VOSHELL


Daniel VOSHELL

[Rin I963] [1649] [1650] [1651] [1652] [1653] Father: Obadiah VOSHELL JR well doc fam  Mother: Hannah IRONS 2nd wife

Family 1:

Rebecca DELANEY

  1. +William D VOSHELL
  2. +Ann VOSHELL
  3. +Margaret VOSHELL
  4. +John Dulaney VOSHELL
  5.  Daniel VOSHELL third
  6.  Rebecca Ann VOSHELL
  7. +Elizabeth VOSHELL
Family 2:

Elizabeth first wife

  1.  Charlotte (Sharlott) VOSHELL

                                                                                         _Levi VOSHELL Revolutionary War, Lafayette_+
                                                                                        | (.... - 1780)                             
                                   _Obadiah VOSHELL SR__________________________________|
                                  | (.... - 1778)                                       |
                                  |                                                     |___________________________________________
                                  |                                                                                                 
 _Obadiah VOSHELL JR well doc fam_|
| (1727 - 1796) m 1786            |
|                                 |                                                      _Benjamin GOODWIN _________________________+
|                                 |                                                     | (.... - 1773)                             
|                                 |_Sarah GOODWIN ______________________________________|
|                                   (1690 - 1748)                                       |
|                                                                                       |_Jane MOORE ? _____________________________
|                                                                                         (.... - 1787)                             
|
|--Daniel VOSHELL 
|  (1780 - 1841)
|                                                                                        _Timothy IRONS ____________________________
|                                                                                       | (.... - 1740)                             
|                                  _Owen IRONS veteran of French and Indian War in 1756_|
|                                 | (1728 - 1801)                                       |
|                                 |                                                     |_Catherine ________________________________
|                                 |                                                                                                 
|_Hannah IRONS 2nd wife___________|
  (.... - 1830) m 1786            |
                                  |                                                      _Moses FREEMAN ____________________________+
                                  |                                                     | (1700 - 1732)                             
                                  |_Penelope FREEMAN ___________________________________|
                                    (1727 - 1779)                                       |
                                                                                        |_Hannah LUFF ______________________________+
                                                                                                                                    

[1649] In Orphan Court records Feb 17 1818. There is a court action of a Daniel Voshall vs. Obadiah Voshall about a bond for $5000

Chancery Court Records 1841 list Daniel as the oldest child of Obediah decd. and Owen the youngest and the only child that did not reach the age of 21.

In Obediah's will dated 1796, Daniel is mentioned.He would have been 16 at this time if born in 1780. His father had already signed and witnessed his will. Then he added this paragraph, signed, and witnessed the addition. "In addition to this my last will and Testament be it remember that my son Daniel is to continue with his mother and brother Titus and to assist in supporting the children until they become of age and if he refuses to comply with this condition he is to have five shillings only in like manner as my son James."

Obediah died in 1796 and if the next information applies, maybe Daniel's children were not born at the time of his father's death.

Deed Y 2 150 4/9/1823 Daniel and wife Rebecca sold the land he bought from Hannah 2/6/1815 for $300 to Henry Downs. The land is part of a tract of land formerly belongint to Hannah Voshell widow of Obediah Voshall. It mentions blacksmith tools. It does not mention that Hannah was his mother.

Runk: "He labored on the farm when a youth and afterwards learned milling. These two occupations those of miller and farmer, he combined during his after years. He continued his residence in West Dover until his death. He was a Democrat who believed sincerely in the party principals enunciated by Jefferson and was a vigilant promoter of his party's interests. He never sought nor held any office in this county or state."

Turner file of family interview states he was a miller at McCouley Mill between Frederica and Milford then bought the Voshell Farm at Chapeltown.

The new information from the Utzy bible-- the first wife may be the Elizabeth Williams married to Daniel (8962)-- may have to merge these two records Caroline Co marriage dated 17 Aug 1801 would fit with the birth of Sharlotte Voshell in 1807.

Robert J Voshell believes this Daniel is the son of Daniel one of the "Three Brothers" based on the Runk biographical article. One bible record in DAR has a line drawing that Daniel-- son of Obediah and Hannah --is married to Elizabeth Crockett. There is no other mention in the bible record of any kind just the line drawing.

There are two Daniels in the same time frame with the death of Elizabeth Crockett abt 1833 after several children. The only clue to Daniel and Elizabeth being the son of John and Sarah Moffett (son of OB Sr.) is the personal interview in the Turner file of James Voshell Roberts.

The biggest clue is the reference to Miss Charlotte Voshell as the Great Granddaughter of Hannah Freeman (Schrafs). This Charlotte Voshell (Hutchins) is buried close to Thomas Chapel and would fit perfectly into this family group if this Daniel is the son of Obediah and not another Daniel. Could there be a misprint on the great great granddaughter.

1780 aprox date of birth
1800 DE Military records show Daniel 2nd Brigade
1801 Danl Voshall fined $2
1813 Daniel Voshell excused
1813 Daniel Voshill $9
Daniel Voshell detached form 3rd Company
1815 5th Reg Del Militia to Danniel Voshall 2nd Sergeant of the 3rd Co of Said reg" to summoning 49 absentees of the said company for present yr at 25cent/each signed 4/27/1816 49 absent Daniel Voshall

Early deed records show his name spelled Voshall like Obediah and Hannah deeds.

He started to buy land 1815, married before 1810, -- born abt.1780??

1823 April 9 Y2 150 Daniel and Rebecca sell tract where Daniel formally lived being part of tract formally belonging to Hannah Widow of Obadiah, which he bought in 2/6/1815 from Henry Downs

1841 March 3 P3 128 Daniel Voshell and wife Rebecca sell land to John Taylor. Land is described as being inherited from his father Obadiah.

1841 Dec 13 Probate for Daniel Voshall Vol. 52 p 116-117 R p 215-216. Leave to eldest dau 67 cents Charlotte Hutchens wife of John, Wife Rebecca 1/3 and live in the new house, sons John D. ex, oldest son William D $325, youngest dau Elizabeth, Ann Carter wife of Samuel, Margaret Malcombe wife of John, Rebecca Ann, furniture to Wm. D of Caroline Co MD and his two children Clementine and William Henry.

Other children born to them but died young.

Thoughts on Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney Voshell being the son of Obadiah and Hannah Irons Voshell, by Ruth Voshell Stonesifer

Evidence that support this theory:

The first record in the Kent Co DE Archives to feature the name of Daniel Voshel is a 19 April 1748 survey of 178 acres next to Obediah Voshell land. This land was involved in a dispute with the heirs of Hugh Durborow, being resurveyed 28 Nov 1748 and finally reduced to just 100 acres. If you are at least 20 years of age to own land, then maybe, this Daniel was born abt 1728-30. This age aligns him more as a brother to the Obediah JR born about 1727. That might make this Daniel the unnamed eighth child of Obediah SR and Sarah Goodwin. The survey might have confirmed a land transfer from father to son, since no other indenture has been found at the DE Archives. A footnote in the Turner file explains when this land was sold 23 Aug 1762 "Daniel apparently d.s. His lands were sold for debts furs by his brother OB SR." This 'penciled in' footnote observation would make this Daniel fit the Daniel reported as father of Daniel and Rebecca Delaney Voshell as recorded in Runk's biographical sketch of John W. Voshell. Was this Daniel much older at the time of the original land transfer and the son of Augustine Voshell? There is no other documentation that Augustine had a son Daniel or that Obediah SR had a brother named Daniel. Obediah JR may have been the Obediah mentioned in this debt payment footnote, since he would be over the age of 21 in the year 1762 and as indicated by future court battles, was quite wealthy. Probably wealthy enough to give his brother money mortgaged against the land. It would be a nice fit if this Daniel was the unnamed eight child of Obediah SR and the brother of Obediah JR. Does this transfer of land really indicate that this Daniel is actually dead? If this Daniel as dead in the year 1762, then he was unable to father a son in 1780 the estimated birth date of the Daniel who marries Rebecca Delaney.

The next land transfer by any Daniel in the DE Records is Daniel and wife Elizabeth and takes place 73 years later on Jun 30, 1821. The land was first inherited by Sarah Moffitt Voshell then passed to her son Daniel. Sarah Moffitt married John Voshell, who is the father of the Daniel who married Elizabeth Crockett. This Daniel has been placed as the son Obediah and Hannah in some research. (There is more information on this connection later in this letter). It is likely that this is the Daniel whose probate is filed September 18, 1821,just a few short months after the land sale.

The next land transfer by a Daniel is with his wife Rebecca Voshell and takes place on 9 April 1823. Five acres of land he bought from Hannah (Irons) Voshell on 6 Feb 1815, was sold. [Hannah (Irons) Voshell was the wife of Obediah JR and the daughter of Owen and Penelope's (Freeman) Irons]. The five acres contained a blacksmith's shop and full set of tools. This five acres is probably the same five acres transferred to John Voshell, son of Obediah SR, with the brick house he built deeded 14 May 1761 vol.Q p59. If the proposed linkages above are valid, then John Voshell was an uncle to Daniel.

Daniel and Rebecca Voshell, on 3 March 1841, transfer land to John Taylor, Catherine (Thompson) Taylor's husband. Catherine is Obediah's JR's granddaughter. The deed states that the 133 acres "was devised in the last will and testament of Obediah Voshal, father of the said Daniel Voshal." Further information is listed in Deed book N p 149. Further investigation of this document needs to be completed.

This land transfer is confirmed in the RG 1225 Kent Co Chancery Court Partition, 18 Feb 1841, Lands of Obediah Voshell. This case is a rehash of the estate of Obediah JR. In the lengthy petition of the surviving heirs this line appears: "And the said Daniel Voshell, by his indenture of bargain and sale, has since the death of his said father, duly sold and conveyed to you petitioner, John Taylor, his heirs and assigns, all his, the said Daniel's right, part, share and interest to in and out of said lands and premises." The wording does not describe Daniel as decd. as it does with the other heirs who were dead at the time of the petition. Therefore, we may assume that Daniel, who married Rebecca, and sold the land to John Taylor was still alive at the submission of this petition. His probate was filed 13 Dec 1841. Somewhere between Feb 18th to Dec 13th in the year 1841, Daniel probably died. The Dill book of tombstone inscription has an entry for Daniel Voshell husband of Miss Delaney of Ireland, no birth date and 1824 as the death date located in the John D. Voshell family plot. Photos of the family tombstones taken by Robert Voshell, Milford, DE from this plot in 2000 did not reveal this tombstone. There are misprints in the Dill books. It is likely that this is the case here because of the strong deed information. (The tombstone reported in Dills book for Penelope (Freeman) Irons located in the Thomas Chapel cemetery is also not there.)

Daniel Voshell Probates--there are three Daniels listed at the DE Archives. Daniel 1841-1842 Kent (#1), Daniel 1821-1842 Kent (#2), Daniel, Jr. 1827-1829 Kent (#3). The 1841-1842 Daniel #1 appears to be the probate of Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney. The 1821-1842 Daniel #2 probate mentions Elizabeth as the executrix and requires a bond signed by Elias Naudain and Obadiah Voshel. There are three other Voshells listed in this probate: Obediah, James M. and John. (This is probably the Daniel, who married Elizabeth Crockett. Obediah, James M., and John were his brothers). The 1827-1829, Daniel JR #3, is actually the son of James, son of Obediah JR. This placement can be substantiated by the copious orphan court documents connected to this particular family branch.

The location of Voshell property and family gravesites is another clue in the lineage of Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney. While the surveys of the earliest land are ambiguous at best to an untrained layman, it does afford us some clues. The documents associated with Obadiah SR and JR deeds reference several point's like, 'Horeshead road', 'west of Dover', and the 'Thomas Chapel'. This Thomas Chapel has many connections to the Hannah (Irons) Voshell family. The original Voshell family farms appear to have been located just west of Thomas Chapel. The head stones of John D Voshell, Daniel Voshell, husband of Miss Delaney of Ireland along with others of that family were recorded in the Dill Tombstone Bookl, on 23 July 1983, in a family burial site next to Thomas Chapel. I believe that the land next to and just west of Thomas Chapel is the original site of the Obediah SR then Obediah JR land where the tombstones are located. This land most likely was passed down from generation to generation. It is reasonable to conclude that because these stones exist on this property that they are direct descendants of Obediah SR and Obediah JR.

The strongest clue that prompted me to do this comparison of known facts is a footnote, p 1089 "History of Delaware 1607-1888" by Thomas Scharf : "Part of this information [on the Thomas Chapel] was obtained from Miss Charlotte Voshell great- granddaughter of Penelope Irons" The footnote coupled with the family lineage confirmed by Robert Voshell, Milford DE in 2000 on the Daniel and Rebecca Delaney Voshell line, leads me to propose the following: In order for Miss Charlotte Voshell to be the great granddaughter of Penelope Irons several connections must be in place. Her father, Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney would have to be the son of Obediah and Hannah (Irons) Voshell. The next connection would have to be Hannah as the daughter of Penelope Irons. Both of these connections can be verified in various family members' probates. The final the reason why Charlotte would supply information about the Thomas Chapel is that Penelope Irons was Penelope Freeman before she married Owen Irons and donated the acreage to the church at Thomas Chapel. All the pieces seem to fit. Hannah (Irons) Voshell would be the daughter, Daniel would be the grandson, and his daughter Charlotte would be the great granddaughter of Penelope (Freeman) Irons.

New information provided in the Bible records owned by Mrs. John Utsy from Doylestown, PA submitted to the publication "MD and DE Genealogy" in 1983. 'Sharlotte' (Charlotte) Voshell's recorded birth is 4 Sept 1807 and the recorded date of Daniel and Rebecca Delaney's marriage is 4 April 1809 in Caroline Co., MD. Mrs. Utsy added her personal conclusions that Sharlotte may be the daughter of a first marriage to a wife named Elizabeth. There is a marriage record in Caroline Co., MD for a Daniel Voshell and Elizabeth Williams married 17 Aug 1801. This seems to fit with a birth date for Daniel of 1780 and the birth of his first daughter Charlotte, [who he was not pleased with at the time of his will, leaving her just 67 cents.] One could ask, did this Elizabeth have another surname. Was she actually the widow of a Williams, and therefore possibly a relative of Penelope Irons? Penelope and Owen Irons had several daughters none named Elizabeth (Catherine, Mary, and Penelope). None of these daughters married into the Williams family before the death of Owen and Penelope in 1801 and 1779 respectfully. Elizabeth would probably have been mentioned in the probates of her parents, if she were from the Irons family. [Mrs. John Utzy, a descendant of Daniel and Rebecca Delaney Voshell families also contributed information to the "MD and DE Genealogy" newsletter on the Priscilla Kitchen family. This Kitchen family is related to the Freeman, Irons and Voshell and therefore was probably of interest to Mrs. John Utzy as a direct descendant.]

There is one puzzling notation on the Utzy transcribed bible records. That is the addition of the "(2)" behind Daniel Voshell. Does the number two denoting a JR status and his father a Daniel SR. Alternatively, does it to denote the common practice in that era of distinguishing two Daniels living in the same area or church from each other? Could this denote this Daniel as JR from his first cousin that married Elizabeth Crockett? On the other hand, did this number (2) come from the Runk article? I intend to go through the entire collection of articles to see if this Mrs. John Utzy contributed more about her family other than these bible records and the Priscilla Kitchen story.

The Turner files chart that this Daniel, married to Rebecca Delaney, was the son of Obediah and Hannah (Irons) Voshell. This is a conclusion drawn from his extensive research into the Voshell records. While I want to believe that this is a fact, I must weigh this information with a definite mistake on the same chart. Turner shows William D. Voshell 1810-1898 being married to Hannah Faulkner. He was actually married to Harriet Hicks. Hannah Faulkner married William Voshell 1815- 1898, son of Daniel, son of James, son of Obediah JR. These two Williams are confusing in the deed research because they lived at approximately the same time. William D Voshell was the son of Daniel and Rebecca Delaney and lived west of Dover in Hazelettville. William who married Hannah Faulkner lived south of Dover and just north of Canterbury. These two Williams were actually 1st cousins 1 time removed, their common ancestor was Obadiah JR.

The only documentation that the Daniel who married Elizabeth Crockett is the son of John, comes from the Turner file on the family sheet of James Voshell Roberts. James Voshell Roberts fills in the space that his Great grandfather was John and that his grandfather was Daniel who had a brother "Obediah (at Leipsic) perhaps others". Again, I want to believe this as a strong fact. However, there is another reference to this Daniel and Elizabeth Crockett. On a diagram chart in the DAR DE Bible records, this Daniel married to Elizabeth Crockett. The line drawing chart connects Daniel with parents named Hannah and Obediah. There is no additional date information on the parents of Daniel in the main part of the bible transcription, just their names in the diagram. Which information carries more weight; an interview gathered in a researcher's file or the DAR line diagram? The Turner file also notes, for this particular branch, that a cousin of James V Robert has a Roberts Bible with a sheet of Voshell information, and Mrs. Joseph Smith of Chester Heights, PA, a first cousin of James V Roberts has a bible of Crockett or Voshell information. This note also points to Mrs. Martha Spruance, Bala, PA or a William, C Spruance as other possible contacts for these bibles. Since most of this file is circa 1900, these people are probably long gone. However, the bible records may be published in the popular genealogical newsletters present or future.

I have not found any evidence that there was more than one Daniel to Rebecca marriage in the time frame of 1800 to 1850 in Kent Co DE.

Evidence that refutes this theory:

Runk's article on John W. Voshell, who is the grandson of Daniel and Rebecca (Delaney) Voshell, states a different lineage for Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney. This article cites the "Three Brothers from France" story as the lineage of Daniel. It states that Daniel of the three Voshell brothers (William and James being the other two) left France and came to America. [Other stories from the family add that they came with Lafayette, however the dates of early William, Daniel, and James Voshell deeds do not correspond to the two arrivals of Lafayette in America during the Revolutionary War] In the Turner file there is an interesting comment on this Family "tradition." A hand written foot note on a letter to John C. Gooden states that "the 3 brother + Lafayette tradition are liars -" he even underlines this point. This letter is in reference to the claim of the family of John M. Voshell that the "three brothers were Obediah, James and Daniel who came over from France with LaFayette and settled in Murderkill Hundred." This letter does not appear in the microfilmed version of the Turner Files, however the original file contains this document. It is still my opinion that when Lafayette made his triumphant return visit to America in the 1825, everyone wanted to be connected to this Revolutionary War hero and the French connection was an easy way to embellish the families origins. I think the far more interesting family struggle was the Huguenot escape from Europe and England.

If you are to believe a footnote of Charlotte Voshell's great grandmother (paragraph 8) as a fact, we must also consider, in the same 'History of Delaware' by Scharf a section that appears to have a miss print on page1088: "The original tract of Martin Irons is owned by John Jarrell, who lives on the old homestead. Edward Hubbard, E.M. Booach, Thomas Rash, Emory Scotten, Margaret Nicholls, George T Voshall and John D Voshall, sons of Obadiah. The latter married Elizabeth Williams, who died in February 1887. William D Voshall was justice of the peace and postmaster of Hazelettville." George T Voshell is actually the son of Peter and Susan (Wallace) Voshell. John D is the son of Daniel and Rebecca (Delaney) Voshell. Not the sons of Obediah but actually 1st cousins 1 time removed. Their common ancestor was Obadiah VOSHELL JR. So, if Scharf got it wrong here, did he get it wrong with Miss Charlotte Voshell? In addition, how many Elizabeth Williams were there?

The Turner file has the family group sheet of Clarence Voshell, son of John Wesley Voshell, son of John Delaney Voshell, son of Daniel and Rebecca Delaney Voshell. Clarence writes: "according to his Father's information this grandfather came from France." Under additional generations as far back as known Clarence writes, "Father thinks his great Grandfather whose name was also - Daniel was one of 3 Brothers that came to the States from France." Clarence returned this information to Turner about 1913 while his father John Wesley was still alive. If the additional generation information is written from John Wesley's perspective, then John Wesley "thinks" his great Grandfather who would be named Daniel. Is "think" a strong commitment? Before I started this research, I would not have been able to name my own great grandparents and my mother did not know her father's parents. However, this does not sway my belief that many people would be able to recite their lineage at least three generations without having to go to a bible or gravesite. Did John Wesley have the right great grandfather's name?


After much deliberation on these documents and as an amateur researcher, I have believe that there is more weight to the Charlotte Voshell footnote as a proof that her father Daniel who married Rebecca Delaney was indeed the son of Obediah JR and Hannah (Irons) Voshell. Coupled with the new dates provided from the Utsy owned Bible records, and the deed research, all these documents appear to confirm this lineage.

[1650] [S89] DE Archives Orphan Court Records Kent Co DE case file

[1651] [S113] DAR Bible Records Delaware

[1652] [S46] History of the State of Delaware, Volumes 1 & 2, 1899

[1653] [S249] "Maryland and Delaware Genealogist"

[1644] [S19] DE Archives Deeds

[1646] [S44] Personal notes Robert J Voshell

[1647] [S62] "Souls in Heaven, Names in Stone Kent County Delaware Cemetery Records"

[15403] [S44] Personal notes Robert J Voshell

[15405] [S249] "Maryland and Delaware Genealogist"



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