Other Events:

• Find A Grave Memorial Number: 127695947
• Baptism: 22 Sep 1771, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA; First Presbyterian Church
• Residence: Aug 1792, Gloucester County, New Jersey, USA

Notes:

Millville's first glass works were started in 1806 by James Lee. Lee originally named the factory Glasstown. The original factory made window glass, and it later expanded to making bottles in 1809, presumably vials and junk bottle (common Farmer bottles). James was the son of Francis Lee who came from Belfast, Ireland, to Pennsylvania.

In 1799 James Lee built a glass factory in Port Elizabeth New Jersey, which he called the Eagle Glass Works. He then left Port Elizabeth and established the factory here in Millville in 1806.
A gentleman from the early days describes Lee as a promoter who abandoned one newly established enterprise after another. Lucius Elmer describes Lee as "an active enterprising man, too spasmodic in his efforts to succeed well." By 1814 Lee sold his Millville factory to Gideon Scull. In 1814 he moved to Bridgeton and built a saw mill (originally planned to be a paper mill), a general store and a raceway from the new mill dam on the Cohansey river. In 1817 Lee and his family moved to Cincinnati after a short stay to Maysville, Kentucky. He died in New Orleans in 1824.

The bottle shown here was found on the site of James Lee's Glasstown glass works in 1984 by a backhoe operator friend of mine named Ed Fredricks.Ed was grading an area at the end of Buck Street near present day Rte. 49 behind the American Legion hall near the river for a future boat slip when a lot of broken glass cullet and other factory remnants were being found in large amounts.This bottle survived and is a very pretty pale aquamarine in color very typical of the sand from Cumberland county that to this day is some of the purest in the world.

A lot of the sand from here was shipped as far away as New England in the early 1800s. Ed has given me quite a few old bottles over the years as he is constantly digging foundations, swimming pools,sidewalks,driveways ect. I am very great full to Ed for all of the bottles I have received from him over the last thirty years.This bottle is very small for a vial standing just two and a half inches tall and three quarters of an inch in diameter.The walls of the glass are very thin but the flared lip is intact. I also have shards and cullet from the site I just cant seem to be able to locate them right now for this post.When I find them I will add them to this information.

In 1827, the company had three owners: Dr. George Burgin, Richard L. Wood, and Joel Bodine. Bodine left the company in 1829 and the company name changed to Burgin & Wood. With the addition of a new partner in 1833, the company?s name changed again to Burgin, Wood & Pearsall. At this time, the factory produced glass bottles using molds made out of clay.

Glasstown was purchased in 1836 by another company that changed the name to Scattergood, Booth, and Company. Following this transition of owners, Scattergood married a woman named Sarah Whitall. Sarah was the sister of Captain John Whitall, a major investor in the Glasstown factory. When Captain Whitall moved to Philadelphia with his new wife, Mary Tatum, he left the factory under his brother?s management. For the next three years, Captain Whitall?s brother, Israel Franklin Whitall, served as manager of the company .

By 1845 Scattergood no longer worked at Glasstown and the name was changed to Whitall, Brother, and Company.Israel Whitall became ill and ceased to work for the company after 1857 and a new partner a man named Edward Tatum became one of the owners. At this time, the company became Whitall Tatum and Company. The company quickly became very successful and additional space and buildings were needed and the company expanded northward up Buck street.. The company opened An office in New York and was managed by C.A. Tatum.

Whitall Tatum was one of the first glass factories to establish a laboratory. Here they tested different procedures and combinations of materials used in glass production . By 1899, business was booming and the Whitall Tatum Company had over four hundred employees at their Glasstown factory and over one thousand at their lower works division. As a result of their success, Millville, New Jersey became famous for glass working. I know the bottle could have come from anyone really over the last 175 years but it was found at the original glass works site and in an area which produced the same colored shards and broken tops like this one.This bottle also has a lean to one side.I wonder if it was a reject and sent to the cullet heap.

James married Deborah West 2 Aug 1792, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA. Deborah (daughter of Charles West and Sarah Hopper) was born 24 May 1772; died 1 Jun 1833, Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky, USA; was buried Jun 1833, Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. Harriet Lee was born Abt 1801, New Jersey, USA.

Other Events:

• Arrival: Abt 1771, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA
• Occupation: Between 1771 and 1786, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA; tavern keeper (the Indian Queen and the Black Horse.)
• Death: 30 Apr 1816, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA; Age: 66

Notes:

Francis was born in or about 1749 in County Antrim, Ireland.

On November 21, 1770, Francis married Miss Jane Alexander. Sometime after their marriage, the Lees emigrated to the United States. There is a Francis Lee who arrived in Philadelphia in 1771. Whether this is our Francis is unclear. The timing of this arrival fits, as the first mention of Francis is in 1774 when he paid a 4 pound tax in Philadelphia. He was also an innkeeper in Philadelphia. The "Indian Queen" was located at the corner of Fourth and Market Streets.

Francis Lee was a Private in the 1st Battalion Pennsylvania Militia under Captain Tench Francis. In 1781, Francis was involved in moving French gold from Boston to Philadelphia. The gold was for use by the Whigs.

Francis ran the inn until about 1787, when he moved to land he had purchased in Chester County.

Francis and Jane had 11 children: James Alexander, William B., Francis, William J., George, John, Thomas, Jane, Margaret, Hannah and Eleanor.

In about 1785, Francis' wife, Jane, died. He then married Elizabeth Bache. The wedding took place in the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia on December 16, 1790. He later married Margaretta (or Margaret) Cloyd. She was the daughter of David Cloyd. They had five children: David Cloyd, Ann, Alfred, Mary and Francis.

Francis' last wife was Elizabeth Cloyd. It's unclear how Elizabeth and Margaretta were related, if at all. Francis and Elizabeth had no children.

In the 1930's, Dr. Albert Gerberich complied a book of cemetery inscriptions in Pennsylvania. This was "Lancaster County, PA Cemetery Inscriptions." The name is deceiving, as it included other counties besides Lancaster. The listing for Francis Lee, Esq. (page 203) buried in Great Valley Presbyterian Church Cemetery, states that he died in his 66th year on April 30, 1816. This must be a mistake, as his will was proved on May 9, 1815. It's possible that Dr. Gerberich transcribed the stone incorrectly. It was over 100 years old at the time, so the "5" might have looked like a "6."

Francis Lee's will was written on April 29, 1815; the witnesses being John Attkins and William Tredwick. As stated before, it was proved on May 9, 1815. His executors were his good friends, Rev. William Latta and Thomas Bodley.

The will begins, "In the name of God Amen I Francis Lee of East Whiteland Township, Chester County and state of Pennsylvania, being weak and sick in body but of sound disposing mind & memory (blessed be Almighty God for the same.) do make this my Last Will in manner and form following, to wit..."

He gave his beloved wife, Elizabeth one third of his personal estate and one third of the yearly income or proffits (sic) of all of his real estate during her natural life. He also left Elizabeth a horse and gig. (a small carriage.)

His son Thomas received 400 pounds; to son Francis he gave his gold watch and to son Alfred, $20 to purchase a silver watch.

Francis left his daughter Mary all of his silver plate. To his "much respected friend, Mrs. Mary Latta, wife of the Reverend William Latta," he gave one hundred dollars.

He stated, "I do order if anything should happen or arise that would require any aid in my family, during my son Francis's minority, I impower my Executors to settle all disputes that may arise among them."

and, "I order all my real estate and all my personal property that will be and remain, to be kept and remain unsold until my youngest son Francis, arrive to the age of twenty one years and the proffits (sic) arising there from to be appropriated to schooling and supporting my younger children, that are at home with me (and my beloved wife) they, my said wife and children, afformentioned (sic) to have the whole of the proffits (sic) arising from all my estate until he the said Francis, arrives to the age of twenty one years.

It is my will and I do order and direct that when my said son arrives to that afforsaid (sic) age, that each of my surviving children shall nominate and appoint (each one of them) one reputable citizen, and when appointed they said citizens to value and appraise my Plantation, whereon I now live in East Whiteland Township. I give and devise it to my son David, to his heirs and assigns forever if he choses to keep it and said valuation. The said David, to have one equal share of the said value and each of my other children, to have share and share alike with him in the value thereof, to be equal (sic) divided among them."

The rest of his personal and real estate to be equally divided among his surviving children, or their legal representatives. Once again, Francis uses the phrase, "share and share alike."

Francis's will was registered in Book M, Page 135 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Number 6173.

Funeral expenses paid out of the estate included $2.50 to Cornelius Dempsy for digging the grave, $30 to W.H. Brown for the coffin, and $29.51 to Jurdelle V. Hooker for the grave stone.

The inventory of Francis's estate was filed on June 9, 1815.
It was an extensive list, one befitting a man with a large home and farm. Included were 5 looking glasses (mirrors), numerous tables and chairs, bedsteads, glassware and silver.

There were many farm animals and implements listed, including several horses, 14 swine, (worth $97), sheep, 2 hives and bees ($4), wheat in the ground ($130), rye in the ground ($128.50), and a pair of hobbles (75 cents).

Of interest to me was an "encyclopedy" valued at $30. Francis also owned 12 shares in the Philadelphia Bank, valued at $1,200. It looks as if his total estate was valued at $6,859.24. According to the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, that would be about $85,000 in today's money. Another site said the estimate would be closer to $105,000.

Francis Lee was buried in Great Valley Presbyterian Church Cemetery in May, 1815.


Buried:
Great Valley Presbyterian Churchyard

Francis married Jane Alexander 21 Nov 1770. Jane (daughter of James Alexander) was born Abt 1750, Northern Ireland; died Abt 1785, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
Dromore Diocese

William married Margaret McCan Abt 1741, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Margaret (daughter of John McCan and Margaret Unknown) was born Abt 1722, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; died Jun 1753, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; was buried 15 Jun 1753, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Carrrickfergus churchyard. Not sure which Church

Notes:

Birth:
Dromore Diocese

William married Mary Hamilton 1703, Shankill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Mary was born Abt 1682, Shankill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
Dromore Diocese

John — Margaret Unknown. [Group Sheet]