Church of England rector for three parishes outside of Philadelphia: 1) at St. Davids ; 2) St. James Perkiomen; 3) the small parish in Tredyffrin township, Chester County, St. Peter's Church in the Valley. These were part of a complex number of other parishes in the Eastern Pa. region led by associates . As for his own parishes, other rectors included the Rev.'s Howie, Hughes and Weyman: See "<Panoply>" project.

Rev. William Currie Advertisements from the Pennsylvania Gazette

• June 13, 1754
  • To be SOLD, A likely strong, healthy, Negro Wench, about 25 Years of age, this Country born, has had the Smallpox, and is fit for Town or Country Business. Enquire at the New Printing Office. William Currie
• July 18, 1754
  • To be sold by WILLIAM CURRIE, In the Great Valley, TWO likely Negro Men, both compleat Farmers, named Glascow and Quaco; Glascow is about 21 Years of Age, and Quaco about 36: LIkewise two Negro Wenches, named Deb and Moll; Deb is about 24 Years of Age, and has a fine Child, about 8 months old; Moll is about 40, and has a fine boy, past 4 years old, both to be sold with the Mothers: As also a Dutch Servant Lad, who has been 7 Years in the Country, and has 5 Years and 4 Months to serve; all which are sold for no Fault, but because their Master intends to quit Farming. The Purchaser may have a Year Credit, giving Security, and paying interest.

new to Geni in 2022: The Currie pedigree is now considerably extended through several generations of the offspring of Rev. Currie not chronicled elsewhere. ~• MMvB vol. curator•~
Note that this profile has ben added to the Spurious pedigrees project as earlier genealogies do not have a correct number of sons for the Rev. William Currie. We now have a Ross Currie in addition to an Alexander Ross Currie. This had been the source of confusion by others elsewhere.
A great asset is: https://tehistory.org/hqda/html/v42/v42n2p049.html#top by Mike Bertram. It should be consulted as a primary resource for study of the Currie family. TEHS: Source: Spring 2005 Volume 42 Number 2, Pages 49–65

Account #1

~• not "entirely correct"

Rev. William Currie - The following account of Mr. Currie was taken down from the lips of a lady who was well acquainted with him, and whose statement may be relied upon as being entirely correct: "William Currie was born and educated in Glasgow, Scotland, and under the following circumstances emigrated to America. A Mr. Carter, of Virginia, having an only son, placed him at college in Glasgow to receive all the advantages of a liberal education; but being an only child, and consequently a great favorite with his parents, they were soon led to regret the step they had thus taken in separating themselves from their son. They at once determined to send for him, requesting the faculty to send one with him who would be competent to perform the duties of a tutor, and under whose instructions he would be able to complete his education.

Mr. Currie, being then much esteemed in the college as a man of learning and sound judgment, was at once recommended, and consented to take charge of his young pupil, and shortly after sailed for America. With this family he continued a number of years, after which he came to New Castle, in Delaware, where he became intimately acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Ross, a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, and under whose influence he was led to examine the doctrines and discipline of the Church of Scotland, and was accordingly recommended by the Rev. Mr. Ross to the Royal Society of England, whither he proceeded for ordination. After his return he became rector of Perkiomen, Radnor, and St. Peter's Churches.
~• this was under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel which was also his father-in-law's guiding organization

He was married to the eldest daughter of Mr. Ross, by which marriage he had five sons and one daughter ††† (see note), - John, James, William, Richard, Alexander Ross, and Elizabeth. His daughter Elizabeth was married to Dr. Demon (sic, actually Diemer), of Reading. John was educated to the legal profession, and married a wealthy lady named Crookshank; they lived and died near Bethlehem, Pa. James, William, and Alexander were physicians. Alexander, probably loyal to the Crown, went to one of the West India Islands, married and died there. William married and died in Philadelphia. Richard, a patriot, joined the First Militia, and went to Amboy; afterwards returned and died, leaving a widow and three children to the care of his father.

"Mr. Currie continued to be the rector of the above churches until independence was declared. Feeling that he could not violate his ordination vows by refusing to pray for the king of England, he resolved to give up the charge of the churches. He accordingly left the churches, but occasionally preached by request, and performed other duties appertaining to his office. ~• many duties were assumed by the Rev. Henry Melchior Mühlenberg of Trappe

His second wife was Lucy Ann Jones, formerly a Miss Godfrey, at this time the widow of David Jones. He resided for a few years after this marriage on his farm in Tredyffrin, situated †††† a short distance from Washington's encampment at Valley Forge. He here lost his second wife, after which he gave his farm into other hands (~• ed note: > his grandson-in-law) and resided with his tenants.

†††† at what became known as Stirling's HQ

His granddaughter married, and Mr. Currie spent the remainder of his days with her, and died at the advanced age of 105 years (note incorrect age). He was interred at Radnor church, together with his two wives and his son Richard; he died some time during the autumn of 1803."

Source: History of Chester County, J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope; Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts & Co.; 1881.

William Currie : 1710-1803

Page 41

William Currie, a young Scotch Presbyterian and the graduate of the University of Glasgow, came to the Colonies about 1730 as a tutor to one of the Carters of Virginia. The first official information we have of him, he was in charge of the Presbyterian congregation of New Castle, Delaware, while there he was led to withdraw from the Church of Scotland by Rev. George Ross and returned to London to be ordained in the Church of England.

Returning to this country, he became the Rector of Old St. Davids Church, Radnor, from 1737 - 1776, also having in his charge St. Peter's in the Great Valley and St. James, Perkiomen. At one time he served in Christ Church, Philadelphia, during the vacancy caused by the death of Rev. Archibald Cummings. He married the daughter of his friend, Rev. George Aeneas Ross, Margaret Ross-Hackett, whose brother, George Ross, and brother-in-law, George Reade, were signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Rev. Currie educated a number of young men in his parish, besides his large family of children (six) sons and one daughter), preparing them for college. His sermons and writings were printed and sold by Benjamin Franklin.

Page 42

Margaret Ross Hackett Currie died March, 1771, and was buried at Old St. Davids. On November 25, 1771, Rev. Currie married Mrs. Lucy Ann Godfrey-Jones, widow of David Jones, at Gloria Dei, Philadelphia, by Rev. Andrew Goeranson. Shortly afterward they moved to the farm located near Valley Forge, on the side of the North Valley Hill. It was here that Lord Stirling, General on Washington's staff, made his headquarters during the encampment at Valley Forge.

With the outbreak of the Revolution in 1775, Rev. Currie continued to use prayers for the King and Royal Family of England. In this he was upheld by his friend, William Moore, of Moore-Hall. His actions, however, were strenuously objected to by a large majority of the members of his three congregations, and in May, 1776, he presented his letters of resignation to the Wardens and Vestrymen of the three churches. He died in 1803 and is buried with his two wives in Old St. Davids' churchyard.

An interesting "tid-bit" from an old record says, "Rev. William Currie paid taxes in 1777 on 200 land - 1 negro - 1 horse - 1 teaspoon - 1 sugar dish & tongs - 3 tablespoons - 0 money".

When he died in 1803, his estate was valued at over £ 3,000, which was a goodly sum in those days.

NOTE

(This information was obtained from Mrs. Andrew Y. Drysdale, of Norristown, a direct descendant of William Currie, and notes from the Church Historical Society of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. )
~• comment: Ms. Drydale seems to have missed the son Ross who went to New Brunswick and drowned •~

According to Mrs. Drysdalehe had five sons and one daughter †††, - John, James, William, Richard, Alexander Ross, and Elizabeth are listed..

Account #2

WIlliam Currie by Mike Bertram

• Currie once lived at a property that is of historic significance to the Revolution: Stirling's Quarters off of what became Yellow Springs Road at the western edge of Valley Forge Park near the Valley Stream.
Here's an interactive map of properties including the WIlliam Currie Property. An official Valley Forge Park trail map shows the area (and footprint) of the Currie house (at bottom) It is on Yellow Springs Road.

• Buried next to his son Richard and Richard's wife who both died young. Richard of a sickness contracted while marching off to Amboy at the outset of the Revolution.

REV. WILLIAM CURRIE

William Currie was born and educated in Glasgow, Scotland.

He immigrated to America and settled in New Castle, in Delaware. He became acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Ross, a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, and under whose influence he was led to examine the doctrines and discipline of the Church of Scotland, and was accordingly recommended by the Rev. Mr. Ross to the Royal Society of England, whither he proceeded for ordination. After his return he became rector of Perkiomen, Radnor, and St. Peter's Churches in Pennsylvania.

On November 30, 1738, he married Rev. Ross' eldest daughter, Margaret. To this union there were five sons and one daughter: John, James, William, Richard, Alexander Ross, and Elizabeth.

Mr. Currie continued to be the rector of the above churches until independence was declared and then from 1777–1785 he preached upon request.

After the death of his first wife in 1771, he married second wife, Lucy Ann Jones, formerly a Miss Godfrey, at this time the widow of David Jones. He resided on a farm in Tredyffrin, Pennsylvania, situated a short distance from Washington's encampment at Valley Forge. After the loss of his second wife, he sold the farm and went to live with his granddaughter.

He departed this life at ninety-four years of age.

The Philadelphia Repository & Weekly Register
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dated: November 5, 1803

Deaths

~~, on the 26th ult. in the Great Valley, Chester county, in the ninety-fourth year of his age, the Rev. William Currie, formerly missionary to the churches of Radnor and Perkiomen.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 29 2017, 2:07:16 UTC

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https://tehistory.org/hqda/html/v42/v42n2p049.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30173418/william-currie/photo

Rev. William Currie - The following account of Mr. Currie was taken down from the lips of a lady who was well acquainted with him, and whose statement may be relied upon as being entirely correct: "William Currie was born and educated in Glasgow, Scotland, and under the following circumstances emigrated to America. A Mr. Carter, of Virginia, having an only son, placed him at college in Glasgow to receive all the advantages of a liberal education; but being an only child, and consequently a great favorite with his parents, they were soon led to regret the step they had thus taken in separating themselves from their son. They at once determined to send for him, requesting the faculty to send one with him who would be competent to perform the duties of a tutor, and under whose instructions he would be able to complete his education.

Mr. Currie, being then much esteemed in the college as a man of learning and sound judgment, was at once recommended, and consented to take charge of his young pupil, and shortly after sailed for America. With this family he continued a number of years, after which he came to New Castle, in Delaware, where he became intimately acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Ross, a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, and under whose influence he was led to examine the doctrines and discipline of the Church of Scotland, and was accordingly recommended by the Rev. Mr. Ross to the Royal Society of England, whither he proceeded for ordination. After his return he became rector of Perkiomen, Radnor, and St. Peter's Churches.

He was married to the eldest daughter of Mr. Ross, by which marriage he had five sons and one daughter, - John, James, William, Richard, Alexander Ross, and Elizabeth. His daughter Elizabeth was married to Dr. Demon, of Reading. John was educated to the legal profession, and married a wealthy lady named Crookshank; they lived and died near Bethlehem, Pa. James, William, and Alexander were physicians. Alexander went to one of the West India Islands, married and died there. William married and died in Philadelphia. Richard joined the First Militia, and went to Amboy; afterwards returned and died, leaving a widow and three children to the care of his father.

"Mr. Currie continued to be the rector of the above churches until independence was declared. Feeling that he could not violate his ordination vows by refusing to pray for the king of England, he resolved to give up the charge of the churches. He accordingly left the churches, but occasionally preached by request, and performed other duties appertaining to his office.

His second wife was Lucy Ann Jones, formerly a Miss Godfrey, at this time the widow of David Jones. He resided for a few years after this marriage on his farm in Tredyffrin, situated a short distance from Washington's encampment at Valley Forge. He here lost his second wife, after which he gave his farm into other hands (~• ed note: > his grandson-in-law) and resided with his tenants.

His granddaughter married, and Mr. Currie spent the remainder of his days with her, and died at the advanced age of 105 years. He was interred at Radnor church, together with his two wives and his son Richard; he died some time during the autumn of 1803."

Source: History of Chester County, J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope; Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts & Co.; 1881.

sources

• https://tehistory.org/hqda/html/v42/v42n2p049.html
• https://www.stjames-episcopal.org/our-history/