Ancestor Birthday - April 24th - Lydia Reynolds 1716

It was 301 years ago when my 5th great-grandmother, Lydia Reynolds, was born, 24 Apr 1716 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It was probably in Chichester Township, which was in the part of Chester County which became Delaware County in 1789. Her father, Francis Reynolds, was listed in the township in both 1715 and 1722. Francis had married her mother, Elizabeth Acton, in 1712at the Quaker Salem Monthly Meeting in New Jersey. Chichester Township was located along the Delaware River adjoining Delaware and across the river from New Jersey. Lydia had 1 older sister, 1 younger sister and 5 younger brothers.

The family were Quakers and Lydia stayed within the faith when she married Joseph Townsend Jun of East Bradford Township at the meeting house in Chichester as recorded at Concord Monthly Meeting. It was the 17th day of the 3rd month in 1739, which would translate to 17 May 1739.

She and Joseph had four children: Francis, Benjamin (my 4th great-grandfather). Esther and Joseph, before her husband Joseph died at age 34 in Dec 1749. Their 5th child, Elizabeth, was born in 1750. I find it interesting that Lydia and Joseph's children all seem to be named for family members:

Francis -- Lydia's father, Francis Reynolds

Benjamin -- Lydia's grandfather, Benjamin Acton

Esther -- Joseph's grandmother, Esther ( ) Wooderson

Joseph -- Joseph's father and himself, Joseph Townsend

Elizabeth -- Lydia's mother, Elizabeth (Acton) Reynolds

A portion of the will of Lydia's husband, Joseph Townsend, 1749

Joseph provided for Lydia generously in his will. Here I am quoting from a portion of it as best as I can transcribe that old handwriting. (See above.) "I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Lydia all the household goods that are now in Being which Shee brought me at Marriage and all the furniture that belongs to the room Over the Dwelling house Two pots and the warming pan and half a Duzon of platters and one Duzon of pewter plates half a Duzon of porringers one pewter _____the tea kettle and pewter cup and two silver tea spoons.....the full sum of Six pound a year and every year during her widowhood...."

Her father, Francis Reynolds, died in 1760 and Lydia was named as an heir in his will also. It was 8 May 1761 when Lydia married her 2nd husband, widower Joseph Talbot, who had 10 children by his first wife. It was just the next year on 8 Jul 1762 that Lydia's oldest son Francis married Joseph Talbot's 6th child, Rachel. So Lydia was Rachel's step-mother and mother-in-law at the same time.

I have not yet found the date for Lydia's death. But it is reasonable to believe that she had died before Joseph Talbot married for a 3rd time 21 Aug 1776.