John Test

1651-1706

By Glenn A. Test

(All dates are Julian unless otherwise indicated)


John Test came from England to America in 1675 and is the pioneer ancestor of many who have Test in their family history. Between 1675 and the mid 1800’s most researchers have concluded that all the Test families in America could be traced back to this original emigrant. After that date, there are a number of emigrants from other countries who shortened their name to Test after they arrived in America.

No record has been found of the birth of John in England, but based on location and dates it is assumed that he was born about 1651 and was the son of Thomas Test (1622-1688) and Elizabeth (1620-1691). The records of The Quarterly Meetings of the Quakers of London and Middlesex begin in 1654 and provide us with most of the early information we have on this family. Thomas and Elizabeth Test were members of this Meeting and the birth dates of their children Elizabeth, born "12 mo. 12 da. 1656" (Julian Calendar or February 22, 1657 Gregorian Calendar) and Daniel born "2 mo. 2 da., 1663" (Julian Calendar or April 12, 1663 Gregorian Calendar) are included in the meeting records. Although not in these records, it is assumed that John, born about 1651, and Francis, born about 1653, were also children of Thomas and Elizabeth. Thomas and his sons Francis and Daniel were listed as Glovers in these records. When Thomas Test died in May 1688 he was listed as age 66, and from the Parish of St. Margarets, Westminster, England.

Francis Test was married to Sarah before 1688 and married Mary Bathhurst in 1696, in London England. None of the seven children of Francis and his wives survived to adulthood and Francis Died in London, England.

Elizabeth married John Lockwood in London, England on "2 mo 18 da, 1682" (Julian Calendar or April 28, 1682 Gregorian Calendar), and nothing further is known about her.

Daniel (1663-1703) married Mary Ballard "12 mo 5 da, 1688" (Julian Calendar or February 25, 1689 Gregorian Calendar), at Devonshire House MM, London England. The Quaker records indicate that all six of the children of Daniel and Mary (Ballard) Test died before they reached adulthood. However, a will written in 1709 suggests that there might have been two children of Daniel and Mary who did not die young and are not mentioned in the Quaker records.

Based on this information, it seems likely that John Test was the only member of this family who came to America.

The first official record of John Test is a marriage license issued by the Vicar General dated October 14, 1673 (Julian Calendar or October 24, 1673 Gregorian Calendar):

John Test, of Christ Church, Lond., Cordwayner, Bachr., about 22 and Mrs Elizabeth Sanders, of St. Martins in the Fields, Middlesex, abt. 22, with consent of her father; at Kensington or Brantford, Middlesex.

The English Quaker records indicate that Elizabeth Test, daughter of John and Elizabeth, died "7 mo 19 da 1674" (Julian Calendar or September 29, 1674 Gregorian Calendar), aged 3 weeks. At the time, the family was listed as of Martins-in-the-Fields, England and daughter Elizabeth was buried in Checkers Alley.

John Fenwick was in England gathering subscriptions for the purchase of land and settling of a group of English Quakers in an area near Salem, N.J. In an article of Agreement dated June 24, 1675 signed in England, John Test is listed as one of the original subscribers and had purchased a patent for 1,000 acres in New Jersey on June 11, 1675 for 5 pounds sterling. Quite likely, John Test and his wife Elizabeth traveled to New Jersey with the Fenwick party aboard the ship Griffin. The ship loaded in London from June 16, 1675 to July 20, 1675 and arrived at Ft. Elsborg, New Jersey on October 5, 1675.

John did not stay long in the Fenwick Quaker community around Salem, New Jersey. He crossed the Delaware River and moved North along the Pennsylvania side and purchased land as early as January 31, 1676 in an area known then as Upland. This area is now known as Chester Pennsylvania. Record of John is found in many deeds and court cases in this area between 1676 and 1681. One of the parcels of land owned by John Test in that area was named by him as Hopewell of Kent.

Although listed as a Cordwayner in the English records, John established himself in America as a merchant and dealer in land. In 1681 he became sheriff of Upland and served in that post until October 1682. Sometime in 1682 or early 1683, John and Elizabeth Test moved from Upland to the City of Philadelphia. In January 1682/1683, Charles Pickering sold to John Test, for 4 pounds-current Boston money, the right to the East end of his lot North of Wynne Street in Philadelphia. In March, John obtained a warrant from Penn and had the entire lot surveyed in his name and by the end of June had erected a house on the Eastern portion that he shortly thereafter sold for 30 pounds. John was listed as an early purchaser of property in Philadelphia, including three city lots purchased in 1683 and 1684.

John is listed as the first Sheriff of Philadelphia County in documents dated March 10, 1683 and he continued in this position until 1685.

Between 1686 and 1693, John was listed as a resident of Philadelphia, but purchased a number of properties in Glouchester, New Jersey. In these deeds he is referred to as John Test of Philadelphia, Inn Holder and merchant. One of the properties was a plantation of 860 acres, called Willingborough Farm, which was referred to as a mill and an plantation containing a dwelling house, mill, millhouse, etc. John may have moved from Philadephia to New Jersey for a time since he was listed as a Justice of the court in Burlington from 1698 to 10/1699.

Elizabeth Test died in 1690 and is listed as buried the first day of the twelfth month, in Philadelphia. We have no official record of children of John and Elizabeth, however, researchers are consistent in believing that they had a son named John Test, Jr., who was born about 1677 and this son is the only one named in the will of John when he died in 1706.

Soon after the death of Elizabeth, John married Grace Wooley Lippincott. She was born in April 1666, the daughter of Emanuel and Elizabeth Wooley who lived in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Grace first married Jacob Lippincott in Monmouth County and they had two children who died in infancy. There are no actual records of the children of John and Grace Test, however researchers generally indicate they had 10 children.

John Test died in 1706 and his will states that he was of New Castle, in the county of New Castle on Delaware . He leaves his son John the sum of five shillings and to the rest or other of my children, five shillings each to be paid by Grace when they are married or at the age of twenty one.

The widow Grace Test was married on April 6, 1708 at her home in New Castle to John Bacon by R. DeHass, Justice. Quaker records indicate that John Bacon had three children by his first wife and one with Grace. John Bacon died in December 1715 and Grace married Richard Woodnutt in August 1718. Richard Woodnutt had four children by his previous marriage. Richard Woodnutt died in 1727 and mentions his wife Grace in his will.

Grace must have been quite an individual. She was married four times, had a total of 13 children and raised a number of other children from her marriages to Bacon and Woodnutt.