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Note: The Will of Alexander Underwood
I Alexander Underwood of the Township of Warrington, County of York and Province of Pennsylvania, being at this time in perfect sound mind and memory (Blessed be God for it) but being ancient and considering the uncertainty of time here in this world, do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner as followeth.
First that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid.
Item I give and Bequeath unto my son John Underwood his heirs and assign for ever, Fifty Acres of Land to be surveyed off of the North East corner of my Track of land joining the Land of William Garretson and bounding on Bermudian Creek.
Item I give unto my son Elihu Underwood his heirs and assign forever the remainder of my track of land with appertenances there unto belonging, provided the ye. sd. Elihu his heirs executon adms. or assigns shall pay the proprietor dues for the said tract of land, and shall deed the above mentioned Fifty Acres of Land for my son John Underwood and his heirs and assigns and give him or them a clear deed for it and it is likewise my will that my son John shall have the third part of the benefit of the orchard for the term of seven years. And it is my will that my son Elihu Him or his Heirs shall pay the sum of Five Pounds lawfull money of Pennsylvania out of the Estate I have left him, the said five pounds to be equally divided among the remainder of my children them or their heirs.
Item I give my big Bible unto my son William Underwood or his Heirs.
Item I give my Brass Hackel to my daughter in law Ruth Underwood.
Item I give unto my Daughter Ruth Morthland ye. Iron Hackel & ye Box Iron, and it is my will that the remainder of my estate shall be equally divided among my Children (Vis), Samuel, Thomas, Joseph, William & Mary Wells, Ann Fraizon, Jane Smith & Ruth Morthland, to them or their Heirs. Lastly I make ordain and constitute my Trusty Sons William Underwood and John Underwood, my sole and only Executors of this my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 28th day of ye. 5th, Mo, in Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixth seven 1767--.
His Alexander X Underwood Mark Signed Sealed as his Last Will
in the presence of us
William Garretson Peter Cleaver Alexander settled in London Grove, (Warrington Monthly Meeting (MM)), Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1722, several years after his marriage to Jane Harry. He was appointed an Elder 31 Nov 1736. He moved to Warrington Township in York county in 1743, where he was also the Minister of the Warrington Monthly Meeting. He had land in London Grove Township surveyed in 1720. He obtained a deed for the land in 1722 after his father's death. Alexander was a Quaker Minister for twenty-two years before his death. As a minister, he twice journeyed to North Carolina.
He was a witness to multiple marriages in the Chester County, Pennsylvania region, in 1728 at a Nottingham marriage, in 1731, 1734, 1735 and 1738 in London Grove MM, and lastly in 1734 in New Garden MM. He was a devout Quaker, a Friends Minister for 22 years and named an Elder on Nov. 31, 1735. In 1742 he sold his land to William Boyd. They then moved to Warrington, York Co., PA (Sadsbury Monthly Meeting Territory) in 1743. His wife, Jane, died shortly after this move. On the 3rd month, 28th, 1743, he, Robert Conners, William Underwood and their families requested a Certificate of Removal from the Sadsbury MM (then including York Co., PA). Alexander got a certificate of removal to Monocacy Meeting in Prince Georges Co., Maryland on Sept. 2, 1745. He returned to Sadsbury MM on Aug. 3, 1747 in York Co. where Alexander was recommended as minister. He married Sarah Boatwater Beals, widow of John Beals, after Sarah had gotten her children's permission. They married after he received a certificate from Warrington to Fairfax Meeting dated 2mo. 16, 1748. Sarah was probably in her 60's at the time. Sarah died prior to Alexander as she was not mentioned in his will. She is last recorded on Sept. 12, 1761 when she was succeeded as "overseer". He, Samuel and William Underwood (probably his sons) pledged money to help buy the land for the Warrington Monthly Meeting while attending Sadsbury MM in 1745.
Some of Alexander and Jane's children moved to Delaware and their records may be found in the northern County of a Quaker Record Holding Place.
His will names sons John, Elihu, William, Samuel, Thomas, Joseph and Benjamin; and daughters Ruth Morthland, Mary Wells, Ann Fraizor and Jane Smith.
******Was Alexander married twice?**********
Based on a literal translation of a Quaker eulogy on Alexander Underwood, some researchers believe that he was married twice, the first (unknown) wife having been Mary's mother. However, all other major sources disagree with parts of the eulogy. It was written by friends of his and approved on the 5th mo. 7, 1768, many months after his death when all of his children lived elsewhere and his wife had passed away. It is poorly written with another blatant error, that his parent's weren't Quaker. They feel they confused his adulthood move with the time of his marriage.
The eulogy which has caused this confusion is as follows:
"Alexander Underwood was born in the Province of Maryland in the year 1688. His parents who were not members of the religious Society of Friends, removed when he was young and settled in New Castle on the Delaware (when Alexander was about four years old). Here he continued to reside until he reached the thirty-fourth year of his age, when he married and removed to London Grove Township, Chester County (Pennsylvania).
Here he became acquainted with Friends and in a few years afterwards he became convinced of the Truth of the principles professed by them, and was received into membership with them. (The timing of these last two statements is not accurate when checked against the time he was a recorded member verses his marriage and move. By faithfulness to that which led him into the way of the Truth, he grew in religious experience, and became a valuable member of the Church Militant. In a very few years he was appointed Elder, in which he conducted himself with reputation.
About the year 1743, he believed it right to remove to Warrington, where he resided the rest of his life. In a year or two thereafter, a gift in the Ministry of the gospel was committed to him, in which he endeavored to be faithful. Besides his earnest labors among neighboring meetings, he twice visited the meetings to the south as far as North Carolina, and brought back comfortable accounts from his Friends there of his labor of love amongst them. He was a good example of humble waiting in religious meetings, and by dwelling near the Fountain of Life, he was enabled, when called into service by his devine Master, "to minister suitably to the situation of the Church, the comfort of the true mourners of Zion, and the encouragement of the faithful."
He was diligent, as the way was inwardly opened therefore, in visiting meetings around, and was ever careful to maintain the good order of the church, by having the unity of his friends with his prospects. Toward the end of his life, his strength of body failed much, yet he continued of a clear mind, and sound and lively ministry, visiting even in his weakness some of his neighboring meetings, and families of friends. In these exercises, his labor of love was truly comforting to the living. During his last illness, he was resigned and cheerful. At one time he said "He had the good company of his Master to comfort him in his affliction." On another occasion he remarked, "He could say with the Psalmist that he good Hand that was with him in his younger years, had not forsaken him now in his old age." At different times he signified to those who visited him, "that he still felt the Comforter with him," and said his day's work was done. A short time before his close, "He sang praises and hallelujahs to his great Lord and Master," and then he prayed earnestly for the little handful. He took an affectionate leave of those present, and in a sweet frame of mind, uttered praises until his voice was lost, he quietly and joyfully departed Tenth month, 31st, 1767 and was inter'd the 2nd of the eleventh in the seventyninth year of his age. May we who are left behind, be engaged to follow his example so that our end may be like unto his."
The eulogy is in error as to the timing of events in his early life. He moved to London Grove in 1722, and there is no record of his marriage to Jane Harry in the New Garden meeting house in the year 1722 where he was a member. By all available information, Jane was his first and only wife and they had married eleven years prior to that date.
Sources:
1) Gary Mullins, "The Ancestral Lineage of Ollie Cox Mullins", The Mountain Empire Genealogical Quarterly #7, Winter 1988
2) Underwood Annals, Vol. 1
3) Kellogg, Dale C., "Through the Keyhole"
4) Underwood, Lucien, "Underwood Families"
5) Lewis, Billie, Thomas Underwood
6) Harry, Robert Jesse, "Ancestors & Descendants of Hugh Harry"
7) Boyd, John Wright, "Family History"
8) Doberteen to Dudick, "Underwood Family"
9) Harry, Robert J., Harry Herald
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Wills: Abstracts 1749-1819: Surnames T - Z: York Co, PA
UNDERWOOD, Alexander. Warrington Township.
May 28, 1767 November 30, 1767
Executors: William Underwood.
Children: Samuel, Thomas, Joseph, William, Mary, Benjamin,
Frazier, Jane, Ruth, Elicher and John.
Located on the Carlisle road between Wellsville and Rossville, the stone building bearing the date 1769 has been called the finest example of early Quaker meeting house architecture in the country. Much of its interest lies in the preservation of the interior. The beams are hand-hewn; the walls plastered and white washed. The wide-board wainscoting is secured with hand-wrought nails. There are two fireplaces and two huge chimneys. The floor is of wide irregular boards. The hand-pegged benches, some with backs, some without, have been worn smooth as sat in by generations of worshipers, The windows are small-paned, deeply set in the thick walls and covered by shutters. Doors less then six feet in height equipped with spoon latches and great wooden bars, are unlocked with a large hand-wrought key.
The Warrington Preparative Meeting was organized September 2, 1747. The first members were John Earl, Alexander Underwood, Thomas Cox, Joseph Garretson, William Garretson, Christopher Hussey, James Frazier, Hall Cox, Samuel and William Underwood, Thomas Wickersham, Thomas and Peter Cook.
Benjamin Walker's son John, succeeded him as grave digger of Warrington. A transcript of his account kept at the Historical Society of York County shows such entries as:
"To digging a grave for William Morthland -- got killed, $1.50."
"Joseph Walker's child, $.50"
"Digging a square grave for Doctor Cook's 'mother-in-law," amounted to 2 and perhaps gives an idea of the good lady's figure.
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