William Bartram

Last updated 11 Sep 2021 in Spear–Johnson Family.

Individual

Died: 1711 in , , Province of Carolina, British America

Supporting evidence for: ,

Family #1

Spouse/Partner: Elizabeth Hunt (? – 1701)

Married: 27 May 1696 in Darby, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania, British America

Supporting evidence for:

Child: John Bartram (1698 – 1777)

Child: James Bartram (1701 – ?)

Family #2

Spouse/Partner: Ann ____ (? – ?)

Married: Abt 1707

Supporting evidence for:

Child: William Bartram Jr. (? – ?)

Child: Elizabeth Bartram (? – ?)

Miscellaneous Facts

Attributes

Residence: at Darby, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania, British America

Residence: at , , Province of Carolina, British America

Supporting evidence for:

General Notes and Anecdotes

William was a member of the Darby Meeting of the Society of Friends, but was declared out of unity (a reprimand from the meeting) in 1708. It is not known what caused this event, though it may have influenced William's decision to move to the Province of Carolina with his second wife and children, leaving the children of his first wife at home with their grandmother. [book-natures-of-john-and-william-bartram]

In 1711, William and his second wife, along with her two children (William and Elizabeth) moved to the Province of Carolina, leaving the children of Elizah (John and James) in the care of their grandmother. William was killed in Carolina by the natives, but his wife and children were abducted and later ransomed and returned to Philadelphia. [book-natures-of-john-and-william-bartram]

Supporting evidence for:

Research Notes (Conflicts/Spelling/Followup)

FOLLOWUP

William Bartram (Sr.) may have been born in 1674, in Ashbourne (maybe spelled as Ashborne or Ashburn), Derbyshire, England, to John Bartram and Elizabeth ____. John was likely also from that location.

William had a brother, Issac. This may have been the Isaac Bartram who signed William and Elizah's marriage record.

The family may have immigrated to Darby Township, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania in 1683, probably from Ashbourne.

William may have received 200 acres in Darby Township from his father John.

He may have served as Supervisor of Darby Township in 1706.

After the death of his first wife, Elizah Hunt, he may have married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of William Smith and Elizabeth ____, at Darby Meeting. However, while this is often given as 1 October 1707, the records indicate that was only the second statement of their intent to marry (the first was 3 September). There are records for William and Elizabeth stating their intention of marriage in September and October 1707 at Darby Meeting, but I don't have the record of the actual marriage yet. I think the marriage occured in November, as *seems* to be indicated in records for Darby Meeting as having been done (no recording of the ceremony yet) but I'm not yet clear on the actual wording yet.

He was a member of Provincial Assembly from Chester County in 1708.

On December 22, 1709, he may have acquired 2 tracts of land on Bogue Sound, White Oak River, Carteret County Province of Carolina. He may have moved there in the fall of 1710 rather than 1711.

The reasons for purchasing the land are unknown. However, the Quakers living in the Carolinas were at the time opposed to Governer Thomas Cary, appointed in 1708. They sent a petition back to England calling for his removal.

William was probably killed 22 September 1711 in an attack by the Tuscarora Indians in the Province of Carolina. This attack was considered the start of the Tuscarora Indian War. The war itself was prompted by encroachment of white settlers, which included enslavement of Tuscarora children.

The Chowanoc and Weapemeoc people had already abandoned their lands by the beginning of the century, some became slaves or indentured servants, others joined the Tuscarora.

Sources

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