The Biddle family of
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania is an
Old Philadelphian family descended from English immigrants William Biddle (1630–1712) and Sarah Kempe (1634–1709), who arrived in the Province of New Jersey in 1681.
Quakers, they had emigrated from England in part to escape religious persecution. Having acquired extensive rights to more than 43,000 acres (170 km2) of lands in
West Jersey, they settled first at
Burlington, a city which developed along the east side of the
Delaware River.[1]
William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756), and
John Biddle (1707–1789), two third-generation brothers, moved from
Mount Hope (1684) near
Bordentown, also on the east side of the Delaware, to
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1720s and 1730s. They constituted the first generation of the
Philadelphia Biddle family, which became involved in the business, political and cultural life of Pennsylvania and the United States.[1]
Family members
Branch of William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756) and Mary Scull (1709–1789)
William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756) and Mary Scull (1709–1790)
James Biddle (1731–1797),
prothonotary of Philadelphia courts, married Frances Marks
Marks John Biddle (1765–1849), married Jane Dundas[2]
Lydia Biddle (1734–1767), married William McFunn (?–1768), captain in the
Royal Navy and Governor of the Island of Antigua, West Indies
Mary Deborah Baird (1829–1900), endowed
Biddle University, married distant cousin Henry Jonathan Biddle (1817–1862) who was a grandson of
Clement Biddle
Clement Biddle (1740–1814),
American Revolutionary War soldier, helped organize the "Quaker Blues" volunteers, deputy quartermaster general of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey militia, married Rebekah Cornell (born 1755) daughter of
Gideon Cornell
Francis Biddle (1775–1775)
Thomas Alexander Biddle, Sr. (1776–1857), married Christine Williams (1780–1861)
Clement Biddle (1810–1879), prominent Philadelphia lawyer, served during the Civil War in Landis' Battery, Pennsylvania Militia Light Artillery.
Thomas Alexander Biddle Jr. (1814–1888), married Julia Cox (1819–1906). He was the senior partner of the firm of Thomas A. Biddle & Co., bankers and brokers, and a director of the Cumberland Valley Railroad Company, the Allentown Iron Company, the Equitable Life Insurance Company, and other corporations.
Henry Jonathan Biddle (1817–1862), married distant cousin Mary Deborah Baird (1829–1900), who endowed
Biddle University. He served as a captain in the Union Army during the Civil War; he was mortally wounded during the battle of
New Market Cross Roads
Jonathan Williams Biddle (1855–1877), served during the War with the Plains Indians. He was killed at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana when his regiment charged a camp of Nez Perce Indians.
Henry Jonathan Biddle (1862–1928), Oregon/Washington engineer, businessman, and philanthropist. In 1915 he bought the Columbia Gorge landmark Beacon Rock and developed a trail to its peak; his children Spencer and Rebecca donated it to Washington as a state park.
The Washington Post; August 17, 1933 "Helen Avis Howard Engaged To Anthony J. Drexel, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Clinton Howard, of Atlanta, have announced the engagement of their daughter. Miss Helen Avis Howard, to Mr. Anthony Joseph Drexel 3d, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Joseph Drexel, jr., of Philadelphia."
The New York Times; October 14, 2004 "Nicholas Duke Biddle, 83, Scion Of Wealth Who Helped the Poor. Nicholas Duke Biddle, scion of two prominent American families who helped refugees from Cuba and Caribbean, dies at age 83. Mr. Biddle was originally named Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle III, after his father, Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr., a prominent diplomat."
The Biddle family of
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania is an
Old Philadelphian family descended from English immigrants William Biddle (1630–1712) and Sarah Kempe (1634–1709), who arrived in the Province of New Jersey in 1681.
Quakers, they had emigrated from England in part to escape religious persecution. Having acquired extensive rights to more than 43,000 acres (170 km2) of lands in
West Jersey, they settled first at
Burlington, a city which developed along the east side of the
Delaware River.[1]
William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756), and
John Biddle (1707–1789), two third-generation brothers, moved from
Mount Hope (1684) near
Bordentown, also on the east side of the Delaware, to
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1720s and 1730s. They constituted the first generation of the
Philadelphia Biddle family, which became involved in the business, political and cultural life of Pennsylvania and the United States.[1]
Family members
Branch of William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756) and Mary Scull (1709–1789)
William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756) and Mary Scull (1709–1790)
James Biddle (1731–1797),
prothonotary of Philadelphia courts, married Frances Marks
Marks John Biddle (1765–1849), married Jane Dundas[2]
Lydia Biddle (1734–1767), married William McFunn (?–1768), captain in the
Royal Navy and Governor of the Island of Antigua, West Indies
Mary Deborah Baird (1829–1900), endowed
Biddle University, married distant cousin Henry Jonathan Biddle (1817–1862) who was a grandson of
Clement Biddle
Clement Biddle (1740–1814),
American Revolutionary War soldier, helped organize the "Quaker Blues" volunteers, deputy quartermaster general of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey militia, married Rebekah Cornell (born 1755) daughter of
Gideon Cornell
Francis Biddle (1775–1775)
Thomas Alexander Biddle, Sr. (1776–1857), married Christine Williams (1780–1861)
Clement Biddle (1810–1879), prominent Philadelphia lawyer, served during the Civil War in Landis' Battery, Pennsylvania Militia Light Artillery.
Thomas Alexander Biddle Jr. (1814–1888), married Julia Cox (1819–1906). He was the senior partner of the firm of Thomas A. Biddle & Co., bankers and brokers, and a director of the Cumberland Valley Railroad Company, the Allentown Iron Company, the Equitable Life Insurance Company, and other corporations.
Henry Jonathan Biddle (1817–1862), married distant cousin Mary Deborah Baird (1829–1900), who endowed
Biddle University. He served as a captain in the Union Army during the Civil War; he was mortally wounded during the battle of
New Market Cross Roads
Jonathan Williams Biddle (1855–1877), served during the War with the Plains Indians. He was killed at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana when his regiment charged a camp of Nez Perce Indians.
Henry Jonathan Biddle (1862–1928), Oregon/Washington engineer, businessman, and philanthropist. In 1915 he bought the Columbia Gorge landmark Beacon Rock and developed a trail to its peak; his children Spencer and Rebecca donated it to Washington as a state park.
The Washington Post; August 17, 1933 "Helen Avis Howard Engaged To Anthony J. Drexel, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Clinton Howard, of Atlanta, have announced the engagement of their daughter. Miss Helen Avis Howard, to Mr. Anthony Joseph Drexel 3d, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Joseph Drexel, jr., of Philadelphia."
The New York Times; October 14, 2004 "Nicholas Duke Biddle, 83, Scion Of Wealth Who Helped the Poor. Nicholas Duke Biddle, scion of two prominent American families who helped refugees from Cuba and Caribbean, dies at age 83. Mr. Biddle was originally named Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle III, after his father, Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr., a prominent diplomat."