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A BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE
KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
WITH
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE
DESCENDENTS OF DAVID
KIRKBRIDE
1775-1830
PREPARED BY
SHERMAN A. KIRKBRIDE
■/■:■..
1913
^^',\J^nJ:^i i^k
ALLIANCE LEADER PRINT
ALLIANCE. OHIO
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HISTORY OF THE KIRKBRIDE
FAMILY
LOUIS H. KIRKBRIDE, 1840-1913
Our honored president, recently deceased
PREFACE
'l^lie history witliin, prepared for the I\irk-
bride fanii'_\' reunion at Lake Park, near Alliance.
Ohio, Sei)t. 2, L)!!, is 1)ased upon a little 1)ooklet
entitled "Domestic Portraiture of the Kirkhride
Famih." published by the eastern branch of the
connection in 1824. ddiis booklet was in the po-
session of Mrs. h'rances Keen Kirkhride and was
copied carefully with pen and ink by Mrs. Mary
I\. A\'arren who kindl\- turned o\'er to me the
copy with other material she had been able to
gather. .Vt the reunion. 1*-)10. — Louis H. Kirk-
bride, |)resident — a committee of three consisting"
of Ke\\ Sherman A. Kirkhride, for the Berlin, O..
branch, h^rances Kirkhride for the Salem, ().,
branch and Mrs. Mary K. Warren for the New
Jersey branch of the family were appointed to
l)rei:)are a history to be read the follo\\'ing year.
The work of comj^osing was assumed by
.Sherman and it has been a task congenial. e\en
if arduous. Access to a hue collection of co'onial
records at Washington and Jefferson Codege
was made ])Ossil)le by an official visit to that in-
stitution, and a \'acation of se\'eral weeks at
Washington, D. C, with pri^•i^ege of the mag-
nificent Congressional Librarx- made other orig-
inal records a\ailab'e so that vour committee
[5]
THE
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
has \-en'he(l iiuich of the ohi Ixxiklet. and correct-
ed some mistakes, — rare, for the book is admir-
abl\' gotten u]), — and also a(hled some new hght,
as for example the (Late l(t81 for Joseph Ivirk-
hride's arri\al in America : and the deatli of Ro1)-
ert. mentioned casually in a note in the large
modern histor\- of Bucks Countw The records
of the lUicks County Historical Societ}' are i)er-
liajjs unsiu'passed 1)\- those of an\- other coitnt\"
in the I'nited States. And otn^ ancestors occit-
]»ied a \ery large ])lace in the affairs of the colon-
ies there.
ddtis sketch is std)mitte(l with reserx'e, for
the histor}- is imperfect. partl\- because of mis-
takes or uncertainties or omission in the records
preser\'ed, and ])artl}' becatise of limited oppor-
tunit\- to prosectite inquiries. L>ut the record of
such noble beginnings is easily worth while.
[6]
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
THE NAME
AA'hence came our name Kirkbride ? \'our
historian was in blankest ignorance of its (leri\'a-
tion nntil the rennion at Lake Park Sept. 2, 1911
Tliere a letter from ]\lrs. Charles \\ altoo of
\\ oodbnrw X. J., was fnrnished which gax'e this
strange bit of histor}- as authentic. Some time
before 1066 A. D., the time of the Xorman con-
c[uest, a church, was built in a ])arish twehe miles
west of Carh'le, Cuml)erlan(l c(nmt_\'. north-west
I'lngland. and was dedicated to St. Brydock, or
St. Bride, one of the earliest missionaries wdio
came from Ireland to conxert the inhal)itants of
the wild regions around Solway I^'irth. ddie \il-
lage about St. Brydock church (called Bride
kirk, or kirk I^)ri<le). fell to the inheritance of
( )dard III. 15aron of W ilton ; and his descendants
took their name from the estate and were known
as De Kirkbrides. The last of these in direct
succession sokl the manor in 154U and during the
tumult of the Commonwealth under Cromwell,
no entries were made in register, none till 1660.
[9]
THE KIRK BRIDE FAMILY
W lietluM" ilic It'ocid (^f F'.'ircm ! )(laril tl(n\'s in our
\-eins or not \\c do not know. — nor care. But
our anccslors came fi'oin liis estates, and we stid
bear llie name tliat look root m llie old St. Br\'-
dock's kirk, a eliiu'cli wlrcli was o'der wlien Col-
nnihus discox'ered America, than the ships of Col-
umbus would be now.
THE PIONEERS
To come of (Juaker stock and ha\e the Idood
of pioneers coursm<;' in om" \-eins is no small
honor. It is g"oo(l to know th;it our family tree
is soimd al the roots. ( )f coiu'se the lea\"es of
that tree can not hide otu" nakedness if we dis-
honcM" the ancestral name and fame: each stands
or falls on merit of his own. Ihu the famil\- tree
affords pleasanter shade to sit under if its timber
is well-rooted, soimd at the ccM^e. and reasonabh'
free from rotten fruits. Such shelter we can
claim ; and it is a priceless heritage.
The first settlers of America were bra\e and
noble men. And fcir them this goodl\- land had
waited long, h'or centuries Ciod had sta\"ed the
tides of emigr.ation till ide cotdd de\"elop a j'jeople
vvorthy of such a countrw Its \a>t forests, its
broad i)rairies. its fertile soil underlaid with min-
eral treastu'es be\-ond e\'en the dreams of a\"arice.
[10]
THE
KIRKBRIDE
FAMILY
its ri\"ers fillcMl with fisli and lit for slii])s of roiii-
mcrce, its i^Tcat area, instinct willi the s])irit of
freedom it not of i)roi;rcss, all tlu'se were centnr-
ies old before the white man e\er set foot on the
Western Hemisphere. The Xoi'senien. stern and
rnde and \ent nresome, had loni^" ai;() reached onr
coasts but could not coloni/e. keckdess fortune-
hunters from S])ain and PorlUi^'a! and hrance had
found our conlineui . but were not at home.
Thex' were bold to explore and \alianl to
con(pier. but ( iod .\lnm.^ht\, the ^reat orijL^inal
Land ( >wner, kept the k'e\- of his American treas-
ure house for better men.
Jle swe])t northern luu'ope with the imrify-
ini;" ilres of the l\eformat ion, l)i-oui;iU out b\
hardshii) .and lidal the best that was in the nob-
lest bloods: he chastened the character and
shar])ene(i the conscience and set lirm and fear-
less the convictions of resolute, and de\(tut men,
and then with the whip of ])ersecution lie dro\e
them torth to find freedom of conscience in a new
w'oidd. \nd so lhe\ came, not molK-coddles. but
heroes ot brain and bi-awu and force and initia-
(i\e as well as ])iel\ . So came the Puritans from
LuL;land, the (, "o\enautcu"s from .Scotland, the
sturd_\- l)utch frou) llo'laud and the unllinchin^'
1 luL!;"uenots from l'"i-auce. dduw we're wortlu' to
possess the "land ci the fi"ee and home of the
brax'e."" And w ith them, easih their espial in \ir-
tiie and de\'otion, and certainh' not inferior in
[11]
THE KIRK BRIDE FAMILY
kindness and hisih-son'ed hont-stw came the
Ouakt.
Pcnn.
(!)uakcrs. including" our ancestors, under W illiani
ANCESTRY IN ENGLAND
The parisli town of !\irkl)ride lies twelve
miles west of Carlyle, Cunil)erland countw nortli-
west England. Tliere in tlie (|uaint little \illige
\\"ith its ])aris]i house tluui ahnost six liundred
years old, its low. straw-coxered cottages whose
win.dow ])anes were four 1)\- six inches. Matthew
and Magdalene Kirkhride had settled as l)ride
and groom about 1655. The Society of Friends,
was just organizing in luigland. and the happy
pair joined that moxement. lietween the \ears
1659 and 1668 their home was ""laddened 1)\- the
birth of fi\e children, viz: T<~»hn, Matthew. Jos-
eph, Sarah and Thomas. ( )f these children. Jos-
e|)h, who was bcjrn about 1662. will form the cen-
tral figure in this historw A\'ith the rest of the
English fannd}- we must take our lea\"e. ncjting
onl\- that Matthew, the second son seems to have
emigrated to America, and "cousins Thomas and
Joseph" are remembered in ih.e will of Joseph
Ixirkbride, our ancestor.
0])pressed alike b\' magistrate and priest,
yet fully resoKed to keep their ]i\es true and
[12]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAIMILY
their testimonx' pure, tlie Quakers in Rni^iand l)e-
o'an to seek religious lil)ert\' across the sea. W il-
Ham Penn, their leader, had i:)nrc]iased from King
Charles, and with honor and lionesty l)right as
the golden rnle. would also repurchase from the
Indians as rightful owners, the PR()VIXC1'L of
PEXXSYLVAXIA in the new world. To this
lie invited his fel!ow-l)elievers. and the}' were
not slow to aA'ail themseh'es of its pri\-ileges. To
enjo\' such unvexed freedom with welcome hos-
pitality and good-fellowship thrown in. the_\- left
hon.ie and life-lono- associations, dared the then
frightful perils of an ocean \'0}-age. and hrax'ed
the unknown hardships of a settlement _\'et to he
made among wild men in the unhroken forests.
I'^migration soon was rife among the Eng-
lish I-"riends. Pennsylvania l)ecan"ie a household
word in Cumberland county including Kirkbride
town.
Some alreadx- settled in America wrote back
glowing word of peace and plent}'. One letter
famous above all others was so comprehensive
and clear and convincing, and withal so quaint
and stateh- in its language that several standard
colonial histories quote it in full. There were
croakers in those days, spies sending back evil
reports from the new land, and in reply to these
Mahlun Stacy, our first ancestor in the new
world, formerly a tanner of Hansworth. York-
shire. Eno-land. who in 1678 had sailed from Hull
[131
T 11 E
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
with Ill's wife and cliilflren. — including Sarah,
from w lioni we are descended, then six years old
— and several ser\ ants, on the Shi]) "Shield," and
w ho had arri\ ed in December of that year, wrote
to his brother Revell a deliglitful letter telling of
the go:Mll\- land which, if not Rowing with milk
and honew was at least teeming in wild luxuri-
ance with game and fish and. fruit and grain
(See A])])endix. ) But of him more again.
The good word reached the ears of Matthew
Kirkbride's famil)-. Joseph, his third son, then a
lad of nineteen, was in\-ited to join an expidition
fitting out at rb-ist(^l in 1C)81. He was bound out
as a])])rentice to a tradesman, and could not then
settle in full with his master, ])Ut this was his
life chance and he took it. W ith a small bundle
of clothing and a FT. AIL as his stock in trade,
(one historx' hints at a \\'allet of mone\' besides)
he boarded the ship "Bristol k^actor" at Bristol,
set down his l)nndle, stowecl away his dail (what
an heirhjom it would be now) and faced the far-
off shores of Pennsyhania, arri\ ing safeh' in the
Delaware, according to oin- ])ul)lished famih' rec-
ords, the 2^^th of Seventh month, 1682. ( One ac-
count says he came in the John and Sarah, lea\-
ing luigland October, 1681. Likel\- right as to
time and wrong as to vessel. ) W . J. Buck, how-
ever in his History of Bucks countw edition of
18o3, in an appended note, corrects as a mistake
his own dating of 1682, in the bodv of the work,
[14]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
by declaring positi\ely that Joseph Kirkljride ar-
rived on the Elristol Factor in December of 1681.
It matters little to ns about the date, for he sure-
ly got here, and because he came, we are here
todav.
AMERICAN BEGINNINGS
In a sense he was a run-away boy in a far
country, but unlike the ])rodigal he did not spend
his substance m riotous li\ing; the choicest in-
fluences of earth were around him and the ])est
manliood that was in him responded. A few
months after him in 1682. came AX'illiam Penn
on the shi]) \\ elcome. and Joseph was for a while
in his employ at Pennsbury. Soon he moved
across the Delaware into New Jersey. In 1687
he came liack to marrv Phebe the dauo'hter of
Randall P)lack'shaw. E^ollowing the custom of
the E^riends the\' both announced publich' their
intenti(Mis (^f marriage and accordino- to the min-
ute of the meeting it was resohed that "as Jos-
e])h has mostU' resided in fersev he is recphred
to Indng a certihcate of his clearness from similar
engagements'" (^\'er there. In due course the\'
were married, and had fi\'e children. Joseph.
Martha. Phebe. Hannah and Jane, the mother
(hine: wdien thev were small.
[13]
Wz
A Flail was the sole stock in trade which
the original Joseph Kirkbnde brought
to America
Letitia Penn's Cradle in which many of our ancestors were rocked
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
l^heir descendants through these chi!(h"en,
we can not trace here, nor those of Josei)h's third
wife Mar\- hardly I'letcher, datighter of Robert
I'letcher. whom he married in IJ^it^and who bore
him seven chihh"en, John, Robert, ATary,
Thomas, Sarah, Thomas, (had tlie first 'Idiomas
(herl?') and Jane. Others will gi\e tliem record
of wdiich the\- are worth}'. lUit we are descended
from liis second marriage when he claimed the
sweet girl Sarah Stac\" for a bride, the 17th of
Idth Montli. 1~(!2. It was her father Alahlon
Stacy that wrote tlie famous letter in 1680. He
was great!}- honored in the life of the colony, a
luan of wealth, abilit}- and enterprise, as well as
t)f character and standing, h'or $v\3(iO he with
four others had purchased one-tenth of West
Jersey, "with right of choice." He chose from
"the Falls of the Delaware downward," signing"
articles therefore in 1676. Late in ]()7i> he had
cnd;arked from Hull on the "Shield," captain
Daniel Towes. and after a faxcu-ah'e vo}'age sail-
ed up the Delaware amid scenes so prime\'al that
where Philadelphia afterward was built, wilder-
ness tree-tops brushed into the rigging of the
ship. The\' moored the \essel to a tree opposUe
Burlington on a night in December, (some sa}'
Xovember, ) a night so cold that in the morn-
ing passengers walked ashore o\er the ice.*
*See picture of traditional Burlington tree on page 59.
[171
THE
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
Alalilon Stacy fixed his residence at what is
now South rreiiton. \. J., and hniU the first
i^-rist mill east i)i the Delaware, and tlie second
in all the proxince. lie was often in tlie Pro\-
incial Assenihly and Council and left his name
on man_\' important state papers. He was a min-
ist(M' among" the l^'riends. much in demand, and
in 16S3 was named on a select committee to ar-
range for the union of all l^'riends of America
into one yearly Meeting. I'ntil late in life it was
his hahit to paddle his canoe across the Dela-
ware below the I'alls, and walk to T^adlsington
on meeting dax's. lie finished his earnest, actix'c
and devoted life the 3rd of Second Month, 1704.
The name of M.\IIL()X has with good right,
been worn in exery generation of the fannl\-
down to the ])resent time.
in Sarah, the daughter of Mahlon Stacv.
Joseph l\irkd)ride found a jewel too ])recious to
kee]). She bore him a son, Mahh)n, in 1703, anrl
a few da_\s afterward sickened and died, at the
earh- age of 20. The P^alls Monthly Meeting
has preserx'ed the following testimonx- as her
snfificient legacy to the descendants oi' that babe
xxhich she nmst leax'e so sad'y soon. Dm-ing her
illness she encouragecl he]- husb;ind to gixe her
np, saying: "If it please the Lord to stri]) thee
of thy hel])meet again, mx- ( iod will be tin-
Rock."" Again she said: "1 ha\e not been afraid
of death these man\- \-ears. I am sxxeetlx- com-
[18]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
forted in ni\' affliction; the Lord is exceedine"
good to my sonl." A little before she died she
murninred "My God, my (iod, I come. I come."
She was a rare character. T want to meet her in
the ancestral home aho\e.
JOSEPH KIRKBRIDE, I.
But what of Joseph Kirkbride. her husband,
and the first on American soil to bear our fam-
ily name? in 1()^'7 we find hitu hc^nored with a
place in the leg'islati\'e assend)l\'; to which he
wa.s frecpiently re-elected. In 1707 his name
heads a list of men appointed Justice of the
Peace l)y Sir William Keith. (Colonial Records,
Vol III, ]). IS.) He was man\- vears in the
magistracy In 1719 he with John Reading as
commissioners for A\'est Jersey, surveyed the
boundary line between X^ew jersey and New
York, and was allowed ten shi'lings a da\-, ])ro-
clamation money, for the forty days of this im-
portant ser\'ice. He also participated in the last
great Indian conference. May 9, 1735. So far as
I know, that l)oundar\' line still stands as offic-
ial.
In 1687 as a lad of 23. Joseph had bought
800 acres of ground at Falls from ddiomas Atkin-
son for ^3)5. Puldic serxices far and wide as
srrxeyor brought him ex])ert knowledge of va^i-
[10]
'I' 1 1 K
K I
K R H I n K
FAMILY
OTiS sections and \alnes and many chances of wise
in\estnient : so llial w lien lie died, lie left to his
descendants 13,43'' acres of land and "money of
Xew lerse\' at S shillings to the onnce,"' anionnt-
int^- to .^KIOOO. The ol<l homestead farm at Falls
containing 1(11 acres was sold in 1873 to Malilon
.Moon at $210 an acre. A small dwelling with
cellar used now as tool and woodhouse, said to
ha\'e been built 1)\- the original I()se])h. stiil
stands on the old farm. \\ hen the hree Societ}'
of Trc'iders closed out their attairs in 1720. Josei)h
boueiit I^^-^J acres and from this tract sold to the
Dyles, father and son. enough land to found
Dovlestown. Pa.
lint let me answer a (|uestion that is dis-
turbing _\'our honest hearts. Did Joseph Kirk-
bride e\'er square accounts with his (jld master
in England? If not. we are ashamed of him. I
come to that. Joseph earl_\- became a distin-
guished ( )uaker i)reacher: and after Sarah's
death he left the l)al)\- Mahlon in the care of mai-
den aunts, and bearing his certificate from the
h'riends' association he went back to England,
paid in full the tradesman, with whom he was
ai)])renticed. trax'clled ?^()? miles in the old ln^me
land and attended 42.^ meetings, s])eaking doubt-
less at most if not ab. and returning to America
in 1704. Anthon\- .Morris, who with John Shinn,
hacl come over to Pennsvlvania about 1680, sent
[20]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
a note of commendation back' to lui^-land with
his "good friend, Joseph Kirkbride." |()se])h
(bed fnll of )'ears and ser\ices and honors in
]737. be(|neatliing vast landed estates to his fam-
dy : and gi\ing his "three nigero l)0}s, Isaac.
Cnffa and Islimael" to his son Jose])!!. The stain
of slave-ho'cbng we regret in liini as in (ieorge
W ashington, 1)nt let ns blame tlie age rather
than the men. Rol)ert Prond in his great his-
tory edition of 1797. \'ol. T. ]> 198. has this to
sav: "Josepli Ivirkl)ride is an instance * * * of
an advancement from low I)eginnings to rank of
eminence and esteem through industry with a
prudent and \irtuous conduct. Pie was a preach-
er among the Onakers. and for many years in
the magistrac\' and frecpientl}' in the assembly.
He is said to ha\e Ijeen an exemplar\- and a zeal-
ous promoter of his ])rofession, and a ver)' ser-
^"iceable ])erson in di\'ers respects and ca]:)aci-
ties;" adding. "He li\'ed in I'ucks County wdiere
he died 1st month in 1737." We are PR()rD
of him tluis ])raised bv MR. PROUD.
MAHLON KIRKBRIDE, II.
Josei)h Kirkbride stands alone in genera-
tion No. 1 of our American Kirkbride ancestry,
Of his thirteen children wdio would form genera-
tion Xo. 2, our l)ranch of the family finds its an-
[21]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
cestral liead in MAIIT,()X. tlic (^ily cliiM (^f liis
second wife, the sainted Sarah Stacy. The Ixn',
named after liis grandfatlier, ?\lahlon Stac}'. \va =
Hke both father and ^'randfather in pietw ])nbh'c
s])irit. actixitw ahilitx' and intlnence. He was not
a minister, and no record a])pears of a minister
since till James and Sherman now. 1)nt "he was
made an elder in the church to watch oxer the
state o.f the ministry for tlie enconras^'ement of
the fearful and the timid ones, and clothed with
authorit}- to sujipress unru!}' s])irits. and those in
\\diose comnumicatinn no sa\'or of the Holv
L'nction cotd.d be fcnmd."" If some such Board
would suppress all uninspiring' preachers in our
da}', what i^ainful silence would reign in some of
our pulpits! Mahlon serx'ecl in the Asseml)l\- in
1740. (noted in Proud's Histor_\-. \'ol. II. p. 221).
possibh' at other times. In 1756 he was elected
again, despite his known opposition to the then
pending h^'ench and Indian war. but he positive-
ly resigned. He was also in the magistrac\'. and
held manx' responsible cix'il a]~)]:)ointments.
lUit xx'hat C()ncern> us much is the fact that
in 1724 as a lad of 21 he married a blithe voung
lass nametl Marx- Sotcher.
A\ hen William Penn xxas about to lea\"e this
country for the last tirne. he gaxe his cherished
home and estates at Pennslnu'x- into the care of
his trusted stexx"ard "xx'orthx hihii Sotcher" and
the accomplished stexxardess. Mar)" Loftus.
r99
221
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
Sotcher liad come over with Penn in the Canter-
linry. Deceml)er, 1699, and was weU estal)hshe(l
in the favor of his chief. AIar\- Loftus too was
much l)elo\-e(l and lionorech and wlien these two
fa\'orite hel])ers fell in love and were read\- to
announce tlieir engagement, the go\-ernor and
his wife urged a prompt marriage l)efore the\-
themse]\'es should sail, and tliis wedding to(^k
place in due (Juaker form ( )ctol)er 17Ul. The
marriage certificate was made out ])\' Iose]')li
Kirkbride. and Alary Sirkett, (^ct. U., 170l, and
signed 1)\' the guests, including William Penn.
his wife Hannah. — after whom the hrst child of
the Sotcher home was named, — and I.etitia
Penn. It was \\-itnessed also \)y the eminent
James Logan, Secretary of the Pro\ince ; Phin-
has Pemherton, Pro\'incial Counsellor and
Judge : Samuel Jennings. Go\-ernor of West \e\v
Jerse^' : John Shippen, son of the ]^Iayor of Phila-
delphia, and man\' others of ])rominence. The
original certificate now hangs in W'ashinngton's
head(|uarters at ?\Iorristown. X. j. This was the
on'v wedding Penn is known to haxG attended
in America. * Immediatel)' after the union of
the hap])\- ])air Penn returned to England, leav-
ing the hridal ])art\- in full control of Pennsbury.
P'requent. and delightfully friendly letters
came 1:)ack from the governor to John and Mar)-
*So General Davis in "History of Bucks County."
[23]
Mahlon Kirkbride, 1810-84 Frances (Keen) Kirkbride
Hannah (Kirkbride) Paxson,
1795-1837
Huldah Kirkbride
1814-94
THE
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
Sotcher. I cop}' one t(3 show tlie contidcnce and
intimacw Tt is dated London, IS. v^ mo. 1708.
"John Sotcher, — Lo\-in<.;- friend :
I had th\- letter with satisfaction and ^lad
to hear of th\- and famih's welfare. 1 am g-Jad to
hear of the g'ood condition of poor Pennshnry,
belox'ed of tis all, and there in the will of (jod we
wish onrselxes. If thon lea\es it. i.;'ive J. Logan
an acct)unt of th\- labors, as acres cleared and
fence, and of both plow and sow land. Likewise,
delix'er all \-e linen, and household stutT into his
care. 1 Idess (iod. we are adl alix'e and well, sa^•e
our dear sweet Hannah, whom the Lord took
four months ago at 4 years, the wittiest and wo-
manliest creature that her age could show, but
His hol\- wid be done.
d"h\' lo\-ing" friend,
WILLIAM Pk:XX."'
\l)Out 1708 Sotcher gave u]) his steward-
.hi]) and bought propert)' at Bristol wdiere by
aut!iorit\- of the colonial government he estal)-
lished a ferr\- over the Delaware to Burlington,
X. I. In 1712 he was elected to the Pro\incial
Asseml>l\- from Bucks comity and re-elected con-
tinualK- till 1722. He died honored and mourned
Feb. 26, \7Ml His oldest daughter was married
to ]ose])li Kirkbride, Jr., "a prominent citizen of
l.'ucks countv." Mary Sotcher (our ancestress)
born 18 Sept., 1704: died 22 Xcw., 1778: married
[23]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
Mahloii I\ii'kl)ri(le (our ancestor), "brother of
josci^li, aii<t e(|uall\- ])i-()mincnt.* A cliest and
cradle l)rougiit 1)\- W ni. Penn from luig'land in
K)S2 l)elong"ed to Mar\- Sotcher and were pre-
ser\ed in the I\ii"kl)ride family for generations.
The\' are now among the collection of the His-
torical Societ\- of Pennsx l\ania.
To -Alahlon and Mary (Sotcher) Kirkhride
were born twelve children, Stac\". Hannah, Marw
Sarah. Rebecca. Kmh. Letitia. Mahlon. ROB-
h'RT. — from whom we trace descent, — Jonathan
and Dax'id. twins, and jose])h. The \'oimg' ])air
settled in Lower Makeiield. and there built a
stone house in 1730 that stood in good repair till
removed b\' his grandson. Mahh^n. in b*^33.
ddiere for more than a centtir\- sojom-ners, and
especiall}- (|uaker ])reachers found rowal wel-
come. There too was ke])t for generations the
cradle of Letitia Penn. doing 1)us\- serxice for the
Kirkl)ride 1)abies.~ Idle ])icture of the cradle is
shown in recen.t Bucks count\' records. AFalilon
Kirkhride b_\- tireless industrx' accunudated large
property interests, distributing at hi^ decease
4.000 acres of land, and $15,00(^ in cash. A large
family had grown up l)eneath the paternal roof.
*For this brief sketch of Jolm Sotclier we are in-
debted to an article by J. G. Leach procured by Mrs. Wal-
ton of Woodbury, N. J.
tSee picture of this Letitia Penn cradle, page 8.
[26]
THE
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
carefulh' trained in honor. ])iety and i)ractical af-
fairs.
"( )ne 1)\' one the\- had married and left the
old liearthstone where the eheerfnl wood tire
used to Idaze far np the wide throat of the chini-
nev. afforchng- hg'ht for the ,g'irls to ply their
needles in knitting or s])in with the hns}- w heels.
A tallow di]) at the window shone ont into the
nigiit for the wa\-farer. and heli)ed the Ix^ys with
books to get ready for the stern school master
in the morning, whose jiotent remed)' for dnll
scho'arship lav in the twigs of the river birch or
hickorv. Xnts from the woods, [where are they
now?] apples from the (orchard. donghmUs Irom
the cupboard. ])ieasant converse and then the
(pn'eting cha])ter." so the da)s went by, tx'pical
of the times. Fifty-two years of happy married
life. ;in(l with Mary Sotcher. the wife of his youth
still at his side. Mahlon sank to rest in 1776 at
the ag-e of 73. whi'e the sound of the liberty bell
still echoed its thrilling call to the roar of the
revolutionary gams. His wife survived him but
three \ears. He made a will, characteristic of
his age. wherein lie be(|ueathed to Mary his
"beds, chairs. sil\-er spoons. pe\\'ter. tea-stand,
tea-kettle, looking g-lasses, pot-hook, fire shovel
and tono;s. a choice cow and the mare Bonnie, the
great Bible," and the privilege of many things in-
cluding "pum]) and smoke-house." pasture for
the two "creatures." apples for sauce and cider
[27]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
witli fi rc-w o(i(l cut and l)ron<^lit to the door, a
c.'irriasj'e \nv nicetin^'. limit iiii^' all to the "time of
lier widow hood," and "while slie remains m\'
widow." hhink of that after their ^"olden wedd-
ing' !
ROBERT KIRKBRIDE, III.
XotinL;' Da\'id and Jonathan, the interesting
t\\'ins with onl\- the remark that Dr. Thomas
Stor\" Kirkhride. the famotis specialist on insani-
ty, and fotmder of the Kirkhride As_\lum at Phil-
adelphia, was a grandchild of Jonathan : recah-
ing, too, that the great luiglish Onaker, Josepli
J. Giirnew founder of tlie ^I^rne^• di\ ision of the
Friends, married Eliza P. Kirkhride n\ Brides-
burg, Pa., whose father. Joseph Kirkhride. was a
grandson of Mahlon : and ])assing over the
rest of [Mahlon's large famih\ our s])ecial
interest for the third generatii^i narrows
down to oiie boy, ROBERT, w ho was born
in 1737, the vear his grandfather, the first
Joseph, died, and aboitt the time (ieorge W ash-
ington, as a five-year-old. w'oidd be hacking
cherry trees. Of Robert we know nothing ])ut
that he married llannah Bidgood. daitghter of
W illiam Bidgood. wdio Ixm'c him nine children.
^.Tary, l-',sther, AJahlon, Sarah, Letitia, Robert,
Da\'id, and Ann. Eater he married llannah Wil-
son. The Afonthl\- meeting 22d of mnth month,
[28]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
1798, records the death of "James l^mlen, Rol)ert
Kirkbrlde and Mar)' Sharpless." In the (|niet
church \ard sleeps man}' a nohle form unhonored
and nnsinig. Of Robert's three l:>o\'S, Mahlon
must ha\-e (hed \onng- for I)a\'id"s son Asher
Miner as recorded 1)}- his (hinghter, Mrs. Mar\' K.
\\arren, always said his fatlier had onlv one
brother and he was Robert, who married Mar^•
Rogers and bmded their children in infancy, (^f
the six daughters, all married but Ann. Robert's
\\'ife, Hannah Bidgood l\irkd)ri(le. sur\i\-ed till
Tulv 16. 1826.
DAVID KIRKBRIDE, IV.
.Vmong the children of Robert and Hannah
Kirkbri<le the member of that fourth generation
who is our direct ancestor was DAVID, born in
1775. Like his forbears he was a farmer in Bucks
countw Penns\ l\ania. His life was quiet and un-
CA-entful. He married Mary Jones and their
household was blest with nine cihldren, Hannah,
Ann, Ivol)ert. John, Asher Miner, David, Mahlon,
Huldah au'l Watson, names fa.miliar and belo\-ed
b\- this o-eneration, though Aunt Huldah. the last
one spared to us, went home in 1894. I wish we
knew more about the home life and business in-
terests of Da\id and Marw Perhaps we catch
some reflections through their children, and if so.
[29]
T 11 i:
K I R K B R I n E
FAMILY
we gi\c llieni honor. Daxid died Deceinl)er 8th.
1830. when his oldest ^'randchild now li\in^-. our
Indoved \-eteran wlio nex'er will seem old. Aunt
Xancx Morris was hut a ])raltling- girl of four.
Mary his wife survived till Xov. 20. 1844. Their
children, members of the fifth generation of
Kirkhrides in America, are so close to our time
that no one of them can claim us all as descend-
ants, nor can \\e all look to any one as a common
ancestor. Jose])h. begat Alahlon. Mahlon begat
I\()l)ert. Robert begat Dax'id; so far we trace our
\yd\ together, i-'rom Da\id we separate into
branches which must be considered Nomewdiat
apart.
( )f Dax'id's famil\- Ann. born before 1800,
married William b'ield and died childless. Of her
life further than that we are ignorant, as also of
Da\'id. Jr., who was born al)ont 1808 and (lie<'
unmarried in the sixties. Huldah, born 1814,
ne\er married. wShe li\ed in Philadelphia and af-
terward in Ohio, where she died in 1804 lea\-ing
grateful memories. Watson, born 1818, li\-e(l in
Philadel])hia some time \\Mth the Paxsons. In the
seventies he came out to his brother Robert's in
Ohio, where he died of cancer, unmarried, in
1878.
Plannah. born 17*^3, m;M"ried Walter Paxson
who kepi hotel alxjut Philadelphia and she died
.A.ug. 20. 1873. Xine children were born to them,
Caroline, Augustine, David, Ann K., Mary, El-
[30]
THE KIRK BRIDE FAMILY
len, I^an j.. Louise, janies II. ( )f all this fain-
ih' no known heirs snr\i\e.
ROBERT KIRKBRIDE. V.
Robert, born Sept. 29, 1800. was married to
Sarah Shaw in Bncks county. Pennsxivania.
^rhey lived a while at W ilkesbarre. Pa.,
and then moved back to Bucks County.
W bile in Pennsyh'ania four children were
born to them. Xancy. Ferdina.nd, Mary and
B. Franklin. In 1831 the}' turned their faces to-
ward the newer land of ( )hio. and settled in I'er-
lin. AEahoning- county, on a farm where many
hallowed memories cluster. Here more bright
l)al)v faces came to gladden the home. Watson,
James. Joseph. Asher and IViahlon, Of Robert's
chi'dren the oldest. Xancy. and the xoungest
Alahlon. alone sur\ive. We are glad of them.
The name of Robert Kirkbride stood for hones-
ty, and truth. Sometimes to his friske}' grand-
children he seemed severe and dignified, but as
a foil for his not unkind severity, there was ever
present the sweet ])atience and generous kind-
ness of the little wife. Sarah, worthy to rank with
the Sarah Stacy of old. How masterful she was
and vet how unassuming! As we climb u]) the
years and get a better view of her unhurried yet
blessedly strenuous life, as we see her fore-
handed in home work yet knitting with the ease
[31]
Robert Kirkbride. 1800-78 Sarah (Shaw) Kirkbride
Asher M. Kirkbride, 1806-67 Ann (Bee) Kirkbride
THE KIRK BRIDE FAMILY
and the speed of magic for a lot of related xonng--
scers, e\-er busy _\'et nex'er too hnsv to furnish a
cookie or hnd a string or hind uj) a stumped
toe. \\'e often think Blessed I)e grandmother!
Ro1)ert jKissed a\\a\' in 1878.
JOHN KIRKBRIDE, V.
Jolin Kirkhride, son of Da\-id, horn ahont
18U3, married Ruth Hough and sett'ed in X(jrris-
town, Pa., where she died in a few \'ears lea\'ing
two sons. Charles 11. and Uaxid. ddie latter died
in childhood. After her death he married Mrs.
Sarah Potts, fnee Sailor) who bore him eight
children: hYu-dinand P., John II.. Ruthanna II..
Walter Paxson and Abram II. twins, Mar\' I'^d-
len, Watson, and Hannah P. He was drowned
in Now. 1847. ( )f his character and relationships
and manner of life we are not informed, as none
now lu'ing can recall.
ASHER M. KIRKBRIDE, V.
Asher Miner Kirkbride, born July 18, 1806
settled near W'oo(ll)ur\-. X. J. in 1830. and three
years later married .\nn, daughter of ddiomas
and Rebecca I>ee. The\' had h\-e chi'dren :
Thomas Bee. Da\-i(l, .Mar\- Jones. Asher, and
John B. (died in infancy 1831). ( )f these Alary
still li\-es and to her more than an\- one else is
[33]
THE K I R K H R I I) E F A M I L Y
due l)Oth inspiration and informaticjn in the ])re-
paraticn of this history. Aslier. and Ann his
wife, were a noble-looking" pair, and their looks
did not belie their character. Stnrrly strength
and tine honor marked his i)ers()nalit_\- and to oM
age she carried the Ijright. clear e\"es of a beanti-
fnl and generons soul. He died with the respeC
of all who knew him in 1867; and his children
whose genial hospitalit}' many of ns ha\"e known,
and whose character has kept the fine simj^icit)"
of the earh- colonial Friends. ha\-e added honor
to his name, tho all ha\e i^assed to their reward
excejit ^lary.
MAHLON KIRKBRIDE, V.
-Mahlon KirklMdde. fifth generation, was
born 1810 and followed his older Ijrother Rol)ert
from lUicks cotmtx'. Penns\h"ania. to the good
land of ( )hio where he settled down for life in
the (Jtiaker cit_\' of Salem. He married Frances
Keen, a tall and gracefnl girl w ho shared his io\'s
and sorrows till his death in 1884 and still stir-
vived till 1897. He became thoronghl}' ident-
'fied with the life and ])rogress of Salem
\\here his children \)v integrity and alfilitv
have continned to make the name of Kirk-
bride one of prominence. inflnence and
ho-ior. So the\' have gone, Roliert. John, Asher.
^vlahlon, and the rest. Quiet, retiring, but true
[34]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
to their in1)re(l Ouaker honest}' the\' were sound
branches of the family tree from which we todax
ha\e sprung. Tlie ohl homesteads are in other
hands l)Ut I)lessed memories of care and clieer
u'liich lodged in them are ours forex'er.
( )f the sixth generation w hich comprises
their children, none of Hannah Paxson's nine
children sur\i\-e, onh- Xanc\- and Mahlon of
Rol^ert's nine, Charles and Watson of John's
ten, Mar}' alone of Asher's four, and Martha,
*Louis. Da\'i<l, Josephine, and h^rances of Mah-
lon's se\'en. Beautiful tilings might be said of
the dear de])arted whose gra\es have l)ut latel}"
been bajitized with our tears; those who remain
and ail their fandlies, are worl:h\' of some spec-
ial word, but we s])are }'OU the l)lushes of mod-
est\'. We gi\'e }'ou heartfelt a])i)reciation with-
out i)rinted ]:>raise.
But every one in whom flows the good and
honest blood of Mahlon Stac}' and Joseph
Kirklndde, and J (dm and Mar}' Sotcher ought
to so li\'e now that om- famih' name may go on
untarnished. Jind the Idood be ])ure and strong as
in the sturdx' days of Penn. and that our
historx' ma\' be as free from taint and as full of
ser\-ice and achie\'ement as that which our an-
cestors made in the Ouaker colonies of Xew
Jersey and PennsN'hania.
*Since the above was in press Louis H. Kirkbride,
our honored president, lias passed away.
[3?]
David
Kirkbride
1808-6-
Watson
Kirkbride
1816-78
iENEALOGY
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[41]
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[42]
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[56]
THE KIRKBRIDE FAMILY
THE "WITCH TREE"
A letter dated Jan. S. Un3. from Ikiiry S.
Ilaines, Snrxexor (ieneral of West Xew jerse\-
to Howard S. Da\-is, lias this to sa\' about the
tree, (see picture on o])i)()site pai^'e), where the
Shic Id. hearing- Alahlon Stacx.onr first ancestor in
America, wrs moored in Deeemher. 1678. "The
helicf 's nnixersal with those who ha\'e l)een in-
terested in our earh'est hi^torw and in the tradi-
tiona' ex'idences concerning this particti'ar object
that this large, state'}- s\-camore is the tree re-
ferred to in Sm'th's histor\- as the one before
which th.e ship 'Shield' was anchored and t(^
wlr.ch it was 'moored.' I haxe known it for
se\-enty yeairs. It was as large and imposing in
ni}- ear 'est boyhocd as it is now, and is now- as
\-igorotis ap])arently as then. It is the nearest
tree of such possible anti(piit\- to the water and
there seems noth'ng to render unreasonable the
assum])tion luade for it e,\cei)t what nu'ght ap-
]3ear to be the want of necessit'.- for fastening
the shi]) already anchored and as it ai)])ears
frozen in t(» objects on the j-hore. in llarber and
Howe's Historical ('ollections of Xew |erse\- this
tree is ca. led the 'Witch Tree' and ([uaint \erses
accompany the historical text."
[5H]
5o.j/
APPENDIX
THE KIRKBRinE FAMILY
MAHLON STACY'S LETTER
W'ritino' from b'alls of Delaware. 26th of 4lh
montli. KuXO, to his brother !\e\ell Stacy who in
p correspondence from luii^'land liad noted some
disparaging- acconnts of tlie ])r()\inces of New
Jerse}' and Penns_\l\ania, Maldon Stac}', father-
in-law of the original Joseph Kirkhride. re])lied
as follows, the letter being copied in manv stand-
ard colonial histories:
"As to the strange rei)orts }'on hear of us
and onr con.ntry, I affirm they are not true, but
fear the\' are s]:)oken from a s]:)irit of en\-y. It is
a conntr}' that i)r()dnces all tilings for the suste-
nance of man in a p'entifnl maimer, or 1 should
be ash.amed of what I ha\e heretofore written;
but having truth on m}' side I can stand l^efore
the face of all the e\'il s])ies.
T have traA'clled through most of the settled
places and some that are not, and hnd the coun-
try ver\' apt to answer the expectations of the dil-
ig^ent : I ha\e seen orchards laden with fruit to
admiration, their \'er\- lind)s torn to pieces with
the weight, and the fruit the most delicious to the
taste and lovely to behold. I have seen an apple
tree from a Pippin kernel }ield a barrel of curious
cider, and peaches in such plenty that some peo-
ple took their carts a peach gathering. I could
[61]
THE
K I R K B 11 I D E
F A .M I L Y
l)iu smile rii the M.^ht of it. The}' are a \-ei\\' deli-
cate fruit and hang- almost like our onions that
are tied on ropes. I ha\'e seen and known this
siuTimer fort\' bushels of bold wheat harvested
from one so\\n. We ha\-e from the time called
May to Michaelmas. (29th of 9th month), great
store of very good \vikl fruit, as Strawberries,
Cranberries, and Huckleberries which are \'er\-
much like (.)ur I'.i!l)crries in huigiand. onl\- \'er\-
much sweeter: the Cranl>erries \-erv nuich like
Cherries for co'or and bigness, which ma\' be
kept until fruits come ag;iin. An excellent sauce
is made of them for \'enison. Ttu-kex" and great
fowl. The}- are better for tarts than either Cher-
ries or Gooseberries. The Indians lu-ing them to
cjtu' homes in great (piantities. M \- lirothcr Rob-
ert Stac_\" had so man_\' cherries this year as would
have loaded nic'iu}' carts. (He came o\er in
1677). Tt is my jtidg-ment that frtiit trees in this
countr}- destro}' themsehes b\- the \er\- weight
of their frmt.
As for A'enison and fowl, we ha\'e a great
plenty. We ha\e brought to our homes b\- the
Indians se\en or eight fat bucks of a daw and
sometimes jun by as man\-. ha\ing no occasion
for them. My cousin Re\ ell. [Thomas Reve'l
came o\-er in the "Shiehl" with Mahlon Stac^•?]
and T and some other men went last 3>i\ month
into the rixer to catch herring: for at that time
the\- came in great shoals on to the shaTows
[62]
T H E
K I R K B R I D E
FAMILY
We had no nets Init after tlie Indian fashion
made a roimd ])infoM about two yards o\er and a
foot high, bnt left a gap for the tish to g'o in at
and made a 1)r,sh to lay in thegap to keep the fish
in. Wdien that was done we took two long birches
and tied their tops together and went abont a
stone's throw above o^' s^.id jjinfold. Then lianl-
ing these birch bonghs down to the stream we
dro\-e thotisands before tis and so many got into
o r traj) as it would hold. '1 hen we began to
throw them on shore as fast as three or fonr of
us could b\- two or three at a time. After this
manner in half an h(^tir we could ha\-e filled a
three bushel sack with as fine herrings as I ever
sa w.
As to beef and pork, there is great ])'enty of
it and cheap: also good sheep. The common
erass of the countrv feeds beef very fat. I have
seen ^ast fall in Burlington eight or nine fat oxen
and cows killed on a market day. al' \-ery fat.
Thoueh I ha\e si)oken on'\- of herrings, (lest
anyone should think we have little other sorts").
we have great plent\- of most sorts of fish that I
ever saw in ITigland, besides several other sorts
that are not known there, as i\ock. Catfish, Shad,
Sheci:»shead, Sturgeon, and fow's as plenty.
Duck, Geese, Turkeys. Pheasants, Partridges,
and many other sorts.
Indeed the countr_\-, take it as a wilderness,
is a l)ra\-e countr}-, though no i)lace will please
[63]
j23A
THE
KIRKBRIDE
FAMILY
all. Tlicre is some barren land, and more wood
than some would ha\e on their land. Neither
will the conntry ])rodnce corn withont labor; nor
is cattle to be ,^"ot withont something to bnv
tliem ; nor bread with idleness; else it wonld be
a I)ra\-e coimtr}- indeed. T (jnestion not but ab
them wonld g'i\e it a good word, b'or my ])art I
like it so well T ne\-er bad the least tbono-ht of re-
tm-ning to h^ngiand. except on account of trade."
[64]
THE
KIRKBRIDE
FAMILY
THE
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FAMILY
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THE
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FAMILY
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THE
K I R K B R I D E
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KlAI z - 1957
