Hi Carol,
Thank you for the information on William and Elizabeth Cantrill! I had noticed that Mike had not been on this site in a while so I didn't know if I would get a response from him or not, but you never know so I'm glad that I posted my message. I didn't know this site existed until I found it yesterday!
Truth is we aren't sure what parish Richard Cantrill was from. It seems like the more info you find, the more questions you have. What we do know about Richard is that he lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died beford 1753. We have found info that stated that he was an indentured servant to Captain William Smith, Master of the Bristol Merchant, that sailed from the the Port of Bristol and according to some of the passengers on the ship, arrived here the 12th month of 1682. From what I have found is that before 1752 the legal year started on March the 25th, so the 12th month in 1682 would have been February. Richard and his nephew Joseph Cantrill have never been found on any passenger list, but it's my understanding that for a short period of time indentured servants were not listed on passenger lists but this was changed due to adults and children being taken and put on ships, against their will. "The birth year of Richard was born in the early 1660s in Derbyshire, England. The estimated period of his birth has been establishing that he had reached his majority when he came to America in the 1680s. His shire of birth has been established from a petition that he submitted to John Blackwell, ESQ., Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, in July 1689, stating that his nephew, Joseph Cantril had drowned in the Schuykill River, 10 May 1689 and that Joseph had older and younger brothers in Derbyshire, England. He posted a bond of one hundred pounds, which was considerable money at that time." "We know from the Heart Tax records of Derbyshire in the early 1660s that there were several Cantril families living in the shire. We know that Henry Cantrell was a parson at St. Alkmunds in Derby, instituted in 1712. Over the years, several descendants of the family have traveled to Derbyshire and searched for Richard's birth and parentage. In 1986 and 1987, a family researcher located a baptismal record of a Richard Cantril, son of Richard and Alice Cantril who was baptized 13 May 1666 in Bakewell Parish, Derbyshire. In the nearby parish of Ashover, we find where Joseph Cantrill, son of William and Elizabeth Cantrill was christened 23 December 1666. There is a record of a Richard and Mary Cantrill in Bakewell Parish in 1694 and 1697."
Is there records on line in England that can be searched from the U.S.? Who would we need to contact there to get iinformation? I have been looking and haven't found much. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again for your help,
Debbie
