Person:Thomas Griffith (6)

About Thomas Griffith

Heisterkamp's Annotated Landis Ferree Tree (as of 30 April 2004)

Michel A. Smoke Home Page (FTM).

Thomas came to U.S. at age 18 in 1726 with his brother, John, age 14 and his sister, Martha, age 8. They were to be cared for by their uncles, John and Hugh Morgan, or their aunt, Mary, who was the wife of John Pennell. They were members of the religious order, Friends or Quakers. (Cert. from M.M.(Monthly Meeting) Talcoed in Wales to M.M. of Friends in Pennsylvania (Abington) dated 10th of 4th month 1726. -provided by Mary Wilson). They embarked at Milford-Haven aboard the Constantine galley of Bristol, Edward Foy, master, in 1726. After a passage of about 8 weeks, they were met by Uncle John Morgan, who lived about 12 miles from Philadelphia. Thomas became a weaver and settled at Aunt Mary Pennel's. (Source: John Griffith (bro.) Journal published London 1799.) His name appears in Minutes of Sadsbury, Lancaster County, MM Mar 1738, 1742, 1758. He also appears in the Tax Rolls, York County, Menallen Township 1762 New Garden Monthly Meeting: Thomas Griffith died in the spring of 1769 and was buried in Friends Burial Ground Old Menallen, where his gravestone bearing inscription"T.G.1769" may still be seen. (Immigration of Irish Quakers, Albrty Cook Meyers) See records of Orphan's Court of York County, Docket B, 223, 224.

His will was probated 3/13/1769, Book B York County. the Monthly Meeting minutes indicate he died in 1768. The information is also in Orphan's Court records.

The value of his homestead is listed as 320 Pounds.

Calendar of some records of the Society of Friends, Hereford/Worcester and Wales Monthly Meetings. Shows father as John Griffith. (Births, burials and marriages, supplement to Monthly Meeting.)

Journal of the Life, Travels and Labor in the Work of the Ministry of John Griffith (brother of Thomas), Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

John Griffith, brother of Thomas, in his "Journal" states: My father was John Griffith and my mother Amy Morgan of Radnor, Wales. Father and Mother were Quakers, Mother first to adopt faith. In 1726 my brother [Thomas] and myself embarked at Milford Haven on board the Constantine galley of Bristol, Edward Foy, Master. Our uncle, John Morgan, who lived about 12 miles from the city of Philadelphia came on board and conducted us to his house where I continued for some time. My brother [Thomas] being a weaver settled at my Aunt Mary Pennell's, following his trade.

The children of John and Amy Griffith on the ship were: Thomas, 18 years ; John, 14 years; and Martha, 8 years. These children were met by their uncles, John Morgan, Hugh Morgan and Aunt Mary Morgan Pennel, who lived at Radnor, then Haverford, then Abington (Pennsylvania). Thomas Griffith went home with his Aunt to Abington, then to Sadsbury. [Milford Haven was in County Pembroke, Wales.]

26 April 1727 Thomas Griffith appeared before the Chester Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania and produced a Certificate of Removal from the Talcoed Monthly Meeting in Radnorshire, Wales. After the Certificate was recorded at Chester, The minutes indicate it was to be sent on to Abington Monthly Meeting to serve as a recommendation for Thomas' brother, John Griffith.

The Certificate has been preserved and a copy was found on file at Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. It reads as follows:

CERTIFICATE of REMOVAL from Talcoed Monthly Meeting, County of Radnor, Wales: "To the Monthly Meeting or Quarterly Meetings of Friends and Brethren in the Province of Pensilvania in America but more particularly to the Monthly Meeting of Friends at Abington in the Sd. Province --- whereas three children Thomas Griffith about 18 years of age and John Griffith his brother about 14 years of age and Martha Griffith their sister about 8 years of age, all born in the Parish of Nantmeal and County of Radnor in South Wales, Being the Sons and daughter of John Griffith and Amy his wife, inhabitants and Land holders in the Parish and County aforesaid, are by the order and free consent of their said parents intending in a few days to go aboard a Ship Belonging to the Port of Bristol, Whereof Edward Foy is Captain, In order to Sail in Sd Ship (if God permit) to the City of Philadelphia in the Sd. Province. There to be delivered to their uncles, John Morgan, Hugh Morgan or either of them or to Mary the wife of John Pennell who is their Mother's sister, who all of them if living are settled inhabitants in this Sd. Province to the intent that they the Sd John Morgan, Hugh Morgan and Mary their sister may take care of them and dispose of them as they shall think best and in case their relations doe perform what is desired and hoped for by the Sd. parents. --We then the persons hereunder named who are members of the Meeting which the Sd. parents belong by order of our Monthly Meeting held at Talcoed the 10th instant doe desire that the Sd. three children or either of them may be disposed of according as Friends of the Sd. Meeting of Abington shall think most expedient, and as to their Sd. children's descent we give you to understand that their Parents are Honest Friends having each of them a Public Testimony for the Truth wherewith Friends have Unity; and we further Desire (as well on the behalf of the Sd. Children who are hopeful as also for their parents and their aged Grandmother's sake who is an Honest Woman, namely Sarah Rees) that you Will as need shall require, advise or assist the Sd. children in Order that they may be settled to Honest Friends, further and we, according to our power shall be willing to answer what you or any of our Brethren shall in Love desire of us who are your Loving Friends.

Signed at and by Order of our Monthly Meeting at Talcoed the 10th of the 4th month 1726. (Since the Quaker Calendar year began in March, the 4 th month would be June.)

From 1727 until 1738 we find no record of Thomas Griffith in the Quaker records. We can only assume that he was busy learning his craft as a weaver, and perhaps building himself a home or preparing for the day he would be married and have a family. But typical of many young bachelor men, even , it would seem, conservative Quaker young men, Thomas gets himself in some trouble with the Society. We find The following references to him in the Sadsbury Monthly Meeting records:

5, 1st mo. 1738: "This meeting being informed that Thomas Griffith hath of late been at a shooting match and there did quarrel and fight, Anthony Shaw and Jonas Chamberlain are desired to treat with him in order to bring home to a sense of his misdoing, and return an account to next Meeting where he is desired to appear."

1, 3d mo. 1738: "At a Monthly Meeting of Sadsbury held at Leacock...the representatives being called all appeared. The Friends appointed last meeting to treat with Thos. Griffith not having as yet an opportunity with him are continued and to report to next Meeting."

5, 4th mo. 1738: "At a Monthly Meeting of Sadsbury at Sadsbury...Thomas Griffith produced a paper to this meeting expressing his sorrow for striking a man at a shooting match as mentioned before which paper is accepted as Satisfaction and Anthony Shaw is desired to read it in a First Days Meeting at Sadsbury and return it to next Meeting..."

After the satisfactory conclusion to the above events, Thomas again disappears from the records of Sadsbury until four years later we find:

4, 7th mo. 1742: "Thomas Griffith produced a paper of condemnation setting forth his sorrow for his outgoing in marriage, desiring Friends to continue him under their care, which was received, and Anthony Shaw is appointed to read it in a First-Day Meeting at Sadsbury."

[NOTE: Marrying "out" or "out of unity" means one of the parties to the marriage was not a Quaker and a reason for "disownment." To be disowned meant you could not actively participate in meetings or be part of the Quaker community; a sad state of affairs in these early years when the majority of the community were members of the Society of Friends. A member could "acknowledge" the wrong doing by publicly repenting the error and once this had been done, the member would be welcomed back into the group as if the offense had not happened. All "condemnations" or "complaints" were recorded in the minutes, as well as the steps taken to bring the member to repentance and acknowledgement.]

[NOTE: A marriage "out of unity" is different from a "marriage contrary to discipline." The latter was a more serious offense as it meant marriage by a "hireling teacher" or "marriage by a priest." Priest in the Quaker records means a minister of any other religion; hireling teacher usually meant a Justice of the Peace or Civil marriage of some kind.]

6, 7th mo. 1742: At the Monthly Meeting of Sadsbury held at Leacock "the Friend appointed to read Tho. Griffith's paper reports he hath performed that Service."

It is apparent that remaining within the Society was important to Thomas, although he does not appear to have taken any active role within the Sadsbury meeting as it is 16 long years before we hear of him again. On page 90 of the Sadsbury minutes we find that "Thos. Griffith requests our certificate to Warrington Monthly Meeting..."

6, 5th mo. 1758: "the Friends appointed to prepare a certificate for Thomas Griffith produced one here, which was approved and signed."

The next record of the Thomas Griffith family appears in the Warrington Monthly Meeting records when Thomas' wife, Eve, finally joins the Society of Friends.

3-18-1758: "Eve Griffith requests at this Meeting to be received into membership, which after consideration is granted."

8-19-1758: Thomas Griffith produced a certificate from Sadsbury Monthly Meeting dated 6-5-1758, which was read and accepted.

Unfortunately, the end of the Thomas Griffith story is a rather unhappy one. For whatever reason, perhaps poor health, Thomas apparently began to drink to excess in the last couple of years before his death. the following entries in the Menallen Preparative Meeting Minutes tell the tale of a man who, it would appear, was trying very hard to stay "in unity" with Friends, but lost the battle. At the same time as the members of Menallen were "treating" with Thomas, they were also "treating" with his sister-in-law, Martha Faulkner (wife of Jesse) for the same problems. (For a comparison of the two cases, see Appendix, "the Descendants of Thomas Faulkner" section, Jesse Faulkner/Martha Smith.)

9th of 8th mo. 1766: "Menallen Meeting informs that Thomas Griffith hath been guilty of drinking spiritous liquor to excess. John Griest and Jacob Beals are appointed to Labour with him to convince him of the evil of his ways and reclaim him from that pernicious practice and report to next meeting."

13th of 9th mo. 1766: "the friends appointed to treat with Thomas Griffith reports they have had a middling satisfactory opportunity with him and that he desired to be waited with for some time. John Hammond and William Hutton are appointed to inform him that he is waited with until next meeting and report to next meeting."

11th of 10th mo. 1766: "the friends appointed to inform Thomas Griffith that he was waited with, reports they have and that he desired to be waited with another month. John Wright and George Wilson are appointed to treat with him again and report to next meeting."

8th of 11th mo. 1766: "the friends appointed to treat with Thomas Griffith report they have and that he says he cannot do anything towards condemning his misconduct therefore this meeting appoints John Hammond and requests John Wright to prepare a testimony against him and produce it to next meeting. "

13th of 13th mo. 1766: "the friends appointed to prepare a testimony against Thomas Griffith are continued for that service."

10th of 1st mo. 1767: "the friends appointed to prepare a testimony against Thomas Griffith sent one to this meeting which is as follows viz: Whereas Thomas Griffith having had his education amongst us the People called Quakers but for want of a faithful adherence to the guidance of the unerring Spirit of truth gave way so far to a libertine Spirit as to be guilty of taking strong liquor to excess divers times and notwithstanding the great labours of Love bestowed upon him in order for his Restoration he too often persists in his Evil practice, which all such Evil practices we testifie against and deny him the said Thomas Griffith to be a member of our Religious Society until he comes to see his misconduct and make satisfaction for his outgoing which that he may is our desire. Which was approved and signed on behalf of this meeting by the clerk but he requesting to be waited with until next meeting the publishing of it is deferred until then and John Hammond and Benjamin Wright are appointed to inform him and report to next meeting." (NOTE: John Hammond was Thomas' son-in-law.)"

7th of 2nd mo. 1767: "Menallen Meeting informs that Thomas Griffith was desirous of attending this meeting to condemn his misconduct but they thought it best to wait some time to prove his sincerity. John Wright and George Wilson are appointed to let him know he is waited with another month."

14th of 3rd mo. 1767: "the friends appointed to inform Thomas Griffith he was waited with reports they did but it appears necessary to publish the testimony against him as his conduct is not amended, therefore John Blackburn and John Wright are appointed to show it to him, give him a copy if desired with notice of the privledge of an appeal which if he decline then John Blackburn to read it in public meeting at Manallen and return it to next meeting."

11th of 4th mo. 1767: "the friend appointed to read the testimony against Thomas Griffith reports he did and returned it to this meeting."

This is the last Thomas is mentioned in any Quaker records that we know about at this time and it was less than two short years later that he died in 1769. After reading many Quaker records where similar problems are "treated" with, it seems that Thomas' case was just a bit different. In other cases, Martha Faulkner's, for example, there was a history of drinking problems for many years before action was finally taken to this extent. We have found no prior history in Thomas' case. In Thomas' case the use of the phrase "reclaim him" is different than other cases where the term "bring them to a sense of their evil" is used. Also, other cases mention that the person does "not have the capacity" to condemn themselves, whereas this is not mentioned in Thomas' case and his seems to be a case of overindulgence "divers times" not habituation.

Thomas Griffith is buried at Friends Grove, "Old Menallen" (Center Mills Road off Route 234, Adams County, Pennsylvania). His grave is marked by a simple field stone typical of early Quaker cemeteries and the stone bears the markings "T.G . 1769" scratched into the surface of the stone. His exact date of death is unknown.

Will registered 5-13-1769; York, Pennsylvania. B-187. Admins. Eve and William Griffith.

Administration: Orphans' Court of York County, Docket B, 223, 224. On 5-31-1769, Mary, aged 18, and Rebecca, upwards of 14 years, daughters of Thomas, late of Menallen, choose their mother, Eve, and Jesse Faulkner as guardians. On the same date: "On petition of Eve Griffith, the court appoints Nicholas Wireman (Weirman) of Huntingdon and Jesse Faulkner of Menallen for her children Eve, Thomas, Ann, and Jesse, all under 14 years. William Griffith, eldest son of Thomas, petitions representing his father Thomas, stating that he left his widow, Eve, and children: William, Elizabeth (married to Thomas Blackburn), John, Susanna, Mary, Rebecca, Eve, Thomas, Anne, and Jesse, and was seized of 194 acres and allowance in Menallen."

A final report on the estate of Thomas Griffith was made eight years later by Eve Griffith and son William Griffith, administrators of the estate: "May 29, 1777, came into court William Griffith and Eve Griffith, administrators of goods of Thomas Griffith, December., and produced their administration account of the estate of the Deceased as settled by the Register of this county whereby there appears to be a balance in the hands of the said administrators of 317 pounds, four shillings and nine pence whereof the court opposes and it appearing to the Court that John Griffith, one of the persons of the said deceased, Thomas Blackburn and Elizabeth, his wife, one of the daughters of the said deceased had both been advanced by the said Intestate in his lifetime more than their distribution or distributive shares of said estate and that Jonathan Wright and Susannah his wife another of the daughters of the said deceased had received in the lifetime of the said Intestate 16 pounds and 14 shillings and 3 pence and that the said William Griffith had also received in the life time of the said Intestate the sum of 56 pounds, which sums added to the said balance makes in all 369 Pounds 19 shillings."

"Whereupon the Court ordered the said Intestate's widow retain in her hands 129 pounds, 15 shillings and 5 pence her share of the said balance as widow; and the said William Griffith retain in his hands 1 pound, 11 shillings and 4 pence which with the said sum of 56 pounds, which he has already received is in full of his two shares as eldest son, and the administrators pay unto Jonathan Wright and Susannah his wife 12 pounds 1 shilling and 5 pence, which is in full for her share of said balance; that they pay Anthony Blackburn and Mary his wife another of the daughters of the said Intestate the sum of 28 pounds, 15 shillings and 8 pence in full for her share of the said balance and that they also pay unto Rebecca, Eve, Thomas, Ann, Jesse Griffith all children of the deceased each the sum of 28 pounds 15 shillings 8 pence in full of their shares in the balance which with the cost of this Court is the full amount of the said Personal estate." (York County, Pennsylvania, Orphans Court Docket, Book C, pages 16-17.)

[The use of the word "Intestate" in the foregoing is a misnomer, as a Will for Thomas Griffith was registered on 5-13-1769 in York County, Pennsylvania.]

Immigration of the Irish Quakers. 1682-1750 by Albert Cook Myers, 1902, page 355.

The author says that Thomas Griffith who married Eve may have been the son of John Griffith, who had a son Christopher, from Grange, Ireland, near Charlemont. (Sadsbury Mtg.)

This supposition of the author is incorrect . Thomas Griffith, as stated above was the son of John and Mary Morgan Griffith of Radnorshire Wales, brother to the renowned Quaker minister, John Griffith of Chester County, Pennsylvania and Essex, England.) However, the information given regarding this Thomas Griffith is correct, he is buried at Friends, and his grave marked T.G. is still visible.]

1. ↑ Jessie A. Landis nee Witmer. Ferree - du Bois Family Tree. (1913).
2. ↑ kamp3genealogy@@netscape.net. Heisterkamp, Charles, III, M.D..
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D. Annotated Landis Ferree Tree. (30 April 2004).

   Date of Import: Jul 14, 2004

4. ↑ Kevin Howley <khowley@@aol.com>, 215-893-9343. Blackburn Family Association, Inc.. (www.blackburn-tree,org - 608 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19146).

   608 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19146, Kevin Howley <khowley@@aol.com>, 215-893-9343, www.blackburn-tree,org

5. ↑ Brian Bivona. Bivona Genealogy Web Site. (November 2000).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} WorldConnect Project. (RootsWeb)
   Jeff Clark - 14 February 2001.
7. ↑ Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D. Editorial Note.

   Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D., Editorial Note. - This area is now in Adams County.

8.   Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D.