Person:Thomas Withers (1)

farmer, legislator, sherriff, innkeeper Anglican, Quaker, Anglican

There is no documentary evidence as to when Joel Bayly came from England. Lists of the ships exists, but no passenger lists, although those who boarded goods subject to duty were recorded. A possible explanation can be derived from the following information: William Withers of Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire, purchased 500 acres from William Penn (Shepperd, Passengers and ships, page 203), and conveyed the land to his son Thomas Withers on 22 Jan 1682 (Cope, page 11). Thomas reportedly came over in 1683 and took up the land in Chichester Township according to Gilbert Cope. In 1685 Joel Baily received judgment against Thomas Withers in the Chester County Court for unpaid wages [4 pounds, 11 shilllings and 8 pence]. It thus appears probable that Joel came over with Thomas Withers as a servant. James Claypoole, treasurer of the Free Society of Traders, sent Ralph Withers of Bishop Cannings, Wiltshire, to Upland as his deputy treasurer. Claypoole loaded goods aboard the ship "Jeffrey" on 9 September 1682. In letters, James Claypoole mentioned that "10 servts" were aboard the "Jeffrey" (Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol X, pages 197 et seq.); six of those servants have been idenitifed (see Passengers and Ships, page 59, footnote 113). Ralph Withers, probably a relative to William Withers, died "soon after his arrival". Letters of administration were issued for his estate 12 March 1683 (Penna. Archives, 2nd Series, XiX, page 383). It is a possibility that Thomas Withers also came on the "Jeffrey". If Joel Baily came over as his servant, he was also aboard that ship which arrived at Upland before the end of October 1682

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Ancestry.com - OneWorldTree (discontinued in 2013): - extremely unreliable source.

   Online publication - Ancestry.com. OneWorldTree [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.