"Ancestrees"

William VESTAL Sr. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

  General Notes:

In C-611, William's birth place is listed as Southhampton, ENG. This is the port where many Quaker families embarked from to come to the new world. William came to the American colonies in 1683 with his brother Daniel. Daniel died and was buried at sea. William first appears in Chester Co., Pa records in 1692 when he took Guardianship of the children of his wife's first husband. (C-2251g) He was a taxpayer in Birmingham Twp., Chester Co., PA in 1693 and 1696. William was listed as a Constable of Birmingham on Mar. 12, 1694/5. He was a Baptist by religion and a farmer by trade. (C-2141) He and Thomas Moore were deeded 100 acres of land lying in Concord on that same day. He and Richard Buffington (the first settler in the area) jointly purchased 218 acres in Bradford, Chester Co., PA in 1696 and an adjoining 218 in 1701. They then each took 218 acres to themselves, with William taking the l701 purchase. This land was between Brandywine, below the forks, almost to Srode's Mill. He built a home on this property and died shortly after. Benjamin Mendenhall of Concord, PA confirmed his agreement to sell William Vestal Sr. the land where his home stood to his widow, Alice on Mar 2, 1709. (C-2251g) A large stone home still stands on it today which is alluded to be his home. (C-869) The exact reference to this deed is found in Bryant's Chester Co. Land Records: "Deed. On 02 Mar 1709 Benjamn MENDENHALL of Concord, yeoman, to Alice VESTALL, widow of William VESTALL, dec'd & William VESTALL the son. Whereas Benjamin MENDENHALL sold but did not convey the tract in Bradford bounded by Brandywine creek, land of John MARTIN & John BORRADY. containing 125 acres. To William VESTALL the father now dec'd for the sum of £10 & full performance of articles of agreement made on 12 Oct 1699 who devised by his last will & testament dated 19 Jan 1701 to Alice VESTALL during her life then to son William VESTALL who paying £30 to his brother George VESTALL. Now land is conveyed to Alice VESTALL & William VESTALL. Signed Benjamin MENDENHALL. Delivered in the presence of John BETHELL, Job HARVEY & Isaac TAYLOR. Recorded 26 May 1709. (C389)"

William and Alice had four children. The only child who is known to have descendants was William Jr. Their first daughter, Sarah, drowned in a small pond of water in 1696. Soon after, on June 10, 1697, Alice was baptized at the Brandywinde Baptist Church. Their daughter, Hannah, was baptized there on August 30, 1698. There is a distinct possibility that William was a Baptist already. Alice was a Quaker up to this point in time. Her departure could have been influenced by George Keith who was causing "much trouble" at the time and by her daughter, Sarah's death.
In his will dated Jan. 19, 1701/2, he gave his wife Allice the 124 acres where they lived. It names sons George and William and daughter, Mary. His executors were his wife and Thos. Powell (although Thos. declined). It was proved 26 Feb. 1701/2. Witnesses were John Wood, Nathaniel Ring, Robert Way and Robert Jefferys. In it, he spells his name Vastall. (C-804, 2251g)

  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration, 1683, London, Middlesex, ENG.

• Will, 1/19/1701. ¹²

• Probate, 2/26/1701, Weston Twp., Chester, PA, USA. William's will is recorded in the Philadelphia City Hall. Chester
Co. records were recorded in Philadelphia at that time. (C-869)

William married Alice GLOVER, daughter of George GLOVER and Alice LAMBOLL, about 1692 in , Chester, PA. (Alice GLOVER was born in 1663 in Kings Cleare, Hampton, ENG, christened on 6/10/1697 in Elkton, Cecil, MD, USA and died before 1729.)

  Marriage Notes:

Some sources give 1692 as their marriage date. JJay gives it as between 1694 and 1697. We know for sure that they married several years prior to 1696 when their daughter, Sarah drowned. According to Caviness, they married about 1692 in the Brandywine Baptist Church in Chester Co., PA. (C-869, 1380) According to second hand info in the GAB, Volume 15, Jan 1986, they married in Bucks Co., PA. (C-2251g)