| Notes |
- There is a lot of guessing going on with William Vastall (spelling according to his will.) Note that the spelling could have been misinterpreted from a double s at that time would have looked like an st instead of ss.
I have found an autosomal DNA triangulation match for my Uncle, a cousin who also descends through William Vestal Jr. and a descendant of William Vassall and Anne King as has been traced by some in the past. It is on chromosome 1, from abt. 242,000,000-244,000,000. This one small triangulation from 3.6 -5.9 cM's is for ancient history but so far it is not a pile up region and could refer to a common ancestors back in the l500's. The triangulation does tell us it is inherited DNA. However, 1 is not solid proof for me. I will continue to study this.
"Asa Vestal, son of Jesse Vestal and Sophia McDonald, dictated a family history in 1862 which is in the Mendenhall/Lightfoot file folder collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. A transcription of that pamphlet is here [1] (as of Nov 2018). The early family history in the pamphlet seems erroneous. It has William who immigrated marrying a Welsh woman, Elizabeth Messer, met aboard ship during the crossing. It also lists children: David, James, William, John, Thomas, Jemima and Mary and says William the son never married. Currently in WikiTree Elizabeth Mercer is the wife (documented) of William son of William." Wikitree
In the meantime, no one has found actual baptismal records for William or his supposed brother Daniel under the spelling of Vestell, Vestill, Vastill, and derivatives that have been found for them in England. there were multiple errors in Asa's memory that have been verified as inaccurate in first hand documents. I am therefore not accepting his statement that William had a brother Daniel or that he was born in England. We have no proof of where he was born. We have no proof he had a brother Daniel. I am looking at actual records and studying DNA. Right now, this theory is what those tell us.
In C-611, William's birth place is listed as Southhampton, ENG. This is the port where many Quaker families embarked from to come to the new world. However, he was a Baptist by religion.
There are NO Vestal's in all of English birth, marriage or death records from 1600-1690 in 2023. Here are the records of the soundex spellings on FreeReg.org.uk for phonetic spellings of the same. The closest spellings are Vestall, Vystall, Vestell, and Vestill. There are no William Vestal's with this spelling.
William first appears in Chester Co., Pa records in 1692 when he took Guardianship of the children of his wife's first husband. (C-2251g) He was a taxpayer in Birmingham Twp., Chester Co., PA in 1693 and 1696. William was listed as a Constable of Birmingham on Mar. 12, 1694/5.
He was a Baptist by religion and a farmer by trade. (C-2141) He and Thomas Moore were deeded 100 acres of land lying in Concord on that same day. He and Richard Buffington (the first settler in the area) jointly purchased 218 acres in Bradford, Chester Co., PA in 1696 and an adjoining 218 in 1701. They then each took 218 acres to themselves, with William taking the l701 purchase. This land was between Brandywine, below the forks, almost to Srode's Mill. He built a home on this property and died shortly after.
Benjamin Mendenhall of Concord, PA confirmed his agreement to sell William Vestal Sr. the land where his home stood to his widow, Alice on Mar 2, 1709. (C-2251g) A large stone home still stands on it today which is alluded to be his home. (C-869) The exact reference to this deed is found in Bryant's Chester Co. Land Records: "Deed. On 02 Mar 1709 Benjamin MENDENHALL of Concord, yeoman, to Alice VESTALL, widow of William VESTALL, dec'd and William VESTALL the son. Whereas Benjamin MENDENHALL sold but did not convey the tract in Bradford bounded by Brandywine creek, land of John MARTIN and John BORRADY. containing 125 acres. To William VESTALL the father now dec'd for the sum of ? 10 and full performance of articles of agreement made on 12 Oct 1699 who devised by his last will and testament dated 19 Jan 1701 to Alice VESTALL during her life then to son William VESTALL who paying ? 30 to his brother George VESTALL. Now land is conveyed to Alice VESTALL and William VESTALL. Signed Benjamin MENDENHALL. Delivered in the presence of John BETHELL, Job HARVEY and Isaac TAYLOR. Recorded 26 May 1709. (C389)"
William and Alice had four children. The only child who is known to have descendants was William Jr. Their first daughter, Sarah, drowned in a small pond of water in 1696. Soon after, on June 10, 1697, Alice was baptized at the Brandywinde Baptist Church. Their daughter, Hannah, was baptized there on August 30, 1698. There is a distinct possibility that William was a Baptist already. Alice was a Quaker up to this point in time. Her departure could have been influenced by George Keith who was causing "much trouble" at the time and by her daughter, Sarah's death.
"Will of William Vestal
The Last Will and Testament of William Vestal, Westtown, Chester Co., Pennsylvania
My will Maid ye 19th January 1701-02 In the name of god, Amen, I William Vastall, living in the Township of Westtown, in the County Chester, so have ordained and considered this my last will and testament, Being of Sound Judgment and of perfest Rememberance, praised by almighty god for his Mercy, though weak in body and finding my self to decay in body, am Willing to Set my house in order before I go hence, and for this purpose doe Here ordain this will and testament as follows: First I bequeath my body to ye earth and be decently burying according as my Executors (hereafter named) shall think fit. And Faithfully resigning up my soul into ye hands of God, my creator, hoping to receive pardon of all my sins by the death and suffering of my lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is my Redeemer, Impimos. I leave and bequeath to Alice my wife, all my land and Musage which I am now living upon and occupy, being 1 hundred twenty fore acquires, during the time of her Natural Life, and all my goods and Chatels and Cattles (excepting such as shall be here after named, ) paying all my debts which I owe. An After to descend to my son William Vastall, after ye decease of Alice, my wife, and my son William bastaal, shall pay unto my sone George Vastall, ye just some of thirty pounds of lawful money, according to ye passable coyne of ye province out of ye estate, as after that my son, William Vastall, comes legally installed in ye property. Item, I leave unto my daughter Mary, one cow, and two breeding mares, and two horse colts, with their increasd (ye Cow her increase excepted) and Like Wise to Receive a .... and a hacoll and these to be deliverd when she comes to ye age of one and twenty, or before if her mother thinks fit.
And likewise I ordain my wife Alice Vastall, to be executor, with my loving friend, Thomas Powell, of ye town of providence, of County Chester, Yomen Junior, to be joint executor with my wife to see this my will duly and truly executed according as I have appointed.
William Vestal his mark (this is an inked thumb print, as seal) (Conclusion of will of William (1) Vestal, Senior, witnesses and proving) Sealed and deliverd in ye presents of
X John Wood
X Nathaniel Ring
Robert Way (?)
Robert Jefferies x my mark
Philadelphia, Feb 20th, 1701
there personally appeared John Wood and Nathaniel Ring, two of the witnesses to the above will;; and on their solemn Affirmation do declare they saw above named William Vastall sign, seal, publish and delcare the above writing to be his last will and Testament, and he was at the doing thereof of sound mind and memory, to the best of their knowledge.
County court (/) Reg. Gen" Wikitree (C-804, 2251g)
I have a DNA match to this couple on segment 13 at segments 72586785-89195944 with cousins whom are sisters and me named Joanna Blackburn Brumit and Kathy R. Blackburn Bowman as well as another cousin also there named Melinda Bach.
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1667 - Aft 1702 (> 42 years)
[12] 
