Beeks line: Philip Price 1655ish to 1720, of Wales and Pennsylvania

 I think the origins of the Beeks family lines are thoroughly fascinating (as well as frustrating, sometimes).  There are the New England lines, some of which go back to royalty, the Dutch lines of New York and New Jersey, the Virginia and Maryland lines, and, right in the middle, the Pennsylvania lines.  I'm talking early Pennsylvania here, and I'm talking about Welsh origins. 

Philip Price is one such example.  His name, or his forefather's name, at one time was probably ap Rhys, but I'm glad that history is referring to them at this point as Price, because there are already enough Rees names in this family to make my head spin.  We don't know exactly when Philip was born, but 1655 seems to be as good a date as any.  I've seen two different sets of parents assigned to Philip, so at this point we are going to have to say his parents are unknown, but at least one source says he was from South Wales.  

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, encouraged Quakers from the British Isles to settle in Pennsylvania, because he knew they were hard working people, and he may have had a heart for them, or he may have realized that many were un-educated and therefore easier to manipulate.  (He may also be responsible for cheating some of them but that is for historians to decide.  Since he was all powerful in Pennsylvania at first, I have my own suspicions.)  But Welsh Quakers, some of them, went to Pennsylvania very early, on the understanding that they would be allowed their own county where they would speak their own language, which was outlawed in Wales.  That turned out to be an unfulfilled promised, but the first shiploads of settlers were already in Pennsylvania before it became apparent that they would not be granted their own, separate land for settlement.  Nevertheless, the Welsh stayed. 

We're not sure when Philip arrived in Pennsylvania.  His name is shown as early as 1686 on at least one record, but that could have been generated in Wales, preparatory to leaving.  Some say he arrived in 1691 and others in 1693.  He owned land by 1693, 100 acres that was one mile long and 50 perches (about 925 feet) wide.  This first purchase was located between lands of Rowland Ellis and John Humphrey.  Because of its odd to us shape, it is likely that this was on the banks of the Schuylkill River, at the present location of Merion Station in Montgomery County, Pa.  The Welsh soon built a meeting house, which was erected in 1695, and it's believed Philip's land was very near that location.  (He is also thought to have been buried there.)

We don't know the name of Philip's first wife, but they are thought to have had 7 children together, some of them probably born in Wales and some in Pennsylvania.  Philip was a yeoman, a land owning farmer, and is called illiterate but I don't know what the basis for that statement is.  It is possible that he was literate in the Welsh language only, or it is possible that someone made a judgement based on whether he signed his name to his will.  (Illness accounts for more than one person making a mark on their will while on their sickbed,)  

One mistake Philip made was to contribute 5 pounds to a fund to establish a settlement further to the interior, on the Susquehanna River.  Many of his neighbors also gave, thinking they were buying an opportunity, but the settlement was never begun.  These people were not the first, nor the last, to lose their money to speculators. 

  Philip and his oldest son Isaac were listed on tax records of 1693, taxed on 40 acres (this may be the amount of land that was under cultivation).  The land was valued at 60 pounds.  Philip is said to purchased land in Plymouth town, 1000 acres, in 1697 for 135 pounds sterling..  If this is our Philip, he prospered in his new land.  He may also have ownedd land in Whitpain township.  Since this was a Quaker family, there would not have been a need for Philip to bear arms in the military, but surely he would have needed a musket for hunting and for protecting his family from the wild animals in the area.  It would be interesting to know the kind of house he and his family lived in, too. 

Philip wrote his will December 11, 1719 and it was proven November 22, 1720.  He had married Margaret Morgan about 1707.  She was younger than he was and possibly lived until 1774.  It's not known when his first wife, the mother of his children, died.  

Among others, Philip left bequests to his Rees grandchildren, and to Rebecca (his daughter, the wife of Thomas Rees "late of Haverford".  It's interesting to think of this family, speaking Welsh, working hard, and worshiping with their neighbors in the quiet of a Quaker church.  I wonder when the children or grandchildren started speaking English as well.  I'm glad they came, I'm glad they stayed to help make America what it is today, and of course, to contribute to the Beeks family.

The line of descent is:

Philip Price-

Rebecca Price-Thomas Rees

Thomas Rees-Margaret Bowen

Thomas Rees-Hannah Rees

Solomon Rees-Anna

Owen T Reese-Margaret Ellen Moon

Eliza Matilda Reese-Samuel G Dunham

Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge

Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants