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Aaron & Mary Woodward Mendenhall Family

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Mary Woodward was the oldest child of William & Eliza Marshall Woodward of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Her birth is recorded at Bradford Monthly Meeting in Chester County.

Aaron Mendenhall, Jr. was the sixth child and fourth son of Aaron & Rose Pearson Mendenhall of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

  Mary Woodward
born 4/11/1735 Chester Co, Pa
died bet 1810-20 Newcastle Co, De
Aaron Mendenhall, Jr.
born 5/13/1729 Chester Co, Pa
died 3/10/1813 Newcastle Co, De
  Married : 11/11/1756 Bradford Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Children:
James Mendenhall born 6/30/1763 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; married Hannah Beeson
William Mendenhall born 1764 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; married Martha Beeson
Note: Hannah and Martha were sisters, daughters of John and Mary Gregg Beeson
Abraham Mendenhall born 3/28/1766 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; married Elizabeth Wells
Sarah Mendenhall born 1/15/1770 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; married Benjamin Miller
Hannah Mendenhall born 1/1/1773 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; married Ellis Sanders
John Mendenhall born 1774 Mill Creek, New Castle County, Delaware; died 2/3/1830 per a Maris family history

Bradford Monthly Meeting Records

"Aaron Mendenhall, son of Aaron Mendenhall and Rose his wife of Township of East Caln married Mary Woodward, daughter of William Woodward and Eliza his wife of Township of West Bradford, 11th day, 11th month 1756." This wedding was attended by 38 family members and 32 meeting members, a large wedding party. Mary's grandfather Richard Woodward had been elder of Bradford Meeting before his death and Aaron's father had been overseer of Bradford Monthly Meeting. Mary's grandparents Abraham and Mary Marshall were well known Quaker ministers and attended the wedding. It was a joining of two prestigious Quaker families.

But trouble loomed for the young couple. On 11/17/1757 Aaron Mendenhall, Jr. was found guilty of unseemly behavior (adultery) with one Alice Simcock, a descendant of John Simcock, a close friend of William Penn. Aaron was disowned from Bradford Monthly Meeting for his behavior. This was the same Alice Simcock who would accuse Mary's brother, Abraham Woodward of being the father of her bastard child in 1760 .

The above list of children (and marriages) for Aaron & Mary is found in the LDS Library Ancestral file. We have not verified them in Quaker records at Bradford as it appears that Aaron made his peace with the Quakers and with Mary but that they moved away from Bradford.

There is a marginal note on one of the Bradford Monthly Meeting original pages - it says only "John Mendenhall, Springville, Utah County, Utah Territory, grandson of Aaron & Mary (Woodward) Mendenhall." More below under family of James and Hannah Beeson Mendenhall.

The Possible Move to Virginia

We do know that in 1792 Aaron and Mary were apparently living at Alexandria, Virginia. Fairfax Monthly Meeting in Virginia contains a notation that Martha Beeson, daughter of John & Mary Beeson, New Garden Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania, and of New Castle County; married 9/13/1792 at New Garden Meeting House, Pennsylvania, William Mendenhall, son Aaron and Mary Mendenhall of Alexandria, Virginia; Martha Beeson Mendenhall was received on certificate from New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania, dated 3,11,1792, at Fairfax Monthly Meeting in Virginia to join her husband. There are no further entries for Aaron and Mary at Fairfax Monthly Meeting. There is a notation under their son William that he was received on certificate from Kennett Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania, 4/25/1789. There is further information for him corresponding to that for Mary Beeson Mendenhall about the marriage. Then a further notation that on 8/23/1800 Martha Mendenhall, widow of William and her infant son William, Jr. were granted a certificate back to New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania. When time permits we will try to follow up on William, Jr. in the New Garden meeting records.

Mill Creek 100 Census Records in New Castle County, Delaware

Evidently Aaron and Mary Mendenhall had returned to Delaware by 1800. Aaron and sons Abraham and James are found together in Mill Creek 100, New Castle County, Delaware, page 203. Aaron Mendenhall: 1 male under 10; 1 male 15-25; 1 male 45+ (Aaron); 1 female 10-15; 1 female 16-25; 1 female 45+ (Mary). Abraham Mendenhall 1 male 10-15; 1 15-25; 1 26-44; 1 female under 10; 1 female 16-25. James Mendenhall: 1 male under 10; 2 10-15; 1 16-25; 1 26-44; 2 females under 10; 2 10-15; 1 16-25; 1 26-44. We also find Ellis Sanders who married daughter Hannah Mendenhall on page 197 in Mill Creek hundred next to his father John Sanders and brother Abraham Sanders: Ellis Sanders 1 male 10-15; 1 male 26-44; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 16-25.

In 1810 Aaron, James and Abram are found on page 229. Aaron Mendenhall 1 male under 10; 1 male 25-44; 1 male 45+; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 15-25; 1 female 45+. James Mendenhall: 2 males under 10; 1 male 15-25; 1 male 16-44; 1 male 45+; 3 females under 10; 1 female 10-15; 2 females 16-25; 1 female 45+. Abram Mendenhall, 4 males under 10; 2 males 26-44; 1 female under 10; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 26-44, and 1 other person. Ellis Sanders is found on page 227: 2 male under 10, 2 males 10-15; 1 male 26-44, 1 male 45+; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 26-44.

We did not find a Benjamin Miller, who supposedly married Sarah Mendenhall, in New Castle County, Delaware in either 1800 or 1810.

We did not find Aaron or Mary in Mill Creek Hundred in 1820 and assume they were both deceased by that time. The date given above for Aaron's death is from the Ancestral File so we do not know if it is credible.

More on the Children of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall

There is a Web Site Terry's Roots that has much on the children of Aaron and Mary Mendenhall but little proof is offerred. Some of the information fits fairly well with what we have found in census records and other sources. Another good site seems to be Ancestors of Caroline Sarah Mendenhall. We have been able to verify quite a bit of the information on that site. Both of these require that you either be a member of Ancestry.com or register to view the sites.

Chad Nichols has a section of Mendenhall genealogy on his Nichols site. He has a page for Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall and particularly follows the line of their son Abraham linked on that page. He has a lot of good information on Abraham and wife Elizabeth Wells and family. This is a very interesting family that moved from the Quaker religion to the Latter Day Saints religion. He has some photos up of descendants' houses at Nauvoo, Illinois, built during their move onward to Salt Lake City.

James and Hannah Beeson Mendenhall

James is the eldest child of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall as nearly as we can determine. Various unproven genealogies give him as born about 1763 and dieing about 1839. James is not found in the 1840 census so his death before that date seems credible. It may well be that Aaron and Mary's marital problems described under Bradford Meeting Records above interfered with their having a child until that time period. About all we can determine from early census records is that he was born between 1756 and 1765. He married Hannah Beeson, daughter of John and Mary Gregg Beeson who were married 10/10/1764 at Old Swede's Church according to a Beeson family history. This date seems to indicate that Hannah's age should match well with a birth date of 1763 for James.

Although James had numerous children as indicated in the various early 1800 census records above, the only one that we have information on is John Mendenhall born 1792. John married Eliza Woodward, daughter of Isaac Woodward and Prudence Taylor, probably about 1820. Issac Woodward was son of James and Jane Bullock Woodward and ultimately a descendant of Richard Woodward, Jr. and Deborah Stanfield making him a double descdendant of that family.

By the 1840 census Eliza Mendenhall is living with her children in Mill Creek Hundred, Newcastle County, Delaware and we see nothing further of John. We are not sure if he is deceased or if he left his family to follow the Mormon faith in Utah - see note under Bradford Meeting Records above (there could have been another grandson John that we are not aware of.) Eliza is found in Mill Creek Hundred in 1850: #192 Eliza Mendenhall, 49, born Pa; Isaac Mendenhall, farmer, 25, born Delaware; Elizabeth Mendenhall, 22, born Delaware. We are not sure if Elizabeth is a daughter of Eliza or wife of Isaac. There is also a James Nicholas, age 17, born Delaware living with them. #193 is son James Mendenhall, 29, miller, born Del; Hannah, 28, born Del; Elizabeth, 6, Del; Mary, 3, Del; Benjamin Farland, 19, miller; Sarah Bothwell, 15, black, born Del. The naming of a son Isaac and a son James makes it fairly certain that this is indeed the wife of John Mendenhall, and that the children are grandchildren of James and Hannah Beeson Mendenhall.

William and Martha Beeson Mendenhall

William Mendenhall was second child of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall born about 1764 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware. He married Martha Beeson, sister of Hannah above, on 9/13/1792 at New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania. William had been received on certificate at Fairfax Monthly Meeting in Virginia on 4/25/1789 from Kennett Monthly Meeting in Chester County, Pennsylvania dated 9/11/1788. In 8/1792 he was granted a certificate back to New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania to marry Martha. William is given as son of Aaron and Mary Mendenhall of Fairfax Virginia in the marriage records. Martha Beeson Mendenhall was then granted a certificate on 11/3/1792 from New Garden to join her husband in Virginia. Martha Mendenhall, widow, and her infant son William Mendenhall, then received a certificate back to New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania, so we know that William, Sr., was deceased by the date of the certificate, 8/23/1800.

Abraham and Elizabeth Wells Mendenhall

Abraham Mendenhall, third son of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall was born 3/29/1766 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, and died 5/17/1839 in New Castle County, Delaware. His wife was born about 1779 in New Jersey. He married Elizabeth Wells on 1/14/1798 at Old Swede's Church according to Delaware Marriage Records. She was daughter of Harrison and Hannah VanLeer Wells. The names of her parents are supported by the naming of children of Abraham and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Wells Mendenhall is found as a widow in 1850 in Mill Creek Hundred: Elizabeth Mendenhall, 71, born New Jersey, John Vanartsdale, 66, Pa; Lina Vanartsdale, 52, Delaware; Harrison Mendenhall, 48, laborer, born Delaware. Lina is apparently her daughter, born about 1798 in Delaware and Harrison is her son, born about 1802. Harrison apparently never married.

Eliza Mendenhall Springer: Daughter Eliza Mendenhall was born 2/20/1801 in Mill Creek, Delaware, and died 12/18/1835. She married Charles Springer 5/4/1828 in Christianna, Delaware (see Swedish Longacres and Related Families Web Site). They had children Hannah, Mary Ann, and Sarah Elizabeth Springer.

James W. Mendenhall: Abraham and Elizabeth had a son James W. Mendenhall, born 7/25/1809 in Delaware. He married Eliza Ann Hoopes who was born about 1811 in Pennsylvania. We have not identified her parents for sure but the "Ancestors of Caroline Sarah Mendenhall" site suggests Jabez and Mary Jackson Hoopes as parents. Debbie Gittins is their descendant via their supposed daughter Caroline Mendenhall who married Uel Stewart.

James W. Mendenhall is found in 1850 in Utah Territory: James Mendenhall, 41, brickmason, born De; Eliza, 39, born Pa; Thomas, 31, Pa (brother of James); Mary E., 16, Pa; James H., 17, Pa; Sarah, 11, Del; Joseph S., 6, Ill; Emma S., 2, Ia; James Potter, 30, laborer, NY; Melissa Sandford, 7, Il; Eliza, 4, Il; Cyrus, 1, Iowa. We are not sure of the Sanford children's relationship to James. The census record is interesting as the birthplaces of the children tracks their migration westward through Navoo, Illinois and on to Utah Territory with a brief stop in Iowa.

James W. Mendenhall died in Utah Territory sometime before the 1860 census: 1860 Springville, Utah, Utah Territory #2497 Eliza Mendenhall, 47, Pa; Thomas, 29, Pa; Caroline, 17, Pa; Joseph, 13, Il; Emma, 11, Ia; Eliza, 8, Utah Territory. Thomas is son of Eliza and James as he is so identified in the 1880 census where Eliza is living with him: 1880 Springville, Utah, Utah Territory, page 156B, Thomas H. Mendenhall, 48, Pa, father born De, mother Pa, laborer; Eliza, mother, 69, Pa, parents born Pa. Thomas would have been 18 or 19 in the 1850 census and was likely working away from home.

We have some reservations about Caroline being the daughter of James and Eliza as she is not with them in the 1850 census (could have been missed). In 1880 she gives her father born Connecticut and she consistently gives her own birthdate as Pennsylvania. James and Eliza were in Delaware by 1839 per Sarah's birthplace in the 1850 census but perhaps they briefly returned to Pennsylvania? At any rate Caroline supposedly married Uel Stewart about 1840 in Illinois (not found in Illinois marriage records). He was her husband per the 1880 census: 1880 Springville, Utah, Utah Territory, Uel Stewart, 40, born Il, father Pa, mother Ky, stock raiser; Caroline, 37, Pa, father Ct, mother Pa; Sarah, 17, Ut; Edna R, 14 Ut; Lillie, 11, Ut; Effa A., 5, Ut; Uel L., 1, Ut.

William Mendenhall: Abraham and Elizabeth had a son William Mendenhall mentioned in "Pioneer Immigrants to Utah Territory" an online database compiled by Ancestry.com from Questionnaires compiled by Sons of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City. Data was submitted by Royal Oakes. William Mendenhall was born 8 April 1815 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, and married Sarah Lovell 21 February 1839 in Delaware. They too went to Nauvoo, Illinois, then Council Bluffs, Iowa, and on to the Great Salt Lake Valley arriving in 1852. We did not find them in the 1850 census and they may have been traveling when the census was taken. They are in Springville, Utah, in 1860: #2657 Wm Mendenhll, 45, born Del; Sarah, 42, born Eng; Thos L. 19, Del, Richard, 15, Il; John, 12, Ia; Elizabeth, 10, Ia; Sarah, 7, Utah; Wm A., 4, Ut; Hannah M., 2, Utah. They also had a daughter Mary Frances Mendenhall, eldest child, probably married by 1860. William worked three years on the temple at Nauvoo. They traveled by mule and wagon to Salt Lake, a trip of 12 days.

Son Thomas Lovell Mendenhall is found in the 1880 census: 1880 Springville, Utah, Utah Terr, page 160A, Thomas L. Mendenhall, 38, De, father De, mother Eng, farmer; Mary E., 34, Il, NC, NY; Thos D., 15, Ut; Seyman L, 13, Ut; Guy W, 10, Ut; John F, 7, Ut; Wm B, 1, Ut. Son Richard Lovell Mendenhall: 1880 Springville, Utah, Utah Terr, page 162B, Richard L. Mendenhall, 34, Il, farmer, father De, mother Eng; Meriah, 29, Pa, parents Pa; Irena B, 8, Ut; Richard L, 6, Ut. Son John Mendenhall: 1880 Springville, Utah, Utah Terr, page 171C, John Mendenhall, 32, Utah, De, Eng, farmer; Eliza R., 23, Ut, Eng, Eng; Marion, son, 1 month, Utah.

Hannah Wells Mendenhall: Abraham and Elizabeth had a daughter, Hannah Wells Mendenhall, born 4/30/1822 in Delaware. She married James Woodward Mendenhall, son of John and Eliza Woodward Mendenhall (John Mendenhall was son of Abraham's brother James, oldest child of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall - see above.) They had daughter Elizabeth born about 1844 and daughter Mary born about 1847. James is found next door to his mother Eliza in 1850 - see census record above under John and Eliza Woodward Mendenhall.

Hannah Mendenhall Sanders

Hannah Mendenhall, daughter of Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall, was born 1/1/1772 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware. She married Ellis Sanders, son of John and Ann Lewis Sanders, on 10/22/1794 at Kennett Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall attended the wedding as did John, Jr., Sarah, Mary, Amos, Nathan, and Benjamin Sanders. Hannah and Ellis had a son Ellis Mendenhall Sanders born 12/5/1803 in New Castle County, Delaware. Ellis Mendenhall Sanders was a member of the Mormon Church and from Nauvoo, Illinois, he was ordained an Elder over the Branch of the Church in Wilmington, Delaware, and surrounding area. Ellis's journal can be found on Paul Price's Web Site. Ellis Mendenhall Sanders married Rachel Broom Roberts and we have heard from Jessie Larson who is a descendant. We also heard from June Everett who is principally researching the Sanders family.

Be sure to also check out Chad Nichols' site on the children of Abraham and Elizabeth (linked above in the first paragraph about Aaron and Mary Woodward Mendenhall's children.)

Updates
3/7/2006 Added a link to Chris Nichols Web Site which follows the children of Aaron and Mary Woodward's son Abraham in great detail.
10/18/2005 Several updates under children of Abraham and Elizabeth Wells Mendenhall.


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