1731 Pennsylvania

March 27, 1731- Abraham Isaac Op den Graeff has died in Philadelphia. His tract of 530 acres in "The Dutch Township" along the Perkionen is divided among his surviving children.

(Abraham Isaac Op den Graeff is my 1st cousin ten times removed. Our common ancestors are Herman Op den Graeff and Gretjen Driessen Pletjes.)


May 27, 1731- The "Pennsylvania Gazette," of May 27, 1731, contains the following advertisement:

 "Run away from David Potts, at Socken above the Great Swamp, A Servant Boy named John Williams, about seventeen Years of Age, of swarthy complexion, has black Hair, and two Molds on his Forehead. Had on a brown linsey-woolsey Jacket, Leather Breehes, a pair of Shoe packs, and Stockings footed White. He is supposed to have with him a Big Bay Horse, with a Switch Tail, and a Star in the Forehead, a helf crop and a half penny in the Ear, and branded on the near Shoulder I P with a Dagger, over it. Whoever secures him and gives notice to George Shoemaker, Innkeeper, in Philadelphia, so that his Master may have him again, shall have Forty Shillings Reward, and Reasonable Charges paid, by DAVID POTTS."

The brand I P may have been the initials of Jonas Potts, who probably contributed to his son's start in life.

The Great Swamp was a marshy tract of land in the upper end of Bucks County, including the village of Quakertown. Saucon is the name of a creek emptying from the south-west into the Lehigh River, a few miles below Bethlehem. Before the year 1730, some Philadelphia speculators bought up large tracts of the rich lands in the Saucon valley and sold it out in smaller parcels.

(David Potts is my sixth great grandfather.)

David Potts of Loudoun County, Virginia and his descendants.

May 29, 1731- Women's Monthly Meeting of Friends in Gwynned.

att our Monthly Meeting held att Gwynedd the 29 of 5 mo 1731:

George Burson and Sarah Cocks Declared their intention of marriage with each other the first time - Elizabeth Jacob and Rachel Star are appointed to inspect into her clearness and conversation and bring report to the next Meeting.

by Account received from the severall branches belonging to this Meeting we have to report that Love and unity is in a generall way preserved among frds Meeting are kept up and a concern remains upon the minds of frds to maintain and put the Christian Discipline in practice and due care is taken of the poor.

Rebecca Roger and Rachel Pott, Eliza Ellis are appointed to attend the Quarterly Meeting att Philadelphia

att our Monthly Meeting held att Gwynedd the 31 of 6 mo 1731:

George Burson and Sarah Cocke Declared their intention of Marriage with each other the second time and being left to their Liberty to proceed in their intention - Eliza Richardson and Mary Jacobs are appointed to attend the marriage and see it be orderly accomplished.

Abraham Dawes and Mary Harry declared their intention of Marriage with each other the first time - this Meeting appoints Ellin Meredith and Rachel Potts to inspect into her Clearness and conversation and bring report thereof next Meeting.

July 9, 1731- George Burson marries Sarah Cox at Gilbert's Manor.
att our Monthly Meeting held att Gwynedd the 22 of 7 mo 1731:

The frds appointed Last Meeting to attend the marriage of George Burson and Sarah Cocks reported it was orderly accomplished.

Abraham Daws and Mary Harry Declared their intention of Marriage the second time - Ellin David and Rachel Potts are appointed to attend the Marriage and bring account to the Next meeting.

Benjamin Dickieson and Eliza Hamer Declared their intention of Marriage with each other the first - Sarah Daws and Jane Roberts are appointed to inspect into her clearness and conversation and bring report to the next Meeting.

Plymouth and Oley frds having made a thorough visitt gave an account thereof att this meeting which was very acceptable.
 
(Sarah Cox is my second cousin 7 times removed. David Potts is her first cousin once removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Potts & Elizabeth Baset.)

1734 Virginia

1734- Quakers arrive in Loudoun County, Virginia, settling to the southward. This untamed wilderness was settled from two directions. From Virginia's Tidewater came farm managers, slaves, and indentured servants working for the aristocracy. They came to develop tobacco farms in the piedmont plain of Eastern Loudoun. From the Shenandoah Valley and from Pennsylvania came the Quakers, Germans, and Scots-Irish who wished to start small farms. They chose the west, near the mountains, in the Loudoun and Catoctin Valleys where the soil was good and the climate congenial. They also chose to grow their wheat without the help of slave labor.

Christiana Potts is born to David Potts and Elizabeth Jane Lane in Loudoun County, Virginia.

(Christiana Potts is my 5th great grand aunt.)

History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia

Pedigree of David Potts

David Potts, a soldier of the American Revolution from Loudoun County, Virginia, and his sons, James Potts of Ross County, Ohio, David Potts, Jr. of Fairfield ... their descendants: Allied family of Gault

1735 Virginia

1735- David Potts, son of Jonas and Mary Potts, leaves Germantown, Pennsylvania, settling in Loudoun County, Virginia, in the area of Cabletown.

1740 Virginia

March 5, 1740- Elizabeth Potts born to David Potts and Ann Roberts in Loudoun County, Virginia.

(Elizabeth Potts is my 5th great grandmother.)

1745 Virginia

1745- Mary Russell is born in Hillsborough, Virginia.

(Mary Russell is my 5th great grandmother.)

1745- Fairfax Monthly Meeting of Friends is established.

The Friends Meeting took the name Fairfax in 1745, honoring the county it was in at the time, though Loudoun County would be carved out of Fairfax 12 years later.


Meetings for worship could be held anywhere and were often held in members homes. They might be called indulged meetings or particular meetings. They were usually held on First-days (first day of the week) and sometimes one was held during the week. No preacher or leader was used, as the oral ministry of any member could be given. Sometimes the entire meeting was given over to the silent communion of worship.

Monthly Meetings were business meetings where official records were kept of births, deaths, and marriages, and of the work of committees who were charged with the welfare of the membership. There were separate monthly meetings for men and women. While Quakers gave women much more equal status than was usual in the early days of America - the men's meetings took care of Quaker business in their interaction with the outside world, while the women's meetings had the task of maintaining discipline within the ranks of the female members of the Quakers. Meetings were presided over by Elders, assisted by Overseers who had oversight of such things as taking care of the needy. Quaker ministers had a calling from God and were often called to travel so they did not preside over meetings. Elders actually had oversight over ministers that they did not overstep the bounds of proper Quaker behavior. The traveling ministers fulfilled somewhat the same function as traveling minstrels in Europe in that they were also carriers of news.