GILPIN Family

GILPIN Family
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I have a newspaper (original issue) dated, Sunday, May 24, 1908, The North American, Philadelphia. It tells of hundreds of years of Gilpins, including, "the Gilpin's of Philadelphia," a prominent family.

The Huntington Library, in San Marino, (Pasadena) Ca., just down the road, has records of several Gilpins, one of which was, William Gilpin, the first territorial governor of Colorado.  All are descended from Joseph Gilpin & Hannah Glover.  These pictures are scanned portions of this newspaper.  Wonderful history to share!

R. L. Cooke

[email protected]

 


GILPICSJ.jpg (226865 bytes) Click these images to enlarge!  Be Patient, they are worth the wait!!!

gilpitxJ.jpg (355737 bytes) Story of the ancient family, click to enlarge!

gilpit3J.jpg (96161 bytes) Story of the ancient family, click to enlarge!

gilpit4J.jpg (323706 bytes) Story of the ancient family, click to enlarge!

gilpit2J.jpg (126370 bytes) Story of the ancient family, click to enlarge!


Where shall I begin with the Gilpin's...

The earliest I have is Richard de Gylpyn born bef. 1150, Westmoreland, Eng.,
with a direct line to Joseph Gilpin, father of Sarah Gilpin, wife of Peter
Cook. The Gilpin name is fairly rare in America, and most with that name are
descended from Joseph Gilpin & Hannah Glover, Sarah's parent's.

The Gilpin family is connected to the Washington's. George Washington's gr.
gr. grandmother, Elizabeth Washington, married a Gilpin. A Col. Gilpin was a
pall bearer at Geo. Washington's burial.

Joseph Gilpin was the first Gilpin in America, 1695, and his family lived in
a cave in Birmingham Twp, Chester Co., for their first four years. Two
children (out of 15) were born in the cave, Rachel & Lydia. Joseph's family
was most friendly towards the native Americans (Indians) and his children
played with the Indian children with no problems at all. (I have parts of
Isaac Glover Gilpin's, Joseph's grandson, journal)

I have recently received a letter from the Brandywine Battlefield Park,
Chadd's Ford, Chester Co., Pa., explaining what became of the cave and the
Gilpin homestead, which is still standing. The cave was used as a dump after
Joseph moved out and 18th century items are still being found there.

Joseph Gilpin, b. June 8, 1663, Dorchester, Oxfordshire, Eng., son of Thomas
Gilpin and Joan Bartholomew. Joseph married Hannah Glover, dau. of George &
Alice (Lamboll) Glover, on Feb. 23, 1690/91, Baghurst MH, England.
Joseph died Jan. 9, 1738/39, Birmingham, Chester Co. I have a copy of his
will.


I Joseph Gilpin of the Township of Birmingham in the County of Chester and Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman being sick and weak in Body but of sound and disposing mind and memory and minding to settle that Temporal Estate which God has bestowed upon me to present all Difference Concerning the same after my decease do make this my last Will and Testament manner following that is to say  First my Will is that all my past debts and funeral Charges be paid as soon as may be after my decease.  Item  I give and devise to my loving wife Hannah Gilpin all that my Tract of land Situate in New Garden Township in Chester County (the bounds will more fully appear by the writings thereto belonging) which Contains by Estimation One hundred and Ninety five acres with all my Personal Estate during her natural life which [unin] not otherwise disposed of this my Will.  Item  and I give and Devise to my Son Samuel Gilpin and to his heirs forever Sixty Pounds of lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wife's decease  And also five pounds of [unin] lawful money to Samuel's Son Joseph Gilpin to be paid to him within one year after my wife's decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my son Joseph Gilpin and to his heirs forever Tenn pounds of lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my wife's decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Son Mofes Gilpin and to his heirs forever Fifty pounds of lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease and one half of my Wearing Apperel to him after my decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Daughter Esther Gilpin and to heirs forever Twenty pounds of lawful money of this Province to be paid to her within one year of my decease And a long Leavith it to my Wife to give to her what further she think proper or Convenient.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Grandson Joseph Seal five pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Grandson Joseph Mendenhall five pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease.  Item  And I give and bequeath to my Grandson Joseph Peirce five pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Grandson Joseph Cook five pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Son George Gilpin and to his heirs forever my Clock and Great Bible and Shewels History after my Wives decease and my wearing apparel that is not otherwise disposed of I give him after my decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my daughter Rachel Peirce and to her heirs forever fifteen pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to her within one year after my Wives decease.  Item  And I give and Devise to my Son in law Joseph Mendenhall and to his heirs forever five pounds lawful money of this Province to be paid to him within one year after my Wives decease.  The Remaining part of my Estate not otherwise Disposed of in this my Will I give and order my Executor herein after named to divide equally between my daughters that are hereafter mentioned (viz)  Hannah Seal, Ruth Mendenhall Lydia Dean, Sarah Cook, Mary Taylor and Esther Gilpin that is to say after my wives decease.  And I do hereby name and Constitute my Loving Wife and my Son George Gilpin and my Son in law Joseph Mendenhall Executors of this my last Will and Testament (Given them full power or the Survivor of them full power and Authority to sell my aforementioned tract of land and make Conveiance of (said) land with the appiontenances for ever as firmly as if I was present)  Revoking all other Wills and Testaments by me made.  In Witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Twentyninth day of the Eighth month  Anno Dom  One Thousand seven hundred and thirty nine.   Joseph Gilpin   (Seal)

Signed Sealed Published and Delivered by the within named Joseph Gilpin as and for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence inscribed our Names as Witnefses Samuel Painter, Jeremiah Dean, Nathaniel Ring.  KNOW all men by these presents that Hereafter I George Gilpin was Constituted and Appointed by my Father Joseph Gilpin to be one of the Executors of his last Will and Testament and not thinking fit to take upon me the Execution thereof  Therefore for several good Causes and Conciderations me thereunto moving I have refused to act as one of the Executors of the Will  Giving myself sent and Consent that letters of Administration thereof may by any [unin] be granted to His other two Executors.  Therein named and faith I do hereby make that I have no ways [unin] any of the Testors Effects  As Witnefs my Hand and Seal this fifth day of December Anno Dom 1739                      George Gilpin    (Seal)

Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Nathaniel Ring, Joseph Parker  Chester Decemb. 5, 1739.  Then Personally appeared Samuel Painter and Nathaniel Ring two of the Witnefses to the above and within written Will who on their solemn Affirmations do declare that they were present and saw the Testator above named Sign Seal Publish Pronounce and declare the above writing to be his last Will and Testament and that as the doing thereof he was of Sound mind and memory to the best of their understanding. ------
Affirmned before   Jo. Parker  [unin]

LAST WILL and TESTAMENT of JOSEPH GILPIN, son of Thomas & Joan (Bartholomew) Gilpin
Born - June 8, 1663, Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England
Married - February 23, 1690/91, Hannah Glover,  Baghurst MM, England
Died - November 9, 1739, Birmingham, Chester Co., Pennsylvania
Buried - Birmingham, Chester Co., Pennsylvania
Obtained - Chester County Archives
                West Chester, Pennsylvania
                Will Book - B, Vol. 2,
                Pages 51-52
 -- R. L. Cooke
    September 12, 1997


Joseph Gilpin of Dorchester, county of Oxon (Oxfordshire), England, weaver, son of tallow chandler Thomas and Joan Gilpin of Warborough, and Hannah Glover of Schingswell, parish of Kingscleare, county of Southton (Southampton), spinster dau. of Alice Glover, m 20th of 12th mo, 1691 at the meeting place at Baghurst, Alton, Southampton, England.

 -- Early Church Records of Delaware County, Pennsylvania
    Volume 2
    Page 1-2
    Concord Monthly Meeting
    "Marriage Certificates  1681 - 1800"
    Henry C. Peden Jr., M.A.
    John Pitts Launey
    1997
 -- R. L. Cooke
    May 29, 1999


Joseph and Hannah Gilpin of Birmingham, children: Hannah, b. 15th of 12th mo, 1692 in Great Britain; Samuel, b. 17th (another list gave the 7th) of 4th mo, 1694 in Great Britain; Rachel, b. 12th of 12th mo, 1695 in Birmingham [PA]; Ruth, b. 8th (another list gave the 28th) of 6th mo, 1697 (b. in Birmingham, as were the following); Lidia, b. 11th of 11th mo, 1698; Thomas, b. 23rd of 5th mo, 1700; Ann, b. 11th of 5th mo, 1702; Joseph, b. 21st of 1st mo, 1704/5; Sarah, b. 2nd of 4th mo, 1706; George, b. 16th of 2nd mo, 1708; Isaac, b. 23rd of 1st 1709; Moses, b. 8th of 1st mo, 1711; Alice, b. 7th of 10th mo, 1714; Mary, b. 16th of 11th mo, 1716; and, Esther, b. 9th of 1st mo, 1718.

 -- Early Church Records of Delaware County, Pennsylvania
    Volume 2
    Page 32-33
    Concord Monthly Meeting
    "Births and Deaths  1682 - 1800"
    Henry C. Peden Jr., M.A.
    John Pitts Launey
    1997
 -- R. L. Cooke
    May 29, 1999


Joseph Gilpin of Birmingham, formerly of Dorchester, arrived in Pennsylvania with wife Hannah (Glover) and children Hannah and Samuel, certificate dated 10th of 12th mo, 1695.  Joseph, Sr. d. Fall 1739 in Birmingham.  Hannah (Glover) Gilpin, widow of Joseph, d. Jan 1759.
Children:  Hannah, d. 7th mo 1746;  Samuel, d. 7th of 12th mo, 1767;  Rachel, d. 20th of 5th mo, 1776;  Ruth;  Lidia, d. 2nd of 10th mo, 1750; Thomas, d. 25th of 10th mo, 1766;  Ann, d. 15th of 9th mo, 1759;  Joseph, d. 31st of 12th mo, 1792;  Sarah, d. 7th of 6th mo, 1783;  George, d. 15th of 10th mo, 1773; Isaac, d. 1745;  Moses;  Alice;  Mary, d. 17th of 4th mo, 1806;  Esther, d. 10th of 1st mo, 1795.

 -- Early Church Records of Delaware County, Pennsylvania
    Volume 2
    Page 206
    Concord Monthly Meeting
    "Annotations and Addendum"
    Henry C. Peden Jr., M.A.
    John Pitts Launey
    1997
 -- R. L. Cooke
    May 12, 1999


FIRST GILPIN in AMERICA

They landed at New Castle-on-Delaware, according to the written account of Isaac Glover Gilpin, a grandson, and set on foot through the wilderness, for their farm, eighteen miles to the northern, in what was afterward known as Birmingham Township, Chester County.

From the grandson's chronicle, we have these interesting items relating the early and later experiences of the emigrents, following the disembarkation at New Castle :
About ten or eleven miles distant from New Castle, night overtook them.  In this situation they applied at the habitation of an early settler for shelter, which was refused them...Fortunately some of the natives lived near, into whose wigwams they were received and treated kindly; and they lodged there for their first night ashore in America...Next morning, being refreshed, they went on and arrived in Birmingham township, Chester county...


They had at first to dig a cave in the earth and went into it, in which they lived for four or five years, and where two children were born. [Rachel & Ruth]...After Joseph Gilpin had resided in the cave for four or five years, he built a house and barn near the cave, but this was burnt, and then he built a frame house a few hundred yards to the westward, it was built two stories high 16 feet by 18 feet, a superb edifice for the time.

The above mentioned house was built about 1720, a brick addition being made in 1754.  It is said to have been occupied by General Howe after the Battle of Brandywine.  The original frame building was torn down in 1835, and replaced by a stone structure.  The house, including the brick section erected in 1754, still stands.    {See photo in Quaker Date Book (1961)}
 
The grandson's narrative thus continues:
There were a number of Indian wigwams on the farm of Joseph Gilpin, and the account we have is-that they all lived together in perfect harmony...Joseph Gilpin's house was seldom clear of the Indians who frequently slept there, perhaps a dozen or more at a time-men, women and children, all peacably and much friendship...The chilrden of Joseph Gilpin give very pleasant and interesting accounts of their sports and games with Indian boys,-of their shooting with them for days at a time with bows and arrows.- there was no quarelling or fighting.
 
Joseph Gilpin's hospitality was likewise extended in equal measure to all newly arrived emigrants, quite in contrast to his own reception the night after landing.
The grandson thus writes:
As he was so well known there great numbers of families on coming over, came to his house, where they were kindly recieved and entertained week after week.  As an evidence of this writer, who was an inmate of Joseph's family-knew that he killed upwards of 30 hogs and 7 or 8 Beeves in the fall season-and the meat was all duly and frugally consumed by the next harvest.  Hannah Gilpin, was the best of housewives,-and superior to most in intellect and friendly conduct.

Thomas Chalkey, the celebrated Quaker preacher and traveler, born in 1675, and died in 1741, makes the following note in his journal in 1740:
Lodged at the widow Gilpin's, whose husband, Joseph Gilpin, was lately deceased; there was true Christian Love and Friendship between us for above fifty years.  When first I saw Joseph in Pennsylvania, he lived in a cave in the Earth, where we enjoyed each others Company in the Love and Fear of God.  This friend had fifteen children, who he lived to see brought up to the States of Men and Women, and all but two married well and to his mind. 

As stated in Chalkley's journal, of the fifteen Gilpin children all but two had, prior to the father's death, in 1739, "married well and to his mind".  As a matter of fact, these two, the youngest son (Joseph]  and the youngest daughter, [Esther] married shortly after their father's decease.  With the Gilpin family it was a remarkable case of longevity, only one of the fifteen children having died under the age of sixty years.  At the time of the mother's death, in 1757, there were living twelve children, sixty two grand children and nearly as many great-grand children, one hundred and thirty three living descendants in all!

 -- The North American Philadelphia
    Sunday, May 24, 1908
    Page 1
    "The Philadelphia of Our Ancestors -- Old Philadelphia Families...LI...Gilpin"
    Conducted by Frank Willing Leach
 -- Albert Cook Myers
    R. L. Cooke, Jr.
    R. L. Cooke, III
    June 1997



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