1882; m. Nov. 7,
Anna P.
906, Sarah Stout;
Martha Gibson; of whom later;
, 1891 ; m. Oct. 6, 1841, John Sidney Keen,
both bur. at Woodland Cemetery, Phila. ;
e 30, 1863, Nathan Sellers, b. July 18, 1836;
I350 MclLVAIN
Caroline Sellers Keen, b. April 20, 1859; m. Nov. 22, 1882, George M. Bunting,
treasurer of American Pipe Manufacturing Co.; issue: (See Ante.')
Howard Keen Bunting, b. Dec. 5, 1883;
Edith Sellers Bunting, b. Nov. 26, 1886;
Clement Smith Bunting, b. Aug. 29, 1891;
George M. Bunting. Jr., b. Oct. 27, 1895.
Abraham G. Mcllvain, b. May 7, 1820, d. June 12, 1836, while a student at Westtown
Boarding School; bur. at Darby;
Naomi P. Mcllvain, b. Sept. ig, 1823, d. Dec. 13, 1909; m. May i, 1845, Charles Long-
streth Mather, of Mt. Holly, N. J., b. Jan. 31, 1816, d. July 17, 1902, bur. at Mt. Holly,
N. J.; issue :
Elizabeth Mather, b. Feb. 14, 1846, d. Sept. 29, 1863;
Lydia M. Mather, b. May 18, 1848; m. June 10, 1874, Samuel Mather, of Rich-
mond, Ind.; issue:
Ernest Mather;
Irene Mather;
Naomi Mather;
Lindley Mather;
Earl Mather.
Charles Sidney Mather, b. April 19, 1850; m. Oct. 16, 1873, Tacie A., dau. of John
Stackhouse and Phebe (Gilbert) Mitchell, Bucks co., Pa., b. Nov. 2, 1849;
Littie Avaline Mather, b. Aug. 18, 1874; m. George Mitchell;
John Mather, b. Sept. 29, 1876; m. Ethel Byles;
Charles Mather, b. March 10, 1879;
Howard Mather, b. Oct. 12, 1881 ;
Milwood Mather, b. Jan. 11, 1884;
George Mather, b. April 21, 1887.
Susan Longstreth Mather, b. May 7, 1853;
Naomi Mather, b. April 9, 1857; m. April 5, 1899, Clarence Loveland. of Mount
Holly, N. J.; issue :
Helen Loveland, b. Feb. 2, 1900.
Hugh Mcllvain Mather, b. June I, 1859, d. Aug. 30, 1861.
Richard Mcllvain, b. July 5, 1826, d. July 15, 1826, bur. at Darby;
Susan Humphreys Mcllvain, b. Feb. 15, 1828, d. July 17, 1894; m. Feb. 3, 1853, Alfred
Bunting, Justice of Phila., b. March 25, 1817, d. Jan. 24, 1886; both bur. at Laurel
Hill; issue:
George Middleton Justice, b. July 5, 1854, d. at Denver, Colo., May 21, 1898, unm.;
Alfred Rudulph Justice, b. Feb. 19, 1857; vice-president of the A. R. Justice Co.,
Phila., residence Narberth, Pa.; m. April 11, 1892, Jessie Lewis; issue;
Mildred Lewis Justice, b. April 27, 1893;
Philip Syng Justice, b. April 6, 1896;
Jean Gilpin Justice, b. Jan. 17, 1899.
Herbert Mcllvain Justice, b. June 30, 1859, d. Nov. 19, 1906; m. Nov. 15, 1892,
Minnie Estelle Vickers; no issue;
Florance Milwood Justice, b. May 25, 1864; president of the A. R. Justice Co.;
m. March 17, 1S86, Mary Syng Letchworth; issue:
Marion Thornton Justice, b. Aug. 19, 1887;
Caroline Letchworth Justice, b. April 26, 1889;
Sue Melanie Justice, b. Jan. 12, 1891 ;
Elizabeth Syng Justice, b. July 10, 1896.
Mary F. Justice, b. Dec. 11, 1865; m. Nov. 14, 1895, Henry Pratt Canby, of
Fernando, Cal. ; issue :
Alfred Justice Canby, b. June 23, 1897;
Caroline Prescot Canby, b. July 2, 1899;
Margaret Lesley Canby, b. Aug. 6, 1904.
John H. McIlvain, second child and eldest son of Hugh and Hannah (Hunt)
Mcllvain, born in West Philadelphia, September 22, 1808, became an eminent
(â– rnithologist. He was educated at Westtown, and other Friends' schools, and
McILVAIN 1 35 1
early developed a love of nature, inherited from ancestors from whom descended
both the celebrated botanists, John Bartram and Humphrey Marshall.
John H. Mcllvain's special study was Ornithology, and his knowledge of birds
was not surpassed by any ornithologist of his day. This knowledge was not
obtained from books, but from personal observation, and actual acquaintance with
the wild birds in their native haunts. Gifted with a marvelous memory, he knew
instantly the note of every migratory bird he had once heard. It was the writer's
good fortune to have made many trips with Mr. Mcllvain ; on one occasion we
visited Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, in the Pocono Mountains, our object being to
familiarize ourselves with the nesting habits of the birds of that region. We
stopped at a small hotel kept by "Sammy Case." I awakened early and heard the
note of a bird unfamiliar to me. Calling Mr. Mcllvain's attention to the song, he
became quite excited and pronounced it a Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis Phila-
delphia), though he informed me that be had heard the note but once, over thirty
years before. In half an hour I brought in the bird, w^hich sure enough proved
to be a fine specimen of the Mourning Warbler. During our stay in Tobyhanna
from June i to lo, we came across a number of other specimens of this Warbler,
which were doubtless breeding there, but the most diligent search failed to disclose
one of their nests.
Mr. Mcllvain was very observant ; he was not only familiar with the notes of
the various birds, but their movements and characteristic poses were so well
known to him as to indicate the name of the particular bird without the necessity
of a very close inspection. He watched our Ruby Throated Humming Bird
(Trochilus Columbris) building its lichen covered nest and lining it with soft
tomentum from the stem of the fern — and such was his ingenuity that with a
little practice he was able to produce an imitation, which it was extremely difficult
to distinguish from the original. Professor Spencer F. Baird, of the Smithsonian
Institute, was visiting him at his home, and being asked if he could tell the
original nest, laughingly replied that he thought he could, but on being shown
the two side by side selected the one made by Mr. Mcllvain as the original.
The mounted specimens of birds in Mr. Mcllvain's collection were characterized
by lifelike attitudes so true to nature that he easily surpassed any other artist in
this particular field. This was recognized in the award to him of the first prize
for mounted birds at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876.
Although undoubtedly Mr. Mcllvain discovered more than one variety of bird,
he never presented his claims for recognition before any scientific society. He
objected to having birds named after him because his particular desire was to have
his name associated with the Warbler. His wish in this respect was finally real-
ized late in life by the naming of a West Indian Warbler for him, although it
would have been more gratifying to have had an American Warbler bear his
name. His friend, Major Charles F. Bendire, had the highest regard for Mr.
Mcllvain, and presented him with many varieties of birds from Arizona. Mr.
Mcllvain made his first trip to the Rocky Mountains in company with John K.
Townsend ; his second trip was made in 1854. Gold furnished the pretext for the
journey, but was not the lure. From his journal we can picture his trip across the
plains, where roamed the buffalo in countless numbers ; savage Indians made
the trip at that time rather a perilous undertaking, and more than one of his com-
1352 McILVAIN
panions lost their scalps. But no dread of the Indians marred the unalloyed
pleasure he felt in the acquisition of ornithological treasures. He had a feeling of
security when in the company of Indians, they seemed to know intuitively that he
was their friend. Many of the most celebrated Indian chiefs were personally
known to him, and his collection contained Indian costumes, head dresses, bows
and arrows, etc., mainly presented to him by these chiefs. When delegations of
Indians came east to visit the "Great Father" at Washington, Mr. Mcllvain
frequently entertained them, and it was through his influence that they permitted
themselves to be photographed.
Besides his fine collection of birds, Mr. Mcllvain left a large and unique col-
lection of Indian relics which were scattered at his death. Several cases of his
mounted birds are in the possession of his children, Mrs. Edward L. Rogers and
Mrs. Howard Watkin, of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, witnesses to the skill of a
rare genius.
John H. Mcllvain died at his residence, 3303 Baring street, Philadelphia, April
26, 1885. He married, August 31, 1840, Sarah Ann Jackson, born May 3, 1817,
died March i, 1902. Both are buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia.
Issue of John H. and Sarah Ann (Jackson) Mcllvain:
Harriet Mcllvain, b. July 3, 1841 ; m. Edward L. Rogers, of Wynnewood, Pa., grain
merchant, formerly president of the Commercial Exchange, Phila. ; they now reside
, on Wynnewood ave., Narberth, Pa.; issue:
Charles M. Rogers;
Laura Rogers, m. Paul Loder;
Elsie Rogers, m. Oct., 1906, Theodore Loder.
Charles J. Mcllvain, b. May 5, 1843; m. Mary E. Werntz; issue:
Hattie Mcllvain;
Charles J. Mcllvain, Jr., m. April 25, 1899, Mabel Dickerson; issue:
Mabel Dickerson Mcllvain, b. Dec. 26, 1904;
John Hunt Mcllvain, b. March 13, 1908.
Anna Mcllvain.
Alfred H. Mcllvain, b. Jan. 5. 1847: m. (first) Jessie Griers ; issue, John G. Mcllvain;
m. (second) Laura ;
Samuel H. Mcllvain, b. Oct. 5, 1849; m. Ann Hahn ; issue: Nellie and Harold;
Laura Mcllvain, b. Feb. 9. 1858; m. Sept. 12. 1883, Howard Watkin, of Wynnewood,
Pa.; issue:
Helen Lilian, d. in childhood;
Frank M., b. June 28, 1889;
Marguerite, b. March 18, 1893.
Hugh McIlv.mn. third son of Hugh and Hannah (Hunt) Mcllvain was born
in Philadelphia, November 14, 1815. After completing his education he appren-
ticed himself to a builder, and when of age engaged in tliat business for hitnself,
which he continued until after the death of his father. On January i, 1839, he
entered into the lumber business with his brothers, John H. and James Mcllvain,
and remained in that business until his death, February 25, 1879.
He was a birthright meinber of the Society of Friends, and inherited the strict
business integrity of his father, and the happy genial disposition of his mother ;
always seeing the bright side of everything; having a keen insight in the wants of
others and aiding with a generous hand those less fortunate than himself.
He married, November 3, 1842, Martha Gibson, at the home of her father, John
Gibson, then a beautiful place ktiown as "Upland." in Kingsessing township, Phil-
!^Jc^rfiL.^
2»wd-
McILVAIN 1353
adelphia county, western bank of the Schuylkill. She was born August 31, 1824.
and was also a birthright member of the Society of Friends. They were the first
couple allowed by Darby Meeting to be married at home.
Hugh and Martha Gibson Mcllvain resided at the old McIIvain homestead at
West Chester road and the old Lancaster turnpike, which Hugh had inherited
from his father, until October 16, 1866, when they moved to their new home
erected on the property in Kingsessing, inherited by Martha from her father's
estate, it having descended from her great-great-grandfather. Nathan Gibson,
who purchased it in 171 2.
Although the parents of a large family of children, Hugh and Martha (Gibson)
Mcllvain devoted much time to charity and good works. Their home was always
a bright, cheerful center of intellectual and social life. Hugh inherited from his
mother's family, the Hunts, some of the same tastes that were shown by the emi-
nent botanists, Humphrey Marshall and John Bartram, priding himself in having
his orchards, gardens and lawn well filled with selected plants, fruit and shade
trees. He was also fond of nature on other lines, as was shown by his fine herd
of Jersey cattle. He was awarded five first prizes out of seventeen, and a bronze
medal at the Centennial Exposition in 1876, for his Jersey cattle, and he would
have had the first prize for the herd had one of the animals been a few months
older.
Hugh and Martha (Gibson) Mcllvain were both instrumental in the establish-
ment of the Friends Meeting at Fifteenth and Race streets, and both were active
in its educational interests, being members of the school committee until their
deaths. Hugh was one of the two original trustees of the property. It was also
largely through their influence that the Friends Meeting and schools were started
at Thirty-fifth street and Lancaster avenue. Through his efforts the Lumber-
man's Insurance Company of Philadelphia was incorporated, and he was selected
as its first president, which office he held until his death.
Martha (Gibson) Mcllvain was a member of the Board of Managers of the
Home for Destitute Colored Children and acted as treasurer for twenty-five years,
spending much time in the care and oversight of the institution.
During the agitation in the Society of Friends for higher education, Hugh and
Martha (Gibson) Mcllvain were among the first to olifer their services, and
assisted in the establishment of Swarthmore College, he being appointed chairman
of the Building and Property Committee, and she one of the Household Com-
mittee ; both giving active and valuable service on the various committees of the
Board of Managers while health permitted.
Martha Gibson, born August 31, 1824, died December 6, 1890, who married
Hugh Mcllvain, November 3, 1842, was a daughter of John Gibson, of Darby, by
his wife, Sarah Jones; granddaughter of Samuel Gibson by his wife, Mary Price;
great-granddaughter of David Gibson, by his wife, Mary Sellers; and great-great-
granddaughter of Nathan Gibson and his wife, Ann (Hunt) Blunston.
Nathan Gibson, last mentioned, emigrated to Pennsylvania from Kendal, county
of Westmoreland, England, March 6, 1712-13, and settled in Kingsessing, Phila-
delphia county, where he died February 15, 1757. He became the owner of con-
siderable real estate in the district of Kingsessing, which he devised to his son.
David, subject to payment of legacies to other children and grandchildren. He
1354 McILVAIN
was a man of prominence in the community, and identified with the local institu-
tions of his section. In 1743, when the Darby Library was established, he was
one of the founders, and was chosen its first treasurer. The supply of the books
came directly from London until 1760. When we consider the difficulty in obtain-
ing books and the scarcity of money in those early days, the effort to found and
maintain an institution of this kind for the instruction of themselves and their
posterity, is in the highest degree creditable to the founders.
Nathan Gibson married, 1719, Ann (Hunt) Blunston, widow of John Blunston,
and daughter of James Hunt, of Darby, before referred to as the ancestor of
Hannah (Hunt) Mcllvain, by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard
Bonsall, of Darby. Richard Bonsall had emigrated from Moulldridge, Derby-
shire, 1683, with his wife Mary, and at least four of his nine children, of which
Elizabeth, who married James Hunt, December 9, 1686, was the second. They
were members of the Society of Friends, as were the Hunts. Richard Bonsall
died September 13, 1699, and his wife Mary, August 24. 1698. Thomas Pearson,
mentioned in the will of Nathan Gibson, as "son-in-law," had married Hannah
Blunston, daughter of his wife Ann, by her first husband, John Blunston ; Ann
died March 26, 1751. Nathan and Ann Gibson had three children, viz:
Joshua, born March 30, 1720; married Mary Fowler; David, of whom pres-
ently; Ann, born January 22, 1729-30; married John Sellers.
David Gibson, second son of Nathan and Ann (Hunt) Gibson, born at King-
sessing, Philadelphia, November 30, 1721, inherited his father's real estate there,
and lived all his life in that township, dying June 9, 1791. He married, February
2y, 1744-45, Mary, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Smith) Sellers, of Darby,
whose ancestry is given in these volumes under the title of The Sellers Family.
She died May 16, 1777. David and Ann (Sellers) Gibson had seven children,
viz: Sarah, born December 4, 1748; married, October 16, 1766, Nathan Jones, of
whom presently; Jonathan, David and Ann, died in infancy; Nathan, born July
16, 1752; married, 1773. Sarah Howell; Samuel, of whom presently; Ann, born
April 8, 1765, married, 1784, William Hill.
Samuel Gibson, son of David and Mary (Sellers) Gibson, born at Kingsessing,
Philadelphia, April 4, 1762, died in that township, June 27, 1836. He was the
owner of considerable real estate there and at Upland, and extending along the
Schuylkill. He married, May 23, 1788, at Merion Meeting, Mary Price, who died
November 9, 1809, aged forty years and twenty-four days. She was a daughter
of John Price, of Lower Merion township, Montgomery county, born August 27,
1721, died 1792, and his wife, Mary Davis, born May 24, 1731, died April 8, 1808.
John Price was of Welsh ancestry, a son of Reese Preese (Ap Rees), bom in
Merionethshire, Wales, January 11, 1678-79, died in Merion, Philadelphia county,
1760; married (first) at Radnor, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1705, Sarah Mere-
dith, and (second) December 9, 1718, Elizabeth, daughter of Ellis and Lydia
(Humphrey) Ellis, both natives of Wales, Lydia Humphrey coming to Pennsyl-
vania in 1682, with her widowed mother and brother and sisters, the family set-
tling in Haverford, Chester county; Ellis Ellis emigrating with his father,
Thomas Ellis, from Pembrokeshire, Wales, 1683, and settling in Haverford,
where he died in 1706, and his wife, Lydia, in 1742. Elizabeth, third child, born
April 14, 1689, married Rees Preese or Rees Ap Rees, December 9, 1718. Edward
McILVAIN 1355
Rees, father of Rees Ap Rees, was a son of Richard Ap Rees or Price, of Tyddin
Tyfod, Merionethshire, Wales, who died in Wales in 1685. Edward Rees and
his family came to Pennsylvania in the ship "Lyon" with Dr. Edward Jones, in
August, 1682, and settled in Merion, Philadelphia county, being one of the found-
ers of Merion Meeting in 1695, ^^d donated the land upon which the Meeting
House was built, the lot being a part of his plantation, which extended along both
sides of the old Lancaster road, now Montgomery avenue, purchased in 1682. He
married in Wales, Mably, daughter of Owen ap Hugh, a lineal descendant of
Marchwethian, Lord of Isaled. She died April 19, 1699, and he married (second)
Rebecca, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Rees) Humphrey, of Wales. His
son Rees, before mentioned, was by the first wife. This Price family was
descended from King John of England (1199-1216) by his second wife Isabella,
through his son Henry HI, and grandson Edward I, who married Eleanor,
daughter of Ferdinand HL of Castile; Eleanor, daughter of the latter, marrying
Henri, Count de Barr, of France, their daughter, Eleanor de Barr, became the
wife of Llewellyn ap Owen ap Merededd, of Wales, from which period the line
of descent of the Price family is as follows: Thomas ap Lewellyn, son of Llew-
ellyn ap Owen ap Merededd by Eleanor de Barr, married Eleanor, and had
Eleanor, who married Gryffydd Vychan IV, and had Owen Glendower Tudour,
Prince of Wales, who married Maud, daughter of lef ap Howell ap Ada, and had
Lowry, who married Grufifydd ap Enion, of Corsygedol, Merionethshire, and had
Mary, who married Robert Lloyd ap David Lloyd and had Thomas Lloyd, who
married Catharine, daughter of Robert ap Griffith, and had Mary, who married
Richard, of Tyddyn Tyfod, and had Rhys ap Richard, who had Griffith ap Rhys,
who had Richard Price, as the name "ap Rhys" then came first to be written, who
died in Wales in 1685. The children of the latter, exclusive of Edward, above
mentioned, who was his eldest son, were Jane, married Cadwallader Morgan of
Merion, Philadelphia county; Hannah, married Rees John Williams, of Merion,
an account of whom and some of their descendants is given in these volumes in
the account of Robert Lloyd and some of his descendants; a daughter, married
John William ; Thomas Price, remained in Wales.
Samuel and Mary (Price) Gibson had issue: John, of whom presently; Ann,
born August 24, 1792; married (first) Thomas Paschall, by whom she had
Stephen and Mary A. Paschall, and (second) June 13, 1833, Halliday Jackson.
John Gibson, only son of Samuel and Mary (Price) Gibson, born at King-
sessing, Philadelphia, January 13, 1790, inherited under his father's will the plan-
tation called "Upland" in Kingsessing township, on which he was already resid-
ing, containing 121 acres, and several other lots of land in said township, and
lived there all his life, the township being incorporated into the city of Philadel-
phia in 1854, as the twenty-fourth ward. He was also seized of a farm of 150
acres in Merion which he and his wife conveyed to his sister, Ann P. Jackson,
1848. He died at his residence in the twenty-fourth ward of city of Philadel-
phia, the old Gibson homestead at Gibson's Point on the West Bank of the
Schuylkill River. February 4, 1858, at the age of sixty-eight years.
He married (first) October 26, 1815, Sarah Jones, who died May 26. 1847,
aged fifty-two years, two months and seven days; (second) February 28, 1850,
Martha Jones, sister to his first wife, who survived him.
1356 McILVAIN
Sarah and Martha Jones, the two wives of John Gibson, were the daughters of
his first cousin, Gibson, son of Nathan and Sarah (Gibson) Jones. This Jones
family, like the other families with which the Gibsons had intermarried, was of
Welsh ancestry, being descended from John ap Thomas, of Llaithgwn, Pennllyn,
Merionethshire, Wales, "Gentleman" who was associated with Dr. Edward Jones,
of Bala, in the purchase of five thousand acres on the Schuylkill, comprising the
Welsh tract in Merion and Haverford townships, of William Penn in 1681, and
the organization of a colony of Welsh Friends to settle thereon. Dr. Edward
Jones came to Pennsylvania on the "Lyon" in 1682, to locate the land, and have
surveyed the various purparts to the respective purchasers, and John ap Thomas
intended to follow with the other purchasers, but was taken ill when about to sail
and died May 3, 1683.
He was a son of Thomas ap Hugh of Wer Fawr, parish of Llandderfel, Comot
of Pennllyn, county Merioneth, gentleman, who died prior to 1682. John ap
Thomas became a member of the Society of Friends in 1672. and it was by reason
of the persecution of himself, family and friends for their religion that he decided
to establish a colony for them in Pennsylvania. His widow, who was a daughter
of Robert Hugh, immediately after his death and burial, with her four sons, four
daughters, and servants, in all about twenty persons, set sail for Pennsylvania in
the ship "Morning Star," and arrived in Philadelphia, November. 1683. One
son and two daughters died on the voyage, and the remainder of the family pro-
ceeded to the land laid out to the deceased father and husband, by virtue of his
individual purchase of one thousand two hundred and fifty acres. It was
called Gilli yr Cochiald, and the log house erected thereon by Katharine and her
sons was standing until a few years ago. Records show Katharine Thomas to
have been a woman of great force of character and of much Christian worth ; old
manuscript letters in possession of the family show her to have been connected
with many of the oldest British families. Her death is thus recorded in the
family Bible, "Our dear mother Katharine Thomas, departed this life the i8th day
of ye II month 1697, about ye 2d or 3d hour in ye morning (as we thought) & she
was buryed next day."
The surviving children of John ap Thomas and his wife Katharine Robert
were: Thomas Jones, married at Merion. June 23. 1702, Anne, daughter of Grif-
fith John ; Robert, of whom presently ; Evan John, died in 1697, unmarried ; Kath-
arine, married. May 3, 1696, Robert Roberts; Elizabeth, eldest daughter, married
in Wales, Rees Evan. Sidney Rees, daughter of the last named couple, married
Robert Roberts, son of John Roberts, of Pencoyd, and an account of her descend-
ants is given elsewhere in these volumes.
By the will of John ap Thomas his one thousand two hundred and fifty acres
were divided in equal shares of three hundred and twelve and one-half acres each
between his four sons, Thomas, Robert, Evan and Cadwalder, with subdivision
to the survivors in case of death of any under age. His personal estate, including
an interest in the Free Society of Traders, was devised to his wife and daughters.
His wife was named as sole executrix, and ten "dear trusty & well beloved
friends" are named as trustees or overseers, among whom were his son-in-law,
Rees Evan, of Pemaen, near Bala ; his colleague. Dr. Edward Jones, of Bala ;
Thomas Ellis, of Cyfenedd, emigrant before referred to; Dr. Thomas Wynn ;
McILVAIN 1357
John ap John ; Edward Moris, and Robert Owen ; all doubtless prospective settlers
in the recently purchased "Welsh Tract" in Pennsylvania, all at least emigrating
soon after.
Robert John, or Jones, son of John ap Thomas and Katharine Robert, born in
Llaithgwm, Merionethshire, Wales, became a useful and prominent member of
the Welsh Colony, and acquired considerable land in addition to what he had
inherited from his father, devising at his death to his children about one thousand