MARGARET GREY

 

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Margaret Grey was born about 1765. I do not know when or where or who her parents were.

The Old Swedes Church records of Wilmington Delaware show that Lawrence Girelius officiated at the marriage of  Samuel Kelley to Margaret Grey on September 4, 1787... The original Records Book of Old Swedes was taken back to Sweden by the first pastor, Rev Eric Bjork.

We know that Samuel Kelley married first Rebecka English because in 1802 there was a court battle over the property left to the children of Samuel Kelley. It can be found in the Recorder of Deeds.  There was a final settlement in 1859, found in Recorder of Deeds, Book G 7, page 201. The gist of the story is that Samuel and Rebecka lived on a farm in Mill Creek Hundred of New Castle County that was inherited from Rebecka's father.  His name and purchase of the property still needs to be found.  Rebecka died in 1783.  Samuel remarried in 1787 and then he died in 1796. One of Rebecka's daughters, Elizabeth was left out of his will and she sued after she married Robert Higgins. There were at least four other daughters that were listed in the will.  They must have been Margaret's but I don't have that confirmation.

 Margaret and Samuel  had a son William Kelley born according to his tombstone in White Clay Presbyterian Cemetery in 1785.  He inherited the property. 

I know Margaret was the Executor of Samuel's will in 1796. I assume she was the target of the suit in 1802.  I will try and get a copy of the litigation and get a clearer picture of the family.

from Manumissions in the Mirror of the Times and General Advertiser, dated Aug 15, 1801 as printed in the Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Oct. 2016  is the simple statement "1799  Margaret Kelly manumitted John Jackson".   I don't know that this is our Margaret, but her husbands inventory noted "comfortable slave dwelling".   So it certainly may be.  Samuel had died a few years before.

I believe that most of the children were Margarets because of the 1800 Delaware Census, Mill Creek hundred, page 201.  It lists the family as
Marg Kelly- head of house hold - female 26-45
      1 male 10 - 16,
      3 females under 10
      2 females 10-16
 
It is not known when Margaret died, but from 1810 every Census of William Kelly had an older woman, up through 1840, that listed a woman 70-80.  She was probably buried in the old White Clay Cemetery on the hill with her husband Samuel Kelly.     


RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Where was Margaret from?
2. Who were her parents?
3. Get a copy of the will of Mr. English, Rebecka's father.
4. Get a copy of Samuel Kelley's will.
5. Get a copy of the 1802 litigation.
6. Check the 1820, etc Census to try and track Margaret.

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Doc; gdgre010.html
Date created: 3/5/2007
Date updated: 12/31/2014
Date edited 11/6/2021