Part VIII - The Ratcliff Family
Dr. A. Wayne Ratcliff, M.D. (50 N. Liberty Street #1, Delaware, Ohio 43015) has extended the Ratcliff line backwards to the earliest known ancestor, Ivo de Tailbois. He spent eleven years, made two trips to England, and hired a professional genealogist to secure this information. Most of this information is taken from The Book of the Ratcliffs, while generations 17-21 were taken from wills located at the courthouse in Preston, Lancashire. Thus our ancestors, in chronological order, include:
Ivo de Tailbois/Taillebois, was born in Anjou or Normandy, France in 1020 or 1040)
He was married to Lucia Malet, daughter of Earl Aelfger and granddaughter of Gruffydd, King of Wales. Ivo was known as "Baron of Kendal," brother of the Earl of Anjou.
He went to England in 1066, with William the Conquerer. Children included Lucia and Nicholas Fitz-Gilbert.
Aelftred de Tailbois, son of Ivo de Tailbois and Lucia Malet (born 1045), known as "The Englishman."
Gilbert de Frunesco de Tailbois, son of Aelftred, was born in 1070. He was married to Goditha.
Nicholas Fitz-Gilbert de Tailbois, son of Gilbert and Goditha de Tailbois, was born in 1097 or 1100. [Note that some records have Nicholas as being Ivo's son.]
He was a knight, who was given the Manor of Radeclive from his lord, and may have built Radcliffe Tower, in the village of Radcliffe in Lancashire, England.
Nicholas took the name "de Radcliffe" meaning of or from Radcliffe. Eventually the last name Tailbois was dropped and Radcliffe took its place in the family lineage.
He married a Saxon of the Booths. Children included Mathew, Henry, and Simon.
Henry de Radcliffe/Radeclive, son of Nicholas Fitz-Gilbert de Tailbois, was born in 1124 or 1126, and died before 1190. Children included Richard, William, and John.
William de Radcliffe/Radeclive, son of Henry de Radcliffe, was born in 1164 or 1189, and died in 1220. He was appointed to be the High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1194 by Richard the Lionhearted. He was one of twelve trusted knights of the shire.
He was married to Cecilia de Montbegon. Children included Adam, Geoffrey, and Hugh.
Adam de Radcliffe/Radclyffe, son of William de Radcliffe, was born in 1188 or 1215, and died in 1250. He was married to a daughter of Alan de Curwen. Children included Robert, William, and John.
Robert de Ratcliffe/Radclyffe, son of Adam de Radcliffe was born in 1215 or 1240, and died in 1290.
He married Amabil de Trafford. Children included Richard, Roger, and Adam.
Richard de Radcliffe/Radclyffe, son of Robert de Radcliffe, was born in 1240 or 1266, and died in 1326. He was a gallant soldier of the Scottish wars and was given many honors by King Edward I. He married a daughter of William le Boteler.
William de Radclyffe, son of Richard de Radcliffe, known as "The Great William" born about 1280 or 1282 and died in 1333.
He married Margaret de Peasfurlong in 1303. Their children included Richard, Adam, William, Alice, Agnes, Elizabeth, Margaret, John, and Maud.
Richard Radclyffe, son of William Radclyffe and Margaret de Peasfurlong, was born in 1305, and died in 1375. He was High Sheriff of Lancashire and worked against oppressors of the poor.
He married Anne de Leycester, but his children were from his second wife Isabel. Children included William, Christopher, Thomas, Roger, Nicholas, and Elena.
William de Radclyffe, son of Richard and Isabel Radcliffe, was born in 1330, and died in 1390.
He married Susanah de Legh. Their children included James, Thomas, Robert, and Isabel.
Sir James de Radclyffe, son of William Radcliffe and Susanah de Legh (1355-1409). Knighted in 1385. He rebuilt Radclyffe Tower and Radclyffe Church.
He married Joan Tempest. Children included Richard, John, Henry, Peter, William, Roger, Elizabeth, and Margaret.
Sir Richard de Radclyffe , son of Sir James de Radcliffe and Joan Tempest, was born in 1379 and died in 1442. He was High Sheriff of Lancashire from 1421 to 1424 and was Knight of the Shire in Parliament.
He married Cecilia Ashton. Their children included James, Henry, William, Richard, and Helen.
James Radclyffe, son of Sir Richard de Radcliffe and Cecilia Ashton, was born in 1414, and died in 1446.
He married Agnes Euby and later Cecily. Their children included John, James, Richard, Ellen, and Elizabeth.John Radclyffe I, son of James Radcliffe and Agnes Euby, was born in 1429 and died in 1485.
He married Isabel Tyldesley. Their children included Richard, Henry, John, Roger, Hugh, Margery, and Lucy.
John Radclyffe II, son of John Radcliffe and Isabel Tyldesley, (1459-1513). Married Anne Tyldesley. John had at least four children: John, Ellen, Agnes, and Roger, but John (below) and Roger were not Anne's children.
John Radclyffe III, son of John Radcliffe, was born in 1485, and died in 1545.
John Rattclyffe, son of John Radcliffe, was born in 1529. Married Alyce/Alice/Alis. Children: Edward, Robert, Lettys, Alis, Elyn, John.
John Rattclyffe II was born in 1549. He married Alis (?), and had at least two children: John and James.
John Ratcliffe, son of John Rattclyffe and Alis, was born in 1577. An innkeeper, he married Susanne. Children included: James "of Haslingden", Richard "of Chapel Hill", Lettice, Edward "of Haslingden", John ("of Quaker Farm?"), and Susanne.
Richard Ratcliff/Ratcliffe I, son of John and Susanne Ratcliffe, was born 27 September 1614 at Chapel Hill Lancashire, England, and died 7 November 1675 at his home "Chapel Hill" a nine acre freehold tract of land between Rawtenstall and Crawshawbooth. He was buried in the Chapel Hill Friends Burial grounds on his land. (Recorded in the Marsden Monthly Meeting Register, Library of the Society of Friends, Friends House, Euston Road, London, England.)
He was married about 1640 to Alice Rawsthorne, who was born about 1618 and died 1670,7m, 7d., also buried at Chapel Hill. Alice was probably the daughter of Nicholas and Mary Rawsthorne. This Mary seems to have been one of the early converts to Quakerism which was introduced into Rossendale, Lancashire, about 1653 by William Dewsbury and Thomas Stubbs (033a).
Richard and Alice Ratcliff also seem to have been early converts to Quakerism as we find Richard Ratcliff and two of his children, James Ratcliff and Isabelle Ratcliff and his future son-in-law, Abraham Hayworth, among others, fined and imprisoned at the castle of Lancashire, for refusing to swear allegiance to the king by oaths and for refusing to pay tithes to the Anglican priest and established church (033b).
In 1665 Richard Ratcliff and Alice his wife, and James Ratcliff, his son, and Abraham Hayworth and his wife Isabella were fined for being Quakers and for having private conventicles (Quaker meetings) in their homes (033d).
On 6 April 1668 and again on 9 September 1668, Richard Ratcliff probably of Whalley Parish, failed to pay tithes and church rates to the parish priest and so was fined and imprisoned for his stand (032a).
Again in 1669, Richard Ratcliff and Alice his wife, and James Ratcliff their son, and Abraham Hayworth, son in law of Richard and Alice, all of Newchurch in Rossendale Parish, were among those whose names appear in Conventicle Returns for having Quaker meetings in their homes-- probably fined and imprisoned for their faith and practice (032b).
In 1670 and 1671 the name of Richard Ratcliff appears in Conventicle Returns of Rossendale "for hedging in a parcel of land to bury dead corps in and diverse have been interred there.� (033d) This refers to the Chapel Hill Friends Burial Grounds which were given by Richard Ratcliff from his Chapel Hill estate. The burial ground was originally a plot of ground 15 yards by 12 yards surrounded by a rock wall. (For a period of time Quaker meetings were held within this walled enclosure).
Nonconformists were not permitted to bury their dead in the Anglican Church cemeteries, so they either set up their own burial grounds with the attendant persecution or buried their dead in the fields or along the roadsides.
The first one to be buried in Chapel Hill Burial Grounds was Margaret Hayworth, the first wife of Abraham Hayworth. She died 1663, 1m, 23d, and was buried 1663, 1m, 25d.
Children:
James Ratliff I, son of John Ratcliffe and Alice Rawsthorne, was born about 1645, probably on the nine acre family estate, "CHAPEL HILL," near Rawtenstall, in Rossendale, a division of Blackburn Hundred, Rawtenstall Borough, Newchurch in Rossendale Parish, Valley of Rossendale, Lancashire, England.
He was married 1674, 1m, 5d (16 March 1674) in the home of the bride, in Holden, Lancashire, England, N. S., to Mary Rawsthorne, daughter of Richard and Mary Rawsthorne.
James Ratcliff became an early Quaker minister and suffered much persecution in Lancashire for his non-conformist faith. This suffering and frequent imprisonments may well have contributed to his untimely death at age 45.
Richard Ratcliff I, and his two children, James Ratcliff and Isabella Ratcliff, among others, were apprehended at a Quaker meeting at Haslingden, Lancashire, England, 1660, 12m, 6d (17 February 1660) when James was but a boy of l5, and all were put into prison overnight.
Again in 1670, 5m, 20d (31 July 1670 N. S.) James Ratcliff, among other Quakers who had met at a Quaker home for religious services, was taken without warrant and kept in the courthhouse jail overnight, then taken before Lawrence Rawsthorne, J. P. of Newhall, who sent them to the House of Corrections at Manchester. Then in 1684, 8m, 6d (17 Oct 1684 N. S.).
James Ratcliff of Musbury, Lancashire, England husbandman, and Mary, his wife, were imprisoned at Manchester (England) for attending Quaker meetings at Musbury (Lancs.). Finally, in 1684, 11m, 8d (19 January 1684/5 N. S.) two bold informers came to the home of Abraham Hayworth, Rossendale, and falsely charged James Ratcliff with preaching at Quaker meetings in homes, when he hadn't even attended the meeting, and again he was committed to prison.
This time he was fined twenty pounds, and had 12 head of cattle and l horse taken from his barn and confiscated by government officials. At that time, informers were given a share of the fines and property taken from Quakers.
The temptation for ill-gotten gain was too great for some to withstand. It appears that church and government officials were only too willing to accept any charges, true or false, against Quakers, because of their intense hatred of the Quakers.
Quakers were charged with being disturbers of the peace, when in reality all they wanted was the right to attend the church of their choice, to be freed from supporting a state church, and to pledge allegiance to the king without using oaths.
James Ratcliff deeded a small tract of ground called "Chapel Hill" in Rossendale to the Society of Friends, 17 April 1685. This must have been the same tract of land his father, Richard had previously given the Quakers for a burial ground but no legal title had been given. This cemetery is still owned (in l988) by the Society of Friends. The record of the deed appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Accrington, dated 17 April 1685 (032).
The ship "Rebecca of Liverpool" commanded by James Skinner, arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1685, 8m, 31d (11 November 1685 N. S., with James Ratcliff, Mary Ratcliff, his wife, and their four children: Richard IV; Edward; Rebecca; Rachel "Ratclife" aboard. Free persons from Musbury, in Lancashire, were also among the passengers. One, James Hayworth, probably a nephew, and two others came as servants of James Ratcliff. (These servants were probably poor Quaker relatives or friends).
James and Mary Ratcliff transferred their membership in the Society of Friends from Musbury Monthly Meeting, Lancashire, England, to Middletown Monthly Meeting, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Certificate dated 1685, 4m, 16d (29 June 1685). (1C) James and Mary Ratcliff bought 200 acres of land at Wrightstown, Bucks County, Pa., 1689, 12m, 10d (21 February 1690) from James Harrison and Phineas Pemberton, see Deed Book 1, page 334.
James Ratcliff and Nicholas Walne made an evangelistic tour of Maryland, preaching in various Friends' Meeting Houses and returned to Pennsylvania, reporting in 1689, 7m, 3d, that they had had many good meetings in Maryland (see Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders reports of 1689.)
James died 29 March 1690 in Wrightstown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The children were recorded in the Middletown Monthly Meeting Register, Society of Friends, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Children:
OUR BRANCH
OF THE RATCLIFF FAMILY
Richard Ratcliff II, son of Richard Ratcliff and Alice Rowsthorne, was born in 1642, and died in 1718 Chuckatuck, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.
He was married about 1667 to Elizabeth ___
Children:
Richard Ratcliff II, lawyer, son of Richard II and Alice Ratcliff, was born in 1661, 7m, 29d (10 October 1661 N. S.), on the Chapel Hill Estate, near Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire, England
Richard boarded the ship "Submission" at Liverpool, Lancashire, England, 1682, 7m, 5d (16 Sept 1682 N. S.) "bound for the Delaware River or elsewhere in Pennsylvania. However the Captain, James Settle, did not deliver his passengers to Pennsylvania, as agreed upon, possibly because of a storm at sea, so he did not know his exact whereabouts when he reached land, but more likely he did know where he was and that he would receive "head-money" for each new immigrant he brought into the province of Maryland. In any event, the passengers and baggage were unloaded at Choptank, Maryland, 10 November 1682 N. S. It appears that Richard paid four pounds and five shillings for his passage.
Richard Ratcliff and Mary Caterne announced their intentions of marriage to the Third Haven Monthly Meeting of Friends, 1690, 12m, 6d (17 Feb 1691 N. S.) whereupon "Thomas Cook and John Ashdell were appointed to inquire into the man's clearness." Apparently they found out that Richard had made some agreement of marriage with another girl at an earlier date as we read that "it is the feelings of this meeting that Richard Ratcliff do go or write to Pennslvania to a friend there, named Henry Baker, and that he get from under said Friend and his daughter (probably Rachel, born 1669) that he, the said Ratciff is clear of any entanglement from the account of marriage with the said Henry Baker's daughter, before he proceed in marriage with Mary Caterne." From this account it would appear that Richard lived for a short period of time with his older brother, James Ratcliff in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, but certainly not for 16 years as one family tradition has it.
Richard was married in Third Haven Monthly Meeting, Talbot County, Maryland, 13 May 1691, to Mary Caterne.
Minutes record that "Whereas Richard Ratcliff of Talbot County, in the province of Maryland, lawyer, and Mary Caterne, spinster, of the same county and province aforesaid, having declared their intentions of marriage these two several times at several meetings of the people of God, called Quakers, in the county aforesaid, which was approved by those meetings...
�now these are to certify all people whom it may concern for the full accomplishing of the intentions aforesaid this 13th day of ye 3rd month, called May, in the year 1691, in an assembly of the aforesaid people of God at their meeting house at Tuckahoe Creek, (near St. Michaels) in the county aforesaid Richard Ratcliff did solemnly in the fear of God according to the example of the holy men of God, recorded in Scriptures of Truth, take the said Mary Caterne to be his wife, and in like manner the said Mary Caterne, did then and there take the said Richard Ratcliff to be her husband, each of them promising to be faithful one to the other as husband and wife, as long as they shall live.
St. Michael's Protestant Episcopal Church register, Talbot County, Maryland, records the names and birthdates of the children of Richard and Mary (Caterne) Ratcliff. (These records may be seen at the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland.)
He died 1 June 1721 in Talbot County, Maryland. Mary, his widow, was married/2 in 1732 to James __.
Children:
This branch of the family used spelling, Ratliff
Richard Ratliff, III, third child of Richard Ratliff and Elizabeth, was born 1672 7mo 13d, probably near Chuckatuck, and died 17d 6mo 1724, in Albemarle, North Carolina.
He was married 3 times: married/1 to Hannah Clary-no children; married/2 to Elizabeth Hollowell, daughter of Henry Hollowell and Elizabeth Cotching -no children;
He was married/3 to Damaris Nixon, (widow Joseph Pierce,) who was born 8d 6m 1682 Perquimans County, North Carolina, daughter of Zachariah Nixon and Elizabeth Page. (See: Nixon Family)
They had 6 children.
Children:
Joseph Ratliff (1), son of Richard Ratliff, Jr and Demaris Nixon, was born 26d 3mo 1719, and died 4d 2mo 1760.
He was married 13d 3mo 1747 at Old Neck Meeting House, in Perquimans County, North Carolina, to Mary Fletcher, daughter of Ralph Fletcher III and Mary Guyer. They had 6 children.
Children:
Richard Ratliff VI, son of Joseph Ratliff and Mary Fletcher, was born 4da 11mo 1759, and died 11d 2mo 1826.
He was married 22d 2mo 1784 Contentnea Monthly Meeting, Wayne County, North Carolina, second husband to G-7. Elizabeth Pearson, (See: Pearson Family, Part VIII ), daughter of Jonathan Pearson and Sarah Bogue, was born 15 July 1767, in Perquimans County, North Carolina. She died 22 May 1839, Henry County, Indiana.
After the birth of several children, he left his native State in 1810, and came north across the mountains in teams, settling in a Quaker locality in Wayne County, near the present site of Richmond, Indiana, although that city had not yet been established. There, in the wilderness, surrounded by pioneer hardships and privations, he made a home for his family.
He later disposed of his interests and moved on to a new property near Hopewell, in Henry County, Indianawhere the remainder of his life was passed in tilling the soil. Both he and his wife lived to advanced years and reared a large family of children. Elizabeth died 22 May 1839, Henry County, Indiana.
Source: "BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Children:
Martha Ratliff, daughter of Nathan Ratliff and Lydia Palmer, was married in Wayne County, Indiana, in 1840 to Elias Modlin, who was born 10 May 1817, in Wayne County, the son of George Modlin (Maudlin), Indiana (born 1789 in Perquimans County, North Carolina,) and Sarah Peele, (born 3 November 1784 in Wayne County, North Carolina. Martha died about 1858.
Elias was married/2 23 March 1859, Henry County, Indiana, to Ann W Dawson, had 2 daughters, Minerva and Emma. He was married/3 after 1861 in Wayne County, Indiana, to Emily Jane Purdue, and had a daughter Mary Ann.
Children:
Bibliography
NC Historical & Genealogical Register 3 Vols.
One Ladd�s Family, by Ruth Kline Ladd17th Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, by John Bennett Boddie 1938
Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy Perquimans Monthly Meeting, Vol 1.
Grey Family and Allied Lines, 1976- in Orlando Public Library
Batchelder and Williams Families Chap 51.
World Family Tree, computer source, Vol 1, family 2615