I was born in Central New York and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. My husband and I moved to Wayne eight years ago from Minneapolis. So, how is it possible that I have a Radnor Story? Well, mine goes back more than three hundred years.

In 1690, my nine times great-grandfather, Philip Rhytherach (Rhyddarch) and his family arrived in Philadelphia from Wales.  Amongst his children were two of his daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret both of whom had the surname Philips. Elizabeth is my eight times great-grandmother. 

In 1694, Elizabeth married William Thomas of Newtown, Chester County (now Newtown Square). The ceremony took place in David Price’s home in Radnor. I found the record of the wedding in an old book at the Brandywine Baptist Church in Chadd’s Ford. It is shown at right.

William and Elizabeth had four sons before William died in 1709. Their son, Philip, is my seven times great-grandfather. By 1740, he moved his family up to Vincent Township, Chester County. Elizabeth moved with him.  She died in 1744 and Philip died in 1773. They are buried in Coventry Township, Chester County.

But that is not the end of my Radnor connection. You may remember that Elizabeth had a sister, Margaret. She is listed in the record as attending the wedding. Well, Margaret married Richard Iddings in 1705. They had two daughters, one of whom, Elizabeth (perhaps named for her Aunt?) married Isaac Wayne and was the mother of Major General Anthony Wayne. His maternal grandmother and my eight-times great-grandmother were sisters. Therefore, the General, as we call him in my family, is my second cousin nine-times-removed. 

I am very proud of my family’s Radnor Story.

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Contributed by Jennifer Hinz Beacom, President of the Radnor Historical Society.