugh Roberts's party."
They came over in the ship Morning Star, of Chester, Thomas Hayes, master, sailing from Mosson, in September, 1683. After a voyage of two months, uneventful, except- ing for several burials at sea, they arrived in the Delaware, and at Philadelphia, 16-20 November following.
There was a large passenger list, outside of the Roberts' party, in which there were 50 souls, or more, including servants, Welshmen and their families, coming over to settle somewhere in the great Welsh Tract, who all may have come under Proud's description :- "Divers of those early Welsh settlers were persons of excellent and worthy character, and several of good education, family, and estate."
Of the most noted of those coming in this vessel, at this time, were John Bevan ("Company No. 3"), and his family, and party; John Roberts, of "Pencoyd"; Thomas Owen, who came to open-up Rowland Ellis's land; Rees Thomas, a future man of affairs in the Welsh Tract; Ralph and William Lewis; the Humphreys, Richard, John, and Sam- uel, the noted men of the Friends' Haverford Meeting;
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Griffith John ap Evan, Robert ffloid, William Morgan, Evan John, brother of Rees John William, of Merion, etc., all became land owners, prosperous farmers, "good men and true," in townships of Merion, Haverford, or Radnor, and elsewhere in the Welsh Tract.
HUGH ROBERTS, Hugh Robert, or "Hugh ap Robert, of Kiltalgarth, yeoman," headed the second party of settlers from Merionethshire bound for the Thomas & Jones tract. In his immediate party, were his mother, his wife, his sister, Ganior Roberts, five children, and four servants.
Hugh Roberts was a man of education, a pleasant writer, and an eminent minister among Friends, whom he joined in 1666, and many sketches of his ministerial life have appeared in Friends' publications.
But little is now known of his ancestry, excepting that he was the son of Robert ap Hugh, or "Robert Pugh, gent," of Llyndedwydd, a leased farm, near Bala, and the lake, in Penllyn, Merioneth, by his wife, Katherine Roberts, who, then being a widow, accompanied her son to Pensyl- vania, and was buried at the Merion Meeting, in 1699. She was the daughter of William ap Owen, of Llanvawr parish, in Penllyn, where Hugh Roberts resided when he set out for America.
Katharine Robert, of Llaethgwn, widow, and her daugh- ter, Gaynor Robert, of Kiltalgarth, spinster, both brought Certificates, dated 18. 5mo. 1683, from the Men's and Wo- men's Meeting, Penllyn, and signed by the same Friends, namely :- Robert, Ellin, and Janne Owen, Richard Price, Evan Rees, Reece Evan, Elizabeth William, Elizabeth John, Gainor John, Hugh and Edward Griffith, Cadwalader Ellis, Thomas Prichard, William Morgan, Roger Roberts, David John, Margaret John, Margaret David, and Margaret Cad- walader.
Hugh Roberts, being so prominent a Friends' minister, in North Wales, suffered annoyances, fines, and imprison-
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ment. He brought a certificate of membership, for himself, wife, and family, from the Men's Meeting, Penllyn, Mer- ioneth, dated 2. 5mo. 1683.
Some members of this Men's Meeting at this time were:
Robert Owen.
Hugh Griffith.
Evan Owen.
Edward Griffith.
Richard Price.
Morris Humphrey.
Cadwalader Ellis.
Thomas Prichard.
Evan Rees.
David Jones.
Rees Evan.
William Morgan.
Ellis David.
Griffith John. 1
Thomas Ellis.
Roger Robert.
Rowland Ellis.
Owen Humphrey.
Nearly all of these were signers of Mr. Roberts's certifi- cate, in which he was described as of Llanvawr parish, Merioneth.
He soon became well known in America as a travelling public minister, and in 1688, and 1697-8, made missionary visits to North Wales. On this last trip, he kept an inter- esting journal of his travels, beginning on 15. 12mo. 1697, which took him to England and Wales by the way of Mary- land and Virginia, which is still extant.
This interesting journal, printed in full in the periodical of the Historical Society of Pensylvania, begins :- "In the year 1697, the 15th of ye mo. I set out from home to visit Friends in England and Wales, Samuel Carpenter and John Ascue accompanying me to Maryland." He held meetings en route, and in Maryland visited Mordecai Moore, Samuel Galloway, David Rawlins, the Widow Blackstone, "who was no Friend." From her home, where he stopped two days, he went to the Rapahannock river, alone, through the woods, on foot, "to one Captain Taylor, who was very kind to me." Thence "to a friend, George Wilson, a place where I had been before." "Here I had a very open Meeting amongst ye people of ye world." Then to New Kent county, "Where there is a meeting of Friends," and
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next day to a Monthly Meeting at Curles on James river, "met dear James Dickinson," "And I went to Edward Thomas at James river, Charles Fleming coming along with me," and attended a Quarterly Meeting at Tenbigh. Then visited Alexander Llewellyn. "We travelled that same day 46 miles, besides keeping ye Meeting, and it was not hard for us to do it because ye Melting love and power of God was set over all." From this Welsh settlement, Mr. Rob- erts went over the James river to Walter Bartlet's, "and so on to Sevenech, where I had a good meeting at ye Meeting House." Visited to homes of Henry Wiges, William Cook, Richard Ratcliff, Daniel Sanburn, and John Coopland, and held a Meeting at Chuckatuck. Went to the homes also of William Scot, Leven Buffstin, Elizabeth Gallowell, and Elizabeth Hollowell, having Meetings at each house, "from thence on board ye ship, which was to ye mouth of James river, where ye Fleet met, we stayed on board 15 days before we sailed, and had several Meetings from ship to ship, and upon ye 7th day of ye 3d month we sailed." Next, he saw land on 17. 4mo. and arrived at Plymouth on 22. 4mo.
Resuming his travels, Mr. Roberts visited many Friends, and places in England, and at Bristol, "we met our dear friend William Penn, and were not a little glad to see one another." Entering Wales, he visited many Meetings, one at "Trefrug, where John Bevan liveth, and glad we were to meet one another." Together, they made the rounds of many Meetings, at James Lewis's, Rediston; at Owen Bowen's, near Carmarthin; at James Preece's, City Boom. In Radnorshire, he visited Roger Hughes; at Lanole, Ed- From North Wales he travelled to many places in South Wales, then back to Merionethshire, in the North, where ward Jones, David Powel, Thomas Goodin, near Llwyn-du. "Penllyn where I was born and bred," and visited there his he visited Lewis Owen, near Dollegelley, then to Bala, and
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old friend, Robert Vaughan, and then made another pil- grimage through Wales.
On his return here, he brought over a large party of people from Merioneth, and North Wales. But many died at sea. He arrived at Philadelphia 7. 5mo. 1698, and settled the surviving emigrants, some in Merion, and others at Gwynedd, of which settlement he is considered the founder.
Half of Hugh Roberts's original purchase from Thomas & Jones, by deed dated 28 February, 1681, recorded 16 April 1684, witnessed by Daniel Jones, Robert Owen, Wil- liam Jones, Reece Evan, Thomas John, and William Apedd (ap Edward), was laid out for him before his first arrival, on the Schuylkill. This parcel of land, surveyed 306 acres, was along the side of the estate of the widow of his dear friend, John ap Thomas, and like hers, extended back to the lands of Thomas Lloyd, the Governor.
For no other reason, as no evidence has been found in either case, than because he was a minister, it is assumed that the Merion Friends held all their Meetings, before the present Meeting House was erected, in 1695, in his house, and that the early weddings took place in the home of the Widow Thomas, because her house was most convenient, and more cheerful. However this may be, there is no docu- mentary proof for the assumptions, and the preserved rec- ords of the earliest functions in Merion are described as taking place in the "public Meeting House."
The Pensylvania land records of his day show that Hugh Roberts was a land speculator, as well as a minister, to the day of his death. But space permits only to tran- scribe a few of his land transactions, especially those con- nected with the the neighborhood of the Merion Meeting House.
In addition to his original purchase of 3121/2 acres in Merion, he bought the Merion share, 761/2 acres (about the present Overbrook), of John Watkins, 23. 4mo. 1684. By deed of 1. 4mo. 1688, he bought from the Commissioners,
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200 acres, in Merion, for which he had warrant to survey, and 100 acres "liberty land." Of this 300 acre lot, 100 acres he had bought for, or did sell to the Widow Thomas, which sale was confirmed to her sons, Thomas and Cadwalader, 22. 12. 1702. By deed of 17. 6mo. 1694, he purchased his brother-in-law's, William Edwards's, original purchase, 761/2 acres, adjoining his land, on the Schuylkill.
The aforesaid 100 acres of "liberty lands," were in right of the Richard Thomas purchase from Penn, and lay on Indian creek and the Mill Creek, (now Cobb's Creek). When Penn was here he sold to Hugh 200 acres of liberty land, on the west side of the Schuylkill river, for which he was to pay £150. He gave Penn £60 cash in hand. On 26. 11mo. 1701, he asked for further time, as he could not raise the balance due. The Commissioners ordered him to furnish good bond, and they would give him an extension till 29. 7mo. next.
Hugh Roberts also bought of Peter Young 500 acres, and of Francis Cook 400 acres, that is 900 acres of the original tract of John & Wynne ("Company No. 4"). This purchase lay in Blockley and Merion townships, and in other places. Of his Merion lands, he sold 295 acres to Cadwalader Ellis, and 335 acres were confirmed to his executors, by a patent, dated 26 March, 1706.
Of his Blockley purchase above, 200 acres became the seat called "Chestnut Hill," along the old Lancaster road, which his youngest son, Edward Roberts, inherited. Part of this tract is now included in Fairmount Park. In 1721, a portion, that including what is known now as "George's Hill," in the West Park, was purchased (300 acres alto- gether) from said Edward by Edward George (son of Richard and Jane George, who came from Llangerig, in Montgomeryshire, about 1707-8), whose descendants, Jesse and Rebecca George, gave it to the city forever for a park. Mr. Roberts also had 300 acres in Radnor in 1717.
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Hugh Roberts had at one time altogether 134934, acres in Merion, and tracts of land in the townships of Duffryn Mawr, and Goshen, on Ridley Creek, some of which he dis- posed of to Cadwalader Ellis.
Hugh Roberts, it has been said, died at the house of John Redman, in Long Island, New York, when on a visit, in 6mo. 1702, and his remains were brought over from Long Island and buried at the Merion Meeting House, on the 20th. August, "after a large meeting was held."
But a letter from Judge Isaac Norris, to Jonathan Dick- inson, dated 11. 6mo. 1702 ("Penn-Logan Correspond- ence"), says :- "Dear Hugh Roberts is, we think, very near his end. I was to see him on First-day, and then took a solemn and tender farewell, his soul being resigned, earn- estly desiring and expecting his change; as in his life he was a preacher of Love, so now, in his latest moment does he continue to be so."
Therefore, it is most probable that he died at home, in Merion. The entry on the Merion Meeting minutes is "Hugh Roberts departed this Life 6mo. 18. 1702."
His will, signed 20. 5mo. 1702, was proved at Philadel- phia, 7 December, 1702. He names his children, and dis- tributed about 1200 acres in Merion, and 1100 acres in Goshen township, a meadow called "Clean John," &c. He bequeathed £5 to the Merion Meeting. He mentioned his servants, namely, two men, Morris Robert, and John Rob- ert, and boys, Griffith and Morris. He named as trustees, John Roberts (of "Pencoid"), Cadwalader Morgan, Griffith John, and Griffith Owen. Witnesses :- Samuel Bowne, Griffith Owen, and Samuel Jennings.
Hugh Roberts was twice married. He m. first, Jane, daughter of Owen ap Evan Robert Lewis, of Fron Goch, in Merioneth. She was a sister of Robert Owen, of Merion. She came to Merion with him, and brought the certificate above mentioned, and died 1. 7mo. 1686, and was buried at Merion Meeting House. He m. secondly, 31. 5mo. 1689, at
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the Llwyn-y-Braner Meeting, in Penllyn, Merionethshire,. when on a visit, Elizabeth vch. John, or Elizabeth Jones.
His six children, all by his first wife, Jane Owen, who was of Royal Descent, assumed the surname "Roberts." Of them :---
Robert Roberts, b. 7. 11mo. 1673. By his father's will, he and his brother Owen received jointly his Merion land.
On 26. 1mo. 1706, this land was patented to them, in two tracts, of 222 acres, and 31 acres each, and by deed of 16. October, 1707, "Robert Roberts, of Maryland," conveyed his 222 (220) acres, which lay along the Lancaster road (Montgomery avenue) from the Meeting House to the Gulf road, and 10 acres, called "Clean John Meadow," on the "Upper Mill Creek," to Edward Rees.
Robert Roberts was twice married, and is supposed to have removed to Maryland, and died there. He m. first,, Catharine Jones, and m. secondly, Priscilla Jones.
Ellin Roberts, b. 4. 10mo. 1675.
Owen Roberts, second son, b. 1. 10mo. 1677. He inherited some land from his father, as above, but entering on mer- cantile life in Philadelphia, was never a Merion planter. There was in 1716, an "ould Grave Yard" on his Merion property, from which bodies were removed to the ground. of the Merion Meeting. He was the worthy son of his father, and was honored by being made the high sheriff of Philadelphia county, 1716-23; the treasurer, 1712-16 ;. collector, 1716-23, a member of the city council, 1712, and. of the Assembly, 1711, &c.
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