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He was the first Stortford Dimsdale. His family came from the Lea Valley. His father came
from Hoddesdon and had supported Parliament in the Civil War. Robert himself had moved to Theydon
Garnon in Essex, which is near the junction of the M11 and the M25. His Quaker faith got him
into serious trouble and he was imprisoned for years at Hertford. In 1683 he went with his
family, including his sons John and William, to New Jersey. William Penn knew him. In a letter,
the original of which has now disappeared, to the father of a would be emigrant from Berkhamsted,
a Miss Woodhouse, Penn advised that she go as a boarder, "and Robert Dimsdale is a solid and
good man ingenious and sufficient, whose wife and children may be assistant to (you)". The
girl shortly after fell in love, married, and did not emigrate. The Dimsdales lived on the
Rancocas creek in West New Jersey, and the stream which ran through Robert's farm is still
called "Bobby's Run" after him. He also owned parts of the new settlement of Philadelphia in
Pennsylvania. His great grandson, Thomas Dimsdale the Collector wrote in 1813 "�large tracts
of land were granted to him upon part of which nearly one third of Philadelphia now is built,
and much land in New Jersey. Part of the latter was sold some years after, to I believe Mr
Burr a cousin; but the Pennsylvania part has been, from repeated neglect, entirely lost". The family returned in 1689. In two letters which I found in Philadelphia we can see that Robert was living at Bishops Stortford in 1702 and get some idea of his concerns. "Bishops Stortford the 27th of the fifth month 1702. Friend John Scott, Thine of the 20th of the third month last past came to hand a week or more since. I was very glad to hear of thy and thy wife's health. The like mercy I hope my wife children and self enjoy. My wife being at present at St Albans with our son Joseph for he is set in there and is married. My son John's wife hath had a fine girl and it is dead, that William lives with me, his love is to thee and wife. We are all very glad to hear of you �... I have writ some letter the which I suppose thou hath not received and I think I might write by the ship �.. thine came to England by. I would have been glad to have heard of our old friends and acquaintance�.. I hope John Shinn and the rest of our old friends are in health. I did not hear of one letter for me in this ship but thine, the which I am very glad of. I formerly writ thee word that our friend Matthew Day is dead. I am very well pleased thou hath taken up the land. I would have been glad to have heard how my tenant goes on at my plantation. Thee gives me an account that thee hath received some money of ER but not how much. Also that thee hath put some out to interest but thee doth not mention to whom - I thought I might have been over before this time but there is two or three things that hinders at present�� but am not out of hopes of getting over if please God to continued life and health for I could be very glad once more, if God find it good, to find my old friend an acquaintance in those parts. For I now count that my sons are all fathers the which is a great satisfaction to me. With our dear love to you all and friends and acquaintance. Robert Dimsdale." A sad reply was received from John Scott's wife Hannah the next year. "To friend Robert Dimsdale. I received thine of the first month and that of the 25th of the fifth month in the year 1702. I hope as to the business thou will receive an account from the rest concerned. I have nothing pleasant to acquaint you of. In the fourth month last it pleased God to visit us with the Small Pox in which general calamity it God to remove from me my dear companion and husband, also his brother Martin in four days after him was taken away with the same distemper. The rest of our relations of both side have had it my brother Thomas Lambert lost a child near the same time. It hath been a general distemper in this country and have proved fatal to some families but it is pretty well over in mercy in many places. So having not much else at present to acquaint you with shall be glad to receive a line from thee as opportunity presents and remain with kind love to thee thy wife and family and all our friends and acquaintance as opportunity offers; thy very loving friend". Thomas the Collector wrote, "He (Robert) again fixed himself at Theydon Garnon; and his eldest son John succeeded to him there in the practice of physic, to which profession he had been educated: his second son William was established in the same line at Bishop Stortford Herts". However, apart from the evidence of his letter to New Jersey in 1702, Robert is also shown as owning property in the town worth �10 in 1699. And the first licenced meeting place for the Friends was registered here in 1691, so I suspect that he spent at least some time here with William before removing later to Theydon Garnon again. |