Would you like to join the William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers project?

+29 votes
5.6k views

The William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers covers the earliest Pennsylvania settlers who arrived before 28 October 1701.  If you have any ancestors who arrived or were born in Pennsylvania before this date, or who were passengers on one of the William Penn Fleet ships, you may want to join.  We are also looking for project volunteers who can help add resources, help to categorize profiles, for other items.

To join, and get the badge, post an answer (not a comment) to this thread and join the Project Google Group at: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/wikitree-penn-project

Also, you can add the sticker to your ancestor's profile - see the project page at: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:William_Penn_and_Early_Pennsylvania_Settlers.

You should add the tag "Penn" to your followed tags to be apprised of any updates.  Be sure to tag any G2G posts about this project or project profiles with the tag Penn.

We are working to update the project page, parameters, and to expand the project.  You can read more about some of these efforts here: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/633257/changing-scope-william-early-pennsylvania-settlers-project

thank you and we hope to see you there!

in Requests for Project Volunteers by SJ Baty G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
edited by Ellen Smith
I have recently discovered that I am a descendent of Thomas Coebourne.  I would definitely like to be accepted as a member of this group,
I’d like to join.  I have several familial connections to William Penn and the Quakers through the Bradshaw family and others...
Travis & Jared, you need to post a reply to this post (not a comment) in order to join.
*I have joined the Google Group*

My early Pennsylvanian ancestors were Coffee/Coffey, Collins, Bissell, Heyliger, Nutt and they were present in Pennsylvania before in the early 1800s. They seemed to be a very big family. I see Chester county and Philadelphia a lot in records. Many of them were buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery.
I would like to join this group due to the fact that I am related to William Thomas Beals who died in 1656 in York County, Pennsylvania.

131 Answers

+16 votes
I am definitely interested! I'm not sure if my ancestors were on Penn's ships. But my ancestors were settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania before 1700.
by
Hi and welcome to the project.  You do not appear to be logged in so I don't know what your WikiTree ID is.  Please post a reply to this message when you are logged in so that we can get you joined up.  Thanks!
+14 votes
I would like to join.My ancestor Agnes Heaton Comley (1677-1743, already tagged), arrived in PA in 1682. Her husband Henry Comely (1674-1726) arrived in 1683. My Ancestry DNA test also has me linked to the early PA settlers. :-)
by Alexandra Cochrane G2G1 (1.4k points)
Hi Alexandra and welcome!  I posted some project information to your profile comments.  Please let us know if you have any questions!
+14 votes

Yes, I'm interested in joining. My eighth great grandfather was George Thompson  (1660-1684). His birth date of 1660 is estimated based on his voyage on the Welcome where he witnessed four wills and his marriage to Miriam Ingram soon after arriving in Pennsylvania.[1]

"George Thompson (74), a grocer, witnessed all four wills made on the Welcome. He was not a Friend, but fell in love with Isaac Ingram's niece, Miriam, who probably was."[1]

by Jonathan Crowley G2G6 (9.3k points)
Hi Jonathan, we are happy to have you in the project.  I have posted some project information to your profile comments.
+14 votes
Interested in joining. In early family research learned I'm descended from David Ogden,(thru his son Samuel)  David Ogden arrived in 1682 on "Ye Goode Ship Welcome," with William Penn,   settling in Pennsylvania.
by Mary Armstrong G2G Crew (990 points)
I've got you badged and I posted some project information to your profile.

Welcome aboard!
+14 votes
Not sure when my ancestors arrived, but many were very early in PA.
by
Hi Judie, comment back with your WikiTree id # or else comment when you're logged in - I don't see your profile.
+14 votes
Some of my ancestors arrived on the Charming Betty - date unsure at this time. An early history of the Republican Party in Ohio lists Levagoods in Pennsylvania in the 1650's. Early versions of the name may have included Johann Georg Lebengut and Johann Veight Leibiundgut from the original German Swiss.
by

Hi Ron, comment back with your WikiTree id # or else comment when you're logged in - I don't see your profile.

Above answer provided by me Levagood-2 based on debarkation records in Pennsylvania from the Charming Betty and a History of the Republican Party in Ohio!
+14 votes
I was drawn by this project because my mother-in-law had frequently said that her Coulson lineage came from German heritage to settle in Pennsylvania. Is this a possibility? She called them 'Pennsylvania Dutch'.

I hope someone has info to confirm, or not, thank you.
by Jean Heuer G2G4 (4.8k points)

Hi Jean.  Yes, the Pennsylvania Dutch are really Pennsylvania German.  "Dutch" is an Americanized version of Deutsch (what the Germans call themselves).  There are several projects that cover the German migration to America, the widest is probably the Palatine Migration Project and covers many more migrants and over a much bigger time period, and also the Pennsylvania Project.

The William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers Project is specific to the the settlers who arrived to Pennsylvania and Delaware beginning about 1674 and ending in 1701.  

You don't have to have an ancestor who came to PA/DE during this narrow window to join the project.  But I want you to be aware of the other projects in case one of these is more to your liking.

If you want to join the Penn Project, just let me know and I'll get you started.

thanks for your interest!

Erm, actually that is incorrect. "Dutch", when used colloquially in English means Netherlander, not German, even though it's much more logical as they call themselves Deutsch. It's a regrettable mixup in English that can cause a lot of confusion.
I think we're talking about two different things in two different eras.  There were Dutch who came to America early and later there was a large German migration also.  Many of the Pennsylvania Germans were referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch and this incorrect word usage exists to this day.  My whole life my mother told me that we were Dutch, "Pennsylvania Dutch."  She heard it from her parents and grandparents.  When I finally did the research i found that everyone was from Germany.

I've since found a lot of folks who purport to be Pennsylvania Dutch who are confused when they find the ancestors came from Germany and not Holland.
Thank you for your clairification. I have just found that our Coulson .cousins have come to Canada from Yorkshire, England. Not Pennsylvania. Also, Yorkshire was one of the areas that was invaded by the Dane's and Vikings.

Heuer-244
Hi Jean, My Grandmother always said she was Pennsylvania Dutch as well, but she was referring to her husband's family with the last name Oyler.
After two and a half years I have found in a Coulson genealogy that includes my mother-inlaw's family, that the name comes from early Danish invaders to Northumbria, England.

My mother also called her German ancestors "Pennsylvania Dutch"! That would be Germany to Pennsylvania. They were German and mostly Jewish in my tree. This immigration was mid to late 1600's to early 1700's. Some of my ancestors' names include: Weber, Kitzmuller, Dyerhin, Debalt and Dewalt. I probably have more and would have to look further. 

Totally agree.
+14 votes
I would like to join this project. My wife is descended from Richard Lundy and Ann Willson, and I also have ancestors from that region that could potentially come within the scope of the project.
by Richard Kyllo G2G6 Mach 1 (13.6k points)
Welcome Richard, I have placed some project information on your profile comments.  Please review it and let us know if you have any questions.
+14 votes

I'd like to join.  My great grandmother Aletta Belle Hollingsworth is almost certainly a descendant of Valentine Hollingsworth of Delaware.  I do show DNA matches with several Hollingsworths on this site.  Valentine Hollingsworth was a member of the First Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania. He served as a justice of the peace. He was one of the signers of William Penn's Great Charter.

by Mark Wilson G2G1 (1.7k points)
Hi Mark and welcome!  I've posted some project information to your profile comments.  I see that Valentine's profile could use some work; as you gain more WikiTree editing experience it would be a good endeavour to tackle.
+14 votes
I am interested in this project! My surname "Dysart" in our family records is said to have been here in 1735 buying land in Chester County. Haven't found his passage date or ship. We believe his son's name is recorded on one of the early maps drawn of William Penn's Manor.
by Ann Dysart G2G6 (6.9k points)
Hi Ann!  Welcome!  I've posted some project information on your profile.  Please let us know if you have any questions!
+14 votes
I would love to join.  I believe I am a direct descendant of Giles Knight, who did come on one of Penn's ships, The Welcome (I think that's what it was, i'll have to check).  I am new to this, so I am excited to learn more.
by Carei Hegemeyer G2G Crew (620 points)
Hi Carei, and welcome.  I'll post some project related information to your profile.  Be sure to join the Google Group where we have project discussions:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/wikitree-penn-project
+14 votes
I would like to contribute to the project. My ancestral tie is to [[Baines-255 | Wiliam Baines]] and his sister [[Baines-259 Eleanor Baines]]. Both were orphaned during their voyage and appeared before the Chester County Orphan's Court on "6 day of ye 1th month 1687." Their father, Matthew, had ties to James Harrison and Phineas Pemberton per 1688 letter of Pemberton addresing the orphan's adoption into Chester County Quaker families.
by Jonathan Moreland G2G Crew (620 points)
Hi Jonathan!  Welcome to the project!
+13 votes
I'd like to join, at least to get Fisher-2473 straightened out. I'm more of a Delaware person (my PA roots are German), but this profile needs tlc. And is a  foundation to so much genealogy that I'm pretty nervous about touching it! I'm gathering evidence for creating 2 separate profiles and will post on G2G and flag it "Penn" before doing anything. Measure twice & cut once, as they say.

Thanks very much!
by AM Hayes G2G6 Mach 2 (22.3k points)
Hello and welcome aboard.  I'll post some project info to your profile and get you badged!
+12 votes
Valentine Hollingsworth (1632-1711) is my husband's 7x great-grandfather. I'm very interested in sharing what I've compiled over the years and finding any new information about this family.

Carolyn Whaley Vosburg

Houston, TX
by Carolyn Vosburg G2G6 (7.5k points)
Welcome to the project!
+13 votes
Yes, I’m very interested in the William Penn project! I think this may help with a brick wall. My ancestors were born, raised and migrated there family for work between Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, NewJersey, Virginia. The earliest I can put my finger on were some from ship builders from Chester, Pennsylvania, Quaker Delaware.

Thank you, Kelly
by Kelly Kersey G2G6 Mach 1 (12.9k points)
Welcome to the project!  This one must have slipped my email scan ~ I only just saw it as I was in this thread on other matters.  Sorry for the oversight.  I've added the Penn Badge to your profile and I'll post some project information.
+13 votes
Hello. I am interested in the land warrants and settlers in the New Castle Delaware area. A yDNA ancestor of mine, Bryan MacDonnell, came over from Ireland and purchased land from William Penn in 1689 in Mill Creek Hundred near Red Clay Creek in New Castle, PA.
by Elbert McDaniel G2G Crew (610 points)
Hi Elbert, welcome to the project.  I've added the badge to your profile and posted some project information to your profile comments.
+13 votes
Hello! I am a direct descendant of Nathaniel Newlin, who came to Pennsylvania in 1682.  His father Nicholas had acquired some land for him from William Penn.  I would like to learn more about these people and their times.
by Fred Newlin G2G Crew (590 points)
Hi Fred!  Welcome to WikiTree.  We're glad that you've taken interest in the William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers Project.  I've posted some project related information to your profile comments and I've added the badge to your profile.  We're looking forward to your contributions!
+13 votes
Hi, I am interested in joining.  My ancestor Thomas Vernon came to PA in 1682.  Thanks!
by Tony Vernon G2G5 (5.0k points)
Welcom Tony!  I've awarded you the Penn badge and I've posted some project related information to your profile comments.
+13 votes
My ancestors were largely Quakers arriving around the time of William Penn, both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  I'm interested in learning more about these people.  Thank you.
by Marjorie Snelling G2G Crew (590 points)
Welcome Marjorie.  I've awarded you the Penn badge, added some project information to your profile comments and approved your addition to the Google Group.  Please let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to your contributions!
+13 votes
I'm a direct descendant of Thomas Fitzwater who traveled with William Penn on the ship Welcome and would like to join
by Mark Howard G2G Crew (710 points)
Hi Mark and welcome!  I'll get you badged and send you some project information via a post to your profile.  If you haven't yet done so, send a request to join our Google group or else send me a personal message and I'll add you directly.

best regards & welcome!

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