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William Bartram (1674 – September 22, 1711) was an English Quaker politician and settler who was a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly from Chester County in 1708. After settling in the Province of Carolina, he was killed in present-day North Carolina during the Tuscarora War in 1711. Bartram was the grandfather of the naturalist of the same name.

Biography

William Bartram was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, in 1674 to John Bartram and his wife Elizabeth. William emigrated with his family to the Province of Pennsylvania about 1683, when he was around the age of 9. He first married Elizabeth Hunt, the daughter of James Hunt of Kingsessing, on May 22, 1696. His first son John was born on May 23, 1699. His second son James was born on October 6, 1701. His first wife died two weeks later on October 21, 1701. Bartram and Elizabeth Hunt declared their intent to marry on September 3, 1707, in Darby, Pennsylvania. Following in his father's footsteps, Bartram was chosen to be a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly and represented Chester County in 1708. Bartram purchased 840 acres in Bogue Sound in 1709. His daughter Elizabeth and son William were recorded as being born in Darby. Although some incorrect sources say his son William was born in Carteret County, North Carolina. He settled at Whitoc Plantation in North Carolina on the Cape Fear River.

Death

He was killed during the Tuscarora War on September 22, 1711, and his wife and children were captured by Native Americans. They were held as captives until they were ransomed by relatives from Philadelphia and moved to Pennsylvania.

Family

While his family is known for their work in the field of botany, his sons John and William are also notable as some of the few Quakers who were involved with slavery in the United States. After his death, his son John remained in Pennsylvania but his son William later returned to North Carolina to take care of his father's estate, after Native Americans had been removed from the area, where he established a plantation known as Ashwood in 1830. Ashwood was a very large rice plantation with a large slave labor force by the mid-eighteenth century.

• Children with Elizabeth Hunt (1677  – October 21, 1701)
  • John Bartram (May 23, 1699  – September 22, 1777)
  • James Bartram (October 6, 1701  – 1771)
• Children with Elizabeth Smith (March 17, 1689  – 1735)
  • Elizabeth Bartram (February 10, 1709  – January 15, 1732)
  • William Bartram (June 3, 1711  – 1770)

References

Notes

1. Many sources incorrectly have John's date of birth as March 23, 1899, as the record of the Darby monthly meeting "23 Third Month 1699" uses the Old Style.

Citations

1. Lee 1910, p. 989.
2. ^ Lee 1910, p. 990.
3. The Book of Records Belonging to the Womens Meeting at Darby. Transcribed in the Year MDCCXXIX. 1729. p. 26. Att a monthly meeting at Darby the 3rd day of the 7th month 1707: William Bartram & Elizabeth Smith both of Darby declared their intentions of marriage: Isabelle Worth & Anne Sellers ordered to make the enquiry concerning the clearness of Elizabeth Smith & make return to the next monthly meeting sic
4. ^ Melvin, Lionel (December 15, 1971). "There Were Four William Bartrams" – via Digital Collections of the State Library of North Carolina.
5. Bolen, Eric G. (1996). "The Bartrams in North Carolina" – via Digital Collections of the State Library of North Carolina.
6. ^ Darby Monthly Meeting Births & Burials 1682–1835. p. 11. Elizabeth Bartram Daughter of William Bartram and Elizabeth his wife was born on the 10th day of the 12th month 1709 sic
7. ^ Darby Monthly Meeting Births & Burials 1682–1835. p. 11. William Bartram son of William Bartram and Elizabeth his wife was born the 3rd day of the 4th month 1711 sic
8. "The Bartrams (I-66)". North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
9. Parramore, Thomas C. "William Bartram, 1739-1823". Documenting the American South. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.
10. ^ Tucker, Harry Z. (August 4, 1945). "Bartram of Ashwood" – via Digital Collections of the State Library of North Carolina.
11. Sivitz, Paul Andrew (2012). Communication and Community: Moving Scientific Knowledge in Britain and America, 1732–1782 (PhD thesis). Montana State University. p. 128. John Bartram owned at least one slave and helped William acquire several.
12. Parramore, Thomas C. (1979). "Bartram, William". NCpedia. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
13. Blakney, Sharece (2018). Aislinn, Pentecost–Farren (ed.). "Stories We Know: Recording the Black History of Bartram's Garden and Southwest Philadelphia" (PDF). Lower Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. p. 71.

Bibliography

• Lee, Francis Bazley (1910). Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey. Vol. III. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 989–990.

• 1674 births
• 1711 deaths
• Members of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly
• British emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies