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Woodward Home Page Return to Nicholas Newlin Page Return to Pyle Families Page Nathaniel Newlin was the son of Nicholas & Elizabeth Newlin of England, Ireland and Pennsylvania. The name is sometimes seen as Newland or Newlande in early records. Nathaniel married (1) Mary Mendenhall and (2) Mary Ffinchon (Fincher). Mary Mendenhall was daughter of Thomas & Joane Strode Mendenhall of Mildenhall, Wiltshire, England (more below). Two of the sons of Nathaniel and Mary Newlin married aunts of Abraham Woodward and one of their daughters married his Eavenson cousin. There were many other Newlin/Mendenhall/Woodward connections over the years. |
| Nathaniel Newlin born 12/18/1663 Queens Co, Ireland died 5/1729 Chester Co, Pa |
Mary Mendenhall born 1660 Wiltshire, England died bef 1729 Chester Co, Pa |
| Married: After 2/13/1685 Concord MM, Chester Co, Pennsylvania. Their first intentions were given at Concord on 9th day 1st month 1685 and second intentions on 13th day 2nd month 1685. They were probably married at the next monthly meeting. The report of the date the marriage was accomplished is not given in Concord records.
Children: Jemima Newlin born 12/9/1685 Chester Co, Pa; married Richard Eavenson Elizabeth Newlin born 1/3/1688 Chester Co, Pa; married Ellis Lewis; died 1723 Nicholas Newlin born 3/19/1689 Chester Co, Pa; married (1) Edith Pyle, d/o Nicholas & Abigail Pyle; (2) Ann Speakman, d/o Thomas & Ann Speakman Nathaniel Newlin born 1/19/1691 Chester Co, Pa; married Jane Woodward; died 1732 John Newlin born 12/28/1691 Chester Co, Pa; married Mary Woodward Kezia Newlin born 12/22/1695 Chester Co, Pa; married William Bailey Mary Newlin born 2/12/1699 Chester Co, Pa; married Richard Clayton; no issue |
Nathaniel Newlin and Mary FincherNathaniel Newlin married Mary Ffinchon or Fincher (daughter of John Fincher)on 2/2/1729 at Concord Monthly Meeting, shortly before Nathaniel died. Richard and Jane Woodward attended the wedding. There were no children of this marriage.Immigration to AmericaNathaniel Newlin and his father Nicholas Newlin came to Chester County, Pennsylvania, from Mount Mellick Monthly Meeting in Queens County, Ireland, about 1683. The certificate from Mount Mellick is given on the Nicholas Newlin page. It included clearance for Nathaniel to marry.Land in Chester CountyNathaniel Newlin's fortunes paralleled those of John Simcock of Chester County. There is a deed in November 1686 bordering land of Nathaniel Newlin.An interesting deed was filed 8 April 1708 from Jasper Yeates of Chester, merchant, to Nathaniel Newlin of Concord, yeoman. The tract was bounded by the road to the bridge and the land of Jasper Yeates. This deed is of interest as Nathaniel Newlin's estate inventory in 1729 indicates that he too was a merchant, so perhaps the land included some kind of mercantile establishment along the road. A deed in June 1719 refers to land bounded by Letitia Penn Aubrey's manor (daughter of William Penn), and Nathaniel Newlin's manor. A deed in December 1725 is to Nathaniel Newlin, et al, as trustees of the loan office of Pennsylvania. Nathaniel had become one of the trustees of the general loan office in 1722. A deed on September 15, 1727, to Nathaniel Newlin for 450 acres styles him as "gentleman." The land of most interest, however, is part of a 20,000 acre tract that William Penn deeded on 22 & 23 March, 1681, to a group, including John Simcock, in trust for the Free Society of Traders. The trustees of the Free Society of Traders, by deed dated 10 June 1724, granted to Nathaniel Newlin 7100 acres, for 800 pounds. Nathaniel Newlin immediately began reselling the land, including a 120 acre parcel sold to Abraham Marshall (Abraham Woodward's grandfather) for 37 pounds. Immediate trouble arose with the Indians, who had a village on the north side of Brandywine Creek in the east end of the tract near Abraham Marshall's land. Penn had apparently granted the Indians a mile wide strip on each side of Brandywine Creek for their own. Several of the Indians led by the chief Checochinican proceeded to Philadelphia and appeared before the Provincial Assembly and complained of encroachment on their lands and the damming of Brandywine Creek which interfered with their fishing. The Indians appeared before the Assembly again in 1726 and pressed their claims and James Logan reported that the Commissioners of Property had "agreed and accomodated the matter with Nathaniel Newlin." Newlin was summoned before the Assembly and declared in writing that "Neither he nor his heirs will, by any means, disturb or molest the Indians in their possessions or claims." The Indians were satisfied and shaking hands with Newlin quietly returned home. (Immigration of Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, page 148). Settlement apparently went on unabated and in 1729 the chief again appealed to the government writing that some of their lands had been sold and they had been forbidden to use timber on the land to build their cabins. No action was taken on their claims and the Indians soon removed from the County and all trouble ceased. Newlin Township which included Nathaniel's lands, was named in his honor. Life in Chester CountyIn addition to his land sales and his mercantile establishment, Nathaniel Newlin was elected to the Provincial Assembly in 1698 from Chester County, and was re-elected several times. In 1700 he was one of the committee to consider and draw up a new Frame of Government and to revise the laws. He was subsequently appointed one of the Commissioners of Property and a Judge of the County Courts (Ibid, 273). Concord Township-The Colonial Legacy by Case also tells us he was constable for Concord in 1687, and served as a Justice of the Peace and a Judge of the Chester Court. In 1704 he had a gristmill on the west branch of Chester Creek, and had a dry goods store that specialized in cloth, sewing materials and housewares (more below on this). It also tells us that of the property sold to settlers, they owed him annual quit-rents on the property.Death of Nathaniel NewlinNathaniel Newlin died intestate in 1729, which probably meant his death was very sudden, or perhaps even an accident. It would have been unusual for a man with large amounts of real and personal property not to make a will if he had any idea he was near death. We know much of his situation, however, as his personal estate was inventoried and his unsold land was divided according to law among his children with a double share going to his eldest child (Pennsylvania law at that time did not recognize women to any extent and his "eldest" child referred to Nicholas, eldest son). The land divisions were as follows: John, 946 acres; Nathaniel, 1620 acres; Jemima, 913 acres; Kesia, 851 acres, Mary, 895 acres, children of deceased daughter Elizabeth, 1133 acres. There is no mention of his second wife Mary Fincher Newlin in any of his estate papers. For a long time, when any of the land parcels were sold, the deeds included signatures by Nathaniel and Jane Woodward Newlin, John and Mary Woodward Newlin, Richard and Jemima Newlin Eavenson, Richard and Mary Newlin Clayton, and William and Kezia Newlin Baily. Elizabeth Newlin Lewis was deceased, as her husband Ellis Lewis brought forth a claim against the land on behalf of their children: Robert (married Mary Pyle), Mary, Nathaniel, and Ellis Lewis. Elizabeth Lewis was not deceased by 1714 when Elizabeth Newlin, widow of Nicholas and mother of Nathaniel, wrote her will. She mentions the children of Nathaniel and Mary but does not mention Elizabeth. It is curious that neither she nor the children of Nathaniel apparently recognized a claim of Elizabeth or Ellis Lewis voluntarily. There is a story in there somewhere.For anyone interested in the history and life styles of the residents of Chester County, Pennsylvania, there is a wonderful and reasonably priced book available, "Chester County, Pennsylvania Inventories 1684-1850", by Margaret B. Schiffer, published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Exton, Pennsylvania 19341. A complete inventory for Nathaniel Newlin is included on pages 362-366. It is called a "store inventory" and there can be little doubt from the quantities of merchandise listed along with Nathaniel's personal property that he was indeed still a merchant in addition to being a real estate entrepreneur. For example, over 600 yards of various types of cloth, ranging from calico to persian silk is included, along with many pounds of spices, 38 gallons of molasses, 13 quires of paper, and multiple items of clothing, tools, and housewares. Nathaniel Newlin in a few short years had progressed from yeoman to gentleman and died a very rich man. Pennsylvania was kind to the Quakers; and especially kind to those like Nicholas and his son Nathaniel, who were very shrewd businessmen and did service in the government in the new country. We also know that in the positions that they had, they bent the Quaker rules a little, unless the swearing of an oath of office was waived for them as Quakers. More on Mary Mendenhall NewlinMary Mendenhall Newlin died before 1729 when Nathaniel married Mary Fincher. She probably died at least a year before the marriage as that would have been the normal time of mourning before contracting another marriage unless there were young children involved. Some genealogies carry her death date as 1730 but that is an error as Mary Fincher Newlin, second wife, wrote her will May 9, 1730 and it was probated July 23, 1730. Concord Township - a Colonial Legacy provides the birthdate of 1660 for Mary Mendenhall Newlin. Lurose Landers, a Woodward descendant, recently sent copies of wills that had been researched by Dan McEvers that clears up much misinformation about Mary's parents, Thomas and Joane Strode Mendenhall. Much misinformation has been bandied about the Internet as to Joane Strode's parentage, much of it quibbling over the "spelling" of Joane's surname to "prove" her connection to this or that family. As any serious genealogist knows, quibbling over spelling before the 1900's is a useless exercise, as clerks spelled what their ears heard and then often even spelled a name two or three different ways in the same document. Joane Strode was daughter of Anthony and Margery Barley Stroud as proven in the wills and probates of Benjamin Barley, Margery Stroud, and Anthony Stroud, Jr.The will of Benjamin Barley (written 6 Nov 1662 in England) names his two granddaughters Joane Mineall and Elizabeth Chamberlin. Elizabeth Chamberlin, Joane's sister, was parent of Robert Chamberlain and as such was a Woodward ancestor. Benjamin Barley's will is a case in point about spelling, naming his daughter Margery Strowde, his grandson John Stroude, his grandson Anthony Strowde, his grandson Beniamin (sic) Stroude, and grandson Thomas Strowde. In his will he also calls out his daughter Margerie the wife of Anthony Strowde. The will of Anthony Stroud Jr. was written in Baydon, County of Wilts (Whiltshire), England, 28 December 1667. He names sons Anthony Stroud, Benjamin Stroud, and Thomas Stroud. He names daughters, Joane Minall, Elizabeth Hickman [Elizabeth Chamberlain married second Francis Hickman], and Agnes Sammeg. He also mentions grandchildren Simon, Anthony and Hester Arundell. He mentions Mary, the daughter of son Thomas Stroud. He mentions his wife Margery and she was made executrix. He also mentions land he had lately bought of Benjamin Barley (probably his wife's nephew Benjamin.) Widow, Margery Stroud, wrote her will at Baydon 28 May 1678 and named sons Anthony, Benjamin and John Stroude. She named son Thomas and his wife Mary and son Anthony. Thomas was named her executor. She named daughters Joane Mildenhall, Elizabeth Hickman, and Anne Talmadge. She named granddaughter Mary Mildenhall (the future wife of Nathaniel Newlin). For those interested in the ancestry of Thomas Mendenhall who married Joane Stroud, see Sandra Ferguson's Newlin Website. |
