Thomas EDWARDS

                   The founder of that family name in the Great Swamp, was a resident of Philadelphia County prior to his settlement in Milford Township, Bucks Co., in 1718. He was a member of Abington Monthly Meeting of Friends and married at that meeting in 7 month,1708, Mary Howell. He was probably the son of Thomas Edwards of Germantown, who appears of record as a member of Abington Meeting at about the date of the marriage of John. John Edwards and his wife and 3 children took a certificate fromAbington Meeting to Gwynedd Monthly Meeting dated 8 mo. 28,1718, and they located in what was then known as Lower Milford Township, Bucks Co., but within the limits of the Manor of Richland. Here a tract of 250 acres was surveyed to him for which a patent was granted on 31 Aug 1736. By deeds of lease and release dated the 13th and 14th of October,1743. John Edwards and his wife Mary conveyed this tract of 250 acres to their son William Edwards. John and Mary were members of Richland Monthly Meeting and the date of their respective deaths is given on the records of that meeting.

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1718-8-28 John and wife received on certificate from Abington MM [this is John Edwards of Milford twp., Bucks Co., PA]
22-1 John Edwards, wife Mary [Howell], Children: William b. 12-16-1711; Alice b. 11-30-1714; Hannah b. 1-24-1717; Thomas b. 1-2-1719; Mary b. 10-1-1721. [This is John Edwards of Lower Milford twp., Bucks Co. who later belonged to Richland MM. His family is the subject of Chapter XIV in Early Friends Families of Upper Bucks (pps 107-119) by Clarence V. Roberts and Warren S. Ely (1925). Besides the children listed there is also a son John (m. 1. Mary Newman, 2. Jane Jamison). Son William married Martha Foulke  and their marriage certificate is reproduced in Clarence Roberts' book. Daughter Alice m. John Jamison and daughter Hannah m. Thomas Christy. Son Thomas and daughter Mary are supposed to have died young according to Roberts and Ely.]
[father in law's will abstract:
WILLIAM HOWELL, Cheltenham Township, Philadelphia. Co. Yeoman. December 20, 1709. April 21, 1710. C. 202.Daughters Margaret, Eales, Deborah, Hannah and Mary wife of John Edwards. Executrix: Wife Mary.Overseers: Samuel Cart, John Edwards, Daniel Thomas and Thomas Canby.Witnesses: David Potts, Thomas Potts, Thomas Edwards, William Hugh and Daniel Thomas.]