Family History: Samuel Weir descendants: Warrington, Bucks county, PA This excerpt contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Stefanie Hatfield. Hearts-etc@worldnet.att.net USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. >From "The Weir Family History" compiled in the late 1920's and early 1930's by Cora Weir Burnett with the help of a genealogist. "In our investigations for data concerning the Weir family, we secured through Thomas P. Weir, a letter written Oct. 5, 1901, by one Warren S. Ely of Bucks County, Pennsylvania to Mary J., daughter of Thomas B. Weir, both of whom now reside at Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The letter is as follows: My Dear Miss Weir: In accordance with my promise of some weeks ago, I have looked up my Weir data and find it very much the same as that of many other Scotch families, very indefinite as to the first two generations. In 1727, there was surveyed and laid out to William Allen a tract of 1147 acres in Washington Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, along the Bristol road, the lower corner along Bristol road being just below and including the old Warrington hotel, now kept by one E. Tomlinson, and the lower line, extending by southwest line at right angles to Bristol road, about one mile. Then by line parallel to Bristol road northwest to what was then the upper line of Warrington township. The township has now been enlarged by adding two tiers of farms thereto from New Briton--I find I am a little hasty. There was an addition of 480 acres laid out to Allen in section 730, and the two tracts were comprised between those boundaries. William Allen, in 1736, conveyed a great part of the tract to a colony of Scotch-Irish--the Walkers, Craigs, Grays, Creightons, Barclays, etc.--the two tiers of farms, ends touching--the end of first tier abutting on Bristol road. The tier next to Bristol road was conveyed outright, none of the second tier being conveyed but leased with the privilege of buying. On July 4th, 1736, Wm. Allen leased about 160 acres at the upper N. W. corner to John Barclay, the emigrant ancestor of that family. The property is described as being bounded on the lower side by land in tenure of John Wyer. In conveyance of another tract August 4th, 1736, the tract adjoining being the tract purchased in 1757 by James Weir, is described as land lately leased to John Wyer, the first tract being just above the second. The upper tract alluded to as "in tenure of John Wyer," was in tenure of Samuel Weir in 1757. I find both of the tracts lately conveyed to James Weir, alluded to in 1736, as leased to him. John Weir does not seem to have completed his purchase, and November 16, 1757, when James Weir obtained his deed from William Allen, the John Weir tract is alluded to as in tenure of Samuel Weir, who was your great-great-grandfather. I assume, therefore, that Samuel Weir who is your great-great-grandfather, was the son of this mythical John Wyer. Your ancestor, Samuel Weir, on April 7th, 1760, then a resident of Warrington, purchased 151 acres, 53 perches of land in what was then New Britain Tp., and died thereon in April 1811, a very aged man. He purchased December 25, 1784, of the executors of Henry Funk, 121 acres and 38 perches adjoining his first purchase, and May 11, 1790, he with his wife Mary, conveyed this 121 acres to his son John Weir, your great-grandfather. The land conveyed by your grandfather, Robert Weir, to John Holtin, is part of this tract. Samuel Weir was a trustee of Neshaminy (Ne-sham-i-ny) church in 1754. John Weir was first Sergeant in Capt. Henry Darrah's company in Dec. 1777. Whether the son of Samuel or James cannot be definitely determined. Samuel had children as follows: John, born 1753, died April 24, 1840. Mary, married to Robert McKinstry; Rebecca, married to John Simpton and James, the latter never marrying. The will of Samuel Weir is dated Aug. 16, 1803, a codicil thereto being dated July 27, 1807 and it was proved April 22, 1811. Registered at Doylestown in Will Book. John Weir, the son as before stated, died in 1840, leaving sons, James, Robert, Nathan McKinstry, Thomas and two grand sons (children of his deceased son Samuel, who died in 1826,) and daughters Priscilla, Mary and Margaret. Robert was your grandfather. James Weir, who seems to have appeared on the scene similtaneously with John, was probably his brother. He completed the title to lands leased to Allen, by purchase in 1757 and 1765 respectfully, in all about 450 or 500 acres in three tracts. He died in 1785 or thereabouts, leaving two sons, Robert and John and three daughters, Jane, who married Thomas Kelso; Mary, who married Robert Flack and Ann, who died unmarried. Robert married Mary Walker, daughter of Wm. Walker and had one child, Margaret, who married Samuel Weir, (son of your great-grandfather.) Samuel and Margaret had two sons, Robert B. and John. Robert B. died in Warrington, leaving three daughters, Margaret, wife of Judson Knicker, Mary Ellen Weir and Adelia C. Weir. John Weir, the other son of James, does not seem to have married as he left no issue. He died about 1818, and devised his estate to his sister Mary Flack, his sister Jane Kelso's children, Henry and Margaret Donnelly, except his farm which he devises to Edward Hay and his wife Hannah until the maturity of their son, John Weir Hay, when it goes to him, no relationship being mentioned. Robert Weir was a private in Capt. Darrah's company 1777 and James Weir became a private in the same company in 1778. The latter must have been a son of Samuel Weir Sr., and a brother of your great-grandfather, as James, son of John, could hardly have been old enough at that time, though it is just possible. There was a Wm. Wear, an early land holder in Springfield Tp., close to the corner of Durham and Nockamixon. He was one of the original trustees of Timcum Presbyterian church in 1762, but I have been unable to learn anything more about him. He may have been a brother of James and John, thus making up the traditional "three brothers." This is all I have able to glean from my brief data in reference to your ancestors. I have made no effort to ascertain whom they married. I am sorry it is not fuller and clearer, but trust it will at least give you some idea of the family. Respectfully yours, Warren S. Ely. The above letter was copied and furnished for this history by Thomas P. Weir, at Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in August 1907.