Rash's Surname Index
Notes for William WARING
Orthodox Friend. Wrote book, A Call to the Fountain and others which are all held at Swarthmore College. Wrote memoir of his father, Thomas. Wrote anniversary letter on centennial of Waring's arrival in America. Influential farmer with large land holdings. Gave land for Colora Friends Meetinghouse, burying ground, and Friends School.
Colora, 7th Month, 1st day, 1875
To my Children,
You were not invited together for a feast neither am I in favour of vain celebration of noted events but have felt willing to call your attention to a few items of history, and my I say, interest, touching our family. This day is the hundredth anniversary of the arrival of our ancestors in this country, then seven in number; and now at the end of one hundred years, we, their descendants, number nine, including all the living of three generations, and these nine are all Warings.
On the first day of seventh month 1775, your great grandparents, Joseph and Mary Waring, with their five children, William, Thomas, Elizabeth, Hannah, and Mary, after a passage of seven weeks, arrived by ship at Baltimore; strangers in a strange land, and there, first set foot upon American soil having little under Providence to look to, but industry and uprightness, to procure them homes, sustenance, and clothing in their newly adopted country among a people differing in their mode of business and manner of life in sundry respects from the usages they had been accustomed to -- Thomas, your grandfather, being then about twenty one years of age.
As above stated they arrived at Baltimore on the first day of 7th month, 1775. They also arrived at Philadelphia on the sixth day of the same month, and on the fourth day of the 11th month, the same year, your said great-grandparents removed to East Nottingham and resided at, or near, the brick Meeting House until the death of your great grandfather on the 5th day of 9th month, 1789, in his 64th year. His remains are interred in the burial ground at that place; and Mary, his wife, survived him twenty years.
Your great uncle, William, was of a literary turn, and conducted a mathematical school in Philadelphia; he was a lover of truth as professed by Friends, and was one of a committee on education that originated West Town Boarding School, and although married died without issue, of yellow fever, in Philadelphia in 1793, six years before said school was opened for the reception of pupils.
Your grandfather Thomas, by industry and frugality, found means to purchase the property we are now on, in 1787, twelve years after his arrival in this land; he afterwards added to the first purchase and, as near as I can tell, about the year 1800, built the stone part of the house we are now in, with a log addition to the west end. This log apartment, lately taken down, you will remember, and it is worthy of remark that in that building died four of the seven who landed in this country 100 years ago: your great grandmother Mary in 1809, supposed to be about 86 years of age; your grandfather, Thomas in 1842; your great aunts Hannah in 1848 and Mary in 1850. The three latter in the 88th year of their age, respectively, and with their mother, were interred in the burying ground at West Nottingham (frequently called the Little Brick). In the same building also died your grandmother Rebecca Waring in 1853, in her 59th year. The two latter were interred in Friends Burying Ground near Colora.
Of the five children of your great grandfather, your grandfather Thomas only had issue, and that to the number four; the two oldest and their mother, (a former wife) died soon after their birth, and of the two last, as you know, your father only now remains.
Taking this homestead, purchased by your grandfather in 1787 for a centre, his descendants, at the end of one hundred years from his landing in this country, all live within one mile of this centre; what may be at the end of another hundred years is not for us to know, but one thing may be counted as certain: that all now living will have passed away, and our bodies returned to dust; whether we shall then have descendants interested to meet, and bring up the history of the past, is for the future to know and not for us.
The children now present are the third generation from those who landed in this country 100 years ago one only of whom is old enough to know and remember what is now passing; and these are the seventh generation from Joseph Waring of Ireland, 1692, who was a minister among the then newly arisen Society of Friends, which is as far back as I have been able to trace our Waring ancestry.
Of your grandfathers and their wives, back to above named period of 1690, we have favourable accounts; that they lived in good reputation amongst men; were members of the Society of Friends; and died rich in faith, leaving to survivors a comfortable evidence that for them to die was gain; and it now remains for your father and mother and yourselves, to be careful through life to maintain that good reputation and make through grace our calling and election sure; a good name, said Solomon, is rather to be chosen than riches; better said the Preacher than precious ointment; and now, in conclusion, let me say as king David said to his wise son, Solomon: Solomon, my son know thou the God of thy fathers, serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind; if thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever and, may none of you fall into the latter condition, is the desire of Your father,
William Waring
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