| Notes |
- Alexander Edwards was probably born in Montgomeryshire (now Powys County), Wales, in about 1675 and died at Philadelphia County, probably Lower Dublin, after 1712. According to Powys parish marriage records, his father, Alexander Edwards Sr. was "of Carno." His mother, Margaret ap/verch Jon was of the nearby village of Trefeglwys.
The family was persecuted and punished several times for being Quakers. The family was living at Machynelleth, Wales by 1684 when they decided to immigrate to William Penn's colony at Pennsylvania. They may have spent some time with fellow Quakers at the home of the Owen family at Dolserau (also referred to as Dolserey), near Dolgellau, Wales prior to departing with the Owens and other Quakers for Philadelphia aboard the ship "Vine" in 1684.
Additional information on the departure from Wales found on his father's Memorial 124509907
They arrived in Philadelphia on July 17, 1684 (old calendar, or Sept 17 new calendar). His father and older siblings Edward, Jeane and Bridget, sailed as indentured servants to other Quaker families on the voyage, a common practice at the time. Alexander Jr., as one of the younger children, with his mother Margaret, and other young siblings, Thomas, Martha and Margaret, sailed as paying passengers, which afforded them some measure of comfort.
Alexander's 6 siblings (all born in Wales) were:
Bridget Edwards (Miles)
Jeane/Jane Edwards (James)
Edward Edwards
Margaret Edwards
Martha Edwards (Todd) and
Thomas Edwards
They first settled at the Quaker community of Radnor, Pennsylvania in 1684, then Montgomery township before 1700. Alexander married a fellow Quaker, Gwen Foulke, on Dec. 6, 1703 in a Quaker ceremony at Radnor or Gwynedd (records vary). She was the daughter of Edward Foulke and Eleanor (Hugh) Foulke of Wales. Alexander and Gwen had 5 children: Edward, Alexander, Thomas, Joseph and Jane.
Alexander later became a Baptist during the Quaker Keith Schism, as did several other members of his family. An Alexander Edwards (either him or perhaps his son), was baptized at this Pennepack Baptist Church on the 3rd day of the 7 month, 1709, as was Bridget (Edwards) Miles of this family.
The date(s) on his tombstone are not legible. He appears in his father's will of 1712 and presumably died after that date. No other records of him have been found after that date.
He and several of his family members are interred in this Edwards family plot, including his wife Gwen, son Alexander, sister Bridget (Edwards) Miles, some of his grandchildren and William Marshall (father of Ann Marshall Edwards in this plot).
Sources include: "The Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania" C.H. Browning; "The Welsh Settlement and Gwynedd" Howard Jenkins; "A Partial List of the Families Who Arrived at Philadelphia Between 1682 and 1687" Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania; Powys County Archives Llandrindod Wells, Wales & Dolgellau Library in Wales, and Pennepack Baptist Church birth and burial records.
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