Souplis Family in America

This family history graciosly donated by Richard Blanton, Jr. another Suplee researcher.
Thank You Richard!

Biographical Annals of Montgomery County,Pennsylvania, Vol. II, 1904 pp 351-257
The Suplee Family.
The pioneer of the Suplee family in America was Andris Souplis, a Frenchman,
born in France, in the year 1634, a man of distinguished parentage, a soldier,
an officer in the French army, and also a Huguenot.
He left France in 1682. France at that time was a monarchical
government, and the established religion was Roman Catholic. The Huguenots, on
account of their religious belief, were persecuted by the Roman Catholic. The
Huguenots, on account of their religious belief, were persecuted by the Roman
Catholics under the reign of Louis XIV, who was then King of France. These
persecutions became intolerable, and ten of thousands of Huguenots left
France to seek homes in foreign lands. Amongst them was Andris Souplis, who
left France in 1682 and went to Germany.
He was virtually a refugee, fleeing from persecution. Whilst in Germany
he married a German lady, Gertrude Stressinger, who was born in Germany in
1642. They left Germany in 1683, and with a party of German emigrants came
to America, arriving in Philadelphia in the early part of 1684. History informs
us that Andris Souplis was a man of great intelligence and ability, and was
held in high esteem by William Penn, who was then residing in Philadelphia,
and was governor of the province of Pennsylvania at that time. Andris Souplis
was sheriff of Philadelphia county in 1691. With his wife he settled in Germantown.
They had five children, as follows in the order of birth: Bartholomew,
Margaret, Andrew, Ann and Jacob. Andris Souplis, in his will dated March 25^th,
1724, stated that he was aged, but of sound mind and good health. He also
states that he was then living upon his plantation in Kingsessing township,
Philadelphia county, in the province of Pennsylvania. He died in
the early part of
the year 1726, aged ninety-two years.
His wife survived him, but we have no record of the time of her death.
Their eldest son Bartholomew settled upon a farm in Blockley township,
which territory is now within the city limits of Philadelphia. His dwelling house
stood whereon the Cathedral cemetery is now located in West Philadelphia. The
remainder of the farm is now covered with streets and buildings. Upon this farm was
erected a grist and saw mill. The ground whereon the Blockley Baptist church now
stands was a protion of this farm, and was donated by John Suplee. The eldest
daughter Margaret married Peter Cayson, and Ann married Charles Yocum; the
husbands of both were Swedes. The youngest son, Jacob, married Elizabeth Enoch.
They purchased a farm in Upper Merion, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county,
near Swedeland, and some of their descendants are now living in that neighborhood.
Andrew Supplee, second son of the emigrant Andris Souplis, was born in
Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1688. Andrew was the ancestor of the branch of the family
to which the writer of this sketch belongs, and who has confine his research to
the territory of Andrew and his descendants. Andrew was twice married. His first
wife was Anna Stackhouse, and his second wife was Deborah
Thomas. There was but one child by the first marriage, a son,
Hance. By the second wife there were four children--James, Andrew, John
and Sarah. Andrew purchased in 1712 and settled upon a farm in Upper Merion,
Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, near the village of
Matsunk, and resided there the remainder of his life. He died in 1747, aged fifty-
nine years. His remains, with those of sixteen others, were buried in a
vault in Morris City cemetery, two miles north of Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Hance Supplee, eldest son of Andrew, was born in Upper Merion; July
14, 1714. His wife, Magdaline Deborah De Haven, was born November
25, 1716. They were married in Philadelphia, August 5, 1736. The De Havens
were also French Huguenots. Hance Supplee and wife also resided in Upper
Merion, until about 1750, when Hance purchased and with his family moved
upon a farm in Worcester township, Montgomery county. This property is
known as the "Supplee Homestead Farm." The dwelling house built by Hance
Supplee in 1753 is still standing, and although erected one hundred and
fifty-one years ago is in very good condition, and from present appearances
will endure another century at least. Hance Supplee and his wife Magdaline
were the parents of a large family--six sons, and eight daughters;
Andrew, Elizabeth, Sarah, Deborah, Catharine, Peter, Abraham, Rebecca,
Hannah, Rachel, Isaac, Jacob, John and Mary. Hance Supplee in 1770 gave a
plot of land from his farm and built theron a meeting house which is
now known as the Bethel Meeting House. He also donated an adjoining
lot for a cemetery, which is named the Bethel cemetery. Strange to relate,
Hance Supplee's remains were the first to be buried in the grounds he
donated. He died December 16, 1770, aged fifty-six years and five months.
His widow, Magdaline, resided at the homestead place the remainder of
her life, and died October 5, 1801, aged eighty-five years.
Peter Supplee, the Revolutionary soldier, became owner of this property
after the death of his father. Peter was the sixth child of Hance and
Magdaline Supplee, and was born in Upper Merion, September 2, 1745. His wife,
Susanna Wagoner, was born in 1750. They were married in 1775, and had but
two children--a daughter, Rachel, born January 18, 1775, and a son, Peter,
born February 8, 1778. Peter Supplee and wife were living upon this homestead
property when the Revolutionary war broke out, September 12, 1777. Peter
volunteered as a soldier in the Revolutionary army, joining Captain Charles
Wilson Peale's company of Philadelphia Militia. Captain Peale's company
belonged to the Fourth Battalion of the Philadelphia Regiment of Foot. Jacob
and John Supplee, younger brothers of Peter Supplee, were also soldiers in
the Revolutionary army, and served in the same company with Peter.
Jacob was the twelfth, and John was the thirteenth child of the family.
Their captain, Charles Wilson Peale, was a man of note, and was a warm friend
of General Washington. In colonial days he was a noted
landscape and portrait painter, and, when Washington's army was encamped at
Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778, Captain Peale there painted the
Washington protrait which is now the property of the Pennsylvania State
Normal School at West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Soldiers' Certificates.
Harrisburg, Pa., May 1^st, 1901.
To whom it may concern:
I hereby certify to the following military services of Peter Supplee. One
Peter Supplee, of Worchester township, Philadelphia county, was a private
soldier in Capt. Charles Wilson Peale's Company, Philadelphia Militia,
voluntered September 12, 1777. For this reference see Penna.MSS, Archives in
possession of the State of Pennsylvania.
George Edward Reed.
State Librarian and Editor Penna. Archives.
Harrisburg, Pa., March 10, 1904.
To whom it may concern:
I hereby certify to the following Revolutionary record of one Jacob Supplee.
Jacob Supplee was a private soldier in the war of the Revolution in Captain Chas.
Wilson Peale's Company. Enlisted Sept. 12, 1777. This company was of the
Fourth class, Philada. Militia, now in the service of the United States,
commanded by Lieut. Col. Will. For reference see Penna Archives,
2^d series, Vol. 13, Page 678.
Thos. L. Montgomery,State Librarian and Editor
Penna. Archives
The old Supplee homestead property is historic ground, a Revolutionary
landmark. General Washington's army was twice encamped upon this property in
the month of October, 1777, when that distinguished soldier led his troops
from Pennypacker's Mills, at Perkiomen, about October 1, 1777, to give battle
to the Brittish army at Germantown. He came with the army to this place,
and was encamped there on the second and third days of October. Whilst the
army was encamped upon the farm, General Washington and General Greene had
their head-quarters in the Supplee dwelling house and October 3^rd General
Washington and his officers held a council of was on the lawn in front of the
house. That afternoon the army broke camp and marched to Germantown. The battle
of Germantown took place the next day, October 4, 1777. Owning to a dense
fog existing at that time, that battle proved disastrous to the American Army.
It was defeated, and on October 5, retreated to Pennypacker's Mills,
on the same road by which it had advanced to Germantown two days before. After
resting at Pennypacker's Mills until October 8. Washington advanced his army
to Towamenein township, remaining there until October 15. The army again came
to the Supplee homestead, and was encamped there from October 15, to October
21. The army then advanced to Whitpain township, remaining there until November
1. On November 2, Washington advanced his army to Whitemarsh, and took a
position there, intending to give battle to the enemy.
On December 3, General Howe, with the British army marched out from
Philadelphia, and took a position at Chestnut Hill, some three miles distant
from Washington's amry. After the armies had confronted each other in these
positions without coming to a general engagement, General Howe, on December 10,
suddenly, withdrew his army and marched back to Philadelphia, where the troops
went into winter quarters. December 11, General Washington took up his march
with his army to Valley Forge, crossing the Schuykill river at Swedes' Ford
on the 12, and the army arrived at the Fulf Mills on December 13. Peter,
Jacob, and John Suplee were soldiers in the ranks of the American army
during the campaigns, herein recited, and Peter's teams were also used at
that time in removing the army supplies from Whitemarsh to Valley Forge.
December 18 the army removed its march from the Gulf Mills over the snow-
covered roads to Valley Forge. That march, history informs us, could be
traced by the blood stains upon the trodden snow left there by the shoe-less
feet of the American soldiers. December 19, 1777, the American army went
into winter quarters among the snowclad hills of Valley Forge. That whole
winter there was a panorama of suffering, endurence and patriotism, and
there upon the bended knee Washington invoked the Divine assistance. On
January 24, in that memorable cold winter of 1777-78, encamped with Washington's
army upon the bleak hills of Valley Forge, surrounded by his compatriots in
arms, in the darkest days of the American Revolution, Peter Supplee, a
martyr to liberty, gave his life for the liberty we now enjoy. After his death
at Valley Forge, his remains were taken to the Bethel cemetery and there interred.
After Peter Supplee had been dead one hundred and twenty-five years, his great-
grandson, Edwin M. Suplee, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, after discovering his
resting place, conceived the project of erecting a monument at his grave in
grateful rememberance of his services and great sacrifice to his country's cause,
and after a year's labor amongst Peter Supplee's descendants succeeded in
raising money enough to erect a monument. On November 28, 1903, the monument
was erected at Bethel cemetery. It bears the following inscription:
In memory of Peter Supplee,
A Revolutionary Soldier
Born Sept. 2^nd, 1745, Enlisted Sept 12, 1777,
Died whilst encamped at Valley Forge,
January 24^th, 1778,
A Martyr to Liberty
Andrew, the eldest son of Hance and Magdaline Supplee, was born in Upper
Merion, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1737. He was twice
married. His first wife was Mary Zimmerman. By this marriage there were
three children--Hance, Susanna, and Peter. By the second wife, Rachel Davis,
there were five children--Ruth, Phoebe, Deborah, Randolph, and Mary. They resided
in Worcester, Montgomery county.
Andrew and both his wives were buried in Bethel cemetery.
Elizabeth, the second child, born in Upper Merion, November 30, 1738, and
Catherine, the fifth child, born in Upper Merion, December 4, 1743, both died
in infancy.
Sarah, the third child, born in Upper Merion, October 14, 1740, and Rachel,
the tenth child, born in Worcester, March 6, 1753. No reecords of their lives
are obtainable.
Deborah, the forth child, born in Upper Merion, November 30, 1741, married
Christopher Zimmerman, December 1, 1763.
Abraham, the seventh child, born in Upper Merion, April 1, 1748, was a
local preacher. He died in 1826, leaving many descendants.
Hannah, the ninth child, born in Worcester, September 13, 1749, married
Jacob Kern. They settled in Wallace township, Chester county, Pennsylvania,
near Glen More. Some of their descendants are living in that vicinity.
Rebecca, the tenth child, born in Upper Merion, November 25, 1751, married
David Wagoner, about the year 1785. They emigrated to Yates county,
New York, where they settled.
Isaac, the eleventh child, was born in Worcester, September 7, 1754. He
had three children--John, Magdaline, and Martha. Isaac became the owner
of the farm which had belonged to his grandfather, Andrew Supplee, in Upper Merion.
John succeeded to the farm of his father's. He had several descendants
living in Philadelphia.
Jacob, the twelfth child, born in Worcester, August 2, 1756, was a
Revolutionary soldier, and a certificate of his military service is given in
this sketch. He appears to have served throughout the whole war. After the
war was ended he emigrated to Kentucky. He never married. Some time after
his death, some property belonging to his estate was discovered at Columbus,
Ohio, which was disposed of, and the preceeds of the sale weredivided
amongst his nearest heirs.
John, the thirteenth child, born in Worcester, September 11, 1758, was
also a Revolutionary soldier, and a copy of the certificate of his military
service in the war of the Revolution is also given in this sketch. After the
close of the war he emigrated to Yates county, New York. He there married
Achsah Botsford, and they had three children--Peter, John, and Jonathan.
Mary, the fourteenth and youngest child, born in Worcester, December 3,
1761, also emigrated to Yates county, New York, in 1785. She married Isaac Sherman.
Some of their descendants are living in that county.
The writer of this sketch had the pleasure of visiting their homestead
place in 1870. It was then owned by their sons.
Susanna Supplee, the widow of Peter Supplee, the Revolutionary soldier,
some time after the close of the war emigrated to Yates county, New York. She took
her daughter Rachel with her, leaving her son Peter with his grandmother,
Magdaline, at the old homestead place in Worcester, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.
Rachel belonged to the fifth generation of the Supplee family in America. She married
Morris F. Sheppard, and their children were: Charles, George, and Sarah. Rachel
died January 16, 1853, aged seventy-eight years. The eldest son Charles was a
merchant and afterward a banker in the town of Penn Yan. His children are:
George S., and Walter H.
Peter Suplee, only son of Peter Supplee, the Revolutionary soldier, belonged
to the fifth generation of the Suplee family. He was born in Worcester, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1778. Fifteen days after the death of his father,
his mother, Susanna Supplee, with her daughter, Rachel, emigrated to Penn Yan,
New York, when he was but seven years old, leaving with his grandmother Magdaline
to raise at the Supplee homestead in Worcester. After passing his boyhood days
upon the farm he learned the carpenter trade. At the age of twenty-one years, in
1799, he married Hannah Eastburn, of Upper Merion, Montgomery county.
They purchased and settled upon a tract of three hundred acres of land in Charlestown
(now Schuykill) township, Chester county, Pennsylvania.
This tract adjoined the Moore Hall tract on the north, and the James Anderson
tract on the south. There they erected buildings and made their home. This property
is historic ground. A tribe of Delaware Indians once had a village and also a
graveyard on this property. The first white settlers in this neighborhood, James
Anderson and wife, their first winter there, lived in a cave near the Indian
village. Until recently the mounds in the Indian graveyard were visable. Many
relice, such as stone axes, arrow heads, etc., were found upon this property when
ploughing the ground.
At the time Peter and his wife Hannah settled here, everything was very primitive.
Their farming implements and means of conveyance were rude. No Dearborns or carriages
existed among the farmers then. They attended Philadelphia market on horseback,
using saddle bags to carry their farm and dairy products to market. The writer of
this sketch in his boyhood days often heard his grandmother, Hannah Suplee, relate
her experiences attending the Philadelphia market. That appears to have been one of
the duties of the women folk during the busy seasons. The country at that time
was sparsely settled, much of it being covered with woods, For company for each other
they traveled to market in groups of eight and ten persons, and on their homeward journey
they sometimes would test the speed of their steeds by doing a little horse racing. The
distance they had to travel to Philadelphia market was twenty-five miles. These sturdy
pioneers did not have the conveniences we now enjoy. They, however. laid the foundation
of this wonderful country. They now rest from their labors.
Peter and Hannah Suplee were the parents of eleven children, all born at
the homestead where they settled in 1799. The children were:
Rachel, born August 21, 1799; Samuel, April 27, 1801; Cadwalader E., July 30,1804;
Benjamin, November 5, 1806; Horatio J., November 8, 1808; Margaretta, February
10, 1811; Silas G., May 19, 1813; Susannah, August 18, 1815; Peter, December 23,
1817; Hannah E., June 9, 1822; Abigail Eliza, December 4, 1824.
Abigail Eliza is the only one to the before named children now living (August 1, 1904).
She is also the only living grandchild of Peter Supplee, the Revolutionary soldier.
Rachel and Benjamin Suplee, children of Peter and Hannah Suplee, died in 1807. The
remaining nine children lived to a good age.
Samuel married Catharine Rinewalb, December 18, 1823. They pruchased and settled upon a
farm in Upper Providence, Montgomery county. Their children were: George K., Emeline,
John R., and Mary S. Samuel died April 21, 1875, and Catharine died in 1885.
Cadwalader E. Suplee married Catharine Jones, of Lower Merion, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, March, 1827. The Jones family were Welsh Quakers, who came to
Pennsylvania with William Penn on one of his trips to this country. Penn granted Silas
Jones, the ancestor of the Jones family, a tract of land in Lower Merion, nearly opposite
Manayunk, where he settled. After his death the land was divided between his three
sons--Charles, Silas, and Cadwalader.
The above named Catharine was the eldest child of Charles and Mary Alloway Jones.
Cadwalader and Catharine Suplee purchased and settled upon a one hundred acre farm
which was a portion of the farm whereon Peter Suplee settled in 1799. Their children
were: B. Franklin, born February 23, 1828, died February 5, 1862; Mary J., December
12, 1830; Edwin M., November 15, 1832; Hannah C., December 24, 1834, died August,
1898; Adaline R., June 29, 1837; Sarah J., November 18, 1841; and Esther A., September 15,
1844, died January 23, 1881.
Cadwalader E. Suplee was a succesful farmer and dairyman. He attended Philadelphia
market with farm products for a period of forty-three years in succession from the
same farm. He was a man of few words, was very reliable and dependable, and was
help in high esteem by all of his acquaintances. He died January 23, 1882, aged
seventy-seven years and five months. His widow Catharine died January 1, 1892,
aged eighty-eight years, eight months and eleven days. They were buried in Morris
cemetery, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Horatio J. Suplee married Elizabeth Kennedy, daughter of Alexander Kennedy,
of Port Kennedy, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1831. They purchased and
resided upon a farm in Honeybrook, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Their children were:
Margaret K., Peter, Rachel S., Robinson, Hannah, William A., Horatio J., and Esther.
Horatio died in 1879, and Elizabeth in 1890. Their remains were buried in the village
of Honeybrook.
Margaretta Suplee married Joseph H. Rapp, November 17, 1831. They
purchased and resided upon a farm in East Pikeland, Chester county,
Pennsylvania. Their children were: B. Franklin, Joseph E.,
George W., Silas S., Peter
S., and Eliza J. Joseph died in 1884, and Margaretta in 1883.
Susanna Suplee married Samuel N. Rowland, October 31, 1837. They settled
in East Coventry, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Their children
were: Thomas J., A. Judson, Albert, Daniel W., Howard, and Horace C. Samuel N.
died August 7, 1893, and Susanna died March 26, 1860.
Silas G. married Sarah Cleaver, November 5, 1838. They settled upon a
farm in Trumbull county, Ohio. Their children were: John, Euchid M., Peter
Stiles, and Allen.
Peter married Elizabeth Kennedy, daughter of William Kennedy, November 5,
1845. They purchased and lived on a farm in Easttown township, Chester county,
Pennsylvania. Their children were: William, Louise, Willard F., and Anna M.
Hannah E., Suplee married John Reese, of Norristown, Pennsylvania,
February 14, 1861. They had but one child--Frank.
Abigail Eliza married William Robinson Kennedy, February 20, 1845. They purchased and
resided upon a farm in Norriton, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Their children
were: William B., Frank, John, Robinson, and Emma.
The name Suplee is of French origin. The emigrant, Andris, spelled his name Souplies.
His son Bartholomew spelled it Suplee; his sons Andrew and Jacob spelled it Supplee. It
would seem that Supplee is the proper pronunciation of the name.
The family has become very numerous, and its members are scattered from New York city
on the east to California on the west, from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.
The following named grandsons of Peter Suplee, of Schuylkill, Chester county,
Pennsylvania, were soldiers in the war of the Rebellion from 1861 to 1865:
Peter Suplee, son of Horatio and Elizabeth Suplee, served in Company F, Seventy-eighth
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Sirwell. This regiment served in the
southwest.
Euchid M. Suplee, son of Silas G. and Sarah Suplee, served in the Twenty-ninth Ohio
Infantry, and the Sixth Ohio Cavalry, both raised in Trumbull county, Ohio. The Sixth
Regiment served in the southwest, and also under General Sheridan at the closing
of the war.
Silas S., son of Joseph H. and Margaretta Rapp, served in the Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania
Volunteer Regiment of Infantry. He died at Hilton Head, South Carolina,
May 10, 1862, while in the service of his country.
Thomas M., son of Samuel N. and Susanna Rowland, served in the One Hundred and Sixteenth
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was killed at the battle of Fredricksburg,
Virginia, December 13, 1862. His remains were never recovered.
A. Jusdon, son of Samuel N. and Susanna Rowland, was chaplain of the One Hundred
and Seventy-fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry.
Captain Edwin M. Suplee, a grandson of Horatio J. and Elizabeth Suplee, is a
graduate of West Point Military Acadamy. He has been in service some fifteen years in
the regular army, and is now (1904) stationed at Davenprot, Iowa.
William A. Suplee, son of Horatio and Elizabeth Suplee, served in a volunteer regiment
of emergency soldiers in Pennsylvania in 1863.

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