LONGSTRETH FAMILY
BARTHOLOMEW
LONGSTRETH, b. in Longstreth Dale, Deanery of Craven Yorkshire, England, 8, 24,
1679, came to Pennsylvania in 1699, bringing a certificate from Settle Monthly
Meeting, dated 1, 1, 1698-9, and signed by twenty Friends, certifying that he
was "clear from any engagements or entanglements with any person on the
account of marriage, so that so far as we know if he hereafter be concerned in
order to marry, this may certifie our friends that may be therein concerned
accordingly that as he hath been of a pretty good behavior since the time that
he hath frequented our meetings, so his removing is with ours as also with his
father's consent and approbation," &c. After his arrival he worked as
a laborer until he had laid up about œ400. Half of this he ventured on a
trading voyage to Tortola, in the West Indies, but his shipment was lost at sea
and upon his arrival there by another vessel he was taken sick and narrowly
escaped with his life. Returning to Pennsylvania he resumed work as a laborer,
and after a time purchased 500 acres of land in Warminster township, to which
he made additions by subsequent purchases, and at the time of his death left an
estate of more than 1000 acres beside money at interest. He m. 11, 29, 1727, at
Horsham Meeting, Ann Dawson (see p. 76), by whom he had children, Sarah, John,
Daniel, Jane, Jane 2d, Ann, John 2d, Elizabeth, Isaac, Joseph and Benjamin. He
died suddenly, without previous illness, 6, 8, 1749, and was buried at Horsham
Meeting. His widow m. 6, 7, 1753, Robert Tomkins, of Warrington township, Bucks
County, but afterwards removed to Chester County (now Phoenixville), where her
daughters Jane and Ann Coates resided.
John Longstreth
produced a certificate from Abington to Goshen Monthly Meeting, 4, 11, 1760,
but returned the following year. In 1763 he produced a certificate from
Abington to Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., dated 11 mo. 1762, and on 4, 5, 1764, declared
intentions of marriage with Rebekah Taylor, dau. of Peter Taylor, deceased. Her
death from small-pox just a month later prevented their marriage. On 8, 26,
1765, he and Jane Minshall declared their intentions of marriage before Chester
Monthly Meeting, but some obstruction appearing likely to delay their
procedure, they accomplished their marriage as indicated by the following
certificate, now in possession of Sarah L. and Mary Jane Jones, of Kernstown, Va.:
These are to
certify to all whom it may concern that John Longstreth, of the township of
Charlestown, in the County of Chester, having signified to me, Isaac Davis, one
of the Justices for the said County, his intention of marriage to Jane
Minshall, of the township of Middletown, in the County aforesaid, and having
obtained a paper of publication from under the hand of said Isaac Davis,
signifying their said intention, bearing date one month before these presents
and no person having made any objections: Now know ye that the said John
Longstreth and Jane Minshall personally appeared at my house in Tredyffryn, in
the midst of a public Company,
the 17th of July,
and were then and there solemnized in marriage according to an Act of Assembly
of this Province made and provided in such cases; and we the subscribers, being
present at the solemnization thereof and subscribed our names as witnesses
thereunto this 17th of July A. D. 1766.
JOHN LONGSTRETH
JANE LONGSTRETH
(???)
Hannah Davis Thomas Tucker
Elizabeth Davis John Tucker
his Joseph Cunnard
James X Mageehin Ann Little
mark Sarah Tucker
Elizabeth Bartholomew
Sarah Tucker
Richard Graham
Isaac Davis Mary Bartholomew
Another relic in
the same possession is a case of drawers which belonged to Sarah Smedley,
mother of Jane Longstreth, in which her initials and the date, 1737, are inlaid
in lighter wood: Also a commission from Gov. Mifflin, dated June 10, 1793, to
John Longstreth, to be a justice of the peace for the townships of Tredyffrin,
Charlestown, East and West Whiteland.
John Longstreth was
disowned by Friends, but his wife made an acknowledgment for her deviation in
regard to marriage, which was accepted 5, 30, 1768. She received a certificate
from Chester to Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 5, 29, 1769, but returned 8, 26, 1771, and
received one to Uwchlan, 6, 28, 1779. Their old home in Charlestown (now
Schuylkill) township, close by Phoenixville, is still standing. They were
buried at Pikeland Meeting.