WILLIAM MATLACK FAMILY
WILLIAM MATLACK, b.
about 1648, a carpenter in the employ of Daniel Wills, came with his master to
the site of Burlington, N. J., Oct. 1677, being passengers on the Kent, Gregory
Marlow, master. He was from Cropwell Bishop, a small village in Nottinghamshire,
and in 1682 married Mary Hancock, from Brayles, in Warwickshire, aged about
sixteen. They had children, John, George, Mary, William, Richard, Joseph,
Timothy, Jane and Sarah.
Joseph Matlack m. 6
mo. 1722, at Haddonfield Meeting, Rebecca Haines, dau. of John and Esther
(Borton) Haines. They brought a certificate from Haddonfield to Goshen Monthly
Meeting, dated 5, 14, 1729, which says they were "born & Educated with
friends here from their youth upward & was married amongst us here & we
do not find nor understand but that their conversation & behaviour has been
orderly while with us." This was signed by 17 men and 22 women. Rebecca's
father, John Haines, had devised some land to her, in Goshen township, and her
brother Isaac Haines had been living here for some years, which was the
inducement to settle in this place. Joseph died 11 mo. 1771. Issue:
JEMIMA, b. 4, 20, 1723; m. James Pennell, 8, 15, 1741.
ISAIAH, b. 2, 25, 1725; d. (???), 1794; m. Mary Hunter, May 2, 1754.
NATHAN, b. 3, 16, 1727; m. Mary Mercer, 12, 14, 1749-50.
RUTH, b. 12, 23, 1729; m. Thomas Sheward, 9, 10, 1748.
ESTHER, b. 6, 23, 1733; m. George Brinton, Nov. 27, 1753.
JESSE, b. 10, 2, 1735; died young or unmarried.
JONATHAN, b. 3, 16, 1737; m. Hannah Waln, April 24, 1773.
JOSEPH, b. 7, 25, 1740; died young.
AMOS, b. 9, 22, 1744; m. Hannah Trego, Oct. 14, 1771.
CALEB, b. 2, 14, 1750; died young.
Isaiah Matlack was
married at the old Swedes' Church, Wilmington, to Mary, dau. of Jonathan and
Margery Hunter, of Edgmont; for which marriage to one not a member he made an
acknowledgment to Goshen Mo. Mtg., 8, 19, 1754. On 3, 5, 1779, he was
complained of by Goshen Meeting for paying his son's substitute fine with
receipts for forage, and his acknowledgment was accepted 5, 7, 1779. His wife
not being in membership with Friends, their children were not looked upon as
birthright members. There were at least seven of them, Benjamin, m. to Ruth
Bowen; George, m. to Anne Smedley; Hannah, m. to Nathan Scholfield; Jesse, m.
to Sarah Phillips; Ann, m. to Richard Fawkes; Jonathan, m. to Sarah Smedley,
and Mary, m. to Jesse Smedley.
Isaiah purchased
100 acres of land from John Burroughs and wife Phebe, 6, 20, 1746, to which his
parents added 50 acres by deed of 5, 6, 1762, and these, with 4 acres, 140
perches purchased from his brother Jonathan, Nov. 15, 1781, he and wife
conveyed to their son George, Feb. 23, 1785, for love and affection.
Isaiah Matlack also
purchased at sheriff's sale, by deed of Feb. 22, 1768, a farm of 150 acres,
which formed the N. E. quarter of the future borough of West Chester. When the
county-seat was established at this place, in 1786, he built the Green Tree
tavern at the S. W. corner of the farm. He and his wife, by deed of 5, 22,
1793, conveyed to their son Jesse, then of Christiana hundred, Del., 117 1/2
acres of this land, together with the tavern. By will, dated 4, 28, 1794,
Isaiah devised the homestead on which he then lived, containing 117 acres, to
his son Jonathan; also 21 acres in West Chester.
Anne (Smedley)
Matlack was disowned by Goshen Mo. Mtg., 9, 5, 1788, for her marriage by a
magistrate to one not a member. George and Anne Matlack settled on the farm
given to him by his parents, which adjoins the S. E. corner of the borough of
West Chester.
Jonathan Matlack
inherited the homestead, in Goshen, and continued to live there. About 1803 he
erected the "Spread Eagle" tavern at the N. W. corner of Gay and
Walnut streets, West Chester, but never occupied it himself.