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Thomas Pierson is believed to have been born about 1653 in Pownall Fee, Cheshire, England. He married Margery Smith in 1683.[1][2] Both marriage records show his wife's name as simply Margery Smith, the additional name Ellen is not found. Ellen was the name of Margery's mother. From the second marriage citation we also learn that Thomas is a mason and that the marriage occurred in the house of Thomas Janney.
Thomas and Margery sailed from Liverpool to the Delaware River on the ship Endeavor, under master George Thorp, with his brother John and Margery's sister Mary landing 29 Jul 1683.[3][4] Some genealogies state Thomas came to the Pennsylvannia Colony with William Penn on the Welcome and that five years later he was joined by other members of his family. Known dates do not align for that particular suggestion. Ralph Pearson[5] makes the argument that the Thomas Pearson William Penn refers to as his friend is this Thomas Pearson and that Chester County was named at the request of Thomas Pearson. This would indicate that Thomas had made a trip to Pennsylvania prior to bringing his family in 1683 (we know that his brother had probably made an earlier trip in 1681 due to property records although the purchase might not have been made in person).
Thomas bought the following tracts of land in what was then Chester County, Pa. It is now in Delaware County. It is probable that Thomas first moved on to the land which his brother, John, bought from William Penn in 1681. On 29 Dec 1697 he bought 300 acres of land. It adjoins the lot on which the Springfield meeting house stands. On 28 Feb 1703 he bought 250 acres from his brother John.[6] This was the tract John bought from William Penn in 1681. On 12 Apr 1703 he bought another tract of 300 acres north of the second tract. Later, Thomas and Margery deeded this tract to their oldest son Robert. [7]On 20 Jan 1723 he bought a tract of 50 acres lying between the first and second tracts. This made a farm of 900 acres. In 1731 he and Margery deeded, to their oldest son Robert, 300 acres of land being a part of the first, second and fourth tracts of land which he bought.>[8]
Thomas Pearson was Supervisor of Highways in 1684, Member of Council in 1687, in 1690 was one of those tasked with receiving subscriptions for the new meeting house in Chester, and member of Assembly in 1708.[9]
Thomas Pearson died in 1734. His Will was written 16 Oct 1730 and filed 24 Mar 1734.[10] Thomas left his Estate as follows: "to son John £15. To son in law John West and my daughter Sarah his wife £10. To son in law Nicholas Rogers and my daughter Mary his wife £15. To son in law Peter Thompson and my daughter Margery his wife £15. To son Robert £10 of the money owing by him to me. To 4 sons, viz Robert, Lawrence, Enoch and Abel 5 shillings each. Remainder real and personal estate to wife Margery."[11] He nominated Bartholomew Coppock, and Saml. Levis, Jr. as his Executors.
Children
Another Thomas Pierson (who married Rose) was the father of two girls, Susannah (1691-1765) and Rose (1693-1771). A profile for another Susannah (1697-1756), periodically gets attached to him or his wife, but she is more likely a daughter of this Thomas.
There were two Thomas Pearson (Pierson) families in Chester County, Pennsylvania. A great deal of information has been generated on both and frequently mixed together. One lived in Marple Township (son of Lawrence and Elizabeth Janney Pearson, married Margery Smith and a mason) while the other lived in Caln Township (unsure about parentage, married Rose Dixon and a surveyor).
The Bulletin of Friends Historical Association published an extensive article about Thomas and Margery Pearson's daughter, Sarah (Pearson) West, entitled Benjamin West's Mother, Sarah Pearson, and Her Family. It includes extensive information regarding Thomas Pearson, Margery Smith and their parents and other family members. [15]
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P > Pearson > Thomas Pearson Sr.
Categories: Chester Monthly Meeting, Chester, Pennsylvania | William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers Project
lists the 10 children of Thomas and Margery (Smith) Pearson It lists as the 6th child - Alice Pearson born 2/9/1692 which would be 09 Apr 1692 as the first month was March in the old calendar. Note this book does not list Abel, who we have verified as a son. He has a Quaker birth records as their child marriage record 13 Feb 1718 Chester MM and an estate in Bond Bk 1 p 32 dated 10 Jan 1744 Winchester, Frederick, VA Invenory of the estate p 42 dated 9 Jul 1745 He appears in the Will of his father, Thomas Pearson dated 18 Oct 1730. NO ALICE NO SIMON and there seem to be no records for either of them
"In a registry of arrivals in possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania it is stated that Thomas Pierson, mason, Margaret, his wife, John, his brother and Mary Smith, his sister (sister-in-law), came from Pownall Fee in Cheshire aboard the Endeavour of London and arrived in Penn'a the 29th of 7th mo., 1683. (29 Sep 1683) The Records of the Chester Monthly Meeting show that Thomas Pierson or Pearson and wife Margery lived in Marple and had ten children, whose records are given. His wife was a Smith. Her sister Mary married Daniel Williamson and had issue. Thomas left will dated October 16, 1730; probated March 25, 1734; names wife Margery, sons Robert, Lawrence, Enoch, John, Abel and daughters Sarah, wife of John West, Mary, wife of Nicholas Rogers and Margery, wife of Peter Thompson."
The Bulletin of Friends Historical Association Vol 18 No 2 Autumn 1929 Benjamin West's Mother Sarah Pearson and her Family pp 71-77
"Here in Springfield Township in the year of our Lord 1738, the youngest of ten children, was born in the great painter, Benjamin West. His father John West was an innkeeper. The maiden name of his mother was Sarah Pearson. Although his parents had been birthright Friends and were attenders of Springfield Meeting, yet after their marriage, which occurred about 1718, they were no longer members of the Society, nor was their artist son, notwithstanding he figures in history as the Quaker Painter."
later paragraph Margery, wife of Thomas Pearson, was the mother of ten children, all duly recorded in the meeting registers, her oldest child, Robert, having been born 12 Mos (February) 3, 1683 -same date as in Quaker transcribed records 2 things here. they married 18 Feb 1683 in England and arrived 29 Sep 1683 in PA and no child is listed on the ship passenger list so perhaps he was born 1684? New calendar changed to Januaray as first month in 1752 before that Because the year began in March, records referring to the "first month" pertain to March; to the second month pertain to April, etc., so that "the 19th of the 12th month" would be February 19. In fact, in Latin, September means seventh month, October means eighth month, November means ninth month, and December means tenth month. Use of numbers, rather than names, of months was especially prevalent in Quaker records.