ANN BRINTON
THE STORY AS I KNOW IT
Ann Brinton was born in England on September 19, 1660. With great thanks to Kathy Weigel for her entry on Ancestry.com which gave the source, Records of the Dudley Monthly Meeting, Worcester, England, 1656-1827, births, marriages, burials, LDS film #811746, item 4. "The 19th day of the 7th month 1660 Ann Braynton the daughter of Willame Braynton was born." The calendar year began in March.
Her parents were William Brinton and Ann Bagley. They immigrated to Pennsylvania in America in 1684 from Nether Gournall, Sedgelye, Worcestershire, England. A Biography of William Brinton is given The History of Delaware County, PA by Dr. George Smith MD 1862, page 448/9. It states that he emigrated from Nether Grounall and places it in Staffordshire near Birmingham. It is very likely that this is where Ann Brinton was born. According to Dr. Smith the name was pronounced Branton for more than a century
Nether Grounall , Staffordshire or Lower Grounall as opposed to Upper Grounall is near Birmingham England. It is on the southern western border of Stafford. There is a website https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21525 that is dedicated to Lower Gornal. It states that Lower Gornal was part of the ancient manor of Sedgley which had the right of probate of wills. "The wills and inventories from 1614 to the early 19th century are in the Sedgley Manorial Court Books held at Dudley Archives & Local History office." David Sutheran is quoted on the website, "the name Gornal comes from the Anglo-Saxon Gwynel, meaning "place of two windmills". He further points out that Gornal indeed had two windmills, the remains of one of which still exist at the top of Ruiton (which is effectively part of Upper Gornal). Dudley is a larger town on the northwest edge of Birmingham and probably the closest Quaker Meeting in the area. It is a rather confusing map. Birmingham is in Worcestershire, but the suburbs west and north are Stafford. The whole area is today called the West Midlands.
Ann Brinton wed John Bennett on June 18, 1684 in Stourbridge, Staffordshire. from Worcester Quaker Records, Book 1184, page 18, found at the Friends Library in the Swarthmore College library, Swarthmore Pennsylvania on microfilm #MR-L27, Reel 15, Hereford, Worcester and Wales, General Meeting (Quaker) Records of Births, Burials and Marriages. It reads "John Bennett, son of John Bennett of Overley, county of Worcester wed Ann Brinton at Stourbridge, daughter of William of Nether Gornall Parish of Sedgeley, county of Stafford, 1684,4,18". Stourbridge is south of Sedgley and west of Birmingham. I have a note the the Chester County Historical Society has a copy of their marriage certificate, Manuscript 2494.
Ann's parents emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1684. It is not known if it was before or after her wedding. They did not sign her wedding certificate, though it reads "William Brinton of Nether Gournall". William and Ann Brinton presented certificates to a Friends meeting in Philadelphia on the 4th day of the 9th month, 1684 (November). They were dated Jan 14th 1683, and the 15th of the 11th mo 1683. As the new year 1684 began in March, those were signed one day apart in Janurary two months prior. This information is also from History of Delaware County, page 449.
Within the next two years Ann and John Bennett also emigrated to Pennsylvania. In 1686 Birmingham Township, Chester County PA became a municipal district with John Bennett appointed as it's first constable. History of Chester County by G.W.Heathcote Sr., page 184. The young couple purchased a large tract of land adjoining her parent's land "commencing at the Birmingham/Thornbury township line and west to the creek" this is from a page copied from an unknown source. it is page 12 and states "Following the above Bible records page 11 continues" A BENNETT PEDIGREE" However, John Bennett's purchase of land is found in Records of the Courts of Chester County 1681-1697 by the Colonial Socity of PA 1910. The Bennett House was built in 1696 and continued in the family until 1929. It is today a private home.
Birmingham Township is to the east of Brandywine Creek and west of RT. 202, North of RT 1 in beautiful rolling hill country. Brinton's Bridge Rd is one of the local roads. There are two Brinton houses located in Chester County. One in Dilworthtown, very near Birmingham Twnsp, is dated 1704. The second is on Rt. 1 toward Kennett Square from Rt. 202, The Barns-Brinton House purchased by Ann's nephew in 1753. Both are open to the public May through October.
Ann and John Bennett had four known
children: Concord Montly Meeting Hinshaw records held
at Swarthmore Library
1. Olive BENNETT b: ABT 1685
wed William Pyle 1707
2. William BENNETT b: ABT 1687 born PA
have not found any record that he married
3. John BENNETT b: ABT 1690 born PA,
wed Sarah Maris
1719, Springfield MM records
4. Ann BENNETT b: ABT 1693 born PA wed Joseph
England 1718
The family were active in the Quaker community. The Birmingham Monthly Meetings were first held in the home of Ann's family William Brinton in 1690. In 1704 they were meeting in the home of Ann and John Bennett, noted in the Birmingtham MM records of 1704 . The first structure was built 1722 very near land owned by the Bennetts. The building has had many additions and modifications. It continues as an active meeting today.
John Bennett served in the Colonial Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1704.
The will of John Bennett is recorded in Philadelphia County, Will Book C, page 164, is dated 14th day of 2nd month, 1709. It was proved 20th day of 7th month, 1709, (Sept). He names his wife Ann, sons William and John, daughters Olive Pyle and Ann Bennett and his brother Edward Bennett .
Ann Brinton Bennett died in
1719. Letters of administration were granted
on the estate of Ann Bennett on 3
November 1719. A History of William Brinton, page
115,
from Chester County PA Archives
Inventory #92.
It is not known where they are buried.
There is an active Brinton association in Chester County with website http://www.brintonfamily.org/
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
If you know the answer please CONTACT US
Maier_Associates: © Copyright 2024
Doc; gpbri010.html
Date created: 8/17/2004
Date Edited 7/14/2013
Date edited 6/26/2022
Date edited 6/2/2024