Saturday, September 12, 2009

These stories are meant to augment the will and story on Google documents.
John Scarborough 1649, London - 1706, London (wrote will)
John Scarborough 1667, London - 1727, Bucks County (son)
Sarah Scarborough, daughter of the son, married George Haworth who wrote the letters in a previous post.
 

"People called Quakers" in Pennsylvania-
BY SAMUEL SMITH. (Continued from page 40.)
John Scarborough, of London, coach-maker, coming into the country in the year 1682, brought with him his son, of the same name, then a youth, and taking up a tract of land, in Middletown aforesaid, became one of the first settlers in those parts, and remained there till about the latter end of this year, when he embarked for his native country again, with an intent to bring his wife and family, to spend the remaining part of his days in peace, and in the enjoyment of that freedom and liberty of conscience to worship in the manner he was persuaded to be his duty, which had been denied him in his own country ; having been several times imprisoned, and suffered much persecution and hardship on those accounts. During his stay here, provisions being sometimes scarce, he had occasion to remark the providences of God towards himself, and those near him, in some unexpected supplies of that kind; particularly in the first year, when they were most put to it, the wild pigeons came in such numbers, that the air was sometimes darkened by their flight; and flying low, those that had no other means to take them, sometimes supplied themselves by throwing at them as they flew, and stilting up what they could not eat, they served them for bread and meat in one. They were thus supplied, at times, for the first two or three years, by which time they had raised sufficient out of the ground by their own labour; those settlers had at this time neither horses nor plough, but tilled the ground with hoes. The natives were remarkably kind to them, in supplying them with such provisions as they could spare, and were otherwise serviceable in many respects.
Having made some improvements on his plantation, and got things ready for his voyage, leaving his son under the care of a Friend, he set sail for England ; but finding his wile, who was of another persuasion, not willing to venture with him, and persecution beginning to cease, he did not return again, but after some time giving his possessions to his son, with a particular charge, by letters, to fear God, and mind the Truth he was convinced of; he told him withal, that he believed it to be the Lord's doing to dispose of him in that manner, and that he would bless him, and make him serviceable, if he continued faithful to him ; concluding with this particular charge, that when it should be well with him, to be sure to be kind to the poor Indians, who had been kind to them, when they were in great need. His son, remaining with the Friend with whom he was left, afterwards settled at Middletown, on the place given to him by his father, and in time had something to say in public meetings. In the year 1700, he removed further up into the wilderness, as about Buckingham and Solebury was then accounted. He first went up alone to view the land ; and receiving confirmation, as he thought, that it was his place to remove, and that there would be a religious people raised to inhabit thereaway, he accordingly removed his family up thither. Soon after him several families of Friends followed. They held meetings at each others' houses for some time, till their numbers increasing, they built a meeting-house. The lands being laid out into townships, the place where he dwelt fell in Solebury, but the meeting-house in Bucking, ham, by which name it since goes, and is now become a large congregation. This John Scarborough was kind to the Indians, and used to say they were a sensible people, had an honest principle, and from his acquaintance with them, he had perceived they acknowledged an Almighty Supreme Being, whom they called a good Manetta or Spirit, that would reward them if they did well, and that they should then live with him after death; and that, on the other hand, there was another Manetta, or evil Spirit, that was beneath, to whom they must go after death, if their deeds were evil.
 
THE FRIEND
A RELIGIOUS AND LITERARY JOURNAL
VOL. XIX, NO. 6.
1845

John Scarborough is assumed to have been buried in Bunhill Fields.
1661: BURIAL GROUND BOUGHT IN 1661
Bunhill Fields burial ground was the first freehold property owned by Quakers, bought in 1661 and used until 1855 for 12,000 burials. It predates the more famous dissenters' ground across Bunhill Row, although the area ('Bone Hill') was long associated with burials. George Fox, Edward Burrough and John Bellers were buried here; among the many during the plague were 27 Quakers who died still in harbor on the ship Black Eagle 'when under sentence of banishment for the Truth', as the burial register entries read.
Graves were meant to be unmarked, as monuments were 'of no service to the deceased', but stones did appear. In about 1750 Robert Howard, an Old Street tinplate worker, found a stone marked 'G.F.', and demanded it should be hammered into rubble. At about that time, it is reported that when a wall was being removed a lead coffin was found, inscribed with George Fox's initials and age. The body was re-interred but the site was not marked until 1881.
Additional information on the will of John Scarborough:
"The original of this apparently unprobated will was purchased by Henry W. Scarborough, Esq., of Philadelphia, Pa. from Miss Sarah B. Paxson of Solebury, Pa. 7/9/32. She received it from her father W. Wallace Paxson and he from his father John Knowles Paxson and he from his father Aaron (son of Thomas Paxson) Aaron Paxson was one of the Executors of the will of his wife's kinswoman Jane Margerum Scarbrough the wife of the noted Quaker Preacher John Scarborough into whose possession the will had doubtless come from John Scarborough his father (the son of the testator) John Scarbrough of London. All of the said Scarbroughs and Paxsons resided in Solebury Township, Bucks Co., Pa."
[On the reverse of the photostat of will is written] "John Scarborough, son of Wm. Scarborough of Hoosier Lane, London, who was born 1598, belonged to Peel Monthly Meeting of Friends and is buried at Bunhill Fileds. (letter from Henry W. Scarborough 15 June 1922 to the Pennsylvania Genelogical [sic] Society)"

Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. 19
Pages 310-311
Minute Book ‘G’
The Prop'ry, by Lease and Release, dated 24th and 25th Jan'y, 1681, Granted to Amy Child 500 Acres Mentioned page 27.
Edward Stanton Intermarrying with the said Amy obtained from the Comm'rs, J. Cl. and R't T. a Warrant dated 18th 9 mo., 1686, for taking up the same w'ch was executed above the Manor of Highlands in Solebury Township.
Charles Read, Second Husband of the said Amy, in a Joint Deed with her, Dated 10th 10 mo., 1698, Sold and Convey'd the said 500 Acres of Land then called, but 492 Acres to John Scarborough, his Heirs, &c.
Since the first Survey of the said Land which was 10th Apr., 1698, the lines have been altered by the surveyors so much that the Bounds are altogether uncertain as is reported, the said John therefore Requests a Resurvey. Ordered that a Warrant be accordingly granted.
John Scarborough, by Lease and Release, dated 3d and 4th .fuly, 1682, purchased of the Prop'ry 250 Acres in righ't of which he Obtained a Warr't from the Prop'ry dated 6th 2 mo., 1683, for a City Lott but was never executed. John Scarborough by an Instrum't dated 15th sbr., 1696, appointed his only Son, John Scarborough, his Attorney, to Sell, Dispose off, enter into, &e., all his Lands and Lotts, &c., in Pennsylvania.
The said John Scarborough. Junr., Requests a renew'd Warrant to take up the said Lott. Granted for a Vacant Lott in the 5th Street and no other where.

The above bit of information, “John Scarborough by an Instrum't dated 15th sbr. (September), 1696, appointed his only Son, John Scarborough, his Attorney, to Sell, Dispose off, enter into, &e., all his Lands and Lotts, &c., in Pennsylvania.”, causes some confusion with Srs. will dated October 15, 1696.

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