Gc M.i-. 929.2 P8584p 1241127 GENEALOGY COLLECTION 3 1833 00859 3821 OUR c FAMILY ANCESTORS. By THOMAS MAXWELL POTTS. Those who do not treasure up the inemory of their ancestors, do not deserve to be remembered by posterity. =Edmund Bukke. CAN0N5BURG, PA. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1895 1211127 PREFACE. My Dear Children : About thirty-five years ago, a casual remark, made in my hearing, aroused within me a desire to know something of my lineal ancestors. Prior to that time I had scarcely thought of any possible progeni- tors beyond my grand-parents. It seemed not to have occurred to me that they also had had parents and grand-parents in whom I, too, ought to have a personal interest. A little reflection convinced me that there must have been long lines of forefathers (and mothers too) whose blood coursed through my own veins, and little, whose memory I ought to cherish ; but I knew as to who and what they had been, whence they came or where they lived. I interviewed my parents, uncles, aunts, and other older relatives, and examined such family records, from time to time, as opportunity oc- curred, until in the course of a dozen years I thought that I had collected all the information that was avail- able. About that time I became acquainted with other persons of kindred tastes, and was directed to other sources for research. From this period I engaged in a iv Our Family Ancestors. more systematic study of the subject, in the examina- tion of wills, deeds, etc., recorded in the pubHc offices, state archives, church records, and such like reliable sources, especialy in eastern Pennsylvania and New York. Owing to my living at a considerable dis- tance from these sources, the work has of necessity been verj' slow and tedious, and often pursued at great dis- advantage. It has been carried on at leisure moments, and as opportunity offered, from time to time, as a delightful pastime and relaxation from the exactions of business cares. As the years went by, I not only collected informa- tion of my own ancestors, but also of those of your dear mother. A little calculation will show the great number of persons included, when we go back but a few generations. The tabulated chart, given in this book, contains nearly two hundred names, and were it possible to supply the name of every ancestor included in the eight generations shown, the number would ex- ceed five hundred, while ten generations would exceed two thousand, and fifteen generations would include over sixty-five thousand individuals, and in point of time, would not carry us back much beyond the dis- covery of America by Christopher Columbus. After the chart had been partially constructed, it seemed quite as important that some historical memo- randa or biographical sketch of each should be added, that you might have a more comprehensive and intel- ligent understanding of this large company of progeni- tors. In time this matter developed until this book is the result, which in itself has grown to more than four Preface. v times the size at first expected. I have endeavored to be as accurate and concise as possible, yet giving all the main facts that have come under my notice, and, in most instances, noting the source of authority. Nearly all of your ancestral lines trace back to more than two hundred years upon American soil. Indeed there seems to have been but two original settlers who, we certainly know, came subsequent to the year 1700, —Gayen Miller and Jacob Kirk. It is true there are a few others whose presence here has not been discov- ered until after the close of the 17th century, but no evidence has been found, proving that they were not here at much earlier dates. The printed chart embraces but eight generations of ancestry, but the names of a few in the ninth genera- tion will be found in the body of the text,* and in one instance in the tenth.f In point of time, the earliest certain date is the birth of the elder Herman Op den Gkaeff, (536). J One fact is worthy of mention: you are descended, through one line, from the parents of the first white child born in America, north of Virgin- ia.! In the matter of nationality, you are mainly of English blood, with an admixture of Swedish, French, German, Dutch, Welsh, Irish, and possibly Scotch. In your study of these antecedent generations you will find but few distinguished persons, or those denom- inated as of gentle blood. Almost without exception, * See pages 37, 41, 58, and 81. \ See page 37. Driessen, (1074). X See page 37. § See pages 81, 82. Chapter XIII. vi Our Family Ancestors. they have been of a sturdy, honest, God-fearing people, who in many instances were sufferers for the sake of conscience and religious principle. I believe you will be proud of so large and honorable a lineage—one which I trust you will ever delight to honor and hold in sacred remembrance, and that you will, one and all, so live that this record ma}' ever be kept untarnished, that no blemish in your lives shall ever mar the family escutcheon, and that you may also keep firm in our Americanism and the principles of our fathers. The composition and printing of this volume is the sole work of my own hands, and for that reason the critic may be surprised that it has not been better done; but it has been pushed forward by piecemeal,—a few hours at a time, with frequent interruptions, and under many disadvantages. As a literary production or work of art, it will not take rank ; but it is undoubtedly a storehouse of a considerable fund of valuable informa- tion —much of which could not easily be restored, were this destroyed. That some additional value might be supplemented to the text, a few illustrations are included, in the way of portraits, homesteads, birth-places, coats-of-arms, autographs, etc. Some of these are very crude, but it is believed, they will have a special interest to you for whom this labor of love has been performed. I would not dare to claim this volume as the result of my own unaided individual labor. In the collection and preparation of the material for publication, I am indebted to many kind friends for assistance and en- couragement. My intercourse and correspondence Preface. vii , with these intelligent and courteous people have been most agreeable and delightful. Among these, I would make especial mention of William John Potts,* of Camden, New Jersey, who has most ably and kindly assisted me in many ways ; by suggestions, by making careful and critical examina- tions of official records, and of rare works in public li- braries, and making many voluminous transcripts for my examination and use. I am under many obligations to Gilbert Cope, the well known genealogist, of West Chester, Penna., for valuable aid in studying Chester County families. In fact this volume treats of few families of eastern Penn- sylvania, that he has not in some way rendered very material assistance. I am also indebted to the following persons for spe- cial favors—W. H. Jenks, Powell Stackhouse, Jr., and J. G. Leech, of Philadelphia; E. Michener, Mrs. Ruth Palmer, and Mrs. Henrietta Lamborn, of Chester Coun- ty ; Isaac E. Chandler, of Johnstown; Thomas Baker, of Lancaster County; Henry B Pratt, of Delaware County; T. H. Shoemaker, of Germantown James A. ; Searight, of Uniontown; Louis M. Childs, of Norris- * Note. Mr. Wm. J. Potts has, during the past twenty five years, given careful and critical study to the Potts family in Great Britain, and of the early settlers of the name in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and has succeeded in collecting more material upon these particular subjects than any other who has written upon them, particularly in es- tablishing who were the descendants of Thomas Potts, who landed at Burlington, New Jersey, in 1678. Mr. Potts traces his lineage back to David Potts, an original settler of Philadelphia County, through Rob- ert Barnhill and Sarah Page (Grew) Potts, Wiljiam L, and Rachel (Hughes) Potts, Thomas and Elizabeth (Lukens) Potts, John and Elizabeth (McVaugh) Potts, and David and Alice (Croasdale) Potts. viii Our Family Ancestors. town; John H. Stevenson, M. D., of Haddonfield, N.J.; Miss Elizabeth Cloud Seip, of Baltimore, Md.; William G. Carter, of Pensacola, Florida, and others. Among those now deceased may be mentioned, the late W. F. Corbit, Spencer Bonsall, and Wm. K. Butler, of Phila- delphia, and the late Reuben Miller, Jr., of Pittsburg. I would not forget to mention the Pennsylvania His- torical Society's library, at 1 300 Walnut Street, Phila- delphia, to which I have so often resorted, and where I have gleaned so much from this rich treasury of his- torical lore. Here I have always been most kindly re- ceived by Mr. F. A. Stone, Mr. John W. Jordan, and the other polite officials. The genealogist will scarce- ly find a larger or more valuable collection of rare books and manuscripts, than are stored in these rooms. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Rec- ord, have also been sources of much important data. Lastly, I would remember to acknowledge the many obligations due to Mr. Joseph G. Charlton, proprietor of the Herald printing office, where the mechanical part of the work has been done. Yours very affectionately, Thom.\s Maxwell Potts. Canonsburg, Pa., 1895.