gppen030

EDWARD BEESON I

THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Edward Beeson was born Feb. 24, 1660 in Thrussington, Leicestershire, England. re Delaware Quaker Records:New Castle County, and notes found at Chester County Historical Society. The village is between Leicester and Nottingham. There is speculation that his parents were Thomas Beeson and his wife born Ann Pecke, and that Edward was one of five children.

By 1681, maybe earlier, Edward married Dorothy Baldricke in Melton Mowbray. Unfortunately, she died, probably in childbirth in 1682. No child survived. Later that year, on Nov 7, 1682 he married Rachel Pennington in Thrussington. They departed soon afternoons and sailed to America as part of William Penn's Quakers. Much of this material comes from A Genealogy of the Beeson - Beason Family by Henry Hart Beeson. The entire book can be read online at the Family Search site.

https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/first-purchasers-of-pennsylvania/
William Penn was granted "Pennsylvania" by his king. In order to support the enterprise of a religious free region, Mr. Penn set up a process to sell land to wealthy Quakers and other "dissenters:.Filby may have him in the list of Passenger and Immigration Lists Index. I need to find the book. There is a reference that they sailed out of Stoke Lancaster on the ??? The link above relates the costs of grants, and the stimulation set out to acquire the land. Our Edward Beeson arrived in those heady early days, and in the process acquired land in differing areas of Pennsylvania.

Rachel and Edward Beeson started life in the New Castle County (lower counties of PA), later Delaware. They had landed at New Castle, and settled in the nearby village of Irishtown. I cannot determine where it was located.

Edward and Rachel Beeson had 4 children: 3 sons and 1 daughters. They were:
1. Edward Beeson II believed to have been born just after arriving in the colonies c 1683
2. Richard Beeson born Oct 1684, he wed Charity Grubb 1706, They eventually moved to NC where he died 1777.
3. Ann Beeson, born 1689, she wed John Cloud
4. William Beeson, born 1690, wed twice, the 2nd Ann Bennett. He is said to have return to England and lived out his life there.
I do not know where the birth dates or William's return to England are documented. If you do, CONTACT ME.
the gap between Richard and Ann imply a child who didn't survey. but that is pure guess work.
There is also a researcher who believes there was another son Isaac, but with no reference.

         The first American documentation of Edward Beeson is in March 1701/2 when he received a land warrant for 980 acres in Nottingham, Chester County. In those early years of 1700 Edward Beeson                      accumulated a lot of land in different places. There is note in 1703 of 1250 acres in New Castle County, and at some time he also acquired about 450 acres in Bucks County pa. Re his will, noted below.

          On april 28, 1702 Hance Peaterson sold to Edward Beeson, 260 acres in Brandywine Hundred near Treedy Hook.New Castle County Delaware Deed Book B, Vol 2, page 171. by deed, Edward Beeson,          on Jan 7, 1709/10 conveyed this same piece of land to his son Edward II

In 1701 The Nottingham Lots were laid out. 37 Lots, each about 500 acres. Prospective owners, drew "Lots" hence the name. Each paid 8 pound quit rent for every 100 acres yearly, about 40 pounds.
40 acres were set aside of the meeting house - now called the Brick Meeting house with a large cemetery.

In 1706 Edward Beeson was granted the right to settle in Nottingham and he chose that area to live out his life.The Historical Society of PA has a warrant dated 1709. An order to Surveyor of Chester County PA to lay out to Edward Beeson 799 1/2 acres of land.in Nottingham. PA. On May 18th 1711, Edward Beeson assigned the whole plot over to 4 gentlemen, of Westown, Chester County.??? I don't understand.

By 1710 Edward left Delaware and took up residence in Nottingham - in the southwestern section of Chester county near the Maryland Line. The Nottingham Lots were, in part designed to claim that area for Pennsylvania. Lord Baltimore had other ideas and eventually Nottingham official was recognized as being in Cecil County Maryland. There is a hand drawn map of the original land owners of the Nottingham Lots, Early Land Grants & Surveys, book 2, page 52. Book 1, page 3 has an alpha list of original owners, It says Beeson, Edward 3,428,43. But I don't know what the numbers refer to. There is also a brochure that lines out the map on top of current roads, numbers each lot and names the owner of each lot.The Nottingham Lots 1701 - 2011, A self-driving tour and history. Edward Beeson, re this map - and is reflected on the original map, as owning 2 lots, #4 and #18, but they are side by side. both are rectangles about the same size, #4 is laying on its side touching the bottom half of #18 to make a bulky L reversed.

Rachel died about 1709-10 before the move took place. Edward married a widow who was believed to have the birth name Elizabeth Grubb. and with his new family moved to Nottingham Lots

Edward and Elizabeth had 2 children in Nottingham, both girls.
1. Elizabeth Beeson born c 1711, who wed John Everett
2. Rachel Beeson born 1712 after her father's death. She wed RIchard Brown. Browns were also original owners of Nottingham Lots

Edward Beeson died in Nottingham on October 20, 1712. His will was the first will executed in Chester County. A transcription of the will can be found at Beeson Genealogy mentioned above. There is also an appraisal of his estate held in the Chester county Archives. It goes on for 3 pages, and includes numbers of horses and cattle. He had been a successful man.

The Brick Meeting House was set in place at the time of the survey of the the Lots. It is possible that Edward was buried in the new cemetery. However, there is no visible or readable stone, so it is not know just where. OF course he may have been buried on his plantation.

The will was made on 20th day of sixth month, 1712 - Aug. 20 1712. It was proved March 9, 1712/13. The order of family mentioned is
1. son Edward to receive 142 1/2 acres in Nessamonty ( that appears to have been in Bucks County) He had already signed over his Brandywine Hundred propery to Edward in Jan 1709/10.
2. son Richard 290 acres in Southhampton, Bucks county and 25 Acres on the Schlkill
3. son William the west look in Nottingham, and 48 pounds sterling to build a house and necessaryes as needed to make a plantation, and all my wearing apparel except 2 coats. - they went 1 each to Edward and Richard. At the time William did not have children. He would have been just 22.
4. Daughter Ann Cloud 20 pounds
5. My widow, not named and daughter Elizabeth divide the personal estate.
6. My widow shall have the planation where he lived until she remarried or died, then it would go to Elizabeth.
7. Unborn child, if it should live, 40 pounds
and he made his wife and son Richard executors.

Edward's widow Elizabeth was just 22 when he died. She was married for a third time in 1714 to Joseph Rich.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

would really like all documentation to confirm the story that is told many times.

Return to Top of Page

Doc; gpbee030.html
Date created 1/27/2025
Date edited 1/22/2026