Family Nibbles – Volume 4 is here for your perusing pleasure.
Now you can enhance your personal library and give a gift to a Jarvis family member.
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Chester County
Three Generations in America 1680-1800
In fall of 1683, Elizabeth Jervis and her two children disembarked their ship at Chester, Pennsylvania. That’s the moment that our Jarvis ancestors first arrived in America.
James Jervis’ Generation
Joseph Jervis died in 1752.
Esther and her younger children continued to live on their land in White Horse. Esther was age 54. Caleb, Joshua, Catherine, and James (6G) were in their teens.
Joseph Jr., John, and Solomon, and William were in their twenties, so were probably living on their own.
Continue readingJoseph Jervis 1673-1752
Joseph Jervis died in 1752.
What an interesting life. Born in England. One of the first settlers of William Penn’s Pennsylvania. One of the first settlers to go west to Lancaster County. Farmer, miller, trader, entrepreneur, innkeeper, scoundrel.
Continue readingElizabeth Jervis Cookson 1653-1730
I didn’t want to write this story. I knew the day would come, but I was dreading it.
Elizabeth died in September 1730.
I’ve really grown attached to Elizabeth. She’s been at the center of this quest for Jarvis/Jervis origins. Her life story is filled with drama, struggle, success, and hard work. I’ll miss her.
Continue readingHead of the Pequea
Jervis, Cookson, and Cloud
Elizabeth Jervis Cookson had five children:
- Joseph Jervis – born about 1673
- Ruth Jervis – born 1680
- Daniel Cookson – born about 1685
- Mary Cookson – born about 1687
- Hannah Cookson – born about 1689
Joseph Buys Land From John Marsh
In 1711, Joseph Jervis bought a tract of land from John Marsh.
Joseph had sold his mill land on Ridley Creek, and bought and sold various other parcels over the years.
Continue readingElizabeth Gets a Patent
Recall Penn’s five-step land process – apply, warrant, survey, return, patent.
Elizabeth’s land in Middletown was warranted and surveyed in 1684. But she didn’t have the patent.
The settler had to apply and pay for the patent, so many didn’t bother.
Continue readingA Grist Mill
Chester County is blessed with many creeks that flow through the county and empty into the Delaware River.
These creeks had lots of ideal sites for mills.
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