David and Sandra:
Of course, the Joseph Calvert family is of interest to me because he appears to originate
from the Quaker Calverts of Chester County, PA. I have further interest in that Joseph,
at least in my mind, has been incorrectly been placed with my more direct line, that of
the family of ThomasCalvert and Sarah Williamson Calvert. So, I have followed them
through from Cumberland, PA to White Co., IL, but do not claim any real competence on
their journey. Let it be said right off, I have not come across an Elisha Calvert.
1. From Cindy Berk Conley's homepage excerpted from History of Enfield, IL Cindy is
coordinator for White Co., IL Gen Web page which has a link to her homepage.
"In section 8, the earliest settler was David Calvert, who took up the NW 1/4 in
1817. There was a large family of the Calverts–Joseph Calvert, Senior and his sons, David,
John, Robert, Joseph Jr. and William, and his daughters, Nancy and Deborah Calvert, and
Margaret Cheatham and Margaret’s husband, Edmond Cheatham. The will of Joseph Calvert,
Senior, was made in February 1815, when this was still part of Gallatin County, and his
legacies were expressed in terms of English pounds and shillings. The next will on record
is that of David Calvert’s daughter, Rachel, who married Edmund R. Morgan before the
family came to White County. Edmund R. Morgan died in March 1815, leaving his wife,
Rachel, and a small daughter, Mary "N" Morgan, called "Polly."
2. Look at most any of the Ancestry World Trees (free) for John Calvert, son of Joseph
Calvert of PA, husband of Mary McCurdy. Ignore for the moment the many inconsistencies
between these Trees and perhaps some obvious inaccuracies. Almost all of these trees take
Joseph Calvert and his children, particularly John Calvert (the other children may have
followed different paths),. from Cumberland Co., PA to Elbert Co., Ga about 1790, thence
to Giles Co., TN and Bedford, TN, thence to Gallatin Co., IL about 1815. Subsequently the
family became separated into White Co., and Pope Co., IL. I assume this is when these
counties were carved from Gallatin. McCurdys and Applebys are along for most of the
ride. It seems to me that enough can be confirmed of the Ancestry Trees so as to believe
that these Calverts in Gallatin, Pope, and White Co., IL are the same as left Cumberland
Co., PA--with, of course, family additions. Since this is not my Calvert line, I have
not research!
ed it to any degree. But I can confirm:the following:
(1.) Son John Calvert belonged to Big Springs Presbyterian Church in Newton, Cumberland
Co., PA and is a communicant in 1789.
Son John Calvert married Mary McCurdy in Cumberland Co., PA
(2.) There are deeds for Joseph Calvert in Wilkes Co., GA, the progenitor county for
Elbert, GA
There are more deeds for Joseph Calvert in Elbert Co., GA which are transcribed in
an Ancestry Tree.. These can easily be checked, so I have no reason to doubt their
accuracy.
(3.) The Joseph Calvert in the 1820 census for Giles Co., TN is possibly Joseph Calvert
Jr.
(4,) I cannot confirm the second marriage of John Calvert to Grace Appleby in Bedford
Co., TN. Early TN marriages are easily found in Sistler's and I will check next time
I am at our local library.
3: Return with Joseph and John to PA and you can find some real disagreement. This is
where I became involved, trying to separate Joseph Calvert from the family of Thomas
Calvert and Jane Williamson, I believe the crux of this problem is that there are two
Thomas Calverts, cousins.
(1.) There is no evidence that Thomas Calvert and Sarah Williamson ever had a son
named Joseph. Neither Gilbert Cope (Smedley Genealogy) nor Albert Cook Myers (Immigration
of Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania) mention a Joseph in listings of their children
(2.) If it can be proven that Joseph is the son of a Thomas Calvert, then it is
probable that Joseph Calvert is the son of Thomas Calvert and Charity Griubb. Thomas
married Charity ca. 1747, the approximate time of Joseph's birth (say 1748). This
Thomas is son of Daniel who is the brother of Joshua Calvert, making the two Thomases
cousins. He lived most of his married life in Cumberland Co. where he died in 1769.
Unfortunately he died intestate, and I have been unable to find a probate action that
night name his children. His two youngest children are mentioned in Orphan Court records.
Charity, by the way, married a William Miller soon after.Thomas' death.
(3.) Jane Swayne Mercer was married to John Calvert, son of Thomas Calvert and Sarah
Williamson. This is documented in Chester Co. Orphan Court records. Not to Joseph
Calvert, not to his son, John Calvert. It is probable, though, that this is the same
John Calvert who was in Cumberland Co. in the 1770's and 1780's and Mifflin Co. in
the 1790's.which probably added more to the confusion.
(4.) Perhaps someone can confirm the marriage of Joseph to Ann Warner. I tend to
believe it is true, but the only connection I have found thus far is knowledge of a deed
between Joseph Calvert and a Warner in Chester Co. in 1798. I do not have a copy.
.