BRINTON,* William, of Nether Gournall, Parish of Sedgely, Staffordshire, England, with his wife, Ann, daughter of Edward Bagley, came to Pennsylvania in the summer of 1684, and settled in the township sincecalled Birmingham.  As his home in England was near that town, it is supposed that he gave the name to the township.  He was born about the year 1630, his wife five years later, and they were married about 1659.  With them came their son, William, and daughters, Elizabeth and Esther.  Their daughter Ann married John Bennett, 4,18,1684, and they may have accompanied her parents.

William Brinton had suffered persecution as a Friend, and in the year 1683 had his goods distrained to the value of £5 11s. to satisfy a fine of 26s. imposed under the Nonconformity Act.  On his arrival in Philadelphia, and while detained there in making arrangements for a permanent settlement, he presented two certificates to a Friends' meeting "held at the governor's house" on the 4th of the 9th month (November), 1684.  One of these certificates is from the Monthly Meeting of Dudley, and is dated the 15th of the 11th month, 1683.  The other is from "his dealers & Correspondents," and is dated Jan. 14, 1683.  In 1686 he received a patent for 456 acres of
land, to which he made further additions by purchase.  His death occurred in 1700, and that of his wife in the previous year.  Their daughter Elizabeth married Hugh Harris soon after 2d month (April) 12, 1686, by whom she had four sons and five daughters.  Esther Brinton, her sister, married John Willis, of Thornbury, and had several children.

William Brinton, Jr., born about 1667, married, 10,9,1690 Jane, daugher of Richard and Jane Thatcher, born 10,17,1670, died 12,17,1755.  In 1704 he built a stone house a little distance south of Dilworthtown, which is still standing, and until a few years since without much alteration.  He died in 1751, and was buried 8th month 17th, at Birmingham Meeting.  His children were,-1.Joseph b. 11,30,1692, buried 10,18,1751, m. 10,6,1711 to Mary
Peirce, and 2,14,1748 to Mary Elgar. 2. William, b. 6,25,1694, d. 3d mo. 1761, m. 2,26,1716, to Hannah Buller, 5,9,1724 to Azuba Townsend, and 5th mo. 1734 to Cecily Chamberlin.  3. Edward, b. 12,12,1704, d. 3,17,1779, m.  4,17,1724 to Hannah Peirce.  4. Mary, b. 2,1,1708, d. 12,13,1774, m. 9,8,1739 to Daniel Corbit.  5. Ann, b. 2,19,1719, m. 2,29,1731 to Samuel Bettle.  6. John, b. 5,4,1715, d. 3mo. 1748, m. 2,21,1736 to Hannah Vernon.

Joseph and Edward Brinton were prominent and active citizens, and their numerous descendants have inherited marked individuality and force of character.  A daughtrer of Edward became the wife of Thomas Darlington and ancestor of a large portion of the family of that name.  A genealogy and history of the family, quarto, pp. 60, was compiled and printed for private distribution by Dr. Daniel G. Brinton, 1878. His brother, Joseph H. Brinton, is the proprietor of Brinton's greenstone or serpentine quarries  in Thornbury.

*"The English family of Brinton, from whom those in America derive descent, took their name from the parish of Brinton, now Brimpton, in Berkshire. The first so named of whom we possess any definite account is Robert de Brinton, who received a manor in Shropshire from King henry II about the year 1160.  his lineal descendant removed to Staffordshire about 1450."-Dr. Daniel G. Brinton


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