• General Notes

  Note:
  
  ZELLEY, Martha-79 HEADS OF FAMILIES
  DESCENDENTS FROM SEVENTY NINE EARLY IMIGRANT HEADS OF FAMILIES, by Elston, James Strode FHC 973/D2el Volume 1 127p. Index ZELLEY
  MARTHA ZELLEY (Zelee, Zilly) and five children about the year 1700 or probably
  between 1700 and 1713 migrated from the disrtict of Nailsworth, Gloucestershire,
  England according to the only real account of the Zelley family...that in "Genealogical
  History of New Jersey" III, 916 by Francis B. Lee. Nailsworth Monthly Meeting
  reported the burial of Daniel Zelley 10 mo. 16, 1711, so it appears that he may have
  been Martha's husband. Burlington Monthly Meeting recorded the m. 10 mo. 12, 1728
  of Rachel Zelley, the daughter of Martha Dixon to Francis Smith, so it appears Martha
  had remarried by then. "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of Friends possesses a copy of
  the certificate of removal of membership of Martha Zelley from Nailsworth Monthly
  Meeting, England addressed 'to the friends and brethern of Pennsylvania or Jersey
  where these may come', dated 12 mo. 9, 1712 as follows: 'The bearer hereof, Martha
  Zelley, having a brother in your parts'-- These records conclusively show that Daniel
  and Martha Zelley were the parents of five children, at least--and we find them as
  witnesses to each other's marriages in Philadelphia and Burlington-- from 1713 to
  1728. -- The daughter, Martha must have died single-- Sarah married Thomas
  Antrum--1715. John Zelley and Margaret Howell-- (John) died without leaving a
  descendant."
  Children:Martha, Sarah, John, DANIEL and Rachel
  At this time it is not known if Martha's brother Obediah or Jonathan had come to West (New) Jersey or Philadelphia County, PA. But in "The History of Burlington, NJ" by Schermerhorn, 1927 page 379, we find:"In that same year, 1678, there arrived a ship from London.....Jonathan Eldridge and several more." Also, the name Obediah Eldridge shows up several times in the early Philadelphia Monthly Meeting records. No research has been conducted to see if either of these men were in fact Martha's brother. So, very shortly after her husband's death, Martha decided to move to the new world to join her brother.
  Martha and her four unmarried children came with her landing probably in either West Jersey or Philadelphia. It is not known if some or all of the children came with Martha, perhaps some came before or even after. The wedding of the first child to be married in America, John who married Martha Howell at Philadelphia Month Meeting in 1713, reports that both parents were present and gave their consent. Therefore John's mother was in the new world by that date. Since John died in 1714 shortly after his only child Martha died he left no descendants. The youngest daughter Sarah married Thomas Antrim 1715 recorded at the Burlington Monthly Meeting. I do not find anything noted as to her parent.
  It is reported that the widow Martha Eldridge Zelley married a Mr. Dixon in Philadelphia shortly after arriving. The only know record of this marriage is that when her daughter Rachel (Rachel Zilly) married Francis Smith in 1728, Rachel reported to the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting that she was the daughter of Mrs. Martha Dixon (Dexon) of Springfield.

Details of Martha's family with Daniel ZELLEY/SEALY