Price
This page traces the immigrant Philip Price1 (d. 1720), his son Isaac Price2 married 1696/7 Susanna Shoemaker, their son Isaac Price3 b. in Penna., married 1729 Margaret Lewis, their son Philip Price4 married 1752 Hannah Bonsall, their son Benjamin Price5 (1766-1839) married 1789 Ruth Kirk, their son James Bonsall Price6 married 1822 (1) Eleanor Addison Smith Holliday in Md., their son Lucius Duncan Price7 married 1852 Anna Maria Haines, their daughter Anne Jones Price8 (1800-1877) married 1877 John Barton Paxton. You can jump down to the sources and notes. This page is part of a more complete and detailed book that embeds the genealogy into a larger historical context. If you have corrections or additions, please contact me at
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First Generation to Pennsylvania
The origins of this Price Line are lost. I don't even know what area in (presumably southern) Wales was their home, or when Philip Price1 emigrated to Pennsylvania. His name is not listed among those who came on the twenty-three ships in 1682. One suggestion is he came in 1690, being then about 67 years of age. This would imply his birth in about 1623.[1] He settled in Haverford Township with his wife, whose name is not known.[2]
Philip and his son Isaac were listed in the 1693 tax for Merion. Philip had forty acres, and was assessed 3/4d. owning land valued at �60. Isaac had no land, and was charged 6/. This put them in the middle of the range of 39 properties listed for the township, the valuations of which fell between �30 and �150.[3]
In 1697 Philip purchased 1000 acres in Plymouth Township for £135 in silver from Francis RAWLE.[4]
It is assumed his wife died soon after their arrival. In any event, in 1706 or 1707 he married for a second time, Margaret (MORGAN). She was much younger than Philip, having been born in 1682. She died at the age of 92 in 1774[5]
Philip was illiterate and signed his will on December 11, 1719 with his mark. He styled himself a yeoman of Merion. Witnesses to it were Rees Thomas, Owen Roberts, and Richard Thomas. The will was proved November 22, 1720 by his wife Margaret. In it Philip named his daughter Sarah Lewis, grandchildren Isaac Price and Samuel, Daniel, Sarah, Mary, David, Isaac, Philip, Miriam, and John—the children of Thomas Rees, "late of Haverford"—and grandchildren Elizabeth Stout, Philip, Stephen, Josiah, Sarah, Mary, and Ann Lewis (the children of John LEWIS of New Castle, Delaware). He also mentions Joan, the wife of Hugh DAVID, Lettice, the wife of Samuel REES, and Rebecca, the wife of Thomas Rees. The overseers for executing the will were Rees THOMAS, Norris LLEWELLYN, and Robert JONES.[6]
It is said there were eleven children of Philip and his first wife, ten daughters and one son, all of whom supposedly predeceased their father (order uncertain):[7] [See an explanation of Friends' Dates.]
- Sarah Price2, m. John Lewis; res. New Castle; 7 children living in 1719. John LEWIS, Jr. owned property in Haverford valued at £30 in the 1693 tax list.[8] Henry Lewis, Jr. conveyed 100 acres to John Lewis, Jr. 8/1m/1694/5.[9] John Jr. was granted 100 acres in Haverford Twp 16/12m/1701.[10]
- Isaac Price, b. ; d. 1706; m. Susanna Shoemaker; one surviving child in 1719.
- Frances, died before 1719; m. Thomas Rees; res. Haverford; 9 children surviving in 1719. Thomas Rees was described as the servant to Evan Thomas, among the early settlers of the Welsh tract. [11] Children of Frances and Thomas Rees (order uncertain):
a) Samuel Rees
b) Sarah Rees
c) Daniel Rees
d) Mary Rees
e) David Rees
f) Isaac Rees
g) Philip Rees
h) Miriam Rees
i) Thomas Rees
j) John Rees- - xi. (Is there a reader who knows the names of the other children?)
Second Generation
Isaac Price2, reputed to be the only son of Philip Price, was born in Wales and emigrated with his father (or parents) to Chester County. He requested a certificate to Abington Monthly Meeting to marry Susanna SCHUMACHER/Shoemaker. She was a German Friend who came to Germantown with her widowed mother and siblings in 1683. Isaac and Susanna were married on First Month [March] 4, 1696 at the home of Richard Wall/WALN, her brother's father-in-law, under the care of Abington Monthly Meeting, of which Germantown Meeting was then a part.[12]
Isaac lived in Plymouth Township, which was then in Philadelphia County (now in Montgomery County). He bought land from Francis RAWLE and Elizabeth FOX, the widow of James, who had been original purchasers who came from Plymouth in Devonshire, but who didn't actually settle the land themselves.[13]
On October 6, 1704 Lumley WILLIAMS sold a piece of ground to Friends for a burial ground. The �2 price was paid by "Isaac PRICE, William DICKINSON & Abraham DAWES all of the sd township of Plymouth Yeomen & John RHOADS of Whitemarsh in the said County of Philadelphia Yeoman." The four men were "were prominent Friends of the vicinity and they held the property in trust for the meeting".
Susanna and Isaac had four children, of whom the first three died young. Isaac Price died in 1706/7.[14] His will was signed September 4, 1706, witnessed by David WILLIAM, Thomas REES, and Rowland ELLIS. It was proved by his widow on March 1, 1706/7. In it he named three children, Miriam having died. The three witnesses were named as overseers.[15]
Susanna married for a second time Third Month [May] 27. 1708, William CUERTON, at Plymouth Meeting in Montgomery County. William was a widower, the son of Richard and Margaret. The Cuertons had emigrated from London on the Rebecca, arriving 31 Eighth Month [October] 1685. They were members of Radnor Meeting. Susanna and William had three children.[16]
Children of Isaac2 and Susanna (Shoemaker) Price:[17]
- Miriam Price3, b. 6/10m/1696; d. in infancy
- Mary Price, b. 29/1m/1699; d. in infancy.
- Gwen Price, b. 13/1m/1702; d.y.
- Isaac Price, b. 13/3m/1704/5; d. 4m/1738; m. 10/4m/1729 Margaret Lewis and had 3 children;
Third Generation
Isaac Price3 was born in Plymouth Township First Month [March] 13, 1704/5, the only son of Isaac Price. His father died when he was four years old, and his mother married William CUERTON when Isaac was six. In the next few years Isaac got three younger sisters. In 1715 his parents moved the family from Haverford to Duck Creek Meeting in Delaware. [18] Presumably Isaac went with them, and then later removed to Abington Meeting, which had been his mother's meeting before her marriage. He was apprenticed to Griffith JONES and his wife Elizabeth, of Germantown on October 7, 1720.[19] Isaac transferred from Abington to Gwynedd Monthly Meeting on Sixth Month [August], 29, 1727.[20]
Two years later, on Second Month [April] 29, Isaac was given a certificate of clearness to Radnor Meeting in order to marry Margaret LEWIS. She was the daughter of Henry and Mary (TAYLOR) Lewis. Friends in Gwynedd had made the usual inquiries and were content that Isaac was clear of any other promises of marriage, and that his "life and conversation" were of "good report". The wedding took place at the Haverford meeting house on Fourth Month [June] 10, 1729.[21]
We get a glimpse of Isaac on the 1734 list of taxables for Plymouth Township. He had 328 acres, comfortably in the middle range between John REDWITZER with 900 acres, and five men listed with 100 acres each.[22]
Isaac died of smallpox in 1738. He signed his will February 20, 1738 (witnessed by William TROTTER and Hugh JONES) and it was proved May 20, 1738. He described himself as a weaver, living in Philadelphia County. He mentioned his wife, who was made executrix, and three children, Phillip, Isaac and Mary. John LEWIS (his brother-in-law), Joseph JONES and John HAMER were named guardians.[23]
Margaret died of tuberculosis a month later, in Fifth Month. About the same time their only surviving daughter also died.[24]
Margaret's will was dated August 5, 1738, witnessed by Hugh JONES, John HAMMER and Henry LEWIS. It was proved August 19, 1738. In it she was described as a widow. Margaret mentioned her mother-in-law Susanna CUERTON, and her children Isaac and Philip. She named her brother John LEWIS and brother-in-law Joseph JONES to serve as executors.[25]
Children of Isaac and Margaret (Lewis) Price (order uncertain):[26]
- Philip Price4, b. 5/11m/1730; d. 13/5m/1811; m. 13/5m/1752 Hannah BONSALL.
- Mary Price, d. in her youth, 1738.
- Isaac Price, d. at age of 18.
Fourth Generation
Philip Price4, only surviving son of Isaac and Margaret (Lewis) Price, was born Eleventh Month [January] 5, 1729/30 in Plymouth Township, and died on 17 Ninth Month, 1811. He and Hannah BONSALL were married 13 Fifth Month [May] 1752.
In 1751 he was granted a certificate of removal from Gwynedd Meeting to Darby Meeting in order to work as a farmer and grazier for Benjamin BONSALL, in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County.[27]
Philip married Hannah BONSALL, his boss's daughter, 13 Fifth Month [May] 1752. Hannah was born Eleventh Month [January] 18, 1730.
In 1769 Philip Price was listed as liable for �67.6.8 tax. He owned no land, but had 5 horses, 30 head of cattle, and two servants.[28] In 1774 he had expanded his operation to hold 84 acres, and had 5 horses and 50 head of cattle with 3 servants. His tax obligation was �73.2.0.[29]
Militias were formed in every county to fight the colonists' war against Great Britain. Philip was assigned to the seventh class, Kingsessing Company, in 1781, and to the seventh class, third Battalion of Philadelphia County, under Captain Charles Justice.[30] Upholding the Quaker peace testimony, he did not appear for the muster, and suffered a distraint of goods for his failure. General Howe made his headquarters in the Price home. Philip gave an itemized account of the losses suffered during this occupation in cattle, oxen, horses, sheep, wood, timber, etc. There is a family tradition that the Price children annoyed the British troops by refusing to honor King George and hurrahing for General Washington.[31]
After the war there was a need for a school. In 1789 for a nominal sum Philip sold some land to a board of trustees so that they could build a school for the neighborhood children. A small, single-story, one-room school was built soon after. Its name was changed in 1848 to the Bennaker School. It was still standing in 1942 near 70th and Woodland Avenue.[32]
By 1789 Philip was named as one of three election judges to attest to the returns of the election on October 13, 1789 for sheriff, coroner, and commissioner.[33]
When their son, Philip Jr. married Rachel KIRK October 10, 1784 the young couple moved in with Philip and Hannah. After three years, Philip and Hannah bought them a small farm of their own in West Nantmeal, seven miles from the meeting. Although it was pleasant, it was too far from the meeting and Friends. So when Philip Jr. heard of another place becoming available in East Bradford, he asked his father to come with him to look it over. They were gone about a week.[34]
Both Hannah and Philip were active Friends. Hannah was an Elder in Darby Meeting. Philip sat with her on the facing bench. A grandson wrote of him, that in his old age Philip was
venerable in appearance, sat at the head of Darby Meeting, and was called "Grandfather" by the people generally. He was of large frame, and must have been nearly six feet in height, before he became bent with age, and was a pretty constant smoker of the pipe, and a reader of newspapers and books. He was kind and charitable according to his ability.[35]Hannah died in Fifth Month 1802 and was buried on the 10th at the Old Hill Meeting House in Darby. Philip died nine years later, on 17 Ninth Month, 1811.
Children of Philip and Hannah (Bonsall) Price:[36]
- Martha Price5, b. 17 8th mo, 1753; d. 25 7th mo, 1775.
- Margaret Price, b. 14 5th mo., 1756; d. 28 11th mo., 1812; m. 1779 Edward GARRIGUES (1756-1845) and had 6 children. They resided in Cherry Alley, Philadelphia. Edward was a carpenter and master builder (i.e. a building contractor), who was elected to the Carpenters' Company in 1793. In 1798 he was in the richest 10% of Philadelphians, with his own house and outbuildings, riding coach, horse, cow, and several adjacent houses he rented to laborers. During the virulent yellow fever epidemic of 1798 he remained in the city nursing the sick and the poor. Edward, Margaret, and their daughter Mary all got sick but recovered. He wrote a diary during those 3 months that gives a good feel for the times. Edward m(2) ca. 1814 Susanna LIGHTFOOT. Margaret's children:[36a]
a) Hannah Garrigues, b. 1780; d. 1866;
b) Mary Ralph Garrigues, b. 26 Jan. 1782; d. 4 Sept. 1849; m. 1811 Joshua Hoopes;
c) Benjamin Garrigues, b. 8 Feb. 1795; d. 5 Jan. 1845; m. 2 May 1816 Anna Lee;
d) James Garrigues, lived only a few months.
e) Martha Garrigues, lived only a few months.
f) Edward Garrigues, Jr. lived only three years.- Sarah Price, b. 30 4th mo, 1759; d. 30 5th mo, 1839; m. 15 4th mo, 1779 in Darby Mtg Thomas GARRETT (1748-1839). Thomas was a blacksmith in Darby. He had m(1) 1773 Margaret LEVIS, who d. 1776. and had 2 children. Sarah and Thomas had 11 children:
a) Philip Cresson Garrett, twin, b. 13 May 1780; d. 14 Feb.1851; m. 8 Oct. 1801 Rebecca Cresson
b) Sarah Garrett, twin, b. 13 May 1780; d. 1780.
c) Thomas Garrett, Jr., b. 5 Nov. 1782; d. 30 Jan. 1786.
d) Charles Garrett, b. 4 Apr. 1785; d. 11 Oct. 1860; m. 14 mar. 1811 Hannah HIBBERD;
e) Margaret H. Garrett, b. 8 Oct. 1787; d. 7 Apr. 1860; m. 15 Apr. 1824 George MALIN;
f) Thomas Garrett, Jr., b. 21 Aug. 1789; d. 25 Jan. 1871 at Wilmington, Del.; m(1) Ann RICHARDS; m(2) Mary SHARPLESS; m(3) Rachel MENDENHALL; he was the major conductor on the underground railroad.
g) Benjamin Garrett, b. 17 Oct. 1791; d. 4 Apr. 1884; m. ca. 1841 Mary HAINES, daughter of David and Alice (CULLIFER)
i) John Knowles Garrett, b. 12 Apr. 1793; d. 15 June 1832; m. 10 Oct. 1816 Henrietta LEVIS;
j) Isaac Price Garrett, b. 18 Jan. 1796; d. 24 Jan. 1869; m. 1838 Phebe RHOADS;
k) Ann Garrett, b. 5 May 1798; d. 17 Feb. 1892; perhaps unmarried.
l) Edward Garrett, b. 7 Dec. 1800; d. 16 Sept. 1863; m. 19 Nov. 1837 Abigail SELLERS;
- Isaac Price, b. 1 6th mo., 1761; d. 26 8th mo., 1766
- Philip Price, b. 8 1st mo., 1764 in Kingsessing Twp., Phila. Co.; d. 26 2nd mo., 1837 in West Chester; m. 20 10th mo., 1784 to Rachel Kirk; 11 children. Philip and Rachel were heads of Westtown School 1818-1830.[37] There is a fair amount of material on Philip and Rachel.
a) Martha Price, b. 3 Nov. 1785; d. 11 Sept. 1852; m. 11 oct. 1804 Nathan H. SHARPLES
b) Hannah Price, b.26 Mar. 1787; d. 10 Jan. 1861; m. David Jones DAVIS;
c) William Price, b.17 Sept. 1788; d. 27 Jan. 1860; m. 4 oct. 1820 Hannah FISHER;
d) Sibbilla K. Price, b. 19 Feb. 1790; d. 6 Aug. 1853; m. 22 Dec. 1812 John William TOWNSEND;
e) Margaret Price, b. 19 Apr. 1792; d. 15 July 1880; m. 23 Sept. 1819 Jonathan Paxson;
f) Benjamin Price, b. 17 Dec. 1793; d. 15 Jan. 1872; m. 12 June 1817 Jane Canby PAXSON
g) Sarah Price, b. 6 Nov. 1795; d. 4 Dec. 1873; m. Caleb CARMALT;
h) Eli Kirk Price, b. 20 July 1797; d. 15 Nov. 1884; m. 10 June 1828 Anna EMBREE; Philadelphia lawyer; he wrote about his parents.
i) Isaac Price, b. 30 Nov. 1799; d. 25 Aug. 1825; m. Susanna Martin PAYNE;
j) Philip Price, b. 7 July 1802; d. 16 June 1870; m. Matilda GREENTREE;
k) Rachel Price, b. 19 July 1808; d. 25 Sept. 1808.
- Benjamin Price, b. 16 4th mo., 1766; d. 31 1st mo., 1839; m. 20 5th mo., 1789 Ruth KIRK; 6 children.
- Isaac Price, b. 13 10th mo., 1768; d. 15 9th mo., 1798 of yellow fever contracted as a member of the Board of Health; m. 9th mo., 1791 Mary FENTHAN; had 3 children. Isaac was a watchmaker in Philadelphia.
a) Isaac Price
b) Ann Price
c) Henry Price
Benjamin Price5, the sixth child of Philip and Hannah (Bonsall) Price, was born April 16, 1766 on his parents' farm in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, near the village of Darby in what is now Delaware County. He died First Month 31, 1839 in Philadelphia. Benjamin married Fourth Month 22, 1789 at Uwchalan Meeting in Chester County Ruth Kirk. She was the daughter of William and Sibilla (Davies) Kirk, and the sister of Rachel who had married Benjamin's older brother Philip five years earlier.
Benjamin was a farmer. The family with the three youngest children transferred to Southern District Monthly Meeting of Philadelphia from Concord Meeting, on a certificate of removal granted by Concord Meeting Seventh Month 9, 1806.[38]
Ruth died Sixth Month 18, 1837 and Benjamin died two years later, First Month 31, 1839.
Children of Benjamin and Ruth (Kirk) Price:[39]
James Bonsall Price6, the first of his immediate family to be given a middle name, received the surname of his paternal grandmother. He was born August 6, 1795 and died January 19, 1848. He was married twice. James studied medicine under Dean Caspar WISTAR at the University of Pennsylvania, matriculating in 1816. In 1817 and 1818 he studied Physic under Philip SYNG, John Syng DORSEY, and David J. JONES. While he was studying medicine, his double first cousin, Eli Kirk PRICE, was studying law at Penn.[41]
James opened his medical practice in West Chester. John Robert HOLLIDAY hired James to be the physician on his sugar plantation in Louisiana. James married John's daughter, Eleanor Addison Smith HOLLIDAY. He was disowned by Philadelphia Monthly Meeting September 25, 1823 for marrying out of unity with Friends.[42]
In Louisiana James and Eleanor lived at Belle Grove, her father's plantation approximately where the New Orleans airport is now. After the death of John Robert Holliday in 1826, the Prices moved to Baltimore County, Maryland, the ancestral home of the Holliday family.[43]
In Maryland James was a director and stockholder of a number of banks, and served as a judge of the Orphans' Court.[45]
James and Eleanor had seven children, the last one dying four days after birth. Eleanor died two weeks later. Five years later, on August 18, 1840, James married Ann JONES, daughter of Samuel JONES. She was born 9 April 1800. They had one child.[46]
James made his will 9 August 1844, revoking previous wills made in Louisiana, making his second wife his executrix, and directing her to make a will. James died January 19, 1848 at his residence in Baltimore County, Maryland, in his 52nd year. His will was proved January 27. In it he left his "dear wife" shares of stock and real estate. His cousin Eli K. Price was authorized to sell James's property in New Orleans. Lucius C. Duncan was named as executor of the southern lands. According to family tradition, Duncan defrauded James's heirs of the property.[47]
Following James's death, Ann, her step-children, and daughter Sue moved to West Chester. Then in about 1862 or 1863 Ann, her step-daughter Clara, and daughter Sue moved to a three-story brick home at 1074 Parrish Street in Philadelphia purchased by James's son-in-law Joseph B. TOWNSEND on 13 June 1850. After her wedding Sue's husband John Barton PAXTON moved in, too, and continued living there after the death of Sue on 20 June 1868.[48]
Ann died August 7, 1877.[49]
Children of James Bonsall and Eleanor Addison Smith (Holliday) Price:[50]
Child of James Bonsall and his second wife Ann (Jones) Price:
Lucius Duncan Price7, son of James Bonsall Price and his first wife, Eleanor Addison Smith (Holliday) Price, was born on November 29, 1830, perhaps in Philadelphia, and died in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1904. He was named for a prominent New Orleans attorney, a friend of his father's. Lucius had a twin, Ellen, who died at the age of about six weeks. On Fourth Month 21, 1852 Lucius married Anna Maria HAINES, daughter of John T. and Hannah (WILLIAMS) Haines.[52]
Lucius joined the Religious Society of Friends Eighth Month 30, 1862 at Birmingham Monthly Meeting.[52]
Lucius was a Republican, "but entertained no personal ambition for public office. He was an enthusiastic naturalist, and well known in the neighborhood for his knowledge of botany and biology."[52]
Lucius was a harness maker in West Chester. Towards the end of his life he worked as a taxidermist. In the photograph Lucius is shown with his grandson, Joseph "Jay" Haines Price, son of Joseph T. Price. The photograph was taken in a West Chester studio in the 1890s. My thanks to Michael Cassara who kindly sent me this photo which he found in a flea market in New York.
Anna Maria died Third Month 13, 1865. Lucius lived nearly forty more years, dying Sixth Month 23, 1904.
Children of Lucius Duncan and Anna Maria (Haines) Price:
Samuel Stone Price7, son of James Bonsall Price and his first wife, Eleanor Addison Smith (Holliday) Price, was born on 14 February 1833 in Baltimore County, Maryland and died 5 July 1899 in Philadelphia. He married 6 September 1852 Theresa JAMER or JAMAIR. She was born in January 1825 in Philadelphia. She died December 20, 1912 in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
Samuel, shown to the right, studied law but became an accountant in a Philadelphia County bank. In the 1880 census Samuel gave his occupation as bookkeeper.
He was buried 7 July 1899 in Medford, New Jersey.
Children of Samuel S. and Theresa (Jamer) Price:[51]
Anne Jones Price8, was named for the second wife of her grandfather, James Bonsall Price. Anne was born 10 March 1856 in West Chester, the daughter of Lucius Duncan and Anna Maria (Haines) Price. She died 13 February 1921. On November 15, 1877 Anne became the second wife of the widowed John Barton PAXTON.
After the death of her mother when she was nine, Anne went to live with her step grandmother (for whom she was named) at her home at 1014 Parrish Street, Philadelphia. For a while Anne attended public school, then enrolled in Friends Central School, which was then located at Fifteenth and Race Streets. Then she attended Westtown boarding school. Anne graduated from West Chester State Normal School (now West Chester University) in 1876. She taught school for a year in Downingtown. While teaching she lived at the home of her friends Jacob and ___ RINGWALT. If any reader has additional information about the Ringwalts, I would be happy to hear from you.
John died March 14, 1913. Anne died February 13, 1921.
Children of John Barton and Anne Jones (Price) Paxton:
To continue the story of this family, go to the older generations of the Paxton family, or directly to John Barton Paxton. The Price line given here, with many collateral lines, has been expanded in a hard copy book with considerable historical context. To learn more about the times in which these family members lived, you might want to read The Price Family in History. It gives a lot of social, religious, economic, and political context for the lives of these ancestors. The book is available at lulu.com. The price is the cost of printing and binding, plus shipping. I make nothing on it.
The companion volume, The Southern Connection: Ancestors of Eleanor Addison Smith (Holliday) Price is available from the same source. It delves into the very different lives of Eleanor's colonial Maryland plantation elite ancestors. She was the wife of James Bonsall Price, and grandmother of Anne Jones (Price) Paxton. This volume follows the descendants of Eleanor to the present day.
This Price line connects with Ashbridge, Barrow, Bonsall, Borton, Cadwallader, Cox, one David/Davies, the other (Ellis) Davies, England, Fisher, Haines, Harry/Harris, Hayes, Holliday, John, Jones, Kinton, Kirk, one Lewis (Henry), another Lewis (Thomas), Malin, Morgan, Orbell, Paxton, another Price (Richard), a third Price (David), Roessen, Sharpley, Shumaker/Shoemaker, Sowter, Taylor, Thomas, Townsend, Weeks, White, Williams, Wood, and Wooderson families. In time others may be posted, too, but there are currently too many brick walls to post them. Also, please note that these collateral lines are only followed through the ancestor who marries into the Price line, so some of them are very short. Nearly all of them are included in The Price Family in History.
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