Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-07-07
he Falls of the Delaware, between
Samuel Darke's land and Mary Davis

land"
On the llth of March, 1922, Samuel
Darke, OF Bucks county, Pa, conveys to
Joseph English, of same place, 200 acres,
part of the 300 acres obtained in the Coke
grant; this was conveyed by English, 9TH
Nov, 1896. TO Charles Biles, "yeoman,
of Burlington county, N. J. Darke was
still living in New Jersey at this time.
On 7th of Sd mo-, 1894, the Commis-
sioners of Property, Messrs. Markham,
Turner aud GoodSon, granted unto Sam
uel Darke a parcel OF land containing 343
acres lying in Falls township; and at a
subsequent date he had acquired, in some
way, another tract OF Bucks county land
lying in Buckingham township, which
contained 400 acres; this tract; with 200
acres OF the 232 obtained from English in
1890, were released by Samuel Darke,
under date OF 9th August, l7l5, to his
brother -in-law, Thomas Worrall, OF BriS
tol township, Bucks county, Pa, and the
property obtained from the commission
erS in 1894, 343 acres, with the ) acres
bought OF the Moons, were released by
Darke, 10th Of April, III, to Robert Har-
vey, OF Falls township, for the consider
alton Of I2S5.
In making certain bequeStS OF lands to
his sons by his will dated 18th March,
1726, Robert Harvey describes the 5-acre
lot purchased Of Samuel Darke, as the
"Birtch Swamp"
Samuel Darke was a member OF the
Provincial Assembly OF Pennsylvania in
1853, '94, '95, 17OO,YO6, 'OS, 'O9, and 1909.
By the will of Samuel Darke, dated in
1722, and probated in 1923, his wife Mar
tha is made sole executrix, and bequeath-
ed to her "al his plantation and estate, !"
except" to 'Cozin' [nephewl John Darke, "
who was to receive $50.
Samuel was witness to the convey
ance OF land TO the Falls Meeting in l7O6.
The widow Martha Darke died about
1882, and upon the probate OF her will,
26th December, 1882, it was found that
her entire estate was distributed among
blood relations, brother John WorraIl,
of Chester county, Pa, "couSinS" [necesl
Ellin, Elizabeth and Martha, daughters Of
brother Thomas Worrall; Martha, daugh-
ter OF Robert Thomas, OF North Wales,
Pa, and to Mary Darke [who was prob
ably the daughter OF William Darke, then
deceasedl.
The other Samuel Darke [Jr.l previous
ly mentioned, who married. Ann Knight
and was living in New Jersey, had son
Thomas, born llth Of Sth no., 1853.
This Samuel is next heard OF as wit
ness to the will Of John Freeman. Of Co.
hansey, Salem county, N. J., Jan. 10th,
17l5, also, witness to the will OF John
Chatfeld, of Cohansey, Salem county, in
| 1921; appraiser in the estate OF John Con-
ger, of Maurice River, Salem county, Au-
gust, l726; and Ruth Darke probably his
second wife as witness TO the will OF
Mary Field, of GreenwicF, Salem county,
n. J., widow, llth April, 1926
The will of Samuel Darke, Jr., deScrib-
ed as "of Greenwich, Cohansey precinct,
Salem county, factor, and dated Both De-
cember, 172S, was probated 18th August,
| 172O; il names wife Ruth as eXecutriX;
daughter Ruth under age, and Step-daugh-
ter, Margaret Jones, alias Pope, wife OF
Thomas Jones, OF Kent-upon-Delaware,
Shoemaker; with provision that her be-
| quest 90 TO maintenance OF minister OF
the church OF England at Salem, It'll one
comes TO CohanSey." Legacy to Rev.
Iohn Holbrooke, missionary at Salem,
who is also made trustee. Inventory OF
Darke's estate, filed later, gives it value
of I140, l6, 8.
Iohn Darke, son OF William Darke, OF
the Falls, was born in England, 4th OF Sd
mo. march,, 1867, and was II years OF
age on arriving in this country, in 1854.
He was married, ,crcd 1886, to Jane Rush,
the Youngest daughter OF John and Susan
nah Lucas Rush, OF WarminSter township,
Bucks county, who were neighborS OF
Tohn Darke where he resided on the land
given him by his father about this time.
He obtained from Henry PaXon, son Of
lanes Paxon, OF Falls township, by in
denture dated Sth May, l7l7, certain
property in Falls township containing 100
acres, adjoining lands of Giles Lucas and
other lands Of Paxons.
Iohn Darke was living in Wakefield
township, in May, l7l9, at which time
he served as an appraiser in the estate OF
John Lucas, the account Of which was
filed 10Th of Sd month ofthat year. John
Darke's death occurred between April 9th
and 23d OF July OF that year. In his will,
in which he is described as of Wakefield, "
his widow Jane was nominated as his ex-
ecutrix, and TO her John gives all real and
personal property, she paying, however,
to each of their children ) shllings; they
are not named in the will, and although
the writer has made diligent search there
for, he has been unable to turn up any
evidence among the records OF court that
will serve TO identity them. Edward Lu-
cas-, who married his daughter Mary, was
one OF the witnesses to the will.
The widow of John Darke was evident
ly living in 1877, as in that year Edward
Lucas, the elder, indevising certain lands
to his son, Robert Lucas, refers to the
land of Widow Darke," which abutted
the devised premises.
The children OF John and Jane Rush
Darke were: John, born 1893; William,
born 100; Joseph, born 1902; Thomas,
born 17O4; Susannah, born l7O6, and Mary,
born 1909.