Petitions and Passes

Petitions and Passes Annotations by HANNAH BENNER ROACH, F.G.S.P., F.A.S.G. W HEN the British evacuated Philadelphia in mid-June, 1778, Pennsylvania's Revolutionary government, represented by the Supreme Executive Council, moved back from Lancaster where it had been meeting since October, 1777. The Council found the city in a sad state. Morale was low and suspicion rife. Physically the city was filthy. The State House, where the Council usually met, was a shambles, having been used as a hospital by the British. It had to be cleaned, repaired and refurnished before it could be reoccupied. The butchers' stalls in the Market House in High Street, destroyed by the British, had to be rebuilt. Churches, the Playhouse, and the House of Employment — used as a barracks for the soldiery — all needed attention. The Council's minutes for the period are replete with details indicating the wide range of problems with which they were confronted. Not the least of these were petitions of all sorts which had to be read, debated and resolved in some manner: petitions from destitute wives of soldiers serving with Washington; for promotion in the militia or pay due; for arms for back-country inhabitants to protect themselves from the Indians. Prominent among the petitions were those from persons desiring passes permitting them to leave Pennsylvania or come into the state from neighboring areas. Some of these petitioners wanted to quit the state pt.rmanently, either because they were Tory-inclined, or had been left behind by their spouses who had retreated with the British. Others had legitimate business to attend to outside the state, or desired to leave the Continent entirely. While the Council minutes do not always state the reason why such passes were granted or petitions rejected, the names of the petitioners are entered in the minutes. But except for those of prominent persons, in the published Minutes few of the names are indexed. Since often genealogical details not otherwise readily ascertained are given in the Minutes, the following abstracts list chronologically the petitions and passes granted for persons desiring to leave or enter the state, as they appear in Volumes XI, XII, and XIII of the Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania (otherwise known as the Colonial Records), for the years 1779 through 1783. 169 170 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Generally the first step in obtaining a pass appears to have been the presentation to the Council of a petition on the recommendation of one or more substantial citizens of reputed loyalty to the Revolutionary cause. Such a petition was read and discussM by the Council and either rejected or accepted. A pass, when granted, was then directed to be issued and signed by the President and S;xretary of the Council. If the petition was at first rejected, a reapplication sometimes was made at a later date and perhaps then granted, the impediment to its initial rejection having been removed. In the case of suspected Tories, a bond and/ or security had to be posted with the Council to insure that the applicant did not return to the state "without permission of this Board." Not all the abstracts given hereinafter are verbatim; the reader is advised to consult the record for the precise wording. All pertinent data, however, has been included. 1778 6 July: On petition, a pass granted under the less Seal for the REVD THOMAS COOMBE, JUN'R,' to New York, there to take passage for Europe, he declining to take the Oath of Allegiance to this State. 22 August: On petition, a pass for MRS. FRANCES RADDON, wife of Captain Raddon, on her way to New York, she being pregnant and near her time of delivery and desirous to be with her husband on whom she depends for her support, and having no intention of returning to this city, she to be recommended to the officer commanding the Troops next to the enemy. 31 August: A Pass for the REVD S. BARTON and wife into the city of New York. Application of the REV'D A. MURRAY for time, &ca, referred. 8 September: On petition of Joseph . Blewer, pass for MRS. BLEWER to New York to visit her son, taken prisoner at the Battle of Germantown and now in New York. 15 September: Passes for Miss MLLLER and MARY CAMPBELL, separately, to go into New York, not to return. Coombe, one of the pastors of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, had been on parole for remaining in the city during the British occupation. Minutes of the Supserne Executive Council— ., Xi, 525, hereMa/ ter cited as Minutes. Alexander Murray, Missionary at St. Mary's Episcopal Church,. Reading, had been directed to leave his parish ut 1775. See Henry May Reim, "The Episcopal Church m Reading," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography (PMHB), IV (1880), 77. The Rev'd S. Barton may be a typographical error for T. Barton, but see entry f or 17 September below. Petitions and Passes 171 16 September: Pass for JoHN TITTERMARY to New York, in order to recover a debt due to him from the Quarter-Master General. Passes for SARAH BONSALL, wife of Rich'd Bonsall, and for MARY JOHNSON. 17 September: Passes for the REVD ALEXANDER MURRAY and his wife, and the REVD THOMAS BARTON and his wife, and also a Pass into New York for ANN ENDERTON and her children. Petition of GEORGE DOUGLASS for permission to go to Scotland dismissed. 19 September: Passes to ANN RANKIN, wife of John Rankin, and to MARY ROXBURY. Pass for MARY MCBEAN into city of New York. 22 September: Pass for CATH. BECK and MARY FRENCH. 24 September: Passes to New York for RACH1 BURKET and 3 children, • • LINDSAY and 3 children, and MARY HAWTHORNE, not to return. Also to RUTH MAXWELL, conditionally. 25 September: Passes for ANN WALL, wife of a British soldier; for MARY SMITH, a glazier's wife; for CATHERINE TROTT, a Hessian officer's wife. 28 September: Passes to New York for ANN SPRUCE and 2 children; 44th Regiment of Marines; MARY Cox, wife of Capt. Cox:" 8 October: Pass to New York for DAVID SHAFFER, the younger, on business of importance to himself, he being a good Whig.' 10 October: Permit for MRS. MARG'T DELANCY to come into Philadelphia with her small children, and to reside there if she shall think proper.' 15 October: Permission to MRS. YARD to return to Philadelphia. MRS. YORKE and MRS. SEWELL the younger. 21 October: Pass for Mits. Ross and her children, and for MRS. ANNE GRIMES. 26 October: Passes to New York for MRS. CHALMERS and MRS. R. WILLING. 30 November: Petition of GEORGE GALL.ASPIE to go to New York, from thence to England and return again, rejected, he having not taken the oath of allegiance to the State. For a sketch of the Reverend Thomas Barton, see "The Juliana Library Company in Lancaster,. FMHB, XLIII (1919), 240. This entry is nor clear in the Minutes. Was Captain Coo of the 444, Regiment of Marines, or was it Ann Spence's husband? 5 Like his father, Shaffer was a sugar baker. He was a brother-in-law of Frederick Augustus Conrad MuMenberg who had married in 1771 at St. Michael's and Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church David's sister Cathrina. !She was the daughter of former Chief Justice William Allen, and wife of James DeLancey. Wife of Richard 'grilling, she was Margaret Kortright, daughter of Cornelius and Hester Kortright of New York. 172 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 9 December: Pass into New York to visit her husband and return again for HANNAH FAIRLAMB. 12 December: Pass to New York for SARAH WHrrEBREAD, wife of George Whitebread, to endeavour to obtain her 2 sons, now in New York, one aged 11, the other 13 years of age.' 22 December: Passes to New York and return for SARAH WILLIAMSON, wife of Jesse Williamson;' for JAMES, a Lad of 14 years of age, belonging to that City; for MARY GINN, wife of Capt. Ginn, commanding a merchant ship in the Enemy's service, not to return. 1779 13 January: Pass for SUSANNA LOGAN to New York, not to return unless her husband shall return with her. 20 January: Pass to New York for ELIZABETH ATKINSON, not to return. 2 February: Pass to New York for MR. PATRICK RICE, clerk to Mr. David Franks, late Commissary of British Prisoners," and to return; to be recommended to General Maxwell, the officer commanding on the lines next the Enemy, that he be permitted to pass without delay, it being a special case; he to give bond with two sufficient sureties in the sum of £10,000, conditioned that he do not take into the city of New York any letters or papers of any kind, save only his accounts and the papers and vouchers relating thereto; that he do not by any means, directly or indirectly, bring or send out of New York any Continental money or goods of any kind; that he neither do nor say anything injurious to the United States of America, and that he will bring out no letters or papers of any kind except what relates to the accounts, but what he will on his arnval communicate to this Council. 4 February: On petition, pass for MRS. STRAKER, wife of MR. WILLIAM STRAKER, for herself and husband to St. Eustatia, and thence to the Island of Barbados. Sarah Whimbread's two children were William, b. 21 November 1763, and Charles, b. in November 1766, both bapt. at Christ Church 26 March 1771. The former Sarah Lees, she was living on Elfreth's Alley at this time, where less than two weeks before her house had been broken open and numerous articles taken away, Pennsylvania Evening Post, issue of 4 December 1778. 9 Jesse Williamson, son of John of Bensalem Twp., Bucks Co., had kept the ferry et the foot of Callovr- hat Street, and was captain of an artillery company 3, o the Philadelphia militia. Bucks Co. Will Book 5, 64; The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine (PCM), XXIII (1964), 218. IO Franks had also been supplying American prisoners held by the British, and had remained m Philadelphia during the occupation. For an account of his activities, see Edwin Wolf, 2nd, and Muwell Whiteman, The History of the Jews of Philuklphia (Philadelphia. 1957), 86-91. Petitions and Passes 173 10 February: Pass for HAY/vI SALOMAN to Virginia, it appearing he had taken the oath of allegiance to the State." 20 February: Petitions to go to New York from JOHN MURRAY, MARY COOPER, SARAH ENGLE, MARY MUNN, CHRISTOPHER K. ALISCOCKE, JAMES JONES WILMER, MARTHA GREEN, ABIGAIL OTT, ELIZABETH DERWOOD and GEORGE DOUGLASS, referrEd to Congress. 23 April: Petition of JAMES WHITE for permission for his wife to go into New York, read. 24 April: Whereas, it hath been heretofore represented by his excellency the Commander-in-Chief to this Board, that the intercourse which has been maintained by the passing of so many Persons to New York, is exceedingly prejudicial to the Interests of America generally, & the safety of the Army in particular; & it being also apparent that some persons who have been recommended to go within the Enemies lines on condition of not returning, have nevertheless returned, & are now residing in this State. Resolved, That this Board will not in future give any recommendation but in cases of a particular & extkaordinary nature, & then only to such as shall be recommended to the Board by persons of known good Character; and that in all cases where a recommendation is given upon condition of not returning without the permission of Public Authority, & two good Securities be given for the performnce, or the application be rejected. 26 April: Petition from MR. HUNTER to pass to New York rejected; a like petition from MARY & MIDDLETON BRADDOCK, in order to go to Europe to their Friends, granted upon condition of not returning, and sureties given in £300 for the performance of the condition. 27 April: On application for a recommendation of MRS. DUCHE, wife of the Rev'd Jacob Duche, to pass into New York with her children, ordered that a recommendation be given Mrs. Duche to pass into New York, she giving security not to return again without permission from the Authority of the State, in the sum of £1300." 29 April: Passes for ROBERT DUNBAR and ALEXANDER MCFARLIN to North Carolina. 30 April: Certificate for MRS. DUCHE, wife of Jacob Duche, late of this City, of her having obtained leave to depart this State with her family and children, on her voyage to Great Britain, and a recommendauHaym Woman had ncaped from the British in New York where he had been acting as purveyor of commissary supplies while surreptiously helping French arid Arnericm prisoners with money and plans for their escape to the Arocrican lines. /bid., 102. Mrs. Duch, was Elizabeth Hopkinson, sister of Francis Hopkinson. Het husband had been pastor of Christ Church, and a loyalist. 174 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine tion to such of the citizens of the United States into whose hands she may fall, to treat her with kindness and humanity. 1 May: Pass granted for HENRY VAN VLECK to go into New York and return, bringing with him his Negroes. 7 May: Passes to New York for SARAH SMITH on giving security of £1500 not to return again without permission; for PETER TAYLOR on security of £500; for MARY CAR and her daughter, she having given security not to return without permission. MARY HAMILTON permitted to go without security, her case being singular and distressing and she without friends. Petition of MRS. REBECCA SHOEMAKER ' S rejected, it not being consistent with the interest of the State for her to go at present into the city of New York. 11 May: Recommendations given for ELIZABETH HOLDSWORTH, wife of James Holdsworth, and for MARY ANN GORELEY to be permitted to pass into New York, they giving surety in the sum of £500 not to return again without permission first from the State. 21 May: A letter from Rob't Morris, Esq. requesting a recommendation for RACH'L EDWARDS " to pass into New York, not to return, granted, she giving security. Also to MARY LUCAS and to MARY CompTON on like condition. 31 May: Passes to New York for ANN CALVERT, she giving security of £500 not to return, and for ABIGAIL AULT of Southwark, on recommendation of Thomas Hale, on condition she give security as aforesaid. 1 June: Pass for Mxclei. PARNER, tobacconist, to Boston with a waggon and 4 horses. 3 June: Petition of MRS. MARGARET CHALMERS, a resident of Maryland, referred to the authority of that state for the permission requested. 8 June: The petition of Francis Hopkinson, Esq., for permission for his sister MRS. ELIZABETH DUCHE, and her children to return to this city from New York referred for further consideration. 9 June: The petition of Francis Hopkinson for MRS. DUCHE'S return to this city, alledging that from illness she was incapable of proceeding on her voyage, considered. As the condition annexed to the permission of passing to New York was made in consequence of representations made from the Army, and deemed highly necessary for the public safety, it cannot be dispens;:d with but in very extraordinary cases. This She was the wife of Samuel Shoemaker, former Mayor of Philadelphia, and an attainted moor. 1.1 This is the first entry for petitions or passes in Volume XII of the Minutes. Rachel Edwards may have been the widow of John Edwards, ionholder, who was deceased by December, 1767. She and Joseph Stiles were named his mecutors according 00 the notice in the Pelmsylvania Gazelle for Si December 1767. Petitions and Passes 175 petition, therefore, to lay over until the facts set forth in the letter of Mr. T. S. Duche be further inquired into. 11 June: Pass for CATHERINE TOLLY to go into New York and not to return into this State again, on security of £500 to comply with this order. Petition of CATHERINE Boo to go to New York rejected. 16 June: Petition of PRUDENCE MOORE, of Delaware State, read and referred to the authority of that state. Pass for MARY GOSNOLD, for herself and her grandson, ARCHIBALD HILSHELWOOD, to go to New York and thence to Halifax, not to return during the present troubles, she giving security in the sum of £1000 for her compliance with this order. 22 June: Pass for GODFREY BEYERS to return to New York on his way to Halifax to his parents, on security of £500 not to return again without express permission to do so. 23 June: A Letter from JoHN HAYNES, a Passenger on Board the Flagg of Truce, Ready Money, late from Bermuda, Representing that his Low State of Health had Induced him to make a Voyage to the Continent, and Requesting ptirmission, with Family and Effects, to Land and Reside some time in this State. And as it appears that he had given a passap to Six American Prisoners from that Island, Ordered that he be permitted to Land, and come up to Philadelphia with his Family and Effects, from on board the Flagg of Truce, Ready Money, Captain Cobb. 26 June: On application of Major General Armstrong for a pass for LUCY THomrsoN, whose deceased husband was an officer in the Continental service, to New York, she intending to go to Ireland, her native country, a recommendation to the officer commanding next the lines of the enemy be granted to permit her to pass into New York, she giving bail in the sum of £500 not to return. 1 July: A certificate signed by Samuel Bard, Doctor of Physick, stating the case of MRS. DUCHE, and her inability to procekl on her voyage through indisposition of body, read; whereupon ordered that she have leave to return to this State with her family, any former resolution of this Board to the contrary, and the Secretary to deliver up the bond given in this case. On petition of ELIZABETH YOUNG for a pass to New York, a recommendation to the officer commanding next the lines of the enemy be granted, she giving security of £500 not to return to this State with- out permission. Pass for MRS. RACHEL STUBERT " and her two (laugh. Her name probably was Regina, rather than Rachel; she was the widow of George Frederick Stuber, barber surgeon, who had emigrated in 1754 with her — Regina Catharina Demsnler — his fourth wife, and family, and died in 1759 in his 5 Oth year. Information from Karl Friedrich von Frank to the Editor, 25 October 1960, and transcripts of records of St. Michael's & Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, in Collections of the Genealogical Somery. 176 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine ters, JACOBINA and ELIZABETH STUBERT, to go to New York, and thence to Germany to reside, she giving security of £500 not to return without permission. 10 July: Pass for MRS. ELIZABETH RICHMOND, recommending her to the commanding officer next to the lines of the enemy, to pass to New York, she giving security in the sum of £500 not to return without special permission from the Council. 17 July: Pass for MRS. MARY MATLACK, wife of White Matlack ' of this city and her brother NATHANIEL HAWILEFIURST to come from New York to this city. 31 July: Pass for MARGARET CUTHBERT to pass to New York, she giving security not to return without leave. 7 August: Passes for MARY Arw000 to go to New York on security of £500, and for MRS. SARAH YARD, on security of £1500, neither to return without permission. 10 August: Pass to MARY BUCKLEY to go to New York, on security of £500, not to return without permission. 12 August: Pass for CHARLES HURST " to proceed to England by way of the West Indies or France in order to settle his private affairs. 17 August: Petitions of SUSANNA SIMMONS and MARY CUSSANS for passes to New York not granted, they not being recommended by any person known to the Board. 19 August: Pass for ANDREW RIGHT to go to Scotland, on security agreeable to the rule established by this Board. Pass for CATHERINE EBERT to go to New York to recover her patrimony, she being recommended by the Honourable Mr. Muhlenberg," and giving security of £500 not to return without leave. 20 August: Passes for SUSANNA SIMMONS and ELIZABETH STEWART, being recommended by several gentlemen of character, on security not to return. 23 August: Passes for MARY CUSSANS and MARY GUNNERSON to go to New York, each on security of £500 not to return without permission. Pass for ERNST LUDOWICK BAISH to go to St. Eustatia and from there to Germany on private business. White Matlack was the son of Timothy Matlack, Sr. (d, 1752), and brother of the patriot Timothy Matlack. See will of the elder Matlack recorded in Philadelphia Will Book K, 22, #141752. 47 Charles Hurst was attorney for John and Thomas Hurst, representaaves of the issue of Gulielma Maria (Penn) Fell, daughter of William Penn, Jr., the father of William Penn, med. PGM, XXV (1967), 84, Si. 18 Presumably this was Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg, brother of General John Peter Gabriel Mulilenberg, and son of the Reverend Henry M. Muhlenberg. Petitions and Passes 177 27 August: Pass for JOHN HAYNES, " an Englishman, to return to England by way of the West Indies, but not by way of New York as he requested. 30 August: PASS for EDWARD FITZRANDOLPH, to go to the lines to endeavour to receive his Negro, to Elizabethtown. 11 September: Pan for MARY ORPAN to New York, giving security not to return. Petitions of HANNAH'EVANS, KITTY HUGHES and MARGARET LINDSAYS to go to New York rejected. 16 September: Consideration of the petitions of the REVD COLIN M. FARQUHAR and MRS. ELIZABETH BURGIN to go to New York postponed a few days because of the present circumstances of the times. 2 October: Pass for MARY HUMPHREYS, wife of James Humphreys," printer, to go to her husband in New York, on bond with security of £100 not to return without leave. Pass for CHARLES WILLING, BOW in New York, on petition of his brother Thomas Willing, to come to this city on a visit to his daughters " and return thither again in the spring, granted, the time of his return depending on circumstances which may hereafter happen. 15 October: Pass to Germany for ISAAC LEVAN, JuN'R." 18 October: Pass for JosEra HOLDSTOCK to New York, on security of £500 not to return. 20 October: Petition of DAVID FRANKS: to g0 to New York to settle his accounts as Commissary of Prisoners rejected. 3 November: Petitions of JOHN SAXTON " of Bristol Twp., Bucks County, and of ANN SHROUDY and her niece JANE LOUREY for passes to New York, rejected. 4 November: Petition for pass to New York for ANN NICHOLSON and her daughter, rejected. 2, Presumably the gendeman who obtained permission on 23 June to nay for a Lim in Philadelphia, for which see above. ?. Humphreys had continued to pubEsh his Pennsylvania Ledger during the British occupation of Philadelphia, but had left with the nosy. 23 C.harles Willing, Sod son of Chinks and Ann (Shippey) Willing, had been a merchant in Barbadoes where he married Elizabeth Hannah Carrington. Their daughmrs were Elizabeth, and Ann, who values quendy married Luke Morris. Charles P. Keith, Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1883), (114). 52 Isaac Levan, Jr., had been coroner of Berks CountyMinutes, X, 56. 28 Saxton, an Englishman who had owned a farm in Bristol Township since 1774, 2nd had just purchased a house and two lots in Frankford, Philadelphia County, as a loyalist had decided to join the British in New York. Subsequendy he went to Canada soh other loyalists. Bucks Co. Deed Book 23, 173: 26 October 1779, John Saxton is Everard Bolton. Philadelphia Co. Deed Book 0-3, 144: 22 December 1779, John Saxton to Isaac Woman; Lorenzo Sabine, Bios...Aka! Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution (Boston, 1864), El, 259. 178 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 10 November: Petition of ELIZABETH RAPP, praying for a pass to New York, rejected. 17 November: Whereas the frequent applications of Persons to go to New York is attended with many Inconveniences, and delay of Publick business, Resolved, therefore, That the Secretary do give Notice that all persons desirous to go into the Enemies lines, are to apply within ten days from this date, giving . to his office their Names, and those of their Securities, not to return without leave. After which time no applications will be receiv'd untill the first of February next. 22 November: Passes signed for MARY CASSAN, MARGERY FAIR, and AMIE MITCHELL to go into the city of New York, they having given respectively security not to return again. 26 November: Passes signed for JOHN SAXTON, MARY BROWNE, MARY BARBER, and MARY PHILIPS to go into New York, they having given security not to return again. 11 December: Petition of DAVID FRANKS to go into New York, with sundry papers accompanying it was read; a committee of Colonel Smith, General Lacey and Mr. Thompson to hear Mr. Franks on said petition and report to the Council. 23 December: Council resumed the consideration of DAVID FRANK'S petition for a pass to New York City; ordered the prayer of the said petition cannot be granted." .See Minutes, YJI, 206, for she alleged reasons for reject;ng his petition at this time. Information Wanted Stuart P. Lloyd, 53 Hobart Ave., Summit, N.J., 07901, seeks information on the following settlers in Charlestown Twp., Chester Co., Pa.: (1) the wife and ancestry of DAvm DAVIES, whose 1749 will named sons Nathaniel and Zepheniah Davies; (2) the ancestry Of ELIZABETH, wife Of LLEWELLYN MARTIN (Will 1764), son of Mathias and Ethelew Martin; (3) the ancestry of Mossy Gitre6rm who m. Daniel Beaton 6 April 1744, at the First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. Mrs. David G. Hill, 21 Edgewood Rd., Pittsburgh, Pa., 15215, seeks information on the ancestry of MICHAEL 11.roris, (I& February 1797 - 30 January 1881), and of MICHAEL Hess (21 February 1763'20 November 1844). Both men died in Center Co., Pa.