COATES, Moses ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

  General Notes:

On Feb 25, 1715 at the Province Men's Meeting at Cork, Ireland, Moses declared his intentions to marry Susannah Weldon. Their marriage took place on Mar 1, 1715 at Caskel, Co. Tipperary, Province of Munster, IRE. On Mar 8, 1717, Moses obtained a certificate of removal from the men's meeting. He and his wife came to Pennsylvania because of religious persecution in Scotland and Ireland. They settled in Providence Township, Montgomery Co, PA with their only neighbors being Indians. He slept with a loaded gun by his side due to fear of the Indians. He blazed trails by cutting chips off the trees to give his children paths to keep them from getting lost. Although coming from Ireland, some sources say they were of Scotch descent, having moved to Ireland with the Presbyterian movement. They were literally Scotch Irish Quakers in these sources. "The Genealogical and Personal History of Bucks County, Pennsyvania" by William Davis, Vol. III, pg.503 on Virginia Mather states that her ancestor, Moses Coates's family was of English descent instead. According to it, Moses was born in Ireland because his family had crossed the channel to escape religious persecution. (C-1613, 1615, 2300)

Moses and family were the first settlers of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania His descendants in Phoenixville became owners and operators of the iron works that became a major economic base of that city. (C-2300)

He is mentioned in the following letter written by an unknown person around 1725. I've included it because the letter contains so much interesting information on the tricks of the trade in coming to America when one doesn't have money for passage.

"Irish Quaker Immigration into Pennsylvania"
Source Information Myers, Albert Cook. Immigration of Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania . Swarthmore, PA 1902.

Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania
No. 4.

"Dear Sister I desire thee may tell my old friend Samuel Thornton that he could give so much Credit to my words & find no Iffs nor ands in my Letter that in Plain terms he could not do better than to Come here, for both his & his wife's trade are very good here, the best way for him to do is to pay what money he Can Conveniently Spare at that Side & Engage himself to Pay the rest at this Side & when he Comes here if he Can get no friend to lay down the money for him, when it Comes to the worst, he may hire out 2 or 3 Children & I wod have him Cloath his family as well as his Small Ability will allow, thee may tell him what things are proper to bring with him both for his Sea Store & for his Use in this Country. I wod have him Procure, 3 or 4 Lusty Servants & Agree to pay their passage at this Side he might sell 2 & pay the others passage with the money. I fear my good will to him will be of Little Effect by reason he is So hard of beleif, but thou mayest Assure him from me that if I had not a particular Respect for him & his family I Should not have writ so much for his Encouragement, his brother Joseph & Moses Coats Came to See us Since we came here, they live about 6 or 7 miles apart & above 20 miles from where we live."

In 1731, Moses purchased land at the site of Phoenixville, in Charlestown, and settled there, The name of his wife was Susanna, and among his children were Samuel, Moses, Jr., Benjamin, Jonathan, Aaron, and Elizabeth, married to John Mendenhall." (C-1601) On Sep 24, 1741, he is likely the Moses who placed an ad in the PA Gazette about a dun colored mare that wandered onto his property at French Creek, Charles Town, Chester Co., Pennsylvania He was seeking the owner. Again on Jan. 7, 1742 in that same paper, he advertised the runaway of his Irish Servant, Cornelius Cannor and offered a reward of 3 pounds in retrieving him. It is also likely that this is the Moses whom received a letter that was still sitting in the Chester Co., PA Post Office dated Aug 9, 1759. (C-1681, 1743, 1809)

His will is transcribed here from Truman's book via an email from Charlotte Coats. #1391 M-99, MOSES COATES of Charletown Apr.14, 1761 - Apr 25, 1761. "Whereas, I Moses Coates of Charlestown township, Chester County and Province of Pennsylvania, being weak in Body, but of Sound and Perfect Memory, do this fourtheenth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty one, make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby disannuling and revoking all former wills by me made whatsoever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my Loving wife the sum of six pounds a year during her natural life four pounds thereof to be paid her out of the interest money which is in the hands of Jonathan & Benjmain Coates & the other fourty shillings to be paid her by Benjamin Coates yearly out of his Plantation together with all the household goods that she brought with her & the new white rug and the tea-table & small Brindled cow.

Item. I give and bequeath to my Grand Daughters Susanna and Priscilla Mendenhall the sum of fourty pounds each also the sum of twenty pounds to their brother Moses Mendenhall but if any or either of them should die before they come to age to recive the sd money that then their part shall be at ye disposal of their mother and the sd money is to be left on interest until ye death of my wife in order to pay her the aforesd four pounds a years. Item. I give and bequeath unto Elizth Coates daughter of Moses Coates, jur. the sum of twenty pounds to be apid at ye death of my wife.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizth my large Bible. Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Moses my red cow. Item. I give and bequeath all my other household goods to son Benjamin, I also give and bequeth unto my son Benjmain the Plantation I live on according to all teh butts and bounds therof with all the improvements & appurtances thereon belonging to him and his heirs forever in fee to hold the same as also that piece or prcell of land lying between the great road & ye mill land which I bought of David Davis containing twenty-one acres & a hlaf to him and his heirs forever. Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Aaron Caotes all that piece of land surveyed to him bounded by the land Moses & Jonathan Coates & John Varley containing thirty five acres to him and his heirs forever in fee.
Item. I give and bequeath my wearing apparel to my son Thomas and I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Moses Coates my sole executor to this my land will and testmaent to see that all things be performed & accomplished according to the true intent and meaning thereof.

Moses Coates (SL)

Signed and seald published and acknowledged to be his last will and teatament in the presence of Joseph Griffith, Geo. Sholfield

Jonath Coates affd 1761 April 25th Executor affid.

Philada 25 April then personally appeared George Sholfield and Jonathan Coates two of the witnesses of the foregoing will and the said George Scholfield on oath and the sd Jonathan Coates on his solumn affirmation according to law did declare they saw and heard Moses Coates the testator therein named sign seal publish and declare the same will for and as his last will and testament and that the doing thereof he was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge.

Wm Chrmsted, Regstr." (C-1789, 2150, E-from Will Book M, p. 99 or p. 59)

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  Noted events in his life were:

• Will, Apr 14, 1761, , Chester, PA.

• Probate, Apr 25, 1761, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Moses married Susanna WELDON, daughter of Samuel WELDON and Unknown, on Mar 1, 1714/15 in Cashel, Tipperary, IRE. (Susanna WELDON was born in Guillaedsane, , Ire and was buried on Nov 30, 1772 in , Chester, PA.)

  Marriage Notes:

or 3/8/1817 in Munster, IRE.