Henry Child (abt. 1652 - bef. 1740)

Born about 1652 in Coleshill, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Ann (Ball) Child — married 12 Feb 1672 in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England

Descendants

Died before 7 May 1740 before about age 88 in Anne Arundel, Maryland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kenneth Kinman [send private message]

Biography

Henry Child was a part of William Penn's Pennsylvania Settlers community.

Henry was a Friend (Quaker)

Henry Child was perhaps born in 1651 or 1652, Coleshill, Amersham, Hertfordshire (now in Buckinghamshire). He was baptized 29 December 1652 at Amersham. His father is uncertain (perhaps not son of Henry born 1632?). Familysearch instead says his father was Henry Child (1612-1696). Source: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KJ21-J1L/henry-child-iii-1652-1740

He was married to Ann Ball on 12 February 1671/72 (among the witnesses were Giles Child and Thomas Child).

He is called "Henry Child the younger of Cold Harbour, Amersham, Bucks, yeoman" in a mortgage dated 7th February 1672/3. It was in reference to Closes of land in Amersham: "Bentely's Close (about 4 acres) Hookes Close, with appurtenances near common field called Bingley (about 4 a) grove of woodland called Heweing Grove near Bingley common field (about 6a) pieces of woodland in common field called Pinepitt adjoining Heweing Grove." (Source: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/f98608ef-68f8-4d0f-aa86-be3ca8227c32).

He was granted 500 acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania by William Penn in 1681 (at age 29), made his last will in 1731 (at age 79), and died in 1740 (at age 88).

KNOW all men by these presents, that I, William Penn, of Worminghurst, in the county of Sussex, Eg'd, have had and received of and from Henry Child, of Coleshill, of the parish of Rindisham*, in the county of Hertford, yoeman, 'a' the sum of tenn pounds of lawfull money of England, being for the purchase of five hundred acres of land in Pensylvania, and the consideration money mentioned to be paid in and by one paire of of Indentures of Release and Confirmation bearing even date herewith, and made between me, the said William Penn, of the purport of the said Indentures. Of and from which said sume of tenn pounds, according to the purport of the said Indentures. Of and from which said sume of ten pounds, I, the said William Penn, doe' hereby, for my self, my heirs, Executors; and Assignes, release, quitclaime and forever discharge the said Henry Child, his heires, Executors, Administrators, and Assignes, and every of them by these presents.

"WITNESS my hand and seale this five and twentieth day of January, Anno Domini 1681

WM. PENN {SEAL.}

"Sealed and delivered in presentes of

Tho.Coxe Ben. Griffith, Harbt. Springett

• This is a transcription error, it should be "Amersham"

Henry conveyed the rights to his lands in Pennsylvania to his son Cephas in 1715.

1738 letter from Henry Child to his son Cephas, from Herring Creek in Anne Arundel County, Maryland:

Ye22d of 3 mo., 1738.

Dear Child: — I thought I might have had a line from thee by some at our yearly meeting. I should be glad to hear what family thou hast, and how things prosper with thee. I desire thou mayest seek the Lord above all, that His wisdom may guide thee in all thy undertakings, that His name and truth may be honored by thee, that His blessings and mercies may be with thee, through the great mercy of the Lord. I and my family are in health, and thy sisters and their families. I gave thee account of thy brother's departure† in my last letter to thee; so with love to thee and thy wife and friends, in the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I rest thy loving father,

HENRY CHILD^[1]

†this refers to the death of Cephas' brother Henry Child in 1736
The will of "Henry Child of Ann Arundell County" was dated 20 June 1731. And on 04 June 1740, Joseph Richardson and Joseph Galloway attested that they witnessed Henry sign the will. So Henry must have died between those two dates.

Although there is no exact date given, The Quarterly Meeting at Herring Creek, Maryland, on 07 May 1740 notes the death (presumably earlier in 1740) of Henry Child who had kept the Quarterly Meeting books and papers (so they give the books to Nehemiah Birckhead). This cannot be Henry Child (bp. 1684), because he died in 1736. It is presumably Henry Child (b. ca. 1652) still keeping the books at 88 years of age. This 07 May 1740 record was 4 weeks before his will was probated, so it narrowest down the actual date of death.

Source: see bottom of page: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2189/42483_1821100519_3956-00059?pid=1101802427&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D2189%26h%3D1101802427%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DyWB4749%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=yWB4749&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

Sources

1. ↑ Childs, Elias: "Genealogy of the Child, Childs, and Childe Families of the Past and Present of the United States and the Canadas, 1630 to 1881" (p. 734).

• Spufford, Margaret (ed.),The World of Rural Dissenters, 1520-1725. Cambridge University Press.

• Genealogy of the Child, Childs, and Childe families of the Past and Present (1881), pages 734-735: https://archive.org/details/genealogyofchild00chil

• Baptism: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/sources/viewedit/3TJ3-RHF

• "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V52Z-LWP : 10 December 2014), Henry Child and Ann Ball, 12 Feb 1671; citing Whelphes, Amersham, Bucks, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 583,993.

• 1673 Mortgage: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/f98608ef-68f8-4d0f-aa86-be3ca8227c32

• Will of Henry Childs

• Photograph of the 1731 Will of Henry Child of "Ann Arundell County": https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9068/007737521_00636/396075?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/221091/person/330178468919/facts/citation/960396016187/edit/record#?imageId=007737521_00636 Abstract of will here: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3250&h=7014&ssrc=pt&tid=221091&pid=330178468919&usePUB=true

• His children (and their birth dates) are listed on page 35-36 of the following: http://www.saundersfamilyhistory.com/images/Chapter%201%20-%20The%20Saunders%20Family%20in%20England.pdf

Everywhere a Henry Childs