Notes for Samuel Foulke

Notes for Samuel Foulke

From Early Friends Families of Upper Bucks, Foulke Family: "Samuel Foulke, third child and eldest son of Hugh and Ann (Williams) Foulke, was born 12 month 4, 1781. He was named as clerk of Richland Monthly Meeting when it was first established in 1742, and continued in that office for thirty-seven years. He was one of the most prominent men of Upper Bucks County during his active life. He represented the county in the Provincial Assembly from 1761 to 1768. He was also for many years a Justice of the Peace and did a vast amount of public business, writing practically all the wills and deeds for the English-speaking people of his section. At the outbreak of the Revolution he and his brothers, John, Thomas, and Theophilius, signed the Oath of Allegiance to the Colonies as prescribed by the Pennsylvania Assembly. This was deemed an offense against the principles of Friends by other members of the monthly meeting, and the four brothers were disowned from membership. However, he continued to sit at the head of the meeting and acted as clerk during the whole period, and did much to hold the patriotic Quakers back from active participation in war-like measures while giving their allegiance to the patriot cause in accordance with what he conceived to be conformity to the laws of the state. He died in Richland, 1 month 21, 1797. Samuel Foulke married, 8 month 21, 1743, Ann Greasley, daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Greasely, who had come from England to Haddonfield, N.J., in 1723 and to Richland in 1724. She was born in Richland in 1724, and died there 5 months 12, 1797, their marriage being the first solemnized at Richland Monthly Meeting after its establishment as a monthly meeting. She was made an elder in 1762."