Margaret Barcroft nee Barnard was a Quaker. Her Quaker family list shows that she was born on 4 October 1621 to Daniel and Isabel Barnard of Altencoates, (probably Alkincoats) Colne, Lancashire.
[1]
According to her son John, who wrote a testimony to her after she died
My dear mother Margaret Barcroft daughter of Daniell Barnard of Allenscott near Colne in Lancashire was born about ye 8th of ye 8th month [October] 1621 and was married to my father in the year 1652 & they removed into Ireland about the year 1660.
She was convinced of the Blessed Truth by our Antient [sic] and Blessed Friend William Edmondson about the year 1668 ...[2]
Margaret would therefore have been about 31 when she married. The Barcroft Family Records (mainly about another branch of the family) states that she had been married previously, to a Joshua Pannell, a marriage which did not produce any children.
[3]
Her marriage to William Barcroft produced at least three children, Ambrose and John, who went on to have families of their own, and Ellen who died aged eighteen. Burke's Irish Family records gives a fourth child, Thomas, said to have died without issue, of whom no trace has been found.
[4]
He son continues that from the time of her convincement she
was Dilligent in coming to meetings - while she was able, for it was her great Delight - her care was great for he Children, that they might come to a Sense of the Truth and live in it often telling me, that was more to her than the Riches of this world, And many times in a sweet Heavenly frame in great Brokenness gave us advice as she found it upon her Spirit, wch often took great Impulsion upon us, and many times Tendered our hearts together.
When I was a bout to take a journey to England to Visit Friends I told her of it, and she gave me little answer at yt time, But when I went again to see her, She told me yt she would not have her weakness of body hinder me, but charged me to be faithful to the Lord : wth desires to the Lord to go along with me & said that if thou be faithful he will be with thee, & I am well satisfied with thy journey, whether I may ever live to see thee again or not, ye Lord's will be done. So yt in the sweet overcoming Love of God I took my last leave of her - and doubt not but she is at rest with the Lord - she departed this Life ye 16th of the 5th month 1700 at Drumcooly in the King's County and was buryed at friends burying ground near Rosenallis ye 18th of ye same.[2]
Her family list confirms that she died in Drumcooly on 16 July 1700 and was buried at Rosenallis two days later.
Margaret Barcroft does not feature in the Quaker minutes, except to sign an occasional epistle or marriage certificate.
[1]
Research notes
Other sources give slightly different dates for her family's move to Ireland and their conversion. See her husband's profile for details.
Sources
↑ 1.01.1
Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=ire%2fquaker%2fmm111m-1%2f0008 : accessed 23 October 2022), Family list of Margaret Barcroft nee Barnard; citing Edenderry MM family lists, births and burials 1612-1814, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
↑ 2.02.1
"Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Edenderry Meeting Testimonies to Deceased Ministers," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=ire%2fquaker%2fmm111m-1%2f0009 : accessed 16 October 2022), testimony to Margaret Barcroft, citing Edenderry MM family lists, births and burials 1612-1814, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
↑
ten Broeck Runk, E., (1910). Barcroft family records: an account of the family in England and the descendants of Ambrose Barcroft, the emigrant, of Solebury, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., p 184 (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062851605&view=1up&seq=184 : accessed 16 October 2022)
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Barnard-2656 and Barnard-5026 appear to represent the same person because: Same BMD, same spouse. Note that Quaker records confirm that DOB was 6mo. (Aug) 1619, not 1616. Sorry for creating the duplicate.
Alan