John Loftis Sr & Sarah ?

John Loftis Sr & Sarah ? {… DE}

~1685, John born in Ireland.

1731, John appeared on the Murderkill Hundreds, DE tax list.

2/23/1739, John granted land in Murderkill Hundreds, Kent Co., DE.

1744, John “Lofftis” assessed taxes in Murderkill Hundred, Kent Co., DE. (S) Archives of Dover DE.

1748, John “Lofftis” assessed taxes in Murderkill Hundred, Kent Co., DE. (S) Archives of Dover DE.

5/5/1774, John Loftis Sr wrote his will. Heirs: wife Sarah; sons John, Joseph, Burton; daus. Rebeckah Dill, Sarah Clark, Anna Dill; Jemima Chance. Exec’r, son Burton. Wits., George Upton, Jr., John Burton Scully. Codicil, Absolam Clark & wife Sarah; John Clark, son of Absolam. Wits., John Burton Scully, William Douglass.

10/1775, John died in Murderkill Hundreds, Kent Co., DE.

11/6/1775, John’s will probated. The estate of John Loftis Sr was split between heirs: wife Sarah; sons John, Joseph, Burton; daus. Rebeckah Dill, Sarah Clark, Anna Dill; Jemima Chance. (S) Arch. V–A31, PP50-2. Reg. of Wills, Liber L, folios 173-174.

12/14/1775, will of Sarah Loftis, widow of John Loftos; John Dill Sr witness. Heir: son John. Exec’r. son John. Wits., George Upton, John Dill, Sr.

4/7/1781, Sarah wrote a Codicil to her will: Heir, son Joseph.

Bef. 4/28/1787 Sarah died; will probated. (S) Arch. V–A31, P55. Reg. of Wills, Liber M, folios 136-7.

Family notes:

·         Spellings: Loftis, Loftes, Loftus, Loftos, Lofftis.

·         11/1683, a “John Loftos” arrived on the ship Morning Star at PA from Liverpool.

Children of John and Sarah:

i. John Loftis Jr, born ~1736.

1785, John, Gideon, and Wm Loftis assessed taxes in Murderkill Hundred, Kent Co., DE. (S) History of DE, 1609-1888 by Scharf, Vol. II.

8/22/1790, John married Barbara Bostwick. (S) DE Marriage Records, 1744-1912, V2, P53.

(S) 1790 Census, DE, Kent Co. John and wife live alone, no slaves.

3/14/1797 in Kent Co., DE, John Loftis; administrator of will to Barbary Loftis; heirs: Josh, Burton & Barbary Loftis, Jamima Chance, Ann Dill, Sarah Clark & Rebecca Loftis (late Dill). (S) Arch. V–A31, PP53-4. Reg. of Wills, Liber N, folios 169. [Does not make sense, except for “Barbary Loftis”, essentially the same as that of Sarah, her father-in-law’s mother.]

By 6/20/1801, John died. [Absalaom & Sarah Clark, sis of John Loftis; Gideon Loftis, nephew of John Loftis; Jemima Chance, niece of John Loftis; all of Kent Co, sell for £100 their rights to "Brothers Portion", 123 acres and "Davies Outlet", 32 acres to Dorrington Chance.]

Children:

Barbary Loftis, born ?.

3/14/1797, Barbary Loftis named in her mother’s will.

ii. Joseph Loftis, born ~1738.

5/5/1774, Joseph named in his father’s will

4/7/1781, Sarah wrote a Codicil to her will: Heir, son Joseph.

5/7/1790, Joseph, son of John Loftis, deceased, farmer of Kent County, sold half his tract from his father's estate, 55.25 acres, to Absalom Clark Jr for £65. Witness: Levi Clark, Absalom Clark Sr. (S) Delaware Land Recds., 1677-1947.

3/14/1797, “Josh” named his brother John’s will.

iii. Burton Loftis, born ~1739.

Burton married Mary ?, widow of Francis Cain.

5/5/1774, Burton named in his father’s will.

10/25/1788, Burton sold 2 tracts of land: "Loftus Desire", 44 acres and "Loftises Addition", 42 acres to John Burton Schully for £50 . Witness: Thos White; Selah Sculley.

3/14/1797, Burton named his brother John’s will.

7/13/1798, Burton wrote his will: Heirs: wife Mary; sons William, Burton & Gideon; daus. Mary Purnell (wife of Hinson Purnell), Nancy Jarrell (wife of John Jarrell), Rebecca Meridith (wife of Robert Meredith) & Elizabeth Loftis; Mathias Clifton. Exec'rs, sons William & Burton. Wits., … (S) DE Wills and Probate Rcds., 1676-1971,

iv. Rebeckah Loftis, born ~1745 in MD.

Rebecca married Archibald C Dill, born ~1745.

5/5/1774, Rebecca named in her father’s will.

(S) 1790 Census, SC, Greenville Co. 2,4,5. Archibald lives next to Joseph Dill.

3/14/1797, Rebecca named her brother John’s will.

(S) 1800 Census, SC, Greenville Co. Archibald: 21101, 21102.

(S) 1830 Census, TN, Jackson Co. Arch 80-90, Rebeckah 80-90. They have 3 females 30-40 living with them.

Rebeckah died in Jackson Co., TN.

7/29/1847, Archibald died in Jackson Co., TN.

v. Sarah Loftis, born bef. 1755.

1/1/1774, Sarah married Absolam Clark in Kent Co., DE.

5/5/1774, Sarah, Absolam and son John named in her father’s will.

3/14/1797, Sarah named her brother John’s will.

(S) 1800 Census, DE, Kent Co., Mispillion Hundred. Absolom: 00111,01001.

Sarah died [not in 1810 census.]

(S) 1810 Census, DE, Kent Co., Murderkill Hundred. Absolom: 20101,01010.

Children:

Absolom Clarke Jr., born ?.

John Clarke, born ?.

(S) 1820 Census, DE, Kent Co. 100110,00300.

Samuel Clark, born ?.

Lemuel Clark, born ?.

Vincent Clark, born ?.

Elizabeth Clark, born ?.

She married ? Gibson.

Levi Clark, born ?.

Joseph Clark, born ?.

Sarah Clark, born ?.

She married ? Hering.

vi. Anna Loftis, born ?.

Anna married Benjamin Dill. [He is not found in any census.]

5/5/1774, Anna named in her father’s will.

3/14/1797, Anna named in her brother John’s will.

Children:

Ann Dill, born ?.

She married Jonathan Emerson, born 1773, s/o Jonathan & Ruth.

vii. Jemima Loftis, born ?.

Jemima married Aaron Chance. [He is not found in any census.]

5/5/1774, Jemima named in her father’s will

3/14/1797, Jemima named her brother John’s will.