Transcribed by James Quinn and Matthew Quinn
The burial records were written as they happened and appear to be for Gwynedd Preparative Meeting only. It is apparent that many of the deaths among friends are not accounted for in this record, perhaps because they are buried on their farms and perhaps because the burial book was not faithfully attended to. This transcription was made from microfilm stored at the Friends Historical Center at Swarthmore College. As can be seen about 2 or 3 people were buried per year in a normal year. In 1745, a fatal epidemic visited Gwynedd that killed many of the children. Although, a yellow fever epidemic was known to occur throughout colonial America in 1745, the pattern of deaths (mainly children) and the rapidity of its spread (all the deaths occurred in 2 months) suggest diphtheria. Waterborne diseases would be less likely as archeological remains suggest settlers at Gwynedd used wells and spring houses for their water. The epidemic seems to have had a profound effect on Gwynedd. From 1725-1745 Gwynedd was called the School for Prophets, but not afterwards. Many fewer births are found in the Gwynedd records in the years following 1745. The epidemic seems to have started at the home of Thomas Evans who described himself as an innkeeper and his wife Elizabeth Evans. Their house is likely the one still standing in Lower Gwynedd on Sumneytown Pike near the intersection of Evans Rd. From there it spread to the Rees Harry family (located west on what is now Prospect Ave. near Old Church Rd. in Upper Gwynedd) and then northwards to the John Davies home located at about Prospect and Hancock now. Within a month it had spread throughout the Gwynedd Prepatory Meeting area hitting families in Towamencin (Joseph Lucken), Montgomery (John Jones) and New Britain, Bucks (John Forman) and Whitpain as well as throughout Upper and Lower Gwynedd. A diptheria epidemic broke out in Philadelphia in 1746 perhaps a continuance of the one that hit Gwynedd the year before. Diphtheria had also hit New York and New England in 1744, the year before it hit Gwynedd (Genealogical Encyclopedia of Colonial America, by Christina K. Schaefer p 21, on-line through Google Books).
1714
While not in the burial book, the oldest stone is that of Martha Bates buried next to the old meeting house in 1714.
1715
1. Catherine daughter of John and Jane Johns
1716
1. Richard son of Meridith Davies and Gwen his wife
2. William son of Evan Evans buried 9th of 10th month
3. Mary wife of Rowland Roberts buried 4th day 12th month
4. Anne wife of Thomas Evans
5. Hugh Roberts of Dublin
1720
1. Hannah daughter of Evan and Elizabeth Evans 12th month
1727
1. John son of John and Ellin Evans 3 years 7 months
2. Samuel son of Samuel and Margaret Thomas 16th of 2nd month
1728
1. Mary daughter of Samuel and Margaret Thomas
2. Josiah Jones son of Robert and Anne Jones
3. Edward son of Thomas and Elizabeth Evans
4. Samuel ????son
5. Evan Evans 44 years old
6. Owen Evans 64 years old
1730
1. Abram Daws Sr. 26th 12th month
1731
1. John Davis 4th day 3rd month
Note: Howard Jenkins writes that Cadwalader Roberts (son of Robert Cadwalader) died of small pox 7th day, 3rd mo 1731
1732
1. Ruth daughter of John and Jane Jones
2. Catherine wife of Thomas Evans
1733
1. Ellin wife of Edward Foulke
2. Elizabeth Evans wife of Owen Evans
1734
1. Cadwalder son of Richard and Gwen Morris
2. Margaret daughter of Thomas and Gwen Foulke
1735
1. William son of William and Rebecca Arwyn 12-11
1736
1. Robert Humphrey
2. Margaret daughter of Robert Humphrey
3. Elizabeth daughter of Robert and Margaret Humphrey
4. Anne daughter of Robert and Margaret Humphrey
5. Benjamin son of John and Jane Jones
6. Gwen wife of Richard Morris 3-8
7. Caleb son of Thomas and Gwen Foulke 7-7
1737
1. Samuel son of Abraham and Mary Daws 24th 9th month
2. Richard Morris deceased 22nd 6th month
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1738
1. William son of William and Rebecca Arwyn
1739
1. Rees David of Upper Dublin buried 10-2
1740
1. David son of Joshua and Elizabeth Dickinson 4th day 8th month
1741
1. Gainor wife of Edward Foulke 14th 7th month
2. Daniel his son buried 19th
3. Margaret his daughter buried 27th
4. Thomas Williams buried 17th 8th month
5. Susannah daughter 18th
6. Sarah his wife 28th
7. Catherine daughter of John and Jane Jones 26th 9th month
Note: There is a stone at Gwynedd that belongs to Edward Foulke, the immigrant, but his name is not recorded in the burial book.
1742
1. Priscilla daughter of John and Jane Jones and wife of Evan Jones buried at Merion 25th 10th month
1745
1. Cadwalader Evans 4th month
July 1745
2. Jane wife of William Jones and daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Evans 4 day 5th month [JQ, age 21]
3. Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Evans and Elizabeth his wife 5th day 5th month [JQ: a child]
4. Margaret daughter of Rees and Mary Harry 7th day 5th month [JQ: born between 1730 and 1745]
5. Mary daughter of John and Mary Davies 10th day 5th month [JQ: born between 1730 and 1745]
6. Mary wife of Abraham Griffith
7. Nathan son of John and Mary Davies 11th day 5th month
8. Catherine wife of Theophilias William 11th day 5th month
9. Anne daughter of John and Mary Davies 11th day 5th month
10. Robert all three 13th day 5th month
11. Hannah daughter of John and Mary Roberts 14th day 5th month
12. Robert son of Robert and Jane Hugh 16th day
13. Mary wife of Robert Evans 16th day
14. Elis son of Robert and Jane Hugh 18th day
15. Rebecca daughter of Owen and Mary Evans 18th day
16. Ellin daughter of Robert and Jane Hugh 20th day
17. Son of Rich Osborne 20th day
18. Son of Aubrey and Ellin Roberts 22nd
19. Son of John Starkey 24th day
20. Child of Jenkin and Ellin Morris
21. Evan Foulke 25th day
22. John son of Owen and Jane Roberts 26th day
23. Elizabeth Roberts widow 27th
24. Edward son of William Robert and Anne 27th
25. Margaret daughter of John and Jane Jones 28th day
26. Child of Sam Sanders 28th
27. Edward son of Evan and Ellin Foulke 29th day
28. Daughter of Evan and Anne Foulke 29th day
29. William son of Evan and Elizabeth Evans 30th
30. Evan son of Thomas and Mary Evans 30th
31. Sarah daughter of Hugh and Margaret Evans 31st
32. Child of Rich Osbourne 30th
33. Child of Grace Roberts 30th
34. Child of Moses Peters 30th
August 1745
35. Child of Joseph Luckens 3rd 6th month
36. Hannah daughter of Evan and Elizabeth Evans 4th
37. Child of John Lowrey 4th
38. Anne daughter of Evan and Ellin Foulke 4th
39. Mordicai son of John and Elizabeth Roberts 4th
40. Ellin daughter of Evan and Anne Foulke 5th
41. Son of Robert and Rachel Davies 6th
42. William son of Robert and Rachel Davies 7th
43.Daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Edward 8th
44. Child of Isaac Jones and Elizabeth his wife 8th
45. Son of John Forman 8th
46. Jane daughter of John and Margaret Hank 9th
47. Child of Joseph Luckens 9th
48. Elizabeth wife of John Robert Cadwalder 12th
49. Hugh David's child 12th
50. Evan Foulke's daughter 13th
51. Mary daughter of Hugh and Mary Evans 13th
52. Widow Starkey 15th (see note 1 below)
53. George son of Isaac and Elizabeth Jones 15th
54. Child of Moses Peters 15th
55. Elizabeth daughter of William Williams Taylor 15th
56. Child of William Morgan 18th
57. Catherine William Widow 18th
58. Hannah daughter of William Williams Taylor 18th
59. Child of Edward and Elizabeth Evans 18th
60. Martha child of William Williams Taylor 20th
61. Child of Hugh David 23rd
62. Sarah child of William Williams Taylor 24th
63. Child of Hugh Jones 24th
1746
1. Margaret daughter of William and Hannah Foulke 11-1
2. Richard son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Cox 6-7
1747
1. Evan Evans 26th of 5th month
2. John Evans 23rd day of 9th month
3. Evan son of John and Margaret Evans died 21st of April aged 9 months
4. Owen Evans May 1st
1748
1. Mary Roberts widow of William Roberts 16th of 6th month in Frederick county Virginia
2. Catherine Williams 17th of 10th month aged 88
3. Cadwalder son of John and Jane Roberts 16th day 3rd month
4. Evan son of Thomas and Gwen Foulke 11-12
5. Sarah daughter of William and Hanah Foulke
1749
1. Elizabeth wife of John Forman 12-12
2. Sarah daughter Jeptha and Anne Lewis 9-9
3. Margaret daughter of Ben and Anne David
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