Estep Family Story

JAMES ESTEP was born in Wales on May 5, 1818. He died Aug. 3, 1901. He married ELIZABETH PRITCHARD who was born, August 16,1822. She died in 1912.

They were married 2 Nov 1845, in Llanover (Llanvoyer) Breconshire, Wales. In 1858 James and Elizabeth, together with their children and others set sail from Cardiff, Wales for The United States of America. The voyage lasted six weeks, which was three weeks longer than expected due to bad weather. James had to use his money to buy food for his children (Sarah, about 10 years old, John, 5 years old, Lewis, who would have been about 4, William, about 3 years old and the baby, James II, born in 1857) during this longer than expected journey. Their ship landed in Philadelphia and the men put their wives and children on board the train for Bloomsburg.

Since they were low on funds, they were unable to buy tickets for themselves, so had to walk the distance from Philadelphia to Bloomsburg. It is said that Elizabeth Pritchard had family in the Bloomsburg area. Undoubtedly, dear Grandmother Elizabeth was happy to meet her relatives after such a long and tedious journey. James and his family lived in the Bloomsburg area until 1869. Several more children were born while the family lived here. David was born March 2, 1859, Rebecca in 1861, George in 1863, Charles in 1865 and Elizabeth in 1866.

James filed his Declaration of Intent for citizenship in the United States of America on September 7, 1868 at the Columbia County Courthouse in Bloomsburg; he was 44 years old at the time. (note, this reference to age is inconsistent to the recorded birth date on tombstone.) In 1869 they left the Bloomsburg area to move to Covert, PA., an area also known as Armenia Mt., outside of Troy,PA. (Fall Brook is also a place name used for this area.) The move was made so James could find some relief from his asthma. It wasn't until August 8, 1872 that James was finally granted his citizenship papers in the Court of Common Pleas in Tioga Co.,PA. One more child came to be a part of the family through adoption. She was Martha, born in 1878 and listed on the Census record in 1880.

The 1880 Census Record states that James was a farmer. He could not write English, as is attested by his mark (an x) on his citizenship papers, but Aunt Wilma said he came from a wealthy family having received a large drowery. She remembers that he didn't work, road around on a big white horse and gave orders. All the children (except George, who died young) have been located on 1880 Census Records in Tioga, Co. All the sons are listed as coal miners.

James and Elizebeth Estep are buried in Arbon Cemetery in Blossburg,PA. In October of 1993, Lucille Henderson told me that the graves were moved from the cemetary at Covert to the Arbon Cemetery so that perpetual care could be provided. The tombstone gives these dates.

James Estep

May 12, 1818 - Aug. 3, 1901

Elizabeth, his wife

Aug. 10, 1826 - ( no death date engraved )

It should be noted that there are several discrepencies concerning the birth and death dates of these two ancestors. They were wed Nov. 2, 1845 and their oldest daughter was 10 years old when they came to America in 1858.

LINKS to Additional Information
The Welsh history of the family of James Estep.

LIST of Descendants of James and Elizabeth Pritchard Estep

Please see Cynthia's Family Lines for more information about the research I am doing.

Please see Family Photo Gallery for collection of old photos.

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. It is with pleasure that I am able to present this information here for you to see. If you discover that you are a cousin, I would very much like to hear from you.