Notes on Caleb Ransted Merchant of Philadelphia and Cheshire, England

NOTES ON CALEB RANSTED MERCHANT OF PHILADELPHIA AND CHESHIRE, ENGLAND D. Brenton Simons * i n a treatment in this journal of the extended family of Willoughby Warder of Bucks County, the 1707 marriage was noted between Caleb Ransted (or Ranstead) and Mary Warder (1683-1720), daughter of Richard Warder of Philadelphia.1 At that time, I believed there to be two adult individuals named Caleb Ransted—likely father and son—the older of whom wed Mary Warder. I now believe that to be incorrect. It is more likely there was one adult Caleb Ransted in early Philadelphia who married/owr times, left two recorded wills, was a Quaker who became an Anglican, and lived out his final days at Chester, Cheshire, England. He was variously described as turner, chairmaker, merchant, and gentle¬ man? Ranstead Street in Philadelphia probably commemorates him. The conclusion that there was just one man is based on two considera¬ tions. The records show just one resident of Philadelphia, and evidence points to the man who died in England being the same man. Caleb Ransted was the son of Joseph Ransted, a gardener from London who arrived on The Jefferies on 20 1st month [March] 1682 and was later listed among the early inhabitants of Chester County.3 As shown in the earlier article, Caleb married first in 1707 Mary Warder.4 Only one of their children—a daughter Mary—survived to adulthood.5 Mary (Warder) Ransted died in 1720, The article went on to state that Caleb removed from Philadelphia to marry Rachel Pratt. That is not correct. Caleb Ransted’s second marriage—to Sarah Fincher say 1721— is shown by an Orphans’ Court petition dated 22 December 1743. D. Brenton Simons is Assistant Executive Director of the New England Historic , The author wishes Genealogical Society and is the editor of Newto England thank Sandra M. Hewlett, CGRS, who obtained and transcribed the contents of the probate packets in the Philadelphia City Archives. 1 D. Brenton Simons, “Willoughby Warder, of the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and His Philadelphia Kinsmen,” Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 60(1998): 293-313 [hereafter cited as Simons, "Willoughby Warder” ]. Caleb was called turner and gentleman in his wills, advertises as a merchant, and was styled chairmaker in a 1746 deed (Philadelphia Deeds D18:429-32; FHL #2 1,915. 3 J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881), 22. 4 Simons, "Willoughby Warder,” 310. 5 All vital events cited in Genealogical Summary. Pennsylvania GenealogicalMagazine Vol. 42 (2001) 133 134 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine [Vol. 42 The Petition of William Ransted a Minor of the Age of about Twenty years was read praying that his father Caleb Ransted of Philadelphia may be appointed his Guardian The Court doth appoint the said Caleb Ransted * . . The Petition of William Ransted a Minor Son of Caleb and Sarah Ransted which said Sarah (now deceased) was one of the Daughters of Joshua Fincher late of Oxford Township deed . . . That Several years since the said Joshua Fincher died Intestate seized ... of Land in Oxford Township containing about Ninety Acres and a small Personal Estate leaving Issue five Children to wit Sarah William Susannah Mary and Joshua Fincher and his wife Elizabeth . . . Administration . . . committed to his said Widow . . . William Fincher oldest Son of the said Deced[an]t arrived to full age and soon after died but before his decease made his last Will ... his two individual Shares of the Estate aforesaid to his Mother Elizabeth Widow Relict and Administratrix as aforesaid That the Pet[ione]r in right of his said Mother Sarah is inti tied to one sixth part6 of the Estate aforesi ai]d That Elizabeth Fincher Relict and Administratrix . . . hath neglected and now refuses to render an Acc[oun]t of her Administration . . . the Pet[ione]r is hindered from having a division of the same Praying that the court would order the said Elizabeth Fincher to render an Account . . . and upon Settlement thereof to appoint proper persons to divide what remains . . 7 Caleb’s second marriage was short lived. Sarah (Fincher) Ransted died in December 1728. He did not remain a widower for long. By 26 4th month [June] 1730, Rachel Pratt was condemned for marrying out of unity; on 30 2nd month [April] 1731 she was reported married to Caleb Ransted. This suggests that although the deaths of Caleb’s children and first two wives were reported in the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, he himself may have no longer been a Quaker. During his marriage to Rachel, Caleb carried on his business in Philadelphia. Advertisements give us details of his business as a merchant. Ransted advertised for runaway Daniel Brian, a teenage “Irish servant” on 23 September 1731.8 Almost four years later, on 22 May 1735, he noted in the Pennsylvania Gazette that a roll dark green Persian silk containing about 27 yards of fabric was lost on the 17th of that month from “one of the Stalls in the Fair” and offered a reward of 20 shillings for its return.9 In 1743 Caleb announced intention to remove to England and offered for sale properties in Philadelphia and a plantation in Oxford Town¬ ship.10 He did not leave immediately; Caleb was still in Philadelphia on 25 September and 9 October 1746 when he advertised: To be Sold by CALEB RANSTED, at his House next Door to the King’s Arms in Front street, near the Bank Meeting. GOOD Bohea Tea by the chest or smaller quantity; sugar by the barrel or hundred; coffee by the hundred or dozen; 6 This shows that William Ransted was the only surviving child of Sarah (Fincher) Ransted, as he was claiming all of her portion. William Fincher had two shares as eldest son. 7 Orphans* Court of Philadelphia, 22 December 1743, 159-60; FHL #2 1,844. 8 Kenneth Scott, Abstracts from Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1748 (Baltimore; Genealogical Publishing Company, 1975), 47 [hereafter cited as Pennsylvania Gazette]. 9 Pennsylvania Gazette (CD-ROM edition), 22 May 1735. 10 Pennsylvania Gazette, 450, 458. 2001] Notes on Caleb Ransted 135 pepper; allspice; cinnamon; Hungary water; almonds; raisins; indigo; stone blue; sweet oil; yellow paint; verdegrease; box irons and heaters; English steel; milk pots; decanters; cruits; salts; tumblers; beet; wine and dram glasses, all by the box or dozen; white stone tea ware; red ditto; frosted ditto; yellow hollow and flat ware, all by the crait [sic]; French white ware, and red ditto, by the dozen; snuff.11 On 27 July 1747, Caleb Ransted of Philadelphia County, turner, pre¬ pared a will—his first—at Philadelphia “being shortly to embarque on shipboard with intention to remove to the parts of Great Britain ” To his “dear & lovin [g] wife Rachel” he gave a third of his “moneys and personal estate,” plus a third of “all the rents and clear profits of my messuages lands and tenements hereafter mentioned * . . during the term of her natural life ... in lieu of her dower.” His thorough land description mentions adjoining property deeded to his daughter Mary and her husband James White. He carefully identified cash and bills of exchange he was taking with him to London. He appointed Elias Bland merchant of London as the executor of his estate in England, while “my son William Ransted and daughter Mary White” were executors “concerning my estate and effects in all parts of the world Great Britain excepted.»12 Thus, the Caleb who departed for England was the father of Mary (hence husband of Mary Warder), the father of William (hence husband of Sarah Fincher), and the husband of Rachel Pratt. Rachel Ransted was obviously a practicing Quaker and was granted a certificate 30 July 1748 to London Monthly Meeting.13 England does not seem to have been healthful for Rachel; in July 1755 in Chester, England, Caleb married for a fourth—and last—time, to Frances Smith. On 18 November 1755 Caleb Ransted of the City of Chester Gentleman and late of Philadelphia wrote his second will. It appears that Caleb—who was in his seventies—had taken a much younger wife. __ ... all my real estate of what kind or nature soever in Pennsilvania aforesaid or else where in any kingdom province or place . . . unto my dear and loving wife And from and Frances Ransted for and during the term of her natural life immediately after her death unto all and every the child and children of me the said Caleb Ransted on the body of my said wife lawfully begotten or to be begotten. To hold to such child or children their heirs and assigns forever to take as tenants thereof in common and not otherwise and for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same to my now right heirs forever 11 Pennsylvania Gazette, 25 September and 9 October 1746. 12 Will of Caleb Ransted written 27 July 1747, probated 12 March 1757 in Caleb Ransted Probate File, Will #321, Philadelphia City Archives. The will was recorded in Philadelphia Wills K:508-ll; FHL #21,724. The abstract in Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, vol. 5 (1893), “Abstracts of Philadelphia County Wills, part III, 1741-1763,“ 1218, incorrectly identifies Mary as the wife of John White. N.B.: The year of probate was printed incorrectly as 1857 in Simons, “Willoughby Warder,” 310, footnote 151. The designation “[Jr.]" in that note reflected the author’s belief at the time that Mary Warder married the older of two Caleb Ransteds and this will belonged to the younger. 13 Hinshaw, “Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” 2:630. 136 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine [Vol. 42 And as to all my personal estate what kind or nature soever wheresoever I give and devise and bequeath the same (subject as aforesaid) [this next clause is marked on the original with a large red X] to my said dear and loving wife for ever and hereby appoint her sole executrix.14 Thus, if Frances had a child, after her death the child would get the property in preference to William and Mary, who received none of his personal property. Back in Philadelphia, William and Mary learned of Caleb’s death and had his first will probated 12 March 1757. An inventory was returned on 12 April, but is not in the file. They must have soon learned of the second will, because on 8 June, William filed the following caveat: Let this be a caveat against proving any last will & testament of Caleb Ranstead deced or granting any administration on the said estate untill I be first heard. The most important evidence showing that both wills are of a single man is not the words, but that this caveat—a small piece of paper 7"x3Vi" folded into thirds lengthwise and falling apart—is filed in the probate folder containing the English will, indisputably linking William with Caleb of Chester. The conclusion to this saga is found—as important genealogical information so often is—in land records created decades later, in this case two deeds of partition dated 20 October 1783, contain¬ ing similar wording. _ William Ransted of the City of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania Cooper (son of Caleb Ransted formerly of the City of Philadelphia Turner but late of the City of Chester in that part of Great Britain called England deceased) . . . and Mary White of the said City of Philadelphia widow (daughter of the said Caleb Ransted deceased) . . . [Caleb] did make and publish his last will and testament . . . [the English will is quoted at length] and whereas the said Frances Ransted the widow of the said testator after his death intermarried with a certain Richard Wicksted of the City of Chester aforesaid attorney at law and afterwards to wit on the twelfth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven she the said Frances died without any child or children lawfully begotten of her body by the said Caleb Ransted. Whereupon in pursuance of the said recited last will and testament . . . the [real property] became lawfully and rightfully vested in the said testators two 15 children, to wit, the said William Ransted and Mary White 14 Will of Caleb Ransted, written 18 November 1755, probated 9 September 1756; Caleb Ransted Probate File, Will #48, Philadelphia City Archives; Philadelphia Wills L:76-77; FHL #21,725. The will is written on parchment in Old English script, labeled “A true copy examined by Hugh Speed Depfuty] Reg[istra]rn of Chester, proved in ornate language in Chester 9 September 1756, and received into the Philadelphia Registrar General’s Office 10 February 1758. The folder contains the will, the probate, and the caveat. The “subject as aforesaid” likely referred to funeral expenses and debts. There arc no clauses limiting possession of personal property to Frances’s lifetime nor revoking former wills. 15 Philadelphia Deeds D8:262-65, D13323-25; FHL #21,910, 21,912. The easternmost end of Ranstead Street may have been Ransted Alley, which adjoined these lots. Apparently William and Mary were advised that the second will was valid; there are no entries in the Philadelphia Orphans Court for the case. Philadelphia Orphans Court Index 1719-1852, HSP microfilm XW PaPhla. Notes on Caleb 2001J 137 GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY 1. CALEB2 RANSTED (Joseph l) was born say 1682 (estimating 25 at marriage). He died at Chester (or West Chester), Cheshire, England, between 30 May 1756 (adult baptism) and 9 September 1756 (probate in Chester). On 30 May 1756-almost a year after his fourth marriage and shortly before his death—Caleb Ransted was baptized in the Anglican Church at Chester.16 He married first at Philadelphia Meeting House 12 9th month [November] 1707 MARY WARDER, daughter of Richard and Ann (Lee) Warder,17 born 12 10th month [December] 1683, at Petworth, Surrey, England.18 Mary Ransted, wife of Caleb, died 4 10th month [December] 1720 at Philadelphia.19 He married second SARAH FINCHER, daughter of Joshua Fincher of Oxford Township, Oxford County.20 Sarah Ransted, wife of Caleb, died 10 11th month [January] 1728 in Philadelphia.21 He married third by 26 4th month [June] 1730 RACHEL PRATT.22 She died prior to 8 July 1755 (fourth marriage), likely in England. He married fourth as “Caleb Ransted, of St. Oswald’s” 8 July 1755 at Saint John the Baptist, Chester, Cheshire, England, FRANCES SMITH 23 Frances (Smith) Ransted married 7 May 1758 at Saint Mary on the Hill, Chester, Cheshire, England, Richard Wicksted, gentleman.24 Children of Caleb2 and Mary (Warder) Ransted, all events recorded at Philadel¬ ; birth Meeting order uncertainP5 phia Monthly i. HANNAH3 RANSTED, daughter of Caleb and Mary, buried 2 8th month [October] 1713ii. possibly RANSTED, buried 14 10th month [December] 1714, or this may be the burial of Caleb’s father. RANSTED, died 14 6th month [August] 1716. m. possibly iv. CALEB3 RANSTED, son of Caleb and Mary, died 8 7th month [September] JOSEPH3 JOSHUA3 til 1717. v. MARY3 RANSTED, born say 1719; married by 29 4th month [June] 1740 (reported married out of unity on that date and disowned 26 1st month [March] 1742) JAMES WHITE, who died by 20 October 1783. 16 Parish register printouts for Chester, Cheshire, England, 484; FHL #933.258, item 9. 17 Philadelphia Monthly Meeting Minutes, film #MR-Ph 383- 18 Sussex and Surrey Quarterly Meeting, Digest Register of Births, 1648-1837, film #32. 19 William Wade Hinshaw, "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1938) 2:411 [hereafter cited as Hinshaw, “Philadelphia Monthly Meeting"]. 20 Orphans’ Court of Philadelphia, 22 December 1743, 159-60; FHL #21,844. 21 Hinshaw, "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting," 2:411. 22 Hinshaw, "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” 2:626. 23 J. H. E. Bonnctt, Parish Register Transcript, St. John the Baptist, Chester, Marriages 1559- 1793 . . . ; FHL #375,330. St Oswald’s is a parish southeast of Chester24 J. P. Earwakcr, The History of the Church and Parish of St. Ma ry-on-the-Hill, Chester (London: Love & Wyman, Ltd., 1898) 162. This parish is southwest of Chester. 25 Hinshaw, "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” 2:411, 630. 138 [Vol. 42 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Child of Caleb2 and Sarah (Fincher) Pansted, all events recorded at Philadelphia Monthly Meeting.26 vi. WILLIAM3 RANSTED, born about 1722,27 buried 21 7th month [September] 1784 aged 63; “son of Caleb” married 15 4th month [June] 1749 MARY PETERS, daughter of Thomas Peters, born about 1728; Mary Ranstead, wife of William, died 28 10th month [December] 1765 aged 37. Children of William and Mary (Peters) Ransted, order uncertain.’28 X. Sarah4 Ransted, daughter of William, died 13 7th month [September] 1761. 2. Mary4 Ransted, daughter of William, died 19 10th month [December] 1761. 3- William4 Ransted, son of William, died 2 8th month [October] 1764. 4. Thomas4 Ransted, son of William, died 10 8th month [October) 1766 aged 14 months. 5- possibly Elizabeth4 Ransted, reported married contrary to discipline 28 6th month [August] 1776 to ?— Lewis. 6. possibly Susanna4 Ransted, born about 1760; she was 16 in 1776 when Samuel Wetherill was appointed her guardian (no details given);2ÿ dis¬ owned 25 4th month [June] 1794 for joining another society. William Ransted followed in his father’s footsteps as a Philadelphia merchant—not in tea and sundries, but rather as a “fishing tackle-maker and seller" on Arch Street.30 By 12 October 1769 he had become a school¬ master (apparently as a sideline, as he was a cooper in 1777) and placed the following detailed advertisement in the Pennsylvania Gazette. ON the 16th Instant will be opened a general English School, for Night and Day, for the Instruction of Youth and adult Persons, as Read¬ ing, Writing, Arithmetic, Vulgar, Decimal, Duodecimal, &c. the Extrac¬ tion of the Square and Cube Roots, &c. Geometry, Trigonometry, with its various Applications in Navigation, Surveying, &c. and Gauging as practiced by the Royal Revenue. In the Art of Navigation will be taught a method for finding the mid¬ dle Latitude, preferable to any yet taught in this City. Likewise a prob¬ lem by which the Latitude may be found by two Observations, taken either both on either Side of the Meridian, or one on each Side of the Meridian, at equal or unequal Altitudes, at any Time between 9 o’clock in the Morning and 3 in the Afternoon; together with many Branches of the Mathematics, too tedious to mention, by WILLIAM RANSTED, at his School house, in Chestnut street, near Strawberry Alley 31 — Children of Caleb2 Ransted\ all events Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, mother uncertain, birth order uncertain?2 vii. possibly ELIZABETH3 RANSTED, died 31 6th month [August] 1723, or she may have been the wife of Joseph1 Ransted or Joshua who died in 1716. viii. ELIZABETH3 RANSTED, daughter of Caleb, died 18 7th month [September] 1729. ix. LYDIA3 RANSTED, daughter of Caleb, buried 20 8th month [October] 1737. 26 Hinshaw, “Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” 2:411, 630. 27 Orphans’ Court of Philadelphia, 22 December 1743, 159-60; FHL #21,844. 28 Hinshaw, “Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,” 2:411, 630. 29 Orphans' Court of Philadelphia, 11(1776-1782): 85. 30 William Ranstcd’s undated ornamental trade card was published in Alfred Coxe Prime, The Arts & Crafts in Philadelphia, Maryland, and South Carolina, 1721-1785 (Philadelphia: The Walpole Society, 1929, facing page 20. 31 Pennsylvania Gazette (CD-ROM edition), 12 October 1769. 32 Hinshaw, “Philadelphia Monthly Meeting," 2:4ll.