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BUCKS INDEX

THE FOULKE FAMILY

THE FOULKE FAMILY that has been prominent in the official, professional and business life of Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties for many generations as well as in that of far distant states and cities, is descended from Edward FOULKE, who emigrated from Wales in 1698 and settled in Gwynedd, now Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. An account of his ancestry, tracing in unbroken line to "John King of England, born December 24, 1166, crowned May 27, 1216," and an account of his coming to America, etc., the latter written by himself under date of 11-mo. 14, 1702, contains among other things the following:

"When arrived at mature age, I married Eleanor, the daughter of Hugh, ap (son of) CADWALLADER, ap Rhys of the parish of Spytu in Denbighshire. Her mother's name was Gwen the daughter of Ellis ap William, ap Hugh, ap Thomas, ap David, ap Madoc, ap Evan, ap Cott, ap Evan, ap Griffith, ap Madoc, ap Einion, ap Meredith of Cai-Fadog; she was born in the same parish and shire with her husband. I had by my said wife nine children, whose names are as follows: Thomas, Hugh, Cadwallader, and Evan; Grace, Gwen, Jane, Catharine, and Margaret. We lived at a place called Coedy-foel, a beautiful farm belonging to Roger PRICE, Esq., of Rhiwlas, of Merionethshire, aforesaid. But in progress of time I had an inclination to remove with my family to the Province of Pennsylvania; and in order thereto we set out on the 3d day of the 2d-month, A. D. 1698, and came in two days to Liverpool, where with divers others, who intended to go the voyage, we took shipping, the 17^th of the same month, on board the "Robert and Elizabeth," and the next day set sail for Ireland, where we arrived, and stayed until the 1^st of the 3d month, May, and then sailed again for Pennsylvania, and were about eleven weeks at sea. And the sore distemper of the bloody flux broke out in the vessel, of which died five and forty persons in our passage. The distemper was so mortal that two or three corpses were cast overboard every day while it lasted. But through the favor and mercy of Divine Providence, I, with my wife and nine children, escaped that sore mortality and arrived safe at Philadelphia, the 17^th day of the 5^th-month, July, where we were kindly received and hospitably entertained by our friends and old acquaintances. I soon purchased a fine tract of land of about seven hundred acres, sixteen miles from Philadelphia, on a part of which I settled, and divers others of our company, who came over sea with us, settled near me at the same time. This was the beginning of November, 1698, aforesaid, and the township was called Gwynedd or North Wales."

According to his own narrative Edward FOULKE was born 5^th mo. 14^th, 1651, and taking the age given by the Meeting Records at time of his death would place the date of his death in 1739. All of his nine children lived to mature age, married and reared families. The only two in whom Bucks countians have any especial interest were his eldest son Thomas, and second son Hugh. Gwen, the eldest daughter married Alexander Edwards, Jr., who was a land owner in Bucks county and has descendants here. Grace married John GRIFFITH, of Merion, Chester county. Jane married Ellis HUGH, and settled at Exeter, Berks county, and left numerous descendants of the name of HUGHES. Catharine married Theophilus WILLIAMS, of Montgomery. Margaret married Nicholas ROBERTS. Thomas FOULKE, eldest son of Edward and Eleanor, born in Merionethshire, Wales, immigrant to Gwynedd, 1698, with his parents, married at Gwynedd, 4 mo. 27, 1706, Gwen EVANS, daughter of David, of Radnor, and settled at Gwynedd on part of the Edward FOULKE tract. He died in 1762, and his wife in 1760. They were the parents of eight children, of whom the two oldest Edward (1707-1770) and William (1708-1775) had descendants in Bucks. Dr. Joseph FOULKE, for many years a practicing physician of Buckingham, was a great grandson of Edward, through his son Hugh (1752-1831), a noted minister among Friends, who married Ann ROBERTS, their son Joseph (1786-1863), who married Elizabeth SHOEMAKER, being the father of the Buckingham physician, Dr. Charles FOULKE, born December 14, 1815, died December 30, 1871, for many years a practicing physician at New Hope, Bucks county, and the father of Dr. Richard C. FOULKE, still practicing there, was also a great-great-grandson of Thomas FOULKE and Gwen EVANS. His Father, Edward FOULKE, of Gwynedd (1784-1851), married Tacy JONES, and his grandfather, Amos FOULKE, (1740-1791) one of the firm of Caleb and Amos FOULKE, merchants of Philadelphia, was the son of William, second son of Thomas and Gwen, who married Hannah JONES, of Montgomery.

Hugh FOULKE, second son of Edward and Eleanor, born in Merionethshire, in 1685, married, in 1713, Ann WILLIAMS, born 11 mo. 8, 1693, died 9mo. 10, 1773, daughter of John WILLIAMS, of Montgomery, and settled in Richland, Bucks county, soon after his marriage, and died there 5mo. 21, 1760. He was a minister of the Society of Friends for forty years. He is the ancestor of many present residents of Bucks county, through comparatively few of the name now reside in the county. The children of Hugh and Ann (WILLIAMS) FOULKE were;-Mary, born 1714, died 2mo. 29, 1756, married James BOONE, of Exeter, Berks county, son of George the elder, and brother of Squire BOONE, the father of Daniel, the pioneer of Kentucky. Their eldest daughter, Ann, married Abraham LINCOLN, of the family of the martyred president. Martha, born 5mo. 22, 1716, died 4mo. 17, 1781, married (first), October 4, 1738, William EDWARDS, of Milford, Bucks county, and (second) John ROBERTS. Samuel, born 1718, died 1797, married Ann GREASLEY. He was one of the most prominent men in upper Bucks county, serving in the Provincial Assembly 1761 to 1768. He as a surveyor and conveyancer, and transacted a large amount of public business for his neighbors. He was clerk of Richland Meeting from its organization in 1742 for thirty years, and an elder until his death, notwithstanding the fact that he and his brothers, John Thomas, and Theophilus and nephew, Everard, were disowned in 1781 for having taken the oath of allegiance, the action of the Meeting not being sanctioned by the Yearly Meeting. He translated the "narrative" of his grandfather, Edward FOULKE, from Welsh into English. John FOULKE, born 12mo. 21, 1722, died 5mo. 25, 1787, married Mary ROBERTS, daughter of Edward ROBERTS, a noted minister among Friends of Richland. John was also a member of Provincial Assembly from Bucks county from 1769 to 1775. Thomas FOULKE, born in Richland 8mo. 14, 1724, died 3mo. 31, 1786, married Jane ROBERTS, another daughter of Edward ROBERTS, of Richland. See forward. Theophilus FOULKE, born in Richland, 12mo. 21, 1726, died 11mo. 4, 1785, married Margaret THOMAS, daughter of Samuel and Margaret. Of their twelve children Benjamin, born 11mo. 19, 1766, died 2mo. 28, 1821, was a member of assembly from Bucks county, 1816 to his death in 1821, at Harrisburg in attendance upon the session of the legislature. He was given an official funeral, which was attended by both houses, the governor, and heads of departments, and resolutions were adopted that crape should be worn during the remainder of the session. William FOULKE, born 12mo. 10, 1728, died 4mo. 11, 1796, married Priscilla LESTER, daughter of John of Richland. Edward FOULKE, born 10mo. 19, 1729, died March 1, 1747, unmarried. Ann FOULKE, born 1mo. 1, 1732, married William THOMAS. Jane FOULKE, born 1mo. 3, 1734, died 8mo., 1771, married John GREASLEY.

Thomas FOULKE, of Richland, son of Hugh and Ann (WILLIAMS) FOULKE, born 1mo. 14, 1724, died 3mo. 31, 1786, was a life long resident of Richland township, and a prominent man in the community. He was a member of Richland Monthly Meeting, and like his brothers was dealt with for taking the oath to the United Colonies in 1781. His wife, Jane ROBERTS, born 11mo. 3, 1732, died 7 mo. 25, 1822, was a daughter of Edward and Mary (BOLTON), ROBERTS, of Richland, the former a native of Merionethshire, born 3mo., 1687, came to Pennsylvania in 1699, and settled in Byberry, Philadelphia county. He married, in 1714, Mary BOLTON, born in Cheltenham, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, November 4, 1687, daughter of Everard and Elizabeth BOLTON, who came from Ross, Hertfordshire, England, in 1682, and settled in Cheltenham. Everard BOLTON was a justice of Philadelphia county, and a very prominent man in Colonial times. The children of Thomas and Jane (ROBERTS) FOULKE were:-Everard, born 9mo. 8, 1755, died 9mo. 5, 1827; Abigail, born 10mo. 4, 1763; Susan, born 11mo. 5, 1766; Samuel, born 11mo. 19, 1767; Edward and Samuel, died in infancy.

Everard FOULKE, son of Thomas and Jane, was one of the justices of the peace of Richland for many years. He was one of the assessors of the United States taxes, when John FRIES raised his rebellion in 1798, in upper Bucks and Northampton counties, against the collection of the tax, and was one of the assessors attacked in Lower Milford and at Quakertown by the insurrectionists and forced to desist from performing their duty. He married, in 1778, Ann DEHAVEN, of Holland ancestry and they were the parents of nine children, as follows:-Abigail, born 5 mo. 18, 1779, married Abel PENROSE, see PENROSE family in this work; Eleanor, born 7mo. 18, 1781, died 4 mo. 28, 1815, unmarried; Caleb, see forward; Samuel, born 3 mo. 28, 1786, married Elizabeth JOHNSON; Thomas, born 4 mo. 13, 1789, died in Kentucky; Susanna, born 9 mo. 18, 1791, died 1883, married David JOHNSON; Anna, born 5 mo. 3, 1794, died 9 mo. 16, 1820; Margaret, born 12 mo. 24, 1796, married Peter LESTER in 1820; Everard, born 7 mo. 21, 1800, married Frances WATSON, daughter of John WATSON, of Buckingham, and removed to Illinois.

Caleb FOULKE, son of Everard and Ann (DEHAVEN) FOULKE, was born in Richland, 8 mo. 28, 1783, died 2 mo. 22, 1852, was also a lifelong resident of Richland. He married, 11 mo. 26, 1807, Jane GREEN, born 2 mo. 8, 1785, died 3 mo. 3, 1835, daughter of Benjamin and Jane (ROBERTS) GREEN. Benjamin GREEN was a son of Joseph and Catharine (THOMAS) GREEN, of Springfield, Bucks county, and was born in Springfield, 4 mo. 27, 1750, died in Quakertown. He was a hatter in Springfield and later in Quakertown. The children of Caleb and Jane (GREEN) FOULKE were:-Caroline, died in infancy; Caroline, born 2 mo. 25, 1810, died 12 mo. 17, 1838; Maryetta, born 7 mo. 30, 1811, died 4 mo. 26, 1851, married Aaron PENROSE; Benjamin G. (see forward); and Eleanor, born 3 mo. 12, 1816, died 8 mo. 13, 1842, married Samuel J. LEVICK.

Benjamin G. FOULKE, son of Caleb and Jane (GREEN) FOULKE, was born at Quakertown, and died there 8 mo. 14, 1888.He was a clerk of the men's branch of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting from 1873 to 1886. He was a prominent business man of Quakertown for a half century and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was a surveyor and conveyancer and did a large amount of public business He married, 1838, Jane MATHER, born 3 mo. 24, 1817, daughter of Charles and Jane MATHER, of Whitpain, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Their children were, Caleb, born 12 mo. 3, 1839, died 10 mo. 20, 1865; Charles M., born 7 mo. 25, 1841, educated at Foulke's school at Gwynedd, and Friends' Central School, Philadelphia; entered merchantile business in Philadelphia, 1861, retired 1872, married at Paris, France, December 10, 1872, Sarah A. CUSHING, of New York city; Job Roberts, born 2 mo. 23, 1843; Anna S., born 1846; and Eleanor, 1850.

Job Roberts FOULKE, son of Benjamin G. and Jane (MATHER) FOULKE, born at Quakertown, 2 mo. 23, 1843, has been trust officer of the Provident Life and Trust Company of Philadelphia for many years. He married, 5 mo. 25, 1869, Emma BULLOCK, daughter of Samuel and Jemima R. BULLOCK, of Mt. Holly, New Jersey, and has two children; Roland Roberts, and Rebecca Mulford. Roland Roberts, a member of the Philadelphia bar, married, June 6, 1900, Ellen R. GRIFFITH, daughter of Manuel E. and Mary E. GRIFFITH, of Philadelphia.

Eleanor FOULKE, daughter of Benjamin G. and Jane (MATHER) FOULKE, is the only one of the family to retain her residence in Bucks county. She resides at the old family mansion at Quakertown, and is unmarried.

Text taken from page 89 of: Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III

Transcribed JULY 2000 by GRACE T. BURTON of PA as part of the Bucks Co., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html

Published July 2000 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb pages at www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/

The following was sent by Ian Barclay (March 2003) and requested  to post this omission

The Foulkes family lineage, and searched your bucks history names and see a glaring omission in the list as there is no file on Everard Bolton or ( Boulton ). I know for a fact that he lived near Penn's place near levittown in 1710, ( the house is still there a state historic site, tho hard to find as it is in the middle of a housing tract in Levittown ) was a Jof P for Bucks and philly counties as well as a representative to the Assembly from Bucks and Philly counties for a number of terms until his death in 1724? He is mentioned many times in the early records of the Pa Assembly, and was Treasurer of the Abington Friends, and a founding member when he first got to " the woods " in 1683, on the second voyage of the " Bristol Factor ". He left his first patent in Cheltenham to his son, and moved up to Bucks by 1710. He was a well lettered man, and the inventory of his will in the city of Philly, is in a beautiful hand, and he was a " subsciber " to some of the earliest roads in the area, such as "The York Road " as well as some others, if you are not the person to direct this to, please forward this to the correct person. thanks very much Ian Barclay caretaker of Everard Bolton original patent in Cheltenham still there after 320 years