Person:Edward Buckman (1)

  The Buckman Family came to Pennsylvania in 1682 on the "Welcome" ship  with William Penn. Joan Bagham Buckman, widow of Edward Buckman was a  passenger along with daughter, Ruth, and three sons, William and his wife  Sarah Rowland; Thomas and Edward, Jr., plus three grandchildren, Thomas,  Mary and Sarah. ( William's children).
  They had set sail on July 20, 1682 on what was to become a famous voyage  with a famous man. Small pox broke out on the ship and half of those on  board died at sea. It is believed that William Penn was immune, having  had the disease as young man. The Buckman family was the largest family  group on board.
  This family of nine brought 2000 pounds of luggage; they  had a private cabin, suggesting they were a family of wealth. There  exists a verbatim list of all the items they shipped. They brought linen  table cloths and napkins, pewter dishes, cherry wood furniture, including  several beds; all the Senior Buckman's carpentry tools and building  supplies; non-perishable food for the crossing and enough clothing to  last each one a lifetime. There were hats and capes for the women; suits,  shoes and hun dreds of pounds of linen wearing apparel; curtains, pillows, brass cookware and everything was packed in chest, baskets,  tubs, sacks and coolers.
  Before leaving England, the Buckman Family purchased from William Penn  land in Bucks County, at Newtown. It was in the names of the three  brothers, William, Edward and Thomas. Historians agree that the young  brothers, Thomas and Edward died of small pox before reaching

Pennsylvania. William's 7 year old son Thomas was also a casualty. Most historians believe that the mother, Joan also died at sea. The Welcome ship sailed up the Delaware River on October 28, 1682 and many families spent the first winter in abandoned Indian caves at Fallsington awaiting spring weather before setting out to locate their purchased land. In early 1683, William, Sarah and their daughters, Mary and Sarah went north to Newtown to claim their land.