Simon Hadley

1675 - 1756  (81 years)

• Name	Simon Hadley
  Born	1675	, , Westmeath, Ireland
  Christened	Westmeath, Ireland
  Gender	Male
  _UID	FC794A80550F1C4DBFA3276F4F844AB5D664
  Buried	1756	New Garden Mm, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
  Died	May 1756	, Chester, Pennsylvania
  Person ID	I4933	Crandall Pember Legacy
  Last Modified	7 Jun 2021

  
  

  Family	Phoebe Grubb,   b. Cal 1684, New Castle, Delaware, United States ,   d. 4 May 1769, West Bradford Township, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States  (Age ~ 85 years)
  Married	22 Jul 1752	Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
  _UID	C52B0B6B5C794248AA41661AABBB6873719A
  Last Modified	25 Aug 2021 16:45:14
  Family ID	F2310	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  !BIRTH-FATHER-SPOUSE-CHILDREN-DEATH: Thomas W. Marshall, FAMILY OF WILLI A M & REBECCA (DIXON) MARSHILL, CANE CREEK MONTHLY MEETING, ORANGE COUNT Y , N.C.; 1724-1945; Microfilm of typescript (54 pages) at the National L ib rary of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C.;FH L Mi crofilm #0876559, item 5, Salt Lake City, Utah;viewed c. 1990; accor din g to notes, Simon and his wife immigrated about 1712 and settled in N ewca stle County near the New Garden Line _______________________________ SIMON HADLEY, son of SIMON and CATHERINE (TALBOT) HADLEY was born in Ire l and in 1675, near the Kings County boundary line where his English ance st ors had settled. He was a member of the Moate Monthly Meeting of the S oci ety of Friends.651 <../wc_src.html> Simon Hadley came to America about 1712 from County West Meath, Ireland. 6 52 <../wc_src.html>,653 <../wc_src.html> He was accompanied to Pennsylv an ia by his wife Ruth, and six children. Two children were later born i n Pe nnsylvania. It is unknown which ship he came over on. Many of the Fr iend s sailed from Ireland to Pennsylvania on the ship Sizargh of Whiteha ven . Jermiah Cowman was the master. However, Simon and his family do no t app ear on the records. Simon did not present his certificate of removal until four years late r . At Newark Monthly Meeting (now Kennett) held at Center Meeting House , C enterville, Delaware - "4th. of 6th. Mon. 1716, Simon Hadley produce d a c ertificate from Moate Monthly Meeting in County of West Meath and N atio n of Ireland which was read and accepted Simon purchased 1000 acres of land about 30 miles south of Philadelphi a i n the Manor of Steyning. When the Pennsylvania Delaware line was draw n i t passed through Simon's property, leaving part of his plantation i n Ches ter County, Pennsylvania, but placing his home and official reside nce, an d most of his plantation in New Castle County, Delaware. This bec ame par t of New Garden Township. The house is located on Lime Stone Road , Hackes sin, DE about 10 miles northwest of Wilmington (or Wellington) , DE, off R oute 41. Go to Kaolin (about 3 miles before you get to Avonda le) and tur n left. Go down Route 7 for about 2 or 3 miles, turn right an d go up a hi ll and there you are. The cornerstone is hidden under a tree . Among the n eighbors of Simon Hadley are some familiar names: Lindley , Starr, Hutton , Rutledge, Miller, John, Gayan,-Rowland, and Johnson. Al l of these famil ies were of English origin, as were all of the Friends w ho went to Pennsy lvania from Ireland with the exception of two it is sai d. Many of them ha d been friends in Ireland and others were related by b lood or marriage. [ A perche equals 5.5 yards] The description that Chalmers Hadley gives to the house which was call e d Messuage Plantation of Steyning Manor, is as follows: The oldhouse i s o n a slight eminence nearly a quarter of a mile back from the road, an d th e nearest railroad station, Southwood, is on what probably was onc e par t of the place. The old house is a two and one-half story, stucco-c overe d stone structure, and the gabled roof permits the use of rooms o n the th ird floor. The pointed windows under the gables give aquaint app earance t o the old building, and along the front extends a long porch. U nderneat h the pointed gable window in the front a white stone slab is su nk in th e wall and on it is carved "S. and R. H. 1717," the initials o f Simon an d his wife, Ruth Hadley, and the date of the building's erecti on. Some di stance from the house is an old stone barn which appears to b e as ancien t as the house itself. This house is still in use and in 1977 the owner's wife was a Dupont-Pie r re's favorite niece. In 1716, Newark Monthly Meeting was divided and N e w Garden Monthly Meeting created. It was composed of the meetings of N e w Garden, Nottingham and London Grove. By deed dated 26th. of 10th. Mo . 1 717 James Miller conveyed six acres of land to Simon Hadley as truste e fo r New Garden Meeting. Simon apparently was quite active in this meet ing . His name frequently appears on committees and he was made an overse er 2 8 May 1733. He and his wife, Ruth, are buried there. On at least on e occa sion, we find Simon taking active part in his Quarterly Meeting al so. Hi s name appears on a petition from Concord Quarterly Meeting date d 3rd. Mo . 13th. 1734 and addressed to King George II ofEngland, regardi ng the bou ndary disputes between the Penns and Lord Baltimore. Although such activities were usually frowned upon by Friends, Simon w a s not completely inactive in public affairs. He was appointed Justic e o f the Peace by Governor Fletcher 25 July 1726, re-appointed 20 Apri l 1727 , and again 1 Dec 1733. He also served at various times as Judge o f the N ew Castle Court. Simon Hadley helped his sons secure land of their own. In 1726, we fin d t hat Joseph Hadley already had a tract of land near his father's plant atio n. In that year, Simon Hadley made over another tract of land to hi s son , Joshua Hadley. (Early Pennsylvania Land Records - Egle, 1976 pg 759) Minute Book I 28th 12mo. 1728 "Joshua Hadley requests (by his Father, Simon Hadley) the grant of a qua n tity of land on Fishing Creek, he desires 1,000 acres." Attached to Simon's first will, written in 1751, following the death o f h is wife Ruth, was this note. "It is my will that my executors dispos e o f my servant lad Joseph Fitzpatrick's time for the benefit of my sai d chi ldren as above, written before the said will was perfected by me." Tradition says that Simon was killed in his stable by a servant who want e d to rob him of the considerable amount of money he carried with him . N o record has ever been found to substantiate this. However, in a lett er w ritten by Simon's Daughter, Hannah, (Hadley) Stanfield, from North C aroli na to her step-mother, we can see that her father died suddenly i n 1756: "Respected Mother - This comes to let Thee know that I and my family is in good health at pr e sent, hoping that these few lines will find thee and thine in thesame , an d I have great cause to be thankful to the Divine Being for it. I received thy letter dated the 31st of 5th month 1756, and was glad t o h ear of thy welfare and a true account of my respected father's sudde n dea th. Thy brother Richard Beson was here at my house a few days ago. He tol d m e that his wife and family was well and all of our friends here is re ason ably well as far as I know, so not having much to add, I shall concl ude w ith my love to thee and thine and remain thy loving daughter, ye 24 th o f ye 7th month, 1756. Hannah Stanfield" Simon and Ruth were buried in the New Garden burying ground. Chalmers Ha d ley visited the old cemetery but found no identification of the graves . H e noted that it seems in early times, Friends did not mark the restin g pl ace of their members with a stone of any kind. Chalmers described th e ol d meeting house as follows: "New Garden meeting house is a venerabl e ol d structure built of red and black brick, brought from England, it i s sai d. In front of the meeting house stood a mounting stone and a low s tone w all surrounded both the meeting house and the burying ground adjoi ning it . There was an air of antiquity about the interior of the old bui lding. T he long room where Hadleys, Lindleys, Rowlands, and Greggs worsh ipped i n past years, was divided by sliding shutters for the men's and w omen's m eetings. A huge fireplace was in each end, but these had been cl osed an d stoves were substituted, the pipes of which went through limest one slab s in the ceiling. Time-worn oak panelling, put together with woo den pegs , extended around the room, and the heavy wooden benches, blac k from age , were covered with initials of generations of youngsters unti l the carvi ngs appeared as relief work. Back of the gallery where John S alkeld, Jaco b Lindley and other zealous Friends had preached in long gon e days, wa s a case of well-thumbed, leather-bound books on the doctrine s of Friends . Outside in the shelter of a splendid Magnolia tree in a sc ore of unmark ed graves, sleep the ancestors of many families in North Ca rolina and Ind iana." (Information from The Hadley Family by Lyle H. Hadley and an article i n t he Pennsylvania Traveler Post, v. 16, #3, pg. 3 and "Hadleys of Hendr ick s Co. Indiana", Library of Congress No 62 10576, edited and publishe d b y Harlan V. Hadley, and from a book written in 1916 by Chalmers Hadle y.) Ruth Keran Hadley died on December 18, 1750. She was buried in the buri a l grounds of the New Garden Cemetery, Chester County, Pennsylvania, bel on ging to the Chester County Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends . Thi s cemetery joins the old meeting house and both are only about 1 mi le fro m SIMON HADLEY'S farm. SIMON HADLEY is buried next to RUTH (KERAN ) HADLEY , but their graves are not marked. SIMON HADLEY married PHOEBE GRUBB on July 22, 1752, at the New Garden Me e ting. He had no children with her. She was a minister in the Society o f F riends, and SIMON HADLEY made a settlement on her at the time of thei r ma rriage. SIMON HADLEY seems to have been very wealthy, and as his sons grew to ma n hood, he assisted them in securing land of their own. In 1726, JOSEPH H AD LEY owned land near his father's farm, and that same year, SIMON HADLE Y g ave another tract of land to his second son, JOSHUA HADLEY. SIMON HADLEY'S farm is where the British camped on the eve of the Batt l e of Brandywine during the Revolutionary War. In settling the new count ry , the HADLEYS seem to have been good judges of land, which was purchas e d in the rich bottoms, and always where springs abounded. The HADLEY' S we re surrounded by forests and unsettled conditions, but they formed c ommun ities with other Quakers, and soon erected meeting and school house s. Th e HADLEY family seems to have had a high sense of honor, because th ere wa s an old saying in certain sections where they lived. It said tha t the na me of HADLEY was worth one hundred and fifty dollars to its poss essor. I f a fence was found to have one rail more than was necessary, i t meant th at the fence enclosed HADLEY land. ALL THE QUAKER HADLEYS, with revisions. a unpublished compilation of works by Harlan Hadley, Lyle Hadley, and Wa l lace Hadley. Hadley Society Files. Chapter 3 "ALL THE QUAKER HADLEYS. The Early Generations. Simon HADLEY, farmer, justice of the Peace, county judge, immigrant, pat r iarch of all the Quaker Hadleys of Chester County, Pennsylvania and Ne w C astle County, Delaware [lived Messuage Plantation, Steyning Manor]; b or n 1675 Ireland, son of Simon I and Catherine (TALBOT) HADLEY of Ballyn aki ll (near Dublin), Ireland; died 1756 Messuage Plantation, buried Ne w Gard en Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania; married (1) 1697 Ruth KERAN/KERN , bor n 1677 Ireland; died 18 Dec 1750 Messuage Plantation, buried New Ga rden M M; m (2) 22 Jul 1872 Phoebe (GRUBB) BUFFINGTON, a Quaker minister , daught er of John and Frances GRUBB. "...Simon and Ruth and their first six children after landing at Philade l phia in 1712 had several temporary addresses, mostly in Chester County , b efore he chose their permanent home. In 1717 he built Messuage Planta tio n on 1000 acres in one of William Penn's townships, Steyning Manor, i n Ch ester County. The Mason Dixon survey of 1763-69, undertaken to settl e th e William Penn Lord Baltimore dispute as to the southern boundarie s of Pe nnsylvania, located Messuage Plantation just over the line in Delaware, near Hockessin. Part of his farm continued to be in Pennsyl v ania, however, and apparently he was recognized as a citizen of both st at es. Traditionally, Simon came to America with a substantial advance patrimon y . Before he died at 81, he had been able to dower his daughters, to est ab lish his sons on farms of their own and to help them acquire additiona l a creage. He also had done the same for several adult grandchildren. I n add ition, his will made bequests to all of them, including more than 5 0 gran dchildren; with a total probative value in excess of $50,000. It i dentifi ed him as a man of great wealth for that time and place. Along with his wife, mother and father and his brothers and sisters, Sim o n at 31 in 1706 affiliated with the Society of Friends of Moate Count y We stmeath, Ireland, about 60 miles northwest of Dublin. Their home wa s at B allynnakill, 60 miles southwest of Dublin, in County Leix. Simon' s father , Simon I, also owned a fishery in Dublin and an iron foundry i n Kings Co unty, near Tullamore, or Simon I is on the Moate meeting record with an apology for having allow e d Simon II 'too many liberties'. Simon II apparently had great difficul ty , because of repeated involvement in 'military activities', in keepin g 'i n unity' with the meeting. These incidents probably reflected his ef fort s to protect himself from, or to retaliate against, the brutal hazin g (o r worse) for which Quakers in Ireland (and England) were long consid ere d fair game. Simon II in 1716, on chosing his home site, transferred his Friends' fam i ly membership from Moate MM to Newark (now Kennett) MM, Pennsylvania. N ew ark divided later that year to create New Garden MM. He was active i n th e leadership and good graces of New Garden all the rest of his life . He s erved on New Garden committees, as a trustee and overseer, and i s mention ed frequently in meeting minutes." Misc. Notes 1756 Will of Simon Hadley649 <../wc_src.html> Simon Hadley's last will, written in 1755, was recorded in 1756. There w e re several changes made in this last will from the former one. These in cl uded some 600 acres of land not mentioned in the last will. It may hav e b een that at his second marriage this land constituted the settlemen t best owed on Phoebe Buffington by Simon Hadley, or this land may have b een giv en in the meantime to his two sons, Joseph and Joshua, who were s cantil y remembered in the last will as compared to Simon Hadley's variou s grand children. Attached to the will was the deposition of David Finney , attorn ey at law, taken before William Till, Register of Wills for th e probate , and granting letters of administration in and for the count y of New Cas tle. In this deposition Finney said: "He was at the mansio n house of Simo n Hadley, Esq., on Jan. 21st, 1756, and that Simon Hadle y seemed unable t o determine what sum should be left Phoebe, his wife, a nd Finney suggeste d 200 pounds, to which Simon agreed was fair, in addit ion to the marriag e settlement he had given her." The last will, which w as written by Simo n Hadley in 1755, was recorded in 1756 and was as foll ows: "Know all men by these presents that I, Simon Hadly of Mill Creek Hundr e d in the County of New Castle on Delaware, yeoman, calling to mind th e mo rtality of my body, do make and ordain this my last will and testame nt, a nd as touching such worldly estate where-with it has pleased God t o bles s me in this life, I do give, devise and dispose of the same. in t he mann er and form following: First, it is my will that my funeral charge and just debts be first paid. It is my will and I do leave my beloved wife, Phebe Hadly _________ poun d s current money to be paid her six months after my death, to be paid b y m y executors, hereinafter mentioned, her chaise and chaise-horse, my r idin g mare and the two best cows I have, besides what I have left her i n my m arriage settlement with her, and as much of the furniture of the h ouse a s she will think fit to, take, to the value of pounds and no more , whic h shall be in full of my real and personal estate. Imprimus, -- I give, devise and bequeath unto my grandson Simon Hadley , s on of my son Joshua Hadley, the Messuage plantation and tract of lan d I n ow live on, bounded and described as follows Viz. Beginning at a co rner p ost, being a corner of Jacob John's lands thence by his line eas t 300 per ches to a corner white oak in the Manor line, thereon south b y the said l ine 217 perches to a corner hickory, thence west by the lan d now seated b y my grandson John Hadley, 73 perches to a post, thence no rth 31 degrees , west 38 perches to a black oak, thence north 50 degrees , west 48 perche s and a half to a gum tree, thence north 60 degrees wes t 137 perches an d a half to another gum, thence north 20 degrees, west 1 9 perches to a po st, thence north 69 degrees, 59 perches to a post in Wi lliam Rows line, t hence north by the same 46 perches to the place of beg inning, contain-26 0 acres be the same more or less, making the bounds af oresaid, with the h ereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, t o hold to him, my sa id grandson Simon Hadley and the male heirs of his b ody lawfully begotte n forever, but if my said grandson should depart thi s life without lawfu l issue, then it is my will and I do give and devis e the same Messuage pl antation and tract of land unto my grandson Jeremi ah Hadley, son of my sa id son Joshua Hadley, to hold to him and the mal e heirs of his body lawfu lly begotten forever, but if he should depart t his life without male heir s as above, then and in such case I give and d evise and bequeath the sai d messuage plantation and tract of land and pr emises unto the next male h eirs as consanguinity to him and the male hei rs of his body lawfully bego tten forever. I also give and bequeath unt o my said grandson Simon Hadley , my clock and walnut clothes press whic h stands in one of the upper room s and the sum of ten pounds lawful mone y, all of which several bequests t o be possessed by him when he shall ar rive at the respective age of twent y-one years. I give devise and bequeath unto my grandson, Simon Johnson, son of Robe r t Johnson, certain plantation and tract of land lying contiguous to th e a bove land devised to my grandson Simon Hadley, bounded and describe d as f olloweth; Viz. Beginning at a corner mulberry tree being a corne r of th e land late of Joshua Hadley, but now of Robert Johnson, thence w est by t he same land one hundred and eighty perches to a post thence nor th by th e said Rows land 134 perches to a corner post of the above lan d devised t o my said grandson Simon Hadley, thence south 6g degrees, eas t by the sai d tract 59 perches to a post and south 20 degrees, east 19 p erches to a g um tree and south 60 degrees, east 137 perches and a half t o another gu m and south 50 degrees, east 48 perches and a half to a corn er black oa k and south 31 degrees, east 38 perches to a corner post i n a line of th e land seated by my said grandson John Hadley, thence wes t by the same 5 7 perches to a corner black oak in a line of the aforesai d Robert Johnso n land, thence north by the same 37 perches to the plac e of the beginning , containing by estimation 112 acres be the same mor e or less within th e bounds aforesaid, with the hereditaments and appurt enances thereunto be longing or in anywise appertaining, to hold to him , my said grandson Simo n Johnson, and the male heirs of his body lawfull y begotten forever, bu t if he my said grandson, Simon Johnson should hap pen to depart this lif e without male heirs as above, then and in such cu e I give, devise and be queath the said tract of land and premises unto t he next male heirs by co nsanguinity to him. my said grandson, and the ma le heirs of his body lawf ully begotten forever, to be possessed by my sa id grandson when he shal l arrive at the respective age of twenty-one yea rs. I do give and bequeath to my grandson, John Hadley, son of my son Jose p h Hadley, and the male heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever, a p la ntation or tract of land here-in-after mentioned, but if he should dep ar t this life without male heirs, then in such case, it is my will an d I d o give and bequeath the said plantation and tract of land to' the n ext ma le heir by blood to him and his heirs forever, said plantation an d trac t of land to be bounded as followeth; Beginning at a corner blac k oak i n the line of the said Robert Johnsons land, thence east 130 perc hes t o a corner hickory tree in the said Manor line, thence by the sai d line s outh 185 perches to a corner oak sapling-(faded out)--containin g within t he said bounds 150 acres of land, be the same more or less, an d I do bequ eath to my said grandson John Hadley, ten pounds current mone y. I do give and bequeath a plantation or tract of land to ____ ,Johnso n i n the Letitia Aubrey Manor containing 93 acres and 66 perches of lan d . I have a deed for the same and recorded in the name of my grandson Si mo n Gregg, son of Richard Gregg departed, and Anne his wife, my daughter , t o him and the male hens of his body lawfully begotten as above, but s houl d he depart this life, it is my will and I do give the said plantati on an d tract of land to the next male heirs by blood to him and the mal e heir s of his body legally begotten forever, and it is my will that m y executo rs here-in-after named, rent the above plantations to good tena nts unti l my said grandsons arrive at the age of twenty-one years, tha t all of m y said grandsons shall pay the ____________ due on each of the ir plantati ons when lawfully--(faded out). I do leave my said son, Joseph Hadley, half of my wearing apparel and t e n pounds current money, which shall be his full portion and share of m y r eal and personal estate. I do leave my daughter, Deborah Howel, wife of Jacob Howel, ten pounds c u rrent money and I do leave to the said Jacob Howel, ten pounds curren t mo ney, which shall be in full their portion and share of my real and p erson al estate. I do leave to my daughter, Hannah Stanfield, widow of John Stanfield, fi f ty pounds current money which shall be paid in full of her portion an d sh are of my real and personal estate. I do leave to my daughter, Ruth Lindley, wife to Thomas Lindley, ten pou n ds current money, and I do leave to the said Thomas Lindley, ten pound s c urrent money, which shall be their full share of my real and persona l est ate. I do leave to my daughter Katherine Johnson, wife to Robert Johnson, t h e sum of ten pounds of current money, and I do leave to the said Rober t J ohnson, the sum of ten pounds current money, which shall be their ful l sh are of my real and personal estate. I do leave to my daughter Anne Gregg, widow of Richard Gregg departed, t h e sum of forty pounds current money which shall be in full of her porti o n and share of my real and personal estate. I do leave my son Joshua Hadley, ten pounds current money and half o f m y wearing apparel which shall be in full of his portion and share o f my r eal and personal estate. I do leave to my grand-daughter Elizabeth Thompson, wife to James Thomps o n, forty pounds current money and I do leave to my grand-daughter Debor a h Curle, wife of John Curle the sum of five pounds of current money, a n d to my grand-daughter Hannah Curle, wife to Samuel Curle the sum of fo rt y pounds current money, all of them children of my son Joseph Hadley. I do leave to my grand-children Ruth Marshall, wife to John Marshall, t h e sum of twenty pounds current money. and I do leave to Thomas Hadley , th e sum of forty pounds current money, and I do leave to Sarah Fred, w ife t o Joseph Fred, the sum of fifty pounds current money, and I do leav e to M ary Hadley the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave t o Jerem iah Hadley the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leav e to Joshu a Hadley, Jr. the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I d o leave to Jo seph Hadley Jr. the sum of sixty pounds current money, an d I do leave Deb orah Hadley sixty pounds current money and I do leave Ha nnah Hadley the s um of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave Cather ine Hadley, the su m of sixty pounds current money, all of them childre n of my son Joshua Ha dley. I do leave to my grand-children to wit, I do leave to Simon Dixon fifty- f ive pounds current money, and I do leave Rebecca Marshall wife to Willi a m Marshall. thirty pounds current money and I do leave Ruth Dixon sixt y p ounds current money and I do leave to John Stanfield, Jr. the sum o f fift y pounds current money, and I do leave Thomas Stanfield fifty poun ds curr ent money, and I do leave Samuel Stanfield fifty pounds current m oney, al l of them children of my said daughter Hannah Stanfield, widow a nd relic t of John Stanfield departed. I do leave to my grandchildren, to Catherine Lindley, sixty pounds curre n t money, and I do leave James Lindley sixty pounds current money, an d I d o leave Simon Lindley sixty pounds current money and I do leave Rut h Lind ley, Jr. sixty pounds current money, and I do leave Mary Lindley , Jr. six ty pounds current money, and I do leave Elenor Lindley sixty po unds curre nt money, and I do leave John Lindley sixty pounds current mon ey and I d o leave William Lindley sixty pounds current money and I do le ave Thoma s Lindley, Jr. sixty pounds current money, all children 'of' m y daughte r Ruth Lindley, wife to Thomas Lindley and I do leave Deborah L indley six ty pounds current money. I do leave to my grand children, Hannah Taylor, wife to Joseph Taylor, s i xty pounds current money, and I do leave to Caleb Johnson sixty pound s cu rrent money and I do leave to John Johnson sixty pounds current mone y, an d I do leave to Freeman Johnson sixty pounds current money, and I d o leav e to Jonathan Johnson sixty pounds current money, and I do leave t o Isaa c Johnson sixty pounds current money, all children to my daughte r Katheri ne Johnson, wife to Robert Johnson. I do leave to my grand-children to-wit; Sarah Smith Gregg, fifty-five po u nds current money, and I do leave to Jacob Gregg sixty pounds current m on ey, and I do leave Ruth Gregg five pounds current money, and I do leav e W illiam Gregg sixty pounds current money, and I do leave Mirriam Greg g six ty pounds current money and I do leave Deborah Gregg sixty pounds c urren t money and I do leave Phebe Gregg sixty pounds current meney, al l of the m children of my daughter Ann Gregg, widow and relict to Richar d Gregg de parted. NOTE-John Lindley was twice set down in a mistake and when I found, th e m istake I erased it with my own hand. Deborah Lindley was born in Nort h Ca rolina and I did not remember her to get her name down in the prope r plac e, but I do give the said sum set down on the other side. And it is my will that as many of my said grand-children which are at a g e at my decease, that my executors shall pay them their legacies left t he m by me one year after my decease, and all my said grand-children whic h a re not of age, I do order my said executors to give it into the hand s o f the parents of the said grand-children, they giving bond and securi ty w ith interest for the same for the benefit of their children, and m y sai d grand-children, to be paid one year after my decease to said pare nts, b ut if they refuse to comply as above, then I do order my said exec utors t o put out the said legacy left by me to my said grand-children in to goo d hands at interest, and pay them as above when they come of age w ith th e interest of said legacy at twenty-one years or day of marriage w hich fi rst shall happen. It is my will that if any of my grand-children depart this life before t h ey come to age or before, unmarried, that their legacy left them by m e sh all be equally divided among their survivors, and it is my will tha t if a ny of my granddaughters or grand-sons wives should have any more c hildre n before my decease or be pregnant, that then my said executors sh all pu t to interest for them the sum of fifty pounds current money, an d pay the m as above said. I do leave to my nephew Thomas Kiernan, the su m of ten p ounds current money. I do leave to my said wife's children to wit; John Buffington, one pisto l e, [n.b., a pistole was a Spanish gold piece] Richard Buffington one pi st ole, Phebe Wall one pistole, Peter Buffington one pistole, Isaac Buffi ngt on one pistole, Joseph Buffington ten pounds current money to be pai d the m one year after my decease and what bonds, notes or accounts be pa yabl e to me from any of my grand children or their husbands, must be dis count ed out of the legacy left them by me, and I here-by constitute mak e and o rdain my trusty and well-beloved Grand-son-inlaw, James Thompso n and my t rusted and well beloved grand-son John Hadley and my worthy an d well love d friend, Daniel Nichols, all of them in Mill Creek Hundred i n the Count y of New Castle on Delaware, yeomen, my executors of this m y last will an d testament, and I do hereby revoke and make void all form er wills made b y me at any time here-to-fore, and I do leave my executor s thirty pound s current money to each of them, for their care and troubl e they will hav e about the managing and settling of my said estate, whic h said sum shal l be in full for their care and trouble and shall not hav e more for thei r commission, nor any other charge against my said estat e on that account , but I do allow my said executors shalf' have commissi ons for what jus t money shall be received by them arising out of the leg acies left by m e to my said grand-children until they respectively arriv e at the age abo ve-said. and I do desire and request my trusty friends B enjamin Swett o f the town of New Castle, Esq. and Samuel Gregg of Christ iana Hundred an d county above said, yeomen, to be overseers, to see tha t my last will an d testament be well and truly performed, and for thei r care and troubl e I do leave to each of them the sum of five pounds cur rent money, to b e paid by the said executors, and it is my will that wha t is left to my s aid son, Joseph Hadley, should be kept in my said execu tors hands and giv e it to him at several times as they see it is necessa ry for it. In witness whereof I have here-unto set my hand and my seal this 3rd d a y of November, one thousand seven hundred and fifty five (1755). Note before signing and sealing-It is my will that if any of my grand-eh i ldren should fall heir to any of the above said tracts of land by the d ea th of him or them which I have willed it to, then it is my will that h e o r they which shall fall heir to said estate or estates, shall not hav e th e said fifty pounds willed to them by me as above, but shall be equa lly d ivided as above to the surviving grand-children. Signed, Sealed, pronounced and declared by the said Simon Hadley to be h i s last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers." * * * * * No inventory of Simon Hadley's estate was found with the will. In additi o n to his home and lands Simon Hadley divided about $15,000 in money amo n g his family, a large estate for those days. This old will, yellowed with age and held together with what appeare d t o be a hand-made pin, was found by the compiler of these notes in th e cou rt house in Wilmington, Delaware, in August, 1908. They had been mo ved wi th other court ' records from New Castle, Delaware, many years bef ore. Aside from a few faded words the will was easily deciphered and it was s i gned by Simon Hadley in a firm, round hand. An abstract of the will has recently been printed in the "Calendar of De l aware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800," by the Colonial Dames of De la ware. This shows that the number of bequests in Simon Hadley's will we r e sixty-eight in number, which exceeds any other in the Calendar. There are several interesting items in the will. It will be noticed th a t Simon Hadley did not use the "e" in his name, although he did in writ in g of his children. It shows that he must have already given his sons J ose ph and Joshua their share in the estate, as in the will they are give n bu t 10 pounds each ", and half of their father's wearing apparel. Eve n wit h such a scanty remembrance, it would seem that Simon Hadley was un certai n of his son Joseph to handle it properly and therefore specifie d the man ner in which the bequest should be given him. The nephew, Thomas Kiernan, mentioned in the will, was doubtless the s o n of Simon Hadley's sister, Jane Kiernan, mentioned in the letter of ad mi nistration referred to by the Office of Arms, Dublin Castle. Simon Hadley was buried with his wife Ruth in the New Garden burying gro u nd. Several years ago a visit was paid to this old cemetery, but no ide nt ification of the graves was found as in early times, it seems, Friend s di d not mark the resting place of their members with a stone of any ki nd. New Garden meeting house is a venerable old structure built of red and b l ack brick, brought from England, it is said. In front of the meeting ho us e stood a mounting stone and a low stone wall surrounded both the meet in g house and the burying ground adjoining it. There was an air of antiq uit y about the interior of the old building. The long room where Hadleys , Li ndleys, Rowlands and Greggs worshipped in past years, was divided b y slid ing shutters for the men's and women's meetings. A huge fireplac e was i n each end, but these had been closed and stoves were substituted , the pi pes of which went through limestone slabs in the ceiling. Time-w orn oak p anelling, put together with wooden pegs, extended around the ro om, and th e heavy wooden benches, black from age, were covered with init ials of gen erations of youngsters until the carvings appeared as relie f work. Back o f the gallery where John Salkeld, Jacob Lindley and othe r zealous Friend s had preached in long gone days, was a case of well-thu mbed, leather-bou nd books on the doctrines of Friends. Outside in the sh elter of a splendi d magnolia tree in a score of unmarked graves, sleep t he ancestors of man y families in North Carolina and Indiana. In Simon Hadley's will it will be noticed that at his death many of hi s d escendants were already in the South. His son, Joshua Hadley, was i n Virg inia at that time and several grandchildren were living in North C arolina . The tide of emigration to the South was at its full just then a nd it co ntinued until the Revolutionary War put a stop to travel. Notes for Phoebe (Spouse 2) Will of Phebe Grubb Buffington Hadley 1767654 <../wc_src.html> Will of Phebe Buffington Hadley "Be it remembered that I Phebe HADLEY of the Township of West Bradfor d i n the County of Chester & Province of Pennsylvania, Widow, knowing th e un certainty of Life do make this my Last will & Testament in the follo win g Manner.. Imprimus: My Will is that all my Just debts and funeral charges be fir s t paid and discharged as soon as may be after my decease by my Exectr h er eafter named... Item - I give to the Heir of my Late Husband Simon Hadley the sum of Fi v e Shillings Item - I give unto my daughter Phebe WALL the wife of John WALL all my w e aring apparrel [sic] Item - I give unto my son Nathaniel all the Bonds and Debts which are n o w due to me or payable from him in Leiu of all other Bequests Item - I give unto my son Peter BUFFINGTON and my son-in-law John WALL t h e several obligations and debts that they are now indebted to me respec ti vely to each their respective debts in Lieu of all other bequests. Item - I give thirty pounds to be equally divided between all my childr e n now living and my son in law Samuel O___ [Osburn?] and my granddaught e r Frances BUFFINGTON share and share alike it being for building a hou s e on my land And all the remainder part of my estate both real and personal not heret o fore bequeathed I give to my sons John BUFFINGTON his heirs and assign s f orever, he or they providing for me a good and sufficient maintainenc e du ring my natrual life and decently burying me when I am dead. Lastly I do hereby constitute nominate and appoing my son John BUFFINGT O N to be sole executor of this my last will and Testament and I do here b y utterly revoke and disannul all other and former wills by me heretofo r e made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will a n d testament. In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second da y o f the ninth month anno domini 1767. Signed sealed published and declared by the testator [illegible, wit h a date] John SNOW" 1756 Will of Simon Hadley649 <../wc_src.html> Simon Hadley's last will, written in 1755, was recorded in 1756. There w e re several changes made in this last will from the former one. These in cl uded some 600 acres of land not mentioned in the last will. It may hav e b een that at his second marriage this land constituted the settlemen t best owed on Phoebe Buffington by Simon Hadley, or this land may have b een giv en in the meantime to his two sons, Joseph and Joshua, who were s cantil y remembered in the last will as compared to Simon Hadley's variou s grand children. Attached to the will was the deposition of David Finney , attorn ey at law, taken before William Till, Register of Wills for th e probate , and granting letters of administration in and for the count y of New Cas tle. In this deposition Finney said: "He was at the mansio n house of Simo n Hadley, Esq., on Jan. 21st, 1756, and that Simon Hadle y seemed unable t o determine what sum should be left Phoebe, his wife, a nd Finney suggeste d 200 pounds, to which Simon agreed was fair, in addit ion to the marriag e settlement he had given her." The last will, which w as written by Simo n Hadley in 1755, was recorded in 1756 and was as foll ows: "Know all men by these presents that I, Simon Hadly of Mill Creek Hundr e d in the County of New Castle on Delaware, yeoman, calling to mind th e mo rtality of my body, do make and ordain this my last will and testame nt, a nd as touching such worldly estate where-with it has pleased God t o bles s me in this life, I do give, devise and dispose of the same. in t he mann er and form following: First, it is my will that my funeral charge and just debts be first paid. It is my will and I do leave my beloved wife, Phebe Hadly _________ poun d s current money to be paid her six months after my death, to be paid b y m y executors, hereinafter mentioned, her chaise and chaise-horse, my r idin g mare and the two best cows I have, besides what I have left her i n my m arriage settlement with her, and as much of the furniture of the h ouse a s she will think fit to, take, to the value of pounds and no more , whic h shall be in full of my real and personal estate. Imprimus, -- I give, devise and bequeath unto my grandson Simon Hadley , s on of my son Joshua Hadley, the Messuage plantation and tract of lan d I n ow live on, bounded and described as follows Viz. Beginning at a co rner p ost, being a corner of Jacob John's lands thence by his line eas t 300 per ches to a corner white oak in the Manor line, thereon south b y the said l ine 217 perches to a corner hickory, thence west by the lan d now seated b y my grandson John Hadley, 73 perches to a post, thence no rth 31 degrees , west 38 perches to a black oak, thence north 50 degrees , west 48 perche s and a half to a gum tree, thence north 60 degrees wes t 137 perches an d a half to another gum, thence north 20 degrees, west 1 9 perches to a po st, thence north 69 degrees, 59 perches to a post in Wi lliam Rows line, t hence north by the same 46 perches to the place of beg inning, contain-26 0 acres be the same more or less, making the bounds af oresaid, with the h ereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, t o hold to him, my sa id grandson Simon Hadley and the male heirs of his b ody lawfully begotte n forever, but if my said grandson should depart thi s life without lawfu l issue, then it is my will and I do give and devis e the same Messuage pl antation and tract of land unto my grandson Jeremi ah Hadley, son of my sa id son Joshua Hadley, to hold to him and the mal e heirs of his body lawfu lly begotten forever, but if he should depart t his life without male heir s as above, then and in such case I give and d evise and bequeath the sai d messuage plantation and tract of land and pr emises unto the next male h eirs as consanguinity to him and the male hei rs of his body lawfully bego tten forever. I also give and bequeath unt o my said grandson Simon Hadley , my clock and walnut clothes press whic h stands in one of the upper room s and the sum of ten pounds lawful mone y, all of which several bequests t o be possessed by him when he shall ar rive at the respective age of twent y-one years. I give devise and bequeath unto my grandson, Simon Johnson, son of Robe r t Johnson, certain plantation and tract of land lying contiguous to th e a bove land devised to my grandson Simon Hadley, bounded and describe d as f olloweth; Viz. Beginning at a corner mulberry tree being a corne r of th e land late of Joshua Hadley, but now of Robert Johnson, thence w est by t he same land one hundred and eighty perches to a post thence nor th by th e said Rows land 134 perches to a corner post of the above lan d devised t o my said grandson Simon Hadley, thence south 6g degrees, eas t by the sai d tract 59 perches to a post and south 20 degrees, east 19 p erches to a g um tree and south 60 degrees, east 137 perches and a half t o another gu m and south 50 degrees, east 48 perches and a half to a corn er black oa k and south 31 degrees, east 38 perches to a corner post i n a line of th e land seated by my said grandson John Hadley, thence wes t by the same 5 7 perches to a corner black oak in a line of the aforesai d Robert Johnso n land, thence north by the same 37 perches to the plac e of the beginning , containing by estimation 112 acres be the same mor e or less within th e bounds aforesaid, with the hereditaments and appurt enances thereunto be longing or in anywise appertaining, to hold to him , my said grandson Simo n Johnson, and the male heirs of his body lawfull y begotten forever, bu t if he my said grandson, Simon Johnson should hap pen to depart this lif e without male heirs as above, then and in such cu e I give, devise and be queath the said tract of land and premises unto t he next male heirs by co nsanguinity to him. my said grandson, and the ma le heirs of his body lawf ully begotten forever, to be possessed by my sa id grandson when he shal l arrive at the respective age of twenty-one yea rs. I do give and bequeath to my grandson, John Hadley, son of my son Jose p h Hadley, and the male heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever, a p la ntation or tract of land here-in-after mentioned, but if he should dep ar t this life without male heirs, then in such case, it is my will an d I d o give and bequeath the said plantation and tract of land to' the n ext ma le heir by blood to him and his heirs forever, said plantation an d trac t of land to be bounded as followeth; Beginning at a corner blac k oak i n the line of the said Robert Johnsons land, thence east 130 perc hes t o a corner hickory tree in the said Manor line, thence by the sai d line s outh 185 perches to a corner oak sapling-(faded out)--containin g within t he said bounds 150 acres of land, be the same more or less, an d I do bequ eath to my said grandson John Hadley, ten pounds current mone y. I do give and bequeath a plantation or tract of land to ____ ,Johnso n i n the Letitia Aubrey Manor containing 93 acres and 66 perches of lan d . I have a deed for the same and recorded in the name of my grandson Si mo n Gregg, son of Richard Gregg departed, and Anne his wife, my daughter , t o him and the male hens of his body lawfully begotten as above, but s houl d he depart this life, it is my will and I do give the said plantati on an d tract of land to the next male heirs by blood to him and the mal e heir s of his body legally begotten forever, and it is my will that m y executo rs here-in-after named, rent the above plantations to good tena nts unti l my said grandsons arrive at the age of twenty-one years, tha t all of m y said grandsons shall pay the ____________ due on each of the ir plantati ons when lawfully--(faded out).