Gwynedd and North Wales, Pennsylvania

North Wales is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is one of the three historic population centers that make up the North Penn Valley. The population was 3,342 at the 2000 census.
As its name suggests, North Wales was settled by Welsh immigrants who named it after North Wales in Wales. Part of a 1702 William Penn land grant, this rich farming country was given the name "Gwynedd" for the homeland of the earliest settlers and it began as a pastoral village in agricultural Gwynedd Township. In 1741, Gwynedd contained 93 taxables, and Montgomery township 54.

The Welsh Tract, also called the Welsh Barony, was a portion of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania settled largely by Welsh-speaking Quakers. It covers 40,000 acres to the west of Philadelphia. The original settlers, led by John Roberts, negotiated with William Penn in 1684 to constitute the Tract as a separate county whose local government would use the Welsh language, since many of the settlers spoke no English. Notwithstanding this agreement, by the 1690s the land had already been partitioned into different counties, despite appeals from the Welsh settlers, and the Tract never gained self-government.

The area is now part of Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties. Many towns in the area still bear Welsh names. Some, such as Lower Merion, Upper Merion, Bala Cynwyd, Radnor and Haverford Township, are named after places in Wales. Others, such as Tredyffrin or Uwchlan, have independent Welsh names. Some communities in the area that formerly comprised the Welsh Tract were subsequently given Welsh names. Among these were Gladwyne, formerly "Merion Square" (which was given its new name in 1891 in order to imitate the stylish Welsh names of adjoining towns, although the name is meaningless in Welsh), and Bryn Mawr, formerly "Humphreysville" (which was renamed in 1869).

1745 Pennsylvania

1745- Jane Conard is born in Gwynedd Township, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Anthony Conard and Sarah Hatfield.

(Jane Conard is my 5th great grand aunt. Our common ancestors are Anthony Cunard and Sarah Hatfield.)

Nathan Potts born to David Potts and Ann Roberts in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

(Nathan Potts is my 5th great grand uncle. Our common ancestors are David Potts and Ann Roberts.)

September 27, 1745- Reiner Theissen dies in Fitzwatertown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His obituary read: "He was innocent and inoffensive in life and diligent in attending his religious meetings." According to William Penn and the Dutch Quakers, Reiner became a man of large wealth and much influence but is said to never have learned to write his name.

(Reiner (Reinert) Theissen is my 8th great grand uncle.)

1745 Maryland

1745- John Robey Worland born to Rebecca and John Henry Worland (John III) in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(John Robey Worland is my 3rd great grand uncle.)

John Basil Knott is born to John Knott and Elizabeth Skeen in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(John Basil Knott is my 4th great grandfather.)

Henry Thomas Newton born to Thomas Newton and Susannah Howard at St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Henry Thomas Newton and I are 1st cousins 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Newton and Katherine.)

Catesby Cocke, Land Speculation and George Washington

1725-1742: Prominent Tidewater Virginia politicians and businessmen buy huge tracts in this era of land speculation. William Fairfax, uncle of Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax, amasses more than 35,000 acres; Francis Awbrey, 29,000 acres; Catesby Cocke, 23,000; John Colvill, 22,000; Robert Carter, Lord Fairfax's real estate agent, 21,000. These five own 40 percent of future Loudoun's 330,800 acres. The land is often leased in 100- to 200-acre tracts or after a few years is sold; many double their money.

William Cocke and son, Catesby
Dr. William Cocke, of Suffolk, England, came over to Virginia in June, 1710 and settled at Williamsburg. He came over in the Deptford with Alexander Spotswood, and lived there prior to about 1720.

It is known that Dr. Cocke came as private physician to Lt. Governor Spotswood. Then, in June, 1712, Dr. Cocke was sworn in as Secretary of the Colony of Virginia. He had been recommended to this office by Spotswood and Edmund Jenings, former Secretary of State and former acting Governor. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Cocke had sent for his wife, Elizabeth Catesby Cocke, sister of Mark Catesby, the naturalist; and his two children who were in England. They arrived in the Hanover in April, 1712. Apparently, Catesby was with them for a few days after they had been met and taken to Williamsburg in the Governor's coach. Soon Dr. Cocke, his family and Catesby were visiting at "Westover." Cocke had been a classmate of William Byrd in England.

By 1713 Dr. Cocke had been appointed to the Council. From 1716-1718 he was in England on business for the Colony. On October 22, 1720 he "was struck with a fit of apoplexy in the Capitol and died immediately and fell on me," so reported Byrd. Dr. Cocke left a widow and six children: Mrs. Elizabeth Cocke Pratt (widow), Catesby (born 1702), William, Anne, Susanna and Lucy.

He was a member of the Council, Secretary of the Province and a Judge of the General Court.

Catesby Cocke, his son, lived at Belmont, Fairfax County. Catesby Cocke lived next door to George Mason's Gunston Hall and across the Potomac River from Nathaniel Chapman. He was the first Clerk of the Court for both Prince William County and Fairfax County. Like many wealthy men of the day, Catesby was a land speculator. In 1731, 292 acres of land on both sides of Broad Run in Thoroughfare Gap were patented to him by permission of Lord Fairfax. Since he never made any improvements of the land, he had to relinquish it to Lord Fairfax in 1737. Subsequently, Godfrey Ridge bought the land and flipped it to Jonathan Chapman for 10 pounds in 1741. In 1742 Jonathan Chapman bought a sliver of land that would enable the Chapman Mill head race to reach Broad Run above the 87 feet it descends. This information suggests the mill could have been built any time after 1737 and before 1742.

Catesby Cocke and George Washington, Tax Evaders

In making a schedule of his property, an owner took an oath that the list recorded everything subject to taxation. If a man omitted one carriage or slave, he perjured himself.
As inscribed in the hand-written, leather-bound book of the court, the following is the report of the Grand Jury of Fairfax County, Colony of Virginia, rendered to the court on May 21, 1760. The names of the 15  defendants add some color and character, humor and historical interest, to the proceedings.
"We present George William Fairfax, George Washington, John Carlyle, Daniel French, Robert Bogges, Catesby Cocke, Townshend Dade, Sylbill West, Garrard Alexander, J. Emima Minor, William Ramsay, Benjamin Grayson, George Mason, John Plummer, Daniel McCarty and Abraham Barnes for (not) entering their wheeled carriages agreeable to law, as appears to us by the list delivered to the clerk of the county."

1746 Virginia

November 16, 1746- David Potts leased a tract of land from Catesby Cocke, for five shillings in hand paid, with power to purchase. The lease covered a tract of 866 acres on Kittockton Run, in Fairfax County. The annual rental was one ear of Indain corn. Later, Catesby Cocke and his wife Mary conveyed the land by deed to David Potts, who is described as yeoman.

David Potts was a prosperous yoeman or freeholding farmer. He had intended this ground to comprise his home plantation for the support of his family and near relatives.

David Potts was descended from Quaker stock from Pennsylvania, but lived among the Baptists of Virginia. He was a slave owner.

Early on, the Quaker church had championed the manumission of slaves and the abolition of slave labor. But that had little to do with Loudoun County during the colonial era. The Quakers of the time were losing members to other Protestant churches, and some of the leaders of the Fairfax meeting were slaveowners. In the end, they were simply colonials.

David Potts was also an entrepreuner who developed plantations and a water grist-mill near the Gap of Short Hill on the waters of the North Fork of Catoctin Creek.

 

1746- Daughter Jane Potts is born to David and Ann Potts in Loudoun County, Virginia.
 
(Jane Potts is my 5th great grand aunt. Our common ancestors are David Potts and Ann Roberts. David Potts is my 6th great grandfather.)

Kittockton

Catoctin Mountain is the easternmost spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a part of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Catoctin is a mountain ridge running northeast/southwest for about 50 miles from near Emmitsburg, Maryland to near Leesburg, Virginia.

The ridge has no single peak or knob called "Catoctin Mountain" and so is sometimes referred to as the "Catoctin Mountains".

The name "Catoctin" probably derives from the Kittoctons, an American Indian tribe or clan which once lived between the mountain and the Potomac River.

Catoctin is a name used for both a mountain and a stream. Smithsonian ethnologists say that the mountain range was named first and that it means "ancient wooded hill." A local tradition asserts that "Catoctin" means "place of many deer" in an Indian language. Early Loudoun spellings of the mountain and stream prefer "Kittockton," with the accent on the middle syllable.

Catoctin Mountain is best-known as the site of Camp David, a mountain retreat for Presidents of the United States. The resort is extremely well-guarded by the United States Secret Service, and only approved guests of the President are allowed into the retreat.

1747 Virginia

June 9, 1747- David Potts leased for one year, 333 acres, part of a tract of 866 acres on Kittockton Run in Fairfax County, to William Williams at an annual rental of one ear of Indian corn. Later, David Potts and his wife Ann sold the land to Williams.

(David Potts is my 6th great grandfather.)

Tidbit on William Williams:
Williamsburg, January 2, 1752.
WHEREAS I have lately had the Misfortune to lose my Wife, which hath quite frustrated my Intention of settling in this City; I therefore, hereby, give Notice, That on Monday the 13th instant I intend to expose to Sale, for ready Money, at the House where Col. Jones lately lived, sundry Sorts of Household Goods, and also Womens wearing Apparel. And I hereby give Notice, That I intend to depart this Colony, for England, by the first Ship that sails from hence.

Signed: William Williams

Nothing further could be ascertained about William Williams.

Notes on Names- Thones, Cunraed and other German Confusion

The will of Aret Klincken, 1707, mentions Kunrad Kunders. This was the eldest son of Thones Kunders, who signed his name in later life as "Cunraed Cunraeds." His first name was in honor of an ancestor bearing the name Conrad or Coenrad, etc.

Eunicke Klincken, wife of Cunraed Cunraeds, was later known as Ann or Anne.

Thones Kunders' name was variously anglicized as Dennis Conrad, Dennis Conrads or Dennis Cunrads. Dennis was a close rhyme to Thones, which is an old variant of Anton or Anthony. The name Dennis and the name Anthony appear many times in Kunders' descendants, and both referred back to Thones Kunders and/or Thones Klincken, Aret's father. In the name Thones, the 'h' was silent, and sometimes it is seen as Tunis, Toonis, Teunes, and pronounced somewhere between Tennis and Toonis.The surnames Tunis, Tennis, are old remnants of the given name Thones.

Aret Klincken had a brother named Abraham Tunis. Aret Klincken was also referred to as Arnold. The name Aret was generally translated as Arnold.
Niske is also found as Nis or Nees, later referred to as Agnes. Some unwitting researchers have called the same person "Niske Agnes" or "Nees Agnes" not knowing that they were repeating the same name.

1747 Pennsylvania

1747- Cunraed Cunraeds, the oldest child of Thones and Elin Kunders, seems to have spent most of his married life in Worcester Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and died there in 1747, aged sixty-nine years.
His will was dated Feb. 2, 1747, and was proved in March of the same year, showing that he died between those dates. His wife probably died before him, not being mentioned in the will.
His oldest son, Anthony, was willed five shillings. In 1737, Cunraed had deeded a farm of seventy-five acres to his son, Anthony, and may have considered that Anthony had received his proper share. (Anthony would not long survive his father, he died within weeks of his father's death. I would guess this was the result of some illness or an epidemic, I am researching this.)
His son Henry was given the homestead "the 100 acres I bought of Anthony Morris." This is supposed to have been the Heebner farm, near the Worcester creamery.
His third son, James, received the residue of his father's land. He and Henry were the executors. One son, John, seems to have been of weak or infirm mind, as his share of /40 is left in trust to his brothers, Anthony and Henry. He had six children, all sons, named respectively, Anthony, Henry, James, John, Joseph and Dennis, all of whom married and had children except John and Joseph.

(Cunraed Cunraeds is my 7th great grandfather.)

March 1747- Anthony Cunraeds (Conard, Cunard) dies in Worcester Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In his will, he is referred to as a yoeman, son of Cunraed. His will was proved at Salford, March 17, 1747. It names his wife, Sarah, cousin Daniel Morgan, his brother James and his children, and his children: John, Jonathan, Margaret, Elizabeth, Ann, Jane, and an unborn child.
 
(Anthony Cunard is my 6th great grandfather.)
 
1747- Agnes Conard is born to Sarah Hatfield Conard sometime after the death of her father, Anthony Conard.

The Maryland Tobacco Inspection Act of 1747

The Maryland Tobacco Inspection Act of 1747 established that all tobacco had to be inspected by colonial inspectors. Once the tobacco was inspected, tobacco "notes" were issued that certified the quality. Whoever held these tobacco notes owned the tobacco. A grower could pay a merchant 100 pounds of tobacco by simply signing over the notes to him. That way, he could go to the warehouse with the notes in hand and claim the tobacco as his. He could also give the merchant an I.O.U. that promised to pay him 100 pounds of tobacco in the future, when his crop came in. Before the Inspection Act, the merchant would be less willing to accept this I.O.U., since he would not be sure of the quality of tobacco. After the Inspection Act, the I.O.U. could promise to pay in "certified" tobacco.

Paper tobacco notes more easily functioned as money because bulk tobacco was hard to transport and the quality of tobacco was assured.

1747 Maryland

February 15, 1747- Anastasia Worland is born to Rebecca and John Worland III in Charles County, Maryland.

(Anastasia Worland is my 3rd great grand aunt.)

September, 1747- John Pike marries Kezia Hackett in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(John Pike is my 5th great grand uncle. Our common ancestors are Lucy and Archibald Pike.)

1747- William Newton is born to Thomas Newton and Susannah Howard in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(William Newton and I are 1st cousins 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are Katherine and Thomas Newton.)

1748 Virginia

October 31, 1748- David Potts was taken under the care of the Fairfax Monthly Meeting on October 31, 1748, as shown by the following minutes of that date:
 "David Potts having been for a considerable time under the care and notice of Friends, now requests to be received as a member in unity, and nothing appearing to obstruct, his request was granted."

At the same meeting his sons Jonas and Jonathan Potts were also received into membership, and his
daughter Ann Potts appeared in the declaration of intended marriage with John Vestal. As David's other
children were afterwards recognized as members of the meeting, it is probable that his own acceptance
carried with it that of his minor children.

(David Potts is my 6th great grandfather.)

1748 Maryland

1748- Elizabeth (Hussey) Luckett, mother of Sarah Hines Luckett, dies in Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland.

(Elizabeth Hussey is my 7th great grandmother.)

Practices of the Quakers During the Colonial Period

A couple desiring to marry had to declare their intentions before a regular weekly Meeting of their local society. Appointed overseers would then conduct an investigation of the character of each. If nothing derogatory was found, the wedding was approved.

A check was kept by the local society with respect to the wedding date and the birth of the first child. A premature baby was examined by three women from three Meetings, often resulting in society records being annotated with an "F/B" meaning "relations before marriage and an illegitimate child, or "F/M" meaning the same, but that marriage had followed. Both situations must be condemned by the involved parties if they wished to remain with the society.

Persons who died were frequently returned to a former residence for burial. Some societies condemned headstones as a sign of vanity and often removed those already in place. Often burial places were left unmarked so that Indians would not know how many had died.

Meetings of the societies were held in the daytime and attendance was checked, carefully. First-day meetings were required attendance and midweek meetings were optional; but the member was judged on his spirituality by his attendance pattern.

A "certificate of clearance" was required to marry or to move into another local society. It would not be given if there were outstanding debts.

 Prior to 1753—and unofficially for some time afterward—they followed an unusual practice of numbering the months of the year. It was forbidden to refer to the usual names given for months such as January, February, etc., because those names were of pagan derivation. The numbering system began with March and so they would use, for instance, "1 mo. 25, 1703," meaning March 25, 1703.

 Their belief in non-violence, of course, precluded their serving in any military capacity and may explain why so few of the Potts Quakers served in the Revolutionary War.

Public acknowledgement was required for all sorts of misdeeds. This usually meant condemning their own actions by confession at a local Meeting. Meeting minutes were made of all known misdeeds, confessed

or not!

1749 Maryland

1749- Ignatius Newton is born to Thomas Newton and Susannah Howard in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Ignatius Newton and I are 1st cousins 6 times removed.)

1750 Maryland

1750- Population of Maryland is 130,000.

Bernard Newton is born in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Bernard Newton is my 4th great grand uncle. Our common ancestor is Clement Newton.)

Mary Ann Greenwell born in St. Mary's, Maryland. (she would marry Bernard Newton in 1775.)

Archibald Pike dies in St. Mary's Maryland.

(Archibald Pike is my 6th great grandfather.)

Will of Archibald Pike:

Liber 27, folio 198

31 Jan. 1750

PIKE, ARCHIBALD, St. Mary's Co., planter.

To son James Pike, Forest Ordain, the 100a where I live, he to pay his bro. Archibald Pike 4000 lb. tob., but if he d. s. p., to his bro. Archibald.
To son John Pike, negro boy George & Farney Branch, the 50a he lives on, but if he d. s. p., to my son Archibald.
To son Archibald Pike, a good bed, a young horse, a cow & calf, & negro boy Tom.
To wife, [Lucy], for life the rest of my e. & the use of the plntn. where she lives.
To dau. Mary Greenwell, negro woman Treasie.

Extrs: wife, Lucy Pike, & son James Pike.
Witn: Nicholas Mills, Sr., Eli[zabeth] Mills, George Innis.

3 April 1750[sic], sworn to by all 3 witn. , & the widow stood to the will.

Codicil of 5 Feb. 1750 also proved 3 April 1750[sic].

PIKE, ARCHIBALD, St Mary's Co., planter. 31 Jan 1750; 3 April 1750

To son James Pike, tract whereon I now live called "Forest Ordain," 100 A., he to pay to his bro. Archibland Pike 4000 pounds of tobacco.
To son John Pike, tract whereon he now dwells known as "Ferney Branch," 50 A.; also Negro boy George.
To son Archibald Pike, furniture, Negro boy Tom.
To wife remaining part.
To dau. Mary Greenwell, Negro woman Treasie.

Wife Lucy Pike, extx.

Wit: Nicholas Mills Sr., Elizabeth Mills, George Innis. 27. 198



Archibald Pike 44.229 SM £170.15.9 Apr 19 1750 Nov 7 1750
Appraisers: John Cole, Peter Ford.
Creditors: A. Barnes, Elisabeth Medley.
Next of kin: John Pike, John Wiseman Greenwell.

Administrators/Executors: Lucy Pike, James Pike.



Archbold Pike 30.185 A SM £170.15.9 £27.7.3 May 28 1751

Sureties: Nicholas Mills, John Hammond.
Received from: Thomas Carroll.
Payments to: Capt. Robert Chesley, Maj. Abraham Barnes, Thomas Carroll, Elisabeth Medley, Matthew Allin, Benjamin Gough, William Daft, John Thomson, John Hammond, Benjamin Gristy, Catherine Leak.

Legatees: (unnamed) all of full age except Archbold Pike (son, aged 17).

Executors: Lucy Pike, James Pike.

1751 Maryland

1751- Sarah Newton is born to Thomas Newton and Susannah Howard in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Sarah Newton and I are 1st cousins 6 times removed.)

June 11, 1751- Arnold Livers dies at Prince George's, Maryland.
 Arnold Livers was born about 1669 in Flanders, Belgium, of English parentage, and was reared in the royal household of the Stuarts. At age 22, he was a "page of the backstairs".
Soon after the Catholic King James II was deposed in 1688, Arnold is said to have fled, landing in Maryland with only his uniform, buckles & buttons (which are still preserved by his family), leaving his two children by his first wife behind.
 These sons were reportedly brought to America by his first American wife who went to Flanders to get them as Arnold was afraid to go himself.
 Arnold served as an indentured servant to Colonel Henry Darnall, a tailor. He settled on the Charles River near Upper Marlborough in Prince George's County as a planter.
 He died in 1751 at Prince George's County, Maryland.

(Arnold Livers is my 5th great grandfather.)

August 28, 1751- Will of Arnold Livers


My land: one tract called Duke's Wood," lying in Prince George's Co., but now in Frederick Co., on Linganore, of 500 A.; other called "Arnold's Chance," lying on Little Pipe Creek, containing about 500 A; one lot in Nottingham; one in Marlborough, Prince George's Co., which 2 lots I give to extx, hereafter named, to be sold and money used to pay debts.

Tract called "Arnold's Delight," in Frederick Co., 1,074 A., to children: Anthony, Arnold, Mary and Rachel, to be equally divided bet. them.

To son Robert Livers, all those several tracts I formerly bought of Col. Henry Darnall and John Miller, and all that pt. formerly given me by Henry Darnall, Esquire, lately dec'd., of about: 330 A. known as the plantation where I live.

To grand-son Arnold Elder, 100 A. called "Cole's Good Will," adjoining Wm. Elder's plantation.

To grand-dau. Ann Livers, dau. of son James Livers, 50 pounds money at age 21, by my children: Anthony, Arnold, Robert, Mary and Rachel Livers, each to pay 10 pounds.

My will and intention is that my dear wife Helena Livers, have same during widowhood.

To grand-dau. Eliza. Elder, some slaves.

To dau. Jacoba Clementina Elder, furnishings.

Friend Didley Digges, trustee and overseer, and give him for sd. services, 5 pounds money.

Wit: Charles Beavers (or Beavens), Charles Beavers Blanford, Robert Soper, Frances Early. 28. 166

1751 Virginia

1751- Susanna Potts born to David Potts and Ann Roberts in Loudoun County, Virginia.

(Susanna Potts is my 5th great grand aunt. Our common ancestors are David Potts and Ann Roberts.)

St. Andrew's Church, Maryland

The Colonial Pikes in Maryland were Roman Catholics, but they attended St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Leonardtown, Maryland , because it was nearby.

St. Andrew's is considered to be among the most unusual of Maryland colonial churches by virtue of its twin west towers embellished by brick quoin, the inset portico, the two convex tapering columns, the palladian or venetian window, the fluted ionic interior columns the two-level gallery, and the reredos. For more on the history of St. Andrew's, click here.

1752 Maryland

1752- Samuel Archibald Pike is born to John Pike and Kezia Hackett in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Samuel Archibald Pike and I are 1st cousins 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are Lucy and Archibald Pike.)

Gabriel Newton is born in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Gabriel Newton is my 4th great grand uncle. Our common ancestor is Clement Newton.)

More on Peter Gideon

I found this information in the book Virginia and West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension ... By Patrick G. Wardell.

Born 3/22/1752 near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Resided in Taneytown, Maryland in 1775. In 1833, he lived in Loudoun County, Virginia, about 4 miles from Hillsboro. In 1840, he lived for a time in Ohio.
In 1842, he returned to his farm in Loudoun County, Virginia. He died 2/25/1844.

(Peter Gideon is my 4th great grandfather.)

Other sources state that Peter's father, Peter Heinrich Gideon, also served in the Revolutionary War and was killed in battle.

1752 Germany

March 22, 1752- Peter Gideon is born to Nancy and Peter Heinrich Gideon. Peter Gideon is somewhat of a mystery man. His Revolutionary War records indicate he was born in 1752 near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Various sources indicate he was in fact born at sea coming from Germany, while others claim he was born in Bavaria. None of these facts have been proven. His grave marker, in Potts Cemetery in Loudoun County, Virginia, lists his death as "Feb 5, 1844, in his 96th year of age" which would place his birth around 1748.