James Melvin

James Melvin

• Birth: c 1714, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
• Death: before 8 Dec 1778 in Lower Milford, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, United States

family

• Parents: unknown
• wife: unknown. Not named in will.

James and his wife had eight known children, including five boys and three girls, all but one of which are identified in his will of 1777. At least one child, James appears to have predeceased his father, as he is not listed in his fathers will. Of the remaining children three of the sons (Thomas John and Joseph) moved south into what is now West Virginia, settling in modern Jefferson and Berkely Counties. Joseph would later move even further south, settling in Washington Co, in northerastern TN. Samuel inherited his fathers land in Bucks County. He seems to have never married, dying there in shortly before 1800.

Children (birth dates approximate)

1. Thomas Melvin b: 1736. Married Elizabeth.
2. John Melvin b: 1737. Married Elizabeth McCarty.
3. Mary Melvin b: 1738. Married Mr. Crossley.
4. James Melvin b: 1739. Married Anne Griffith. Not named in father's 1777 will; presumed deceased before than date.
5. Susannah b: 1739. Married Mr. Dugworth.
6. Joseph Melvin b: 1740 in Washington, Tennessee ?
7. Jane Melvin b: 1741. Married Mr. Barnes.
8. Samuel Melvin b: 1742 in Bucks, PA. Unmarried.

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notes

James Melvin, a Bucks County non-Quaker farmer and 11-term assemblyman, generally supported the legislature's stance on defense matters during the French and Indian War.

By June 1742 living in Bucks County.

Assisted in the surveying of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1762-63. The magistrates, however, found "very great Mistakes" in the draft, based on Melvin's survey. They concluded that, "if the said Petitioners are Desirous of having a Township Laid Out," they should "Employ a Surveyor who Understands his Business."

Beginning with the 1756 Assembly, Melvin served eleven consecutive terms in the legislature, a service which roughly coincided with the French and Indian War. With the colony under attack, Melvin supported supply bills to raise funds for military purposes. He was one of the authors of three defense bills, two to raise £100,000 (1757 and 1759 terms) and one £70,000 (1761 term) for the king's service. On five occasions, Melvin helped deliver House messages to the governor.

Melvin joined with the majority of the 1764 Assembly to favor continuing the campaign for royal government, by voting against recalling the petitions for royal government from agent Richard Jackson and against instructing Jackson to desist in presenting the petitions to the Crown until he received further orders. Like other supporters of the campaign, he also voted to caution Jackson to proceed "with the utmost Caution," in order to ensure that a change in government would not result in the loss of any of the people's "inestimable Privileges" under the present constitution. Melvin was a member of the pro-royal government majority which favored resolutions to send another agent to assist Jackson; for that agent to be Benjamin Franklin; and for Franklin to be paid for his voyage and service.

In 1771 Melvin moved to Lower Milford, acquiring a 103-acre plantation there. His will, dated 24 September 1777, was probated on 8 December 1778. InJune 1779 Samuel Melvin sold the farm he inherited for £1125, a sum that suggests his father had been a man of fairly substantial wealth.

will

The Will of James Melvin 24 September 1777

Whereas, I James Melvin of Lower Milford (Twp) in the County of Bucks, (Pennsylvania), being weak in body but of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of time, do make and put in writing this my last will and testament in the manner and form following:

First, I will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be carefully paid and discharged.

Item: I give and devise unto my son Samuel Melvin, his heirs and assigns, forever all my Plantation and Tract of Land whereon I now live in the Township of Lower Milford aforesaid, containing one hundred and three acres and a quarter or thereabout;

Item: I give unto my daughter Susanna Dungworth living with me, her bed and all its appurtenances and her wearing apparel, and I give her also the sum of forty pounds in current money of America;

Item: I give unto my son Thomas Melvin' the sum of ten pounds, and to my son John Melvin I give the like sum of ten pounds, and to my son Joseph Melvin I give the sum of ten pounds, and to my daughter Jane Barnes I give the sum of ten pounds, and to my daughter Mary Crossley I give the like sum of ten pounds, currency aforesaid;

Item: I give to my son Samuel above named all the residue of my goods and effects whatsoever that shall remain after the payment of my debts and legacies aforesaid, and I do hereby ordain and appoint my said son Samuel Melvin to be my executor of this my last will and testament.

In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-fourth day of September in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven.

Signed and sealed and declared by the said testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of us.

signed James Melvin Witnesses

William Edwards Charles Dungworth Samuel Foulke Bucks Co.,

The 8th day of December, Anno Domini, 1778 appeared William Edwards and Samuel Foulke, two of the witnessed to the written instrument of writing, who on their solemn affirmations did declare and say, that they were present at the execution thereof, and saw and heard the within named James Melvin, the testator, sign, seal and publish the same as and for his Last Will and Testament and that at the time of his so doing, he was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief.

Before me, John Hart, Deputy Register. Bucks Co.

Be it remembered that on this 8th day of December, 1778, this the last Will and Testament of James Melvin, deceased, was duly proved, whereas Probate and Letters Testamentary were granted to Samuel Melvin, the Executor therein named, he being first solemnly sworn well and truly to administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said Deceased, and that he would within one month from the date hereof exhibit into the Register's Office for the said County a true inventory and conscionable appraisement of the same, and within twelve months, or when thereunto required, render a just accounting of his whole administration.

Witness my hand and seal of Office the day and year above said, John Hart, Deputy Register.

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bab%2D120...
• http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/James_Melvin_(1710-1778)_
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=schleich%...
  • per Licklider genealogy, James J. Melvin was the son of James Melvin b 1686 in Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ, who was the son of James MELVIN b: 1660 in Scotland & Alice
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=987654321...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=987654321...
  • Following the end of the Rev War, a number of Berkeley Co, Va relatives, friends and neighbors including Barnes, Melvin, Hendricks, Poland and Lucas families moved southward and settled in East Tennessee, then a part of North Carolina.

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• Reference: RootsWeb's WorldConnect - SmartCopy: Apr 3 2016, 3:18:03 UTC