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!