John Poston migrated from England early in the eighteenth century. He landed in Philadelphia and settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Chester and Lancaster Counties in Pennsylvania are separated by the Octoraro Creek, and it was on a branch of this creek in Chester County that John Poston settled.
Concerning John Poston’s life before his arrival in Chester County, his parentage, or his birthplace, nothing definite is known in the compilation. A John Poston sailed from Liverpool, England, April 26, 1703 (New England Historical Genealogical Register, 65:50). He was from in or near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and landed in St. Mary’s County, Maryland (John Hamill Poston, His Ancestors and Descendants, Chapter 1, page 1). During years of research, the compiler found other Postons in England, all living in Shropshire, so it is
reasonable to suppose that the ancestral home of the Postons was in Shropshire, England.[5]
We know nothing about the wife of John Poston. She is known only as Martha (from his will).
Early records are scarce and we do not know when John Poston came to Pennsylvania. The first record is found in the Chester County tax list for 1722. At that time, his land was in Sadsbury Township. The township later was divided and the
part on which his land was situated became
Fallowfield Township.
We do not know how long he had been living on the land, since a survey was not made until March 14, 1733. The warrant was returned to the Patent Office May 9, 1744 (Land Warrants, Vol. A, No. 11, page 432, Land Record Office, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), and on August 6, 1744, John Poston was granted a patent for approximately 274½ acres of land in Fallowfield Township on both sides of a branch of Octoraro Creek (Survey Book C, page 155, Patent Office, Harrisburg). For this land, he paid a little more than 42 pounds.[6]
Will Of John Poston
(Will Book 2, Page 222, Chester County)
The following is presented as a cleaned transcription from the cited will book (spelling and phrasing largely retained; spacing and punctuation corrected for readability):
I, John Poston, Sr., living in the Township of Fallowfield and Chester County, being in perfect health and memory, knowing that it is appointed to all men to die and not know when, moveth me to make my last will and testament while the Lord favors me with life, health, sense, and knowledge.
The first thing I desire, I give my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it to me; and after my decease, I order my corpse to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors; and as touching such worldly goods as it
has pleased God to bless me here withal, I order, inform, and dispose in the manner as followeth:
My oldest son, Robert: I give to him
•
the settlement he now lives on, and one sheep more after my decease. For my son, John: I devise and give
•
to him my real estate, he paying out of it to my son, Anthony, the sum of thirty pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania within two years after my decease. And also, I devise and give to my
•
son, Anthony, all my movable goods and chattels, with thirty pounds from his brother, John. And also, to my daughter, Ann: I
•
leave to her, according to her behavior, five shillings.
I except of the whole, that is to say, of the real estate and the chattels, and the third part of all profits that shall be made on the same, and with the use of
my house while I and my wife live, for maintenance.
And further, I order my wife, Martha Poston, and my son, John, to be my executors, now revoking all other will or wills made by me but this to be my last will and testament, given under my hand and seal this 8th day of December, 1745.
Witness: John Devor; Martha Dunn John Poston
Letters of administration were granted to Martha Poston and her son, John, June 8, 1747, and the will was probated the same date.[7]
Children named in the will:
i. Robert ii. John iii. Anthony iv. Ann
No further records of Anthony and Ann have been found by the compiler. Ann probably married, and her descendants may be living in Pennsylvania. Robert continued to live on his land in Oxford Township, just south of Fallowfield, as late as 1779 (Chester County tax lists). If Robert or Anthony had any sons, they migrated from Pennsylvania before 1790. There are no Postons listed in the Pennsylvania census for that year.[8]
John married Margaret Baldridge, a daughter of William Baldridge and Janet (Holmes) Baldridge of Lancaster County.
Citations in this section
References used in this section are linked to the book’s source layer. Source descriptions preserve the published wording and evidence cautions.
- Endnote 5 — Reference described in compilation: New England Historical Genealogical Register 65:50 (ship departure April 26, 1703) and a secondary reference to John Hamill Poston, His Ancestors and Descendants,
- Endnote 6 — Land record references described in compilation: Chester County tax list (1722); survey dated March 14, 1733; warrant return May 9, 1744 (Land Warrants, Vol. A, No. 11, p. 432, Land Record Office, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania); patent grant August 6, 1744 (Survey Book C, p. 155, Patent Office, Harrisbur
- Endnote 7 — Probate reference described in compilation: Will of John Poston, Sr., Chester County, Will Book 2, p. 222; will dated December 8, 1745; letters and probate dated June 8, 1747.
- Endnote 8 — Subsequent record references described in compilation: Chester County tax list placement of Robert in Oxford Township as late as 1779; absence of Postons in Pennsylvania census for 1790.