Grubbe Documents  
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

John Grubb's Character

His Will

Wade 
vs Grubb and Buffington

Peter Grubb Estate Adminsitration

 Stoke 
Climsland
Parish 
Record of 
1654

 

    There is far too much material to place here, unless I were to do a report on the work of David Grubb alone.  At this point his conclusions indicate:

  1.     John Grubb m. to Frances, was christened August 16, 1652 in Stoke Climsland, Cornwall and died March 1708 in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania.
  2.     He was one of the first Englishmen in Delaware, and came with the first group of settlers organized by William Penn in 1677 on the Kent to West Jersey.
  3.     Also on that ship was Henry Grubb, an indentured servant who was the brother of John Grubb.  Their parents were Henry Grubb Jr. baptized in Stoke Climsland during 1617 and his wife Wilmot.  A 1674/5 document signed by both John and Henry conclusively established that they were brothers.
  4.    John Grubb was not a descendant of Sir Henry Grubbe and Lady Joan Par Radcliff
  5.     The work of Judge Ignatius Cooper Grubb (1841-1927) tying the Delaware Grubb family to the Wiltshire Grubbe family is a myth.  The John Grubb from Wiltshire who was supposed to have come to Delaware was in fact an Oxford University graduate and a minister who never left England.  Some of the mistakes were first discovered by F. W. Bennet, a professional genealogist hired by Davis Hanson Grubb.   Bennett's work has never been published, but his notes still exist in the files of the Society of Genealogists in London.
  6.    The Stoke Climland parish register is in poor condition, but David Grubb was able to learn new information by having the register photographed with ultra violet light.  Using this technique he found the record of John Grubb's christening.
  7.    John Grubb was a Quaker until his 1680 dispute with Robert Wade.  After that, he was Episcopal.
    And more, will come on this as I get better acquainted with the work.  I am not entirely comfortable with some of the deductions, but it may be because I haven't considered the entire work yet.  Then again, disagreement is sometimes beneficial.

    Note:  The original draft of this composition was edited by David Grubb,  July 1999

 

  

    John was a fighter.  A trait he inherited from his father who was imprisioned for several years in Cornwall because of his Quaker beliefs.  John came to America because as a Quaker, he would never be allowed to lease land in Stoke Climsland.  While he didn't have enough money to buy land in West Jersey, he realized that he would be able to earn it when he arrived.  In 1678, John and his friend Richard Buffington made an agreement with Robert Wade to farm his 500 acres across the river in Upland (now Chester, Pennsylvania).  The next year, they used their earnings to buy 350 acres next to Wade's property.  Wade wanted this property because he believed that Upland would become the capital of Penn's new colony.  He accused Grubb and Buffington of embezzling grain and also charged Grubb with gelding Wade's bull and ram without his permission and then boasting of the deed after consuming a bottle of rum.  Well, the whole matter was settled by a trial of jury, and in favor of Grubb and Buffington.  Wade purchased the property by 1682 and Grubb then acquired a one-third interest of a 600 acre tract in Bradywine Hundred, Delaware.  This area is still known as Grubb's Landing.  Several years later, William Penn purchased the other two-thirds, but Grubb refused to be bought out.  Penn and Grubb disputed the subdivision of the property and the dispute spilled over into politics.  Grubb was elected to the Colonial Assembly three times, leading James Logan, Penn's secretary, to refer to Grubb as "that disagreeable man."  Penn and Grubb never settled their dispute and ultimately John's sons bought the Penn family's interest in the area.

Note:  The original draft of this composition was edited by David Grubb,  July 1999
 

 

    I John Grubb of the County of Chester in the Province of Pennsylvania, Tanner, being at present week in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following, That is to say, First my will is that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid and discharged:  Also I give unto my Daughter Charity the wife of Richard Beeson the sum of five pounds:  Also I give unto my Daughter Phoebe Grubb the sum of fifteen pounds to be paid her when she attain her age of eighteen years or is married, which shall first happen:  Also I give unto my dear wife Frances Grubb one third part of all my personal estate and her choice of one of the best cows upon my plantation besides.  And also all ye rest and residue of my estate both real and personal whatsoever, and wheresoever I give devise and bequeath unto my sons Emanuel, John, Joseph, Henry, Samuel, Nathaniel and Peter to be equally divided between them, share and share alike, and to their heirs and assigns forever as tennants in comon and not as joyntenants.  And lastly I make and ordain my said son John and my said wife Frances executors of this my last Will and Testament.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal ye twelfth day of the month called February in the sixth year of the reighn of Queen Ann over Great Britain. (Will Book C., page 81, Phila.)

 

Colonial Society of Pennsylvania, Records of the court of New Castle,  Vol. 1, 1676 - 1681, p. 441, Lancaster, Pa., 1904:

Att a Speciall Court called by Robberd Waede & held in ye Towne of New Castle the 9th of december 1680.  Mr. John Moll, Mr. Joh: D'haes, Mr. Will: Simpill, Justices

Robberd Waede Plt, John Grub & Richard Bovington Defts, In an action of ye Case.

The Plt by his declaration declares agst these defts for ye nonperformance & breach of a Certayne Indenture bearing date ye 10th of July 1678 and also for nonperformance & breach of a Certayne award of arbitrators & a bond made bearing date ye 8th & 9th dayes of March 1679/80, and therefore desires that these defts may be ordered to performe all & Every article of ye sd Indenture & award so far forth as they are not prformed, and to make good ye damadge sustaned through the nonperformance thereof wth all Costs & Charges

The defts Deny ye plts declaration and Reply that they haue performed the sd Indenture & award, soe farr forth as itt is nott gaynsayd & cut of by a Collatorall agreem made sence by ye plt defts.

Andrew makluer Sworne in Cort sayth that John Grub and Rich: Bovington after that they thrassed ye straw did throw itt upon heapes ouer a fensh & there Lett itt Ly in ye Rayne and after that three more straw upon itt & that the Cowes haue trodden it under foott & further sayeth nott.  John Bales Sayeth ye same a s Andrew makleur hereabove.

Anna Pitman Sworne in Court sayeth that shee was prsent at ye house of Robt Waede when ye Laest agreemt was made betweene Robberd Waede & John Grub & Rich: Bovington, and after sd agreemt was signed, John Grub & Rich: Bovington did then demand and Receive of Robberd Waede the 500 gilders mentioned in the award of ye arbitrators & further sayeth nott.  Mr. Samuel Land Sworne sayth ye same as Anna Pittman hereabove.

Albert Hendrex haueing given a depositon & sworne before Mr. Moll & being now in Court & askt sayeth ye same as followth That sometyme in ye month of Aprill Laest past John Grub & Rich: Bovington came to ye deponants house wth a bottle of Rum, and desered yor Depondant to Clapp a Certayne bull belonging to Robberd waed's stock wch was then there, and ye depondant not knowing any otherwayes but that itt was wth ye sd Robberd waed's khnowledge did Klapp the sd bull and after yt done sd Grubb deseired yor depondant not to speake of itt to Rob: Waede for sayed hee this will bee as good as trik as that of his Ram whoome I: cutt hee (meaning Robbertd Waede) Knownes, not but that hee has still a Ram & further sayeth nott:

Thomas Nossiturs deposition taken before Mr Moll ye 2d of xbr instant was as followeth, That some tyme in ye month of Septembr this declarant came to ye house of Robberd Waede & bougt of John Grub & Rich : Bovington twoo schipples of Rye & whylst hee was cleaning ye same in ye barne Lydia the wyfe of ye said Robberd Waede came & tould John Grub & partner that to sell corne as then was Contrary to their agreement, upon wch they ye said Bovington & Grub Replyed to hur wee haue sent away a boat load with hancock the other day and doe you not know that, to wch she replyed noe & they made answer again Yes wee haue done itt, wth more other wordswch ye deponant doth not now Remember, and further declares that hee in ye sd month of 7br did Buy & Receive a Cowe from Richard Bovington wch then was upon Rob: Waeds Plantation and further Sayeth nott.

The Court did seuerall tymes demand of ye defts whether they Judged that at ye signing and delivery of ye Laest agreement wth Robb: Waede they Intended that the sd Laest agreement should totally abollish and disannul all the former srytings that is to say the indenture & ye award to wch ye defts refused to answer Possitive or noe: the cord doe Judge the ye sd Indenture & award are both in force soe farr as they are not gaynayed by ye sd Laest agreement:

Michael Izard a wittnesse for ye defts sworne in Cort declareth, that hee was psent and did heare Rob: Waede demand a debt of 500 gliders of John Grub & Richard Bovington whoe thereupon discounted w him ye sd Robberd Waede ye 500 gilders allowed them by ye award of ye arbitrators and urther that hee was psent & did heare & see that Rob: Waede did acceptof all ye Cattle & utensils Excepting a Cart to bee sett upon ye wheels & a peece of swead fence to bee made, wch now is pformed & further sayeth nott.

The defts John Grubb and Richard Bovington desirring a Jury itt was granted and a Jury was Impanneled whoe haueing heard ye Case debated and all ye papers and Evidences Read went out and Returning brought in their verdice as follweth vis Wee find for the defend.  The Court doe allowe of the Jurys verdict.

Notes:  It appears that there was an agreement between Wade and Grubb/Buffington, that they would farm some of his property.  According to Dave Grubb's notes, The property was in Upland, a small settlement across the river from Salem and several miles north of the modern border between Delaward and Pennsylvania.  Wade is accusing Grubb/Buffington of a breach of contract and embezzling his grain.  You can see that the jury voted in favor of Grubb and Buffington.

 
  

This is a copy,  out of the work of David Grubb, of the Estate Ad. for Peter Grubb, that has the names of both Henry and John Grubb on it, circled at the bottom.  My copy isn't near as good as the one David made, because my scanner brings in the noise from the backside of the paper.  That or cleans it up so much you can't make out what it says.  Also, tried photographing with digital camera.  Not enough resolution.  One day they will make a great digital camera that takes a zip disk, and we will have great resolution. (I hear they are already in Japan, if anyone hears of a market for them please let me know,  as they are not set to come to Am. for another 2 years).


  

This record was a blur before the ultra violet photograph.  It is torn, as it appears to be.

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