Elizabeth (Mercer) Vestal (abt. 1692 - aft. 1751)

Born about 14 Aug 1692 in Aynho, Northamptonshire, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph Woodward — married 27 Aug 1712 in Thornbury Township, Chester, Pennsylvania

Wife of William Vestal Jr — married 9 Sep 1716 in Westtown, Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died after 1751 after about age 58 in Cane Creek, Orange, North Carolina

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Cathy Champion [send private message] and Jessica West [send private message]

Biography

Elizabeth was a Friend (Quaker)

While some references absent documentation place the birth of Elizabeth in Thornbury, Chester, Pennsylvania those citations appear to reference that her parents at the time of marriage were from there. No birth record has been found in Northamptonshire. An Elizabeth Mercer daughter of Thomas and Mary "of Aynho in C_______" is found in the records of Banbury Meeting, Oxfordshire dated 14th 6 1692.^[1] The year Elizabeth came to the colonies with her parents is not certain but prior to 1699 when they settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania Colony.

Elizabeth first married Joseph Woodward 27 Aug 1712.^[2] Joseph's will was written 28 Nov 1715 and probated 28 Feb 1716.^[3] Joseph leaves the bulk of his estate "to my loving wife and child or children if she be with child..." indicating there was at least one child from this marriage.

She married William Vestal in 1716. Estate papers of Joseph contain this information.^[4] It appears that Joseph was not a member of the Society of Friends at the time of the marriage but became one later.

In 1729 William Vestal received a removal certificate from Chester to Hopewell Meeting in Virginia. Elizabeth's removal certificate was begun in 1737 so the move had been planned well in advance; August 3, 1737. "William Brinton appointed to assist women to prepare a certificate for Elizabeth Vestal to Hopewell Monthly Meeting where she removed several years since."^[5] The Vestal's sold their land in Pennsylvania which had been willed to William by his mother; "By deed of may 10, 1729 William Vestal of Bradford township, Carpenter, and Elizabeth his wife conveyed the 174 acre farm on Brandywine Creek to Wm Bennet of Chester County, Taylor, for L200."^[6] The records of Hopewell prior to 1757 have not survived.

"William Vestal and John Vestal made a settlement at a very early date at Vestal's Gap on the Shenandoah River in Frederick County, Va. (about 6 miles east of Charles Town). While they were building a stone house they were attacked by Indians and driven across the river to the mountains. When they returned one of them brought a yellowish stone from across the river, which marked the point where they left off building in consequence of the attack. This house still stands but the inscription on one end has been partially obliterated, which has given rise to a dispute at to the name being Vest, Vesta, or Vestal. The author (Norris) has found in the List of Surveys made by George Washington for Lord Fairfax' the name three times occurring Vestall."^[7]

William passed away in 1745. In 1751 Elizabeth and sons William and Thomas went to North Carolina, settling in the vicinity of the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting. This Meeting States, "Elizabeth Vestal and sons, William and Thomas, received 10th mo. 7th day 1751 from Hopewell Monthly Meeting." The other children except John who remained in Virginia are found in Cane Creek records soon after.

A death record for Elizabeth has not been located.

Children

with Joseph Woodward

• the will of Joseph indicates that they probably had one child but a birth record nor further information on the child has been located.

with William Vestal

• John Vestal, born abt. 1718, Married Ann ----.
• William Vestal, born in 1721, will proved May 7, 1787.
• Mary Vestal, born abt. 1723, Married William Jay.
• Thomas Vestal, b ________
• James Vestal, born Sept 8, 1727. Married Elizabeth Davis.
• David Vestal, born June 16, 1736 in Va. Married Sarah Chamness.

Sources

1. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England.
2. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Men's Minutes, 1681-1721; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 92. Chester Monthly Meeting, Men's Minutes
3. ↑ Wills, 1713-1854 ; Index to Wills, 1713-1923; Author: Chester County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Chester, Pennsylvania. Note Ancestry incorrectly indexes the will date as the probate date.
4. ↑ Chester County Wills. Located at the Chester County Archives and Records Service.
5. ↑ Concord Monthly Meeting Records (Swarthmore Friends Library) p. 536.
6. ↑ Msc. Records of Concord Mo. Mtg. Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
7. ↑ Norris, J.E., History of the Lower Shenandoah Valley, Warner, Chicago, 1890, p 58

Acknowledgments

• This person was created through the import of 236-Cathy.ged on 20 October 2010.
• WikiTree profile Mercer-312 created through the import of DerrekPrestonWayneSteeleFamily.ged on Oct 14, 2011 by Preston Steele. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Preston and others.