Shared Birthday - Benjamin Taylor Yardley

Yardley Coat of Arms

Since it's my birthday month(February) I thought I'd revisit this story about the only ancestor I've found so far with whom I share a birthday: Benjamin Taylor Yardley (my 3rd great-grandfather.)

He was born in 1802 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, probably in Newtown as his father, Samuel Thornton Yardley, was born and died in Newtown. From the Yardley Family Bible [location currently unknown]:"Benjamin Taylor Yardley son of Samuel T. Yardley and Lydia his wife was born the 19th of Feb at one o'clock in the morning in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two."

Photo by Doug Kerr from Albany, NY

He can be found in the U.S. Federal Censuses from 1830 until 1880. An 1834 tax record shows he owned 65 acres of land in Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania, worth $24 per acre. With 2 horses and 5 head of cattle, his valuation is $1680. 

In 1880 he was living with his daughter Hannah and her husband, Edward Harned, and their 3 children in Northampton, Burlington, New Jersey. He was still living there when he died. He is listed as a widowed farmer, and had lived in New Jersey for 5 years. (From New Jersey Births and Burials.)   

Since we know so little about this particular ancestor, maybe it's a good time to write a bit about our Yardley line. First a short history, then the frustration! There are early mentions of the name as “Eardele” in 666, but the first record of the name as we recognize it was “William Yardley L.M.,” a witness to the signing of the first Magna Carta given by John I to England, dated June 15th, 1215. (Genealogy of the Yardley Family, 1402-1881 by Thomas W. Yardley) This is quoted in every Yardley bio you will find, but no one seems to have actual proof that it's true! So take it with a grain of salt...

About 11 generations later, Quaker William Yardley of Ransclough, Staffordshire, England came to America with his wife Jane, and 3 sons, arriving at The Falls, Bucks County, 28 September 1682. He had been a minister among Friends at age twenty-five, and was imprisoned several times for practicing his religion. Before leaving England, he made an agreement with William Penn to purchase 500 acres of land for ten pounds. His property was named “Prospect Farm” on the west bank of the Delaware, covering the site of  present day Yardley borough. He took a prominent part in the affairs of the infant colony. He signed the Great Charter, represented Bucks County in the first Assembly, and was a member of the Executive Council. William died in 1694. Sadly, smallpox was rampant in the years 1702-1703, killing William's three sons, and all his grandchildren as well. William’s brother, Thomas Yardley, still living in England, inherited William’s lands in America. Thomas married Ann Biles and they had ten children. Thus Thomas became the ancestor of all that bear the name of Yardley in Bucks County and in many other parts of the country. (History of Bucks County, chapter VIII)

Do you hear that sound of screeching tires? Yeah, it’s because things fall apart for us here. Right about the time Thomas showed up from England to take over his deceased brother William’s properties, a Richard Yardley also arrived. The following is from the book A Genealogical and Personal History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania:

This is the only place I can find that mentions his being a probable grandson of John Yardley and Alice Sutton, of Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire, England. Richard and Thomas would be cousins if this is true. Richard was closely associated with Thomas, and even bought 600 acres of land from him. He did not live on this parcel of land, but operated a mill that belonged to Thomas in Solebury Township. Richard Yardley is our ancestor.  Unfortunately I can't find anything to substantiate the kinship. It's logical but there's no proof. 
Richard married Mary Searle and they had 6 sons and one daughter. Next-to-youngest son Samuel was born in 1733. Samuel later married Lucy Thornton (another prominent Bucks County surname.) Their oldest child was Samuel Thornton Yardley born 1778. (From the Yardley Bible: “Samuel Thornton Yardley son of Samuel and Lucy Yardley was born 15 minutes before 9 o’clock in the morning of the 5th day of the week and twenty third day of the month called April 1778.”) He married Lydia Taylor (of THE Taylors of Bucks County) and had a son named Benjamin Taylor Yardley, who shares my birthday – February 19th! There is a ton of information written about the Yardley family. Unfortunately, it’s not about our branch of that tree. Richard Yardley’s pedigree has been largely ignored, probably because anyone interested in writing a family history back in the day came from the Thomas line rather than our Richard line. There is an entire chapter written about the Yardleys in Arthur Edward Bye’s A Friendly Heritage Along the Delaware, though not a mention of Richard.
 I do think it’s safe to assume that Thomas and Richard share a common ancestry, most likely as cousins. Maybe one day we’ll solve this mystery!

The Forman Family Bible

On Friday 14 September 2018, I received a strange email via Ancestry.com's Message Center from a Vicky Marquis. She wrote that she watched the shopgoodwill.com auction sites for old family Bibles in the hope of reconnecting them with their family members. (First of all, isn't that an amazing endeavor!?!) She said there was an 1819 Holy Bible with a long list of lineage that looked as though it might belong to my family through Isaac Forman.

We have an Isaac Forman in this time period, who we were pretty sure was the father of Samuel L. Forman since they were buried in the same plot. But nothing concrete connected them.

I went to look at the photos of this auction, with absolutely no expectations… So imagine my shock and surprise to see Isaac Forman's name as the father of Samuel LONGSTREET Forman, and other family members whose names I recognized. PLUS a huge list of names I had never known before!

At the top, Mary's 2 sons from her first marriage. Samuel Longstreet Forman son of Isaac and Mary Forman was born November 22 1805. (Siblings: Julian, Jane Emilia, Harriet and William )

I put in a large bid and waited anxiously, but I just knew that Bible was coming home, and it did! I'm sure it's hard to tell from the photo but it's 11"x 9" by 4" thick. It is covered in an animal skin – there is a loose note tucked inside that says the animal skin was from an animal [looks like a deer] killed by Isaac Forman (1767-1849) – so it's old! The Bible has an interesting smell – kind of like wood smoke and old paper.

Mary & Isaac's birthdates, followed by the names and birthdates of Isaac's children with
1st wife, Emilia or Emily (Eliza, Mariah, Susan Woodrow, Thomas)

The children of  Isaac's parents Thomas and Elizabeth Forman (Mary, Thomas, Rebecca
Elizabeth, Isaac, Sarah, William)

Deaths of: Peter Wm. Grayham (Mary's son from her first marriage), Isaac, Samuel L, Julian,
Jane Emilia Rogers, Susan - no information there, Harriet Forman Arrison

I had high hopes that there would be more pages of names besides the ones shown in the auction photos. Turns out there were 2 additional pages. The first is for marriages and shows Isaac's marriage to his second wife, Mary. (23 January 1805) No other records on this page.

Deaths of both of Isaac's wives. The only records on this page.

What we know now that we didn't know before the Bible:

• Isaac Forman is the father of Samuel L. Forman
• The "L" in Samuel's name stands for Longstreet.
• Isaac's wife Mary (1774-1841) is the mother of Samuel and 4 other children. (She's also buried in the plot so we had assumed this connection…)
• Isaac had a first wife – Emilia, and 4 children with her.
• Mary had a first husband – William Grayham [Graham], and had 2 boys with him.
• So this was a yours, mine, and ours family – 11 children in total!
• We now also know that Isaac's parents are Thomas Forman and Elizabeth (don't know her maiden name unfortunately.) And his 6 siblings' names and dates of birth. 
• Also some other marriage and death dates. 

With this information I have been able to ascertain that Isaac's wife, Mary, was the daughter of Samuel Longstreet, and I've found the names of all of Mary's 5 siblings. This was all in a will (snippet below)  that established Mary as the wife of Isaac Forman.

I have also found a record for their marriage. (They were married 23 Jan 1805 in Middlesex, New Jersey.)

I've heard of these kinds of 'miracle' stories but never expected to experience one myself. I am so happy to have the Bible back in the family. I have it stored in an archival box wrapped in archival tissue. I shared it at the last family Christmas party/brunch. I'm anxious for family members to see it since it actually belongs to us all.

Just so you understand where this Forman line extends:
Edgar C. Forman (1896-1981)<<Wm C Forman(1859-1934)<<Wm Lake Forman(1829-1919)<<Samuel L Forman(1805-1844)<<Isaac Forman (1867-1849)<<Thomas Forman (1735-????)

A Sweet Love Story

With Valentine's Day 2019 right around the corner I thought I'd re-share the sweet love story of Edwin Stanton Ross Jr. and Laura Barrett from 1933. (Originally shared in Memories at FamilySearch.org)

Their story is told in a newspaper article printed in The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware on 3 July 1933. Edwin (1910-1979) is the son of Edwin Stanton Ross, Sr., (1870-1937) who is the son of John Ross (1833-1890) and Ann Elizabeth Spiece (1837-1872.)

REAL ROMANCE IN OPERA CAST
Patrons of the Robin Hood Theatre at Arden are much interested in the announcement of the marriage of two of the popular players, Miss Laura Barrett, of New York, and Edwin Ross, of Arden. The wedding took place on [Friday] April 28 in Denver, Colorado, when both young people were on tour with Walter Hampden and his Shakespearean players.
The story of the wedding, as related by a friend, follows:

"On the 28th of last April the train carrying the Walter Hampden Company pulled into Denver late in the afternoon. Two young people, together with two friends, one of whom was Robert C. Schnitzer, scurried away to the city hall to get there before closing time. They succeeded, and with gentle persuasion convinced the Justice of Peace that although they were not very old they did know their own minds. There was just time enough to say the awesome words and for the groom to clap the ring on the young maiden's finger.

"That night Laura Barrett and Edwin Ross walked into the theatre as Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Ross. Straight to Mr. Hampden's dressing room they went and that genial person being late as usual begged them to wait to tell him their secret, unless, of course it was too important. Well, it was important, at least so thought Laura, and quickly she blurted out the startling news that they were now married. Like wild fire it spread through the company with whom the two were great favorites, and the performance of "Hamlet" that night was permeated with an unusual current of excitement.

"The following Saturday, as the curtain came down, Mr. Hampden in his Hamlet's costume called the company together. With fervent words of wisdom and equally fervent kisses in behalf of the entire company, Mr. Hampden presented the young couple with a traveling alarm clock; in other words he gave them the right start in life together with his blessing."
Edwin Ross, who founded the Robin Hood Theatre three summers ago and pulled the company through its first very hazardous season, is well known. He was born in Philadelphia, but he has lived in Arden all his life. He attended schools there and later in Wilmington, going on to Wilmington High. For the past five years he has been with Mr. Hampden, playing in every production that he has had in that time. In the past year, Mr. Ross has toured from coast to coast twice with Mr. Hampden.

Mrs. Ross (nee Barrett) was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her elementary education in Washington and then attended the American University there, of which she is a graduate. She is also a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York. Last fall she joined the Walter Hampden Company and it was then that she met Mr. Ross.

Next week will be Miss Barrett's first appearance with the Robin Hood Theatre when the two young people play opposite each other in "The Importance of Being Earnest," which opens tomorrow. They have two very delightful parts: Miss Barrett as Cecily falls in love with Algy, the charming young man who takes life lightly, before she has even met him.