Griffith Owen

Doctor Griffith Owen, Practitioner in Physick

OWEN, GRIFFITH (b. ca. 1657, d. 19 Aug 1717), physician, colonist and statesman, was the son of Robert and Jane (Vaughn) Owen of Dolserey in the parish of Dolgellau (Merionethshire, Wales). He was a practical Christian, a willing and effective minister among the Society of Friends, being respected and active in that faith at the highest levels. A physician of high reputation and extensive practice, but not one to allow worldly considerations and pursuits to interfere with his religious interests. Even though he was said to have been aged seventy when he died in 1717, this cannot be substantiated. His first connection to the Quaker movement seems to have been in his association with them in the Hardshaw East Monthly Meeting in Lancashire, England. That record gives his father’s name and birthplace on the occasion of his marriage 23 Oct 1678 to Sarah, the daughter of John and Jane (Stockley) Barnes, at her father’s house in Warrington.

Sarah’s Family

. Sarah Barnes was born 21 May 1661 in Farnworth, as the oldest child of Jane. John had been married twice before, first to Ann, who died 3 Oct 1656, by whom he had at least Ellen (b. 30 Aug 1650, md. 22 Jan 1670/1 to John Chorley at Great Sankey), and probably Ester (d. 11 Feb 1668/9). His second marriage also ended in his wife’s death (6 Apr 1658), on 3 Mar 1657/8 in Farnworth to Katherine Sutton of Rainhill. It was on 21 Aug 1660 in Knowsley that he married Jane. At that time John was recorded as a mercer (dealer in textiles). Sarah’s five younger siblings were: Ralph (b 22 Nov 1662, bur. 17 Jun 1674), Ann (b 19 Sep 1664, bur. 29 Jan 1673/4), Katherine (b. 12 Feb 1665/6), Edward (b 24 Oct 1667, bur. 26 Feb 1679/80 at Warrington) and William (b. 24 Oct, bur. 4 Nov 1669). Jane died 11 Nov 1669 and on 17 Nov 1675 John, now a yeoman of Farnworth, married Alice Mather of Warrington to which village he moved the few surviving members of his family.

Beginning a Family in England

. Griffith set up practice in Prescot, a small village outside of Liverpool. There he and Sarah had two children: Robert (b. 29 Aug 1679) and Sarah (b. 31 Aug 1682). When William Penn received his charter for the province of Pennsylvania from Charles II, Griffith became active in recruiting emigrants. He with others desired that Penn set apart a large tract of land where the Welsh people could settle, where the Welsh language might be preserved as the official language of the government and the courts. Their application was accepted and 40 thousand acres, known as the Welsh Tract, was offered for sale in lots of various sizes to the Welsh immigrants. Griffith and his family, including his father Robert, mother Jane, and brother Lewis, set sail on the ship “Vine” from Liverpool arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 17 Sep 1684. Also in their party were a servant by the name of Edward Edwards and four servant maids: Lowry Edwards, Margaret Edwards, Ann Owen, and Hannah Watt. Robert, Jane, and Lewis settled at Duck Creek, New Castle, Pennsylvania, where the parents died in Jul 1685.

Beginning Again in America

. Sometime in 1684 it seems that Griffith and Sarah had a second son, whom they named for his father, Griffith. The family settled in Marion (the Welsh Tract) where he and Sarah had seven additional children. At least the children’s births were recorded at the Concord Monthly Meeting. In 1686 Griffith was appointed to represent the county of Philadelphia in the Assembly, a position which suggests that he met with the approval of both the proprietor and his constituents. He held this same position again in 1688, 1689 and 1700. On 19 Apr 1687, Sarah bore Griffith another daughter, Rebeckah, and one further, Jane, on 29 Mar 1689. It this year he set up another residence in Philadelphia where he became involved with almost every important transaction of the Quarterly and Yearly Meetings.

Religious Service in English Relations

. In 1689, Griffith, with others was appointed by the Yearly Meeting to draw up a paper to incite the Quarterly Meetings earnestly 1) to keep up a godly discipline and tender inspection over the youth, 2) to give advice on any other matters they might deem needful. They were also to prepare an epistle to the London Yearly Meeting to give them a salutation of love and inform them of the extent to which the blessed presence of the Lord Jesus was with the meeting. We are tempted to speculate that perhaps the London Meeting had heard rumor of certain questionable behavior of the young people in America.

Loss of the Welsh Tract

. In October 1690 Griffith was not present at a meeting of the Assembly when it was observed that the Welsh Tract was not being settled to the extent felt expedient;

the want of seating and improving of which, has been of great damage to the proprietary, and of exceeding loss and hindrance to the well seating and strengthening the province; several honest, able and substantial persons having either left it for want of such convenient seats that are unsettled in that tract, or hindered from seating such as have been formerly laid out unto them in it.

For this reason they summoned David Powell, or some other of the Welsh purchasers, to appear before them on the 19th of the month to show cause why they should put the unsettled part of their tract on the open market. When Griffith appeared at the next meeting he managed to have consideration of the subject postponed until the middle of December. At that meeting he came before them with a number of other concerned and made the following well thought out statement:

We, the inhabitants of the Welch Tract, in the province of Pennsylvania, in America, being descended of the ancient Britains, who always in the land of our nativity, under the crown of England, have enjoyed that liberty and privilege as to have our bounds and limits by ourselves, within the which all causes, quarrels, crimes, and titles were tried, and wholly determined by officers, magistrates, and jurors of our own language, which were our equals. Having our faces towards these countries, made the motion to our Governor that we might enjoy the same here, which thing was granted by him before he or we ever came to these parts, and when he came over, he gave forth his warrant to lay out 40,000 acres of land to the intent we might live together here, and enjoy our liberty and devotion in our own language, as afore in our country. The 40,000 acres were surveyed out, and by his own warrant confirmed by several orders from the commissioners of the proprietary, and settled upon already with near four-score settlements, and as we have good grounds to believe, if the way had been clear from troubles, there might have been so many settlers upon it by this time as in reason it could contain, and besides, as it is well known there were several scores of our men servants who were very desirous to have out their head land, according to promise, but could have none with any conveniences that was worth to settle upon, whereby many are like to desert the province and to go to other countries. Also, some of our Friends that have concerned themselves with the first that came to this country, have lived awhile here and returned again for their families, friends and relations, that had disposed themselves to come over with all speed if Providence had permitted; and, as far as we are given to understand, are still waiting for the opportunity to their great damage. Now, to deprive these of their lands and liberties, which they depend upon when coming here, and that in their absence, we look upon it to be a very unkind dealing, like to ruin many families,—as also a subtle undermining to shut that door against our nation,—which the Lord had opened for them to come to these countries. We can declare with an open face to God and man, that we desired to be by ourselves for no other end or purpose, but that we might live together as a civil society, to endeavour to decide all controversies amongst ourselves in a gospel order, and not to entangle ourselves with laws in an unknown tongue; as also to preserve our language, that we might ever keep correspondence with our friends in the land of our nativity. Therefore our request is, that you be tender, not only of violating the Governor’s promise to us, but also of being instrumental of depriving us of the things which were the chief motives and inducements to bring us here, and that you would be pleased, so far as in you lies, to preserve us in our properties, by removing all such encroachments as are made upon the lines and boundaries of our said tract, and by patent or otherwise in due form of law, to establish and confirm the same unto us, so that we may not by any further pretences be interrupted in the peaceable enjoyment thereof, according to the Governor’s true intent, and then we shall report and submit to his consideration. And if these, our reasonable desires be not answered, but our antagonists gratified by our being exposed to those uncertainties that may attend,—we shall choose rather than contest, to suffer, and appeal our cause to God, and to our Friends in England.

Unfortunately this document failed to disuade the commissioner in their desire to raise money. As long as the land lay empty it could not provide quit rents for William Penn. If the Welsh settlers could pay for this empty land up front, the commissioners would be happy enough. And so, in the end the Welsh colony and language was lost in Pennsylvania. No more was there any hope of their native language becoming official. In some meetings, particulary Haverford, Radnor and Marion, ministers often spoke in Welsh, but as immigrants died off, so did their natural tongue.

Quaker Reactions to Puritan Representations

. In this period Cotton Mather and other New England ministers published an attack on some of the principles held by Friends. On 9 Jun 1690 the Meeting of ministering Friends decided that the various works intended as rebutal were too long to read out loud and therefore appointed Thomas Lloyd, George Hutchinson, Samuel Jennings, Griffith Owen, Paul Saunders, John Delaval, George Keith, Jacob Tillnor, and John Willsford (of West Jersey), to peruse them, and send to the press any judged suitable. Each minister was not to submit a judgement on his own work. This committee on the press was kept up generally in the Yearly Meeting until its duties were taken over by the Meeting for Sufferings. Griffith Owen’s interest in the school that the Friends in Philadelphia had established made it natural for them to appoint him to raise funds for their support and enlargement. In connection with this he was appointed by the Yearly Meeting to take care of the printing for them.

In this period of time Griffith and Sarah had two more children, these named for Sarah’s parents: Jane (b. 29 Mar 1689) and John (b. 25 Mar 1691).

Hostile Behavior of Quaker George Keith

. One of the ministers of the committee on the press, George Keith, had recently come over from East Jersey to Philadelphia. When his will was not submitted to, his reaction came to give him an air of superiority among the fellow faithful. It was not long before his attacks on some of the older and less educated ministers became violent. He charged them with maintaining that the Light of Christ was sufficient for the salvation of man. He picked particularly on Thomas Lloyd’s work, which he considered to represent equivalent educational and literary attainments to his own. A committee of Friends concluded that there was nothing intrinsically at fault in the positions which George Keith had complained of. They found that even though they emphasized the importance of following the Light of Christ, they also preached that the gift of the Holy Spirit, essential for sanctification, had been purchased through the offering of Christ Jesus on Calvary for the comfort and guidance of his Church.

Dealing With George Keith

. Even though Griffith Owen never came under the direct attack of Keith, the latter’s attitude and disruptive behavior soon brought them on a collision course. In May 1691 a number of letters had been sent to George Whitehead and others in London, complaining of the disputes and the public notoriety being given to them by Keith and the doctrines they held. On 28 Sep 1691, hoping that the differences between the parties were merely verbal, the London Friends responded with an epistle advising love, charity and the abandonment of all contentions. There was no explicit testimony against Keith nor against his doctrines, so he took strength from the epistle, and continued with his disruptive behavior. By the time of the General Meeting of Ministers held in Burlington held on 5 Mar 1692, the dispute had fomented further. After many “living testimonies” were borne “in and to the ancient power of Truth,” the meeting proceeded into its business part. Immediately the matter came up of the gross abuse and unchristianlike behavior of Keith in promulgating his attitude and doctrines in public and private. George declared, “You have come here to cloak error and heresy.” During the course of the discussion thus incited he further said, “There is not more damnable heresies and doctrines of devils amongst any Protestant professions than among the Quakers.” When the meeting were unable to disuade him in his attitude, they adjourned till morning, at which time they appointed John Simcock, Griffith Owen and Samuel Jennings to meet with him privately and admonish him to cease and desist his evil conduct.

Griffith’s Handling of George Keith

. The visit of Griffith and Samuel with George manifested little Christian love and courtesy from him. They told him that the Friends expected him to condemn his abusive and reviling expressions against them. George replied that they had no authority nor judgement in the matter, that he did not value it a pin, and would trample it under his feet. He further claimed that he would prove that their position was rank popery, and that none of them preached Christ correctly, that, “You do not preach the birth, death, sufferings, and resurrection of Christ.” To this Griffith declared, “We have a reverent esteem, both for the birth and death, sufferings and resurrection of Christ.” To which George replied, “You do not preach those things.” With earnest zeal Griffith answered, “We preach what God hath put into our hearts, and into our mouths.” At this George charged Griffith with being in a passion, who replied, “I speak in the fear and dread of the Lord, and I can appeal unto him, how I am here before him!”

Mission to the Southern Colonies

. On 11 Feb 1692/3 Griffith and Sarah had a daughter, whom they named Ann, possibly for Sarah’s grandmother. In that same month Griffith was given permission by his Monthly Meeting in Philadelphia to pay a religious visit to Friends in Maryland and Virginia. He must have done so, since he does not appear in the minutes for a couple of months.

Presenting Quaker Doctrines

. Also in this year the Friends in London published a document setting forth their doctrinal position which had been attacked by George Keith. The document, however, was not deemed by the Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia to be so effective and proper as one which they might themselves publish. To this purpose they appointed a committee, on which Griffith, no doubt played a principle role. The document had the following title: “Our Ancient Testimony renewed, concerning our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures, and the Resurrection. Occasioned at this time by several unjust charges published against us, and our truly christian profession, by some late adversaries, who have unfairly and untruly misrepresented us. Given forth by a meeting of publick Friends and others at Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania.”

Mission to England

. It seems that in 1694 Griffith and Sarah gave birth to a daughter Hannah, whom they buried 22 Jan 1694/5. In August of 1694, Griffith had informed his friends of a plan he had to go to England for a short time, and while he was there to be of some religious service. He left the decision to them and they approved of it. Thomas Janney had already been approved to go there on a visit to do some service, so they went together. Griffith says of the experience,

About the latter end of the Third month [May 1695,] in the unity of the brethren in Pennsylvania, we took our leave of them, and went to Maryland, to take our passage for England. I may safely say, the presence of God went along with us, and preserved us, through exercises and some perils we met with. We came safely to London, where we visited our friends and brethren.

After traveling a few months they addressed a letter to be read to the Friends in the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting on 2 Mar 1696. Soon after writting this letter they parted company. Apparently Thomas’ health did not permit him to keep up a normal pace. Griffith and Sarah had a son Edward born on 27 Jun 1696 (recorded at Concord MM). Planning to return to Philadelphia shortly, they were asked by the Friends in England to carry with them a letter (dated 31 Dec 1696) composed by Samuel Waldenfield and John Field to be read at the Quarterly Meeting. It informs the Meeting that they are taking the opportunity of writing to them

by our dear and well beloved friends, Thomas Janney and Griffith Owen, whose labours of love in the gospel of Christ we truly esteem. We have unity with them, and were glad of their kind visit. Our prayers unto God are, that they and you with all who are made partakers of life in Christ Jesus, and of the comfortable fellowship of the gospel of peace, may be preserved in the love and obedience unto the Truth to the end. It is in the Truth that our peace and acceptance with God is known, and our unity and fellowship with God and one another, is felt and increased. In this, although many members, we are one body. Although at a great distance outwardly, we are near and dear unto the Lord and one another, knowing and witnessing to our comfort that we are the Lord’s heritage, and people, and that our righteousness is of him. No weapon formed against us, shall proper, and every tongue that rises in judgment against us, the Lord will confound. This is our joy and comfort, in the midst of our many exercises, and in the time when many pens and tongues are employed against us.

Thomas Janney’s health continued downward and he died in the following February. Griffith, Sarah and Edward seem to have returned the following May [1697].

Griffith’s Role as Physician and Diplomate

. Diligently laboring to fulfill his religious, social and professional duties, Griffith stayed about home for some years. In Aug 1698 a Friend visiting from England, William Ellis, wrote before speaking at a Quarterly Meeting that he “hop[ed] to return [to Philadelphia] and stay some time with Griffith Owen, and take something to help my body.” Griffith also prepared a memorial for Thomas Jenney, which was read and approved in the Meeting of ministering Friends in Sep 1698 in Burlington. In October 1698 he was appointed to draw up an epistle to the Friends living near Elizabethtown, whoe were in need of sympathy and counsel, and in November to be involved in drawing up a similar one to Jamaica, who were under persecution. Griffith and Sarah had another daughter, this one named Catherine on 11 Mar 1699.

A Short Mission to New England

. In 1700 Griffith seems to have devoted much of his time to his position as county representative to the Colonial Assembly for Pennsylvania. Early in 1701 he sought approval to visit the meetings of Friends in New England along with his close friend John Salkeld. This trip lasted about three months, for he was present at his own monthly meeting in September, and continued to appear in the various meeting minutes later on. Upon his return the concern was expressed that Friends immigrating from England were dressed rather extravagantly. Griffith was appointed to draw up an epistle to London to make them know that they were concerned about it. Soon after the Yearly Meeting, we find him and John Salkeld attending a “large, quiet, and orderly” meeting at Darby. In October he was at a good meeting at Marion, and twice more that year he attended the meeting held in Germantown.

Inviting the Spirit of God

. On 30 Mar 1702 Griffith attended a meeting at Frankford. When he entered the house it was empty, but soon his friend Nicholas Walln and his family arrived. While sitting there, he says, “he felt great tenderness and comfort, but as the meeting gathered, a dark, drowsy spirit came over it, under which he and Nicholas laboured a considerable time in secret.” He says, “he was ready to wish himself at some other meeting. But at length the Lord’s power sprung up, and they then had power to relieve themselves [of the gloomy spirit], and came away easy.”

Distaste of Superfluous Possessions

. Already in the Quarterly Meeting of 1702 at Philadelphia, Griffith Owen, Thomas Story, Nicholas Walln, William Southeby, John Kinsey, and Penticost Teague were asked “to draw up some heads in order to prevent superfluous furniture in houses, and superfluous apparel, with other disorders that may happen within the limits of this meeting.” In the June Quarterly Meeting six women Friends were added to the committee, which presented their work to the in September meeting. The draft was approved and directed to be “sent to each Monthly Meeting in this county, it being the sense and earnest desire of this meeting, that Friends may be careful to put in practice the particulars thereof.“

Facing Death and Loss

. The next year was marred by the death of Griffith’s youngest daughter Catherine on 19 May 1702 followed by that of his dear wife on 22 Oct 1702. This year he was appointed to correct the testimonies, which should be prepared for deceased Friends. He was also one of the committee tasked with collecting accounts of the death-bed saying of ministers or others, which might be thought worthy of preservation. It is unfortunate that several of those accounts known to have been made in 1703 were not preserved. Copies were sent to London, but not preserved in print.

Another Mission, Church Administration and a New Family

. In May 1704 the Friends consented to sponsor Griffith’s visits to West River, Maryland. Accompanying him on this little jaunt was his friend Samuel Jennings. At the Yearly Meeting there were two essays approved and sent down to subordinate meetings: one on discipline and one on practice. It was on 13 Nov 1704 that he remarried, this time to another Sarah. She was a daughter of John Songhurst, born in Shipley, Surrey, England, on 20 Nov 1664, who had come early to Philadelphia. Her first marriage was in Philadelphia on 7 Dec 1686 to Zachariah Whitpaine. After his death she had married (abt 1696) and had two children by Charles Sanders. She was now past her child-bearing years, but with security in providing for her own children she was willing to contribute the the raising of Griffith’s.

Another Mission and Setting Forth of Doctrine

. In 1705 the New England Friends informed the Friends in Philadelphia that they desired to renew the long lapsed communications between them. Thereupon Samuel Jennings, Thomas Story, Griffith Owen, Edward Shippen, and Thomas Gardiner were appointed “to write as necessity shall suggest to the Yearly Meetings of Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, Long Island, and Rhode Island.” In February 1708 Griffith proposed a trip to visit Friends on Long Island, Rhode Island, and New England, which in Feb 1709 the Friends approved and certified. After this trip he remained mainly at home in Philadelphia and nearby. In 1712 he and Thomas Story prepared a significant epistle to London, a considerable portion of which relating to slavery being published.

Continual Devotion to Civil Service

. Besides his religious service Griffith spent considerable time and effort in civil affairs serving on the Provincial Council from 1690 to 1693 and again from 1700 to the time of his death. He enjoyed the confidence of William Penn, being appointed by him in 1701 together with Edward Shippen, Thomas Story, and James Logan, as commissioners of property, “Impowering them or any three of them to grant lots and lands, and to make titles.” Also in May 1711 he was requested as one of those involved earlier with dealing with the Conestoga Indians to counsel with their chief concerning how to deal with the Shawanon Indians: viz., Edward Shippen, Samuel Carpenter, Griffith Owen, and Caleb Pusey. The report of the meeting, which included Griffith and Caleb, details the resolution of each of the many issues under consideration.

Setting Forth Church Policy

. At the Yearly Meeting of Ministers on 20–23 Sep 1712, Griffith Owen and Isaac Norris were appointed to prepare an epistle to London concerning the particular methods and policies being adopted in America for keeping order in the Society meetings. Some of these have been superceded, but others are in place to this day.

A Final Mission to New England

. In Feb 1716/7 Griffith requested approval to make another official visit to Friends in Long Island, Rhode Island, and New England. On 15 Mar he drew up his Last Will and Testament, and in the Meeting of Ministers held the next day, he received the approbation requested. As before, John Salkeld accompanied him. This mission lasted until early July. In August he was to represent the Quarterly Meetings of Ministers to the Yearly Meetings of Ministers, but he died on 19 Aug 1717. Last mention of him in the minutes is on 11 Sep 1717: “Our dear and well esteemed friend, Griffith Owen, being deceased, who was clerk of this meeting, the meeting makes choice of Thomas Chalkley in his stead.”

The registered copy of Griffith Owen’s Last Will and Testament reads as follows:

Griffith Owen of Philadelphia in Pensilvania practitioner in Physick being in health of Body and of Sound mind and memory (praised be God for it) yet considering the uncertainty of my time in this world do make this my Last Will and Testament in Writing in maner and form following (viz.) Impr: after the Debts that I shall owe at my decease be paid I give and Bequeath unto my beloved Wife Sarah Owen the House with the Lotts and appurtenances belonging to it where I now Live during her Naturall Life and after her decease I give and bequeath the said House & Houses and the two Lotts and all belonging to them to my two Younger Sons Edward Owen and Griffith Owen and to their heirs or assigns forever Equally to be divided amongst them Ist: I give and Bequeath unto my Three Sons namely John Owen Edward Owen and Griffith Owen all my Tract of Land in Goshen in Chester County Between the Land of Cadwallader Ellis and the Land now of Samuell Garrat and down between the Land of Georg Albridge and the Land formerly Hugh Roberts Containeing seaven hundred Acres of Land so mentioned in the Patent with all upon it or belonging to it to them and to their Heirs or Assigns forever Equally to be divided amongst them Excepting the Ground the Meeting House stands upon and the GraveYard the which I have Given to some Men for the use agreed upon Item I give and Bequeath all my Tract of Land in Goshen containing four hundred and forty one Acres which I bought of John Fincher as mentioned in the Deed Joyning to the Land of Robert David and to the Land of Ellis David to by four Daughters namely to Sarah Wief to Jacob Minshall To Rebecca Wife to Isaac Minshall and to Jane Wife to Jonathan Coppock deceased And to Ann Wief to John Whitpaine and to their heirs or Assigns forever Equally to be divided amongst them Item I give and Bequeath all my Books and papers and all my medicines and Drugs and all my Glasses Bally potts and Stills both my two new Copper Limbecks and Glass and my Great Copper Still and worme to my two Younger Sons Edward Owen and Griffith Owen and to their Heirs or Assigns forever Equally to be divided amongst them Item I give and Bequeath my little Chest in the Closet under my Books and all the papers and things in it to my Youngest Son Griffith Owen Item I give and Bequeath the residue of my Household Goods to my said Wife Sarah Owen Excepting one Bed and furniture or appurtenance the which I give and Bequeath to my two Sons namely Edward Owen and Griffith Owen Equally between them Item it is my Will and mind that my said two Sons Edward and Griffith may have or Enjoy (if they desire it) the use of the Shop and Closet untill they are settled in places for themselves Item I give and Bequeath my riding Horse and Cow to my Wife Sarah Owen Item I give and Bequeath my Watch to my Son in Law William Sanders Item I give and bequeath five pounds to my Daughter in Law Mary Wife of Samuel Marriot of Burlington Item I give and Bequeath all my Book Debts and all other Debts due or belonging to me in any manner To my said three Sons namely John Owen Edward Owen and Griffith Owen Equally to be divided amongst them Lastly I do make and appoint my afforsd three sons namely John Owen Edward Owen and Griffith Owen Executors of this my Last Will and Testament hoping that they Will perform and Execute the Same as my trust in them they Will do In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and Seal the fifteenth day of the first Month called March 1716/7 Griffith Owen (seal) Signed Sealed and published by the said Griffith Owen for the Last Will and Testament in the present and Sight of us Robert Roberts Geo: Shires Thomas Jones Philada.
January the 6th 1717. Then personally appeared Robert Roberts and George Shires two of the Witnesses to the foregoing Will and their Solemn Affirmations according to Law did declare they Saw Griffith Owen the Testator above named Sign Seal publish and declare the same as the Last Will and Testament and that at the doing therof he was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge. Coram Pet. Evans Reg Genll.

Oliver Cope	English Friends Records, Lancashire, births 1650–1729, marriages 1655–1729, deaths 1659–1729 [FHL 441398 items 1–3]
John P. Launey & F. Edward Wright	Early Church Records of Delaware County, Pennsylvania (Familly Line Publ., Westminster, MD, 1997) [FHL 974.813 K2jpl]
Charles H. Browning	The Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania [caution, full of errors]
Willard Heiss, ed.	[Quaker] Biographical Skertches: Of Ministers and Elders, and other concerned members of the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia [1682–1800] (Indianapolis, Indiana, 1972)
Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania	Orphans Court Register, Will Book D pp. 90f [FHL Microfilm 021722]

Despain Family Genealogical Collection| Biographical Collection