"John Bevan or John Ap, as he was sometimes called, was born in Glamouganshire, Wales in 1646, one of 5 children. His parents, who were wealthy, died while he was quite young. Being the heir, when he arrived at age he found himself in possession of a large estate, while his brothers were unprovided for - his only sister being dead. His strong sense of justice at once induced him to portion all his brothers and to give them a helpful subsistence in the world. He married in 1665, to a strict member of the established church, who when her husband had shown a disposition to become a Quaker, was distressed, and felt it to be her duty to interpose her serious objections. They argued the question without result; but the indiscretion of the priest, in pronouncing the sentence of excommunication, without previous notice, against the husband in the presence of the wife, so shocked her feelings as to nearly making her faint away, and after a time made her willing unto the work of Salvation"...they both became Quakers.
In 1683, John Bevan and his family moved to PA, and settled either in Merion or Haverford, his land being located in both townships He had been a pillar of the meeting he left, and was equally so of Haverford meeting, which he aided in establishing, and which was frequently held at his house.
He had 4 children married in PA. His daughter Jane, to John Wood of Darby in 1687; his daughter Elizabeth to Joseph Richardson of Philadelphia in 1697; in 1696 has son Evan to Eleanor Wood of Darby, 1693; and one other."
Aubrey Bevan, son of Evan and Eleanor, b June 1705, m Ann Davis of Darby, 1732. They had 6 children; Mary b 4-4-1733 m Nathaniel Forbes, d Germantown 2-22-1817. Katharine b Chester 3-16-1734 d 3-1744; Tacy b 12-12-1736 m Thomas Pryor of Philadelphia. Davis b. Chester, 8-16-1738 m Agnes Cowpland, dau of David Cowpland 6-12-1760 d 3-30-1818; Jane b 7-1741 d 9-11-1742; Alice b 10-24-1743 d 11-15-1743.
Davis had 6 children; Anne b 6-5-1751 m Capt Matthew Lawler, afterwards Mayor
of Philadelphia, d Cincinnati Mar 25, 1835; David b 12-28-1763, m Jane
Shaw, widow d 8-21-1812. Aubrey b 12-31-1765. Isabella b
3-16-1767 d 4-6-1822. Tacy Anna b 11-15-1774 m George Stacey d
Philadelphia 4-22-1831, and Matthew Lawler Bevan b. 8-23-1779, m Deborah.