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Wilberforce Anti-Slavery Society

Members of the Wilberforce Anti-Slavery Society, probably 1837:

  1. Thomas Adamson - no deeds found; 21 acres in Tredyffrin2. In 1835 Septennial census for Londonderry as a farmer4.
  2. Deborah Beaver - wife of John Beaver. Died 1866.
  3. John Beaver of Tredyffrin - R3-117, Z3-199; 100 acres in Tredyffrin in 1838. Died in 1845. There are 2 John Beavers of Tredyffrin in the Septennial Census as farmers, one is a magistrate in the 1835 return.
  4. George Bittle, wife Anna Maria - A4-192, T5-534, P6-123, B7-133; not in 1838 taxes. In Easttown in the earlier Septennial census and in Tredyffrin as a farmer in the 1856 return.
  5. Rebecca Childs - no deeds found; Childs family in Coventry in Septennial Census.
  6. Samuel Crewe(s) of Tredyffrin, wife Emma - L4-261, O4-125, F5-211, W6-176; no land in 1838 taxes. In the 1835 Tredyffrin returns for the Septennial Census as a pritner's joiner.
  7. Alice P. Eberman - no deeds found. No Ebermans in the Septennal Census returns.
  8. Leonard Fletcher - no deeds found; 50 acres in Tredyffrin in 1838. In the 1835 Septennial Census for Tredyffrin as a Minister.
  9. Joseph B. Harding of Radnor, G4-417 (West Vincent), sold to Bartholomew Fussell, P4-307; not in 1838 taxes.
  10. Sara B. Harding - wife of Joseph, who is a farmer of Londonderry in the 1835 Septennial Census.
  11. Isaac N. Hobart - no deeds found; not in 1838 tax returns. No Hobarts in the Septennial Census for Chester County.
  12. Martha J. S. Hobart - no deeds found
  13. Benjamin Irons - no deeds found; freeman in Tredyffrin in 1838. Not in the Septennial census returns; a Charles Irons in the 1835 return as a laborer.
  14. Anna Maria Johnson - no deeds found. Many Johnsons in the septennial census returns.
  15. Hannah P. Jones - no local deeds found
  16. John Jones of Howellville?, Z3-525, H4-220, D4-609; 37 acres and fulling mill in 1838. In the 1828 and 1835 Tredyffrin Septennial Census returns as a manufacturer.
  17. Jonathan Jones, D4-37 etc, Sheriff's sales; 122 acres in Tredyffrin in 1838. In the Tredyffrin returns from the Septennial Census for 1828 and 1835 as a farmer.
  18. Alice J. Lewis - no local deeds found
  19. Elizabeth Lewis - T6-520 Tredyffrin
  20. Hannah P. Lewis - no local deeds found
  21. John Lewis I4-211 (Easttown) but no local residence?; 2 John Lewis' in Tredyffrin in 1838. Many John Lewis' in Septennial cenus returns. John Lewis of Easttown in 1821, but not later, returns.
  22. Jonathan T. Lewis - H5-209 (Tredyffrin) of West Whiteland; B6-35 of Tredyffrin plus others; 30 acres in Tredyffrin in 1838. Tredyffrin returns for Septennial census, Jonathan Lewis, farmer in 1835; Jonathan T. Lewis farmer in 1856.
  23. Joseph Lewis - H6-321, 323 (Easttown) plus others; 4 acres in Easttown in 1838. In 1835 Septennial Census returns for easttown as a cabinetmaker.
  24. Rebecca W. Lewis - no local deeds found
  25. Samuel Lewis - x3-211 Charlestown; 18 acres in Charlestown in 1838; another Samuel freeman in Tredyffrin. Septennial Census - many returns, mainly Whiteland and Nantmeal.
  26. Susannah Lewis - no local deeds found; lot in Tredyffrin in 1838.
  27. George Phillips - no deeds found; 76 acres in Easttown in 1838. Septennial Census - farmer in Easttown.
  28. Hannah Phillips - no deeds found
  29. Paninah C. Pugh - no deeds found. Pugh family in Tredyffrin in 1828 and 1835 Septennial Census.
  30. Francis Riddle of Tredyffrin - E4-215; 1 acre in Tredyffrin in 1838. Laborer in Tredyffrin in the 1828 and 1835 Septennial Census returns.
  31. Mary Riddle - no deeds found
  32. Adam Siter of Tredyffrin, wife Charlotte C. - G4-189, Y4-275, Q5-122; 3 Adam Siters in 1838 tax returns. Teacher. 4 Adam Siters in the Easttown and and Tredyffrin 1835 Septennial Census.
  33. Hannah H. Supplee - no deeds found
  34. Hughes Supplee - no deeds found, not in 1838 tax or Septennial Census returns; many local Suplee families
  35. Louisa Suplee - no deeds found
  36. Gideon Thomas - no deeds found; freeman from East Whiteland in 1838. Storekeep in East Whiteland in 1835 Septennial Census returns.
  37. Mary H. Thomas
  38. Cathrine Tomlinson
  39. John Tomlinson, no local deeds; not in 1838 tax returns. Not in Chester county Septennial Census returns.
  40. Jacob Wismer - of Tredyffrin, L5-109, L5-340; 10 acres in Tredyffrin in 1838. Farmer in 1856 Septennial Census returns for Tredyffrin; not in earlier returns.

Local Names from Smedley3

  • Charles Adamson - W3-552, O4-125, R4-327, Q4-539, K5-173; 15 acres in Schuylkill2. Multiple entires in Mary Roberts' diary. Probalby a Quaker.
  • Lewis Peart - M5-289, sale O4-125 (Schuylkill)
  • Elijah Pennypacker; 45 acres in Schuylkill2.
  • Henry Richards - T4-327 (1840), Schuylkill; not in 1838 taxes.

Notes and References

  1. Wilberforce Anti-Slavery Society by George P. Orr, TE Quarterly, vol. 5, #3 (1943)

    Historian Charles Blockson’s 1975 Pennsylvania’s Black History book. Blockson reported on local connections to anti-slavery efforts noting the Wilberforce Anti-Slavery Society that was founded in 1831 by residents of Berwyn and Wayne. The early communities of the area benefited from the labor of black people and the society found little support. Although the Black population in the early days of the nineteenth century may have been small, there was enough of a presence in the area to form Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church located in Devon. Quoted by Penny Washington in TEHistory Quarterly vol. 54 #1 (Autumn 2017).
  2. 1838 tax returns, Chester County Archives.
  3. Smedley, Robert Clemens, 1832-1883. History of the Underground Railroad In Chester And the Neighboring Counties of Pennsylvania. New York: Negro Universities Press, 1968.
  4. The Septennial census was required by the original Pennsylvania Consitution. It was run from 1793 to 1856 when the Constitution was changed. There are missing returns at various dates and townships in Chester county (other counties not checked). The census returns give the occupations of residents after 1800.