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Woodward Home Page Return to Richard Woodward, Jr. Page Return to Swithin Chandler Page Return to Thomas Cook Page James and Hannah Woodward Shortledge Family
Hannah Woodward was daughter of Richard Woodward, Jr. & Deborah Stanfield Woodward of England and Chester County, Pennsylvania. Hannah married (1)James Shortledge and (2) Joseph Underwood.
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| James Shortledge born unknown died bet 1/12/1739/40 and 3/5/1739/40 Chester Co |
Hannah Woodward born Chester Co, Pa died unknown |
| Married: Hannah Woodward Shortledge was reported at Bradford Monthly Meeting on 9/1/1735 as having been married by a priest. She made her amends 1/6/1736, saying she was with child when she married. Since we do not have birthdates for the children we are not sure which child this was. Based on marriage dates Abigail was likely the eldest.
Children: Abigail Shortledge married Samuel Clark (more below) John Shortledge married Phebe Chandler (more below) |
More on the James and Hannah Woodward Shortledge FamilyJames Shortledge, weaver of West Bradford, wrote his will 12th January 1739/40 and the will was proven 5 March 1739/40 so we know he died before that date. He left to wife Hanna all estate, bonds, bill and implements of weaving trade for educating and bringing up his children, not named. Since he left his weaving implements to Hannah he implies that she was also a weaver. The executors of the will were brother-in-law William Woodward and wife Hannah Shortledge. Note that he mentions "children" (plural) so both Abigail and John were born before 12 Jan 1739/40 or there were other children. This is from an abstract of the will. The original will is in Will Book B, page 50 in Chester County for anyone who would like to obtain a copy.Further information on the Shortledge family is sparse except for a few Quaker records. Hannah was a member of Bradford Monthly Meeting when she was dismissed again 8/21/1742 for fornication. Son John Shortledge married Phebe Chandler on 3/1/1769 at Newark/Kennett Monthly Meeting in Chester County, Pennsylvania. On 6/16/1757 John had transferred by certificate from Bradford Monthly Meeting to Newark MM. Phebe Chandler was daughter of Swithin and Ann Wilson Chandler of Christiana Hundred, Newcastle County, Delaware. Ann Wilson Chandler was daughter of Hannah Woodward Shortledge's half-sister, Esther Woodward Chandler. She was thus great niece of Hannah and half first cousin once removed of husband John Shortledge. This relationship was not among those prohibited by the Quakers in that time period as there was a proper Quaker wedding. We have yet to examine the Quaker records for their children, but they are listed in the will of John Shortledge of New Garden, written 26 November 1809 and proven 11 January 1812. There was a codicil dated 4/29/1810. Wife Phebe Shortledge is named as executrix and son Jacob Shortledge is named as executor. Witnesses were William and Joseph Thompson. Children named were daughter Hannah Shortledge, and sons James, David, Swithin, Isaac, Jacob, John, and Joshua Shortledge. John's plantation was to provide for wife Phebe during widowhood and afterwards to be sold and proceeds divided as follows: "to son David on account of his being in a state of insanity of body, $400." The remaining proceeds were to be divided equally among his other children. Daughter Abigail Shortledge married Samuel Clark, son of William and Sarah Clark, on 30 November 1758 at Bradford Monthly Meeting (reported at Kennett Monthly Meeting). The children are not found in the records of either Bradford or Kennett Meetings but are listed in a certificate of transfer from Bradford to Kennett on 1/18/1765 and from Kennett to Bradford on 2/15/1771. Children named in the 1765 certificate are Sarah, Hannah, and Benjamin Clark. John and Phebe Clark are additionally listed on the 1771 certificate. Joseph and Hannah Woodward Shortledge Underwood FamilyHannah Woodward Shortledge evidently made her amends with the Quakers again as she married (2) Joseph Underwood on 2/17/1745 at Centre Monthly Meeting in Chester County. Joseph Underwood was son of Quaker minister Alexander Underwood and Jane Harry Underwood. Joseph's sister Mary Underwood married Thomas Cook. (See the link to Thomas Cook at the top of this page for more information on Alexander Underwood.) In his will in 1748 Richard Woodward, Jr. names daughter Hannah, wife of Joseph Underwood, so we know this is the correct Hannah.Once again we do not find children in the Quaker records but know that Joseph and Hannah had at least two children as they are named in wills of Hannah's relatives. A probable son, James Underwood, is named in the will of Richard Jones in 1807 and a daughter Hannah Underwood is named in the will of George Entriken in 1779. Richard Jones was son of Hannah's half-sister, Sarah Woodward, who married Evan Jones. Richard and wife Ann evidently had no children and Richard left his estate to a variety of relatives including a James Underwood who was likely son of Hannah and Joseph Underwood. George Entriken was married to Hannah's sister, Mary Woodward, and was more specific in his will naming Hannah Underwood as his niece, thus confirming her as daughter of Hannah and Joseph Underwood. He left her 1/2 of household furniture at the death of his wife. He also left to brother-in-law Joseph Underwood, his dwelling house and lands, belonging for 3 years after expiration of his present lease. |