We are researching the family name of Prowell,but these Prowell's lived in Fairview Twp., York, Penna. The earliest in the valley was Capt. Wm. Prowell who built a farm and raised nine children and is buried in the Prowell family Cemetery located on a hill behind the barn. Capt. William Prowell's grandfather, James Prowell, immigrated from England with the Irish Quakers in the early 1700's. He settled in the Welsh Tract of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
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August 10, 2002, we held our first Prowell reunion in over 2 decades. We were very happy to see 90 people attend, coming from as far away as California, Hawaii, Germany, Virginia, Wisconsin and of course several Prowell's from our local area in York
and Dauphin Counties of Pennsylvania. We took the occasion to put a new flag at the gravesite of Capt. William Prowell who is buried across the street from where we held our reunion. Another reunion is to be held in 2 years. If anyone who is related or decendanted from Capt. William Prowell, who settled in Fairview Township, York County, Penna., in the late 1700's is welcome to attend. Contact Darlene to get information.
January 2006, I made a trip to Chester County Archives searching for information on our immigrant James Prowell and wife Mary who had lived in Vincent and Charlestown Townships in the early 1700's. I have located a map of his farm located along French Creek and it also indicates where an approximate area for the farm of James's son, Thomas was located. I have a copy of what was left of a signed indenture between Steven Paschall and James and Mary Prowell. It is in poor condition looking like it may have been in a fire at one time, as the edges are bad. According to the Chester County Archives, James lived at Charlestown lots longer than he did in Vincent Township along the French Creek. As they told me, an agreement back then was between the owner and the buyer or renter and records from that early time frame on such matters is almost impossible to find. Tax lists are usually the only evidence. I visited the farm in Vincent Township, located along the French Creek. At one time according to the owner it had a blacksmith shop and small orchard. Also a large cave at one end of where the original barn was located. It also has a spring which runs under the house to this day. The original barn burn't and was replaced along with silo's. The owner that I spoke with said he was originally born there and that his father purchased the farm at a sheriff's sale. This would have been in the late 1800's and not back far enough for our James and Mary. But with my map and the tax records, I am positive and the Chester County Archives agrees that this is indeed the farm of the late James and Mary Prowell. James was last taxed 1767 and was not on the tax list as of 1768, and his farm was seized by the Sheriff and sold at sheriff's sale. I tried to trace this and it is just impossible, according to chester acounty archives.
After Thomas, son of James, married widow, Rachael Griffith, wife of Thomas Griffith, according to the Archives, we think they may have lived on the farm of Thomas Griffith in Vincent Township, as that is where our ancestor William Prowell was born and still living there at 21 years of age, where he appears on the tax records as single. Thomas Prowell was also a blacksmith. On the map I have showing the location of Thomas Prowell, is where William would have been born.
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