"Our Quaker emigrates on board the "Canterbury”

"Our Quaker emigrates on board the "Canterbury”

John LINTON (1662–1709) and Rebekah RELFE (1670-1714)

“on board the CANTERBURY”

“Our Quaker emigrates”

Terry Louis Linton © 1984

Linton & Bird Chronicles Volume I, Issue 1, © 1984 (ISSN 1941-3521) (printed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA.) ( Linton Unlimited © 1984)

LINTON & BIRD Chronicles Volume XII, Issue 3, Fall © 2017, ISSN 1941-3521

Updated August 18, 2024

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John LINTON (1662–1709) & Rebekah RELFE (1670-1714) our Quaker emigrates were both born in County Cumberland, England.  John was the son of Baron Roger LINTON (1641–1715) & Dorothy NEWBERGH (1645–1681). John was born on March 21, 1662, in Longnewton, Parish Lowe Crosby, Cumberland, England.  [i]   

Some time before 1689, John joined the “Quakers” Religious Society of Friends. John married Quaker Rebekah RELFE (1670–1714), on March 11, 1691 in the Quaker Tiffinthwaite Friends Meeting House in Parish Lowe Crosby, County Cumberland, England. [ii]  Their Quaker Certificate of Marriage states that “He walked amongst us these severall years, She Came of beleveing  parents and was Educated in ye way of truth from Childhood.”  [iii]

On September 3, 1699, the ship Canterbury, weighed anchor and set sail from Cowes, Island of Wright, England beginning her voyage to America.  The Master of the Canterbury is recorded as Henry TREGENY (d. 1704) a Philadelphia merchant   [iv]   

On board the Canterbury were Quaker master carpenter John LINTON (1662–1709) and his wife Rebekah RELFE (1670-1714) and their three young children, [v]  five year old  Anna LINTON (1694–1699), six year old  Mary LINTON (1695–1769) and two year old Joseph LINTON (1697–17470).   Four of John’s younger brothers, Benjamin LINTON (1664–1709), David LINTON (1665–1739), Jacob LINTON 1670–1774) and Samuel LINTON (1675–1753) were on board too. 

Also, on board the Canterbury was Quaker leader William PENN (1644-1718) and his pregnant wife Hannah CALLOWHILL (1670–1726) and Penn’s twenty-one year old daughter, Letitia PENN (1678–1746) from a previous marriage.  This was Penn’s second visit to his Pennsylvania Colony. Penn’s secretary, James LOGAN (1674-1751) was accompanying them on the voyage. William Penn’s family and John Linton’s family were both Members of the Quaker Meeting on Euston Road, in London.   

John and Rebekah’s five year old daughter, Anna died during three month voyage. William Penn and James Logain described the sickness and unhealthy conditions of the voyage in little detail, “Anna buried at sea attended by Penn”  [vi] 

During the voyage the Canterbury reportedly survived an attack by Barbary pirates,  James “Logan took part in the defence of it,"  and "The pirates were beaten off."  [vii]  (I can imagine my 6^th great-grandfather standing next to Logan fighting off the pirates.) 

On November 3, 1699, the Canterbury docked at Newcastle, Delaware. The ship’s trade goods were unloaded and new good loaded. The families rested and recovered for three weeks and on November 30, 1699, it set sail again and landed on December 1, 1699,  at Philadelphia Dock.  [viii] 

John and the family traveled up to Buckingham, Bucks County, Pennsylvania and joined the Friend Falls Meeting congregation there.  John cleared part of the 500 acre tract of land that had been promised by Penn and built his dwelling. 

Quaker master carpenter John LINTON (1662-1709) died ten years later on November 5, 1709 and Rebekah RELFE (1670–1714) died on February 15, 1714 in Neshaminy, Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  [ix] 

A parcel passenger list assembled by various other researchers using different sources:

William PENN, Hannah PENN, Letitia PENN; James HENRY; John WARDER and Solomon WARDER, Mary HOWEL; Thomas PARSON; Randolph JANNEY; James STREATER and family; Timothy HUDSON; Joseph AUSTILL; William SMITH, wife and family; Samuel SIDON; Abraham SCOTT; Thomas STOREY; James BARTON; John and Rebecca LINTON and family; Mary DOE; Thomas STORY; John and Jacob HOLCOMBE; Edward PENINGTON.

Sources: 

[i]    Birth Registry, Longnewton Quaker Meeting House Registry Archives, London, England. Publisher Location, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Telephone: 020 7663 1000 Registered charity number: 1127633. Note: Research done in person in London, England by Travis Louis. Linton in 1991 

[ii]   Marriage  Registry, Longnewton Quaker Meeting House Registry Archives, London, England. Publisher Location, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Telephone: 020 7663 1000 Registered charity number: 1127633. Note: Research done in person in London, England by Travis Louis. Linton in 1991 

[iii]  Certificate of Removal Registry, Longnewton Quaker Meeting House Registry Archives, London, England. Publisher Location, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Telephone: 020 7663 1000 Registered charity number: 1127633. Note: Research done in person in London, England by Travis Louis. Linton in 1991 

[iv]     William Penn, Mary Maples Dunn, Richard S. Dunn, Edwin B. Bronner and David Fraser (1981-1987). The papers of William Penn. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 14 editions page 81 

[v]    Myers, Albert Cook M.L., Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia 1682-1750 Being A List Of Certificates Of Removal Received At Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of Friends: Reprinted for Clearfield Company Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore Maryland 1997, 1999;  Originally published: 1902; Reprinted by Southern Book Company Baltimore 1957;  Reprinted Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1969, 1978: Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 7077321;  ISBN number 0 806 3 0253 4;  Made in the United States of America. 

[vi]   William Penn, Mary Maples Dunn, Richard S. Dunn, Edwin B. Bronner and David Fraser (1981-1987). The papers of William Penn. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 14 editions page 82 

[vii]   Keith, Charles Penrose (1997). The provincial counsilors of Pennsylvania. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., p. 6: "They [William Penn and James Logan] sailed from Cowes on September 9th, 1699, in the 'Canterbury'. On the way over, the ship was attacked by pirates, and Logan took part in the defence of it," "The pirates were beaten off," 

[viii]   Bronner/Fraser, The Papers of William Penn, Volume 5: William Penn's Published Writings, 1660-1726: An Interpretive Bibliography 1986…………….William Penn, Mary Maples Dunn, Richard S. Dunn, Edwin B. Bronner and David Fraser (1981-1987). The papers of William Penn. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 14 editions 

[ix]    U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935; Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Record of Births and Burials; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph 176

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“We exist because of our ancestors, let’s try not to forget them”

"That’s a beautiful and profound statement. Our ancestors’ experiences, struggles, and achievements have shaped the world we live in today. It’s important to honor and remember them, as they are a part of our history and identity”

Terry Louis Linton © 2012.