| Date |
Contributor |
Comment |
|
8/23/97
|
Kathie
[email protected]
|
How do we know Sarah's last name was GUEST? |
|
9/14/98
|
Gerry
|
As we research our families, we form theories from the best evidence available, then modify the theories as new evidnce emerges. The maiden name of Sarah, wife of James, has been discussed and researched for several years. Some DAR documents show it as Guess, another as Tigert, and a book of biographical sketches list it as Lindley. Guess, or some variant spelling, such as Guest or Giess is found most often. We know that James Newbury married Sarah in East Nantmeal Township, Chester Co, PA around 1784. We know that Sarah was born in 1764. Steve and Bill have conducted the most thorough research on Sarah to date and they have developed an intriguing theory |
|
1/29/98
|
Steve
|
I don't have a solid connection (Sarah to family of James GUEST,Jr)-only circumstantial evidence
through Albin Guest. Here is what I know:
1) Albin Guest was the drummer in James Newberry's company (9th
Pennsylvania Regiment) during the Revolutionary War(enlisted Oc tober
1777).
2) Albin Guest purchased land in Stone Valley, Northumberland county, PA
in July 1781.
3) Insolvency papers of Albin Guest filed 19 May 1817 in Chester county,
PA mention Hannah Guest among his creditors and that Stephen Guest and
Sarah Guest served notes (paid out money) to Albin's various creditors.
4) Application by Richard Guest for pension of his father,James Guest,
Jr., dated 13 June1837(ref: Chester County Historical Society file
MS33363) states that James had "several children who were all dead five
years past" except: Alban, Margaret and Richard. Also, states that Alban
and Margaret had moved to "one of the Western States".
I believe that Sarah Guest Newberry and Ann Guest Watters are two of the
"several children" not listed in the application. Note that Sarah named
sons Albin, Richard and James. She also names a daughter, Hannah.
|
|
3/19/98
|
Steve
|
There is no solid evidence that Sarah
was the daughter of either James Guest, Sr or James Guest, Jr. However,
I think the circumstantial evidence favors James Jr. The fact that James
Jr. was the father of Albin, Richard and Margaret(ref: Pension
application of Richard) is compelling. Also, I am confident that had
Sarah been an unmarried daughter of James Sr. he would have surely
mentioned her in his will of 1782. The only confusing data is the tax
list of 1768 listing James Jr as "unmarried".
There is another interesting fact that I uncovered recently. Further
research into the history of James Guest, Jr.'s military regiment shows
that his commander, Capt. Caleb North, was promoted to Lt. Colonel of
(James Newberry's) 9th Pennsylvania Regiment
on July 1, 1778 where he served until January 17, 1781. This means that
James Guest, Jr, Albin Guest and James Newberry all served under the
same commanders from
1778 to 1781 |
|
8/29/98
|
Linda
|
There's a film of Northumberland Co. Vital Records and on it I found the death record of Albin Newbury who died on May 18, 1854, at the age of 68, of disease of the heart. It clearly gives his mother's name as
Giess. |
|
9/13/98
|
Steve
|
Yes, I have seen this document but I don't believe there is anything to
follow here! As far as I can tell this is not a proper spelling for any
surname in the Northumberland area nor anywhere else for that matter. It
is not spelled correctly to be a German surname either. (However, there
was a GEISE family in early Northumberland County). Also, the marriage
record of James Newberry to Sarah GUEST in East Nantmeal Twsp of Chester
County, the abundance of the GUEST surname in the same area, and the
presence of Albin GUEST in James Newberry's regiment and in subsequent
Chester County and Northumberland County records are very compelling
reasons for accepting the GUEST spelling. |
|
Aug 1998
|
Betty
|
James Sr's wife is written here (Northumberland) as Geiss or Guess!!! |
|
9/13/98
|
Kay
|
This ties in with Albins death certificate and what I found in my most
recent visit to the Independence Library. In the "Index to The Names of 30,000 Immigrants German/Swiss & French to Pennsylvania 1727 - 1776" the page I copied shows the following:
GEISS, Johann Georg. T.R. 106-37 et al |
|
9/14/98
|
Steve
|
Kay, this family settled in Northampton County, PA. However, James
Newberry, Sr. was married in Chester County, PA in 1784. And there is
no evidence of GEISS surnames there. I am confident that the "GIESS" on
Albin's death record was an attempt to write "GUESS" which is a common
spelling of the GUEST family and very common surname in the East
Nantmeal area of Chester County. Also, note that in German the names
GEISS and GIESS are pronounced quite differently. Still there was a
GEISE family in Northumberland County (which may have been related to
the immigrants that you mentioned) by there is no known connection to
our ancestors |