Stephen Cole Sr

• Birth Notes
  • Notes for  STEPHEN SR COLE:
    Stephen came to America before 1725. His ship landed near Chester, Pennsylvania. He and his family probably lived for a time after their arrival, in the Welsh Tract, a 30,000 acre Grant from William Penn in 1701 to the Society of Welsh Baptists. This large acreage cover New Castle County, which was part of Pennsylvania at this time. The Welsh immigrants were of Baptist and Presbyterian faiths. Most moved into New Castle County where the Presbyterians founded the Pencader Church at Glasgow. The Baptists established their first church upon Iron Hill in New Castle. The original entry record is preserved and states: "We set sail in June 1701 from Melford in the ship "James and Mary" landing in Philadelphia in September. All were members of the Churches of Jesus Christ in the counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen, South Wales in Great Britian. We were moved and encouraged to come to these parts viz Pennsylvania."
    
    The Welsh brought letters of commendatory so they might be received as brethren in Christ, if they met others of like faith. Thomas Griffith was a minister with the pioneer band of Baptists. Known members of this group were named: Robinson, Evans, McDonald, Graham, Cloyd, Rontfro and Van Bibber. Their son pioneered down to the Shenandoah Valley in Orange and Frederick Counties, Virginia with James Cole, John Cole and Mark Cole in the 1730's.
    
    Since Stephen's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1732, and his sons left for Virginia right after this, it could be probable that Stephen started this trip with his sons. He could have died and been buried on the journey since he is not buried in the family plot in New Castle and there is no record of him in Virginia.
    
    Elizabeth was buried on September 24, 1732 in the Cole plot at Saint Paul's Church in Chester, Pennsylvania. her tombstone reads that she was 70 years of age at death. Her son Stephen Jr, daughter-in-law, Martha, and Stephen and Martha's daughter, Elizabeth Cole, who died on June 19, 1731 at the age of 9 months, are buried with her. 

• General Notes
  • STEPHEN SR1 COLE was born Abt. 1660 in Twickenham, Middlesex, England, and died in New Castle, Delaware. He married ELIZABETH TEMPLE. She was born 1662 in England, and died September 24, 1732 in Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
    
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