Peter Tyson was born in May 1700 in Germantown, one of nine children of Rynear and Margaret Tyson.1 Peter was one of the younger children; his brother Mathias was fourteen years old when Peter was born. When Peter was still a boy, the family moved to Abington, where Rynear and Margaret owned a large tract of land. Peter would have helped on the farm, but he was probably apprenticed out to a carpenter living nearby, since Peter later worked as a carpenter.

Peter’s Tyson family were Quakers, active in the affairs of Abington Monthly Meeting. They attended Germantown meeting for worship, later Abington meeting. Rynear and his sons appear often in the records of the Monthly Meeting, serving on committees and attending Quarterly Meetings. A few of their wives are known to be active as well, although the early minutes of the women’s meeting have not survived. It is possible that everyone Peter knew as he was growing up was a Quaker.

In 1727 Peter married Mary Roberts under the care of Abington Monthly Meeting.2 She was the daughter of Thomas Roberts and Eleanor Potts. Her family were Quakers, like the Tysons. Thomas and Eleanor had both been born in Wales. They lived in Bristol Township, where Thomas worked as a mason.

Peter and Mary lived in Abington, but also owned land in Horsham. The 1734 tax list for Abington showed Peter with 200 acres, more than his brothers Isaac, John, and Abraham. In 1769 he owned 279 acres, 5 horses and 4 cows and was one of the largest landowners in the township.3  He also owned a tract in Horsham on the Welsh Road, bought in 1752 and sold to his son-in-law Thomas Hallowell Jr in 1763.4 Peter was active in the Abington Monthly Meeting and in 1735 served as its representative to the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. His name appears as a witness in many of the weddings of his extended family.

In 1764, Peter became peripherally involved in a long-running land dispute. Peter’s aunt Anna, sister to his father Rynear, was married to Jan Strepers. Jan and Anna stayed in Germany, while Jan’s brother Wilhelm came to Germantown. Wilhelm was supposed to manage Jan’s extensive land holdings in Pennsylvania, but relations between the two brothers deteriorated. Jan refused to give Wilhelm title to the 100 acres he had promised him, while Wilhelm delayed surveying Jan’s land and refused to pay the ground rents. Finally in 1698 Jan gave complete power of attorney to Reiner Theißen and Heinrich Sellen. He had a falling out with them and Rynear relinquished the job to avoid conflict. Jan died in 1715 but years later some of his descendants in Germany still felt wronged and sent two emissaries to try to recover the land.5 One of them, Johannes Herbergs, kept a journal of his trip, and in 1764 they met with Peter Tyson, a “polite man”, who had been with his father Rynear when some of the Germantown land was surveyed in 1703.6 Peter invited them to stay with them and offered to take them to meet with Griffith Jones and Paul Krippner. They said goodbye to Peter with a promise to come back and visit soon.7

Peter wrote his will in 1788.8 He left the 180-acre farm to his son Peter, the youngest child, since he already given portions to the four oldest children. The son Peter was to allow his brothers Rynear and Thomas the privilege of digging limestone out of the quarry on the farm. The children were all to share a tract of 16 acres in the Manor of Moreland with a mill, probably the fulling mill that Peter had advertised for rent in 1754.9 Peter still owned the oil and fulling mill in 1787, when he paid taxes on it.10

There was no mention of Mary in the will; she must have died before him. She was still alive in 1752, when she signed the marriage certificate of her daughter Eleanor.11 Peter died in 1791, at the age of 91, and was buried at Abington. The inventory of his estate showed that he was no longer living on his own, but with one of his children, probably Peter, since he inherited the farm. The older Peter owned a few pieces of furniture, some cookware, carpenter’s tools, and some books. Most of his estate was tied up in bonds for debts owed to him. The total came to £1339.

The children of Peter and Mary were Friends and prosperous farmers. Out of the five children, four married. The one who did not marry left his estate to his nieces and nephews, keeping the money in the family. Most of them lived in Abington.

Children of Peter and Mary:12

Eleanor, born about 1730, died in 1777, married in 1752 Benjamin Hallowell, son of Benjamin and Mary. In the marriage record Eleanor was described as a seamstress. The marriage certificate was signed by many of her Tyson relatives. They lived in Abington. Benjamin died there in 1808, and left a will.13 He was a prosperous farmer; the inventory of his estate included a silver watch, twenty one sheets, twenty five pillow cases, nine table cloths, three stoves, and more. Children: Peter, Benjamin, Isaac, Tacy, Martha, Sarah, Mary.

Rynear, born about 1735, died in 1796, married in 1760 Mary Cleaver, daughter of Isaac and Rebecca. Rynear and Mary attended Upper Dublin Friends, but he was disowned in 1774 for excessive drinking and for suing a Friend in a court (instead of taking the matter before the Meeting for arbitration, in the approved Quaker manner). He was a farmer and a limeburner. After Mary died Rynear married a woman named Elizabeth, who survived him. Rynear left a will, providing for an annuity for Elizabeth and naming his living children.14 The inventory showed typical household goods and farm animals, for a total of £2236. Children: Peter, Rynear, Isaac, Jacob, Benjamin, Mary, Thomas, Jesse, Hannah.

Margaret, born about 1740, married in 1763 Thomas Hallowell, Jr, of the Manor of Moreland, son of Thomas the weaver and Mary Craft. Margaret and Thomas were married at Abington Meeting in 11^th month 1762/63 (January 1763). Margaret was living in Abington, Thomas in the Manor of Moreland. Thomas did not leave a will.15 Margaret and Thomas had five known children, three of whom married Shoemakers.16 Children: Mary, Sarah, Eleanor, Thomas, Margaret.

Thomas, born about 1740, died in 1821, married in 1767 his second cousin Sarah Kirk, daughter of Rynear and Mary.17 In 1766 Thomas’ father Peter had given him forty acres in Abington, where Thomas and Sarah settled. He was a limeburner. All but one of their eight children lived to adulthood. Thomas died in 1821. He left a will naming his wife Sarah and six daughters and a son Thomas.18 Thomas got the clock and the farm and the “best desk”.19 Children: Martha, Mary, Sarah, Elanor, Elizabeth, Hannah, Susanna, Thomas.

Peter, died in 1824 unmarried. His kinswomen Margaret Bird kept house for him for many years.20 He owned land in Abington, on Susquehanna Street Road, and in Upper Dublin. In his will, proved 17 February 1824, he named many of his nieces and nephews.21