Bawden4 on Family Tree Circles

a. Helen Josephine JEFFERS - b 16 Jun 1908, m. Forrest "Bud" SHIELDS on 6 Oct 1933 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the son of Wm Coswell and Euna TAYLOR SHIELDS born 11 Nov 1902 in Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas. They had no children. Bud died 27 Nov 1990, no location; Helen died 10 Nov 1987 in Clinton, Van Buren, Arkansas. No burial info. (I do Find-a-Grave 47303245)

b. Dorothy Nell JEFFERS - b 27 May 1910, m Ralph BEYERS (no BMD). Dtr Mary Helen was born 8 Feb 1944 in Portland Multnomah, OR. On 16 Jun 1946 she married Adam Conrad MOORE in Portland, son of Conrad and Mary Kathryn MOORE, born 7 Dec 1899 in Norfolk, Madison, NE. Dtr Nancy Lee MOORE was born 23 Jun 1948 in Eugene, OR. Dorothy died 21 Nov 1984 and Adam died Jun 1992 borh in Aumsville, Marion, OR.

c. Loren Campbell JEFFERS - b 26 Dec 1911 m Dorothy Leona ZINK 15 Mar 1926, KC, MO dtr of Eugene Stewart and Ruth May PROFFITT ZINK. Dorothy b 24 Dec 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri. She died 1 Jun 2009 in Kansas City. Loren served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force during WWII. On 18 Jan 1962 he died in Kansas City, Missouri. No burial info.

d. Margaret Elizabeth JEFFERS - b July 1916, d 25 Mar 1917, bur. Elmwood Cemetery.

e. Infant JEFFERS - no gender, b 18 Dec 1917, d 18 Dec 1917, bur. Elmwood Cemetery

f. Virginia Ruth JEFFERS - b 3 Dec 1918 m Charles Meredith TRUMBLE 14 Mar 1937 in Kansas City. Charles b 27 July 1914 in Independence, Jackson, MO, son of Maynard Eugene and Gladys Inez SMITH TRUMBLE. Charles d 14 Sep 1994 in Kansas City, Virginia d 23 Oct 1996, Kansas City. Three children: Charles Meredith Jr, Vicki Ruth, and Lianna Evonne TRUMBLE who gave this family info, Raytown, MO 64133-6054.

g. George Ernest JEFFERS, Jr. - b 9 May 1921, m. Bertha Irene TAYLOR 3 July 1940 in Kansas City, b 17 Sept 1921 in Eldorado, Kansas, dtr of Hick Gert and Ella Nellie TAYLOR. George d 6 Oct 1998, Lees Summit, Jackson, Missouri. They had 4 children.

h. Marguerite Marie JEFFERS b 29 Oct 1923, m. Wiley TURNER WILLIAMSON Fr. 31 Dec 1939 in Olathe, Kansas, he was born 27 Oct 1921 in Kansas son of Wiley Turner and Mable Victoria (Virginia) RUDOLPH WILLIAMSON. Marguerite died 3 Sept 2001, Palm Beach, Florida. They had 6 children.

i. Donald Grant JEFFERS b 14 July 1928, m. Betty Lee FREAR 26 Dec 1945, Fairmount, Missouri, b 3 May 1929 in Monett, Missouri, dtr of Maurice Alonzo and Hazel Alma MCFADDEN FREER/FREAR. Donald died 3 Aug 1992, Braymer, Caldwell, Missouri. They had 6 children.

Mary Josephine CAMPBELL was the oldest of 2 siblings born 23 July 1883 to Marie Antoinette "Nettie" ELDRIDGE and Calvin CAMPBELL, in Davenport, Scott, IA.

She married George Ernest JEFFERS on 24 July 1907 in Kansas City, Missouri.

George was born 23 Mar 1882 in Kansas City, Missouri, son of Loren G. and Elsie HUNT JEFFERS, Jr.

Mary died 1 Mar 1935 in Kansas City. George married Minnie XXX who died 15 Aug 1961 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee.

George died 2 Nov 1968 in Kansas City, Missouri and is buried with his 1st wife, Mary Josephine, in Kansas City's Greenlawn Cemetery. They had 9 children all in Kansas City.

This name enters my ELDRIDGE tree with the marriage of Marie Antoinette ELDRIDGE and Calvin CAMPBELL. She was called "Nettie" by her family. She was born 10 Mar 1863 in Davenport, Scott, IA. At her mother Josephine THOMPSON ELDRIDGE's death in 1871, Nettie and her sister "Carrie", Caroline Lincoln, and brother Edward Gifford, were sent to live with Aunt Sarah ADE, sister of Rebecca, and Aaron MIDDLETON of Mahaska County, Iowa. The children lived with these families for at least 5 years before returning to Davenport just before 1880. Josephine, Rebecca and Sarah THOMPSON ADE were sisters.

Nettie was the dtr of Charles Henry and his first wife, Josephine THOMPSON ELDRIDGE who died 10 Dec 1867, 2 months after the birth of their 4th child.

By 1880, Nettie had returned to her father's home, where at age 17, she was working as a dressmaker. (census).

Calvin was the son of Thos and Mary Ann BABCOCK CAMPBELL, born 18 Jan 1844 in Orleans County, NY. He worked as a locomotive engineer in the Kansas City terminal for 30 years. Calvin and Nettie were married 21 Dec 1882 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Nettie and Calvin had 3 children. Youngest child Charles Thomas bor 19 Jun 1896, in Kansas City, Missouri died 10 July 1896 and is buried in Kansas City's Elmwood Cemetery.

Calvin died 18 Apr 1925 in Kansas City, Nettie died 7 Feb 1917 in Kansas City where they are buried in Elmwood Cemetery. They were members of the West Side Christian Church.

JOSIAH ELDRIDGE son of William and Deborah MALANDAR ELDRIDGE was probably born in Greenwich, Gloucester County, New Jersey, 12 May 1777. Gloucester County deeds show William and Deborah ELDRIDGE acquired land at Greenwich in 1774, but by 1791, they are shown in a deed selling the land they owned and stating they were residents of the Town of Gloucester.

Josiah married Sarah MIDDLETON, 23 March 1801, in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Sarah was the daughter of John and Sarah MATLACK MIDDLETON, born 1779, probably in Haddonfield, Camden County, New Jersey.

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson was elected President of the United States. A Gloucester County deed dated 17 march 1801 described Josiah as a storekeeper and resident of Woodbury. During Thomas Jefferson?s first term in office, shipping raw materials from America and the West Indies to Europe expanded enormously, as did the importation of manufactured good from European countries. American economy was booming. However, complicated international pressures during Jefferson?s second term caused him to place an embargo on all imported and exported goods by ships of other countries as well as America?s. This embargo dropped suddenly, almost without warning on the merchants; wheat, timber, cotton, tobacco, rice -- all dropped in value or became unsalable. Every imported article rose in price. Wages stopped and thousands were forced into bankruptcy. People were deprived of sugar, salt tea, coffee, molasses and rum; the cost of cotton and wool yard goods trebled. The country was on the verge of ruin.

In 1807, a judgment was levied against Josiah for $1,000, and the land they owned in Woodbury was sold at a sheriff?s sale. The History of Scott County, Iowa 1882, states the ELDRIDGE family moved to Haddonfield in 1809.

Josiah was last known to be alive in 1824. On 6 March 1824 Josiah ELDRIDGE of Gloucester Co., N.J., and Sarah his wife, deeded for $50, to their son Duncan ELDRIDGE of Haddonfield, said County, Bricklayer, land in the Township of Gloucester, Gloucester Co., 7 acres, 3 rods, and 20 pershes of Cedar Swamp, which John HOPKINS and Sarah his wife, Elizabeth MICKLE, Joshua CRESSON and Mary CRESSON his wife, Ann HOPKINS, Thomas REDMAN, and Thomas STOKES, on the 14th of the 6th month 1782, granted to John MIDDLETON of Haddonfield, and which John died seized of intestate, and which the Orphan?s Court awarded to his children, including daughter Sarah, now married to Josiah ELDRIDGE.
Wit: Thos REDMAN /s/ Josiah ELDRIDGE Sam M. DAY Sarah Eldridge

In 1834, Sarah, a widow, purchased 1/2 acre in Haddonfield. In 1837, she moved to Moorestown in Chester Township, Burlington County, New Jersey. Asa MATLACK records that Sarah died 1 April 1843 in Haddonfield. Tradition says Josiah and Sarah were strict members of the Quaker faith.

TERRILL FAMILY
Mary Terrill m. Stephen Bawden b. 6 Apr 1812
On 4 Sept 1837, Redruth, Cornwall, England.
All events occurred in Redruth, Cornwall, England except noted

? DAVIE, John (Jane Ripper8, John7, Henry6, Benedict5, Henry4, Richard3, William Beauripper2, Richard1) born April 1707
o Elizabeth Davie b 7 Jul 1755, married 15 Nov 1777
? Samuel Terrill 1 b. 5 Mar 1753 son of Samuel Terrill and Constance Courts (no info). Samuel?s siblings: John b 15 Aug 1756, Alice b 11 Nov 1758 and Constance b 22 Mar 1761.

Samuel 1 and Elizabeth Davie Terrill had:
A Samuel2 b. 21 Mar 1779
B. John b. Jan 1780
C. John b Mar 1781
D. William b. Apr 1785
E. Thomas b 5 Apr 1785
F. Elizabeth b Jul 1787

Samuel2 TERRILL b 21 Mar 1779 married Mary TREMAIN b. 14 Aug 1805. Their children:
A. Samuel3 b. Jun 1807
B. William b. Jul 1809
C. George Trewren b. Nov 1811
D. Thomas b Dec 1814
E. MARY ? see above - b. 8 Apr 1817, d. 8 Dec 1884 in Davenport, Scott County, IA, US, buried Davenport?s Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Sec 1 Lot 16 with sons, Albert L., Dr. Henry Lightbourne Bawden, and grandsons Harry, and Clark.
F. Elizabeth b May 1820, m. Wm Clemo, no date in Redruth. Elizabeth died 19 Dec 1910, Davenport, Scott County, IA, US, widowed or divorced
* Elizabeth Clemo (Ryan) b. 18 Jul 1849 in Redruth, m. 28 Jun 1866 James A. Ryan (no info) in Davenport
* Harry Clemo Ryan b 18 Jan 1868 Davenport, m.(no date) Edna Burdick b. 1 Nov 1872 Davenport, divorced 13 Jan 1910, d. 6 Jun 1915, Chicago, Cook, IL US of diabetes. Edna married XX Prost, d. 15 Aug 1969 Pasadena, CA
REFERENCES:
Davenport Democrat newspaper obits: 9 Feb 1885, 12 Dec 1910, 19 Dec 1910,
7 Jun 1915, 9 Dec 1884
Oakdale Memorial Gardens database, 2501 Eastern Ave., Davenport, IA 52803
ph 563-324-5121, oakdaleomg@aol.com
Scott County, IA vital records
Terrill website from Darrell dcm001@netspace.net.au

1. William Eldridge of the Town and county of Gloucester in the State of New Jersey being weak in body but of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this writing to be my Last Will and Testament as follows:

Item, It is my Will that all my Just debts and funeral expenses be paid by my Executor hereafter named out of my personal Estate. Second I do Give and Bequeath unto my son William M. Eldridge all my estate both real and personal. He paying the following Legices, My debts and funeral expenses out of the same. My will is that My Estate Real and personal shall be subject to the payment of the said Legices, Debts and Expenses.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Job Eldridge the sum Six Hundred Dollars to be paid him by my son William M. Eldridge in two years after my decease
Item, Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Deborah Wife of Isaac Kay the sum of Five hundred Dollars to be paid her in two years after my Decease

Item, I give and bequeath unto my two sons Josiah Eldridge and Eli Eldridge the sum of twenty Dollars each to be paid to them in two years after my decease

Item, I do give and bequeath unto my Daughter Hannah wife of Henry Wood the sum of two hundred fifty Dollars to be paid to her by said son William M. Eldridge at such times and in such proportions as he in his wisdom may think proper so that the whole there of be paid within two years after my decease and her debt shall be a discharge for the same or any part there of notwithstanding her present Husband Henry Wood

Item, I give and bequeath unto such of my Grand Children as inhere after named the sum of Fifty Dollars each to be paid them as they shall severally arrive at the age of Twenty one years to my son Enos Children namely Joseph, Rebecca, Ann, Agnes, Enos, Deborah and Griffith M. Eldridge and to my son Elis children William, Abigail, Susannah, Eli, Borrough Hannah and Isaac Eldridge and to my son Josiah children - Duncan, Hannah, Josiah, John and Ann Eldridge all which said Devises I Give and Bequeath unto the several persons afore named to hold to them there as aforesaid their heirs and Assigns forever and Lastly I Nominate and appoint my son William M. Eldridge my Lawful Executor to this my Last Will and Testament in Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Eighteenth day of November in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twelve 1812.

Signed Sealed published and
Pronounced to be my last Will
And Testament In the presence of William Eldridge
Joseph W. Clark (signed)
Isaac Doughten
Morris Hale Jr.

William M. Eldridge sole Executor in the within Testament named being duly affirmed according to Law did declare and say that the within Instrument Contains the True last will and Testament of William Eldridge and Testator therein named so far as he knows and as he verily believes, that he will well and truly perform the same, by paying first the debts of the said deceased and then the legacies in the said Testament specified So far as the goods and Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased can thereunto extend and that he will make and exhibit into the surrogates office at Woodberry a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the goods, Chattels and credits of said deceased that have or shall come to his knowledge or possession, or to the possession of any other person or persons for his use and render a Just and true account. When thereunto lawfully agrees Affirms and Subscribes at Woodberry February 6, 1816 before

Jacob Glover Surrogate Wm. M. Eldridge


Inventory

A true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods Chattels Wares and Merchandises as well moveable as not moveable of William Eldridge late of the Town and County of Gloucester deceased made by us whose names are hereunto subscribed the sixth day of the second month in the Year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and Sixteen 1816.

His wearing apparel 40 00
Cash 800 00
Obligations 2251 48
Book Accts 157 50
Sundry Furniture 103 00
Waggen and Sulkey 51 00
1 Wood slab 400 00
1/2 of a Shallop 600.00
50 cords wood on timber Creek Landing 225.00
SUBTOTAL 4627.98

12 /cords wood in the Tolineer tract 30.00
______
TOTAL 4657.98

Isaac Kay
Isaac Doughten

A record exists in the Haddonfield, New Jersey, Friends Grave Yard of the burial of William Eldridge on
1 mo. 3, 1816 At the time of his death, he lived in the colonies of New Jersey and Pennsylvania under the rule of King George I and II. He had witnessed the birth of the United States and had seen four presidents take office: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He and his family survived the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 with health and wealth intact. William Eldridge is surely an ancestor whose tenacity the present day generations ought to greatly admire.

William may or may not have been a Friend, but it is certain that several of his children did marry Quakers. Several of the alleged sons of Thos and their descendants lived near one another in NJ, where records of land transactions between family members are found.

Family research is complicated by the repetitious first names given to children. Eldridge children frequently married into the same families, especially the MIDDLETON, MATLACK / LOCK and LIPPINCOTT lines.

WILLIAM ELDRIDGE, b 18 Feb 1749, Evesham, Burlington Cnty, NJ, d.31 Aug 1823 Gloucester, NJ, son of Thos and Hannah DUNCAN ELDRIDGE may possibly be the grandfather of Duncan Campbell

This name first appears on the marriage license with Deborah MALANDAR or ER issued by the Provincial Sec?y of PA 6 November 1761.

Deborah MALANDER was the dtr of Swedish teacher and would-be pastor, Olof MALANDER, aka William. Record of her birth on 23 February 1741, at Piles Grove, NJ, and of her baptism the next month, are found in the Swedish Lutheran Church records at Raccoon and Penn?s Neck, NJ. William, son of an Englishman and possibly a Quaker, married to the dtr of a Swedish Lutheran Minister was curious.

Henry HUDSON discovered the Hudson and Delaware Rivers in 1609 while in the employ of the Dutch East India Co., and until 1664, the land that lay along these rivers was developed under the auspices of the Dutch who encouraged settlement by other nations.

In 1638, the first Swedish colony was established along Delaware?s coast. Under the direction of their Lutheran pastors, the Swedish colonists purchased land from the indigenous people, and built the principal town and fort at Christiana Creek near Wilmington. The colony flourished until about 1654. All of the original clergy who accompanied the first colonists had died, and the people were without leadership. They applied to the King of Sweden for aid, which he supplied until the Revolutionary War ended the Swedish colonial movement.

The Swedish colony was divided into 3 Rectorships, one in Pennsylvania, one in Delaware and one in Raccoon and Penn?s Neck in western New Jersey. The Swedish King supplied the Rectors, paid them handsome yearly salaries, and rewarded them with pensions an choice parishes upon their return to Sweden.

In 1664, King Charles of England captured the entire area and made it a gift to his brother, James, the Duke of York. James divided the land into 2 parts - East and West Jersey, and used these to satisfy his creditors. The creditors threw open the territory to settlers. East Jersey became home to the New England Colonies and Long Island, including the ELDRIDGE descendants. West Jersey, mainly Dutch and Swedes, met with a hoard of settlers from every section of the British Isles - particularly the Quakers.

These settlers had strong ideas about government, taxation and religion. The proprietors, disgusted with the lack of financial returns, sold their interest to William PENN and his Quaker followers in 1682. PENN was the wealthy benefactor of the Quaker movement, a land promoter. King George granted title to the territory which became Pennsylvania. Penn wrote a series of letters and booklets translated into three languages and distributed in England and the new continent. He wrote practical, honest, and glowing descriptions of the land and climate, promising the rights and freedoms of England. The was understood by most Europeans to mean peace and freedom to pursue whatever business / religion without fear of persecution.

Each man was allowed to purchase 5,000 acres of land for only 100 English pounds. If this was not affordable, land could be rented for 1 cent per acre per year. Each servant that came with a family would be awarded 50 acres of land when his period of contracted service expired.

The population of the colonies in 1660 was 75,000, and by 1775 - 2,500,000. PENN welcomed ships loaded with immigrants; Scotch Presbyterians, Irish Catholics, French Huguenots, Jews, German and Swiss Mennonites, and large numbers of Quakers. Business opportunities were the prime motive for immigration. Pennsylvania soon became a peaceful, prosperous colony, Philadelphia was its hub, with an international favor which rivaled any city in the world.

In 1737, the Reverend Johann DYLANDER arrived from Sweden to take charge of the Gloria Dei Church near Philadelphia. With him came Olof (William) MALANDER, a student of divinity who came from Roslagus in eastern Uppsaland, and who had graduated in 1730 from the University of Uppsala in Sweden. Olof MALANDER was to teach school until he would be ordained by Rev. DYLANDER, and assigned to a church in the Swedish Colony. However, Pastor DYLANDER died before the ordination could take place, leaving only one ordained pastor and making the ordination ceremony not possible. The members of the churches at Raccoon and Penn?s Neck were reported to be ?libertine and accustomed to living without the law? and at first refused to pay Olof MALANDER as their unordained minister. Eventually they agreed to accept him and promised to pay him a yearly salary for his services. However, the two churches failed for several reasons, to keep their promise and consequently, in 1742, Mr. MALANDER was forced to leave the Swedish colony to seek employment elsewhere. He moved to Philadelphia where he worked in Benjamin FRANKLIN?s print shop. Swedish records state that Olof MALANDER left the Lutheran Church and became a Moravian minister and moved to Rhode Island where his parishioners built a church. Olof died in 1744, and his wife apparently returned to Philadelphia, Montgomery County, PA, where their daughter, Deborah, was married to William ELDRIDGE in 1761.

Theophelous Burt ELDRIDGE, born 1859, a great-grandson of William, and first cousin twice removed to Duncan C. ELDRIDGE, claimed in his brief family history, that William was born 1 April 1738, the son of Thomas Eldridge. He also claimed that William and Deborah settled and raised their family at Dennis Creek , Cape May County, New Jersey, where several other families named ELDRIDGE previously made their homes since early times. Deed records do not reflect his statement, but from the time of their marriage in 1761 until just before the Revolutionary War in 1774, the whereabouts of this family is not known.

It is ironic that the two colonies founded by Quakers on the principles of peace and non-violence should be the site of the most fierce and prolonged battles of the Revolutionary War. Quakers believed in prohibiting members from supporting either side at the outbreak of the War. (William was 38 at this time, his oldest son, Enos, was 12). The penalty for violating this tenet was expulsion. Quakers who were naturally sympathetic to the colonial cause held to this and refused to serve or support the Continental Army in any way. In the same neighborhood where Washington?s troops were starving, Quaker barns bulged with supplies. Eventually, large numbers of Friends broke with the faith to help the colonies gain independence.

The first known residence for the William ELDRIDGE family is shown in a Gloucester County deed dated 18 April 1791. William, yeoman of Gloucester, and Deborah sold land in Greenwich Township which they acquired through a sheriff?s sale on 29 October 1774. Tax records from 1773 for Greenwich, Gloucester County, list William as well as David and Little John Eldridge. In 1786, Greenwich taxed 2 William ELDRIDGEs, one identified as ?saddler?, plus David, Enoch and Enos ELDRIDGE. By 1797, only one William remains to be taxed in Greenwich. Tax records for Gloucester Township for 1789 list a William ELDRIDGE as well as an Obadiah and Joshua, thus indicating the family moved it?s residence about 1787.

Deborah MALANDER ELDRIDGE probably died in Gloucester between 22 March 1806 and 3 June 1897 as reflected in deed records. William made his will on 18 November 1812, giving his residence as Gloucester Town; the will was proved 26 February 1816.

THOMAS ELDRIDGE: the son of Jonathan, was born abt 1684 probably in Burlington County, NJ. His marriage witnessed by Jonathan, Martha and Mary ELDRIDGE, to Mary JAMES on 3 mo 11, 1704, is recorded in the Phila MM records. He settled in Phila, PA where he was granted freeman status on 1 June 1705. A freeman was one who took out his freedom and was granted by the City of Philadelphia, certain rights and privileges of a citizen. One requirement was to be at least 21 yo, hence we can estimate his birth to be 1684.

Thos and Mary ELDRIDGE made their home in Philadelphia where the births of 2 children were recorded in the Quaker Monthly Meeting records. A son, James, was born on 12 mo 2, 1704/5, and a dtr, Mary, was born 3 mo 11, 1710. From notes in the Cope and Ender Collections, it appears Thomas and Mary also had a son, Joseph, who was named in a deed along with siblings James and Mary.

Also found in these collections, Thomas and Mary produced a certificate from the Phila MM to the Concord MM on 4 mo 1, 1717, and settled in Calm Township, Chester, County, PA. Thomas ELDRIDGEs son, Jonathan, of East Malburrow, Chester County, married 10 mo 3, 1771, a second wife, Sarah DAVIS at the Goshen Meeting. Jonathan died and his widow Sarah married William ALLEN. Their grandson, Eldridge ALLEN, married in Davenport, Iowa in 1859.

Notes indicate that Mary JAMES ELDRIDGE died, and Thomas was married a second time to Hannah DUNCAN, although no official record of the marriage has been discovered. Hannah DUNCAN ELDRIDGE could have been the great-grandmother of Duncan Campbell ELDRIDGE of Davenport, IA.

JONATHAN ELDRIDGE may have come from England to Burlington County in 1678; or he may have sailed from London on the ?Success? and arrived in West New Jersey in April 1679 and served as Council member in 1708.

This latter Jonathan may have been the partner of Martha WAGSTAFF who were both condemned at the Burlington County Quaker meeting in 1679/80 for adulterous practices. The couple married, a record of Martha ELDRIDGE?s burial 4 mo 1, 1713, was recorded by the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting.

Jonathan lived in Evesham, Burlington County, NJ in 1704, when he was father of Thomas ELDRIDGE in marriage records of the Phila MM. His name appears on a letter to the PMM dated 12 mo 23, 1735/6 stating son Obadiah?s intention to marry.

It?s possible that Joseph ELDRIDGE who died in Sussex County, DE, whose will proved in 13 May 1762 was the son of Jonathan ELDRIDGE.

On 2 March 1736, Jonathan ELDRIDGE?s will was proved. He named wife, Elizabeth, dtr Phoebe, sons Jonathan, Joseph, James, and Obadiah. Son Thomas, was not mentioned. Parents often made early financial settlements with their older married children. Jonathan, father of Thomas, appears to have been a Quaker at his death.

The name ELDRIDGE or ELDREDGE is an uncommon name of English extraction. The name ELDRED referred to several Saxon kings who ruled England in the 8th and 9th centuries. Eldson C. SMITH in his book American Surnames, claimed the name originated in the area of Kent, England, and meant ?plank bridge?.

Variations of the name have been found in the American colonies. John EELDRED, Great Saxham, England, was for 15 years, a director of the Virginia Company of London. The Mayflower pilgrims received their patent for land from this company. It is possible that William, Robert, Samuel, John and Nathaniel ELDRIED or ELDRED who came to the new colonies between 1635-1645 were related to John ELDRED. Descendants became numerous in the Cape Cod region before migrating to Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.

The name John ELDRIDGE appears in 1680 as one, along with William PENN, to whom the Duke of York conveyed all his interest in West New Jersey.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, families with the name or its variations were living in 8 counties in New Jersey, and by 1790, ELDRIDGE had become the 1,276th most common surname in America with 22,115 bearing that name.

The ancestor?s identity who settled in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, United States, in 1836 is still shrouded in mystery. Professional genealogists have searched for Duncan Campbell ELDRIDGE?s ancestor, who most certainly came to the New World before the Revolutionary War. This person may or may not have been a Quaker, and, if not, converted to the Friends? way through marriage into prominent Quaker families.

We know that William ELDRIDGE who married Deborah MALANDAR in Pennsylvania in 1761 were Duncan?s grandparents. The only clues we have about William?s father are scraps of hearsay.

In 1926, Theophilus Burt ELDRIDGE prepared a typewritten family history. William was the son of Thomas, and that William was born 1 April 1738, no birthplace given.

REFERENCE: The Eldridge-Bawden Families, The Ancestry and Descendants of Duncan Campbell ELDRIDGE and Stephen BAWDEN of Scott County, Iowa; Author-compiler Alice Richardson Sloane, C.G. (dec 2011); commissioned by John Duvall Bawden, Bettendorf, IA (dec 1992). Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, IA 1986, pps1-5, vinyl bound, 293 pps with photos.