Thomas Stubbs (son of Daniel Stubbs and Mary Niest) was born Apr 15, 1692 in Eldersfield, Worcestershire, England, and died Feb 1763 in Concord Twp. Chester Co., PA. He married Mary Minor on Sep 08, 1720 in Kennett Quaker Meeting House at Chester County, PA, daughter of John Minor and Esther Ubrum.
Notes for Thomas Stubbs: Thomas was born in the southwest corner of Worcestershire in England in a nook of land surrounded by Gloucestershire, within 12 miles of the city of Worcester, between Malvern Hill and Clauslawn.
In 1681, William Penn sold 20,000 acres of land to a group of speculators called the Free Society of Traders, In 1724,100 acres was conveyed to Nathaniel Newlin. In 1730, Kezia Baily, daughter of Nathaniel Newlin and wife of William Baily, sold a 476 acre parcel of the Newlin land to Thomas Gilpin. In 1732 Thomas Gilpin and his wife Hannah sold 200 acres to Thomas Stubbs for 120 pounds. The deed was not recorded until 1754. Thomas Stubbs and his family apparently moved onto the property in 1756 when they transferred their membership from Bradford Monthly Meeting of Friends to Concord Monthly Meeting. It also appears that Thomas Stubbs added to the original 200 acres and also sold smaller parcels from it.
At some point, probably in the late 19th century, part of the Stubbs property was acquired by the county for the construction of an Insane Asylum. Later this institution was called the State Hospital and it is presently a Psychiatric Counseling Center.
The Old Stubbs property is located on the road that runs straight west out of Marshallton (the location of Concord Monthly Meeting and the burial ground where Thomas Stubbs is probably interred) and is a short distance from the monument marking the place were Mason and Dixon made the astronomical calculations for establishing the Mason-Dixon Line.
Thomas, the immigrant ancestor, arrived in America some time prior to the year 1719, when his name first appears on the assessment list of Goshen Township, Chester County, PA. He had a farm near Phildelphia on a fork of Brandywine Creek. He took shipping at Bristol at a time when there was a cessation of arms in Queen Anne's Wars in the ship "Bristol Merchant" for one year.
His certificate of removal has not been preserved and a search of English Quaker records fails to reveal the location of his former home. It is evident that he was one of a large number of young unmarried men who emigrated in the early days to try their fortunes in the New World. About 1768, the Stubbs and many other families moved on to South Carolina, where some of them became affiliated with the Fredericksburg Meeting in Kershaw County, and others with the Bush River Meeting in Newberry, GA where the Royal governor Sir James Wright had set aside 40,000 acres for their use, in an effort to stimulate migration to that colony. A town-site was named Wrightsborough, GA in honor of the Govenor.
WILL OF THOMAS STUBBS, 16921793, Founder of Stubbs family in America, Chester Co., PA, Wills Book I, page 398, in collection of Roger Avery Stubbs:
Be it remembered that I, Thomas Stubbs, of Concord, in the County of Chester, and Province of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being sick and weary of body but of sound mind and disposing memory Praysed be God therefore and calling to mind the mortality of my body, and that is appointed for all men once to dye doe this third day of the eighth month called August and the year of our Lord 1760 do make this as and for my last will and Testament for the disposing of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to blesse me with in the manner and form following to wit:--
My will is that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease by my executors hereinafter named:--
Item:--My will is that my executors sell my plantation situate lying and being in Concord aforesaid containing by estimation 87 acres be the same more or less as also my personal estate for the best price that can be got and the money arising from such sale with the residue of my estate of what kind and in whose hands soever it may be found I give and devise to be equally divided between my nine children part and shear alike to wit:--Daniel Stubbs, Thomas Stubbs, John Stubbs, Joseph Stubbs, Esther Carson, Mary Attmore, Elizabeth Adams, Ann Stubbs, Sarah Stubbs. Lastly I constitue and appoint my sons Daniel and Joseph Stubbs to be my executors of this my last will and hereby revoking all other wills by me made and testifying and confirming this to be my last will. his Thomas X Stubbs Mark Signed, sealed, and published and declared by the within named Thomas Stubbs as, and for his last will and testament in the presence of us--Robert Mendenhall, William Walter, Henry Myer.
A codicil--"I the within named Thomas Stubbs not having to my full satisfaction provided for my daughter Sarah Stubbs doth hereby make this codicil for that purpose and give my said daughter Sarah Stubbs my gray or white mare as witness my hand the 25th of February Anno Domini 1763. his Thomas X Stubbs Mark Witnesses Robert Mendenhall, William Walter, Henry Myer. Proven March 16, 1763.
Chester March 16, 1763. Then personally appeared Robert Mendenhall and Henry Myer the said Robert on his Solemn affirmation and the said Henry on his oath did Severally declare and Say that they were personally present and did See and hear Thomas Stubbs Sign, Seal publish pronounce and declare the Within Writing With Codicil thereon Indorsed as and for his last Will & Testament & that at the doing thereof he was of a Sound and well Disposing mind and Memory to the best of their understanding.
Robert Mendenhall was a Quaker; he would not swear an oath, so was allowed to make a solemn affirmation. Henry Myer, on the other hand, did swear an oath.
Thomas signed his will and didn't mention Mary or refer in any way to a "wife," so we can reasonably assume she was dead at this time.
NEWSPAPER 9 JUN 1763 PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE, CONCORD, CHESTER CO., PA
To be sold, by public Vendue, on the 27th of this instant June, a Plantation, or Tract of Land, in Concord, Chester County, whereon Thomas Stubbs lately dwelt, containing 87 acres, about 40 thereof cleared, 5 Acres of Meadow, and more may be made, the rest well timbered. Any Person desiring to view the Premises before hand, may apply to Samuel Mendenhall, in said Township, or the Subscribers, who will show the Boundaries thereof. There is on said Premises a good House and Barn, and an Orchard. The Sale to begin at 2 o'Clock on said Day.
Daniel Stubbs and Jos. Stubbs, Executors.
More About Thomas Stubbs: Baptism: Apr 15, 1692, Eldersfield, Worcestershire, England. Will: Aug 1760
More About Thomas Stubbs and Mary Minor: Marriage: Sep 08, 1720, Kennett Quaker Meeting House at Chester County, PA.
Thomas Stubbs (b. Apr 15, 1692, d. Feb 1763)
Notes for Thomas Stubbs: