Thomas Lightfoot (abt. 1645 - abt. 1725)

Born about 1645 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England [uncertain]

Husband of Sarah (Hunter) Lightfoot — married 1693 in Ballyhagan, County Armagh, Ireland

Husband of Margaret (Pulford) Lightfoot — married 1724 in Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 4 Sep 1725 at about age 80 in Darby Township, Chester, Pennsylvania

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Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

Thomas Lightfoot was a celebrated Quaker minister. He had a family in Ireland where he started his ministry and then migrated to Pennsylvania where he continued it and died.

There is speculation that Thomas Lightfoot may have been born in Cambridge, the son of another Thomas Lightfoot, but there is no strong evidence for this. (See 'research notes' below.)

In Ulster
Our first definite sighting of Thomas Lightfoot is the birth of his daughter, Katherine, in Hillsborough, county Down, in the Ulster province of Ireland, on 7 October 1678. ^[1] Katherine’s mother, presumably Thomas’s first wife, was called Mary. Nothing else is known of her. Katherine is listed first in Thomas’s will, and was presumably his eldest surviving child. She was followed by two further children, William and Michael, the latter born c 1683. The absence of further children suggests that Mary may have died. There is no evidence that Thomas Lightfoot was a Quaker in this period.

Thomas Lightfoot first appeared in the Irish Quaker records in June of 1691, when he had moved a few miles to Lisburn, in county Antrim. (The border between Antrim and Down runs round the southern edge of Lisburn, and Hillsborough is the first town on the road from Lisburn to the south east.) Then and later, he ran a modest arable farm, and for the first time he appeared in the national list of Quaker sufferings: Thomas Lightfoot of Lisburn had taken from him for tithe … twelve stooks of oats two stooks of barly and twelve carloads of hay all worth one pound six shillings. ^[2]

On the 8th December (10m) 1692, Thomas Lightfoot and Sarah Wiley, a widow with two children, presented their intentions of marriage (separately) before the men and women of the Lisburn Quaker meeting. ^[3] They did the same at the provincial meeting two months later; ^[4] a group of friends deputed to investigate reported that all was in order and the meeting gave its approval. They evidently were married, because in 1693 the name Sarah Lightfoot appears. There is no record of the birth of their child Abigail, but she must have been born in or near Lisburn about a year after the marriage, as she died on 1 April 1767 aged 73 years. ^[5]

In Westmeath
The Wiley family of Sarah’s first husband were in the same Quaker meeting and lived not far away at Aghalee, ^[6] between Lisburn and Lough Neagh. The Lightfoots must have maintained a close contact with the Wileys (also spelled Wyly, Wylie and many other variations) because in May of 1694, Thomas Lightfoot with his family and John Wyly with his family both moved from Antrim in Ulster to neighbouring farms in Ballykeeran and Annagh in the parish of Kilkenny West, county Westmeath, province of Leinster. Family lists maintained by the Moate monthly meeting record the arrival of the two families and the children born after they had arrived. ‘Thomas Lightfoot of Ballykeeran and Sarah his wife came out of the north of Ireland to this county in the 3rd month [May] of the year 1694 and hath since he came here the ensuing children’ after which the list starts with Elizabeth who was born on the 11th of the 1st month [March] 1695/6 and continues with Sarah, Samuel, Margaret and Jacob. ^{[7] [8]}

The two families both ran farms with sheep as well as arable crops, as both lost wool and lambs as well as crops to the tithe mongers. eg 1696. ^[9] Thomas’s eldest child Katherine Lightfoot gave her address as Ballykeeran when she married in a Quaker ceremony in 1701, ^[10] as did his sons Michael ^[11] and William ^[12] both of whom married in 1706, but by 1707 the main family had moved to Benown ^[13] (almost certainly Bunown, a couple of miles to the north) where they ran a similar farm. (William and his new wife remained at Ballykeeran.) Thomas’s second daughter Abigail gave Benown as her address when she married Joseph Wyly of Annagh in a Quaker ceremony in 1716. ^[14]

Quaker ministry
Soon after their arrival in Westmeath, the Wylys and especially Thomas Lightfoot started to appear frequently in the minutes of the Moate meeting and also in those of the provincial and national meetings. ^[15] By 1709, Thomas’s name appeared in a list of ministers visiting Cork. ^[16] In 1712 he again visited Cork: ‘After the Pro [vince] Meeting, they had a Meeting with the young People of Corke, Meeting Male & Female, Servants & Children.’ ^[17] An article in ‘The Friend’ ^[18] describes an incident in which Thomas Lightfoot and other Quakers were imprisoned in Longford in 1712 by an abusive Church of Ireland priest.

Migration to Pennsylvania
Thomas’s son Michael Lightfoot emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1712 with his step son John Wiley. ^[19] Thomas and his family followed. They received a very fulsome removal certificate from the Moate monthly meeting on 28 1m (March) 1716 ^[20] which referred to him as our Dear Friend and described his service to the promotion of Truth, in local, provincial and national meetings and in giving public testimony. It detailed the people going with him, his wife servicable in our women's meetings but of late ... attended with bodylie infirmities, the two unmarried daughters Mary Wily and Elizabeth Lightfoot, and the newly married Joseph Wyly son to John Wyly, a Friend of our meeting and Abigail shee daughter to said Thomas and Sarah Lightfoot. The family was received by the Quaker meeting in Kennett on 6 4m [June] 1716.^[19] Daughter Katherine and her husband and family followed in 1729. ^[19]

Thomas Lightfoot's family and that of Joseph Wiley established their households near Newgarden, where Michael Lightfoot and John Wiley were already based. Indeed the community was predominently one of Quakers from Ireland. Thomas bought a tract of 250 acres of land there. In 1713, permission had been given to Newgarden Friends to build a meeting house close to Michael Lightfoot's dwelling, and in 1718 the Newgarden monthly meeting was established as separate from that in Kennett.^[21]

‘The Friend’^[18] tells us that Thomas was ‘soon employed in religious service, and in the business of the meetings for discipline he belonged to,’ citing at length an epistle he wrote to Friends in London on behalf of the yearly meeting. In 1722 he travelled to Maryland in religious service and was later appointed to a committee to superintend the press.

Deaths
Sarah died some time between 1720 and 1723/4,^[21] and ‘towards the close of 1724’^[19] (in fact in the 11th month 1724,^[18] or January 1725 by today’s calendar). Thomas married for a third time, to Margaret Blunston, a widow whose maiden name was Pulford. Thomas Lightfoot was said to have been in his 80th year of age, ie born c 1645. Thomas himself died in Derby (then in Chester and now in Delaware County) on 4 9m [November] 1725.^[22]

After he died, a Friend wrote of his funeral^[18]

“In the Ninth month, 1725, I was at the funeral of our worthy ancient Friend, Thomas Lightfoot. He was buried at Darby; the meeting was the largest that I have ever seen at that place. Our dear Friend was greatly beloved for his piety and virtue, his sweet disposition and lively ministry. The Lord was with him in his life and death, and with us at his burial.”

Will
Thomas Lightfoot left a will which reads as follows^[23]

Be it known to all persons whom it may concern that Thomas Lightfoot of the town of Darby in the county of Chester Pennsylvania yeoman: being through the goodness of God in Health of Body and also of sound mind and memory ... Considering the Certainty of Death but the uncertainty of the time when it shall be doo think fitt to make and do herby make my Last Will and Testament for the Disposing of my Worldly Estate in the manner following

Imprimis; my will is that after my Demise all my Just Debts which I owe at the time of my Decease to any person or persons as also my funeral expenses shall be duly and fully discharged by my executor herein afternamed Item I give and bequeath to my dear and loving wife Margaret Lightfoot her executors administrators or assigns all and singular the estate of what is any wise belonging to her late husband John Blunston of ye Town of Darby now falling in my hands by my marriage with the said Margaret Lightfoot in as full and ample manner as the same is justified and set forth in the last will and testament of her late jusband the said John Blunston together with George Soe's Book of Epistles and any cloak and wearing apparel: with all the plate sum or sums of money with bills and bonds which are mentioned in the aforesaid last will and testament of her Deceased husband: John Blunston; to be wholly at her own disposing

Item I give and dispose unto my daughter Katherine Miller and my two sons William and Michael Lightfoot and my daughter Abigail Willy and my daugther Elizabeth Jones and my daughter Margaret Starr and my late wives two Children (viz) John Wily and Mary Jackson (all of them being married and having had their portions already) the sum of five shillings each of them when demanded

Item I give and bequeath to my son Jacob Lightfoot the sum of threescore pounds Currant and Lawful Money of Pennsylvania: to be paid out of my Real Estate Lying in the Township of New Garden; by my executor when the said Jacob Lightfoot attains the age of twenty one years

Item all the rest of my Estate both Real and personal I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Lightfoot his heirs and assigns for ever whom also I appoint my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament

And I do hereby appoint my loving son Michael Lightfoot of Newgarden and my loving son Thomas Jackson of Marlbourow to be my overseers to see this my last will and testament to be duly and truly executed according to the true intent and meaning of the same --- and I do hereby renounce and make utterly void all other will or wills testament or testaments heretofore by me made and I Declare this to be my last will and testament and in witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand this seventh day of the 1st month [March] 1724/5 [1725] [signed] Thomas Lightfoot.

Witnesses Richd. Parker, David Thomas, Benj. Pearson.

The will was proved on November 9 1725, five days after his death.^[23]

Will of Thomas Lightfoot dated 7 1m [March] 1724/5 [1725] and proved 9 9m [November] 1725

An inventory of his estate was taken on 9 and 13 December 1725 by James Starr and Joseph Wily^[21]. It showed goods and effects at both Darby and Newgarden including at Darby a mare, two colts, one horse, pewter plates, dishes, flaggons and bedbans, a bed, chests, tables, chairs and other furniture, a book, purse and apparel, money due on bond, a bible, a tankard, a spinning wheel and at Newgarden 250 acres of land, cattle, sheep and horses, saddles and business utensils. The total value of his estate was £436 14s.

Research Notes

Family relations
Note that Thomas Lightfoot’s will mentions his children in order of their birth. We know that Katherine was born in 1678, Michael in c 1683 and Abigail in 1693 or 1694. It follows that William was born in the years 1679-1682. We also know that Thomas Lightfoot had only moved a few miles between 1678 and 1691, across the county border from Down to Antrim. It is therefore extremely likely that William and Michael were both born there.

Thomas Lightfoot was described as 'my uncle' in a deed of settlement (similar to a will) executed by Quaker John Mickle (1673-aft.1715) in 1713/4. This relationship might have been literal - ie John Mickle's mother might have been Thomas Lightfoot's sister - or it might have been an in-law relationship - via either John Mickle's wife Sarah Courtney or either of Thomas Lightfoot's first two wives (or indeed via Sarah Courtney and one of Thomas Lightfoot's wives) - or the term 'uncle' might have been used more loosely to describe an older fellow member of the Society of Friends with some sort of kinship. There were various relationships between the Mickle, Milhous, Miller, Wyly, Courtney and Lightfoot families, all of which were at one point in Ulster and many of whom moved to Leinster.

In print
Thomas Lightfoot features in a large number of publications, some of which are discussed below. The best of these on his early history is Myers’ Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania …’^[19] although there are gaps there. Myers states what he knows, providing sources in support and makes it clear when he is speculating. He starts his piece on Thomas Lightfoot thus

Thomas Lightfoot, a highly esteemed minister of the Society of Friends, was born about 1645, perhaps in Cambridgeshire, and may have been the son of another Thomas Lightfoot who suffered persecution for his Quaker belief at Cambridge, in 1653 [citing Besse], and was a companion of George Whitehead in his religious journeys. In 1692, the younger Thomas was living in the neighborhood of Lisburn Meeting, County Antrim, Ireland.

Notably, Myers states that Lightfoot was in Ireland in 1692 (which is correct), not that he moved there then (which is not). He makes it clear that he ‘may’ have been the son of another Thomas Lightfoot from Cambridge and says that he was ‘perhaps’ born there. Myers plainly had not studied which child had which mother, so (in later paragraphs) he makes no statement on the subject. Other authors were not so circumspect, and much of what they wrote was wrong. Even Myers is guilty of a little exaggeration in writing that Thomas Lightfoot of Cambridge ‘was a companion of George Whitehead in his religious journeys’. Whitehead’s journal mentions Lightfoot once. In fact Whitehead writes 'from Cambridge Thomas Lightfoot travelled with me toward Norwich.’ It is clear from the detail that they travelled together for three days.^[24]

Myers copies this section on Lightfoot and Cambridge word for word from another source published a year earlier (which Myers cites), namely the Genealogy of the Smedley family. ^[25] After the passage quoted above, this source continues ‘The younger Thomas is also said to have been a native of Settle, in Yorkshire. In 1694 he removed from the North of Ireland to Moate Monthly Meeting’, giving no source for the mention of Settle, which Myers notably omits.

It is clear from both of these books that their speculation about Thomas Lightfoot’s birth is just that, speculation. They found two Thomas Lightfoots, one in Ireland and one in Cambridge, both Quakers, and thought that they might be related. One can’t disagree with their statements given the use of ‘may’ and ‘perhaps’, but the facts that we now have, namely that Thomas Lightfoot was in Ireland from 1678 at the latest and didn’t join the Quakers until 1691 cast some doubt on his having had a Quaker background.

Other sources go further and get things wrong. A background note to the Lightfoot Papers produced by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania ^[26] writes

Thomas Lightfoot was born in Cambridgeshire, England, probably sometime in 1646. Choosing Quaker beliefs over the predominant Anglican faith, he moved from his birth place to the North of Ireland in 1692 to avoid the religious persecution that was prevalent at the time. In Ireland, Thomas became an active participant in Quaker circles. He was a member of the Lisburn Meeting for a number of years and was appointed a member of a committee to secure a piece of ground to be used for burials. It was there that he met his first wife, Mary (maiden name unknown), and began his family. This marriage produced four children: Catherine, Abigail, Michael, and William.

Here ‘may’ and ‘perhaps’ have been lost. He was not only in Ireland in 1692 but moved there to avoid religious persecution. He met his first wife after 1692. His first marriage produced four children. None of this is supported by facts, and for Lightfoot’s early history at least, this document should be ignored.

Thomas Lightfoot also appears briefly in the normally reliable proceedings of the sesqui-centennial gathering of the descendants of Isaac and John Jackson ^[27] where we read

Katherine wife of James Miller was the daughter of Thomas Lightfoot, a native of Cambridgeshire, England, who at an advanced age removed from Ireland and settled in Chester county PA.

The Jackson authors can perhaps be forgiven for not checking what is essentially a footnote.

The Ancestry of Richard Milhous Nixon ^[28] similarly has

Thomas Lightfoot … b 1640 Cambridgeshire, England, (son of ?Thomas); d 9m 4-1725 Darby, now Delaware co. PA; m1 Mary; m2 c 1694 widow Sarah Wiley; m3 1724 widow Margaret Blunston.

For which it cites Myers, although it notably loses the ‘perhaps’ about the place of his birth. It does have a question mark by the statement 'son of Thomas'.

An article in The Friend^[18] contains much useful information on Lightfoot’s activities as a minister but also makes new mistakes about his early history

Thomas Lightfoot was born in or about the year 1644. There were at least two families of the name Lightfoot convinced of the Truth promulgated by George Fox, very early after he was sent forth to preach the spirituality of the gospel of Christ Jesus, in primitive purity and power. John Lightfoot, of Skipwith in Yorkshire, and Thomas Lightfoot, of Cambridgeshire, were the heads of these two families, and both of them were called to suffer persecution. Thomas Lightfoot, of Cambridgeshire, received a gift in the ministry, travelled with George Whitehead in the Ninth month, 1654, and in 1655 suffered imprisonment for denying the Scripture to be rightly called “the Word of God.” This title, he believed properly belonged to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to him only. For declaring this sound scripture doctrine, some of the high professors at Cambridge, whom he had rebuked for hypocrisy, not only had him put into bonds, but used endeavor to have him tried for blasphemy to the hazard of his life. But, in the language of Besse, “ God preserved him.”

Thomas Lightfoot, the subject of this memoir, removed to Ireland, where we find him, and his wife, Mary, living at Benown, near Moate, Leinster Province, in 1680.

Here again, mistakes creep in. I know of no source showing Thomas Lightfoot of Cambridge to be a minister, and the Thomas Lightfoot in this profile did not move to Leinster until 1694 and not to Benown until 1707. Mary was probably still alive in 1680, but had died long before Thomas moved south.

Thomas Lightfoot also features in The History of Chester County ^[29] which has the following

LIGHTFOOT, Thomas, born about 1645, probably in Cambridgeshire; went thence to Ireland, and in 1716 came to New Garden, Chester Co. He removed to Darby township shortly before his death, which occurred 9, 4, 1725. The name of his first wife is thought to be Mary, and that of his second Sarah, a widow. The children of his first wife were Catharine, who married James Miller; Michael ; William, who remained in Ireland ; and Abigail, who married Joseph Wiley. By the second wife were Elizabeth, b. 1, 11, 1695-6, m. Arthur Jones; Sarah, b. 5, 29, 1698, d. 1702 ; Samuel, b. 2, 5, 1701, d. 2, 26, 1777 ; Margaret, b. 12, 18, 1702, m. Isaac Starr; Jacob, b. 10, 16, 1706, m. Mary Bonsall, 3, 25, 1735.

Michael Lightfoot, the eldest son, with Mary, his wife, and three children, came from Ireland in 1712, and settled in New Garden ; afterwards removed to Philadelphia, and was provincial treasurer at the time of his death, 12, 3, 1754. His children were Sarah, b. 4, 30, 1707, m. John Button ; Elinor, b. 10, 16, 1708, m. Francis Farvin ; Mary, b. 1, 20, 1710-1, m. Samuel Clarke; Katharine, b. 6, 12, 1714; Thomas, b. 5, 16, 1716; William, b. 3, 22, 1720, m. Jane George.

Samuel Lightfoot married, 7, 30, 1725, Mary, daughter of Benjamin Head, of Chester, and afterwards settled in Pikeland. He was a surveyor. His children were Benjamin, b. 6, 28, 1726, also a surveyor ; Thomas, b. 2, 7, 1728, d. 10, 5, 1793 ; Samuel Abbott, b. 1, 7, 1729-30, d. 7, 30, 1759, at Pittsburgh ; William, b. 1, 20, 1732, d. 11, 25, 1797.

Thomas Lightfoot, Sr., was a prominent minister among Friends, as were also his daughter Catharine and son Michael.

This is informative and not too remarkable; it has a 'probably' rather than Myers' 'possibly' for the Cambridge birth and mistakes Abigail's mother. This latter is perhaps understandable, as the Moate family list might seem at first glance to have a complete list of children of the second marriage, although closer examination shows this not to be true.

Probably the most confused and also to be ignored is the description in A Siver Spoon ^[30] which mixes several different families up.

Probably the most reliable account found so far (at least as regards the family relationships) is in Six Columbiana County, Ohio, pioneer families, by William Brooke Fetters. ^[21] This has an account of Thomas Lightfoot and of his natural children and step-children and their descendants. Everything he writes is well sourced and he should be consulted for this and descendants' profiles. Following the article in 'The Friend,' Fetters mistakenly puts Lightfoot in Benown in 1680, but he has him back in Ulster for his second marriage. He allocates the right children to the right marriages, and has the right parents for Abigail Lightfoot's husband Joseph Wiley. He has a reasonable assesment of the likely dates of the deaths of Thomas's first and second wives Mary and Sarah and useful information on the inventory of Thomas's estate as well as the will of his third wife. He has the two possible maiden names for Sarah Wiley/Lightfoot and some interesting (but I think incomplete) speculation on the maiden name of Thomas's first wife.

Notably, none of these works cited a single source indicating that Thomas Lightfoot really was born in Cambridge.

(This profile was copied from a freespace page created to consult on the new draft. In response to a request, the old profile has been copied back to that freespace page here Thomas Lightfoot.)

Sources

1. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM11M-11%2F0108&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBIRTH%2F3096 : accessed 11 February 2024), birth of Katherine Lightfoot in Hillsborough, county Down on 7d 6mo (Aug) 1678, father: Thomas Lightfoot, mother: Mary; citing Dublin MM Family Lists, also some burials 1617, 1669-1774, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
2. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FYMG-1%2F0263&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F1194275 : accessed 11 February 2024), sufferings of Thomas Lightfoot county of Antrim for the year of 1691, citing YM Sufferings c. 1665-1693 C, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G1.
3. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FIRE%2FQUAKERS%2FL-B-M-1-1%2F0024&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FULSTER%2FMAR%2F001109%2FG : accessed 11 February 2024), minutes dated 24d 12mo (Feb) 1692 (1693), At our men's meeting at Richard Boys on the 8th of ye 10th month [December] … Thomas Lightfoot and Sarah Wyly hath laid their intentions of marriage before our mens and womens meeting and nothing appearing against but that they may pass to the general meeting for further consideration; citing Ulster Quarterly meeting minutes, Ulster Friends Trustees Ltd, archive ref Q.1.1.A.
4. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FIRE%2FQUAKERS%2FL-B-M-1-1%2F0024&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FULSTER%2FMAR%2F001109%2FG : accessed 11 February 2024), minutes dated 4d 12mo (Feb) 1692 (1693), Thomas Lightfoot and Sarah Wylly having ye second time laid their intentions of marriage before this meeting and ye friends appointed to make enquiry concerning their cleanliness having returned their answer that they find nothing to obstruct them but that they may lawfully get together in marriage it is therefore thought fitt by this meeting ... to see ye said marriage perfected in good order.; citing Ulster Quarterly meeting minutes, Ulster Friends Trustees Ltd, archive ref Q.1.1.A.
5. ↑ "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935"
   Haverford College; Haverford, Pennsylvania
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 2189 #8221029 (accessed 11 February 2024)
   Abigail Wily death 1 Apr 1767 'aged 73 years and upward', in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, child of Thomas Lightfoot.
6. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FYMG-1%2F0249&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F1193223 : accessed 11 February 2024), sufferings of William Willy of Aghalee parish, John Willy of Aghallee parish county of Antrim for the year of 1688, citing YM Sufferings c. 1665-1693, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G1.
7. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM1VM-1%2F0053&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM1VM-1%2F0053 : accessed 06 November 2022), Thomas Lightfoot of Ballykerson and Sarah his wife came out of the north of Ireland to this county the 3 month [May] in the year 1694 and hath since he came here the ensuing children …(Elizabeth, Sarah, Samuell, Margarett, jacob); citing Moate MM family lists 1660-1782 with testimonies and minutes, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
8. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM1VM-1%2F0045&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBIRTH%2F7910 : accessed 11 February 2024), John Willy of Anagh in the county of Westmeath and Margaret his wife came out of the north of Ireland into this county about the 3rd month [May] of 1694 and hath by the said wife the ensuing children; citing Moate MM family lists 1660-1782 with testimonies and minutes, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
9. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FYMG-2%2F0041&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F1199152 : accessed 11 February 2024), sufferings of Thomas Lightfoot county of Westmeath for the year of 1696, citing YM Sufferings 1694-1705, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G2.
10. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM1M-2%2F0166&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMARR%2F6290B : accessed 11 February 2024), marriage of Katherine Lightfoot of Ballykeeran co Westmeath and James Miller of Tirgarvill co Derry in Waterstown, co Westmeath on 13d 12mo (Feb) 1700 (1701); citing Leinster QM marriage certificates 1664-1711 (approx.), Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
11. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM1M-2%2F0170&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMARR%2F6298G : accessed 11 February 2024), marriage of Michael Lightfoot of Ballykeeran co Westmeath and Mary Newby of Waterstown in Waterstown, co Westmeath on 20d 1mo (Mar) 1705 (1706); citing Leinster QM marriage certificates 1664-1711 (approx.), Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
12. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM1VM-1%2F0141&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMARR%2F3239G : accessed 16 February 2024), marriage of William Lightfoot of Ballykeeran co Westmeath and Isabel Holmes of Lehinchy, King's county in Moate, co Westmeath on 20d 1mo (Mar) 1705 (1706); citing Moate MM family lists 1660-1782 with testimonies and minutes, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
13. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FYMG-2%2F0277&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F1209976 : accessed 11 February 2024), sufferings of Thomas Lightfoot county of Westmeath for the year of 1707, citing YM Sufferings 1694-1705, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G2.
14. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM1M-2%2F0112&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMARR%2F6203B : accessed 11 February 2024), marriage of Abigail Lightfoot of Benown co Westmeath and Joseph Wyly of Annagh co Westmeath in Waterstown, co Westmeath on 16d 1mo (Mar) 1715 (1716); citing Leinster QM marriage certificates 1664-1711 (approx.), Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
15. ↑ FindmyPast search on Quaker conregational records, congregation type 'minutes', period 1714 +/- 20 years (https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/results?o=eventyear&d=asc&datasetname=ireland%2c%20society%20of%20friends%20(quaker)%20congregational%20records&firstname=thomas&firstname_variants=true&lastname=lightfoot&eventyear=1714&eventyear_offset=20&documenttype=minutes&sid=103 : accessed 11 February 2024)
16. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FYMC-3%2F0016&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F1137027 : accessed 11 February 2024), minutes dated 22d 3mo (May) 1709, John Barcroft, William Dover and Thomas Lightfoot came to the pro meeting at Corke, went to Bandon and Castlesalem and had another meeting at Corke before they left the city; citing Names of Friends in Ministry 1655-1781, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives, archive ref YM C3.
17. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMMV111C-1%2F0029&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F567353 : accessed 11 February 2024), records dated 18d 8mo (October) 1712, Visit of John Barcroft and Thomas Lightfoot; citing Records of Ministers’ travels 1655-1775, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives, archive ref MM VIII C1.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4} Biographical sketch of Thomas Lightfoot, The Friend, vol 29, issue 4, 6 Oct 1855, starting p 28 (in several separate sections) (https://archive.org/details/sim_friend-a-religious-and-literary-journal_1855-10-06_29_4/page/28/mode/1up?view=theater https://archive.org/details/sim_friend-a-religious-and-literary-journal_1855-10-13_29_5/page/36/mode/1up?q=wiley&view=theater, https://archive.org/details/sim_friend-a-religious-and-literary-journal_1855-10-20_29_6/page/45/mode/1up?q=lightfoot&view=theater, https://archive.org/details/sim_friend-a-religious-and-literary-journal_1855-10-27_29_7/page/53/mode/1up?q=lightfoot&view=theater, https://archive.org/details/sim_friend-a-religious-and-literary-journal_1855-11-03_29_8/page/n3/mode/1up?q=lightfoot&view=theater : accessed 11 February 2024
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4} Myers, Albert Cook, Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750 : with their early history in Ireland, the author, Swarthmore, Pa., 1902. Section on Thomas Lightfoot ff p 338 (https://archive.org/details/immigrationofiri00myer/page/338/mode/1up?q=Lightfoot&view=theater : accessed 11 February 2024)
20. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM1VA-2%2F0195&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F453994 : accessed 02 March 2024), minutes dated 28d 1mo (Mar) 1716, Removal certificate for Thomas Lightfoot and family; citing Moate MM minutes of Men’s Meeting 1732-1755; Sufferings 1660-1687, Certificates 1715-1751, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3} Fetters, W. B., Six Columbiana County, Ohio, pioneer families, The author, Bowie, Maryland :, c1991-2003, v 5, pedigree chart image 4, Chapter VII 'The Lightfoot and Wiley Families' pp 264- 304 (notes pp 648-655) (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/492279/?offset=0#page=4&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q= : accessed 16 Feburary 2024)
22. ↑ "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935"
    Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 2189 #2258703 (accessed 11 February 2024)
    Thomas Lightfoot death 4 Oct 1725 in Delaware, Pennsylvania.
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1} "Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993"
    Estate Papers, 1713-1810; Author: Chester County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Chester, Pennsylvania
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 8802 #1444111 (accessed 11 February 2024)
    Will of Thomas Lightfoot of Darby, Chester, Pensilvania, granted probate on 9 Nov 1725.
24. ↑ The Christian Progress of George Whitehead, in Evans W and Evans T. (ed.s), The Friends' Library, The authors, Philadelphia, 1844, vol 8, p 235, (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112085279898&seq=245&q1=Lightfoot : accessed 12 February 2024)
25. ↑ Cope, G. and Smedley, S.L., Genealogy of the Smedley family, the authors, Lancaster, Pa. 1901, p 194 (https://archive.org/details/genealogyofsmedl00cope/page/194/mode/1up?q=Lightfoot&view=theater : accessed 12 February 2024)
26. ↑ The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, The Lightfoot Family Papers, Background note, 2003 (https://hsp.org/sites/default/files/legacy_files/migrated/findingaid371lightfoot.pdf  : accessed 12 February 2024)
27. ↑ Jackson, H., Proceedings of the sesqui-centennial gathering of the descendants of Isaac and Ann Jackson, family committee, Philadelphia 1878, p 74, (https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofses00injack/page/74/mode/2up?view=theater&q=Miller : accessed 12 Feburary 2024)
28. ↑ Bell, R.M., The Ancestry of Richard Milhous Nixon, 3rd edition, Washington, Pa, p 53 (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/192153-the-ancestry-of-richard-milhouse-nixon : accessed 12 February 2024)
29. ↑ Futhey J.S. and Cope G., History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, L H Everts, Philadelphia, 1881, p 637 (https://archive.org/details/cu31924005813518/page/636/mode/1up?q=Lightfoot+&view=theater : accessed 12 February 2024)
30. ↑ Rich, Katharine Harsell, A Silver Spoon, the author, not dated (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/493897-a-silver-spoon?offset= : accessed 23 Feburary 2024)