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Thomas Pearson Sr. (1653 - bef. 1734)

Thomas Pearson Sr.
Born in Pownall Fee, Cheshire, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 18 Feb 1683 in Pownall Fee, Chester (Cheshire), Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died before before age 81 in Marple, Delaware, Pennsylvaniamap
Profile last modified | Created 18 Mar 2011
This page has been accessed 4,061 times.

Contents

Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)
Thomas Pearson Sr. was a part of William Penn's Pennsylvania Settlers community.

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

Robert b 3 Dec 1683[12][13]
Thomas b 23 Oct 1685[12][13]
Laurence b 20 Dec 1697[14][12]
Enoch b 12 May 1690[12][13]
John b 1 Dec 1692[12][13]
Abel b 9 Apr 1695[12][13]
Sarah b 8 Apr 1697[12][13]
Benjamin b 1 Feb 1698[12][13]
Mary b 20 Jul 1701[12][13]
Margery b 23 Sep 1703[12][13]

Research notes

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]

Sources

  1. 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. Piece 1256: Quarterly Meeting of Cheshire and Staffordshire: Cheshire (1667-1721), Frame 54
  2. 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. Piece 1036: Monthly Meeting of Cheshire, formerly Morley (1655-1741), Frame 38
  3. Passengers on ships of 1683, The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania Available here
  4. https://www.chester.pa-roots.com/misc/individual_ships_of_penn.htm
  5. The Pearson Family History by Ralph E. Pearson 929.273 P317a found through Family Search>Books>Pearson Family History https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE920139 This document can be difficult to read but has a great deal of information, generally with documentation.
  6. Pennsylvania, Chester, Deed Book E, p. 280 Available here.
  7. Pennsylvania, Chester, Deed Book E, p. 282 Available here
  8. All other Deed references: The Pearson Family History by Ralph E. Pearson 929.273 P317a found through Family Search>Books>Pearson Family History
  9. Smith & Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, LH Everts, Philadelphia, 1881. Note that Thomas' name appears spelled both Pearson and Person in this book and he is usually identified as "of Marple" to distinguish him from others named Thomas Pearson.
  10. Pennsylvania. Chester County. Estate Papers, 1700–1820. Gale Cengage Learning. Microfilm, 85 rolls. Chester County Archives, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Wills 496-624
  11. Abstract of Will, Thomas Pearson, Chester County, Pennsylvania Wills and Probate, Book A:407 Available on Ancestry here
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Births 1677; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph 99
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Register Book, 1681; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 92
  14. Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Genealogy of Berks; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR-PH 170
  15. Meyers, A.C., Benjamin West's Mother, Sarah Pearson, and Her Family,Bulletin of Friends Historical Association Vol. 18, No. 2 (Autumn 1929), pp. 71-77 (8 pages) Available here

Acknowledgements

  • Profile was cleaned, edited and changed to inline citations by T Stanton September 2019.
  • WikiTree profile Pearson-842 created through the import of AustinMoserJohnsonStover Tree.ged on Oct 16, 2011 by Ken Austin.
  • WikiTree profile Pearson-1486 created through the import of nicholson.ged on Nov 16, 2012 by Jimmy Nicholson.
  • The WikiTree profile Pierson-294 was created through the import of DIXON.GED on October 11, 2011 by Glenn Dixon.




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It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Thomas by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Thomas:

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Comments: 9

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Most sources state that Thomas and Margery had 10 children. I have found at least two Quaker birth records for 10 children. The children Alice and Simon do not appear in any of the Quaker birth records found to date. They only appear in some internet genealogies without sources. I do not believe that they are members of this family. They are perhaps children of the other Thomas Pearson but I have not explored that potential as yet.
posted by T Stanton
I agree. The only place I have seen Alice is in the Book "Benjamin and Esther (Furnas) Pearson Their Ancestors and Descendants" by George M Pearson p 15

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.

posted by Angela (Jones) Harlan
Pearson-3988 and Pearson-393 appear to represent the same person because: Either Margery Ellen Smith should be removed as wife on Pearson-3988 or it should be merged into Pearson-393 (and then the two wife profiles merged which has been pending since March). There were at least two Thomas Pearsons in Chester County at this time but only one married Margery Smith (there is no "Ellen" in her name in any official records of the period). The Thomas Pearson who married Margery Smith is almost always referred to in Chester records as Thomas Pearson of Marple in order to distinguish him from others.
posted by T Stanton
Smith-38471 and Pearson-393 do not represent the same person because: Apologies, tagged the wrong two profiles for the merge.
posted by T Stanton
Smith-38471 and Pearson-393 appear to represent the same person because: These appear to be the same person. Smith-38471 (appears to be generally undocumented information so the date issues aren't relevant) should be merged into Pearson-393 which is more complete with better sources.
posted by T Stanton
Do the PMs mind if someone does a bit of cleanup/editing on this profile? I have documented sources not listed to add but there are two different Source lists, two different biographies, and some redundant sections from various merges. I think it would also help to switch everything to inline citations and remove the Ancestry sources which are undocumented user submitted information (of course leave the ones that are documented and make them inline citations).
posted by T Stanton
Does not seem likely that his age at death was almost 200 years old.
posted by Philip Smith
I approved the proposed merge from my side. When it's completed, I would not recommend keeping January 1 as part of the birth date, as I believe that's a default filler from Glenn Dixon's gedcom upload.
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Rose Dixon was not the spouse of this Thomas Pierson. She was the wife of the other Thomas Pierson (Pierson-242).
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett