The family of Thomas Rees and Margaret Bowen

 Are we ready for a deep dive into a very complicated family?  I've heard of twisted and intertwining branches before, but this one is more like a whole thicket of such trees.  I am not at all sure I have it all figured out correctly, but here is my attempt to make sense of the family of Thomas Rees and Margaret Bowen.  Margaret is the daughter of Henry and Jane Carter Bowen, and Thomas is the son of Thomas and Rebecca Price Bowen.  Thomas was born "about 1705". in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the third generation of his Welsh Quaker family to have roots here. His grandfather, David Rees, was the original immigrant.

Thomas and Margaret married in Chester County in about 1732, although I have not found documentation to support that date.  Nor have I found confirmation of many of their children's birth dates or even years.  I'm reasonably sure that the children I will mention here are their children, but I'm not at all sure about the birth order.  Thomas and Margaret moved from Chester County, Pennsylvania to what was then Frederick County, Virginia (now Berkeley County, West Virginia) in about 1753.  This was just prior to the French and Indian War, and it's possible that the family, or at least part of it, had to leave soon after they arrived, due to the repeated raids from the native people that began during this time.  As Quakers, they were against all violence and it's uncertain how or if they would have defended themselves, had they stayed at their new home. It's also possible that they simply went to the nearest fort and sat out the difficult times.

There are 9 known children of Thomas and Margaret, with two others showing up on some lists but not others.  I'll mention them all here.

Henry seems to have been the first born, in 1732.  He married Martha Thomas, the daughter of Evan and Catherine Thomas, and had one child, Catherine.  He next married Ann Neill, the daughter of Lewis and Lydia Hollingsworth Neill, and they had at least five children-Gabriel, Lydia, Gideon, Lewis, and Margaret.  (I have not yet determined whether Lydia Hollingsworth is part of the Hollingsworth family that is shown on another line tying into the Beeks family.)  Henry died in 1772 in Frederick County, Virginia.

Thomas was born about 1734, according to some sources, and in 1749, according to others.  The date must have been closer to 1734 because his children were born starting in 1755.  His wife was Hannah Rees, who was the daughter of Morris and Sarah Butterfield Rees.  Thomas and Hannah were first cousins once removed, as Thomas was the great grandson and Hannah the grandaughter of David Rees the immigrant.  Thomas and Hannah's children are Solomon, Morris, Thomas, Margaret, Thomas again, Sarah (twice), Jesse, Mary, and Hannah.  It may be this same Thomas (or possibly a son or another of the Thomas name) who later married Ellen Downing, the daughter of William and Phebe Downing. Thomas died in 1812 in Fairfield County, Ohio.  I'll follow this family in a future post.

William was born about 1736 and died in 1822 in Greene County, Tennessee.  He married Charity Dillon, the daughter of William and Mary Rees Dillon.  Trees show that Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Margaret but the dates don't add up.  She was likely part of another of the Rees men.  William and Charity had at least the following children-Moses, Mary, William, Sampson, Thomas, James, Margaret, Ann, Mary and John.

David is a true challenge, and one that I have not yet solved.  At least three different families are claiming David, born 1738 in Chester County, with Thomas and Margaret as his parents.  He is said to have died in 1786 in Virginia, in 1787 in Newberry, South Carolina, and in 1812 in an unspecified location.  I'm reasonably sure that he married Elizabeth Babb, the daughter of Philip and Margaret Babb (or, barely possible, Thomas and Sarah Foulk Babb).  Their children are John, Hannah, Elizabeth, Ann, and Sarah.  Many online trees call him the "Fighting Quaker" who fought on the British side in the Revolutionary War.  Obviously, he was dismissed from the Quaker Meeting for this and other transgressions.  The Fighting Quaker David was the one who died in Newberry, S.C.  I'm just not convinced yet that this was our David.  If someone has evidence that would prove or disprove him, I'd love to see it!!

Robert was another son, born sometime in the 1740s.  He married Sidney Lewis, the daughter of Henry and Mary Roger Lewis, "contrary to discipline".  I haven't followed their story, but usually this meant dismissal from the church, unless the couple could convince the fellowship that they truly repented of this.  Sometimes it simply meant that the happy couple had not bothered to get approval from parents and the church, and had been married by a justice of the peace.  The couple did stay married, and had children Lewis, Robert, David, Thomas, Elizabeth, Signey, and Margaret.  It may be this Robert who later married Rachel Brackney had had a daughter Mary, but I'm not sure that this is correct.  Robert died in Clinton County, Ohio in 1815.

And here's our first "maybe", as far as children go.  Mary Susannah was reportedly born about 1725, before the supposed marriage date of her parents, and died in 1781 in Frederick County, Va, or in 1831 in Greene County, Tennessee.  She is said to have been the Mary Rees who was married to William Dillon (see above).  If correct, then when William Rees married Charity Dillon, he was marrying his niece, which isn't impossible in that time and place.  

Mary is listed as another daughter, and may have been referred to as Polly.  She died in 1820 in Berkeley County, WV.  Her husband was John Brabson, who is so far unidentified.  Their children are Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Ephraim, Margaret, and Robert.

Jane or Jean was another daughter, also born in the 1740s.  She married Jacob Moon, the son of Simon and Louretha Humphrey Moon.  (The Beeks line also includes this couple, and I hope to someday write about the Moon family.)  Their children are Jacob, James, Margaret, Mary, Thomas, Simon, and possibly another James.  Jane died in 1812 or 1817 in Arden, Berkeley, West Virginia.  This is another couple that married outside of church discipline.  

John was born about 1744 and died in 1821 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.  He left the Quaker faith and became a Baptist, and served in the Revolutionary War in the Pennsylvania militia.  From the dates we know, he would most likely have been involved in the ongoing battles with the natives that continued after Yorktown, for his dates of service are shown as 1782-1783.  He married Nancy Carter, the daughter of James and Hannah Chenowith Carter.  I have not been able yet to place James in the Carter family that came early to Pennsylvania but there is a possible connection there.  John and Nancy's children are Thomas, Elijah, Margaret, Hannah, Ruth, Mary, John, Nancy )John and Nancy are twins) and James.  After Nancy's death, he married Sarah Huston, and they had two children, Robert and David.

Solomon was born about 1745 and died in 1829 in Fayette County, Ohio.  He married Ann, possibly McNeil, and their children are Sampson, John, Sarah, Lydia, Owen, Hiram, and Rebecca. I will also follow this family in a later post.  

The final daughter is Margaret,  who was born in the late 1740s and married Thomas Rees, another son of Morris and Sarah Butterfield Rees.  Their children are Sarah, Martha known as Patsy, Charity, Jane, Hanna, Evan, Leah, Mary, and Joel.  I have not yet determined a death location for Margaret.  She is said to have died about 1815.

So the Beeks (actually Aldridge) family has strong Rees roots, with three direct ancestors shown here-Thomas, Jane, and Solomon.  That is, if I haven't confused my Thomases at some point.  I am very open to corrections and additions.  Please contact me!