Tag: Quaker

I’ve been researching and gathering information on John Jones of Philadelphia, because I think I may be descended from him—although at this time it’s a really big leap. So, I’ve been searching through the Quaker meeting records on Ancestry, looking to document information that I’ve found in online forums.

One of the items I’m searching for is the maiden name of John Jones Jr.’s wife. According to an abstract of John Jones Sr.’s will, his son John was married to a woman named Margaret as of 28 Feb 1708. According to the Quaker meeting records, John Jones married Margaret Waterman. They announced their intention to marry on 29 Jan 1702 and again on 26 Feb 1702:

John Jones and Margaret Waterman appeared at this Meeting Declaring thier Intentions of Marriage with each other it being the first time Sarah Goodson and Hannah Carpenter are appointed to Enquire concerning her Clearness and make report thereof to the next monthly.¹

I was surprised by the date. My understanding was that John Jones (the father) married Margaret Waterman, widow of Humphrey Waterman, in 1696 and had their first child in 1697. What was with the 1702 date?

My confusion soon cleared, however, when I found the actual marriage record. It reads:

Whereas John Jones Son of John Jones of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania Merchant & Margaret Waterman Daughter of Humphrey Waterman late of the same place deceased having declared their intentions of taking Each other in Marriage before Several Monthly Meetings of the people of God called Quakers in Philadelphia aforesd according to the good order used amongst them Whose proceedings thereinafter due deliberation thereof and consent of parties and relations concerned they appearing clear of all others were approved by the said Meetings Now this is to certify all whom it may concern that for a full accomplishment of their said Intentions this Eleventh day of the first Month in the year according to the English account one Thousand Seven hundred & two they the said John Jones & Margaret Waterman appeared in a publick & solemn assembly of the aforesaid people mett together att their publick meeting house in Philadelphia aforesaid and in a solemn manner according to the Example of the holy men of God recorded in Scriptures of Truth He the said John Jones taking her the said Margaret Waterman by the hand declared as followeth (viz.) Friends In the Fear of the Lord and before this Assembly I take this my friend Margaret Waterman to be my Wife promising through the Lords assistance to be a failthfull & Loving husband till it shall please the Lord by death to Separate and then & there in the said Assembly the said Margaret Waterman Likewise declared as followeth (viz.) Friend In fear of God & before this Assembly I take this my friend John Jones to be my husband promising through gods assistance to be a faithfull & loving wife till it shall please God by death to Separate us and for a further confirmation thereof they the said John Jones & Margaret Waterman now (assuming the name of her husband) Margaret Jones did then & there to these presents sett their hands and we whose Names are here underwritten being present amongst others att the Solemnization of their said Marriage & Subscription as aforesaid have also to these presents as witnesses thereunto subscribed our Names the day & year above written²

The marriage intentions and marriage record refer to John Jones Jr. and Margaret Waterman, daughter of Humphrey Waterman. The couple signed the record “John Jones Junr.” and “Margaret Jones Junr.” Then—it appears to me—the family members signed after them.

• John Jones Sen^r
• Margaret Jones Sen^r
• Jane Waterman
• Rich^d Jones
• Sam^l Jones
• Marcy Waterman
• Eliza Waterman
• Grace Jones
• Yeamans & Mary Gillingham

These names seem to be consistent with the family members of John Jones, merchant, of Philadelphia who came from Barbados in 1683, and his wife Margaret, formerly the widow of Humphrey Waterman, who also came to Philadelphia from Barbados. Furthermore, I also found the record of the marriage between John Jones [Sr.] of Philadelphia and Margaret Waterman in the records of the Abington Monthly Meeting. It was recorded in the minutes of the meeting on 30 Nov [9th mo] 1696.³

I’m not sure how Yeamans & Mary Gillingham fit in, but their names are grouped with the rest of the family members, so I expect I’ll be researching them, too.