 Robert WilliamsBorn ± 1647 Of Merion, died 1734, approximately 87 years Daniel Treadway Subject: Re: [Q-R] Williams family of Chester County Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 09:19:34 -0500 (CDT) In-Reply-To: > Seth, I, too, am interested in Robert and Gwen (Cadwallader) Williams, as they are my ancestors. I have this on hand, which you probably have seen before: The History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, by J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope, 1881, has the following account of Robert Williams: Robert Williams, of Merion, widower, was married at the house of Hugh Roberts, 4.19.1691 to Gwen Cadwallader. About the year 1700 they were settled in Goshen, probably on land then of Griffith Owen, at or near the present Goshen Friends' Meetng. He was sometimes called the King of Goshen, and it is claimed that he was the first settler in the township. Tradition says their first residence was a cave, and on that occasion, when their hearth-fire went out, he had to go seven miles to get it renewed. Goshen Meeting was held first, it is believed, at his house, though the record says at the house of Griffith Owen, but the later doubtless lived in Philadelphia. In 1715 they lived in Uwchlan township, and in that year conveyed the Goshen homestead to their son Ellis. Though he had considerable land in Goshen, he appears to have been straitened in circumstances, so that in 1702 Friends of Haverford contributed L19.9d.8s to him to build a new house, he having received Friends "kindly and openhearted," and keeping the meeting in his house. In 1710, Edward Roberts complained of him for debt, and the meeting advised him to sell some of his land to pay for it, and even appointed persons to assist him in doing it. He died in 1734, at the age of eighty-seven years. I could also supply you with a list of nearly five thousand descendants, which include a great many individuals you would know from your association with Ohio Yearly Meeting. Some of the names are on line at . Dan Treadway Married 19 Apr 1691 Goshen, Lancaster, Pa Hugh Roberts (42 or 43 years married) to:  Gwen CadawaladerMarried name: Williams, born ± 1698 Child: 1. John Williams | |||