Sarah Harper

Robert Harper and Sarah Buzby were married on January 23, 1734 in the office of Charles Read, His Majesty's Justice of the Peace. The ceremony could not be performed in meeting, for Robert was not then a Quaker, and Sarah's people were not permitted to attend the wedding.

Robert Harper was at the time an indentured servant of Sarah's father, John Buzby. He was a penniless young Scotch-Irishman who had obtained passage from his home in Belfast by binding himself out as a servant for a period of seven years after his arrival in Pennsylvania. His time was just about up when he married his boss's daughter.

He was a skilled iron and steel worker, and after his marriage he set up a small factory for the manufacture of augurs and gimlets along the banks of Tacony Creek, near his home. He died in 1765, quite well-to-do, and the business was taken over by his son Samuel, my forebear. The iron and steel tradition remained in this branch of the family for many generations, the last iron-monger being my mother's first cousin, Smith Harper of Fox Chase, who died a few years ago, well over 90 years of age. He had operated a very prosperous hoe and rake factory until about the year 1900, when the Steel Trust drove him out of business.

“I have a photocopy of Sarah's Will. As best I can read it, it says:”

"Be it Remembered that I Sarah Harper of the Township of oxford in the County of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania (Widow) Being weak in Body, But through Divine favour am of Sound Mind, Memory, and Understanding; And thereby Calling to Mind the Uncertainty of this Transitory Life. Do make this My Last Will & Testament as followeth. That is to Say, First, I Will that all my Just Debts and funeral …

• Item I Give Devise & Bequeath to my five Daughters Viz:
• Elizabeth, the Wife of Isaiah Worrill,
• Sarah the Wife of James Tyson,
• Agnes the Wife of Isaac Roberts,
• Rebeckah the Wife of John Roberts,
• [between the lines is “& Mary the Wife of Anthony Yercas”]

the Like Sum of five Pounds to Each of them.

• Item I Give Devise & Bequeath to My Daughter Ruth Harper all my Wearing Apparrell and Household Goods & furniture Which I may be Posessed of at the time of my Decease.
• Item I Give Devise & Bequeath all the Remainder of My Estate Both Real & Personal to my five Sons, Viz:
• Robert Harper,
• William Harper,
• John Harper,
• Nathan Harper, &
• Benjamin Harper,

To Be Equally Divided among them Share & Share alike.

• And if any of my said Children Should Depart this life in their Minority Without Lawfull Issue & Unmarried Such Decedents or Decedents Share Shall be divided Amongst My Surviving Children Share & Share alike Always Observing that the Representative or Representatives of any of My Children Who May Be Deceased is to have the Parts the Parents Should have if Living –
• Lastly I Nominate Constitute & appoint My Son Robert Harper & Son in Law Isaiah Worrill, Executors of this My Last Will & Testament fully…
• Void all former Wills or Testaments by me at any time heretofore Made by Word or Writing; Rattyfying & Confirming this only as my Last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this twenty third Day of the twelth Month (Called December) in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & Seventy three – (1773)
• Signed Sealed Published & Declared by the Said Sarah Harper as her Last Will & Testament in the presence of us – the words & Mary the Wife of Anthony Yercas being first interlined…
• her mark Sarah Harper … Aug 10th 1774."

References

• A family chart and a letter to be found at The Historical Society of Montgomery County 1654 DeKalb Street Norristown, PA 19401-5415

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Buzby-5

Except from Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, by John Jordan:

   "He (Isaiah Worrell) married, April 17, 1753, Elizabeth Harper, of a family still prominent in Abington Twp, who died April 25, 1809. She was a daughter of Robert Harper, who married, January 23, 1733, Sarah, daughter of John Buzby, who married, June 11, 1713, Elizabeth Holyday, at Abington Meeting, and died intestate in 1722. He was a son of William Buzby, who married at Abington Meeting, August 11, 1685, Sarah Teary [sic], a widow; and William was the second son of John and Mary Buzby, who came from Milton, Parish of Skipton in Old England in the ship Amity, which arrived at Upland, now Chester, June 3, 1682."