Person:William Seawright (3)

Information on William Seawright

William Seawright, whose crest* appears at the commencement of this volume, and founder of the Lampiter township, 'Lancaster county, Seawright family of Pennsylvania, from which has descended so many families of that name in various States of the Union, was born about 1720, near the city of Londonderry, in the North of Ireland, and died in 1771 in Lampiter township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in which he had settled at some time between 1735 and 1740. He was accompanied to Lancaster county by a brother, named Alexander, and some other relatives of whom all trace has been lost. Alexander resided for a time in Drumore township, and then removed, from the county to some other colony, presumably Maryland or South Carolina. William Seawright left Ulster, or the North of Ireland, on account of religious persecution, and was one of the many thousand Scotch-Irish who came from that country to the American colonies in a great exodus between 1715 and 1770. He took up a valuable tract of two hundred and eight acres of land in Lampiter township in Lancaster county, some time between 1735 and 1757, in which latter year he was serving as supervisor of highways for his township, an office which could be held there at that tune only by a freeholder. He died in 1771, some time prior to October 21st, when the appraisement of his personal estate was returned at fifty-seven pounds four shillings and six pence. In 1773 his real estate was appraised at fourteen hundred fifty-six pounds. The value of his estate shows him to have been one 'of the most wealthy men of his township for that day, while the fact of his having been repeatedly chosen to fill important public offices in his community attests that he was a man o'f intelligence, energy, honesty and good judgment. His remains were interred in the old Pequea graveyard, as the old Leacock church nearer his farm was not organized until after his death. He was a Presbyterian. Among the papers on record in connection with the closing up of his estate, in 1773, is a quit-claim deed and agreement— a valuable,quaint, and lengthy document, and as it gives the names of his children beyond question, and imparts some other useful information, it is inserted here in full:

QUIT-CLAIM DEED AND AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HEIRS OF WILLIAM 8EAWRIGHT AND JOHN GLENN, IN 1773.

William Woods and Others, } To all people to whom these presents to [shall come: William Woods, of Middle-John Glenn. J ton township, in the county of Cumberland, yeoman, and Anne, hie wife, Gilbert Seawright, of Lampiter township, in the county of Lancaster, yeoman, and Esther, his wife, and William Davis, of Manheim township, in the said county of Lancaster, yeoman, Guardian over the estates of AVilliam Seawright and Alexander

Seawright, minor children of William Seawright, late of the said township of Lampiter, yeoman, deceased, i the said Anne and Esther being daughters of the said William Seawright, deceased,) send greeting:

Whereas, The said William Seawright was in his lifetime seized and possessed of a certain plantation and tract of warranted land, situate in Lampiter township, in the said county of Lancaster, bounded by lands now of David Crawford, John Craig, George Bard, Henry Newcomer and Benjamin Landis, containing two hundred and eight acres, and the usual allowance of six per cent, for roads and highways, and died intestate so thereof seized and possessed, leaving a widow, Anne Seawright, and two sons and three daughters, above mentioned.

And Whereas, On the petition of said Gilbert Seawright and Esther, his wife, to the justices of an Orphans Court, held in Lancaster, for the county of Lancaster, on the second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two, it was considered and ordered by the said Court that the Sheriff of the said county should forthwith summon a jury to view the Plantation and Tract of land aforesaid with the appurtenances, and make partition thereof, if it m'ight or could be divided to and amongst the widow and children of the said William Seawright, deceased, without injury to and spoiling of the whole, and if the same could not be so divided, then to value and appraise the same. That notice should be given to all the parties interested of the time of such view and partition or appraisement, and that they should make report of proceedings under their hand and seals to the next Orphans Court, to be held at Lancaster, for the County of Lancaster, on the first Tuesday in December then next. .

Axd Whereas, In pursuance of the said order of Orphans Court, the Sheriff of the said County of Lancaster did on the said first Tuesday in December, return the said order with an inquisition thereto annexed, taken upon the oath and affirmation of twelve free and lawful men of the Bailiwick of the same Sheriff, whereby it was found.that the plantation and tract of land aforesaid, could not be divided to and amongst the widow and children of the said William Seawright, deceased, without injury to and spoiling of the whole, and the same was valued and appraised at and for the sum of fourteen hundred and fifty-six pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania.

Axd Whereas. At an Orphans Court held at Lancaster, for the County of Lancaster, afterwards, to-wit: the eleventh day of December, in the year aforesaid, the Justices of the said Court did approve of and confirm the said Inquisition, and the aforesaid William Davis, Guardian over the estates of the aforesaid William Seawright and Alexander Seawright, appearing in the said Court and refusing to hold the said plantation and tract of land with the appurtenances, in behalf of his said wards and pay the shares of the widow and children of the said deceased, on motion, in behalf of John Glenn, of Middle- ton Township aforesaid, in the said County of Cumberland, yeo- iii:in. who intermarried with Mary Seawright, eldest daughter of the said William Seawripht, deceased, it was then and there ordered and decreed by the said Orphans' Court, that the said John Glenn should, on paying or securing to be paid the several and respective shares of the widow and children of the said deceased, of and in the same within one year, hold and enjoy the said plantation and tract of land with the appurtenances in fee, and that the said John Glenn should pay to the aforesaid Anne Seawright, widow and relict of the said William Seawright, deceased, the sum of twenty-nine pounds two shillings and four pence three farthings, lawful money aforesaid, yearly, and every year during the term of her natural life, out of a principal of four hundred and eighty-five pounds six shillings eight pence, reserved in his hands for that purpose in lieu and satisfaction of her dower or thirds at common law, which said principal sum was to be and remain charged on the premise? as a security for the payment thereof, and after the death of the same Anne Seawright the said principal sum should be divided to and amongst the children of the said deceased and their legal representatives. And it was then and there ordered by the said Court, that the residue of the said valuation, after deducting the principal sum aforesaid, :-In mi. I be distributed and divided in the following manner, to-wit: To the said William Seawright, eldest son of the said William Seawright, df ceased, was decreed and allotted the sum of three hundred and eighty- four pounds thirteen shillings and four pence. To the said John Glenn and Mary, his wife, one hundred and twenty-five pounds four shillings and eight pence. To the said Gilbert Seawright and Esther, his wife, one hundred and twenty-two pounds six shillings eight pence. To the said William Woods and Anne, his wife, one hundred and forty-six pounds two shillings and two pence; and to the said Alexander Seawright one hundred and ninety-two pounds and six shillings and eight pence, as in and by the records and proceedings of the said Orphans' Court remaining at Lancaster aforesaid. Reference thereto being had more fully and at large appears.

And Whereas, The said John Glenn hath in pursuance of the said order and decree of the Orphans' Court aforesaid, paid and discharged the several and respective shares of the said William Woods and Anne, his wife, Gilbert Seawright, and Esther, his wife, and also of the said William Seawright and Alexander Seawright to the said William Davis, their guardian, aforesaid.

Noir Khw Ye, That for and in consideration of the payment and discharge of the several and respective shares aforesaid, by the said John .li.ii!.. :iinl of the further sum of ten shillings to them and each of them in hand paid by the said John Glenn, at and before the ensealing and delivery hereof (the receipt and payment whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged) the said William Woods and Anne his wife, Gilbert Seawright and Esther his wife, and William Davis, for and in behalf of the said William Seawright and Alexander Seawright, his wards, aforesaid, for themselves respectively and for their several and respective heirs, executors and administrators, have and each of them hath remised, released, acquitted, and forever quit-claimed, and by these presents do and each of them doth remise, release, acquit and forever quitclaim unto the said John Glenn, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, all and all manner of action and actions, cause and Cannes of action and actions, suits and demands whatsoever for or on account of the distributive shares of the valuation aforesaid, (after deducting the principal sum aforesaid, reserved in his hands as aforesaid,) decreed and allotted aforesaid by the Orphans' Court aforesaid. And the said William Woods and Anne his wife, Gilbert Seawright anil Esther his wife, for themselves respectively and for their several and respective heirs, executors and administrators, have and each of them hath remised, released, acquitted and forever quit-claimed, and by these presents do each of them doth remise, release, acquit, and forever quit-claim unto the said John Glenn, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, all and all manner of action and actions, cause and causes of action and actions, suits and demands whatsoever, which they or any of them can or may hereafter claim, challenge or demand for or on account of the principal sum aforesaid, reserved in the hands of the said John Glenn aforesaid, and payable after the death of the aforesaid Anne Seawright to the children of the said William Seawright, deceased, or their legal representatives, saving and always excepting any share or claini which the said William Woods and Anne his wife, Gilbert Seawright and Esther his wife, or either of them can or may hereafter challenge or demand to the said principal sum of money in right of the said William Seawright and Alexander Seawright, minor children aforesaid, whose distributive shares of the said principal sum to them payable after the death of the said Anne Seawright, are not meant or intended to be remised, released, acquitted or quit-claimed by these presents. And the said William Woods and Anne his wife, Gilbert Seawright and Esther his wife, and William Davis for and in behalf of his wards aforesaid, for themselves respectively and for their several and respective heirs, executors, and administrators, do and each of them doth hereby covenant, promise and agree to and with the said John Glenn, his heirs and assigns, that they and each of them shall and will at any time hereafter upon the request and charge of the said John Glenn, his heirs and assigns, or any of them make, do, perform and execute all and every or any such further and other acts, matters and things for the better and more perfect releasing, barring and extinguishing their and each of their right and title to the aforesaid valuation and appraisement, (saving and excepting as is before saved and excepled,) as by him or them or his or their Counsel, learned in the Law, shall be reasonably advised, devised or required.

In Witness Whereof, The said AVilliam Woods and Anne his wife, Gilbert Seawright and Esther his wife, and the said William Davis, hare hereunto set their hands and seals, dated the day of , in the year of our Lord one thousand Heven hundred and seventy-three.

Sealed and delivered in the pres

ence of w.

William Wood*. [Seal.]

Saul Slitt, anjje WooDK. [8eal ]

Matkew Dill.

Gilbert Sea Wright. [Seal.]

William Davis. [Seal.]

Sbawrjoht.

Sealed and delivered by William Davis in the presence of

Peter Bottjoill, .ias. Bickham.

Be It Remembered, That on the twentieth day of March, A. D. 1773, before me, the subscriber, one of his Majesties Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, and of the Peace for Lancaster county, came William Davis, one of Granting parties to the within Instrument, and Acknowledged the same to be his act. and deed, and desired that as the same might be recorded.

Witness, my hand and seal, March 20th, 1773.

Jas. Bickham. [Seal.] Kxd. Recorded the 7th day of March, Anno Domini 1795.

Prmf.

G. Row, Recorder. Recorded in Record Book W. W, page 134.

William Seawright shortly after coming to Lancaster county, married Anne Hamilton, a sister of William Hamilton, who settled in Leacock township in 1733, and who was the grandfather of James Hamilton, "the Nulliner Governor" of South Carolina.

For several years inquiries have been made from various sections of the Union, concerning the ancestry of Governor James Hamilton, of South Carolina, and the following is given on the subject by Samuel Evans, of Columbia, Pennsylvania :

" William Hamilton, the pioneer settler of this name, located in Leacock township, Lancaster county, about the year 1733. I find his name upon the records as owning land formerly of Robert Clinch, adjoining Johu or Hattel Varner patented 1741, who owned the laud at and around New Leacock meeting house along the old Philadelphia and Lancaster road, about eleven miles east from Lancaster, as early as the year 1734. On April 11,1749, William Hamilton, and Jane, his wife, (Jane Mcllwain,) sold two hundred and six acres of land in Leacock township to Philip Eackert, the land having been patented to John Herr in 1734. The land upon which Mr. Hamilton resided and owned, adjoined Leacock meeting house on the east, and extended across the old road, then known as the 'King's Highway,' the mansion house being near the head of a small stream, which ran in a northerly direction, and emptied into Mill creek. This laud was purchased from Hattel Varner or his sou John.

"Mr. Hamilton continued to follow agricultural pursuits exclusively down to August 29, 1767. He was a prominent member of Leacock Presbyterian church. On August 29, 1767, he purchased the tavern and twenty acres of laud adjoining his farm, from Robert Clinch, which was known in provincial times as the sign of the 'Three Crowns.' This was part of the John Varner tract. During the Revolution, when Col. Lowrey's militia marched from Donegal to Chester, in the summer of 1777, they made a target of the old sign. This old emblem of royalty was taken down. Thereafter, while the tavern was owned and conducted by the Hamiltons, it was known as the ' Brick Tavern.'

"Mr. Hamilton was an ardent patriot, and was conspicuous in his efforts in behalf of the Continental cause. Being well advanced in years, he was not able to endure the hardships of a military life; but he had stalwart sons, who enlisted in the army. His son, Maj. James Hamilton, rose from the ranks to a high position in the army. He became the progenitor of a very distinguished family in South Carolina. William Hamilton died in January, 1782. His tender regard for his son James, who was with the army in the South, was shown when he wrote his will. He devised a farm to each of his sons, Hugh, William, John and Robert. At this time be did not know whether James was living or not, and fearing he might return to his home a maimed soldier, and unable to make a comfortable living, gave him two thousand pounds.

"This James Hamilton was born upon the parental farm in 1758, in Leacock township. He was probably one of the classical scholars of the Rev. Robert Smith at Pequea church. When the tocsin of war sounded at Massachusetts Bay, his heart was fired with patriotic zeal, before he attained his majority. On March 16th, 1776, he was enrolled as second lieutenant in Captain John Murray's company of riflemen in the Second Batallion of Col. Miles' regiment. He must have shown an aptitude for military affairs to an unusual degree in one so young to be placed in the line of officers. In his future career he demonstrated the wisdom of the selection. He was in active service in the Jerseys and participated in the campaign there. He was in the hottest of the fight on Long Island, in August, taken prisoner, and not exchanged until Novem- ber 2, 1777. For gallant conduct in this action, in September, 1778, he was promoted to a captaincy in the First Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. James Chambers (who subsequently married a Miss Hamilton). On December 10, 1778, he was promoted to Major of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Line, commanded by Col. Walter Stewart. In May, 17-80, he commanded a detachment, and, as senior Major, he commanded his Battalion at York- town, which was in Gen. Wayne's command.