John Lee was an early settler in Bucks County. There is no record of his arrival, but he registered his cattle mark in Phineas Pemberton’s list of 1684.1 John was a member of Falls Monthly Meeting.2

He appeared in Bucks County court in 1690, along with two other members of his family. They were called as witnesses when John Pidcock assaulted Pilocarpus Rose.3 Rachel Lee and Martha Lee were called; from the wording of the record it looks as though Rachel was John’s wife.4 Who was Martha? If she was a daughter of John and Rachel, and old enough to be a witness in 1690, then John must have been born before 1655. The alternative is that Martha is a sister of John’s, and that John was born around 1675.5

John Lee was back in court a few months later when Thomas Tunnecliff brought a suit against him, which was withdrawn. Tunnecliff had been a member of Falls Meeting at least until 1686. If he was still a member in 1690 he should not have brought suit against Lee; if they were both Friends the matter should have been handled by the Meeting. In 1712 John Lee served on a jury that tried Reuben Pownall for condemning the authority of the court. This was usually viewed severely at the time, and in fact the jury found Pownall guilty and fined him.

In 1719 Daniel Lee, the only known child of John Lee, married Mary Ashton at Falls Meeting, and settled in Makefield.6 In 1726 John and Daniel were on a jury together. Adam Pettet, late of Makefield, a cooper, went into the river with Samuel Hough and John Pickering to “wash and bath himself”. He got in too far, was unable to swim, and drowned.7

John died in Makefield in 1733. He did not leave a will, and letters of administration were granted to Daniel Lee, John Clowes and Henry Woodward of Makefield.8 His wife Rachel must have died before him, since she was not an administrator. An inventory was taken of John’s estate. He owned two guns, some carpenter’s tools, a horse and mare, and a few other oddments, but no livestock or other household goods. He was clearly living with someone, probably his son Daniel. The total value of the estate was about £25.

Children of John:

? Martha, b. ab. 1670, alive in 1690 (She may have been a sister of John, rather than a child.)

Daniel, b. ab. 1695, m. 1719 Mary Ashton, dau. of Thomas & Deborah at Falls Meeting

Next generation: Daniel and his family

Daniel Lee and Mary Ashton were married in 1719. They were Quakers, members of Falls Meeting. He was a blacksmith. They lived a quiet life and appear in few records. It is not known when Daniel died. It is very likely that Mary died between 1721 and 1723, because in 1723 her father and stepmother named a daughter Mary, which would be very unusual if the first Mary were still alive. The second Mary was probably to commemorate her.

Daniel and Mary had two known children:

Deborah, b. 1720, her birth in the Falls Meeting Records, no further records

John, b. ab. 1721, m. in 1749 Sarah Carr, daughter of John & Mary

Next generation: John and Sarah Lee

John lived in lower Bucks County, and was a member of Wrightstown Monthly meeting. 9 In 1749 he requested a certificate of clearance to marry Sarah Carr, a member of Falls Monthly Meeting. He was on the tax list in Lower Makefield in 1753. In 1755 John requested a certificate from Wrightstown for him and his wife to Radnor Monthly Meeting, on the other side of Montgomery County. The record of Radnor show their arrival there by 5^th month 1755, when they brought a certificate from Wrightstown.10 It is probable that both John and Sarah died by 11th month 1766, when Radnor issued two certificates to Wrightstown for the five children of John Lee deceased. The children were all underage and needed someone to care for them. Joseph Buckman of Wrightstown Meeting was married to Martha Carr and was the uncle of the Lee children on their mother’s side. The minutes of Wrightstown recorded that at least the three youngest children were put under the care of Joseph Buckman, David Buckman and John Story.11

Children of John and Sarah:12

Mary, b. ab. 1750, m. 1770 Thomas Powell of Marple Twp, Chester County. They had at least two children before Thomas’ death in 1785. He did not name Mary in his will; she probably died before him. He did however name her siblings, Daniel, John, Deborah and Merebe Lee, showing that they all lived to adulthood, and that Thomas had some connection to them, even though they returned to Bucks County after their parents died.

John, b. ab. 1752, alive in 1785, no other records

Daniel, b. 1753, m. 1774 Margaret Buckman at Upper Makefield MM13. He was taxed in Newtown in 1775 and paid a militia fine in 1780. They moved to Roaring Creek, Northumberland County, where there was a Quaker meeting house. They had twelve children, born between 1775 and 1797.14 Daniel died in March 1803.15

Deborah, b. 1754, m. 1780 Joseph Walton at Wrightstown Monthly Meeting. 16 He had a certificate from Abington Monthly Meeting; they were married under the auspices of Wrightstown, where she was a member. They lived in Warwick Township until about 1786 and their first three children were born there. They later lived in Byberry and were members of Byberry Monthly Meeting. Joseph died 3rd month 19th, 1821; Deborah died in 1840. They had nine children, born between 1781 and about 1798.

Meribah, alive in 1785, no further record.