Rebecca Piggott (Hardiman)

Ben M. Angel notes: This one appears a bit difficult to resolve. Martha Kuykendall presents five references in her profile of Rebecca, and argues that her maiden name was Wellsford. However, there are more online sources that insist that she is the daughter of Abraham Hardiman (with a Rebecca Wellsford being an earlier deceased wife, not mother).

Reviewing the evidence available online (including the lack of a first name for the supposed first husband of Rebecca), I'm more inclined to go with Hardiman than Wellsford at this point.

Evidence supporting Hardiman:

From Marc Archer of Flint, Michigan, who asserts Rebecca is the daughter of a second marriage of Abraham Hardiman with Diana Thomas (Rebecca Willsford being the first wife):

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/PA-WELSH-EARLY/2006-1...

Gen 1 ____ Hardiman

+Jane ____

Gen 2 Abraham Hardiman b: Wales d: Bet. August 28, 1699 - September 10, 1702 Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA

+Rebecca Willsford b: of NJ

Gen 3 Deborah Hardiman

+George Claypole

*2nd Wife of Abraham Hardiman: 

+Diana Thomas m: June 14, 1681 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales d: August 27, 1694 Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA

Gen 3 Mary Hardiman b: March 13, 1684/85

+George Fitzwater Father: Thomas Fitzwater

Gen 3 Hannah Hardiman d: December 12, 1748

+Gilbert Falconar b: June 30, 1686 d: Bef. May 17, 1736 Father: David Falconar Mother: Margaret Molleson

Gen 3 Rebecca Hardiman

b: Abt. 1684 PA d: July 26, 1711 in childbirth

+John Piggott

b: Abt. 1680 Eng. m: March 14, 1704/05 d: January 29, 1737/38 Chester Co., PA

Gen 3 John Hardiman

b: June 03, 1682 Wales d: July 29, 1682 Nesthook, Wales

Ben notes: The existence of Jane Hardiman, grandmother of Rebecca, is confirmed in the following passage about the Certificate of Remove received at the arrival of Hannah Hardiman at Philadelphia (Abraham is presumed to be either Hannah's brother or father):

http://dunhamwilcox.net/pa/phil_quaker1.htm

http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/chester/immig/quakers01.txt

HANNAH HARDYMAN, from Haverford West Meeting, England, dated 6 mo. 2, 1683.

Amont singers were Abraham Hardiman and Jane Hardiman, mother of Hannah. At Phila., 9 mo. 4, 1684.

Samuel Carpenter and His Descendants, by Edward Carpenter and General Louis Henry Carpenter (pub. 1912):

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/a/r/John-R-Carpenter/F...

Whereas, Samuel Carpenter of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania, and Hannah Hardiman of the same, did declare their intentions of marriage in several public meetings of the people of God called Quakers, and upon inquiry made of their clearness, the said Meetings finding them clear of all others, and that they had the consent of their relations and parties concerned, they were approved by the said meetings-

These are therefore to certify all whom it shall or may concern, that for the full determining the intentions aforesaid this 12th day of the 10th month (called December) 1684 in an assembly of the people of God aforesaid at their usual meeting place in Philadelphia aforesaid, the said Samuel Carpenter did then and there in a solemn manner according to the example of the holy men recorded in the Scriptures of Truth and the good practice of the people of God in this age take the said Hannah Hardiman by the hand, and spake as follows, viz,

"Friends in the fear of the Lord, and in the presence of this assembly, I take thee my friend Hannah Hardiman to be my wife, and do promise as the Lord shall enable me, to be a faithful constant and loving husband until death shall separate us;"

and then the said Hannah Hardiman did also then and there, in like manner, take him the said Samuel Carpenter by the hand and declare as follows, viz,

" My friends in the presence of the Lord and of this Assembly and in the feeling of his power I take thee my friend Samuel Carpenter to be my husband and do promise to be to him a faithful loving and constant wife until death shall separate us,"

and for a further continuation thereof the parties above mentioned have hereunto as husband and wife subscribed their names; to which we who were present at the solemnizing of the said marriage and their subscription in manner and form aforesaid have hereunto set our hands as Witnesses to the same the day and year above written.

SAMUEL CARPENTER.

HANNAH CARPENTER.

NOTE.-The original certificate written on parchment is in the possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It is the earliest marriage certificate in Pennsylvania now known to be in existence. - J. E. C. 1898.

Hannah Hardiman, who married Samuel Carpenter, became a prominent and influential member of the religious Society of Friends or Quakers, and possessed considerable intellectual ability. Some of her writings are still preserved, chiefly upon the proper education of the young. She survived her husband about 14 years. Of her family but little is known. Her mother, Jane Hardiman, was a widow when she (Hannah) emigrated from Haverford West, in Wales, to Philadelphia.

One brother, Abraham Hardiman, also a much-esteemed member of the Society of Friends, followed his sister to Philadelphia. He married, first, [Unknown]. Their children:

(I) Mary, who married George Fitzwater (son of Thomas Fitzwater, who married Elizabeth Palmer in 1684).

(2) Hannah, who married Gilbert Falconer (son of David Falconer, of Edinburgh, Scotland).

(3) Rebecca.

Secondly, Abraham Hardiman married Rebecca Willsford, of New Jersey, a noted minister of the Gospel among Friends, by whom he had one child,

Deborah, who married George Claypole.

The will of Abraham Hardiman, dated August 28, 1699, proved at Philadelphia, September 10, 1702, mentions his three cousins, John and Rebecca Harris and Rebecca Williams.

From Pickett Family History:

http://mysite.verizon.net/wkkoerber/Pickett/Pickett.html#_ftn11

John Piggott [d. March 9, 1737/8 O.S. [March 20, 1738 N.S.][1] married Rebecca Hardiman.

Children of John and Rebecca (Hardiman) Piggott:

1. Mary (August 2, 1706 O.S. [August 13, 1706 N.S.])

2. Rebecca (December 1, 1707 O.S. [December 12, 1707 N.S.] - November 17, 1734 O.S. [November 28, 1734])

3. Hannah (October 14, 1709 O.S. [October 25, 1709 N.S.]) married Samuel White on February 21, 1726 at Nottingham, Maryland.[5]

4. male

Evidence supporting Wellsford, from "Martha's Extended Family" family tree page on Rebecca Wellsford:

http://martisgenes.info/p496.htm#i6115

Rebecca Wellsford[1],[2],[3],[4]

F, b. circa 1684, d. 1711

Name Variation Rebecca Wellsford was also known as Rebecca Willsford.

Birth* Rebecca was born circa 1684.[4]

Marriage* She married (?) Hardiman say 1702.

Marriage* She married John Piggott circa May 1705 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.[2]

Death* Rebecca died in 1711 .[5]

Family 1 (?) Hardiman d. s 1703

Family 2 John Piggott b. s 1683, d. 29 Mar 1738

Children

◦Mary Piggott b. 6 Apr 1706

◦Rebecca Piggott b. 1 Dec 1707, d. 17 Apr 1729

◦Hannah Piggott b. 14 Oct 1709

◦Unnamed Piggott b. 1711, d. 1711

Citations:

1.[S185] James E. Bellarts, The Quaker Yeoman, A Quarterly Newsletter of Quaker and Related Genealogy, January 1975.

2.[S187] Warren E Pickett, John Piggott Sr. (1680 ?- 1738) of Susquehannah Hundred in Cecil County MD. Together with some account of the Browne and Clayton families from whom his wife Margarey Brown Piggott descended, p. 3.

3.[S195] Quaker Records; Maryland, Cecil Co., Nottingham MM Twp., p. 113.

4.[S194] Jack Weaver, Martha G Cline.

5.[S185] James E. Bellarts, The Quaker Yeoman, A Quarterly Newsletter of Quaker and Related Genealogy.