General Notes

Luxton.ged]

BIO:The parentage of Lydia Phillips is not certain. More research remains to be done. In other researchers records I have seen data which might be similar to this:

The Bucks County, PA, Richland Meeting of the Society of Friends was organized in 1742. Lydia's place of birth is listed as Richland. I've also seen another source which lists her birthplace as Wales. Since Lydia and Jeffrey's oldest child is named George, which would follow a typical Quaker naming pattern, the George below might indeed be her father.

Lydia Phillips married Jeoffrey Beck in Philadephia about this time, and the young couple's first four children were born in Bucks County. Records show that they were married in a Presybterian Church.

If they were Quakers, I can imagine that they attended the Richland meeting, but they might also have attended the Falls Meeting in Bucks County which was organized much earlier--1683. I need to search the Hinshaw Quaker books for Becks and Phillips families.

A Lydia Phillips was the 10th of 10 children of George and Patience Phillips. The family lived first in Bucks Co., PA, and then moved to Abington and Gwynned in Montgomery Co., PA. Lydia Phillips and her husband (Roberts lists Leonard Thomas as the husband) had 10 children according to the account of "Early Friends of Upper Bucks" by Roberts (1925). This Lydia is the same age as our Lydia. The husband and children don't match. These Phillips were Quakers.

Phillips in early Pennsylvania land records: Minute Book "D":

Ordered that Wm. Phillips have Lott in New Castle at usual Rent, he building on it and fenceing it in within six months after the Date of Survey.

Minutes Book "F":

John Phillips was a witness to a letter that Edward Claypoole wrote to attorney Patrick Robinson from the Island of Barbados. The letter was recorded a the Commissioners Meeting of 12th June 1693. Patrick Robinson, was secretary for the commission.

The Chester Co., PA, surname registry has these persons interested in the Philips or Phillips name: Marilyn Kucera, Dick Pennock(NOT RIGHT FAMILY), Earle Nelson(NOT RIGHT FAMILY), and Diana Powell.

Edward died seven years before Jeffrey was married. Jeffrey's mother was still alive, but it appears that he was a minor at the time of his father's death. He was left half of the 162 acres of land that his father owned. Several Phillips families were located in Solebury Township and it was possibly through a connection with these families that he met his future wife, Lydia Phillips. When Jeffrey applied for permission to be married, he paid one pound for a marriage license on February 1, 1743. (3) Two days later, February 3, 1743, he married Lydia Phillips in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . This entry in the register was for the 12th month, 3rd day, 1742. Since the English Colonies were still on the Julian Calendar, which had March 25th as the first day of the year, the twelfth month would have been February. When the change was made from one calendar system to the other, the starting date of the year changed. Any date occurring between Jan. Ist and March 25th during the Julian Calendar would need a year added to it. Since this marriage
date fits into this category, a year needs to be added to the date in the marriage register.' All other records pertaining to this marriage should be scrutinized in the light of this information.

Sarah Buckman, the first wife of Edward Beck, was a Quaker. We assume since Edward married her that he was also a Quaker and English in origin. After the Quakers came to the Colonies many of them left their religion. The Quakers were persecuted for their pacifist beliefs which made it a hard religion to live. Many of them joined less demanding and 'more respectable' sects such as
Presbyterian and Episcopalian .(6) This might explain why Jeffrey and Lydia were married in the Presbyterian Church. To this union were born Five children:

Jeffrey, Beck, Sr. and Lydia Phillips(7)

George Beck b. abt 1743 in Bucks Co., PA
Sarah Beck b. 15 Feb 1745 in Bucks Co., PAs
Dianna Beck b. 14 May 1749 in Bucks Co., PA9
John Beck b. abt 1750 in Augusta Co., VA?
Jeffrey., Beck, Jr. b. 25 Nov 1752 in Augusta Co., VA

The building where Jeffrey and Lydia were married was called the "Buttonwood Church" because it was situated in a grove of Sycamore trees. It was built in 1704 and won on the South side of High Street, between Second and Third Streets in Philadelphia.(10)

In 1748 Jeffrey sold his half of the land (81 acres) he and his brother, Edward, Jr. and inherited. Jeffrey was listed on the deed as living in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In addition to being listed on this deed along with his brother, sisters and their spouses, he signed as a witness." It is probable that Jeffrey and Edward, Jr. were both trying to support families and their mother on this 162 acres of land. Since Jeffrey and Lydia were still in Solebury until at least 1748, it would seem that the first two children, George and Sarah, were born in Bucks County. It is not known where the next two children, Dianna and John, were born. This sale of property is the beginning of the migration of Jeffrey and his family to North Carolina. Edward, Jr. was listed on a poor tax list which was levied on the inhabitants of Solebtiry Township in 1751 but Jeffrey is not listed.(12) In 1755 Edward, Jr. sold the rest of the land but Jeffrey's name does not appear on the deed. By that time Jeffrey was located in Orange County, North Carolina, after having made a short stop in Augusta County, Virginia.

The migration path Jeffrey and Lydia followed from Bucks County, Pennsylvania to Augusta County, Virginia, was common for the shifting Population of the time. There were several major migration roads which had come about from people seeking land and the treaties established with the Indians, The treaty between the Colony of Virginia and twenty-Five Indian chiefs of the Six United Nations of Indians" in 1744, gave colonists total control of the land West of the Great Warrior Path (also known as the Great Valley Road) in Virginia between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain ranges. The Great Valley Road became the most heavily traveled route in Colonial America. This was the road that most people migrating South into Virginia traveled. The assumption is that Jeffrey and Lydia probably traveled South to Philadelphia. From there they headed West on the Philadelphia Wagon Road (also known as the Lancaster Road) which led to Lancaster, York and Gettysburg. From this area they would have traveled South on the Great Valley Road which went down the Shenandoah Valley along the East side of Augusta County, Virginia.( 14)

Because the road to Virginia hid become safe for colonists to travel, a large segment of the population began to move South. There were several motivating factors for migration in that direction. Land was difficult to obtain in Pennsylvania because the proprietors of the Province bought the land from the Indians in small sections and it was soon inhabited.(15) The land in Virginia was cheap and it was possible for a middle class Englishman to obtain a large tract of land, thus becoming a new kind of English country gentleman.(16) In 1752 the Virginia Legislature passed an act to encourage settlement of the land West of the Great Warrior Path in Virginia. men Willing to bring their families and settle there were exempt from taxes for ten years.(17) There was a large population of Presbyterians who migrated to Augusta County about this time." It is unknown what brought Jeffrey to this area but on 13 February 1752 he bought 400 acres on Mill Creek in Augusta County for five pounds.(18) This land was located in the Borden Land Grant which indicates it was located in present day Rockbridge County or Augusta Coun ty. (13) The deed stated that he was from Augusta County, Virginia at the time he purchased this land. No record as yet has been found of any other land purchased by Jeffrey in that county but he must have been- living there.

The settlement of Augusta County was encouraged by William Gooch, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Virginia, to "remove the frontier of civilization further from Williamsburg, and to place a hardy and enterprising race of people between the capital and the savage Indians."(13) There were Indian disturbances in the county and it must have been a dangerous place to live compared to the established area of Pennsylvania where Jeffrey and Lydia migrated from. This might have been the determining factor in Jeffrey and Lydia only staying here for sixteen months. During this time their son Jeffrey Beck, Jr. was born.(19) In June of 1753 they sold the 400 acres of land on Mill Creek. (20) They were on the move again and they probably traveled South along the Great Valley Road for part of their journey. The Yadkin River Road crossed the Great Valley Road in Southern Virginia. They probably took the Yadkin Rive Road which went to Orange County, North Carolina.

There is no indication as to when or where Lydia died. It could have been on the long trip from Augusta County, Virginia, to Orange County, North Carolina, or it could have been -after they arrived. The living conditions were very primitive in Orange County during these settlement years. Land was broken and crops were planted before crude log cabins were built for the families. Settlers were flocking into North Carolina and locating along the many creeks and rivers in Orange County.
Sickness was prevalent and many of the First settlers died. At some point Jeffrey married Susannah Gibbs(7) and had four more children . The approximate time period for this marriage is calculated from the date of Jeffrey's will which stated there were four minor children in 1774. Therefore, the marriage must have taken place some time around 1760.

Jeffrey2 Beck, Sr. and Susannah Gibbs7
Abraham Beck b. Orange Co., NC
Jesse Beck b. Orange Co., NC
Susannah Beck b. Orange Co., NC
Lydia Beck b. Orange Co., NC

Orange County was formed in the Province of North Carolina in 1752. At that time it was a large area. It was divided several times over the next few years. Records for Jeffrey Beck can be found in Orange (created in 1752), Guilford (created in 1770), and Randolph (created in 1778) Counties. He actually owned the same property on Deep River until his death sometime prior to December 1779. The current county division dictated the County in which information about him was recorded.

The first record found for Jeffrey in Orange County was when he witnessed a land grant application for Jacob Evans on April 26, 1754. This 230 acres of land was located in the Parish of St. Matthew on the South West side of Deep River. The river was the North and East boundary for the 230 acres.(21) Deep River is the South Fork and the Haw River is the North Fork which feeds into the Cape Fear River.(22) They both run through the Randolph County area of Orange County before the division. Jeffrey purchased this land from Jacob Evans on August 14, 1759.(23) This location on Deep River became important as there was a ford to cross the river here and it was used by the Tories during the Revolutionary War. Because it was located on Jeffrey's land it became know as Beck's Ford.

It was an accepted practice of the time for a family to move onto a piece of land and farm it before they gained the title to it. In 1755 Jeffrey was listed on a tax list is I white male, no slaves .( 24) It would seem that Jeffrey and his family farmed the land on Deep River without the help or aid of any slaves. The crops of the region were tobacco, corn, and hemp. Tobacco was used as money and taxes could be paid in pounds of tobacco.

Jeffrey was actively involved in the affairs of his county and community. He served on a Grand Jury in Orange County in May of 176 1. In November of 1763 he was one of eight men commissioned by an Orange County court to determine the course of a road and then to build it, from Cox's Mill to Collins road(25). Cox's Mill was located on Mill Creek which joined Deep River by Beck's Ford
in East central Randolph County and appears on the Collet Map of 1770.(26) Since the land he bought was on Deep River, this meant he was helping to build a road near his home.

In is not known if Jeffrey moved to a new location or just purchased additional land for a time, but on January 4, 1764 he purchased 175 acres from Moses Nelson. This land was located on the Bush Creek waters of Rock River in Orange County and was near the site of the second road Jeffrey was asked to help lay out and build. 27 In August of 1764 he was one of nineteen men commissioned by an Orange County court "to meet and lay out a road from the Rowan County line opposite Frazier's Road to the best and nearest road leading to Cross Creek,"(25) The direction of this road would have crossed Orange County from the West side to the East side. Cross Creek was an important community in colonial North Carolina. It was established in about 1760 and located in the center of Cumberland County on Cape Fear River.(26) It was a major trading center of the time and an important lifeline for Orange County residents. The road that was built became the route that connected Rowan and Orange Counties to Cross Creek.

Jeffrey's new land is shown on a map of Orange County by Fred Hughes with the date of 1764.( 28) This map locates his land on Rock Creek near a road that runs from the Rowan County line to the Cross Creek Road. This probably was the road that Jeffrey helped to build. Jeffrey sold this acres on July 27, 1767 to John Johnston. He had owned it for 31/2 years.

Another indication that Jeffrey was involved in the community was his involvement in the Regulator Movement in Orange County. The Regulator Movement was a preliminary unrest to the Revolution. The governor and sheriff purchased their titles and charged taxes and fees as high as six to eight times the legal rate.(29) The Governor of the Province 'was the law. He picked the sheriff who then carried out his wishes. The sheriff collected taxes, served warrants, and had the power to seize property for taxes or unpaid debts. The taxes were too high, unfairly collected, and used at the discretion of the Governor with no accounting to the people. The people of Orange and surrounding counties began to object. They formed the Regulator Movement aimed at regulating the taxes and the use of them by the Governor. This protest movement induced 95% of the people in Rowan and Guilford counties to refuse to pay taxes. Petitions were sent to the Governor requesting change.(29)

Jeffrey and his friends were involved in the Regulator Movement in its early stages. During February, March, and April of 1768 meetings were held at various places. These meetings brought the people together and solidified the Regulator Movement. Peter Craven was sent to request officials to meet with the Regulators.30 A committee was formed to draft a petition to the governor. William Moffitt helped draft this petition which was signed -by over 450 men. One of these meetings was held at Cox's Mill by Beck's Ford on Deep River.(31) This was located near Jerfrey's home and it is probable he was in attendance. Jeffrey was one of the men who signed a "petition of wrongs to the settlers of the county". He also signed the Regulator Advertisement No. 9 in 1768 along with other men from his coun ty.(32) His fellow'signers were Joseph Sitton (his son-in-law), Peter Craven, Thomas Craven, William Moffitt, Stephan Harlon, and David Jackson. These men were Jeffrey's friends and neighbors. Thomas Craven, Peter Craven, and Stephen Harlon were witnesses to his will'. William Moffitt and David Jackson were appointed guardians to Jeffrey's minor children in his will. David Jackson was a blacksmith, a Regulator, and eventually became a Tory Terrorist.(29)

In September of 1770, Regulators seized control of the Court in Hillsborough , North Carolina. They beat up local officials and destroyed their property.(33) Among the leaders were Ninnian and Matthew Hamilton. Warrants were issued for their arrest. Jeffrey signed two petitions requesting pardons for Ninnian Beall Hamilton and Matthew Hamilton after they participated in the riot. The petitions stated that the men signing them did not participate in the disturbance in any way. Therefore, although Jeffrey was a Regulator, he was not involved in this incident .(34) Pardons were eventually granted to all the men who took part in this riot(31).

Governor Tryon wrote in a letter to the Earl of Hillsborough that Guilford County was formed in 1770 from Orange and Rowan in order to separate the "Insurgents" during the governnient's trouble with the Regulators. Chatham County was also organized in 1771 during the Regulator uprising to try to control the inhabitants.(35) The reorganization didn't seem to hamper the activities of the Regulators. The Governor was obviously not happy and he gathered an army together and waged 'war' against the ReguIators. There was one battle fought in 1771 called the Battle of Alaniance which lasted two hours and the Regulators lost. Governor Tryon remained in the area for a month searching out the Regulators and requiring them to take an oath of allegiance to King George. It seems the people of North Carolina had begun their own war of independence and some historians consider this to be the first battle fought in the Revolutionary War.
The paper in lengthy and no more will fit in this space. There is a second article by Susan Koyle discussing whether Jeffery was a Tory. See file

Notes for LYDIA PHILLIPS:
1743 married Jeffery Beck 3 Feb 1743 in First Presb. Church, Phil., Penn. Record of Penn. Marriages prior to 1810, Vol. 11, p. 6.

1753 Jeffery Beck and Lydia Beck sold 400 acres on MILL Creek, Augusta Co.,

Virginia on 21 Jun 1753. Records of Augusta Co., Va. by Lyman Chackey, Vol. 111, p. 346.

Name and spouse Jeffry Beck and daughter Sarah Listed in Descendants of George and Elizabeth Hobson, by Earl H. Davis-1957, p. 243.

She died after the sate of the property in Augusta Co., Virginia.
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all of above from Ancestry - James D. Officer

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Ancestry - Richard E. Marshall
Ancestry/Jim Peterson