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An American Family History

Thomas Walton

The Society of Friends (Quakers) began in England in the 1650s, when they broke away from the Puritans. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, as a safe place for Friends to live and practice their faith.

Thomas Walton was born in Byberry Parish, Gloucestershire, England in about 1658. His parents were William Walton and Alice Martin.

He came to America with his three brothers. They settled in Byberry, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and were early members of the Byberry Friends Meeting.

He married his first wife, Priscilla Hunn in 1690 when he was thirty two years old. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Thomas and Priscilla Walton.

In 1691, at the time of the Keithian Separation, the Byberry meeting went Keithian. Nathaniel was the only one of the Walton brothers who remained. The other three went met with those at the home of Henry English. 

Thomas Walton was listed in the 1734 assessment of Moreland. He had 50 acres.

After Priscilla died, he may have married Elizabeth Eastburn in 1736, however she was considerably younger than he.

He died when he was 100 years old on February 27, 1758 in the Manor of Moreland.

The Manor of Moreland was composed of a tract of ten thousand acres, and was created, in 1682, by a grant from William Penn to Dr. Nicholas More. Most of the Manor was in Philadelphia County, but is now Moreland Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Children of William and Alice Walton
  • Nathaniel Walton
  • Thomas Walton
  • Daniel Walton
  • William Walton
  •  

    Children of Thomas Walton
    and Priscilla Hunn
  • Thomas Walton, Jr.
  • Caleb Walton
  • John Walton
  • Joseph Walton
  • James Walton
  • Mary Walton
  • David Walton
  • The Keithian Schism was a split within the Society of Friends in the last decade of the seventeenth century led by George Keith.

     

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    American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (or li) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
    ye is an archaic spelling of "the."
    Byberry is a township in the northeast corner of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The Walton brothers were early settlers. Moreland Township was just west of Byberry. When Montgomery County broke off in 1784, Moreland was divided into two townships, both called Moreland. In 1917 the Montgomery County Moreland split into Upper Moreland Township and Lower Moreland Township.

    In 1688, during the Glorious Revolution, the Protestant king and queen,William and Mary, took the English throne from Catholic King James II. The bloodless revolution profoundly impacted the American colonies.

    from Byberry Waltons
    Thomas Walton (2), born about 1658, died 2.4.1758, son of 1 William Walton & Alice Martin of Oxhill, County of Warwick, England, married 1st probably very early in 1690 Priscilla Hunn, daughter of Priscilla, who as widow Hunn had before 1687 married George Bowers, then of Kent Co. Del.

    Thomas married early in 1736, possibly 2nd, Elizabeth Eastburn, born 1.16.1695, died probably 5.6.1777, daughter of John Eastburn & Elizabeth Jones of Southampton Twp, Bucks Co., Pa.

    Both marriages are from meeting records. Abington Mtg says 24th of 12th mo 1689 Thomas to Phila. in order to proceed on in Marriage with Prissilla Hunn of Phila.; Phila. Mtg says 12.29.1689 Thomas to marry Priscilla Hun.

    Abington Mtg says 2. 26.1736 Thomas Walton & Elizabeth Eastburn having declared intentions before two meetings, are at liberty to accomplish their marriage. This later marriage is in the Eastburn Gen., which names Elizabeth Eastburn's parents.

    The History of Byberry and Moreland says Thomas died age about 100. Isaac Comly's obituary notes say Thomas 1st died as above, also Thomas died 2.27.1758, which does not seem to fit any other known Thomas.

    The supposed death of the later wife also is from these notes, which, however, call her Elizabeth daughter of Thomas.

    The History of Byberry and Moreland says Thomas settled back of Smithfield, later Somerton, on Horsham Road in Moreland Twp, which was later in Montgomery Co. Judging from deeds it was about 1708 when he moved there from Byberry.

    Nov. 16, 1708 he rec'd from Bartholomew Longstreth and Richard Taylor for 350 pounds, 300 acres in Moreland Twp, and

    Oct. 14, 1709 he deed to Daniel Walton for 140 pounds the 100 acres in Byberry Twp by the Moreland line, Andrew Griscom, Richard Collett, Nathaniel Walton and the said Daniel Walton, rec'd by Thomas 10.1 1688 from Thomas Fairman for ten pounds. He made his mark, as in other deeds.

    From the 300 acres above, Thomas deeded three parts and probably at least one more part:

    May 10, 1717 Thomas Walton & Prisilla his wife deeded to Thomas Walton Junr their son Batchlour four 70 pounds, 100 acres, part of the 300, by Caleb Walton, John Jones and Garret Winekoops, subject to yearly quitrent; this was acknowledged by Thomas March 31, 1747 in presence of John Town and Joseph Walton and recorded in Phila. June 18 1765;

    March 29, 1740 Thomas Walton Senier of Moreland deeded to John Walton of same for 50 pounds, 25 acres of the above 300, by John Jones, Philip Wincope and Thomas Walton Jr., under proportionate part of the yearly quitrent to the Chief Lord of the Fee; no wife signed; the receipt was for 60 pounds; This was acknowledged by Thomas March 31, 1747 and recorded in Phila. June 7, 1765;

    May 17, 1740 Thomas Walton of Moreland deded to Tunies Titus of same, weaver, for 200 pounds, 100 acres of the 300 by Thomas Walton, John Jones and Thomas Walmsley, by a Chesnut tree in the road from Bibury to Horsham, under proportionable yearly quitrent; Tunes Tituis assumed one mortgage, amount not stated, held by the General Loan Office of the Province of Pennsilvania; no wife signed; a witness was John Walton.

    The will of Tunies Titus of Moreland, drawn Oct. 13, 1768, proved in Phila, Jan. 6, 1769, left wife Elizabeth his 122 acres so long as not married, named exrs wife, nephew Francis Titus son of brother John and Philip Wyncoop a Trusty Friend, 25 pounds entailed for use of Presbyterian congregation at Abington to support Gospel Ministry, 25 pounds to niece Olive Severens daughter of brother Jacob.

    Jan. 26, 1771 letters in the estate of Elizabeth Titus were issued in Phila. to Francis Titus. Frm the above deeds it appears that Thomas' 1708 purchase was a rectangle 10 by 480 perces, laying along the NE border of Moreland Twp next Southampton Twp, Bucks Co., bounded all along the NE side by John Jones, on the SE by John Brock, on the SW by Moreland, George Bursons and Thomas Perry, on the DW by John Swift,

    That Thomas deeded some of it to Caleb by 1717, 100 acres of it to son Thomas Jr. in 1717, 25 acres of it to son John in 1740, and 100 acres of it to Tunies Titus in that same year.

    Abington Mtg says 6.27.1716

    At this meeting Thomas Walton appeared and Seemed to be Some what Sorry that he had Indulged his Children and that for ye future he hopes to be more carefull & desires friends to pass it by.

    This is the usual lingo for liquor at a wedding, perhaps Caleb's.

    27 of 11 mo 1728/29 Thomas acknowledged to the same meeeting that he was sorry for having executed a warrant against a Friend. This could be either 3 Thomas or his son.

    In 1721 there were two Thomas Waltons among subscribers for maintaining the poor of Byberry Preparative Mtg.

    The History of Byberry and Moreland says Thomas left several children.

    The Gilbert Cope Collection, a miscellaneous mass of notes with regard to many families, several times makes the statement that William Walton who married Elizabeth Wells and became ancestor of hundereds of Waltons was son of the first Thomas. In one place Cope says

    "Thomas born....died 2.4.1758 married 1689 Elizabeth Wells."

    In two other places he says

    "William Walton son of Thomas from England married Elizabeth Wells."

    Gilbert Cope was an experienced, careful, accurate man. However, the source of his information on this point was not indicated and has not been discovered.

    It seems likely this William was son of Thomas' son James, and after death of his father 20 James, perhaps when his mother married again in 1745, lived with his grandfather 3 Thomas, which may have started an erroneous tradition.

    Concerning this doubt, the following evidence appears: At the time of the later marriage mentioned above, 3 Thomas was about 77 and his new wife Elizabeth Eastburn a 41 year old spinster from a neighboring farm. The will of Elizabeth's mother, drawn June 10, 1739, said Elizabeth was wife of Thomas Walton and left her 28 pounds, but if she die without issue before the end of four years son John may keep the unpaid balance except five schillings to Thomas Walton. Also to daughter Elizabeth Walton a little oak desk.

    In 1755 this same Elizabeth Walton was willed five pounds by her uncle Robert Eastburn and in 1774, 30 pounds by her brother John Eastburn.

    24 May 1746 Thomas Walton of Manor of Moreland, County of Phila., Yeoman and wife Elizabeth, with other heirs of John Eastburn the elder, for divers good causes and considerations released to eldest son John Eastburn of Southampton Twp, clockmaker, 206 acres, and to son Thomas Eastburn of same 100 acres.

    As to the possibility of 16 Thomas having been the one who married Elizabeth Eastburn, the 1777 will of 54 Nathaniel Walton, drawn the same year as the death of 16 Thomas, said he expected to inherit, as eldest son of the eldest brother of 16 Thomas.

    The existence then of William and of several of William's children would have prevented such expectation, had William been son of 16 Thomas. This confirms the History of Byberry and Moreland statement that 16 Thomas was not married. It seems just possible William was son of 3 Thomas by a wife who came between Priscilla and Elizabeth. Besides Thomas, John and James, known to have been sons of 3 Thomas, four others, Caleb, Joseph, Mary and David, are believed to have been his children, from their times, places and connections, since it is believed we have complete lists of children of Thomas' thre brothers, and no other contemporary nearby Walton family has been found, save on in Phila. in which the name soon became extinct.

    Below these seven are Elizabeth and William, possible, but not considered probable:
    16 Thomas b abt 1673 d 1777
    17 Caleb, alive 1734
    18 John, alive 1740
    19 Joseph d abt 1733 m. 1730 Marey Coney or Marcy Corry
    20 James d before 1745 m 1730 Mary Jeanes
    21 Mary prob. m. 1733 Michael Hilton
    22 David d 1768
    23 Elizabeth d 5.6.1777 more likely widow of 3 Thomas
    24 William b ab 1735 d ab 1783 m by 1758 Elizabeth Wells. More likely grandson. Hereafter mentioned only as 61 William son of 20 James.

    p. 8 notes on land
    300 acres bought 178 by 3 Thomas Walton (2) along the eastern edge of Moreland Thownship. This was part of 500 acres cut off from the Manor of Moreland and laid out at William Penn's direction for Thomas Fairman in 1689. In 1689 he sold the 300 acres to Richard Taylor, who by agreement but without conveyance sold it to Bartholomew Longstreth, and both by joint deed 16 Nov. 1708 conveyed it to Thomas Walton of Byberry, who later requested confirmation by Patent. This was granted, subject to payment at Philadelphia of one English silver shilling per 100 acres the first day of March yearly.

    Bucks County, Pennsylvania is one of three original Pennsylvania Counties and was formed in 1682. Originally it was a large territory that included all of what would later be Berks, Northampton, and Lehigh.

    A land patent is an exclusive land grant made by the government. The certificate that grants the land rights is also called first-title deed and final certificate. In the United States, all land can be traced back to the original land patent.

    William Penn (1644-1718) was a Quaker philosopher and real estate developer. He was the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania.

    Lush forests in Colonial America allowed settlers to build wooden homes.

     
     
     

    A History of the Townships of Byberry and Moreland in Philadelphia, Pa: From Their Earliest Settlement by the Whites to the Present Time by Joseph C. Martindale published by T. Ellwood Zell, 1867

    Thomas Walton, the second of the four brothers, settled back of Smithfield (Somerton), on the Horsham Road, in the Manor of Moreland. Nothing is known of his history, except that he married Priscilla Hunn, of Philadelphia, 12th mo. 24th, 1689 (O. S.), and that he died in 1758, at a very advanced age, probably near one hundred years. He left several children.

     
         
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    ©Roberta Tuller 2020
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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    A yeoman was a man who owned and cultivated a small farm. He belonged to the class below the gentry or land owners. A husbandman was a free tenant farmer. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.