Edward and Jean Thornbrough FamilyReturn to Woodward Home PageReturn to Thomas Thornbrough Page Return to John Bartram Page Thornbrough, et al, BackgroundThere are many variations of the surname including Thornborough, Thornbrough, Thornbrugh, Thornburg, Thornbury, Thornberry, Thornsberry, Tarnebery, and probably more. (For explanation see About Names.) There is no particular reason for choosing the spelling "Thornbrough" but we are using it throughout for consistency in indexing. When an original document is quoted, we will use the name as given in the document.There is a Thornsberry Genealogy Web Site about Kentucky Thornbroughs (probably not closely related to ours) that gives some of the ancient history of the Thornbroughs. There are differing accounts of the Thornbrough ancestry in different genealogies but it seems quite clear that they came originally from England in the area of Cartmel in Westmoreland (See the English/Irish Map page for a photo of the Quaker Meeting House on Cartmel Fell and maps showing the locations for the Thornbroughs in England and Ireland. Also see the Quaker Migrations page for information on migration to the New World.) Edward and Jean Thornbrough FamilyAccording to some Thornbrough genealogies, Edward Thornbrough was thought to be the son of Robert and Sarah Jackson Thornbrough who married in Ulster, Ireland, 8th month/1685. This does not hold up well when examining the probable dates of Edward's children! Even if Edward was oldest son he would only have been 16 or so when his oldest son was born if he was son of Robert and Sarah. Not at all likely as men did not marry until they were well established in that time period. Edward would more likely have been 25 or 26 or older when he married. We have not done in depth research in Ireland, but the few Quaker records we have seen do not shed any light on Edward's parentage. Robert and Sarah Jackson's marriage is recorded, however, as in 1685. (8/2006 see some additional notes on a possibility of Edward's parentage at the bottom of the page). The Thornbroughs were only in Ireland for about one generation. They have a long and well documented history in England, first as Roman Catholics and later as Quakers.We have documented evidence that Edward's wife's name was Jean, but no indication of what her surname might have been. There are some hints that Jean may have been second wife of Edward (discussed below) in which case all the children may not have belonged to Jean. We also mention the possibility the name was Jane as Jean/Jane were used interchangeably in that time period. |
| Edward Thornbrough born Cootehill, Ireland died Bef. 12/28/1734 Lancaster Co, Pa |
Jean (Jane) Unknown born Unknown died after 1734 |
| Married: probably County Armaugh, Ireland
Children: George Thornbrough born before 1713 Armaugh, Ireland (21 by the time of his father's will as he was named executor - probably oldest son) Thomas Thornbrough born about 1701, Armaugh, Ireland; married (1)Charity Davis (1729), (2)Elizabeth Woodward (1733) (Thomas first listed on tax records in 1722) Robert Thornbrough born about 1704 Armaugh, Ireland; married Susanna Davis (1729) (Robert first listed on tax records in 1725) Walter Thornbrough born about 1708, Armaugh, Ireland; married Margaret Unknown (Walter first listed on tax records in 1729) John Thornbrough born after 1713; probably married a Davis sister (John under 21 when the will was written and may have been the youngest son) Jean (Jane) Thornbrough born after 1716 (will implies she was not of age)(sometimes mentioned as the wife of Richard Mendenhall but the age simply doesn't fit!)(see possible child Jane of Thomas Thornbrough) William Thornbrough born about 1724 Pennsylvania; married Martha Unknown (died 1786 at age of 62 per NC Quaker records) Joseph Thornbrough born 1/7/1727/28 Pennsylvania; married Ann Armfield (well documented in a Thornbrough genealogy) Edward Thornbrough born after 1713; married (1) Unknown (2)Ann Morgan (will implies he was under age) Margaret Thornbrough after 1716 (will implies she was under age) Elizabeth Thornbrough born after 1716 (will implies she is under age) Note: Little information is available about the birth dates of Edward's children. We have attempted to put the children in order and give some frame of reference for their birth based on the following assumptions: (1) that the children are generally named in order in the will, as was the custom; (2) that hints about children being of age are contained in the will; (3) that women became of age at 18 and men at 21; (4) that men first appeared in tax lists at the age of 21. We will happily listen to any comments on these assumptions and would love to find some birthdates based on actual primary source documents! Email Nadine on the About Us Page. |
Pennsylvania RecordsA certificate for Edward Thornbury was received 9th month, 6th day, 1725, at Kennett (formerly Newark) Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania. The certificate was from Lurgan Meeting, County Armagh, Ireland. This does not really pinpoint his arrival exactly as often the certificate was not obtained until sometime after a person's move. According to most Thornbrough genealogies Edward supposedly had two brothers, Thomas and Walter, and a sister Judith married to Alexander Miller. Edward's brother Thomas was probably the Thomas Thornberry received at New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania on 6/26/1732 from Haddonfield Monthly Meeting in New Jersey. This is the Thomas Thornbrugh who witnessed Edward's will, along with his wife Sarah. There is some evidence that sister Judith immigrated, as Thomas and wife Sarah sold some land in Lancaster County to a Miller, who was probably Judith's son.While some genealogies say that a brother Walter also immigrated, there is not a single Quaker record, land record, marriage record, or any other evidence of such a brother in America. He may simply have been mistaken for Edward's son Walter. In his will written in 1734, Edward Thornbrughrefers to his probable brother Thomas as "cosen." This terminology in old wills is often used regardless of the relationship of the two parties, similar to the expression "my good friend"; when the party may actually be a relative. By the mid-1800's it was not used for brothers but only for relatives more distant than the immediate family. We therefore have the caveat above that Thomas Thornberry was "probably" his brother. The will as given below is from a typescript in Lancaster County so it is difficult to know which is the old spelling and which is an error in transcription. We recently heard from a Thornbrough researcher who had made a transcription from an original copy of the will and the two transcriptions are very close. She also suggested that Jean might have been a second wife of Edward. This had not occurred to us but it might be possible and account for a likely gap in the birth of children (from 1708 to after 1713). Usually one can tell from a will whether a wife is first or second wife by the wording of the will. Usually very detailed provisions were made for the care of the woman if she was a second wife so that she would not be thrown out of the house by children of the first wife. Edward's will in some ways fits this pattern. He carefully mentions her one-third interest in the property where that would have been established by law if she was a first wife. It is also interesting that he leaves the property to her since women were not usually property owners in that time period. This leads us to believe that there should be court records appointing a guardian to protect the rights of the children. We will try to follow up on this. She is then instructed to turn over the property to son John when he reaches 21. This leads us to believe that John was the youngest son as it would assure the longest possible care for the wife. It also leads us to believe that John was Jean's son and some of the other children might not have been hers. Edward Thornbrugh's WillIn the name of God amen the thirteenth of the Second Month in the Year 1734 I Edward Thornbrugh of the township of Warwick and County of Lancaster yeoman being very Sick and weak in Bodey but in Perfick mind and mery thanks be given to God therefore fore calling to mind the mortality of my Bodey and knoing that It is apoinded for all Men to Day (die) doth make and Barder this my Last Will and Testment That is to say first of all I recomend my Soul to God gav it mee and for my Bodey I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Cristen like manner at the Discreson of my Exectors and as toching worly asteat wherewith it hath pleased God in this life to give me I give and Despose of like form and maner Senen my Dearly Beloved Wife Jean Thornbrough and my Son George and my Cosen Thomas Thornbrough to be my Exector. I give Jean my Beloved Wife all the Thirds of the Movabels and her bed and Forneter and to have and hold the said Pleace that we now live one untell my son John comes to the Age of one and Twenty Years and then he shall have it and the said John my son shall give and it shall be given an equil Shear Twenty Pound betwim Jean William and Joseph and Margret and I give my son Thomas two ews and my Son Robert my Joon (loom?) and my Son George one cow and my Son Walter one ew and one Lamb and my Son Joseph and my Son William Shall when they come to the age of one and Twenty they Shall have a third Equall Sheare of the Estate there with their Sisters my Dafters Elesebeth Shall have one Fether Bed and my Dafter Jean shall have one Fether Bed and my Son Edward shall have the Cart and Tocklen and my Wife shall at her Death give hir bed to my Dafter MargretSigned and Sealed being my last Will and Testament. Edward Thornbrugh (seal) (Witness) Sarah Thornbrugh, Thomas Thornbrugh LANCAST. Decr. 28th 1734 Then Personally came Thomas Thornbrugh and Sarah Thornbrugh the witnesses to the within will and on their Solemn Affirmacons did Declare they saw and heard Edward Thornbrugh the Testator Above Named Sign Seal Publish and Declare the within Will to be his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound mind Memory and Understanding to the best of their Knowledge. Coram Sam: Blunston Dep. Reg BE IT REMEMBERED that on the 28 day of Decr Anno Dom 1734 the Last Will and Testament of Edward Thornbrugh Deced was proved in due form of Law and Probate and Letters Testamentory were Granted unto Jean Thornbrugh George Thornbrugh and Thomas Thornbrugh having first Affirmed well and truly to Administer the said Deceds Estate and bring an Inventory thereof into the Registers Office in Lancast. Co. on or before the 28 Day of January next and Also to Render an Account when thereunto Lawfully Required Given under the Seal of the said Office. P. Sa: Blunston Dep: Regstr There is a 1729 map of Lancaster County on the Pennsylvania Maps page showing Warwick Township near the center of the County. Some additional notes on the possible parentage of Edward ThornbroughSome interesting information has been posted on the Old Chester Mailing List: [Valentine Hollingsworth] �charged with speaking with Henry Dixson and Robert Thornbrough concerning their walking disorderly at Lurgan MM 10/29/1676. 10/26/1680 to speak with Edward and his wife and Robert Thornbrough about their disorderly behavior in several respect.� This brings up the possibility that Robert Thornbrough of Armaugh, Ireland may have had a brother Edward who married before 1680. Assuming that the Edward of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania married about 1698, given the ages of his children, then he could well have been a son of Robert�s possible brother Edward Thornbrough. Given that Thomas Thornbrough of Armaugh, Ireland married Sarah Hamman in 1713 he does fit well as son of Robert. In that case, Edward of Lancaster County would indeed be a cousin of Thomas, and the statement in his will would make sense.We have had this information for awhile but needed to think it over and do some calculations before posting it. IT IS ONLY A THEORY! Updates: 8/8/2006 Added a bit of theoretical information about another possibility for the parentage of Edward Thornbrough. Perhaps someday someone will find some real proof! |