America
Pennsylvania
Daniel Dodson/Dotson
A Quaker was born 1634 in Knaresborough; died 1677 Burlington, NJ married 1653 in Knaresborough to Susanna Thomas.
Their son John (1654-1725)born in Knaresborough, emigrated in 1677, settled in New Jersey, later moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania. He died in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
John Harris (1673-1748)
Born in Yorkshire, a brewer. Just before 1700 arrived in Philadelphia. In 1705 he obtained land in the wilderness. The place that was to become Harrisburg, the future State capital of Pennsylvania. He prospered as a farmer, trader and ferryboat operator. He was highly respected by everyone amongst the white settlers and the Indians. In 1720 he married Esther Say, born in Yorkshire, in Philadelphia.
John died in 1748 and is buried in the cemetery near where his son built John Harris Mansion in 1766.
The second John Harris was born in 1726 and he became known as the founder of Harrisburg. He laid out the plans for the city and for the lots in 1785. He died in 1791.
Colonel Richard Humpton (1733-1804)
Born Filey, Yorkshire. From the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania:
" To Colonel Richard HUMPTON, conveying a certain messuage, situation ...... in the County of Philadelphia,
containing 99 acres and 97 perches: Seized and sold agreeably to law, to the said Richard Humpton, as the
estate late of BENEDICT ARNOLD, an attained traitor, for and during the term of the said Arnold's natural
life, for the sum of 850 pounds, which sum the said Richard Humpton hath paid to the Agents of Forfeited
Estates in the said County."
Richard Humpton had served in the British army. He had been stationed in the West Indies when he decided to resign his commission (which his father had purchased for him), and emigrated to Pennsylvania. When the Revolutionary conflict began, he was offered a commission in the Continental Army, which he accepted. He fought in several battles against the British.
During Washington's retreat through New Jersey to Pennsylvania, December 1, 1776, he and his army needed to cross the Delaware River, so he directed Col. Humpton to confiscate all boats along the river. The boats were to be "in good order, oars and poles to accompany them and that the Durham boats (used for hauling iron ore on the Delaware river) be among them." The river was swept for 75 miles to secure all vessels. The boats were waiting for Washington's army at Trenton, NJ. There were no boats available for the British to follow after them. Washington re-crossed the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776 in the famous "Washington crossing the Delaware". After the Revolution, Humpton settled on a farm in Chester County where he died in 1804. He left no children.
Jackson
Mother Mary Magdale JACKSON, born 1842 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and baptised as Elizabeth Jackson. Her father was an Anglican and her mother a Quaker. The family emigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1852, where Elizabeth was converted to Roman Catholicism. She went to Scranton, PA and entered a Congregation in 1871, as the postulant in a new diocese. She was an accomplished musician. In 1889 she was elected as Superior General in Scranton. In 1893 land was purchased on which to build Maywood University. She died at St. Cecilia's in 1899 aged 57.O'Neill
Mother M. Germaine O'NEILL baptised 1861 in Sheffield, Yorkshire as Agnes O'Neill. Her parents and family emigrated to Williamsport, PA. She entered the Congregation at Scranton in 1879. She would have known Mother Jackson. Agnes was elected Superior general in 1913. She died in 1928.Edward Shippen
Born 1640 Methley near Leeds, Yorkshire; died 1712 in Philadelphia. He was married
three times:
(1) 1671 Elizabeth Lybrand - they had 8 children;
(2) 1689 Rebecca Howard - one daughter
(3) 1706 Esther Wilcox - two sons
Edward was a wealthy Quaker merchant and lived in Boston, Massachusetts for about 25 years before moving to Philadelphia. In 1688, his wife Elizabeth and two daughter's died in an epidemic. In 1690 the Commissioners of Property in Pennsylvania "Verbally promised" Shippen that if he would live in their colony, they would sell him a tract of land of about 205 acres in Wicaco on the southern end of Philadelphia for 100pounds. He was given one year to consider. Shippen appears to have moved to Pennsylvania by 1694. He requested and received land from the Commissioners of Property, the same month he purchased more land and later more land and property. He became Provincial Court Judge and later Mayor of Philadelphia.
In 1701, Penn commissioned two Anglicans and eight Quakers, including Shippen, to be his Council of State while he was away in England.
John Wood
Born in Attercliffe; died 1692 Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He had purchased from George Hutchinson of Sheffield the proprietory rights, including a sixty-fourth share in the Province of West Jersey, "to be enjoyed upon his arrival there." He sailed on the "Shield" with his 5 children, no wife is mentioned in the ship's log. He arrived October 1678 with children John;Joseph;Esther;mary; and Sarah. His brother, Thomas Wood came on the same ship and settled in Burlington, NJ. John moved to Falls, Crookhorne District, Bucks County, PA. In 1684 the records show that "John Wood had cattle in Bucks Co., he was carpenter. He was the only known English settler in Bucks Co. in 1678.
