John and Margaret Duncan of Bensalem

John was born around 1667 in England and immigrated as a teenager with his parents William and Jane. They settled in Bensalem and were members of Byberry meeting. In 1698 John married Margaret Crighton at Falls Meeting.1 John owned 209 acres in Bensalem on Poquessing Creek, adjoining land of his father William and brother Edmond.2 A memorial to him after his death said that, “he was appointed an elder for Byberry meeting in 1725 and continued such to his decease, which was about the 61st year of his age and was a useful member in the society.”3

John and Margaret had four sons. The oldest, William, was active in Byberry Meeting and served as its Clerk for many years. He worked as a weaver and lived in Bensalem. Two of his brothers, Edmond and John, were probably unmarried and died infirm and blind.4 The youngest of the four was Patrick, who married out of meeting and probably moved to Maryland.

In 1728 John wrote his will.5 He left land to his son William, and left the remainder of his estate to his wife Margaret. He intended for Margaret and William to care for the two sons who needed it. The executors were Margaret, William, and John’s brother Edmond. John died on 31st of 12th mo 1728/29.6 In April 1732 Margaret conveyed the land to her son William and the next day he conveyed it back to her, to be for the benefit of his brothers Edmund and John.7 Margaret did not leave a will and the date of her death is not known.

Children of John and Margaret:8

William, b. 1699, m. in 1722 Rachel Carver, daughter of William and Jane. William was a weaver and they lived in Bensalem.9 William and Rachel had nine children: Mary, Margaret, William, John, Sarah, Joseph, Rachel, Esther and Isaac. William died in 1781, an elder of Byberry meeting.10

Edmund, b. ab. 1701, in 1754 he was infirm and blind, and died in 3rd mo 1757 blind.11

John, b. ab. 1703, in 1754 he was infirm.12 In 7th month 1757 he wrote a will leaving the land in Bensalem to his brother Patrick, “granted by my deceased mother Margaret Dunkan to me and my late decd brother Edund Dunkan.” John died in 1760.13

Patrick, b. ab. 1705. He married Rebecca Pritchard at Christ Church in June 1730, and was testified against by Abington Monthly Meeting on 12th month 1730/31 after a complaint by Byberry Meeting.14 In In 1758 Patrick and his brother John, both of Bensalem, deeded land to William Groom on Poquessing Creek, 209 acres, deeded to Patrick’s father William Duncan in 1697. In 1763 Patrick Duncan requested a certificate for himself and four children to Gunpowder Meeting in Maryland.15 It was probably this Patrick.16

  1. Falls Monthly Meeting, men’s minutes, 4th and 5th month 1698. Her ancestry has not been traced; there was no Crighton/Creighton family in lower Bucks County at this time.
  2. This land was conveyed to him by his father William, in 10th month 1708 when William also gave part of his 600-acre tract to John’s brother George, but the deed was not recorded. It is referred in a deed of 1758 (Bucks County Deeds, book 11, p. 166)
  3. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Minutes 1755-1760, online on Ancestry, image 557.
  4. Abington Monthly Meeting minutes, 11th and 12th month 1754.
  5. Bucks County Wills, Book 1, p. 123.
  6. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, minutes 1755-1760, online on Ancestry, image 557.
  7. Bucks County deeds, book 6, pp. 31 and 32.
  8. William, Edmond and John are well documented through John’s will, deeds, and meeting records. Patrick is documented through Bucks County deed, book 11, p. 166, when John Jr sold land to William Groom with the advice and consent of his brother Patrick.
  9. The designation as a weaver from from the will of his son Joseph in 1765 (Philadelphia Will Book N, p. 128).
  10. His death was noted in the minutes of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, 8th month 1782, on Ancestry, Minutes 1772-1886, image 225.
  11. Abington Monthly Meeting Minutes 11th and 12th month 1754. He should not be confused with the Edmond Duncan of Bensalem who died in 1760, leaving eight children. That was his uncle Edmond, son of William and Margaret. (Bucks County wills, book 3, p. 31)
  12. Abington Monthly Meeting Minutes 11th and 12th month 1754.
  13. Bucks County wills, book 3, p. 39.
  14. Abington Monthly Meeting, Men’s Minutes 1682-1746, 12th month 1730/31. Online at Ancestry, image 87. In 1741 Daniel Pritchard died, leaving a daughter Hannah; Patrick Duncan was appointed guardian (Bucks County Orphans Court records, OC File #70)
  15. Abington Monthly Meeting, minutes, 4th mo 1763, online at Ancestry, Men’s Minutes 1756-1765, , image 134, 136.
  16. Patrick Duncan of Bensalem should not be confused with Patrick Duncan, planter of Ann Arundel, Maryland, who was there by 1675 (Duncan material gathered on the website of Mary Ann Dobson).

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