Descendants of Edward FOULKE

Introduction from Howard M. Jenkins (1897), chapter 15.

The details concerning Edward Foulke's ancestry, his removal, etc., have already been fully given. It is intended in this chapter to present what is known to the author concerning his descendants.

[JQ - See also Thomas Allen Glenn, Merion in the Welsh Tract, pedigree, pages 92-95. Edward Foulke's Great Grandfather, Evan ap Thomas Lloyd of Nant y Friar, had a sister Mary who married Richard of Tyddin Tyfod who was the ancestor of Richard Price. This Richard Price was the father of Edward Rees of Merion, of Jane, the wife of the Quaker minister Cadwallader Morgan, and of Hannah, the wife of Rees John William.]

Generation No. 1

1. EDWARD¹⁰ FOULKE (FOULKE AP THOMAS⁹ EVAN, THOMAS AP⁸, EVAN AP THOMAS⁷ ROBERT, THOMAS AP ROBERT⁶ LLOYD, ROBERT AP DAVID⁵, DAVID LLOYD AP⁴ DAVID, DAVID AP IEUAN³ VYCHAN, IEUAN VYCHAN AP² IEUAN, IEVAN AP¹ GRUFFYDD) was born July 13, 1651 in Coed y Foel Llanfor, Parish of Llandderfel, Merionethshire, Wales, and died November 08, 1741 in Gwynnedd Twp., Philadelphia Co. (now Montgomery Co.), Pennsylvani. He married ELLIN (alias ELEANOR) HUGH 1682 in , , North Wales, United Kingdom, daughter of HUGH CADWALADER and GWEN WILLIAMS. She was born 1653 in Parish Of Spytu, Denbighshire, North Wales, United Kingdom (Gwynedd), and died January 16, 1732/33 in Gwynedd, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania.

Notes for EDWARD FOULKE:

One of the original settlers in Gwynedd township in 1698. His land in today's Lower Gwynedd township extended, approximately from Brushtown Rd. to Pennlyn Pike, and from the Whitpain township line to Sumneytown Pike except for a small rectangle of 110 acres belonging to Evan ap Hugh. His grant was 712 acres. Links: Foulke Family Association; H.M. Jenkins chapter on his immigration

From his grandson Joseph:

"I have frequently heard my father relate a tradition concerning Edward and Ellin Fouke before their emigration to Pennsylvania being in substance as follows: Edward Foulke, with other subjects of the Prince of Wales, attended fealty as he was required by law to do, and learn certain military tacticks; that while one of his relations was engaged in fencing and defending himself from a club in the hand of his antagonist, he had the cap of his knee struck off - while this relation was suffering exquisite agony from his wound his antagonist was glorying in the victory, and their seconds parleying about the merits and demerits of the contest, Edward Foulke's heart was affected with grief at their unfeeling indifference about his suffering relation.

This occurence led him to believe that it was not the will or design of the Just, Wise and Merciful Creator for one man (the Prince of Wales) to exercise such dominion towards his fellow men as to require them to meet and perform such acts of cruelty towards each other, and while he was calmly considering the matter, it occurred clearly to his understanding at the time that the devine will was that he should remove his family to Pennsylvania. This was very unexpected and the Idea of parting with his friends and relations in Wales and settle in the wild wilderness of America among Indians and wild beasts was a great cross to his inclination, and the more he pondered on the matter the more a serious sadness seemed to be brought over him. But the subject continued steadily before him and at length he opened it to his wife in a serious and weighty manner for he had entertained a hope that it might pass away and that he might remain with his family in his native land.

But his wife very unexpectedly to himself regarded it as an intimation or revelation of the Divine will to him for their good, and said to him that 'He that revealeth this to thee can bless a very little in America to us, and can blast a great deal in our own native land' and further cuationed him against reasoning it away."

Edward Foulke's own words, translated from Welsh:

"I was born on the 13th of Fifth month [July], 1651, and when arrived at mature age, I married Eleanor, the daughter of Hugh ap Cadwallader, ap Rhys, of the Parish of Spytu, in Denbighshire. I had by my said wife nine children, whose names are as follows: Thomas, Hugh, Cadwallader and Evan; Grace, Gwen, Jane, Catherine and Margaret. We lived at a place called Coed-y-foel, a farm belonging to Roger Price, Esquire, of Rhiwlas, Merionethshire, aforesaid. But in process of time, I had an inclination to remove with my family to the Province of Pennsylvania; and in order thereto, we set out on the 3d day of the Second month [April], A.D., 1698, and came in two days to Liverpool, where, with divers others who intended to go the voyage, we took shipping, the 17th of the same month on board the 'Robert and Elizabeth', and the next day we set sail for Ireland, where we arrived and staid until the 1st of the Third Month (May), and then sailed again for Pennsylvania, and were about eleven weeks at sea. And the sore distemper of the bloody flux [dysentery] broke out in the vessel, of which died five and forty persons in our passage. The distemper was so mortal that two or three corpses were cast overboard every day while it lasted. But through the favor and mercy of Divine Providence, I, with my wife and nine children, escaped the sore mortality, and arrived safe at Philadelphia the 17th of the Fifth month (July), where we were kindly received and hospitably entertained by our friends and old acquaintances.

I soon purchased a tract of land of about seven hundred acres, sixteen miles from Philadelphia, on a part of which I settled, and divers others of our company who came over the sea with us settled near me at the same time. This was the beginning of November, 1698, aforsaid, and the township was called Gwynedd, or North Wales. This account was written the 14th of the eleventh month (January), A.D. 1702."

Edward Foulke's Exhortation to his Children (from a Letter Written Near the End of His Life in 1741)

Source: "Fair Land Gwynedd" by Phil Johnson Ruth (1991)

"My dear children: There has been for considerable time, something on my mind to say to you by way of advice, before I return to dust, and resign my soul to Him who gave it: though I find some difficulty in delivering my thoughts in writing.

My first admonition to you is , that you fear the Lord, and depart from evil all the days of your life.

Secondly, as you are brothers and sisters, I beseech you to loave one another, and your neighbors too. If any of your neighbors injures you, in words or deed, bear it with patience and humility. It is more pleasing in the sight of God and good men, to forgive injuries, than it is to revenge them. Rather pray for them, than wish them any evil: Lest that ext in scripture, which requires an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, come into your minds when you leave this world, and you be found wanting. For without doubt, he that is thoughtless and negligent all his days about the welfare of his soul, will some day or another, in the midst of his extremity, call on the rocks and mountains to secure him from the vengeance of an offended God.

My dear children, accustom not yourselves to loose, vain talking, which the scriptures declare against. It was hurtful to me in my youth and stopped my virtue. The temptations of this world are very powerful, as Job said by experience. Be watchful over your evening conversation. Let pious thoughts possess your souls the moment before you close your eyes for sleep. If you do that, you will be more likely to find yourselves in the morning in a meek, humble posture before God, who preserved you from evil...

I feel sorrow now in my old age, for want of being mroe careful and circumspect in my youth. Althought I did nothing that brought shame on myself, or grief on my parent; yet there was amongst the loose, inconsistent youth, too many things which they called innocent, without considering they were building on the sand; and I was often drawn to vain mirth with them...

Let me entreat you, my dear children, assume not the appearance of religion, without a real possession of it in your hearts...

One thing more comes into my mind, by searching myself; which is, that it had been better for me, if I had been more careful, in sitting with my family at meals, with a sober countenance; because children and servants have their eyes and observations on those who have the command and government of them...

So my dear children, perhaps you may get some advantage by this. If you consider with attention this innocent simplicity of life and manners I have been speaking of, you need not fear but that God will preserve you in safety from the snares of the devil, and the storms of this inconstant world...

Now I think I can with peace of mind conclude, with hopes that your prayers will be with us in the most needful time, especially on a dying pillow, when our time in this world comes to an end, that we may have a gentle passage to eternal rest."

Burial: 1741, Gwynedd Friends Meeting, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania. His descendants have put up a new stone for him.

Ellin's ancestry is outlined by Edward Foulke (her husband) as cited in chapter 5 of H.M. Jenkins's book. A detailed discussion of her ancestry can be found on the Gwynedd MM web page dealing with the names Griffith, Hugh, Pugh and Morris. including a search of the originial Welsh records. She was a sister of Jane, the wife of William John, and perhaps also of other members of the Gwynedd community. There are some pages in Thomas Allen Glenn's Welsh Founders of Pennsylvania, that deal with her family and their lineage (pps 140-142).

Children of EDWARD FOULKE and ELLIN (alias ELEANOR) HUGH are:

2. i. THOMAS FOULKE, b. July 07, 1679, Merionethshire, , Wales, United Kingdom; d. August 15, 1762, Gwynedd twp., Philadelphia Co. Pennsylvania.

3. ii. JANE FOULKE, b. January 10, 1683/84, Merionethshire, Wales, England; d. October 07, 1766, Oley Twp., Berks County, PA.

4. iii. HUGH FOULKE, b. July 06, 1685, Coed-y-Foel, Merionethshire, Wales, England; d. May 21, 1760, Richland MM, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania.

5. iv. CATHARINE FOULKE, b. 1686, Merion, Wales, England; d. April 13, 1745, Pennsylvania.

6. v. MARGARET FOULKE, b. 1688, Coed-Y-Foel, Llanderfel, Merionethshire, Wales; d. Pennsylvania.

7. vi. EVAN FOULKE, b. Abt. 1689, Wales; d. May 15, 1745, Gwynedd Twp, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

8. vii. GWEN FOULKE, b. Abt. 1691, , , Wales, United Kingdom; d. December 03, 1760, Gwynedd, Bucks, Pennsylvania.

9. viii. CADWALLADER FOULKE, b. September 13, 1691, Coed-Y-Foel, Merionethshire, Wales; d. September 17, 1743, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania.

10. ix. GRACE FOULKE, b. Abt. 1693, Wales; d. January 04, 1733/34, Merion, , Pennsylvania.

Sources for this document: Historical Collections of Gwynedd, by Howard M. Jenkins (1897, 2^nd edition); Foulke Family Association web site; www.rootsweb.com Worldconnect, any and all data bases; Fair Land Gwynedd by Phil Johnson Roth (1991, published by Merck). Some information from Worldconnect may have crept into the later generations. Recently we have begun to update the files with records from Gwynedd Monthly Meeting, will abstracts from Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks Counties, County Histories, the Welsh genealogies by Thomas Allen Glenn and Charles Browning and the local histories written by Clarence Roberts. Jenkins' work is highly reliable, and the early generations follow him to the letter. Last updated April 2009.

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