Thomas and Rachel Martin Woodward
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| Rachel Martin born abt 1685 probably England died 1775 Chester Co, Pa |
Thomas Woodward born probably England died 1740-47 Chester Co, Pa |
| Married: 10/25/1704 at Concord Monthly Meeting, Chester Co, Pa
Children: Mordecai Woodward born Chester Co, Pa, died intestate 1736 Jesse Woodward born Chester Co, Pennsylvania, married (1) Jane Kendall (2) Prudence Biggs (more below) Rachel Woodward born Chester Co, Pennsylvania, married 1735 to her cousin Joseph Woodward, son of Joseph & Elizabeth Mercer Woodward Abigail Woodward born Chester County, Pennsylvania Lydia Woodward married 11/1739 to Minshall Littler, son of Samuel & Rachel Littler Sarah Woodward married 1/11/1741-2 Benjamin Hance Mary Woodward married 1/25/1742 John Talkington, Jr. Ann Woodward married Joseph Wilson 1/1747 at Old Swede's Church Susanna Woodward married Enos Lewis about 1750-1 Jane Woodward married unknown Jackson about 1753 |
Land Records in Chester County, PennsylvaniaThomas Woodward probably first owned land in Concord Township as he sold 250 acres there in 1707. In the 1707 transaction he is called "Thomas Woodward of Aston, yeoman." In a deed 5 May 1709 Thomas Woodward, late of Middletown, now of Concord & William Woodward of Middletown, yeoman, granted 175 acres for 120 pounds to Jasper Yeates, merchant. This deed is a little odd as we know Thomas's brother William died in 1705, but this parcel of land was granted to Thomas & William in 1703, so it probably had to be written this way. Only Thomas signed the deed. When the land was later resold the deed did mention that William was deceased at the time of the 1709 sale. Thomas bought 280 acres in Ashton for 241 pounds on 28 December 1709. Thomas seemed to be completing his move from Concord to Aston. Aston is not shown on current township maps but in 1735 there is a reference to Thomas in Goshen Township (see Chester County Township Map).Lewis Woodward in A Genealogy of the Woodward Family tells an interesting bit of history "Thomas Woodward's Eare mark is a slit on the top, and a half penny cut out of the fore side of the near Eare; his brand is T on ye near shoulder, and W on the near buttock." The early settlers, for want of fences to confine their stock, allowed them to run at large to a great extent, but in order to identify their own they made use of marks, as well as brands which burnt the initials on the skin. Death of Thomas and RachelLewis Woodward states that the time of Thomas Woodward's death has not been ascertained. Rachel Martin Woodward, his widow, returned to the neighborhood of Chester, and then to Wilmington, Delaware, where some of her children were living. At the time of her death she was age 90 years or more.Son Jesse Woodward FamilyJesse Woodward married first, Jane Kendall, daughter of Thomas and Mary Kendall, 9th month 5th day, 1730, at Springfield Meeting.Jane�s father, Thomas Kendall wrote his will in Chester County, 9 December 1741: Will Book B:104 Date: 9 Dec 1741 Prove Date: 21 Dec 1741 Thomas Kendall of Springfield. Plaistere. December 9, 1741. December 21, 1741. To son Thomas the plantation where I now live in Springfield containing about 166 acres. To son John the plantation in Bucks Co, containing 190 acres, also that tract in Bucks Co, surveyed to me by warrant containing 310 acres adj the 190 acres. To my 3 grandchildren Thomas, Margaret and Hannah Woodward children of Jesse Woodward by daughter Jane 3 lb each when of age. To daughter Mary Hall 10 lb. To daughter Ellin Kendall 20 lb and other provision while unmarried. Remainder to son Thomas also executor. Witnesses: Thos. Cummings, John Dutton, Alice Cummings. Jerry Kendall (who helped us with this family) would like to hear from others with a Kendall connection. He is descended from Jane's brother Thomas who married Margaret Ruddock. We know from the will of Thomas Kendall that Jesse and Jane Kendall Woodward had children Thomas, Margaret, and Hannah. Jesse Woodward married second, Prudence Biggs, a widow, 11th month 8th day, 1744, at East Caln Meeting. She was daughter of Edward and Mary Barrett Thompson. Prudence attended a wedding 3/3/1744 as Prudence Thompson and again on 5/3/1744 as Prudence Biggs, so she was married but a short time to Biggs. The wedding of Jesse and Prudence is documented in the Bradford Monthly Meeting Minutes. Both Thomas and Rachel Martin Woodward, and Edward and Mary Thompson attended the wedding. Also attending and signing as family were: Isaac and Sarah Thompson, John and Nicholas Newlin (both Jr), and John Woodward. The Thompson family came to the Bradford area on 3/19/1843 from Haverford Monthly Meeting, and Jesse Woodward came 4/12/1743 from Newark Monthly Meeting. Jesse and Prudence Thompson Biggs Woodward had children Jesse, Sarah, Jane and Prudence. Jesse evidently died before 1775, as Jesse Woodward, Jr.'s guardian requested a certificate for him to Kennett Monthly Meeting in Chester County for an apprenticeship on 6/16/1775. John Pitts Launey in First Families of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Vol 2 tells us that the family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, and then to Fairfax, Va in 1764 [probably where Jesse died] and that Prucence married in 1778 to George Hatcher. He references Early Church Records of Newcastle County, Delaware, Vol. 1 Jesse, Jr., returned to the Bradford area from Kennett in 1782. On 7/12/1782 he was disowned for marrying out (of the Quaker faith). |