This page was created on 2025-12-03.
This page was last updated on 2025-12-23.
BACKGROUND:
Two years ago I had some time to research my family roots some, being able to go back farther than I was able to in previous attempts. Even then some information I came across was later proven to be incorrect, but finding out that I am a descendant of Obadiah Bonsall, born 1677 in Derbyshire, England and settling in Philadelphia has been corroborated.
There was at that time some confusion as to who his father was. Some said it was Joseph Bonsall, Jr, and others said it was Richard Bonsall. I was able to establish that he had an uncle Richard Bonsall, who was a close associate of William Penn, and that Obadiah sailed over either with his uncle and William Penn, or shortly thereafter.
Obadiah Bonsall did have a great grandfather named Richard Bonsall Jr, whose father was Richard Bonsall Sr, born in 1536. Richard Sr was the son of John Bonsall Jr, born 1509. This is the earliest I have been able to get back on the Bonsall line.
The Bonsall family was one of the pioneering families of the Pennsylvania colony. They were Quakers and are mentioned in their documentation. Some of the Bonsalls remained in the Philadelphia area while one branch went to Louisiana. Some went westward to California. There are many thousand Bonsall descendants, which would include the late Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall and Star Trek actor and later musician Brian Bonsall. Some descendants dropped a letter and used the spelling "Bonsal".
Obadiah Bonsall, my 7th great grandfather, is said to have about 5000 living descendants. It would be interesting to know who they all are and where they are, but a Herculenean task like that might take lots of lifetimes. What I am going to do here, as time permits, is include links that would shed more information on the Bonsall family, and some cut and paste information.
As to how I am descended? Obadiah's daughter, Rose, married Thomas Pilkington. Their son, Levi Pilkington Sr, is said to have been a Revolutionary War veteran but that needs verification in my opinion. Thomas Pilkington's son Levi Pilkington married Margaret Toms.
Their daughter, Letitia Pilkington, married John Elias Penny, and their daughter, Olive Frances Penny, married my great grandfather John Hinson Pierson, the father of my paternal grandmother Eulah Odessa Pierson.
Dates below are in the USA format of mm/dd/yyyy.
GENERATION I:
John Bonsall Jr, my 11th great grandfather, was born in 1509 in Shropshire, England, according to the Family Search website. No other information has been found.
GENERATION II:
Richard Bonsall Sr,, my 10th great grandfather, was born in Codnor, Heanor, Derbyshire, England. (some sources say 1538). He married Agnes Sowter, daughter of John Sowter (c1510 - 10/4/1571) and Agnes Fynymore (1515 - 1/23/1571). the Sowter line goes back to Ralph Sowter I born 1360 and the Fynymore line goes back to c1450.
Richard Bonsall Jr was born between 1558 and 1599 in Alstonfield, West Side, Staffordshire, England.
Richard Bonsall Sr died on 11/4/1612 in Codnor.
I have not been able to find any more information.
TIMELINE:
1509: Birth of John Bonsall Jr
1536: Birth of Richard Bonsall Sr, in Codnor, Heanor, Derbyshire, England. (some sources say 1538).
1563: Richard Bonsall Sr marries Agnes Sowter in St. Lawrence's Church in Heanor, Derbyshire, England on December 6.
1565: Birth of Richard Bonsall Jr in Codnor, Heanor, Derbyshire, England.
1612: Richard Bonsall Sr dies in his hometown of Heanor on
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