DR. GRIFFITH OWEN. PHILADELPHIA, PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Griffith Owen, son of Robert Owen of Dolserau, Dolgellau was likely born in or around 1647. The Hengwrt pedigree shows Griffith as the son of Robert and the register recording Griffith's marriage also identifies him as the son of Robert Owen of Dolserau. He married Sarah, daughter of John Barnes. They were married at her father's house in Warrington, Lancashire on 23rd October 1678. Griffith's wife Sarah's birth was recorded in the Friend register: "Sarah daughter of John Barnes of Farnsworth was born the twenty first day of the third month of the year 1661."

By the time he was married, Griffith Owen was a doctor practicing in Prescott, Lancashire and also appears to be living there. He had taken on the Quaker faith and, for his nonconformity and refusing for example to pay tithes, in 1680 and 1681, the Prescott parish priest seized bales of hay from him. In April 1681, he was charged with assembling with others at the Quaker meeting house near St. Helen's chapel in Prescott. Probably motivated by religious freedom, by possibly also considering that lands in America would better support growing families, in May 1681, Griffith and possibly his father met with William Penn, and they with others appealed to Penn to sell them land north of Philadelphia that would become the 30,000 acre Welsh Tract.

A few years later on May 27th, 1684, in preparation for his leaving for Pennsylvania, Griffith received a certificate from his Friend's meeting house, the Hardshaw Monthly Meeting. Along with other members of the Society of Friends seeking a life of religious freedom and new opportunities, Griffith and his family boarded the ship called "the Vine of Leverpoole" captained by William Preeson. Based on an earlier ship destined for the Pennsylvania colony, typical provisions for the long voyage might have included barreled beef, oatmeal, butter, cheese, water and enough beer for each passenger to drink three pints a day.

When they arrived in Philadelphia, on September 17th, 1684, the record of passengers included "From Prescott in Lancashire, Griffith Owen and his wife Sarah, their son Robert and two daughters, Sarah and Elenor, and seven servants" and at the top of the list appeared the following: "ffrom Dolyserne near dolgules in Merionethshire" and on the next line "Robert Owen and Jane his wife and Lewes their sone and 4 servants." Though the manifest of passengers doesn't identify this Robert Owen and Jane as his parents, Griffith's marriage record from a few years before that named his father as Robert Owen of Dolserau helps to make the case. A year or so later, Robert Owen and son Lewes would witness a deed for Griffith Owen.

Within weeks, in November 13th, 1684, had Griffith attended the Radnor Monthly Meeting in November 13th, 1684, and soon he became one of the leaders of the Quaker community.

From 1684 to 1710, Griffith was frequently chosen to represent the Philadelphia monthly meeting at the quarterly meeting and, in between 1691 and 1717, he was appointed by the quarterly meeting to attend the yearly meeting over a dozen times. He also made frequent visits to fellow Friends outside of Pennsylvania; records show his travels to Maryland and Virginia in 1694, to England and Wales from 1695 to 1697 and, to New England in 1701 and 1709. Among his other services, he helped establish a city almshouse and a Quaker school (the William Penn Charter School).

With most of the surviving records focusing on Griffiths religion and public service, it's impossible to say how much free time he had to practice medicine. In one letter dated May 8th, 1702, to the Pennsylvania governor, he says that "my time is now spent in goeing from house to house to visit the Sick" probably for the smallpox. Griffith seems to have retained some medical knowledge, because in the letter, he provides a fairly detailed status on Philadelphia's smallpox infection, which "hath much reigned here since thou left and still doth." In describing the types of smallpox he says his eldest boy (John) had the "very thick fluxing sort." Fortunately he said his son had recovered but was still feeling weak.

Griffith held a variety of offices in Penn's colony, including coroner, JP, and alderman for the city of Philadelphia as well as commissioner of property and deputy keeper of the great seal for Pennsylvania. He was elected to represent Philadelphia County in the Assembly from 1686 to 1700 and was elected to the Provincial Council in 1690, 1692 and again in 1700. He was often seen as a supporter of William Penn and of the proprietary government. Before one election, he with others, circulated a letter indicating support for the government and frequently was sent to the Assembly to articulate the Council's position. However, in his letter to Penn, Griffith claimed that protecting the colonial governors interest had affected his relationships with his friends. Griffith said in the letter that his opponents were even claiming that he and a fellow councilor "do hold the stirrups for the [governor] to mount and ride."

Though its difficult to assess the closeness of Griffith's relations with Penn, he must have appreciated Griffith's support. Possibly as a sign of appreciation, Penn in one letter from London, says that he had bought a number of things for his friends back in Pennsylvania, including, a hat for Griffith.

Griffith prepared legislation to address a number of different issues including proposals to establish quarantine procedures for ships entering Philadelphia, a tax on imported wines and liquors and a procedure to settle property rights. At times, Griffith took positions opposed to Penn's council, especially beginning in 1687, when the Welsh Tract, lands supposedly set aside for the Welsh Quakers, was under threat. On several occasions he, along with others, sent letters to Penn protesting the division of the Welsh lands.

Griffith Owen of Prescott, Lancashire, physician, is recorded in William Penn's account book, dated 1700, as having previously purchased 5,000 acres, but other records show him accumulating between 1,000 and 2000 acres. It's entirely possible that some of Griffith land transactions did not survive. The existing records, however, show Griffith's purchases of 156 acres in 1685 in Chester County and 153 acres along the Schuylkill River in Merion Township, Philadelphia County, where he lived until 1689.

After that he moved to the city of Philadelphia, but also acquired another 1450 acres in Chester County. Another 60 acres was purchased in the Philadelphia Liberties, but that land and the Merion property were later sold.

In about 1711, Griffith's term on the property commission ended and he was not recommissioned due to, as governor Logan writes, the time constraints "of his practice." At the same time it was said that "he was a worthy good man tho Ancient." Though an old man, in March of that year, he traveled with the governor and others, to negotiate with the Indians at Conestoga. Griffith apparently was preparing a trip to Long Island and New England when, in 1717, he fell ill. He died on August 18th, 1717, said to be at the age of 70.

In his will, dated March 15th of that year, he gave all of his lands to his second wife and children including 441 acres to his four daughters. One of the daughters mentioned in the will is "Sarah Wief to Jacob Minshall".

Griffith's birth in 1647 is based on his supposed age of 70 when he died in 1717.

For the 23rd October 1678 marriage of Griffith Owen to Sarah Barnes at her father's house in Warrington, Lancashire, "Griffith Owen son of Robert Owen of Dolyserre in the county of Merioneth in Wales and Sarah Barnes daugher of John Barnes of Warrington in the county of Lancashire..." on the "twenty third day the eighth month Anno Dom: 1678..."

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