18TH CENTURY CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA PETITION OF ROBERT YOUNG
An interesting historical document written by Robert Young, who in 1786 was unable to pay to the commissioners of Pennsylvania the tax due that he had collected. This letter is signed by seven of his neighbors who attest to his honesty. The letter reads:
"To his Excellency the President and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania…. [In 1786 Benjamin Franklin was serving as the President of the Supreme Executive Council with Charles Biddle as Vice President.]
The petition of Robert Young of the Township of East Fallowfield in the County of Chester most humbly sheweth….
That your petitioner was appointed collector of the taxes for the Township of New Lynn in the year 1782 of which tax he paid the commissioners about £300 and now your petitioner is sued by the commissioners for about £200 the remainder of said tax, which he is not able to answer the demands of the law being so instant, by reason of showing too much lenity to the people in taking property (and in order to make the best of it) selling it at trust which puts it now out of his power to collect it without being allowed some time, your petitioner suffered by robbers which broke in his house in order to take the publick money, which he saved, but yet suffered much in his own property and lost much time and was put to much expence in prosecuting the felons, besides many heavy losses and disapointments he sustained during the War, likewise your petitioner is disapointed in money which he expected the publick would have paid him for services done. Your petitioner is fully persuaded that he could collect and pay the money in six months which if he is not allowed that time his property must be sold (which may be reasonably supposed on account of the scarcity of cash) at not one third of its value and himself and his small family will be reduced to the most exreme hardship and dificulty. Therefore he hopes you will take the premissies under your most serious consideration and if you see cause grant him some time to pay the money and your petitioner as in duty bound shall pray…."
Dated: May 20th 1786
Signed: Robert Young
"We the subscribers being neighbors and well acquainted with Robert Young the petitioner and always looked upon him as an honest industrious man, and we are of opinion that the case in the above petition is truly stated."
Signed: Thomas Heslip, Thomas Scott, John Fleming, John Wiley, Joseph Fleming, Peter Fleming, and John Fleming, Jr.
Robert Young was born January 16, 1747/48 in East Fallowfield, PA (Chester County); died June 24, 1814 in East Fallowfield, PA (Chester County). He was the son of Ninian Young and Eleanor. He married Martha Shields about 1775 in probably Chester County, PA. Martha Shields was born May 12, 1754; died February 13, 1837 in probably Chester County, PA. She was the daughter of James Shields. From the History of Chester County "Robert Young, son of Ninian Young, served as a wagonmaster in the PA forcers during the Revolutionary War. (Was a Private, Captain Ramsey's Company, Colonel Hannum's Regiment, Chester County, PA Militia, 1777.) In 1777 he was assessor of Newlin Township. (Served as an assessor from 1777 to 1786.) He was a Presbyterian and a strong patriot. His wife was a Baptist. One source says he had 13 children, although only 11 are known. In one source, only his sons were named, but another source gave his daughters names also. His brother, Samuel, gave him his portion of 126 acres that was left to him, a farm on Ercildown & Coatesville Road adjoining on the southwest." His father, Ninian Young came from Yarmouth, Norfolk county, England, about 1745 and settled at Fallowfield, East Fallowfield township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, where his death occurred in 1765.
Thomas Scott was born in 1731 at Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Scott Sr. and Elizabeth. He married Sarah Hope, daughter of Thomas Hope and Jennet Wilken, on December 30, 1763 at Highland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Thomas Scott died on September 30, 1808 at East Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was burried at Upper Octorara Cemetery, Parkesburg, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Thomas Scott was included in a list of taxpayers in East Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1766. He had 100 acres (near the farm of Thomas Heslip, a Revolutionary War soldier who was captain of the 1st Battalion in 1776 with John Culbertson as Major), two horses, two cows, three sheep, and no servants. In John Scott Sr.'s will, Thomas was named by John to handle his estate on February 14, 1777, at Sadsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Thomas Scott lived in Sadbury Township in 1790. Thomas Scott's family is listed as having two males aged 16 and up, 3 males under 16, and 3 females age 16 and up. He made a will on March 12, 1806 at Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Thomas' father John Scott Sr. was born in 1706. He died on December 16, 1777 at Sadsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He emigrated to United States circa 1720, and settled in Westwood, PA on 226 acres. The Scotts quite numerously intermarried with the Parke descendants. John Scott was the American founder of this branch of the Scott family. His name appears among the taxables of 1753, of Sadbury Township. He owned large tracts of land a short distance west of the present city of Coatesville, PA. He bought property from Thomas Penn 1740 at Chester County Pennsylvania. The deed states that he bought 150 acres from Thomas and Richard Penn, which he called "Springton." The large old stone house still stands.
John Fleming was an early settler in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a grandson of William and Mary Moore, who settled in Chester County in 1715. The family lived at first on the east side of the Brandywine near the present town of Coatesville, but later they acquired large tracts of land on the west side of the creek in Sadsbury and West Caln Townships. John Fleming was an officer in the Provincial service, a member of the Convention of July 15, 1776, and in 1778 one of the representatives from Chester County to the General Assembly. He was one of the patentees of the land belonging to the Octorara Presbyterian Church, and an elder as early as 1762. He died September 2, 1814, and is buried in the graveyard attached to that church. John Fleming was the owner of considerable land on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, near Lock Haven, where his descendants located during the Revolutionary war. His son John, was the father of Robert, who studied law and was admitted to the Lycoming County bar in 1827.
Joseph Fleming was married to Ann Heslep, the daughter of Thomas Heslep.
During the 18th century the area, later known as Coatesville, was a self-contained agrarian community for the Fleming and Coates familites. Their family homesteads, the Fleming House circa 1750 (544-546 Harmony St) and Brandywine Mansion circa 1750 (102 South First Ave) are the oldest structures in the district. Construction of the former is attributed to James Fleming, son of the progenitor William, who was one of the first settlers. William’s grandson Peter Fleming built the Brandywine Mansion and in 1787 conveyed the property to Moses Coates.
John Wiley was born November 19, 1721 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He died 1800. John married Jane Beatty. He was a millwright. His parents were Joseph Wiley "Joseph Wyly" born 1697 in Ulster, Ireland, who died 1751 in Pennsylvania. Joseph Wyly married Abigail Lightfoot who was born about 1684 in Benown, Ireland. She died April 1, 1767 in Maiden Creek Township, Berks, Pennsylvania.
PRICE: $250