Friday, June 26, 2020

FRIDAY FINDS ~ Quaker Church Records - 1701 - My maternal 8th great grandmother, Elizabeth Potter & her daughter Sarah Frampton

Early Quaker meeting house in New Jersey

Today I was reviewing my Frampton family.  What records do I have?  What records do I need?  What records can I locate?

I came to my 8th great grandparents, William Kent Frampton and Elizabeth Potter.  They married 27 Jul 1680 in Newport, Rhode Island.  Shortly thereafter they moved to Phildelphia, Pennsylvania.  William was acquainted with the well known Pennsylvania Quaker settler, William Penn.   You can read about their connection here William Penn conveys land to William Frampton 1684

Sadly, my 8th great grandfather, William Frampton died 3 Jul 1686 at the age of 43.  This left his widow Elizabeth with 3 young children; Elizabeth, age 5, Thomas, age 3 and Sarah, age 2.
 
As with most women in those days, who were left widowed with young children, Elizabeth remarried.  She married Richard Basnett on 30 Sep 1688.  They had a son, William Feb 1689.  At the time of young William’s birth the couple was living in New Jersey.  I wonder if they had named their son after Elizabeth’s deceased husband, William Frampton.

I don’t know a lot about Richard Basnett, his birth, his occupation etc.  What I do know is that he died just six short years after his marriage to Elizabeth.  He died 8 Oct 1694 in Colonial New Jersey.  He did leave a will naming Elizabeth as an heir.

Now Elizabeth is widowed again and has not 3 children to raise, but her 5 year old son from her marriage to Richard Basnett, as well.  Richard had a daughter by his first wife and some records say that Elizabeth was also raising her.  That makes 6 children under 10 left in her care.

While Elizabeth didn’t remarry right away, she did eventually marry a third time.  This time to Thomas Gardener on 6 Oct 1701 in Burlington, Colonial New Jersey.

I have located the Quaker church records regarding their desire to marry and the church granting that request.  While I was looking at the record I also noticed, on the same page, the request to marry by Elizabeth’s daughter Sarah (daughter of her first husband William).

TIP:  We’ve all been told this over and over, but it bears repeating.  Always look at all the entries on any record where multiple events are listed. 

 (Please click on the image to enlarge it)

 Both couples did marry.  I am still looking for information on Thomas Gardener/Gardiner.  I don’t know anything about him.
Please contact me if you are related/descended from him and have any information.
 
Elizabeth Potter Frampton Basnett Gardener died about 1711.  Did she outlive her third husband?  I don’t know….yet.
 
When we are researching our ancestors this far back we generally have to rely on church records, probate records, books or other historical writings.  This doesn’t always make it easy to find information.

I don’t know about you, but I try to picture what their lives were like back in those colonial days.  So much hardship and danger.  I watch any historical shows or documentaries I can find on TV to learn more.  I also enjoy reading books about that time in history. 

Here's a website I located about Quaker research in New Jersey - 1677-1750
 
If you are a Frampton descendant, I’d love to hear from you.  Let’s exchange information.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
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