Article submitted by Mal:
"I grew up near the Radnor PA Meeting cited above and have Welsh ancestry in a Pugh line associated with that Meeting. There seem to have been migrations of Welsh Quakers and Welsh Baptists around the same time to different "Welsh Tracts" around Philadelphia, and the first Quaker (Keithian Separatists) schism in the 1690's also resulted in some Welsh Quakers becoming Baptists.
Many of the early Welsh Quakers who came over around 1683 settled in areas west of Philadelphia, and the town names of Bala Cynwyd, Merion, Narberth, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Radnor are all areas where these early Welsh Quakers settled and named towns. Evans, Jones, Rees, Roberts, Pugh, Griffith, Thomas, Meredith, Cadwallader, Lloyd and Lewis are some of the common names of these early settlers and the Welsh patronimic naming system is one of the sources of many roadblocks in genealogy research as the first generation or two many have been known by multiple names and may have passed on a different surname to the following generation.
I believe Haverford was one of the first Meeting Houses built in the area here, with Merion and Radnor closely related. Using the word Chapel to describe it threw me off, as that implies to me a church, and the Quaker meetings were modest and bland buildings, but I found a picture of the Pales Meeting online and it seems to be similar from what I can see to the early PA meeting houses.
This site appears likely to have records of a lot of what led up to the Welsh Quakers migrating from Pales, and I'm sure many in the US looking to connect to families prior to the 1680s-early 1700's would welcome some analysis and publication of these records, and the related Newtown Montgomeryshore records as those are names of towns and counties near Radnor, PA: archives.powys.gov.uk/hold/non.html
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In the US many of the Quaker records have been archived at Swarthmore College, at: www.swarthmore.edu
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One thing the Quakers were good at is extensive meeting records, which are not always thorough but in many cases are the only way we can definitively track parents and children from one generation to another as the children of John Thomas became Evan Jones, and so on.
Typically after they get to the US a common surname is used for generations born in here. It is claimed that half the US residents who can trace to being here before 1750's have a Quaker ancestry, and those of us with Welsh roots groan when we see the tangle of confusing Jones, Evans, Pugh, Rees lines that can't be distinguished from one another as they morph from one generation to another.
You can find in Merion Meetings's "Cemetery" records at this site below a detailed accounting of many of the Welsh families that came over in a series of ships in starting around 1683, including records of some of the ships:www.rootsweb.com
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This site offers some context on the story a a small picture of the Pales Meeting House: www.zip.com.au/~lnbdds/home/quaker.htm
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Article sent in by Mal
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your comments
Richard Walker from Colorado
I too am a descendant of Lewis Walker. Leslie Reitz from Florida stated there are two books written on the family. I assume one is by Patricia Walker Streets. I would like to know the other one. Any info would be much appreciated.
Tue Jun 23 09:41:25 2009
Christine from Berkshire
Any Powells?
Tue Jun 9 09:30:47 2009
Suzanne LaPoint Portage, Michigan
Leslie Reitz from Florida referred to two books written on family of Lewis Walker. He is my direct line and would like to know name of the two books. She said knows where to find them. Have been studying and searching my Quaker families. Nothing new to add thus far.
Wed May 27 19:53:45 2009
Sara from Newtown Square, PA
I descend from James Davies, John Davis, James Miles, Ellis ap Hugh Pugh) Roger ap Robert, David Thomas, and John Evans - all original settlers of the "Welsh Tract' of Radnor Township. I still live in this part of Pennsylvania - if I can help anyone with their genealogy, I'd be happy to.Sara
Wed May 27 19:46:55 2009
Ira Miles, Radnor, PA
Andrea Miles...we are distant cousins.
Sun May 17 12:41:50 2009
David Duncan McCann Akron Ohio USA
For Andrea Miles - Their is a plethora of information regarding General Samuel Miles.Most importantly - which child are you the offspring?Secondly - the Gilbert Stuart portrait of the General can be found in the Washington DC Corocoran Gallery of Art - and that of his wife; Catherine Wister Miles (also by Stuart) is in a private collection in Akron Ohio USA.As a prisoner of war during the Revolution (New York City), Samuel was exchanged for British Lt Colonel Archibald Campbell.Miles is buried in Philadelphis's Mount Moriah Cemetary.Because of the benevolence of King George III's government and the prisoner exchange - Miles' release in late 1778 led to the birth of John Miles - leading, ultimately, to me.
Fri May 8 10:13:04 2009
Meg Schultz, New Jersey
M Grundy, how can we communicate? My mother was the last of her Davis line-- it "daughtered out" with her and her sister. My mother was born in western Pa, where the Davis' were living after the line that began in Uwchlan, PA moved westward.
Wed Feb 11 09:55:37 2009
M. Grundy, from Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Meg Schultz, I, too, am a descendant of John Davis and Elizabeth Harris; would love to get in touch with you to compare notes.
Sun Feb 1 14:22:54 2009
Dennis Brigance from Wilmington, NC
Looking for any information about Charles Brigham marriage to Hannah Renager, 12 July 1685, Philadelphia. Charles Brigham may have changed his name to Brigance? Any information would be very helpful.
Thu Dec 4 15:46:46 2008
Leslie Reitz from Florida
I too am a descendant of Lewis Walker. There are two books written on the family. One is a family history and the other a dairy kept by his son. If you are interested contact me by e-mail and I will send you the titles and where to find tem.
Mon Dec 1 09:32:59 2008
Andrea Miles
My 5th great Grandfather, Colonel Samuel Miles, is burried in Philadelphia. I am told it is at a Baptist Church. I am traveling on business to Phily this month and would love to find the gravesite and any information available on my Grandfather. I would appreciate any and all information. Thank you.
Mon Aug 11 08:32:27 2008
Wendy Erich from Connecticut
re:D Stoney post: I too am descended from Lewis Walker. Please post any information you find on his life in Wales. I have been to Narbeth, in Pembrokeshire, where the Redstone Cottage at the north end of town was thought to be his.
Tue May 20 09:13:09 2008
John Hart Miller
I am a descendent of John and Susanna (Rush) Hart. They came to PA in 1682 and settled on land bought from Wm. Penn in Byberry Twnship next to John Rush (Susannah's parents). John and Susannah Hart's second son, Thomas, married Hester Miles, daughter of Griffith, b.1670 and Bridget, b.? d. 1709 as best as I could read the grave stone, (Edwards) Miles who had emigrated to PA about the same time and settled in Radnor Twnship, I believe Upper Darby. Griffith and Bridget married in 1692 and are burried in the Pennepack Baptist Church cemetary in Byberry Twnship, north side, second row from the north wall. Griffith was baptized there on 7/5/1719 and Griffith died later that year. Griffith was from Llanfihangel Helgynn, County Radnor, Wales. They had a son named Samuel, b.1703. The last child was John, b. 1709 (Bridget may have died at that time, but I don't have any info to be sure.
Tue Feb 5 13:38:43 2008
John Hart Miller
Griffith's father was named James b. 1622 and he also had a son named Samuel who married Margaret James in 1682. James had a 100 acre farm in Radnor, PA. There is a book, ANNALS OF MILES ANCESTRY, by O.H. Banes, Lippincott, co. Phila., 1895, but I haven't seen a copy. This info came from Welsh Founders of Pennsylvania. From Quaker Meeting minutes in Wales, James and Samuel Miles were given Certificates of Removal in Radonshire, Wales, 5th month, day 27, 1683, maybe just before emigrating to PA. That is all I have on these Miles - please let me know if it agrees with what you have.
Tue Feb 5 13:38:36 2008
Alberta James Daw from Kansas City, MO
My sister-in-law did a bit of sleuthing and discovered a David James who was Quaker and came from Radnor, Wales to PA in 1682. His descendants were in Virginia, near Roanoke in a village named Vinton before the Civil War. My grandfather kept an informal geneology of the family's handed down geneology, but there are confusions right after David as to who was his grandson and who was his son. I am happy to share grandfather's lore.
Mon Jul 16 09:55:27 2007
Teresa Kinsey Corso from Illinois
I am a direct descendant of David Kinsey,Radnorshire and have been researching forseveral months. David Kinsey born abt. 1600Dethienith Wales had a son Edmund, born abt1630 Dethienith, Wales, had a son David born before 1662, Nantmeal Co, Radnor, who came to PA with Wm. Penn to Bucks Co.
Sun Jul 1 19:27:07 2007
Sue from Pennsylvania
To Rick Miles -- I have information about the Samuel Miles family of Philadelphia. Samuel was an American Patriot, fought in the French and Indian war, mayor of Phila. in 1790 and much more. He retired to Cheltenham and died 1805. Please feel free to contact me.
Mon Jan 1 12:48:46 2007
Mike Serth
I am interested in the Welsh roots of my last name.
Tue Oct 3 09:56:28 2006
Rick Miles, Miles, Philadelphia and Cheltenham
Info on Miles family from Llanfinhangel Helygen Wales. Especiallly interested in A full copy of the will of Samuel Miles married to Rebecca Leech and died 1731- he was ap Samuel ap Griffith ap James ap Francis. Any info appreciated.
Wed Jul 19 11:16:43 2006
D Stoney from Utah
I am looking for information on WALKER, LEWIS emigrated from Merioneth Co, Wales, d 1728, Radnor, Phila, Pa. Md Mary MORIS, 1693, Radnor. She appears to have emigrated with him. His son Daniel WALKER b Merion, Chester PA 1694, died Tredyffrin Twp, Chester PA. Md BERNARD.
Daniel had a son named Jacob WALKER, b 1736, Radnor, PA, Md Ruth THOMAS -Valleh M. H., Radnor, PA looking for his children.
Tue Jun 27 16:54:04 2006
Meg Schultz, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, USA
Additional comment-- for Mal-- I too am trying to locate people of the Pugh line. I am in search of a man named Hugh Pugh in particular, who is named in some of my family papers as a schoolmaster from Radnor. He proposed to my grandmother in 1801, after having left Radnor for Bedford County in central Pa. I'm sure he would have been a Welsh or Welsh-descent Quaker what with that unusual name-- Hugh Pugh. Any chance he's a Pugh you know anything about?
Wed Jun 14 09:14:04 2006
Meg Schultz, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, USA
I am a descendent of John Davis (my mother was a Davis), a Quaker born 1690, in Radnorshire who emigrated to Uwchlan, PA. (Chester County - S.E. Pennsylvania). His wife was Elizabeth Harris, born here 1690, but her father, Daniel Harry, b 1662 in Machynlleth, Montgomery, Wales, came to America - to Uwchlan as well, where he died in 1736.
Tue Jun 13 19:00:58 2006
R. R. Simmons
I am curious if anyone else is researching the Kinsey line - from Radnorshire in 1600s - Quakers moving to PA. David was the first of the documented line but it seems his ancestors were also of Radnorshire.
Mon Mar 20 12:35:02 2006
Carol Simmons from Seattle
David Kinsey was a quaker from Radnorshire who came to pa. with William Penn - on one of the 3 ships sailing close together in late 1600's. He was a carpenter and bought acreage in Radnor pa.. He came over, I believe, with his son, John, and perhaps his wife, magdalen. Or he met magdelen in pa. and married her in pa.
Sat Mar 18 04:26:27 2006
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