London Tract Baptist Church (Historic)

The London Tract meetinghouse has a long history​[1]​, shown below:

The history of the London Tract Church is involved in that of the Welsh Tract until 1780, and we therefore give the history of the latter up to 1770. In the spring of the year 1701 several Welsh Baptists in the counties of Carmarthen and Pembroke decided to remove to America, and as one of them was a minister, it was concluded to form themselves at once into a church. Their names were Rev. Thomas Griffiths, Griffith Nicholas, Evan Edmunds, John Edwards, Elisha Thomas, Enoch Morgan, Richard Davis, James Davis, Elizabeth Griffiths, Lucy Edmunds, Mary Jones, Mary Thomas, Elizabeth Griffiths, Jennet Davis, Margaret Mathias, Judith Morris. These sixteen, which may be styled a church emigrant, met at Milford Haven in June, 1701, and embarked in the ship “James and Mary,” and on the 8th of September landed at Philadelphia. They settled at first about Pennypack, and remained a year and a half, during which time 21 persons joined them. Finding it inconvenient to remain there, they purchased land in New Castle County, and gave it the name of Welsh Tract, to which they removed in the spring of 1703 and built a meeting-house.

They were the first to receive the “Century Confession,” to which 122 of them subscribed in the year 1716. Their records were kept exact, but written in Welsh, until the year 1732. At what time a branch was established in London Britain is unknown to us, but it was as early as 1729. Thomas Morris, of that township, in his will dated Nov. 26, 1731, gives to Owen Thomas and Richard Whitting “£2 for the use of the meeting-house that is in Indian town in London Britain.” Another branch of the church was in Kent County, thirty-two miles distant. In 1770 there were about 100 families belonging to the church and branches, of whom the following individuals had been baptized and received into communion:

Isaiah Lewis and David Evans, deacons; Thomas James, Esq., Thomas McKim, Esq., John Evans, Esq., William Buckingham, William Buckingham, Jr., John Buckingham, John Bowen, Thomas Davis, John Davis, Thomas Jones, Joseph Gardner, Abel Davis, Daniel Davis, William Eynon, Joseph Price, Lewis German, Benjamin Jones, Daniel Griffiths, David Hughs, Hugh Glasford, Isaac Hughs, Jacob John, James Jones, William James, Jacob Lemmon, Richard Lemmon, John Townsend, James Williams, Edward Miles, John Morgan, John McCormick, Enoch Morgan, James Mundle, Alexander McKim, Thomas Robinson, Morris Thomas, Nicholas Paine, Jane Buckingham, Jane Bowen, Anne Bush, Hannah Bonham, Sarah Braken, Ruth Cloud, Hannah Connoly, Mary Cann, Mary Clark, Mary Rogers, Margaret Morphy, Esther Rees, Hannah Davis, Rachel Davis, Elenor Davis, Esther Davis, Mary Price, Hannah Eynon, Jane Evans, Mary Evans, Rachel Faris, Mary Evans, Rachel Griffiths, Mary Griffiths, Abigail Giles, Elizabeth Prichard, Margaret Williams, Hannah Duglas, Gwen Hughs, Phebe Hughs, Hannah Hughs, Elizabeth John, Tamar James, Susannah Jones, Hannah Jones, Joanna Jones, Jonnet Jones, Mary Jury, Choice (Joyee?) Townsend, Sarah Whitten, Catharine Watson, Susannah Watson, Mary Watson, Jane Williams, Deborah Whitten, Sarah Jones, Elizabeth Lemmon, Mary Lewis, Sarah Miles, Sarah Miles, Jr., Mary Morgan, Hannah McCormick, Margaret Morgan, Margaret Mundle, Rachel Morrison, Elizabeth Morgan, Agnes McKim, Sarah Oborn, Catharine Rees, Mary Roberts, Elizabeth Robison, Mary Rhodewell, Janc Rowland, Mary Thomas, Mary Thomas, Jr., Hannah Thomas, Elizabeth Singleton, Rev. Robert Lemmon.

The first minister was Rev. Thomas Griffiths, born in 1645, in Llanfernach parish, and county of Pembroke, who accompanied the first congregation to this country. He died and was buried at Pennypack, July 25, 1725. His colleague and successor was Elisha Thomas, born 1674, in Carmarthenshire, who arrived with the others in 1701. He died Nov. 7, 1730, and was buried at Wesh Tract, where a tombstone was erected to his memory. He left two daughters, Rachel and Sarah, the first of whom married a Jones, and secondly Rev. David Davis. A daughter by her first husband married Johns Evans, Esq., of London Britain, and had children,— John, Rees, Mary, and Oswell.

The third minister was Enoch Morgan, also one of the original congregation, born 1676, at Alltgoch, in the parish of Llanwenog, in Cardiganshire. He died March 25, 1740, and was buried at Welsh Tract. His colleague and successor was Rev. Owen Thomas, born 1691, at Gwrgodllys, in the parish of Cilmanllwyd, and county of Pembroke, who arrived in America in 1707. He continued in care of the church till May 27, 1748, when he removed to Vincent township, and there died in 1760. His children were Elizabeth, Morris, Rachel, Mary, David, Sarah, and Owen. He left behind him the following remarkable note:

“I have been called upon three times to anoint the sick with oil for recovery. The effect was surprising in every case, but in none more so then in that of our brother, Rynallt Howell. He was so sore with the bruises of the wagon when he was anointed that he could not bear to be turned in bed otherwise than with the sheet. The next day he was so well that he went to meeting.”

The next minister, David Davis, was born in 1708, in the parish of Whitchurch, and county of Pembroke, and arrived in this country in 1710 and died Aug. 19, 1769. By his wife Rachel, daughter of Rev. Elisha Thomas, he had children,— Rees, Jonathan, John, Susanna, Mary, and Margaret, who, except John and Margaret, in 1770 were married into the families of Miles, Bonham, Bentley, and Parr. John supplied the church for a time after his father’s death, but in 1770 was about to remove to Boston.

Cotemporary with Rev. David Davis was the Rev. Griffith Jones, born Oct. 8, 1695, at Alltsawr, in the parish of Llanon, in Carmarthenshire, who came to America in 1749 and settled at Duck Creek. He died Dec. 4, 1754, and was buried at Pencader.

A warrant was granted Oct. 15, 1701, to William Davies, David Evans, and company for 30,000 acres of land. This was probably what was known as the Welsh Tract, in New Castle County. The London Tract Church was so called from being within the purchase of the London Company, in Chester County.
It was not until Nov. 21, 1780, that this was constituted an independent congregation, when the following appear to have been dismissed from the Welsh Tract:

William Buckingham, John Evans, John McCormick, Jane Buckingham, Ruth Cloud, Ann Baldwin, Mary Evans, Phebe Hughes, Hannah McCormick, Sarah Whitting, Rachel Morrison, Rachel Morgan, Gweny Dunsmore, Deborah Whitting, Elizabeth Robeson, Sarah Bracken, Jane Evans, Sarah Scott.

The land upon which the church stands belonged to the Evans family, who were among the most prominent members. The record-book for 1780 to 1830 was destroyed by a domestic in the family of John W. Tawresey, who used it to kindle the fire as occasion required. For this reason little can be given of the history of the church during this period.

Thomas Fleeson appears to have been appointed pastor Nov. 22, 1780. In 1808, Jethro Johnson was pastor, and by agreement with the other churches preached two Sabbaths here, one at Brandywine, and one at Hephzibah in each month. Thomas Barton, who died March 23, 1870, was pastor for fifty years. Rev. George W. Staton became pastor March, 1873, and was succeeded by Joseph L. Staton, November, 1880, who officiates at present.

At some former period a neat stone building was erected with the entrance facing the south. In 1863 the house was remodeled, and the entrance placed at the east end. In 1879 the graveyard was enlarged by purchase of land from Lewis Passmore.

The oldest stone records the death of John Boulton, who died May 19, 1729, aged fifty-one years, but it is lying flat, and probably not upon the grave. Other dates are as follows:

John Devonald, d Mar. 8, 1735–6, aged 52; John Evans, Jr., d. Apr. 14, 1738, aged 38: Lydia Evans, d. Aug. 6, 1745, aged 18; Mary, wife of Evan Rice, and dau. of John Evans, Jr., d. Jan. 20, 1752, and their dau. Mary was buried with her mother, aged 18 days; Evan Evans, born 1732, d. Oct. 22, 1794; his dau. Elizabeth, b. April 18, 1774, d. Apr. 5, 1794; John Williams, d. Oct. 16, 1746, aged 58.

  1. [1]
    J. S. Futhey and G. Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Heritage Books, 1995, p. 462.

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