Martha Eldridge (1667-<1735)

Martha Eldridge was born on 20 Apr 1667 in Driffield, Gloucestershire, England, as the fourth child of Thomas Eldridge and Amy _____. She had three siblings, namely: Obediah, Jonathan, and Lydia. When her birth was recorded, old style dates were still being used. At the time, new calendar years started on March 25th. That means that March was considered the first month of the year. Martha was born on the 20th day of the second month of the year, which translates to April 20th.

When she was 17, she married Daniel Zealy, son of John Sealy and Martha Beckett, on 15 Sep 1684 in Minety, Wiltshire, England.

Daniel Zealy and Martha Eldridge had the following children:

1. John Zelley was born about 1686 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. He married Margaret Howell on 13 Aug 1713 in Burlington, Burlington, New Jersey. He died on 21 Sep 1714 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
2. Daniel Zelley was born about 1688 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. He married Damaras Butcher on 06 Dec 1725 in Burlington, Burlington, New Jersey. He died about 1779 in Springfield, Burlington, New Jersey.
3. Martha Zelley was born about 1690 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. She died in New Jersey.
4. Rachel Zelley was born about 1692 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. She married Francis Smith on 12 Dec 1728 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
5. Sarah Zelley was born in 1696 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. She married Thomas L. Antrim on 02 May 1715 in Springfield, Burlington, New Jersey. She died before 1775 in Burlington, New Jersey.

On 16 Dec 1711, Daniel Zealy passed away at Nailsworth, Glouchestershire, England. Martha was a widow with children ranging in age from about 16 to 26. She and her children made the decision to leave England and join Martha’s brother who had already immigrated to America. So, in 1712, Martha Eldridge Zealy left England and moved to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since she was a  member of the Society of Friends, she received a certificate of removal before she left England that she could present to her new Quaker meeting in America. On 09 Mar 1711/12, she presented her certificate from the Nailsworth meeting to the meeting in Philadelphia and was approved.

It is believed that Martha remarried to a man with the surname Dexon sometime after her arrival in Philadelphia. When her daughter Rachel married, she was listed as being the daughter of Martha Dexon.

Martha Eldridge Zealy Dexon seems to have died before 1735 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but no exact record of her death has been found yet.

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