| Notes |
- From Lawmaking and Legislators in Pennsylvania, a Biographical Dictionary, Volume One, 1682-1709, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Joseph Phipps
Assembly: Chester Co. 1683
Born 28 August 1640 Reading, Berkshire, England, arrived circa 1682, died by October 1716. Father: Thomas Phipps. Married 1665 Sarah Brimfield (c. 1643-1725): children: John, Isaiah, Josiah, Joseph, Ann, Benjamin (d 1675), Lydia, Benjamin (b 1676), Thomas, William, Zephaniah. Offices: Phila Co.: Tax collector, 1696-97: Cheltenham Twp.: tax collector, 1693.
Joseph Phipps, an English Quaker tallow-chandler who underwent repeated imprisonment for his faith, immigrated to Pennsylvania where he lived for over 30 years; he accumulated a substantial land estate but was relatively inactive politically.
Born in 1640 in Reading, Berkshire, England, Phipps had become a Quaker by January 1661, when he was imprisoned for refusing to swear the oath of allegience. He was imprisoned at least six more times between June 1662 and July 1666 for attending illegal religious meetings; alhough sentenced in July 1666 to be transported to the colonies, Phipps remained in jail until released by royal pardon in 1672. His wife, Sarah Phipps, having been imprisoned in 1671, was also released a that time. Phipps suffered his final incarceration from October 1675 to February 1676, again for refusing to swear the oath of allegiance. A member of Reading Monthly Meeting, Phipps attended at least 21 sessions between 1669 and 1682; in 1680 he signed a certificate against the behavior of Thomas Curtis, who lead a separatist movement from the monthly meeting.
Presumably tired of the constant harassment, Phipps immigrated with his family to Chester county, Pennsylvania, apparently in 1682, for he represented that county in the 1683 Assembly, where he served on a committee to determine fines on members absent for entire sessions. He also served on a trial jury at Chester County court in June 1683 and on a grand jury at Philadelphia County court on March 1686, although he was fined in June 1686 for absenting himself from a trial jury. Aside from two brief stints as a tax colletor, Phipps does not appear to have engaged in further public service.
Phipps apparently had rights through several purchases to at least 1500 acres in Pennsylvania, which were located in Concord and Upper Providence townships, Chester County, and in the area of Cheltenham and Abington townships, Philadelphia County. He also owned two Philadelphia city lots, along Front and Third streets between Mulberry and Sassafras streets; he resided on the Front Street lot until April 1693, when he moved to Abington. Phipps sold his other Philadelphia city lot in 1695, the year in which his home and outbuildings at Abington burned down, prompting Philadelphia monthly Meeting to subscribe almost L23 for his assistance. In 1690 Phipps had also sold 400 acres in Kent County that he had acquired three years earlier from William Berry.
Although Sarah Phipps became a Quaker minister after 1700, her husband does not appear to have been particularly active among Friends. A member of Abington Monthly Meeting after 1694, Phipps was one of the two Friends called upon in 1698 to inspect the behavior at Cheltenham Friend's youth meetings and was one of five Friends appointed in 1700 to inspect the accounts of the building of Abington meetinghouse.
Between 1706 and 1708 Phipps converyed both his Abington home and 284 acres to his son John, while in 1710-11 he conveyed another 150 acres to John and 150 acres to another son, Isaiah. Phipps drew up his will on 1 April 1709, leaving the bulk of his personal estate to his wife and son John, the latter to act as executor, with Samuel Cart and Thomas Canby as overseers. The will was probabated on 13, October, 1716, two days after his estate was appraised at L45.
It was noted in the Bradley family file that Joseph has been stricken with paralysis several years before his death.
Will of Joseph Phipps, 1709, Chester Co. PA (Book D, page 79, Philadelphia). Will proved 13 October 1716.
I Joseph Phipps of the township of Abington in ye County of Philadelphia, yeoman, being in good health and of a sound and perfect memory, Calling to Remembrance the uncertain State of this Transitory Life and that all flesh must yield unto death when it do Please God to Call, Do make, Constitute, Ordain and Declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner following, Revoking and Annulling by these presents all and every Testament Testaments Will and Wills heretofore made and Declared either by Word or Writing and this is to be taken only for my last Will and Testament and none other---for Settling of my Temporal Estate and Such Goods, Chattels and Debts as it hath Pleased God to bestow upon me, I do order give and Dispose ye same in manner and form following...I Will...all those Debts (that) I owe...shall be...paid...within convenient time after my Decease...Imprimis: I...Bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah Phipps my best feather Bed with all my best furniture belonging unto it both Wooling and linin
I...Bequeath unto my son Joseph Phipps Six Shillings of lawful Money of Pennsylvania. I bequeath unto my son John Phipps my Plantation in ye Township of Abington, containing about one hundred and Seventy four Acres of Land, be it more or less, with all the Building and Improvements thereon...All ye Rest of my Chattels and Goods...I...Bequeath unto my son John Phipps, whom I made...my Executor, and hereby I do Nominate and appoint my Loving friends Samuel Cart and Thomas Canby of ye Township of Abington Overseers of this my Last Will and Testament Desiring them to See this my Last Will Performed. In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my Hand and Seal this first day of the Second Month one thousand Seven hundred and nine.
Joseph Phipps Seal
Signed, Sealed Declared and Published in ye presence of Henry Bennet, Morris Morris, Mathias Tysen, William Powell.
In the above transcription, son Isaiah is omitted. From an abstract of Joseph's 1709 will, he left son Joseph six shillings, son Isaiah six shillings and son John plantation. These 3 sons were the only children listed in the will. There wre other children who may have been provided for outside of the will.
"In the records of Chester Co., PA, October 6, 1683 at a metting held a the house of Christopher Taylor, Burlington, NJ 'Joseph Phipps, late of the town of Reading, Berks co, England, Tallow Candler,' was appointed on a committee" From The Ancestry of Isaac N Phipps of In, IN, compiled by Joseph B Phipps, Baltimore, MD, 1901.
Biography above fails to mention that Joseph Phipps also was a member of the Assembly on May 10th, 1690, and again on September 9th, 1695. He was also a member of the Provincial Council for the years 1692 and c. (See Unpublished Minutes of the Provincial Council, 1692, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol II, Page 151.)
In the proceedings of the Provincial Council held at Philadelphia 16th, 9br. 1703, it will be found that he was one of a committee of six from Philadelphia County appointed to View "the said two Roads as now laid out or intended in ye county of Chester and viewing also ye Ground between ye sd Roads and Philada and between Goshen and Brandywine."
In 1697 William Jenkins removed from Haverford to Abington. His name appears in Abington monthly meeting Minutes, 10th month 27th, 1697, being appointed with Joseph Phipps to solicit subscriptions in Philadelphia towards the erection of the new Meeting House.
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1640 - 1716 (76 years)