JONATHAN HEACOCK, THE EMIGRANT

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Jonathan Heacock and his wife Ann set out for America shortly after their marriage, which took place at the Wolverhampton Monthly Meeting, according to "Early Friends Families". The date of their marriage shown in the Till family tree is obviously false, as Ann Till was only twelve years old on the date shown there. The story of the emigration is best told by T. Reece Heacock, who evidently had seen Jonathan's diary when he wrote his history of the Heacock family in 1869. He writes:

We have received it traditionally that three brothers emegrated to America: Jeremiah Heacock who settled near Wilmington, Delaware, who remained single, Jonathan whose line we are considering, and the third brother who settled near Boston, Mass., and whose descendents are scattered through the western country, the latter spell their name Heacox.

We find in an old account book kept by Jonathan Heacock the following memoranda in his own hand-writing.

Jonathan Heacock Feb. 27th.--Direct for Joseph Heacock at Jonathan Harrison's in Trione Corte in Red Lyon street, Spittlefield, London.

Jonathan Heacock and Ann his wife went on bord the Three Sisters, the 13th of Mar. 1710-11, bound to Bellfast in Ireland, the 14th instant.

Sent a letter on the 20th of the instant from Ireland to Staffordshire.

Sent a letter on the 19th of the 2nd month from Belfast Lough in Ireland by the Nupten Bregeteen bound for Liverpool, and came from Barbados.

Left Ireland the 23rd and came to Loughrane Scotland on the same day, about I o'clock in the afternoon.

Sayled from thence the 26th at I o'clock in the morning.

It would appear from his accounts kept with individuals that he was a dealer in wool and manufactured worsted drugget, tammy &c. At first he rented, but afterwards he purchased a farm in Marple near the Springfield township line, and cleared it.

Prior to their departure the Heacocks obtained a certificate from the Friends Monthly Meeting at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, which was dated 12 mo. 13, 1711. This certificate was not presented to the Chester Monthly Meeting until 7 mo. 29, 1718, and the whereabouts of Jonathan and Ann during the seven-year interval are unknown. It was during this interim that four of their six children were born, and it may cover the period of their renting, before purchasing the property in Marple. The farm in Marple was about ten miles from Philadelphia. Jonathan died in 1764 at the age of about 84, after an eventful life, having withstood the dangers of the ocean voyage and the hardships of pioneer life to establish the Heacock family in this country.