What became of George and Mary's son John and his family remains a mystery. Family tradition says that they went to Kentucky along with his brother George Jr.. But, several things indicate that they traveled independently. George appears to have lived near his Evans in-laws in Washington County, PA and migrated with them before 1790. John took a warrant on the land he held in Elizabeth Twp., Allegheny County after 1790.
John appears in numerous records while his family lived at the Fork-of-the-Yough. In addition to the Pennsylvania warrants, his name is listed on Virginia land records as claiming two 400 acre parcels by right of settlement. He appears on both Virginia and Pennsylvania militia roosters. He appears on a 1773 tax list for Rostraver Township, Bedford County (before Westmoreland County was created). There is reason to suspect that he, not Peter, was the oldest son.
The John Weddle family that settled in Hawkins County, Tennessee in the late 1790s appears to be the missing John. There is a son Amos born in 1764; and in rooster of the same Westmoreland County Militia Company (1) as James and Peter Weddell is an Amos "Waddle". John's wife is reported as being Mary Walling, the daughter of Thomas Walling; and on the 1783 tax list for Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County is a Thomas Walling (2) . In the 1850 census for Jackson County, Indiana, James Weddle, the son of John, is listed as born in 1782 in Pennsylvania.
Contradicting this is the information from the Diary of Dave Dolling Weddle, published in Elizabeth Weddle Mueting's "John Weddle, Ancestors, Descendants, Relatives" (3): He was the second child and eldest son of Thomas William and Rosannah Wallen Weddle. He wrote that his grandfather John Weddle was born in Holland in 1739, the son of Joseph Weddle, a German. John married Mary Walling, also German, in Holland and after 3 sons were born, emigrated to Baltimore in 1774. His father, Thomas W. Weddle was born in Baltimore February 2, 1776. The family lived in Baltimore until 1782; then went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and built a flatboat to go down the Ohio River to Louisville.
David Dolling Weddle was born on August 10, 1799 about 15 miles from Rogersville, Hawkins County, Tennessee. He died Aug 30, 1881 at Grand Rhonde Valley, Oregon. The diary is dated 1881, which raises a question of preciseness in his recollection of dates and facts he had been told as a youth. Could he be off enough that it really is the same family?
Joyce Lord of Yakima, Washington, found the old diary kept by David Dolling. It is spelled as it was written:
"The following is a true naritive as was told to me By my Father and Mother concerning my Ancesters Beginning with My great grandfather. He was born in Germiny, lived and died there in Hollen. His name was Joseph Weddle in Hollen. My grandfather was Born 1739. He had three other bros, George and Daniel and Joseph 1 sister Susan. She married Polser Rouse.
My grandfathers name was John. He maried to Mary Walling and
after they had three sons they emigrated to America 1774. His
three other bros and brother-in-law Polser Rouse and on the 2 day
of February 1776 my father Thomas W. Weddle was born in
Baltamore, Md, where my father was raised till 1786 at which time
my grandfather moved to Pitsburge Penn, there him and his
brother-in-law Rouse built a flat boat and run down the Ohio to
the Mouth of Bear grass at the great falls of that River where
Louisville, Ky. now stands, left his bros in Baltemore Md. they
afterwards moved out into Ky. and settled in Rakeatte Co. My
grandfather and Polser moved from Ky. a SE course into the state
Va. to what was called the Long Islands of Hoiston River which is
one of the Midle forks of tennessee. He stayed there util my
Father was grown. He then moved down Holiston River into the
state of tennessee and settled at a place afterwards called
Alexander.There my father maried Rosemond Walling. You will
notice my grand mothers name was Walling. My father and Mother
was related. The Wallings and Weddles, they were Germens and in
1799 on the 10th Day of August I was born and on the 5th Day of
Sept 1799 my grandfather died My grandpa Joseph Walling moved
from Batimore and settled in Grason Co. Va. on New River. There
my Mother was born on the 22 Day of February 1780 and when she
was twelve years old my grandfather moved down and settled on
Clinch River. which emtys into Big Tenn, where Kingston now
stands, some two hundred miles above said place. There my
grandfather built a fort and took a company of his settlers men
and his oldest son Thomas Walling, 12 in no. and over on to the
three forks of Cumberland to the place now called the Lot in the
State of Ky. There him and his son and 8 out of 12 others was
killed by they Indians."
1. Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume XXIII, p325, Rangers on The Frontier - 1778-1783,
Richard Johnston's Company.
2. Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume XXII, page 381 3. Pages 101-102