William Cloud born 1621
William Cloud was born 8 July 1621 in St. James Parish, Sobroom, Devizes, Wiltshire County, England. He married Susan James on 7 June 1647 in Calne Parish, Wiltshire County, England. They had at least 8 children and they were:
William Cloud, Jr., born on 29 July 1648/9. He came to America with his father in 1682.
Joseph Cloud, born on 26 Sep 1651. He came to America, as a servant to John Bezer, in 1681. He married Mary (Green) Moore in 1698. We are descended from Joseph.
Susan Cloud, born on 21 Oct 1653. She must have died before 1702 as no mention of her is made in William's Will.
Susannah Cloud, born on 14 Nov 1655. She stayed in England and married a man named Lukens.
Robert Cloud, born on 9 Jul 1656. He came to America with his father in 1682.
Jeremiah Cloud, born on 7 Feb 1658/9. He came to America with his father in 1682.
John Cloud, born on 2 Mar 1663/4. He came to America with his father in 1682.
James Cloud, born on 2 Mar 1663/4. James was a twin of John, but he died the day he was born.
William was a friend of William Penn and was a member of the Friends Meeting at Calne, England. He is referred to as a "Tithingman" in several instances of the "Guild Stewards Book" of the Borough of Calne, as obtained from England by James Wayland Cloud. An account of disbursements for 1655 by the Guild Stewards reads:
"To William Cloud, 14 shillings; The account of William Cloud, Tithingman: In carrying six passengers and their diet, 25 January. Three shillings. In carrying passengers to Stuckley, 14 Dec., four shillings. In carrying one passenger and his diet to Stuckley, 21 April, one shilling, four pence. For guiding one and his diet, 16 May, one shilling, four pence."
The following is from "Bessy's Sufferings of Friends: Volume II, Chapter II, page 39":
"On May 16,1658: William Cloud with others was attending a Friends Meeting at Calne, Wiltshire County, England, when the meeting was broken up by a party of Soldiers, who came with Swords drawn, and pistols cockt, and violently haled out those that were met, and when asked for their Warrant, shewed their swords, saying,'This is our Warrant'".
William Cloud paid Hearth Tax of two shillings at Calne Borough in 1662.
An account of disbursements for 1673/4 by the Guild Stewards reads:
"William Cloud, three shillings, four pence".
On December 7, 1680: William Cloud attended a Monthly Meeting held at Marlborough, Wiltshire County, England as a representative from Calne.
On September 8/9, 1681: William Cloud, "Yeoman" of Seene, in Melksham, Wiltshire County, England was granted 500 acres of Pennsylvania land by William Penn, who signed the account at Gravesend, Kent County, England on February 31(?), 1682. Note: Gravesend is in Kent County, England on the Thames River, about 22 miles southeast of London, and within the Port of London. The Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume IV, has a map at the back showing the grant and the William Cloud land.
In 1682, William Cloud seems to have come under the censure of Friends. Minutes of a Monthly Meeting held at Calne on June 7, 1682 reads thus:
"whereas there is a complaint, made to this meeting of William Cloud of Calne, disorderly walking contrary to truth, agreed that John Neate, Samuel Noise and William Coole speak with him and advise him as the Lord in his wisdom shall direct and give an account at the next......"
No further mention of the matter is made, so it is likely the offense was of minor importance.
William, along with four of his sons, came to America in 1682 on the sailing ship "Unicorn". His son Joseph had come to America the year before. His daughter Susannah remained in England. William's belongings were recorded in the ships records as follows:
25 August
4 cwt. wrought iron
3 pieces qty. 120 yds. English linen
cwt. lead shot
3 doz. bodices
150 made garments
1.5 cwt. brass and copper manufactured
.5 cwt. pewter
3 small saddles
3 pieces English fustians (coarse, sturdy cloth made of cotton and flax)
2 cwt. nails
6 doz. Irish stockings
27 October
40 lbs. serges
15 lbs. linsey woolsey (cheap wool and flax mixture)
18 lbs. woolen stockings
14 lbs. haberdashery
68 lbs. shoes and boots
2.5 cwt. cheese
3 cwt. wrought iron
.5 cwt. nails
8 lbs. gunpowder
28 lbs. shot
.5 cwt. English soap
2 cwt. bread
Unicorn was 107 ft. long at the keel and 35 ft. 8 in. wide. It weighed 767 tons and carried from 46-68 guns.
It operated from 1634 to 1688.
The "Unicorn was loaded in August and sailed after the 17th of October, 1682. The "Unicorn" was part of William Penn's contingent of 23 ships containing Quakers, who were leaving England to escape religious persecution. William Penn had been granted land in America by Charles II in 1681. The original charter reads:
"Charles the Second By the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc., To all whome these presents shall come Greeting." These words open the original Charter. In this grant of rights, priviledges, and obligations, the King addresses his "Trustie and well beloved Subject," charging him to enlarge the Empire, promote its prosperity, and civilize the New World by "gentle and just manners." Charles honors "the memorie and meritts" of the late Admiral, Sir William Penn, after whom the colony is named, by granting his son land in America. The Colony's wealth, real and potential, is placed at the disposal of Penn, "his heires and assignes." This includes "the soyle, lands, fields, woods," as well as "the fishing of all sorts of fish, whales, sturgeons," and the wealth beneath the ground, "all veines, mines and quarries," not to mention "Gold, Silver, Gemms and pretious Stones."
William Cloud purchased 500 acres from William Penn in England on 9 September, 1681. William, at age 61, came to America to settle at Chester County in Pennsylvania. His land was laid out and surveyed, to the southward of Naaman's Creek, but part of it was later found to be in New Castle County, in the northern part of Pennsylvania Province. The land was located in Rockland Manor, Brandywine Hundred, New Castle County, Pennsylvania, about six miles north of what is now Willmington, Delaware. The deeds are recorded in New Castle County, Delaware. He does not appear to have settled upon his land, but lived in town nearby. In October, 1682, he purchased 125 acres in Concord Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania from William Bezar, and 17 years later bought another 125 acres from Bezar's descendants, plus another 50 acres on rent. By 1700, he had acquired the original Bezar tract along the Bethel-Concord line, and he farmed this land until his death around 1702. This land was then sold to James Clemson in 1710. It is located in an area bounded by present-day Garnet Mine Road, Shakertown Road, and Kirk Road.
William belonged to the Chichester Friends Meeting, and doubtless frequently attended there, though he does not seem to have taken an active part in the meeting affairs as the minutes only indicated his presence at two meetings. One meeting was held at Marcus Hook, now in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. This was one of the places where John Wesley, founder of Methodism, preached. Martin's history of Chester and Delaware Counties states that the lawful name of Marcus Hook is Chichester. William was a contributor, in 1685, toward the erection of the meeting house and the cost of the graveyard.
Taxes seemed to have been levied upon William's New Castle County land, both in New Castle County, Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania Province, as he presented the following petition to the Provincial Council on January 25, 1689 in the Council Room:
"Post Meridian. William Cloud, his petition was read setting forth his being taxed for the levies of one and the same tract of land in both county of New Castle and the county of Chester."
Extracts taken from the Minutes of the Board of Property of the Province of Pennsylvania, Volume XIX, Edition 1893 reads:
"Philadelphia December 13, 1691/2: William Cloud, of Chester County, purchaser of 500 acres of land, and the same being laid out to him on Naaman's Creek, of which he hath given to his son Jeremiah 100 acres, therefore desires a patent for that 100 acres, that he may confirm the same to his son, himself being unwilling yet to make a patent for the whole 500 acres before resurvey can be made thereof, there being supposed to be more than what it was laid out for, which was granted."
"Philadelphia December 4, 1701: Jacob Willis having formerly proved in the Secretary office that he came a servant into this county at the first settling of it to William Cloud, requests a warrant for 50 acres of head land as is his right. Which is granted in case it appear in the same office."
"Philadelphia December 11, 1701: The property having be deeds of lease and release, dated September 8/9, 1681, sold to William Cloud 500 acres of land. The said William upon arrival in 1682 settled on a tract joining on the south of Naaman's Creek, which falling afterwards in the county of New Castle, Manor of Rocklands, he has been obliged to pay a bushel of wheat per 100 acre quit rent, and he has no security of said land because not within the bounds of the Province. Requests therefor that his rent may be settled according to his purchase and the land be secured to him, or that if he must pay the said rent that 500 acres be laid out to him elsewhere in pursuance of his said purchase. Ordered that a warrant of resurvey be granted on the said land and a patent on the return paying for the overplus, if any, and that the said William on the back of the above mentioned release of property for the within granted 500 acres upon which the rent to be fixed at one shilling, per 100 acres. Signed a warrant of resurvey to William Cloud on 500 acres. Ordered today."
"Philadelphia January 9, 1703: William Cloud, original purchaser of 500 acres by a warrant dated September 30, 1683 who by deed dated October 28, 1698 conveyed the same to William Clayton, of Chichester, who requests a resurvey and patent. Granted."
The Will of William Cloud was drawn in 1702 in Philadelphia and states:
"Know all men by their presents that I William Cloud of Concord, Senr., in the county of Chester being aged and well stricken in years and of perfect mind and memory knowing I must shortly go the way of all flesh, therefore willing to dispose and settle my small estate, do this the 20th of the 7th month 1700/1 make this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz.\: Imprimis: I do hereby make void all former wills by me made either by writing or by work of mouth and make this to be my last will and testament. Second: I do give and Bequeath unto my son William Cloud (Jr.) 100 acres of my parcel land and unto his heirs forever, Thirdly: I do give and bequeath unto my son Jeremiah Cloud 200 acres of my parceled land and to his heirs forever, Fourthly: I do give unto my sons Joseph, John and Robert Cloud one English shilling or the value thereof in coin if demanded. Fifthly: I doe give unto my daughter Susannah Lukens liveing in old ingland one inglish shilling or ye vallue thereof in coyen corent if demanded, Last: I do give and bequeath unto my grand-daughter Hannah Cloud, daughter of Jeremiah Cloud all the rest of my estate both real and personal and to her heirs forever, and do make her my whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament and to pay all my debts and legasies and bury me decently. I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son Jeremiah Cloud to be my overseer in trust to see this my last will and testament well and truly performed. In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written, (Signed) William Cloud: (His Mark X) (Seal). Signed sealed in the presence of us: Robert Pyle, Ann Pyle, Sarah Pyle. Chester August 25, 1702. There appeared Robert Pyle one of the witnesses within named and upon his solemn affirmation did declare he saw the within named William Cloud sign."
After William died, an inventory was made of his estate on October 17, 1702. The following was recorded in the Philadelphia Court House, Register of Wills, September 9, 1708, No. 38.
L s p
cash paid towards a plantation 6 0 0
a crop of wheat taken off ye plantation 10 0 0
1 horse 5 4 0
1 horse 4 5 0
1 horse 4 0 0
1 mare and colt 3 10 0
wearing clothes 3 10 0
---- ---- ----
Total 36 9 0
William Cloud was a man of very modest means, living frugally and simply. His estate inventory bears witness to his basic existence. The early Quakers shunned the use of tombstones so we will probably never know where William and his sons are buried, but it is likely that their burials were at either Concord Meeting or Chichester Meeting graveyards. William Cloud's wife, Susan James, was born 20 March 1623 in St. James Parrish, Sobroom, Devizes, Wiltshire County, England. She died in 1663 in Calne, England and was buried there.
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