Biographical Sketch of John HOLLAND (1881); Chester County, PA

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From THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, by Futhey and Cope (1881);

pg. 489

BUFFINGTON.--Rich. Bobbinghton was among the list of 'tydables' at Upland in 
1677.  In 1679, Richard Buffington and John Grubb purchased a tract of land west 
of Chester Creek, above Chester, which they called "Hopewell of Kent."
  Richard Buffington had a wife, Ann, living in 1695; a wife, Frances (widow of 
John Grubb) living in 1712; and his widow, Alice (Palmer), survived him.  He 
purchased land in East Bradford (in conjunction with William Vestall) in 1696, 
and removed to that neighborhood within a few years after.  Feb. 25, 1720/1, he 
conveyed his lands to two of his sons, Thomas and William, reserving a life 
interest therein, and this was probably on the eve of his last marriage.  He 
appears to have settled at a later period on 200 acres immediately in the forks 
of Brandywine, but never owned the land, which, however, his son Joseph 
afterwards purchased from the heirs of Isaac Norris, of Philadelphia.  Richard 
died in January of February, 1747/8, probably about ninety-four years of age.  
By his will he gave a legacy of 20 to the Baptist society which met at John 
Bentley's, in Newlin township.  (See Hephzibah Baptist Church.)
  Children.--Ann, m. Benjamin Hickman; Ruth, m. Ezekiel Harlan; Richard, d. 
1741, m. Phebe Grubb; Thomas, d. December, 1739, m. Ruth Cope and Ann ___; 
William, d. unmarried; John, m. Sarah Arnold; Hannah, m. Jeremiah Dean; Mary, m. 
Charles Turner; Elizabeth, d. 1748/9, m. Peter Collins and John Freeman; Lydia, 
m. George Martin; Abigail, b. September 1721, d. April 1813, m. Edward Seed and 
David Fling; Joseph, d. Nov. 17, 1785, unmarried; Alice, d. July 19, 1775, m. 
___ McArthur and James Hance.
  The 'Pennsylvania Gazette' for June 28 to July 5, 1739, contains the
following:
  "Philadelphia.--On the 30th of May past the children, grandchildren, and 
great-grandchildren of Richard Buffington, Senior, to the number of one hundred 
and fifteen, met together at his house in Chester County, as also his nine sons 
and daughters-in-law, and twelve great-children-in-law.  The old man is from 
Great Marle, upon the Thames, in Buckinghamshire, in Old England, aged about 85, 
and is still hearty, active and of perfect memory. 
His eldest son, now in the sixtieth year of his age, was the first-born of 
English descent in this province.
  Richard Buffington, J., married Phebe, daughter of John and Frances Grubb, and 
settled in West Bradford.  His wife was a minister among Friends, and after his 
death married Simon Hadly, living in the edge of New Castle County.  She died 
3,4,1769, and was buried at Bradford meeting on the 6th, at the same time that 
the mother of Humphry Marshall was interred. The children of Richard and Phebe 
were John, Frances (m. to Samuel Osborne), Phebe, Richard, Samuel, Henry, 
Catharine, Peter, Nathaniel, Jeremiah, Isaac, and Joseph.
  Richard (3), born 11,23,1715/16, died 2,28,1781, married Mary Bate and Ann 
(Pyle) Woodward.  By the first he had Curtis, Mary and Phebe, and by the second, 
Richard, Jesse, Ann, and Esther.  Richard (4) BORN 12,18,1750/1, died 
11,19,1803, married Rachel Baker, daughter of Richard and Rachel, and their son, 
the fifth Richard in direct descent, is living in West Marlborough, in his 
seventy-ninth year.
  John Buffington, son of Richard (2) married Elizabeth Way and Jane Thatcher, 
and died 10,23,1774, leaving several children, of whom Robert, the eldest, was 
the grandfather of Wilson Buffington, of Unionville, a builder of numerous 
bridges.  Richard, the second son, was a mason, and with his cousin Curtis built 
the easterly tavern in Marshallton.  He left the neighborhood for a time during 
the Revolution, and his property was confiscated.  His brother Jacob was 
arrested as a Tory, but escaped from the guards and fled to Prince Edward 
Island, afterwards to England, but returned to Chester County before his death.  
Another brother, Joshua, was tried and acquitted.
  Joseph Buffington, born 11,27,1803, at West Chester, died 2,3,1872, was for 
several years president judge of the district composed of Westmoreland, 
Armstrong, and Indiana Counties, in this State.  He was the son of Ephraim and 
Rebecca, and Ephraim was the son of Jonathan, the son of William, supposed son 
of Thomas, the son of the first Richard.