Vestals of Chester Co., PA

[Chronology of the Vestals in Chester Co., PA]
[ Will of William Vestal, Sr. ]
[ Signature of William Vestal and Elizabeth Mercer Vestal]
[ William Vestal'sland in east Bradford Twp., Chester Co., PA ]
[ Family of Willliam, Sr. and Alice ]
[ Alice Glover Brunsden Vestal ]
[ Family of William, Jr. and Elizabeth ]
[ Elizabeth Mercer Woodward Vestal ]
[ Key to Sources ]


Family of William Vestal, Sr. and Alice Glover Brunsden Vestal

1. William Vestal, Jr.
2. Sarah Vestal
3. Mary Vestal
4. George Vestal

Chronology of the Vestals in Chester County, PA

1692, 1st Month, 3rd day- Orphan's Court, Chester Co., PA: William Vestal and his wife Alice Glover Vestal, former wife of John Brunsd[all] were called and appeared and the Court required William Vestal to give security to the Court to well and truly perform the trust of guardianship for the children of the deceased (John Brunsden) "until he hath passed his accounts in open court and be discharged according to law" which he accordingly did.

1692, 8th month, 1st-3rd day - p.268 "Att an Orphan's Court, held at Chester Ye 1st-3rd day, in Ye 8th mo., 1692, John Bristow, President; George Maris, William Jenkins, Saml Levis, Justices present: Francis Little, Dept. Sheriff; Joshua Fearne, required the said William Vestall to give security to the court, well and Truly to perform the trust of the Guardian-ship for the Children of the Decesed until he hath passed his accounts in Open Court and be discharged according to law, which he accordingly did'

1694/95, 12 Mar - p. 330 "At a Court of Quarter Sessions at Chester, for Co. of Chester, Mar 12, 1694/5 Here follows a list of Constables appointed for several Townships, among them being William Vestall, of Burmingham.

1696, 4th day of the 3rd month - Jacob Simcocke Coroner made returns of several persons that came by theyr deaths accidentally with the verdicts of the Juryes one theyr several deaths (viz) In the Township of Birmingham the fourth day of the third month 1696 We of the cornoners inquest doe find by examination that the death of this child SARAH VESTILL daughter of WILLIAM VESTALL was accedentely drowned in a small pond of water upon the third day of this instant and alsoe we cannot find person or persons anyway excessary of the death of the aforesaid Childe - Francis Chacsie; Thomas King; Nicholas Pile; John Mendenhall; Thomas Moore; Reuben Ford; George Grist; Joseph Hickman; Joseph Pennell; Morgan Joans; Edward Jomiry; Nataniell Parker the Coroners Inquest names(PA-2, p. 29)

Will of William Vestal, Sr - 1701.
My will Maid ye 19th January 1701-02 In the name of god, Amen, I William Vastall, living in the Township of Westtown, in the County Chester, so have ordained and considered this my last will and testament, Being of Sound Judgment and of perfest Rememberance, praised by almighty god for his Mercy, though weak in body and finding my self to decay in body, am Willing to Set my house in order before I go hence, and for this purpose doe Here ordain this will and testament as follows: First I bequeath my body to ye earth and be decently burying according as my Executors (hereafter named) shall think fit. And Faithfully resigning up my soul into ye hands of God, my creator, hoppping to receive pardon of all my sins by the death and suffering of my lord and Savior, jesus Christ, who is my Redeemer, Impimos. I leave and bequeath to Alice my wife, all my land and Musage which I am now living upon and occupy, being 1 hundred twenty fore acquires, during the time of her Natural Life, and all my goods and Chatels and Cattles (excepting such as shall be here after named, ) paying all my debts which I owe. An After to descend to my son William Vastall, after ye decease of Alice, my wife, and my son William bastaal, shall pay unto my sone George Vastall, ye just some of thirty pounds of lawful money, according to ye passable coyne of ye province out of ye estate, as after that myson, William Vastall, comes legally installed in ye property. Item, I leave unto my daughter Mary, one cow, and two breeding mares, and two horse colts, with their increasd (ye Cow her increase excepted) and Like Wise to Receive a .... and a hacoll and these to be deliverd when she comes to ye age of one and twenty, or before if her mother thinks fit. And likewise I ordain my wife alice Vastall, to be executor, with my loving friend, thomas Powell, of ye town of prvindence, of County Chester, Yomen Junior, to be joint executor with my wife to see this my will duly and truly executed according as I have appointed. William Vestal his mark (this is an inked thumb print, as seal) (Conclusion of will of William (1) Vestal, Senior, witnesses and proving) Sealed and deliverd in ye presents of X John Wood X Nathaniel Ring Robert Way (?) Robert Jefferies x my mark Philadelphia, Feb 20th, 1701 there personally appeared John Wood and Nathaniel Ring, two of the witnesses to the above will;; and on their solemn Affirmation do declare they saw above named William Vastall sign, seal, publish and delcare the above writing to be his last will and Testament, and he was at the doing thereof of sound mind and memory, tot he best of their knowledge. County court (/) Reg. Gen (unable to read signature.)

1701, 2nd month 6th day - Thomas Powil and James Jacob delivered a deed to WILLIAM VESTALL and Richard Buffington for two tracts of land upon Brandywine Creek dated the 6th of 2nd mo. 1791.(PA-2, p. 78) Thomas Powill and James Jacob delivered a deed to Richard Buffington for 218 acres of land by Brandywine Creek dated the 6, day of April 1701. (PA-2, p. 78)
WILLIAM VESTALL delivered a deed to Robert Jefferis for 169 acres of land on Brandywine Creek dated the 6. day of the 4. mo., 1701.[PA-2, p 2]

1704/5, 28 Nov. Whereas we whose names are hereunder written being appointed by order of court bearing date the 28, day of November 1704, to lay out a road from the forks of Brandywine Creek into Road from George Harlans to Naamans Creek Mill.... These may certify that on the 22, day of the 12, month 1704 we laid out the said Road Beginning at a Walnut tree marked with five notches standing by the forks of the Brandywine in ALIES VESTALLS land then through the said Vestall's land into John Martin's land then through the said Martin's lanad into Richard Bufingtons land.... ] indicates that Alice was a widow by this time, otherwise they would have referred to the land as William Vestal's land](PA-2, p. 128)

KEY TO SOURCES

PA-1 History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and Biographical Sketches, J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope, Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881.
PA-2 Records of the courts of Chester County Pennsylvania 1697-1710, Vol 2, Chester County Historical Society PA-3 Collections of the Genealogical Society of PA, Familly Data U-V