52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, #20: Rachel PIERSOL

Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 20th installment, another woman ancestor with virtually no details about her aside from Birth, Marriage, Death.  

The PIERSOL family grew up around Morgantown, Berks, Pennsylvania, with many other Welsh immigrants with surnames such as Davis, Evans, Hudson, Jenkins, Hughes, Bowen, Allen, Owen. Interestingly, I noted that a Pearsall Family DNA study shows that the males have a Swedish origin from perhaps 2000 years ago; they list many spellings for the Piersol/Pearsall surname. If this is your surname, do check out their site for testing. 

Note: I have a copy of the Caernarvon Township map of Warrants/Surveys/Patents of landowners, constructed in 1934 from original drafts.  This may be requested of me by direct-message or below, using my email address as shown; for personal use only, not for publication, as it is copyrighted. 

Rachel is my 5th great-grandmother on my mother's lines.  The PIERSOL surname is spelled many ways, of course: e.g., Pearsall, Pearsol(l), Piersol(l), Persall, and so on.  

Rachel's father was Richard PIERSOL, born about 1677, apparently in Wales. He immigrated with his father (name either John or Richard Sr.), about 1683. His family settled in Pennsylvania. On about 1720, in Caernarvon, Richard married Bridget BROWN about 1720. Bridget emigrated before that date, but I know nothing about Bridget's family.Well, except that a Richard Brown was one of the executors of her will - a brother? Maybe. Richard was the only living son, along with at least 4 sisters, as named in his father's will, 1777. 

Rachel PIERSOL was born about 1723 in Caernarvon Township/Morgantown area - note that Morgantown (Morgan's Town) was not laid out until about 1770. She married Jacob MORGAN in 1739 in Honey Brook, Chester, PA.  Honey Brook is only about 5 miles south of Morgantown area. 

Much is known of Jacob MORGAN (Sr) as he was very well known in the region in various roles, e.g., as a Judge and other official capacity; a Captain in the Seven Years War (French & Indian Wars), in Col. Weiser's regiment; plus a Colonel in the Revolutionary War.  A number of DAR and SAR applications may be researched, based on Jacob Sr. or his son Jacob Jr. MORGAN's military service.

Rachel and Jacob seem to have settled in the Caernarvon/Morgantown area, raising their 7 known children:

1. Rebecca, b. 1741; m. John Price
2. Jacob (Jr.), b. 1742; m. Barbara Leisure Jenkins, 6 children
3. Benjamin, b. abt 1745; m. Harriett Ashton, at least 1 son
4. Mary [ancestor], b. 20 Jun 1748; m. John/Jonathan HUDSON, 7 children
5. Sarah, b. abt 1750; m. Joseph Jenkins
6. Frances, b. est. 1752
7. John, b. est 1755 

In the mid 1780s, Jacob & Rachel appear to have moved for a time to Philadelphia, returning to Morgantown area before 1791. I still have much research to do on Jacob's various roles in his very active life.

Rachel died at the age of 68 years, on 19 Dec 1791 in Montgomeryville, apparently. I am not certain why she was there - visiting relatives? Or one of her married daughters?  Her husband, Jacob, died the following year on 11 Nov 1792, aged 76, in Morgantown.  The gravestone - a large horizontal one on a raised base - has details of both Jacob and Rachel, and can be seen here on FindAGrave.  

If you have further information about Rachel PIERSOL and her parents, or if you have questions about any of this information, contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments section below.