THE SHIPPEN FAMILY—JOHN WHITE.
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania having requested me to edit certain MSS., I should be very much indebted to any one for information, either through your columns, or addressed to me directly, concerning the following persons or their ancestry.
Edward Shippen, son of William, born in Yorkshire, near Pontefract or Wakefield, as supposed, 1639; emigrated to Boston 1670, was a member of the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company, afterwards turned Quaker, was publicly whipt for his faith (see Thomas Story's Journal, quoted in Southey's Common-Place Book), removed to Philadelphia, elected Speaker 1695, first mayor 1701, &c., died 1712. His son's family Bible entries (now in possession of Colonel Jno. Hare Powel) say that his (the son's) relations in England were his "uncle William's children," viz. Robert Shippen, Doctor of Divinity; William Shippen, Doctor of Laws and a parliament man; Edward, a physician; John, a Spanish merchant.
The uncle William thus mentioned is conjectured to have been the Rector of Stockport, and the "parliament man" to have been his son, "downright Shippen" (Lord Mahon's Hist. Eng., three vols.)—a conjecture strengthened by another mem., "John, son of the Rector of St. Mary's parish, Stockport, was baptized July 5, A.D. 1678.
Edward Shippen's daughter, Margaret, married John Jekyll, collector of the port of Boston, said to have been a younger brother of Sir Joseph; and a descendant, daughter of Chief Justice Shippen, married General Benedict Arnold, then a distinguished officer in the American army.
Mr. Shippen lived in great style (Watson's Annals, &c.), and among his descendants were, and are, many persons of consequence and distinction.
Besides information as to Mr. Shippen's ancestors, I should be glad to learn something of his kinsfolk, and of the Jekyll and Arnold branches. Sabine's (Loyalists) account of the latter is imperfect, and perhaps not very just.
John White, Chief Justice Shippen, whilst a law student in London, writes, 1748-50, as though Mr. White was socially a man of dignified position. He was a man of large fortune; his sister married San. Swift, who emigrated to this state. His portrait, by Reynolds, represents a gentleman past middle age, whose costume and appearance are those of a person of refined and elegant education. His letters were destroyed by fire some years since. The China and silver ware, which belonged to him, have the following arms: "Gules, a border sable, charged with seven or eight estoiles gold; on a canton ermines a lion rampant sable. Crest, a bird, either a stork, a heron, or an ostrich." The copy inclosed is taken from the arms on the china; but our Heralds' College (i.e. an intelligent engraver, who gave me the foregoing description) says, that on the silver the crest is "a stork close."
Thos. Balch.
Philadelphia.