Crawling around in the branches of the family tree this evening, I came across some interesting information about my (I think) great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, William "The Quaker" Dodd, who was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1707 and died in Middleburg, Virginia in 1769.
Besides being a Quaker, William was a shoemaker. He married Catherine Neederman in 1726 in Pennsylvania.
December 10, 1742:
William was granted 450 acres of land in Loudoun County, Virginia. The acreage was based on a wife and 7 children. According to our family records, there were more children, but the records are very confused, with the same name appearing more than once with some dates the same and others different. Muddled, muddled, muddled!
William was granted 450 acres of land in Loudoun County, Virginia. The acreage was based on a wife and 7 children. According to our family records, there were more children, but the records are very confused, with the same name appearing more than once with some dates the same and others different. Muddled, muddled, muddled!
December 28, 1746:
William and his wife requested membership in the Fairfax Monthly Meeting of the Friends, in Loudoun County, Virginia. William was received by request and Catherine was received by the women friends on April 28, 1746.
One expects Quaker ancestors to be the epitome of respectable, doesn't one? Nonetheless William and Catherine's membership in the Quaker
Church was often in jeopardy:William and his wife requested membership in the Fairfax Monthly Meeting of the Friends, in Loudoun County, Virginia. William was received by request and Catherine was received by the women friends on April 28, 1746.
April 1747: Their daughter Ann was disowned due to her marriage out of unity to a Mr. Richardson.
[Note: "Marriage out of unity" (sometimes abbreviated MOU) meant that the person had married someone not of the Quaker faith. Strict interpretation of the Quaker covenants called for families to disown such members.]1751 and 1755: William was complained of for drinking and card playing! [I love this!]
May 31, 1755: Son Edward was disowned. [Why?]
February 28, 1756: Thomas was disowned for marriage out of unity but was reinstated on August 26, 1758.
January 31, 1759: Daughter Lydia was disowned for marriage out of unity.
April 24, 1762: Son John was disowned for marriage out of unity.
May 26, 1764: Son Jesse was disowned for 'libertine conversation.' [Hmmm.]
I note that I am descended from the Thomas who was disowned and then reinstated.
2 comments:
I love family tales like these.
There are other family stories that are less amusing and more disturbing, of course. But those are not for a public blog. A drinkin', card-playin', shoemakin' Quaker ancestor is exactly the kind I want in my background!
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