John Grubb

  General Notes:

John Grubb with William Penn, Richard Buffington, and others, 3 Mar 1676, signed the Plan of Government for the Province of West Jersey and came to America in 1677 where he became a prominent pioneer as a legislator, magistrate, farmer, and leather manufacturer. He is buried in St. Martin Churchyard in Marcus Hook, PA. Frances Vane Grubb then married her husband's friend, Richard Buffington.

The Grubb family was first represented in John Grubb. There is still in existence a letter written to his uncle by King Charles I, in Nov. 1642, with the Royal Seal appended, asking for a loan "To aid the King in defending the Realm and the Church against his enemies." This letter was addressed to "Our truly and well-beloved John Grubb, Esq." Lord John Grubb's family are interred in the old manor churchyard on his estate in England, and on it were many Memorial Tablets bearing epitaphs in Latin and having the
family Arms and Crest. This family is descended from people who distinguished themselves as early as the tenth century.

John Grubb, the first of the family on these shores, was a son of John and helen Grubb. At the age of 25 years, he came to America to mend his fortunes, which had been impaired by the support he gave to the Royal Cause. Sailing from London in the ship "KENT" in 1677, he arrived at Burlington, West Jersey, and received 340 acres of land on Chester Creek. As early as 1682, Grubb's Landing, Brandywine Hundred, DE was known to fame. John Grubb became possessor of a tract of land 600 acres in extent as made one of the Colonial Justices in 1693 and was twice elected to the colonial assembly.

The historian's say of him, "He came from that stock of men second to none on the face of the earth--The English Country Gentleman." At Grubb's Landing, he erected a tannery, and was the first manufacturer of leather in Penn's Province. In 1703, he left Grubb's Landing and located in Marcus Hook, PA where he invested heavily in land. he was an extensive land owner in both PA and DE. Like his ancestors, he was a devout supporter of the Church of England.


From WFT:
John Grubb, with his wife Frances, was a resident of Upland as early as 1679, but does not appear to have been settled there as early as 1677. In 1679, jointly with Richard Buffington, he purchased 300 acres of land on the southwest side of Chester Creek above Cheater, and may have resided there some time. His occupation was that of a tanner. His children were Emanuel, John, Joseph, Henry, Samuel, Nataniel, Peter, Charity, and Phebe, all of whom were living at the time of his death in 1708. His daughter
Chariety was married to Richard Beeson prior to his death. He does not appear to have been a Quaker, probably was an Episcopalian. His age was about 60 years.

Samuel Grubb settled in East Bradford on the farm now of William Gibbons. Nataniel married Ann Moore and settled in Willistown. He was a member of Assembly, trustte of the loan office, etc. Peter Grubb went to what is now Lebanon County, where he was a prominet ironmaster. Phebe married Richard Buffington Jr., and Simon Hadly

John married Frances Vane, daughter of Sir Henry Vane and Frances Wray, about 1678. (Frances Vane was born about 1660 in England and died in 1720.)