Taken from the book, "History of York County, Illustrated 1886" by John Gibson, Historical Editor
Major Joseph Prowell, a grandson of James Prowell, who was one of the first Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania, locating in the northern part of Chester County, as early as 1715. The children of James Prowell were Charles, Mary, and Thomas. Charles joined a Chester County regiment at the advanced age of sixty years; and was lost, either killed or captured, in the first Jersey campaign, during the Revolution. Martha was married to Richard Buck, in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Thomas Prowell, the youngest son, in 1752, was married to Rachel Griffith, in the Old Swede's Church, Philadelphia. Many of her relatives, by the same name, located with the early Quaker emigrants in Warrington Township, this county. He, having been there earlier in his life, soon after marriage, removed to Warrington, and purchased a tract of land near the Conewago Creek. Their children were Joseph and William, the first of whom was born in York County, and the latter in Chester County, to which place the parents returned in 1760, and Thomas died in 1765, leaving an estate of £412 1s. 9d., in Chester County, of which David Thomas and Joseph Coates were executors; and an estate of £336 in York County, of which Robert Nelson and Peter Gardner were executors. His will bequeathed equal shares to his widow and two sons, and named Rev. Owen Thomas as guardian of his son Joseph, and Joseph Coates guardian of his son William; and further requested that both sons should be "put to trades" at the age of fifteen.
Joseph Prowell, the subject of this sketch, upon attaining manhood, became a member of the City Troop, a noted military organization of Philadelphia; and during the War for Independence participated with his company in the Jersey campaign and the battle of Brandywine. In 1778, at the age twenty-six, he became major of Colonel Patton's Regiment, and joined in the march of Gen. Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in the Genesee country, New York.
After the Revolution, he became a prosperous merchant on the high seas, and engaged in trade with many foreign ports. On June 4, 1804, he took sick while on board his vessel, which he landed on the Barbadoes Islands, east of the West Indies, and the same day made his will. From this sickness he partially recovered, landed at Philadelphia, and a few days later added a codicil to his will, in his own hand writing: "at the house of my esteemed friends, Captain James Josiah and his estimable lady, near Philadelphia." There he died on April 3, 1805, aged fifty-three years. He was buried with "honors of war" by the City Troop of Philadelphia.
Major Prowell is remembered traditionally as a bold, daring and fearless officer, and had a romantic history. He participated in the sailors' troubles with the pirates of the Barbary States, and afterwards owned large possessions in the Colony of Dernaii, bequeathed to his daughter Rachel, then living with Robert Pulsford of London, whose son she married. He owned a plantation called "Washington," in the Colony of Berbice, which is the eastern division of British Guinea on the west coast of Africa, and there assisted the British Government to quell an insurrection in 1803. When taken sick on the Islands of Barbadoes, he released his three servants or slaves, namely, "Harry Christmas," "Old John" and "Captain," and granted them £20 a year. The executors of Major Prowell's estate were David Lennox, of Philadelphia; Robert and William Pulsford, of Philadelphia; and John Douglass of the County of Berbice--in each of which places he had possessions.
William Prowell, the second son of Thomas Prowell, moved to Warrington in 1779, having previously been engaged in manufacturing powder in Chester County for the Continental Army. He married Mary Nelson, daughter of Robert Nelson, and a few years later moved to Fairview Township, where he purchased land. His children by first marriage were: Joseph, Samuel, and Jane; children by second marriage were : William, Thomas, Jacob, Mary, Ann and Elizabeth.
The writer of this, a grandson of Joseph and a son of Samuel N. Prowell, is a lineal descendant of the Welsh emigrant, James Prowell, of the sixth generation in America.
Major Joseph Prowell, a grandson of James Prowell, who was one of the first Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania, locating in the northern part of Chester County, as early as 1715. The children of James Prowell were Charles, Mary, and Thomas. Charles joined a Chester County regiment at the advanced age of sixty years; and was lost, either killed or captured, in the first Jersey campaign, during the Revolution. Martha was married to Richard Buck, in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Thomas Prowell, the youngest son, in 1752, was married to Rachel Griffith, in the Old Swede's Church, Philadelphia. Many of her relatives, by the same name, located with the early Quaker emigrants in Warrington Township, this county. He, having been there earlier in his life, soon after marriage, removed to Warrington, and purchased a tract of land near the Conewago Creek. Their children were Joseph and William, the first of whom was born in York County, and the latter in Chester County, to which place the parents returned in 1760, and Thomas died in 1765, leaving an estate of £412 1s. 9d., in Chester County, of which David Thomas and Joseph Coates were executors; and an estate of £336 in York County, of which Robert Nelson and Peter Gardner were executors. His will bequeathed equal shares to his widow and two sons, and named Rev. Owen Thomas as guardian of his son Joseph, and Joseph Coates guardian of his son William; and further requested that both sons should be "put to trades" at the age of fifteen.
Joseph Prowell, the subject of this sketch, upon attaining manhood, became a member of the City Troop, a noted military organization of Philadelphia; and during the War for Independence participated with his company in the Jersey campaign and the battle of Brandywine. In 1778, at the age twenty-six, he became major of Colonel Patton's Regiment, and joined in the march of Gen. Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in the Genesee country, New York.
After the Revolution, he became a prosperous merchant on the high seas, and engaged in trade with many foreign ports. On June 4, 1804, he took sick while on board his vessel, which he landed on the Barbadoes Islands, east of the West Indies, and the same day made his will. From this sickness he partially recovered, landed at Philadelphia, and a few days later added a codicil to his will, in his own hand writing: "at the house of my esteemed friends, Captain James Josiah and his estimable lady, near Philadelphia." There he died on April 3, 1805, aged fifty-three years. He was buried with "honors of war" by the City Troop of Philadelphia.
Major Prowell is remembered traditionally as a bold, daring and fearless officer, and had a romantic history. He participated in the sailors' troubles with the pirates of the Barbary States, and afterwards owned large possessions in the Colony of Dernaii, bequeathed to his daughter Rachel, then living with Robert Pulsford of London, whose son she married. He owned a plantation called "Washington," in the Colony of Berbice, which is the eastern division of British Guinea on the west coast of Africa, and there assisted the British Government to quell an insurrection in 1803. When taken sick on the Islands of Barbadoes, he released his three servants or slaves, namely, "Harry Christmas," "Old John" and "Captain," and granted them £20 a year. The executors of Major Prowell's estate were David Lennox, of Philadelphia; Robert and William Pulsford, of Philadelphia; and John Douglass of the County of Berbice--in each of which places he had possessions.
William Prowell, the second son of Thomas Prowell, moved to Warrington in 1779, having previously been engaged in manufacturing powder in Chester County for the Continental Army. He married Mary Nelson, daughter of Robert Nelson, and a few years later moved to Fairview Township, where he purchased land. His children by first marriage were: Joseph, Samuel, and Jane; children by second marriage were : William, Thomas, Jacob, Mary, Ann and Elizabeth.
The writer of this, a grandson of Joseph and a son of Samuel N. Prowell, is a lineal descendant of the Welsh emigrant, James Prowell, of the sixth generation in America.
Taken from the book, "History of York County, Illustrated 1886" by John Gibson, Historical Editor
Major Joseph Prowell, a grandson of James Prowell, who was one of the first Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania, locating in the northern part of Chester County, as early as 1715. The children of James Prowell were Charles, Mary, and Thomas. Charles joined a Chester County regiment at the advanced age of sixty years; and was lost, either killed or captured, in the first Jersey campaign, during the Revolution. Martha was married to Richard Buck, in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Thomas Prowell, the youngest son, in 1752, was married to Rachel Griffith, in the Old Swede's Church, Philadelphia. Many of her relatives, by the same name, located with the early Quaker emigrants in Warrington Township, this county. He, having been there earlier in his life, soon after marriage, removed to Warrington, and purchased a tract of land near the Conewago Creek. Their children were Joseph and William, the first of whom was born in York County, and the latter in Chester County, to which place the parents returned in 1760, and Thomas died in 1765, leaving an estate of £412 1s. 9d., in Chester County, of which David Thomas and Joseph Coates were executors; and an estate of £336 in York County, of which Robert Nelson and Peter Gardner were executors. His will bequeathed equal shares to his widow and two sons, and named Rev. Owen Thomas as guardian of his son Joseph, and Joseph Coates guardian of his son William; and further requested that both sons should be "put to trades" at the age of fifteen.
Joseph Prowell, the subject of this sketch, upon attaining manhood, became a member of the City Troop, a noted military organization of Philadelphia; and during the War for Independence participated with his company in the Jersey campaign and the battle of Brandywine. In 1778, at the age twenty-six, he became major of Colonel Patton's Regiment, and joined in the march of Gen. Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in the Genesee country, New York.
After the Revolution, he became a prosperous merchant on the high seas, and engaged in trade with many foreign ports. On June 4, 1804, he took sick while on board his vessel, which he landed on the Barbadoes Islands, east of the West Indies, and the same day made his will. From this sickness he partially recovered, landed at Philadelphia, and a few days later added a codicil to his will, in his own hand writing: "at the house of my esteemed friends, Captain James Josiah and his estimable lady, near Philadelphia." There he died on April 3, 1805, aged fifty-three years. He was buried with "honors of war" by the City Troop of Philadelphia.
Major Prowell is remembered traditionally as a bold, daring and fearless officer, and had a romantic history. He participated in the sailors' troubles with the pirates of the Barbary States, and afterwards owned large possessions in the Colony of Dernaii, bequeathed to his daughter Rachel, then living with Robert Pulsford of London, whose son she married. He owned a plantation called "Washington," in the Colony of Berbice, which is the eastern division of British Guinea on the west coast of Africa, and there assisted the British Government to quell an insurrection in 1803. When taken sick on the Islands of Barbadoes, he released his three servants or slaves, namely, "Harry Christmas," "Old John" and "Captain," and granted them £20 a year. The executors of Major Prowell's estate were David Lennox, of Philadelphia; Robert and William Pulsford, of Philadelphia; and John Douglass of the County of Berbice--in each of which places he had possessions.
William Prowell, the second son of Thomas Prowell, moved to Warrington in 1779, having previously been engaged in manufacturing powder in Chester County for the Continental Army. He married Mary Nelson, daughter of Robert Nelson, and a few years later moved to Fairview Township, where he purchased land. His children by first marriage were: Joseph, Samuel, and Jane; children by second marriage were : William, Thomas, Jacob, Mary, Ann and Elizabeth.
The writer of this, a grandson of Joseph and a son of Samuel N. Prowell, is a lineal descendant of the Welsh emigrant, James Prowell, of the sixth generation in America.
Major Joseph Prowell, a grandson of James Prowell, who was one of the first Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania, locating in the northern part of Chester County, as early as 1715. The children of James Prowell were Charles, Mary, and Thomas. Charles joined a Chester County regiment at the advanced age of sixty years; and was lost, either killed or captured, in the first Jersey campaign, during the Revolution. Martha was married to Richard Buck, in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Thomas Prowell, the youngest son, in 1752, was married to Rachel Griffith, in the Old Swede's Church, Philadelphia. Many of her relatives, by the same name, located with the early Quaker emigrants in Warrington Township, this county. He, having been there earlier in his life, soon after marriage, removed to Warrington, and purchased a tract of land near the Conewago Creek. Their children were Joseph and William, the first of whom was born in York County, and the latter in Chester County, to which place the parents returned in 1760, and Thomas died in 1765, leaving an estate of £412 1s. 9d., in Chester County, of which David Thomas and Joseph Coates were executors; and an estate of £336 in York County, of which Robert Nelson and Peter Gardner were executors. His will bequeathed equal shares to his widow and two sons, and named Rev. Owen Thomas as guardian of his son Joseph, and Joseph Coates guardian of his son William; and further requested that both sons should be "put to trades" at the age of fifteen.
Joseph Prowell, the subject of this sketch, upon attaining manhood, became a member of the City Troop, a noted military organization of Philadelphia; and during the War for Independence participated with his company in the Jersey campaign and the battle of Brandywine. In 1778, at the age twenty-six, he became major of Colonel Patton's Regiment, and joined in the march of Gen. Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in the Genesee country, New York.
After the Revolution, he became a prosperous merchant on the high seas, and engaged in trade with many foreign ports. On June 4, 1804, he took sick while on board his vessel, which he landed on the Barbadoes Islands, east of the West Indies, and the same day made his will. From this sickness he partially recovered, landed at Philadelphia, and a few days later added a codicil to his will, in his own hand writing: "at the house of my esteemed friends, Captain James Josiah and his estimable lady, near Philadelphia." There he died on April 3, 1805, aged fifty-three years. He was buried with "honors of war" by the City Troop of Philadelphia.
Major Prowell is remembered traditionally as a bold, daring and fearless officer, and had a romantic history. He participated in the sailors' troubles with the pirates of the Barbary States, and afterwards owned large possessions in the Colony of Dernaii, bequeathed to his daughter Rachel, then living with Robert Pulsford of London, whose son she married. He owned a plantation called "Washington," in the Colony of Berbice, which is the eastern division of British Guinea on the west coast of Africa, and there assisted the British Government to quell an insurrection in 1803. When taken sick on the Islands of Barbadoes, he released his three servants or slaves, namely, "Harry Christmas," "Old John" and "Captain," and granted them £20 a year. The executors of Major Prowell's estate were David Lennox, of Philadelphia; Robert and William Pulsford, of Philadelphia; and John Douglass of the County of Berbice--in each of which places he had possessions.
William Prowell, the second son of Thomas Prowell, moved to Warrington in 1779, having previously been engaged in manufacturing powder in Chester County for the Continental Army. He married Mary Nelson, daughter of Robert Nelson, and a few years later moved to Fairview Township, where he purchased land. His children by first marriage were: Joseph, Samuel, and Jane; children by second marriage were : William, Thomas, Jacob, Mary, Ann and Elizabeth.
The writer of this, a grandson of Joseph and a son of Samuel N. Prowell, is a lineal descendant of the Welsh emigrant, James Prowell, of the sixth generation in America.
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