GRONOW One Name Study

from THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA , by Futhey and Cope (1881);

Lewis Gronow was one of the early and stanch collaborators of those Chester County patriots who assisted to put the ball in motion which resulted in the independence of these United States. He was one of the county committee which assumed the local government in December, 1774, under the auspices of the Continental Congress; and on March 20, 1775, that committee met at the house of Richard Cheyney, in East Caln. In 1774, Mr Gronow was elected a member of the General assembly for Chester County. He was also a sub-lieutenant of the county - one of the officers having charge of the military organization of the same. On June 17, 1777, an order was drawn in favor of Lewis Gronow, Esq, sub-lieutenant of Chester County, for $4,000, for the purpose of procuring substitutes, blankets, etc. And again, March 30, 1780, Col Robert Smith was appointed lieutenant and Co. Thomas Cheyney, Lewis Gronow, Andrew Boyd, Thomas Levis and Robert Wilson were appointed sub-lieutenants of the county. Lewis Gronow, it is believed, died soon after this, and his personal history , like that of many other good patriots of those days, seems to be nearly lost; but his memory remains in our archives as that of a faithful servant in his country's cause.

2007 commemorates the 200th anniversary of the 1807 Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. This Act outlawed the slave trade throughout the British Empire and made it illegal for British ships to be involved in the trade, marking the beginning of the end for the transatlantic traffic in human beings. In his will Lewis Gronow makes mention of a slave:

The Will of:
GRONOW, LEWIS. Tredyffrin.
November 3, 1782. December 2, 1782.To stepmother Isabella Gronow £70. To my relation William Gronow £60, and to his son Lewis £60, and to his son John "a lame man" £60. To my relation Isaac Davis £60. To Mary Cochran £60. To Jeremiah McVeigh £30. To Phillis, a mulatto wench now living with me, £30. Provides for sister Sarah during life, also all the right, etc. given me by my father's will to a certain tract of land on Cocalamus Creek, Cumberland Co., until her son John Gronow Bull is 21. To said nephew John G. Bull my plantation whereon I live in Tredyffrin, devised to me by my father containing 165 acres when he is 21. To my nieces Mary and Isabella Bull plantation purchased of James Davis in Tredyffrin including 32 acres of located land when 18. To William, son of Joshua Evans of Willistown, the lott in Philadelphia and liberty land belonging. Also Mr. Reeds map of city of Philadelphia and book belonging thereunto. To William Magor £30. Executors: John Beaton, David Davis of Tredyffrin. Wit: Jonathan Evans, William Potts, Samuel Smith.

The following slaves are on page 4 of the 1780 register:

Slaveholder Name: Gronow, Lewis
City or Township: Tredyffrin Township
County: Chester County
Occupation: Yeoman

Slave Name: York
Slave Sex: Male
Slave Age: "aged thirty two years"
Slave Date of Birth: 1748 (calculated)
Slave Status: "A slave for life."
Slave Description: "Negro man"
Slave Notes: Registered as "A negro man named York aged thirty two years a slave for life."
Date of Record: (Registration) 1780;
Source: Slave Register, Chester County, November 1, 1780

Slave Name: Moses
Slave Sex: Male
Slave Age: "aged twelve years"
Slave Date of Birth: 1768 (calculated)
Slave Status: "A slave for life."
Slave Description: "Negro boy"
Slave Notes: Registered as "A negro boy named Moses aged twelve years a slave for life."
Date of Record: (Registration) 1780;
Source: Slave Register, Chester County, November 1, 1780

Slave Name: Aaron
Slave Sex: Male
Slave Age: "aged fourteen years"
Slave Date of Birth: 1768 (calculated)
Slave Status: "A slave for life."
Slave Description: "Negro boy"
Slave Notes: Registered as "A negro boy named Aaron aged fourteen years a slave for life."
Date of Record: (Registration) 1780;
Source: Slave Register, Chester County, November 1, 1780

Slave Name: Simon
Slave Sex: Male
Slave Age: "aged ten years"
Slave Date of Birth: 1770 (calculated)
Slave Status: "A slave for life."
Slave Description: "Negro boy"
Slave Notes: Registered as "A negro boy named Simon aged ten years a slave for life."
Date of Record: (Registration) 1780;
Source: Slave Register, Chester County, November 1, 1780

Slave Name: Amos
Slave Sex: Male
Slave Age: "aged three years"
Slave Date of Birth: 1777 (calculated)
Slave Status: "A slave for life."
Slave Description: "Negro boy"
Slave Notes: Registered as "A negro boy named Amos aged three years a slave for life."
Date of Record: (Registration) 1780; Source: Slave Register, Chester County, November 1, 1780 .