The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-04-17
Local History.



The Shdrpless Family.
DIR. SMITH, in his history of Della
ware County, says, that the only Quak-
er heads of families that were settled at
Chester and Marcus Hook, or in the
vicinity of those places, before the ar
rival of the first ship sent out by Penn,
so far as he could discover, were Rob
ert Wade, Roger Podrick, Morgan Dre-
wet, William WOOdmanson, Michel
lizard, Thomas Revel, Henry Hast
ings, William AXlcy, James Browne,
Henry Reynolds, and Thomas llossiter,
and that there were no other Friends
then settled within the present tcrritor-
ial limits of Delaware county, although
quite Il number were located higher up
the river, on the Pennsylvania side
oft.
a recent historical paper relates that
William Penn had prodigal son and
was forced to send him back to Eng
land. In order to raise funds to do so
he was compelled to sell his manor
called william Stadt, to Isaac Norris
and William Trent, for ESQ. 1t con-
sisted of 1000 acres, and is now where
Norristown and Norriton township are
located.
Penn sailed on the 3Oth day Of August
1852, in the ship "Welcome," accom-
panied by about 100 persons, mostly
members of the Society of Friends. OF
the names of these persons no full rec
ord was kept; but it is known that
John Sharpless, of Ratherton, Chcs-
hire, Jane his wife, and children Phe-
be, John, James, Caleb, Jane, Joseph
and Thomas, were embraced in the list
ofpassengcrs, the child Thomas sharp
less having died at sea. John Sharp
less was a first purchaser, and settled
near Chester. Heis the ancestor of the
entire family bearing the surname, res.
iding in Delaware and Chester counties
and so far as known, throughout the
country. a volume was printed in
1916, and we believe another still later,
containing an account of the settlement
| and genealogy of the Sharples5 famil y.
| From the volume of 1916 j. Smith Flu
| they has taken the trouble to CLEAN tho
following facts -
John Sharpless purchased from vii
liam Penn, in England, by indenture
dated April 5th. 1852, one thousand
acres of land, for the consideration of
twenty pounds, sterling money, and ;
quit rent of one shilling for every hun
dred acres, at and upon the first day o
March, forever; the said land to be al
lotted and set out agreeably to certain
conditions and concessions" agreot
upon between William Penn and til,
purchasers from him. They took III
part of the land, thus purchased, oi
Ridley Creek, about two miles nortl
from Chester, where they felled Il large
tree, and took shelter among the JOugh
about six weeks, in which time, the,
built cabin against a rock, which ans
wered for the back of the chimney; il
this, they dwelt about twenty years
During this period. Joseph, the young
est son, learned the trade of house car
penter, and erected their first dwelling
house, two-story stone building. Th'
one thousand acres was located in thre,
tracts being the one on which they
first settled, another in Providence
township, and Il third, in Middletowr
township, all in now Delaware coun
| al n In
1855, aged about 81 years and Jan'
his wife, in 1722, about 81 years of age
| OF their children, Thomas died on ship
board. Phebe and Jane in 1855, and
Caleb in 1856, leaving three sons, John,
James, and Joseph, from whom the
entire Sharpless family are descended
John Sharpless (the elder brother mar
ried Hannah Pennell, daugher of Rob
ert Pennell, n 1902, and resided on the
tract purchased off Ridley Creek, neal
| Chester. They had nine children
Caleb, Jane, Hannah, John, Phebe
Rebecca, Margaret, Ann and Daniel
He died in 17l7, at the age Of 81 years
and his wife in 172l. James Sharples'
| (the second brother,) married Mary
Lewis, daughter of Ralph and Mary
Lewis, from Glamorganshire, in Vale
and settled on the second tract abovt
mentioned, in Providence township
They had eight children-Lydia, Mary
James, Rachel, Sarah, Thomas, Davit
and Esther. Joseph Sharpless 9TH,
younger BROTHER married Lydia Lew
is, sister to his brother James's wife
and first settled in Neither Providence
His brothers proposed to him, as III
was the youngest, that he should move
back into the woods. as AIiddletowl
township was considered at that time
He agreed to the proposition, and re
moved to the tract which had beel
purchased in that township. They haC
ten children-Susannn, Joseph, Benia
min, Samuel, Lydia, Nathan, Jane
Abraham, Jacob and William. He die,
in 1867, and his wife in 1868.
Benjamin Sharpless settled at Cata
wissa, and wasthe father ofJohn SHARP
less of that place, and Joseph Sharpler
of this.
NATURALIZ LIZATIoN.- Aliens who com
to the United States under IS year
of age, can, after five years rcsidcnc
therein, obtain full certificate OF citizen