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Greetings,
My name is Richard D. Moore, and I live in Fresno, California. My genealogy
work has taken me back to a James Moore, born about 1650.
One account has James born in East Wales in 1653. Another account has James
born in England in 1650. I am told "Moore" is not a Welsh name, so I assume
James, or those who preceded him, may have migrated to Wales.
James' wife is unknown, but he had two children: John and Mary. Marjorie
Dickey Parsons, in her book: "Lines and Lifestyles: Dickey, Moore,
Parsons, and Some Related Families", provides some documentation on James,
but mostly deals with his presence in PA. She believes he arrived before
1684, about the time William Penn arrived. I found a source showing Penn
arriving on the "The Welcome" in August 1682, but can find no vessels with
James Moore and his children, John and Mary. Parsons further states that
because James bought 100 acres in the Welsh Tract of Philadelphia County,
PA., he must have been Welsh. The Moore's were Quakers. James Moore was a
blacksmith, and apparently had a brother, Anthony.
I am a descendant of James's son, John.
Some confusion arises when the name David Meredith come up. He apparently
arrived in PA., with wife Katherine, who had been married previously, and
had three children: Richard, John and Mary. She then had two children by
Meredith: Meredith David and Meredith Sarah. Lewis D. Cook, who wrote
"Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families", confused Katherine's children, John
and Mary with James' children, John and Mary.
Yet another source believes that John, Katherine's child, was born about
1678 in Llanbister, Radnorshire, South Wales. He too was a blacksmith.
To make things even more interesting, as I indicate above, my searches have
not found a James Moore on board a sailing vessel arriving in PA. I did,
however, find the following:
Vessel: The Delaware
Master: John Moore
Arrival: 5th month, 11, 1686, at Chester County, PA.
Passengers:
Thomas and Margaret Greene and family: Thomas and John
Mary Guest
Richard and Mary Moore and family: John and Mary
Sarah Searle
Henry and Mary Guest and son Henry
Now we have three sets of "Moore" children named John and Mary, which is
probably not too unusual for the time.
Cook writes that David Meredith, of the parish of Llanbister, Radnorshire,
Wales, and a weaver, was a member of the religious Society of Friends for
the last twenty years and given a certificate on the 5th month, 20, 1863 by
Radnorshire Friends for his removal to PA. Cook further states that
Meredith was probably the David Meredith of Radnorshire who, with one
Richard Moore and eight other Friends, was fined in 1659 for "absence from
the National Worship" and the same two who were listed among 23 Friends
committed to prison in 1664 until they should take the oath of allegiance.
There is no proof that Meredith's wife, Katherine, was married to, or a
widow of this particular Richard Moore.
If you have access to passenger lists of ships leaving Wales for PA., from
1681 to 1688, please look for:
James Moore and children: John and Mary
David Meredith, Katherine and children: Richard, John and Mary (and
perhaps
Meredith David and Meredith Sarah)
If you have any history on those mentioned above, plus Richard and Mary
Moore, and children, John and Mary, it would be greatly appreciated. Any
suggestions would also be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dick Moore