Rachel Cronkhite Fonds 1809 - 1904

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The Rachel Cronkhite Family Fonds (F 550) is held at the Archives of Ontario in Toronto. It is a collection of letters, poetry and other items, all in some way or another related to the Quaker life. To see the description at the Archives of Ontario: find your way to the Archives Descriptive Database and enter the keyword "Cronkhite Family".

Rachel Bowerman 1807 - 1891 married Peter Cronkhite about 1827, lived in Hallowell, Prince Edward County. Rachel's parents were Judah Bowerman (1779-1868) and Abigail Hughes (1780-1812) who is a brother of Sam Hughes. Three letters from Sam Hughes are in the Fonds. Rachel Cronkhite's youngest daughter Rachel Jane married Samuel Saylor, son of Robert H. Saylor.

Two letters from the Fonds are transcribed below.
1. Abigail (Hughes) Bowerman letter 1809
2. Robert H Saylor letter 1874
3. Descendants of Peter Cronkhite and Rachael Bowerman

1. Abigail (Hughes) Letter, 1809
© Copyright Transcribed by Doug Smith 8 Feb 2007

The 4 month the 12 1809
Dear relations I having an opertunity to write unto you I feal mos most easy to imbrace it, although we have sent a leter to you sins we have received one , I have nothing in perticuler to communicate unto you, onely we are in a good state of helth, at present and disire these may find you in the same state. but alas how many have been cauled from time to eternity, from amougst you since last /? spring, under the consideration there of I have often to simpathise with you acording to my smal mesures and may the Lord strenghen and enable those he is pleased to leave behind that they may stand faithful to the truth in all things, that his testamony may not fall to the ground in that place is the disire of l my heart, so no more at present but my love to you all in which Judah Joins me
Abigail Bowerman
to Samuel Hughes
Judah has not forgot to save thee som apels seeds but has provided som for thee and we are in /ro? hopes thee will come and fech them thy self through the cors of the winter

2. Robert H Saylor Letter, 1874
© Copyright Transcribed by Randy Saylor

Note: Robert Hubbs Saylor 1827 - 1907, West Lake Quaker, had a son Samuel who married Rachel Jane, the youngest daughter of Rachel Cronkhite of this fonds. Robert was 47 when he visited Philadelphia and wrote this charming letter to his son and daughter in law. I wonder why Robert was a friend of Richard Esterbrook of the Esterbrook pen company. Robert's father, Charles Saylor 1786 - 1853 was born in NJ and settled in Bloomfield c1810 so this may be a clue. Punctuation is lacking so the sentences have been separated for easier reading and transcribed as spelled.

Camden [NJ] Tenth Mo 1874
Samuel C Saylor & Rachel J Saylor

Dear Sun and Daughter
I am now in a land far from my home and family although not forgotten them my mind has been much occupied in the affairs that has placed me here this time and as it has seemed to me to be wright to attend to my feellings i believe it will prove a blessing to me and to my Little family that has been left behind to care for thing at home

i have seen more than i could tell in three weeks if i were to doo nothing but tell about it

the City of Philadelphia it would take Three weeks to go through it and get any idea of it there are houses that would take all day to bare look through

I am looking a round among friends but it would be no place for to more go out for a visit unless there was notice given before hand informing them of your coming

I have seen such friends [probably meaning Friends, ie. Quakers] as i never before see

I have visited the grounds that Wm Penn made the Treaty with the indians and his house he lived in while he lived here and see his likeness over the door of the house of the same

I see the old bell that was rang untill it was split to pieces the day of the declaration of independence; Philadelphia is a large citty and to such a vast amt of vegitable production its wonderful

i have eaten fruit called Beaunanna [banana] it is in the shape of a cucumber but equal to the best pear thee ever eat

more drive and hurry than can be imagined

Samuel i shall get something for the school and as I am the only friend that Ever has come from Canada here so as to be known hereafter it will be long to be remembered by friends here and a warm feeling felt towards me and my family will be likely to remain for time to come

I am now at my old friends house an old friend indeed he employs about 200 hands to the making of steel pens and sell about $9,000.00 per mo. i will will fetch a sample of each home

R Esterbrook keep a horse in the livery and carriage. it is fetched to his door when ordered and drive to the door nothing to doo but drive him i have had a number + of rides cross the delaware river and on street cars

i shall have much to tell thee when i come home

I hope I shall be home soon and if my stay should be longer than i expected it will be for more money that i am staying for, hoping I shall find all well when i come home which there is no doubt but i will; doo the very best the can to get along and write to me while i am here so if i get away from this before receiving thy letter it would be sent to me

Direct thy letter to me in the care of Richard Esterbrook, tell thy Mother to doo so to direct thy letter

Camden NJ
US
I remain thy Father and friend
in Love Robert H Saylor
Rachel kiss that dear little RES for me one 100 times
Remember to me to all Especially to Mother and David, and to friends in general RHS

3. Descendants of Peter Cronkhite and Rachel Bowerman

1. PETER¹ CRONKHITE was born November 12, 1804, and died September 23, 1851 in Hallowell. He married RACHEL BOWERMAN May 24, 1827 in Hallowell, daughter of JUDAH BOWERMAN and ABIGAIL HUGHES. She was born April 13, 1810, and died August 25, 1900.

Children of PETER CRONKHITE and RACHEL BOWERMAN are:
2.                i.    JUDAH² CRONKHITE, b. May 07, 1828; d. December 08, 1872.
                  ii.    PHILIP CRONKHITE, b. December 26, 1830; m. LANA M PETTINGILL, April 26, 1857.
3.              iii.    JOHN HUGHES CRONK, b. January 03, 1833; d. June 15, 1899.
                 iv.    STEPHEN CRONKHITE, b. October 07, 1835; d. April 22, 1902; m. MARY ADELIA BETTS, January 13, 1859.
                  v.    ADELAIDE CRONKHITE, b. August 29, 1837; d. November 26, 1864; m. TURNER ABEL, January 23, 1858.
                 vi.    WILLIAM HENRY CRONKHITE, b. December 24, 1839; d. March 31, 1866.
                vii.    PHOEBE ANN CRONKHITE, b. October 08, 1843; d. October 27, 1867.
               viii.    PETER FREEMAN CRONKHITE, b. November 19, 1846; d. April 24, 1882.
4.               ix.    RACHEL JANE CRONKHITE, b. May 12, 1849; d. October 13, 1930.
                   x.    ABIGAIL CRONKHITE, b. April 26, 1851.

Generation No. 2
2. JUDAH² CRONKHITE (PETER¹) was born May 07, 1828, and died December 08, 1872. He married MARY ANN WALKER December 08, 1856, daughter of JOSEPH WALKER and SARAH SPRUNG.

Children of JUDAH CRONKHITE and MARY WALKER are:
                   i.    ADDA³ CRONKHITE, b. August 04, 1857.
                  ii.    WILLIAM HENRY CRONKHITE, b. January 10, 1861.
                 iii.    CLAYTON ALBERT CRONKHITE, b. July 25, 1863.
                 iv.    DAVID LLEWELLAN CRONKHITE, b. May 25, 1865; d. January 20, 1914.
                  v.    PHOEBE ANNIE CRONKHITE, b. July 25, 1867.
                 vi.    EUGENE CRONKHITE, b. April 13, 1870.

3. JOHN HUGHES² CRONK (PETER¹ CRONKHITE) was born January 03, 1833, and died June 15, 1899. He married MARILLA BURTHENA OGDEN January 25, 1858, daughter of DYER OGDEN and SARAH SHELDON. She was born August 09, 1838, and died 1911.

Child of JOHN CRONK and MARILLA OGDEN is:
5.                i.    WILFRED CECIL³ CRONK, b. July 02, 1873; d. July 07, 1956, Hallowell.

4. RACHEL JANE² CRONKHITE (PETER¹) was born May 12, 1849, and died October 13, 1930. She married SAMUEL CHARLES SAYLOR September 27, 1871 in Wellington, ON, son of ROBERT SAYLOR and CATHERINE GIBSON. He was born May 28, 1850, and died March 13, 1926.

Children of RACHEL CRONKHITE and SAMUEL SAYLOR are:
                   i.    ROBERT ERNEST³ SAYLOR, b. Abt. 1874; d. January 23, 1875, Hallowell, PEC.
6.               ii.    AUGUSTA BELLE SAYLOR, b. August 14, 1877, Prince Edward Co.; d. January 09, 1959, Toronto, ON.
7.              iii.    DELPHIA JANE "JEPTHA" SAYLOR, b. Abt. 1879; d. July 28, 1958, Date stated in Hubbs Family of PEC, June 1981, Linda Smith.
                 iv.    NELLIE SAYLOR, b. July 26, 1882, Prince Edward County; m. WILLIAM FULLER.
                  v.    ELMA ROBERTA LEE SAYLOR, b. August 07, 1887; d. October 17, 1907; m. HUBERT FETTON.

Generation No. 3
5. WILFRED CECIL³ CRONK (JOHN HUGHES², PETER¹ CRONKHITE) was born July 02, 1873, and died July 07, 1956 in Hallowell. He married ETHEL MAUDE BOWERMAN June 10, 1908 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, daughter of STEPHEN BOWERMAN and ELIZABETH LUCAS. She was born April 21, 1879 in Bloomfield, ON, and died March 24, 1961 in Hallowell.

Children of WILFRED CRONK and ETHEL BOWERMAN are:
                   i.    ELEANOR ELIZABETH⁴ CRONK, b. March 24, 1909, Bloomfield, ON; d. December 21, 1964.
                  ii.    EDITH HILDA MARION CRONK CRONK, b. December 19, 1910, Bloomfield, ON.

6. AUGUSTA BELLE³ SAYLOR (RACHEL JANE² CRONKHITE, PETER¹) was born August 14, 1877 in Prince Edward Co., and died January 09, 1959 in Toronto, ON. She married DR. MANSON DOYLE July 22, 1903. He was born September 21, 1876 in Tecumseth Tp, Simcoe Co., and died November 04, 1955 in Toronto, ON.

Children of AUGUSTA SAYLOR and DR. DOYLE are:
                   i.    DR. ARTHUR MANNING⁴ DOYLE, b. 1904, Sperling, MB; d. November 04, 1974, Toronto, ON; m. GRACE ELIZABETH ROBERTSON; b. 1908; d. 1999.
                  ii.    ALLEGRA RACHEL ANNIE DOYLE, b. November 12, 1905; d. November 29, 2002; m. WILLIAM (DOUGLAS) SMITH, May 15, 1935, Manchester, England; b. December 03, 1908; d. March 10, 2000.
                 iii.    DR. HENRY SAYLOR DOYLE, b. May 17, 1909, Fort Frances, ON; d. September 18, 1986, Toronto, ON; m. (1) MARY ELIZABETH STEVENS; m. (2) ANNA SOPER, 1939; b. 1913; d. 1999.

7. DELPHIA JANE "JEPTHA"³ SAYLOR (RACHEL JANE² CRONKHITE, PETER¹) was born Abt. 1879, and died July 28, 1958 in Date stated in Hubbs Family of PEC, June 1981, Linda Smith. She married (1) FREDRICK WAKEFIELD BLACKHALL.    She married (2) HERBERT GEORGE PATTON. He was born 1889, and died 1926.

Child of DELPHIA SAYLOR and FREDRICK BLACKHALL is:
                   i.    RACHEL ELIZABETH⁴ BLACKHALL, d. 1989; m. DR. HERBERT ALLAN BURNETT; d. 1987.