Robert Flewelling
It is
the scarcity of the name, Flewelling, which justifies the belief that all
Flewellings found in New York in colonial times are of one famiy.
Certainly, no evidence that the name was used by anyone outside of the
family which had its origins on Long Island has been suggested. The
division of the estate of Abraham Smith in 1734 makes it clear that a Robert
Flewelling was the son of Hannah (Smith) Flewelling, daughter of William
Smith (Abraham's brother); and that his siblings included Thomas Flewelling,
Hannah (Flewelling) Brundage, Jane (Flewelling) Brundage, Phoebe (Flewelling)
Hall, Catherine (Flewelling) Golding, and, without too much doubt,
John and Abraham Flewelling. This in turn, leaves little doubt that
Robert was the son of the Thomas and Hannah Flewelling in Hempstead, Long
Island in 1698; and the records of Jamaica and Hempstead towns leave little
doubt that this Thomas Sr. was the grandson of Robert Ashman, mentioned
in Robert Ashman's will of 1683. Thus, when we find notice of Robert
Flewelling in North Castle in later years, and there is little doubt that
his children are directly involved with children of John Flewelling of
Newburgh especially as, for example, when Francis and Joseph, sons of Robert;
and John and Abel, sons of John Sr.; act as witnesses for each other in
their loyalist Claims in New Brunswick after the Revolution; we can feel
relatively secure in knowing who Robert Flewelling is in relation to other
Flewelling of the period in New York. Otherwise, we cannot say that we
know a great deal of Robert Flewelling. his given name apparently
derives from Robert Ashman, and since Robert Ashman apparently left no
descendants of his surname, it is some consolation that his given name
has passed down through three centuries as some sort of memorial.
It is clear that many of Robert Flewelling's descendants were members of
the Society of Friends (Quakers); and it is very reasonable to suppose
that he was also. Since what is known of his brother John's, family leads
us to believe that Robert was not a Quaker by inheritance; then we might
further suspect that he was a Quaker by marriage, or by conviction, or
by both. Indeed there is reason to suspect that there existed a tendency
within the Flewelling family towards strong religious beliefs, especially
towards the Friends; but it also seems that only Robert actively followed
this tendency. In later years some of his children remained Quakers;
while others, most probably as a result of their conflict of convictions
brought on by the Revolution, left the Society. In the case of Joseph
Flewelling; probably with some reluctance. Robert Flewelling's presence
in North Castle may very well have been a direct result of his attachment
to the Friends; and it is my opinion that his having moved there, and the
movements of many of his decendants, can be directly related to a movement
of the Friends first up the Hudson River, then to northern New York, then
to what is now the Province of Ontario, and the States of Ohio and Michigan.
That is, that this branch of the Flewellings was a part of the general
westward migration, often spear-headed by Quaker families attempting to
find places in which they could live according to their conviction free
of the political and religious difficulties which so often troubled them.
The numerous Quaker families with which Robert's family can be tied; often
also originating on Long Island, clearly points to these conclusions; and
only a thorough study of Quaker History is needed as confirmation. The
name of his wife, Maphlet, has survived for several generations as Maplet,
and this is a name apparently unique to the Flewelling family. It
appears to have been largely used by the family of Robert's brother, John
Sr. (wo had a daughter, Maplet), and by John's son, Thomas. In origin
it is a surname, and resumably its usage came to the Flewelling family
through Robert's wife. Her brother-in-law, John Sr. must have been
fond of her to have used it in his family; and his son, Thomas (who remained
in North Castle until the Revolution while John Sr. went to Ulster Co.)
must have shared that fondness. Joseph Flewelling, the Loyalist who went
to Saint John, New Brunswick, also had a daughter, Maplet. Joseph's
great grandson reported that Joseph was of Quaker origins, and Joseph,
by his own statement, came from North Castle. Being too old
to be a son of Thomas Flewelling, son of John Sr.; and too young to have
remained in North Castle when John Sr. went up the Hudson River; he is
here assumed to be a son of Robert. Most likely, he is left out of
the will as he has received a full share from his father; perhaps on the
occasion of his marriage. This gives rise to speculation that Robert
may have also left out other childrem. Maplet's maiden name is said
to be Jeacockes, and that her father was Francis Jeacockes. The implication
is that Robert and Maplet were something like second cousins, and
that Maplet was descended from a brother of Catern (Jeacockes) Ashman.
Since the name, Maplet, seems almost exclusive to the Flewelling family
the statement that a Caleb Haight, a Quaker, of New Castle, Westchester
Co., NY, b. 1730, d. 1820, married first a Maplet "Forelling", does much
to cause us to suspect that this Maplet was a Flewelling of a Quaker family.
Since this couple's eldest child was born in 1752, then this Maplet was
most likely born between 1730 and 1734. Thus, she is too old to be
the Maplet, daughter of Thomas Flewelling, and too old to be Thomas' sister,
Maplet, daughter of John Sr. This tends to point to Robert Flewelling
as her father. (Thomas Murray, "Oak Leaves" p. 27 - 30, Vol. 7, Spring
1988, Number 43.)
