1717, Philadelphia, Charles Brockden, signed transfer of lands, Thomas Barker

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1717, Philadelphia, Charles Brockden, signed transfer of lands, Thomas Barker:
$145.59

This item is a wonderful, original document dated 1717-18, where Thomas Barker late of London has left to his widow Martha Barker all his lands in Philadelphia....she in turn has hired Joseph Buckley, merchant of Philadelphia to be her power of attorney and has made agreements with Isaac Morris of Philadelphia and John Estange of New Jersey to dispose of the land....signed at bottom by Martha Barker, John Annis and William Atchison and on back by Charles Brockden as Pennsylvania Registrar. Document is 15x18, folds, paper loss and splits along folds, else in overall fair condition.

On the Rolls Office in Philadelphia (Patent Book A-1, Page 196) it is recorded that \"William Penn by Patent dated 5th Month, 9, 1687, granted to Thomas Barker, of London, 1,000 acres in Chester County\". The land was situated in the Eastern part of what is now Willistown Toenship and the old mansion house, built while Thomas Barker owned it , has played its part in each century of Pennsylvania history and still lends its charm to the neighborhood.

In 1710 the tract was willed to Martha Barker (wife of Thomas) who in turn in 1719 willed it to her daughter, Martha Tompkins, and her granddaughter, Martha Hudson. John Hudson (husband of Martha) authorized Joseph Buckley, a Philadelphia merchant, to sell this 1,000 acre tract in Pennsylvania. Five hundred acres, the Western part, was sold to Josiah Hibbard in 1722.

Charles Brockden, the proprietor of this place, was an Englishman, born April 3, 1683, in the parish of St. Andrew\'s, near Holborn, London. At proper age he was articled to an attorney-at-law, who was opposed to the government as then administered, at whose rooms his friends of the same opinion assembled, and where a plot against the life of the king originated.

The conspirators had reason to believe that Charles Brockden overheard their conversations and had knowledge of their plans. Being convinced of this, they at first-proposed to murder him, but better counsel prevailed, and he was sent to America.

Charles Brockden came to Philadelphia in 1706, and was employed by Thomas Story, who (under William Penn) was the first keeper of the Great Seal and Master of the Rolls. In 1712 he was appointed Deputy Master of the Rolls, and on the retirement of Mr. Story, in 1716, he was selected to succeed him. He also served as Register of the Court of Chancery from 1720 to 1739, and was appointed Recorder of Deeds, and a Justice of the Peace in 1722.

In early life he was a member of the Established Church, but after his first marriage he united with the Friends, and was a member of the Middletown Meeting until 1711, when he was transferred to the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. When Whitefield visited Pennsylvania he became one of his followers; but through official relations with Count Zinzendorf he united, in 1743, with the Moravians.

Charles Brockden died on Friday afternoon, October 20, 1769, and two days later was buried in his private ground at Hospitality. The funeral was no doubt an event in the neighborhood. His family and friends from Philadelphia, with the minister of the Moravian Church, were present; the Germans and Swedes, who had served him, with their families\', and a few Indians made up the remainder of the cortege who followed him to the grave. In the twilight and with uncovered heads the company listened to the last words of the service read by the minister, while the requiem sung echoed strangely through the forest. Wild and weird were the surroundings, and the aborigines themselves were impressed with the solemnity of the occasion..

Please view the other historical and Civil War related documents I\'ll be listing this week.SEE SCAN.I now accept PAYPAL but PREFER other forms of traditional paper payment. Buyer pays shipping(usually FREE within the US and $12 for International),payment must be received within 5 days.