Samuel Eastburn (1702 - 1785)

Born 20 Feb 1702 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Gillingham) Eastburn — married 14 Mar 1727 in Abington Monthly Meeting, Abington Township, Montgomery, Pennsylvania,

Descendants

Died 1785 at about age 82 in Solebury, Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Samuel was a Friend (Quaker)

Samuel Eastburn was born on 20 February 1702 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He was the son of Robert Eastburn and Sarah Preston. His family were members of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. They suffered religious persecution in England. ^[1]

In 1713, with his parents and siblings, Samuel Eastburn emigrated from Yorkshire, England, to William Penn's Quaker-friendly colony of Pennsylvania, founded around 1680. The family settled on a farm near Centre Hill, Solebury Township, Bucks County, North-east of Philadelphia. On 29 April 1728 (2nd mo., 29-1728 Quaker date) at Abington MM, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, he married fellow Quaker, Elizabeth Gillingham (1705-1787), born of English parents on 22 Feb. 1705 in Frankford, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.^[2] The couple lived near Centre Hill, Solebury Twp., Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, where Samuel was a Blacksmith and owned a 250-acre farm. They had 7 known children: ^[3]

1. Benjamin Eastburn, 1729–1735
2. Joseph E. Eastburn Sr., 1730–1780
3. Ann Elizabeth Eastburn, 1732–Deceased
4. Mary Eastburn, 1734–1803
5. Benjamin Eastburn, 1735–1816
6. Sarah Eastburn, 1736–1803
7. Robert Eastburn, 1739–1816

Samuel Eastburn was a devout Quaker, active in the Buckingham Monthly Meeting in Bucks County, where he served as Overseer and Clerk for many years. In 1770, having retired from his active life as a Blacksmith and Farmer/Land owner, he received recognition as a Quaker Minister. In his final years he took the Quaker message across Pennsylvania and to New Jersey, New York, and New England on several occasions.^[4]

Samuel Eastburn passed away on his farm in Solebury Township on Christmas Day (25 Dec.) 1785 at 83 years old. He was buried at Buckingham Friends Cemetery, Lahaska, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.^[5]

His wife, Elizabeth (Gillingham) Eastburn, survived her husband's death for 2 years. She passed away on their Solebury farm on 22 October 1787. Her will was proven that year. Although no FindAGrave Memorial has been found for her, she doubtlessly was laid to rest next to her late husband at Buckingham Friends Cemetery, Lahaska, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ^{[6] [7]}

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ5X-QC9 : 11 December 2014), Samuel Eastburn, 20 Feb 1702, Birth; citing p. 474, Leeds, Yorkshire, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London.
2. ↑ The Gillingham Family: Descendants of Yeamans Gillingham, photo of pg. 7, on FamilySearch
3. ↑ Details for Samuel Eastburn on FamilySearch; cites 17 sources
4. ↑ Testimony by John Reeder on Find A Grave: Memorial #47855055 Samuel Eastburn
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47855055/samuel-eastburn: accessed 02 January 2023), memorial page for Samuel Eastburn (20 Feb 1702–25 Dec 1785), Find A Grave: Memorial #47855055, citing Buckingham Friends Cemetery, Lahaska, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Richard Morrison (contributor 46928373).
6. ↑ Details for Elizabeth Gillingham on FamilySearch; cites 16 sources
7. ↑ Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for Elizabeth Eastburn: Bucks, Will Index, 1684-1831. Will on pg. 62, book 5. On Ancestrylibrary.com; free view at a US public library.

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to former member Tom Greene for creating this profile on Monday, March 30, 2015, from first-hand knowledge.

• This profile was researched and edited by Chet Snow on Monday, January 2, 2023. Sources were added to confirm the biography.