Davies

Common VetchDavid/Davies/Davis Common Vetch

Ellis - David - Ellis - David - Ellis - Lydia

compiled and copyright by MJP Grundy, 2011
Common Vetch, by Anne E. G. Nydam, copyright 1996, used with permission



        There is some confusion about the spelling of this name, and it appears in the records as David, Davies, and Davis. When they emigrated to Pennsylvania most Welsh people adopted the English style of last names, keeping the first name of their father as their new and permanent last name.[1] Therefore there are random assortments of Welsh people with the same last name, who may or may not be related to each other. Davies is usually assumed to be Welsh while Davis is English. But the people who wrote most of the records in colonial Pennsylvania were English, rather than Welsh, and consistent spelling was not considered a virtue, let alone a necessity, so these guidelines are not always reliable. Over time many families morphed, either consciously or unthinkingly, to English spelling.

        If a reader has corrections or additional information, I would be very glad to hear via e mail,


Welsh Ancestors


        Ellis RhydderchB is the farthest back I've been able to trace this line. Ellis, presumably the son of Rhydderch, left a will, proved May 5, 1638 in St. Asaph's court, Wales.[2] His wife was Mary verch Hugh. They had a son, David ap EllisA of Llanfor parish, Merionethshire. David ap Ellis had a son, Ellis ap David1. Together these three illustrate the traditional Welsh patronymic system.

        David ap EllisA, son of Ellis ap Rhydderch and Mary v Hugh, married Sibill verch Robert. David also left a will, dated 4 March 1678, proved 24 February 1679/80 in St. Asaph's. The will reads, in part, "I give & bequeath all & singular my land & tenements . . . with the appurtenances unto my oldest soone & heire Hugh David" who was to pay out the legacies. It mentions his wife Sibill v Robert, son Robert David, and the rest "of my children Ellis David, John David, William David, Rowland David, Margaret David, and Jane David" who were to get £5 each. If Hugh refused to pay the legacies, then everything was to be divided among the other children. The inventory was made on 15 February 1679 [OS], including one old mare worth 12 shillings and a few household and farming things for a total of £6.7.0.[3]

        Children of David ap EllisA (order uncertain) who survived to be mentioned in their father's will:

  1. Hugh David1, eldest son and heir. There is a will of Hugh David, yeoman of Llandderfel, Merionethshire, dated March 1688, proved in 1689. It mentions his well beloved wife Elizabeth, and sons John ap Hugh, Robert ap Hugh, and David ap Hugh and daughters Alice (?), Jane, Anne, and Margaret. It is signed with his mark. His estate was inventoried and valued at £32.00.00.[4] I don't know if he is the brother of our Ellis or someone else. If this Hugh is the older brother of our Ellis, and inherited his father's land, then he did not go to Pennsylvania.

  2. Robert David, b. ca. 1645; d. 26 Seventh Month, 1732 in Merion Twp. at the age of 87; mar. Elizabeth __; emigrated to Penna. as an "adventurer" on the ship Lyon. arriving in mid-May 1682. His will was proved in Philadelphia 18 Oct. 1732, mentioning his only son Thomas David who inherited all the land; brother Ellis David; daughter Elizabeth; grandchildren; and kinswoman, Margaret Roberts. Elizabeth's will, signed 4 June, pr. 31 July 1734, mentioned children Thomas and Elizabeth and grandchildren.[5]

  3. Ellis David, d. Mar. 1720; m(1) __; m(2) 22 Apr. 1703 widow Hannah (Price) Jones

  4. John David

  5. Rowland David

  6. Margaret David

  7. Jane David


Immigrant Generation


        Ellis David1 was born in Wales and died in First Month [March] 1720 in Pennsylvania. He first married a woman in Wales whose name I've been unable to discover. He married secondly on 22 Second Month [April] 1703 the widow, Hannah (Price) Jones, born ca. 1656, the daughter of Richard ap Rhys (Price), at Merion Meeting. She was about 47 years old.[6] [See an explanation of Old Style Dates.]

There were several Friends in Wales named Ellis David, and at least one other Ellis David with a brother Hugh settled in Gwynedd, Pennsylvania. If a reader has documentation for when and on what ship "our" Ellis arrived, please contact me at . In any event, the Ellis David of this web page settled in Goshen Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.[7]

We are on firm ground on 22 Second Month [April] 1703 when our widower Ellis David/Davies of Goshen married the widow, Hannah (Price) Jones at Merion Meeting. Hannah was the widow of Rees [Rhys] John William aka Rees Jones. Her sister Jane was married to Cadwalader Morgan of Merion Township and her brother Edward Price sold land to our Ellis "Davis".[8]

Ellis David was Constable for Goshen in 1707.[9]

The oldest existing tax list for Goshen, for 1715, lists Ellis, assessing him 8 shillings, which was the highest of any of the fourteen men listed. The location of his farm was given: "East of the Richard Thomas tract was one of 346 acres, in the name of Evan Jones and company, and beyond this was Ellis David's tract of nearly equal size; then came Thomas Jones and company (children of John Thomas) with 635 acres."[10]

Ellis was an active member of Goshen Preparative Meeting and Chester Monthly Meeting.[11]

Ellis died in 1720 was buried 17 First Month [March] 1720/1, presumably in the Goshen Meeting burying ground. His will, dated August 1, 1719, and probated in Philadelphia on April 12, 1721 identified him as living in Goshen Township. In it he mentioned his daughter Katherine [Haines], and step-daughter Margaret. His (second) wife was not named. For executors Ellis named his son David, daughter Donse David and son-in-law Isaac Haines. The overseers were his [step]-son-in-law Hugh Evans (the second husband of Ellis's step-daughter Lowry), cousin David Jones, and friends William Lewis and Robert Jones.[12]

As a widow Hannah married for the third time, at age 66, on First Month [March] 14, 1722 Thomas EVANS one of the original settlers of Gwynedd Township, who later moved to Merion.[13]

Children of Ellis and his first wife (may be incomplete, order uncertain):

  1. David David/Davies2, aka David Ellis, b. in Wales; d. 1754; mar. 1709 Jane JONES.[14]

  2. Catherine Davies/Davis, d. Sept. 1785; mar. 2 Dec. 1714 Isaac HAINES recorded at Chester Mo. Mtg.; had 10 children.

  3. Donse or Dowse David, d. in Chester Co.; mar. 28 Oct. 1726 at Goshen Meeting Moses YARNALL, son of Francis, late of Willistown; their marriage certificate was signed by his mother Hannah Yarnall; her siblings David Davids and Jane Davies, Catherine and Isaac Hains [sic], and others. Donse was mentioned in her father's will in 1719.[15]

Second Generation


David Davies2, was born in Wales and emigrated as a child with his parents. He died in 1754. He and his step-sister Jane JONES were married in 1709. She was born 15 November 1685, in Merion, the daughter of Hannah (PRICE) and her first husband, Rees JONES. [16]

David and Jane were listed as "charter members" of Goshen when it became a monthly meeting in Twelfth Month 1721/2.[17]

David died Tenth Month [October] 10, 1754, a member of Goshen Monthly Meeting, and was buried there on the fourteenth. There is no will on file, but administrative papers were given to Jane Davis of Goshen on November 7, 1754. David's eldest son and heir-at-law, Richard Davies, died the next year. Joseph ASHBRIDGE, the husband of David's eldest daughter, Priscilla, was executor of Richard's estate. Because David died intestate his land descended to his eight surviving children with a double share going to Richard. [18]

Jane died in October 1764, also a member of Goshen Monthly Meeting. Her will was dated July 26, 1764, witnessed by Richard Jones and Sarah Davies. It was probated October 1 that year. In it she bequeathed the clock and case to son Ellis. It has not come down in our branch of the family. Son Amos Davies was given £20, and furniture to his daughter Hannah. £10 was bequeathed to daughter Priscilla, wife of Joseph ASHBRIDGE. Daughter-in-law Ann Davies was given wearing apparel. Granddaughter Mary ASHBRIDGE received furniture. Daughter Susanna HOOPES and daughter Jane PRATT were given books. Grandson Jonathan Davies got the walnut desk. The executors were her son Ellis Davies and son-in-law Joseph Ashbridge, husband of Jane's oldest daughter. Her brother Richard JONES and George ASHBRIDGE, the brother of three of her sons-in-law, were named Overseers.[19]

Children of David and Jane (Jones) Davies:[20]

  1. Priscilla Davies3, mar. Apr. 8, 1749 Joseph ASHBRIDGE; received £10 in her mother's will.

  2. Hannah Davies, b. Fifth Mo. [July] 1, 1710 in Goshen Twp.; d. 1771; mar. Aug. 12, 1732 John ASHBRIDGE. Hannah received furniture in her mother's will.

  3. Richard Davies, b. Third Mo. [May] 3, 1712 in Goshen Twp.; d. in Chester Co. 1755. Richard signed his brother Ellis's marriage certificate in Nov. 1741.

  4. Ellis Davies, b. Tenth Mo. [Dec.] 24, 1713; d. 1773; mar. Nov. 7, 1741 Lydia ASHBRIDGE. He received the clock and case in his mother's will.

  5. Sarah Davies, b. Seventh Mo. [Sept.] 20, 1715; mar. Feb. 21, 1737 Aaron ASHBRIDGE.

  6. Jonathan Davies, b. Sixth Mo. [Aug.] 4, 1717.

  7. Amos Davies, b. Third Mo. [May] 26, 1719; mar. Apr. 10, 1745 in Newtown Twp. Ann PRATT. He received £20 from his mother's will, and Ann received wearing apparel. Had a daughter

  8. Susanna Davies, b. Fourth Mo. [June] 25, 1721; d. Oct. 23, 1772; mar. Nov. 13, 1741 at Goshen MM Thomas HOOPES; received books in her mother's will; had children born in West Goshen

  9. Jane Davies, b. 1727; d. Sixth Mo. 15, 1772; m. Third Mo. 16, 1745 Joseph PRATT, Jr., son of Joseph and Sarah (EDWARDS) Pratt. Jane received books in her mother's will. Had 9 children.[21]

Third Generation


Ellis Davies3, the fifth of nine children, was born 24 December 1713 and died late in 1773 or early 1774. He married Lydia ASHBRIDGE on 7 Ninth Month [November] 1741 at the Goshen Meeting house. She was the daughter of George and the late Mary (Malin) Ashbridge, born 22 Eleventh Month 1719/20.[22]

Ellis was a fuller and owned a fulling mill and a saw mill as well as a 267 acre farm in Goshen Township.[23] He and Lydia were members of Goshen Meeting.[24]

Ellis Davies of Goshen died without leaving a will. Administrative papers were given to Lydia Davies and Richard Thomas on January 24, 1774. His estate was inventoried with a value of £1,080.12.8. By the time all expenses were paid, and bad debts written off there was only £686.5.1½ of which Lydia received her one third dower right.[25]

Lydia survived the depredations of both British and rebel armies. She died in 1782, a year before the war finally ended.

Children of Ellis and Lydia (Ashbridge) Davies:[26]

  1. Ellis Davies4, mar. 1778 Jane Griffith, (b. 10 mo. 27, 1757, the daughter of Nathan and Rachel (Williamson) Griffith and granddaughter of Randal and Mary (Ashbridge) Malin).

  2. Elizabeth Davies, m(1) George Dunn; m(2) Nathan Garrett, Jr.

  3. Sarah Davies, m(1) Jonathan Eldridge; m(2) William Allen.

  4. Priscilla Davies, b. June 23, 1747; d. Apr. 15, 1752.

  5. Lydia Davies, b. Nov. 16, 1749; d. before her husband; mar. Apr. 23, 1772 in Philadelphia Isaac HAINES; 7 children.

  6. Jane Davies, b. 23 June 1745; d. 1819; mar. 20 June 1776 in Goshen William Smith (d. 1804). They had 8 daughters:[27]
    a. Lydia Smith, b. ca. 1777; mar. William MINISTER;
    b. Elizabeth Smith, mar. 11 Dec. 1799 David LAMBORN (1776-1850);
    c. Phebe Smith, mar. Elam EVANS (b. 1782);
    d. Jane Smith, mar. Jonathan CROUCH (b. 1782);
    e. Sarah Smith, mar. William CROUCH (b. 1783);
    f. Mary Smith, mar. Amos HOPE (b. 1785);
    g. Willy Ann Smith, d. 22 Feb. 1828 in Uwchlan Twp., Chester Co.; mar. Isaac CADWALLADER, Jr. (b. 15 Oct. 1783; d. 8 Sept. 1821, son of Isaac CADWALLADER, Sr. and Sarah PRICE). Isaac died intestate, and record of the children was found in the Orphans Court.
    1) Lydia Cadwallader
    2) William S. Cadwallader, b. 19 Mar. 1812; d. 6 Mar. 1868; mar. 28 Mar. 1833 Mary Ann COOPER (1812-1872); moved to Indiana 1834; moved to Illinois 1838;
    3) John Cadwallader, d. 1 Oct. 1859 in Prairie City, Ill.; mar. Jane HOOPES (1822-1899)
    4) Isaac P. Cadwallader, b. Apr. 1815; d. 1904 in Pottstown, Montgomery Co., Pa.; mar. Susanna ROBERTS (b. 1814)
    5. Ezra Cadwallader, b. 23 Nov. 1816; d. 11 Apr. 1872 in Prairie City, McDonough Co., Ill.; mar. 19 May 1841 Malvina Mary LANCASTER;
    6. Davis Cadwallader, d. after 1880 in West Whiteland Twp., Chester Co.
    7. Elizabeth G. Cadwallader,
    8. George F. Cadwallader,
    h. Priscilla Smith, b. 1794; d. 10 Jan. 1852; Mar. 11 Apr. 1816 Peter SMEDLEY (1787-1864);

  7. George Davies, b. Mar. 19, 1758.

  8. Israel Davies, b. Oct. 14, 1760.

  9. David Davies, living in 1791.


Fourth Generation


Lydia Davis4 was born November 16, 1749, and died before Isaac. She and Isaac HAINES were married on 23 April 1772 in Philadelphia.

         Children of Isaac and Lydia (Davis) Haines:

  1. David Haines6, b. Sixth Mo. 18, 1773; d. Sat., Mar. 11, 1854, having "physical infirmities in later life"[28]; mar. Alice CULLIFER; was a carpenter in East Bradfield in 1820; then later a carpenter and builder in West Chester; had at least two children.

  2. Ezra Haines, b. Feb. 12, 1774; d. 28 May 1861; married 9 Dec. [or 12 Sept.] 1802 Ann JOHN; children.

  3. Mary Haines, called "Polly", b. 22 Second Mo. 1776; d. 3 Seventh Mo. 1825 aged 49 years and 4 months; mar. 1802 Thomas HOOPES, b. Tenth Mo. 7, 1770, d. Tenth Mo. 14, 1826, son of Thomas and Sarah (BANE). Polly was his second wife (he had m(1) Ann GREGG); they were married by a magistrate. Her acknowledgment was accepted by Goshen MM Tenth Month 7, 1803. They had 6 children.

  4. Isaac Haines, b. Eleventh Mo. 21, 1779; d. Nov. 23, 1855; mar. Dec. 21, 1803 Lydia SMITH (b. Mar. 30, 1777); 7 children born in Chester Co.

  5. Lydia Haines, b. Seventh Mo. 17, 1784; d. Ninth Mo. 15, 1845.

  6. George Haines, b. Seventh Mo. 10, 1788; mar. Elizabeth GARRETT; she was b. Feb. 15, 1793, daughter of George and Sarah (HOOPES) Garrett; d. Sept. 17, 1883; 3 children.

  7. William D. Haines, b. Fourth Mo., 18, 1790; d. Feb. 20, 1863; mar. 1825 Ellen ROBERTS, daughter of David and Sarah (WALKER) Roberts; 2 daughters.

Common Vetch


To continue the story of this family, go to the Haines page.

This Davies family is part of a larger Price family, which, with many its collateral lines, including this Davies branch, has been expanded as a hard copy book with considerable historical context. It is available through lulu.com. Click on the title, then on "preview" to see the table of contents and a few sample pages.

The larger Price family story includes these collateral lines: Ashbridge, Bonsall, Borton, Cadwallader, Cox, Davies/Davis, this (Ellis) Davies, England, Fisher, Haines, Harry/Harris, Hayes, Holliday, John, Jones, Kirk, one Lewis (Henry), another Lewis (Thomas), Malin, Morgan, Orbell, Paxton (John Barton), the main Price line, another Price (Richard), a third Price (David) branch, Roessen, Sharpley, Schumacher/Shoemaker, Taylor, Thomas, Townsend, Williams, Wood, and Wooderson families. In time others may be posted, too, although they will be quite short, chronicalling only their part in the larger Price family story.



If you have additions or corrections to this web page, I would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact me via e mail at .

Go to the index of other lines that are included in this website (not all of them have been posted yet).

Go to the Paxson home page.

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Continue scrolling down to read all the notes and sources.


This page was first posted 9m/2/2011, and updated most recently on 1m/5/2012.


Common Vetch

Notes and Sources

The full bibliographical citation is given the first time a source is mentioned, but is not repeated each time that source is cited. Scroll up till you find the first mention and there you will find the complete citation.


  1. For a more complete explanation of Welsh nomenclature and the geographical areas from which the most common names are likely to have come, see John and Sheila Rowlands, The Surnames of Wales for Family Historians and Others (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1996).


  2. Thomas Allen Glenn, The Welsh Founders of Pennsylvania (Oxford: Fox, Jones, 1911-1913 in 2 vols, reprinted as 1 vol., Balt; Genealogical Pub. Co., 1970), 62. An image of the will is available at the National Library of Wales, hdl.handle.net/10107/686189. It is not easy to read. My thanks to Bryan Jones who told me how to access Welsh wills and probate records on line.


  3. First and second images of the will are the same, the third & fourth images are the reverse and very difficult to decipher, probably having to do with proving the will or filing it. The sixth image is the inventory. The Welsh Library, at http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?&lng=en&skin=profeb. An image of the will is on line under "David ap Ellis, 1679/80", St. Asaph Probate Records, 1521-1858, ref SA 1679-98. Their preferred citation is http://hdl.handle.net/10107/686189.


  4. Will and inventory of Hugh ap David, Llandderfel, Merioneth, 1689, http://hdl.handle.net/10107/ 723329.


  5. Charles B. Browning, The Welsh Settlement in Pensylvania (Philadelphia: William J. Campbell, 1912), 54, 55-6, 58, 82-4. Margaret B. Harvey, "The Incompleted Burial Records of Merion (PA) Meeting Grave-yard"; also Browning, Welsh Settlement, 84.






  8. Margaret B. Harvey, "The Incompleted Burial Records of Merion (PA) Meeting Grave-yard"; James E. Hazard, Quaker Records: Radnor Index, vol. 7 of Abstracts of the Records of Monthly Meetings of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Swarthmore, Pa.: Friends Historical Library, 2009); Browning, Welsh Settlement, 132-33.


  9. Dorothy Lapp, transcriber. Records of the Courts of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2: 1697-1710 (Danboro, Penna.: Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, Publishers, 1972) (bound mimeographed typescript), 2:157, citing 151; Quarter Sessions Court of May 27, 1707.


  10. J. Smith Futhey & Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1881), 177.


  11. Chester Men's Monthly Meeting minutes, 24/2m, 29/3m, 26/4m, 31/5m, and 25/7m/1710; 12m/22/1713/4; 5m/26, 6m/30, and 29/9m/1714. Friends Historical Library (FHL), Swarthmore College, MR-Ph92.


  12. Browning, Welsh Settlement, 133. Philadelphia Will Abstracts citing Book D, file 186, on http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/philadelphia/wills/willabstrbkd.txt.


  13. Browning, Welsh Settlement, 133.


  14. Browning, Welsh Settlement, 80, 105.


  15. Goshen Monthly Meeting Records, MR-Ph197, FHL.




  17. Chester County Men's Minutes, 27/1m/1710, MR-Ph92, FHL; Goshen Monthly Meeting card file at FHL.


  18. Burial 10m/14/1754, from Goshen Monthly Meeting card file at FHL; administration from Chester Co. Will Abstracts as transcribed at http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/chester/wills/willbookc4.txt, citing Will Book C4; Carol Bryant, Abstracts of Chester County, Pennsylvania Land Records (Westminster, Md.: Willowbend Books, 2000), 5:162, citing M 12:255; Chester Co. Grantee Index, citing book M:255 and 257; Chester Co. Grantor Index, citing book N:278.


  19. Chester Co. Will Abstracts, citing Will Book 1764-65. George Ashbridge, Sr., the father of the four Ashbridges who married four of Jane's children, had died in 1748.


  20. Births of Hannah through Susanna from Goshen Monthly Meeting card file at FHL; others from "Rash's Surname List" on http://www.pennock.ws/surnames/fam/fam07090.html, seen 10/17/2009.


  21. Gilbert Cope, Genealogy of the Smedley Family Descended from George and Sarah Smedley, Settlers in Chester County, Penna. With Brief Notices of Other Families of the Name, and Abstracts of Early English Wills (Lancaster, Pa.: Wickersham Printing Company, 1901), 235.


  22. Goshen Monthly Meeting Records, MR-Ph197, FHL; summarized in Cope, Genealogy of the Smedley Family, 306.


  23. Chester County Archives microfilms: Provincial Taxes, P1-P6 (Part), Pos. Roll No. LR 249.1, and Prov. Taxes Roll No. LR 249.3, P116-P14. The tax data in the Penna. Archives is neither as nuanced or as accurate. Penna. Archives, ser. 3, 11:66 gives no livestock; see Penna. Archives, ser. 3, 11:235 for 1766; the 1771 account matches more closely, Penna. Archives, ser. 3, 11:755; 1774 is in Penna. Archives, ser. 3, 12:106.


  24. Goshen Monthly Meeting men's minutes 1763-1778, 5/2m/1773, MR-Ph199, FHL.


  25. Chester Co. Will Abstracts as transcribed on the web, citing Will Book 1774-75; Penna. Archives, ser. 3, 12: 325, 722.


  26. Five children from Judy A. Gambert, Randal Malin: A Quaker from Cheshire, England to Chester (Now Delaware) Co., Pa. and His Descendants (Utica, Ky.: McDowell Pubs., 1998), 8-9: Jane, Priscilla, George, Israel, and David; the remaining children from "Rash's Surname List" on http://www.pennock.ws/surnames/fam/fam37961.html, seen 10/17/2009.



  27. My thanks to Pamela Nelson, e mail Nov. 20, 2011, for sharing her information on Jane Davies and William Smith and their children. The main source that listed the 8 daughters and 7 spouses (daughter Phebe was single at the time) is the following: "Deeds 1688-1903 (Chester County, Pennsylvania) Q-3 (v 64) 1818-1820" page 84, (US/CAN Film 556713) in SLC FHL in Salt Lake City, UT. This took place in Goshen. Pam found a copy of the marriage for William Smith and Jane Davies in "Monthly Meeting Records, 1705-1930 (Goshen)" US/CAN Film 20461 page 285. She also reported finding the following entries:
    "William Smith and Jane Davies inquire to attend the Goshen MM dated 5.10.1776 and 6.7.1776." (Film #389,398 page 193)
    "William Smith received into membership Goshen MM 2.9.1776." (Film #389,398 page 417)
    "William Smith passes Mtg produces his parent's consent in writing 5.10.1776." (Film #389,398 page 418)
    Most of the sons of Willy Ann (Smith) and Isaac Cadwallader were tracked in the census returns. My thanks to Pam for sharing all this data with me.



  28. Jeffersonian, 3m/18/1854; Village Record, 3m/14/1854, Chester Co. Historical Soc. newspaper clipping file.


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If you have additions or corrections to this web page, I would be delighted to hear from you. Contact me via e mail at .




Common Vetch