Metadata
Title
Griscom, Tobias
Description
Tobias Griscom was a master builder and an early member of The Carpenters' Company, although no Company records prior to the 1760s survive to provide an exact date. In 1736 he became a shareholder of the Library Company and transferred the share to Benjamin Loxley in 1749. That same year the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting recorded that "Whereas Tobias Griscom, late of this city Carpenter, was educated and made profession among us the people called Quakers, but hath for some Time past accustomed himself to keep loose and Idle company to the neglecting of his business & by that to repeated breaches of his promises, for which he hath been often treated with and advised to reform his conduct notwithstanding which he hath since absconded privately from his Family to the prejudice of his creditors, therefore this meeting doth testify against him and disown him to be a member of our religious society. . . And the clerk is desired to send a copy to some Friend at Duck Creek meeting, where it is said he now is . . ." Griscom appears to have moved to Kent County, Delaware, to the Duck Creek area (now Smyrna) where he died in 1751.
Biography from the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Roger W. Moss, and Sandra L. Tatman.
Member Number
17*
Last Name
Griscom
First Name
Tobias
Birth Date
1/1/1713
Deceased Date
1/1/1751
Spouse Name
Grace Rakestraw
Children
Ann, Rebecca, Grace, William (R)
Father
Andrew
Descendant
See Samuel Griscom file
Laura Forester
Reference
*Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects page 317. Was a master builder and an early member of The Company, although no records prior to the 1760s survive to provide a date. In 1736 he became a shareholder in the Library Company and transferred the share to Benjamin Loxley (q.v.) in 1749. That same year the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting recorded "Whereas Tobias Griscom, late of this City Carpenter, was educated and made profession among us the people called Quakers, but hath for some Time past accustomed himself to keep loose and Idle company to the neglecting of his business & by that to repeated breaches of his promises, for which he hath been often treated with and advised to reform his conduct notwithstanding which he hath since absconded privately from his Family to the prejudice of his creditors, therefore this Meeting doth testify against him and disown him. . ." Griscom appears to have moved to Kent County, DE, where he died. See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects. Volume at Carpenters' Hall and The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. See catalog of books at Library Company of Phila.
*additional descendant: John H. Griscom, Jr., 3492 Annette St., Trussville, AL 35173. jgriscom@charter.net
*Birth date of Tobias Griscom determined by research of Spencer Roach.
*Ancestry.com Will of Richard Morris(s) with a proved date of Jan. 21, 1692; Book page A:196. "Being about to depart the province of Pennsilvania to England - estate to wife Grizell who is executrix, and at her death to Andrew Griscomb(e) of Philadelphia, carpenter, and his son Tobias Griscom. The executors in the event of his wife's death, Jno. Goodson and Philip Richards.
*Information from descendant (Ms. Forester) on her lineage from Samuel Griscom's daughter, Sarah, in file.
*Note from Patricia Griscom Kays on book: "Betsy Ross, the Griscom Legacy." Family history of the Griscoms from the year 1680.
*PA Gazette 2/19/1751 - #122 "All persons indebted to Tobias Griscom, late of this city, house carpenter, are desired to pay the same ". . . also desired to bring accounts to Joseph Fox, one of auditors for account.
*See Hannah Roach paragraph under William Rakestraw.
*Hannah Roach paper, page 6aa Tobias Griscom, unhappily, was one of the less responsible members of the Company. Married in 1737, by 1749 it was reported to the Philadelphia Meeting that for some time past he had been keeping "loose and idle company to the neglecting of his business" and had "left his wife & family in a clandestine manner being involved in debt." Failure to reform in spite of repeated exhortations to mend his ways, finally led to the Meeting to testify against him, and a copy of the minute of disownment was sent to Duck Creek Meeting in Kent County where he was reported to be. It is of interest to note that his Library Company share, which he had held since 1736 -- before his marriage -- was transferred to the carpenter Benjamin Loxley just three months before the disownment proceedings were begun. He died down in Kent County in 1751, leaving a nun-cupative will, apparently unrepentant. (For anyone wanting to pursue the Rakestraw family, read the article in "The American Genealogist" just a year ago by George McCracken.)
*(Hannah Roach) Notes that Tobias Griscom, carpenter: Nunc. will dated 18 March 1751; proved 29 March 1751. Calendar of Kent County Wills, 1680-1800, 143. Phila. Monthly Meeting Minutes, Swarthmore College Library, 1751-1756, p. 89: 26 3m 1749, "Whereas Tobias Griscom, late of this city Carpenter, was educated and made profession among us the people called Quakers, but hath for some time past accustomed himself to keep loose and idle company to the neglecting of his business & by that to repeated breaches of his promises, for which he hath been often treated with and advised to reform his conduct notwithstanding which he hath absconded privately from his family to the prejudice of his creditors, therefore this meeting doth testify against him and disown him to be a Member of our religious society. . . and the clerk is desired to send a copy to some Friend at Duck Creek meeting, where it is said he now is. . ."
*PA Gazette 6/17/1742 - #5298 Advertises from Queen Anne, MD, for return of a servant, a joiner by trade. Four pounds reward.
*PA Gazette 2/19/1751 - #122 Settling debts against Tobias Griscom, deceased. Court-appointed auditors included Joseph Fox.
*3/11/2014: descendant John Griscom jgriscom@charter.net 205-655-9808 3492 Annette Street, Trussville, AL, 35173 country: USA ancestor_info: I am a descendant of Tobias Griscom.
*Also included in the Tobias Griscom folder is a photocopy of a journal article entitled: "Betsy Ross: Quaker Rebel."
*additional descendant: John H. Griscom, Jr., 3492 Annette St., Trussville, AL 35173. jgriscom@charter.net
*Birth date of Tobias Griscom determined by research of Spencer Roach.
*Ancestry.com Will of Richard Morris(s) with a proved date of Jan. 21, 1692; Book page A:196. "Being about to depart the province of Pennsilvania to England - estate to wife Grizell who is executrix, and at her death to Andrew Griscomb(e) of Philadelphia, carpenter, and his son Tobias Griscom. The executors in the event of his wife's death, Jno. Goodson and Philip Richards.
*Information from descendant (Ms. Forester) on her lineage from Samuel Griscom's daughter, Sarah, in file.
*Note from Patricia Griscom Kays on book: "Betsy Ross, the Griscom Legacy." Family history of the Griscoms from the year 1680.
*PA Gazette 2/19/1751 - #122 "All persons indebted to Tobias Griscom, late of this city, house carpenter, are desired to pay the same ". . . also desired to bring accounts to Joseph Fox, one of auditors for account.
*See Hannah Roach paragraph under William Rakestraw.
*Hannah Roach paper, page 6aa Tobias Griscom, unhappily, was one of the less responsible members of the Company. Married in 1737, by 1749 it was reported to the Philadelphia Meeting that for some time past he had been keeping "loose and idle company to the neglecting of his business" and had "left his wife & family in a clandestine manner being involved in debt." Failure to reform in spite of repeated exhortations to mend his ways, finally led to the Meeting to testify against him, and a copy of the minute of disownment was sent to Duck Creek Meeting in Kent County where he was reported to be. It is of interest to note that his Library Company share, which he had held since 1736 -- before his marriage -- was transferred to the carpenter Benjamin Loxley just three months before the disownment proceedings were begun. He died down in Kent County in 1751, leaving a nun-cupative will, apparently unrepentant. (For anyone wanting to pursue the Rakestraw family, read the article in "The American Genealogist" just a year ago by George McCracken.)
*(Hannah Roach) Notes that Tobias Griscom, carpenter: Nunc. will dated 18 March 1751; proved 29 March 1751. Calendar of Kent County Wills, 1680-1800, 143. Phila. Monthly Meeting Minutes, Swarthmore College Library, 1751-1756, p. 89: 26 3m 1749, "Whereas Tobias Griscom, late of this city Carpenter, was educated and made profession among us the people called Quakers, but hath for some time past accustomed himself to keep loose and idle company to the neglecting of his business & by that to repeated breaches of his promises, for which he hath been often treated with and advised to reform his conduct notwithstanding which he hath absconded privately from his family to the prejudice of his creditors, therefore this meeting doth testify against him and disown him to be a Member of our religious society. . . and the clerk is desired to send a copy to some Friend at Duck Creek meeting, where it is said he now is. . ."
*PA Gazette 6/17/1742 - #5298 Advertises from Queen Anne, MD, for return of a servant, a joiner by trade. Four pounds reward.
*PA Gazette 2/19/1751 - #122 Settling debts against Tobias Griscom, deceased. Court-appointed auditors included Joseph Fox.
*3/11/2014: descendant John Griscom jgriscom@charter.net 205-655-9808 3492 Annette Street, Trussville, AL, 35173 country: USA ancestor_info: I am a descendant of Tobias Griscom.
*Also included in the Tobias Griscom folder is a photocopy of a journal article entitled: "Betsy Ross: Quaker Rebel."
File Number
a