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FRIENDS' MISCELLANY.

No. 1.]

FOURTH MONTH, 1835.

[VOL. VII.

ANNALS

Of the Pemberton family, with notes respecting some of their contemporaries.

ADVERTISEMENT.

A number of papers having come into the possession of the compiler of these Annals, throwing light upon the early history of the Pemberton family, and their settlement in Pennsylvania, he thought he could not make a better use of them, than to trace the events which are now given to the reader. Yet, from ancient papers, it is sometimes no easy matter to gain the information we desire; and therefore, in the perusal of the following account, let it be recollected, that as it respects those points in which a deficiency may appear,—from the darkness and obscurity of the events of early times, in which he had but little to guide him,-such as a casual remark in an old Almanac,- a hint in a letter, or an allusion in a memorandum,-he has gathered these few particulars of the days that are past. Nor is it apprehended, that in the perusal of these Annals, the reader, who is desirous to gain knowledge and instruction from the lives and characters of those who have endeavoured to fill up their measure of duty in ages past, will be disappointed.

The first ancestor that can be ascertained with precision, was William Pemberton, who appears VOL. VII.-1

to have been an husbandman. He was born, probably, about the year 1580. His wife's name was Ann; they were married 10th mo. 10th, 1602. His children were Alice, Margery, Ralph, Ellen, and perhaps some others. By "a lease for three lives," dated May 30th, 1625, it appears that a messuage, or cottage, and its "crofts or clausures of land, gardaines, pastures, feedings," &c. situated in Aspull, in Lancashire, England, were leased to him by Roger Hindley, of Hindley Hall, during the lives of Ralph, Alice, and Margery, his children, and the survivor of them. The terms of this contract were rather singular, at least to us, in this day. The yearly rent was twenty pence, in equal portions, "at the feast daies of the byrth of our Lorde God, and the naty vytie of St. Johne the baptyst;" and also, "two hens," and "two days shearing or reaping of corn." Ten years afterward, this lease was assigned by William to his son Ralph, then following the trade of a malster. In that day, annual licenses were necessary, and were granted by the justices of the peace, for the purpose of "buying barley to make into malt, in any market within the Commonwealth of England, and the same so bought and made, to carry and sell in any market." Ralph continued in this business at Aspull, several years. Of the early part of his life, and of any other part of that of his parents, nothing is now known.

William Pemberton died 9th mo. 26th, 1642, and his widow, 10th mo. 23d, following. Ralph, or Raphe, his son, married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Seddon, of Warrington, linenwebster, 4th month 7th, 1648. The issue of this marriage, were Phineas and Joseph; the former, born 11th

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