Family Group Friday - Plunketts

 

Back row left to right: Curtis Plunkett, Chester Plunkett, Jim Plunkett, Beulah Scruggs Plunket
Front row left to right: Henry Plunkett, Ouida Plunkett, Sula Plunkett and Florene Plunkett

Sula Plunkett is my great-grandmother. I remember her well, as well as her sisters Ouida and Florene (or as I called them Aunt Weeder and Aunt FloRene). Henry died in France during WWII. 

Family Group Friday: The Conways

The Conway Family in 1925

Left to right: Jeff, Dude?, Mahuldy, Jefferson, Ruth, Mollie, Sam, Mae, and Lou

Jefferson Conway married Mahuldy Catherine Rice

Children: W. F. Conway (not pictured)
Mollie Savannah (pictured with son, Jeff, and daughter, Ruth)
James Henry (not pictured)

Samuel J (pictured with wife, Lou, and daughter, Mae)

Nancy Catherine (not pictured)

Rebecca (not pictured)

Dora E (not pictured)

Willie (not pictured)

The Conways immigrated from England before 1700. 

Family Group Friday - The Kolbs

 

Seated: Andrew Egger Kolb and Margaret Murrah Kolb

Children left to right standing; William Serenus, Martha Theodosa, Andrew Elzie, Ezra and Avery Egger

Children left to right front: Clara (my great grandmother), Rutha Mae, and Zada

Andrew Egger Kolb was the son of James Kolb and Rhoda Egger who migrated to Mississippi from South Carolina with James's family.  He was married to Martha McCarter and Margaret Murrah. 

Served in the Civil War from 1862 - 1865. He left behind a journal he kept during the war. 

William Biles: An American Quaker Pioneer

Early Life and Education
Born in Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England in 1644, William Biles hailed from a family with a strong tradition of religious dissent. His maternal grandfather, the Rev. William Strong, was a well-respected preacher and supporter of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. Biles received his education in law at Exeter College, at Cornwall in 1660, obtaining his B.A. in 1664, and M.A. in 1669.

 Emigration to America
In 1679, seeking refuge from religious persecution in England, William Biles brought his wife, Joanna (Hellard), and their five children to America. They settled in what would later become Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, before William Penn received his charter. William worked as a "vile monger" - a seller of glass containers such as drinking glasses, and bottles for perfumes or medicines.
William Biles quickly established himself as a prominent figure in early Pennsylvania. He served as a Justice of the first Provincial (Supreme) Court from as early as 1681, and he was a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Council from 1683 to 1700. Biles also held a seat in the Legislature from 1686 to 1708, contributing significantly to the early governance of the colony. Biles was a land speculator and owned substantial tracts of land in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, amassing over 50,000 acres in what is now Salem County, New Jersey. He was qualified as a proprietor of West New Jersey and played a pivotal role in its development. 
William was outspoken and made enemies with a number of powerful people including Lieutenant Governor John Evans and William Penn. After a particular outburst at the Assembly or Pennsylvania, William Penn wrote the following about William Biles: 

"Much is said of the lewdness of Pennsylvania. I beg of thee to have regard to my character and give not that advantage against me, either with God or good or bad men, whose ill use of it I most fear on a public account. I have just now received thine of 5th, 5th month and am very sorry that wicked man, D. L. could blow up any of his mermidons to such a pitch as thy account of William Biles relates that is a meer vox et praetara nihil, a cox comb and a pragmatic ingraine. That fellow's plantation is a robbery on Pennsbury and if there be a grant, was not a purchase from me nor toward land write for me was surveyed long before and done in my absence, formerly and Judge Monpresson can tell if I may not be deceived in my grant as well as the Crown, be it King or Queen Since if confirmed it was on. Surprize and rattle an Inquisition about his [William Biles'] ears if not a prosecution. And know when the time is expired of session, as he may be taken to task. Since the service he may pretend he was to attend is over. And do first complain to the Friends and if they won't or can't bow him to make satisfaction, take it by law, thyself. Pray mind what I say be secret, which is discreet and fall on him or any other such unruly people at once and make someone such an example to terrify the rest. Thou hast not only my leave but my liking and encouragement whether called Quakers or not. --[signed] William Penn"

 

 Religious Contributions
William Biles continued his family's tradition of religious dedication and became a prominent Quaker minister in the region. He played a crucial role in establishing the first Quaker meetings west of the Delaware River. The first known Quaker meeting was held at his home below the Falls of Neshaminy in 1683, setting the foundation for the establishment of Falls Meeting House in 1690. In addition to his local contributions, William Biles traveled back to England in 1701 and 1702 to be a voice for Quaker interests. He was a committed supporter of the Society of Friends and engaged in gospel work, making several journeys to New England colonies to promote Quaker beliefs. 

 Later Life and Legacy
Joanna died in 1687. Fifteen months later he remarried Jane (Boyd) Atkinson, widow of Thomas Atkinson. William and Jane traveled in America, Ireland and England in the working for the Society of Friends. Jane passed away in 1709. After she died he continued his public and private endeavors, and his land holdings continued to expand, encompassing around 20,000 acres in New Jersey, 300 acres in Delaware, and 1,000 acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, by the time of his death. William Biles passed away on May 19, 1710, at the age of 66. His legacy lives on in the early history of Pennsylvania and the Quaker community. His son, William Biles Jr., also became a notable figure in Pennsylvania politics, serving as Speaker of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1724. William Biles Sr. left behind a lasting impact as both a religious leader and a key participant in the development and governance of the Pennsylvania colony during its formative years.

William Biles (1644-1710)

Johanna Biles (1675-1775)

Abraham Beeks (1703-1732)

Abraham Beeks (1731-1788)

Samuel Beeks (1752-1814)

Francis Marion Beeks (1786-1861)

Nettie Jane Beeks (1812-1882) Migrated to Cherry Creek with husband Joshua Smith

Francis M Smith (1840-1916)

W F Smith (1882-1916)

Oda Zelle Smith (1908-1975) - My great grandmother

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Biles

• Biles, B. W. (1950). The Biles Family: How Green Was Our Valley. Altus, Okla. https://archive.org/details/bilesfamilyhowgr00bile

• Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., Compiled Marriage Records, 1700-1821 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Happy Anniversary

 James Murphy Looney and Mary Susan Francis were married 29 October 1874 in Franklin, Tennessee.

Source: Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, TN, USA;
Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002

Surname Sunday - Beeks

 William and Mary Beakes, with their sons in tow, arrived in Pennsylvania aboard the "Bristol Merchant" sailing up the Delaware River in December 1682. Before arriving, William had deeds of lease (tenancy) and release (relinquishment of landlord's interest in the property) of 1000+ acres of land purchased from William Penn. Part of this land was in the region of Bucks County near the Delaware River. He also had lots in the city of Philadelphia. 

The Beakes were Quakers and are listed in many Quaker meeting notes. 

William's son, Samuel (my 9th great-grandfather), married Johannah Biles, daughter of American judge attorney, legislator, sheriff, land speculator and merchant, William Biles. 

William Beakes
Samuel Beaks 1667-1732
Abraham Beeks 1703-1732
Abraham Beeks 1731-1788
Samual Beeks 1752-1814
Francis Marion Beeks 1786-1861
Nettie Jane Beeks 1812-1882
Francis M Smith 1840-?
W F Smith 1882-?
Oda Zelle Smith, my great grandmother

Sources:

• Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935
• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500-1900

My Scots-Irish History

When Abraham Hillhouse was born about 1639, his hometown of Ayr* in the Scottish council (county) of Ayrshire was like most struggling settlements in the Scottish lowlands. The area had been through a series of plagues over the last 100 years and the people were tired and looking for a change in their luck. So when King James the VI offered land to lowlanders willing to immigrate to Ulster, Ireland, many families, including Abraham's, took advantage of the opportunity and sailed across the North Channel towards a new life.

Abraham and his family settled in Parish of Aghanloo. The family appears in records in the towns of Ballycastle, Atikelly, Free Hall and Streeve Hill. They also spent at least 101 days in the city of Derry during the 1689 Siege of Londonderry. Abraham's brother, James, is said to be the mayor of Derry during this time.

The Lowlanders did not quite fit in, though. Not only were their politics and culture Scottish but their Presbyterian religion was incompatible with the Catholic Highlanders and Irish or the King's Anglican Church. The Lowland immigrants became second-class citizens in Ulster -- forced to pay tithes to the Church of England and not represented in the local government. Many of these Ulster Scots or Scots-Irish fled for America others would leave eventually but not before things got even worse.

Between the years of 1717 and 1776, more than a quarter of a million Ulster Presbyterians immigrated to America. Most of these settled into the Appalachian mountains.

Abraham and his wife, Janet had at least 3 children, Abraham, James, and John, all born at Free Hall. John later inherits Free Hall and he and his wife, Rachel, raise their six sons there. John and Rachel are buried at the Arclow Church.

At least 2 of John's sons immigrated to America: Reverend James Hillhouse and Samuel Hillhouse my ancestor. 

Samuel married Anne Luckey in North Carolina and the two settled in western Rowan County after her father's death. It was around this time that the name Hillhouse was changed to Hillis. All five of Samuel's sons fought in the war for independence. Samuel's daughter, Martha, married William Minter.

William and Martha's daughter, AnnaMariah Minton married Peter Morgan. Peter and AnnaMariah had a son, Charles, in 1801 in South Carolina.

Charles married Lucretia and had a daughter Barbara Sophia Morgan. Sophie (1845-1922) is my 3rd great grandmother.

*Though most sources agree that Abraham Hillhouse was born in Ayr, there is enough evidence to make me believe that his ancestry was not Scottish but English. The Hillhouse name originated in North England and Ayr is very close to the English border.