1756 The Will of Samuel Rogers, dated 06 Aug 1756, named daughter Mary Kirkbride. Proved Sept. 22, 1756. [1]
1778 Joseph Kirkbride was heavily involved in organizing the American Militia during the Revolutionary War. [2]:
I can, perhaps, muster 50 or 60 in this Battalion, chief of which was sent from Bristol into Jersey for Safety j the remainder are in the hands of the few Militia for their own protection against the Tories. I hope my Sub Lts will furnish a more Satisfactory account of the arms within their respective battalions as well as those now Imploy'd at Camp. The Enemy having lately Burnt two Valuable Dwelling Houses with all my Out Houses of Every kind & sort, & a great deal of Furniture, Utensils, Corn, Hay, &c., & Intirely Dislodging my Family, is the Only apoligy I can offer your Excellency for my Impunctuality. Notwithstanding, I can say with Sincerity I had rather loose ten such Estates than be suspected to be unfriendly to my Country.
1800 Joseph Kirkbride lived in Bordentown, Burlington County, New Jersey. [3]
1803 On October 26, Joseph Kirkbride died and was buried at Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery, Bordentown, Burlington County, New Jersey. [4] The marker inscription reads:
This shall commemorate the virtues of Col. Joseph Kirkbride, for he was a patriot who zealously served his Country in the Armies and Councils during the Revolution of 1776. He was a citizen who faithfully performed the duties of social life, and he was an honest man, who in his thoughts, words, and actions Illustrated the noblest work of God. Died Oct. 26th, 1803, aged 72 years.
1803 Mary Kirkbride, widow of Joseph Kirkbride, of Bordentown, Burlington County, New Jersey wrote her will, dated November 22, 1803 and affirmed, on March 20, 1808. She left her estate to niece Mary Wharton, widow of Lloyd Wharton. [5]
A biosketch reports [6]:
Colonel Joseph Kirkbride, only son of Joseph Kirkbride Jr., born in Bucks county, August 13, 1731, was one of the most prominent figures in his native county in the early days of the Revolutionary struggle. He was one of the Deputies to the Provincial Convention held at Philadelphia, July 15, 1774, was one of the most active in the formation of the Bucks County Committee of Safety, by which he was named on May 9, 1775, as one of the Delegates "to meet in Provincial Convention, if any should be found necessary," and he served in the General Assembly from Bucks county from 1776 to 1778. Born and reared in the faith of the Society of Friends, his ardent patriotism carried him beyond the pale of that sect, and its non-combatant principles, when it became evident that force must be resorted to for the preservation of the liberties of the Colonies. When, in May, 1775, the Committee of Safety recommended the people of the county to form themselves into military associations, Joseph Kirkbride was elected Colonel of the First Battalion of Bucks County Associators, and on May 9, 1777, he was appointed Lieutenant of the county, in which position he was active in collecting recruits, arms, and supplies for the use of the army; and in the repression of the Tory element in the county. On February 14, 1778, he wrote to President Wharton, as follows: "I propose (if possible) to keep up a compeyent number of Horses, as the General finds them very useful * * * I have agreed to raise a small party of Foot Volunteers to check the Influence of the Torys below Bristol and in the neighborhood near Neshaminy, which will be some security to the people of that quarter." The next day he again wrote to the Chief Executive of the State, "I am doing everything in my power to spirit up a small party to keep down the Torys until we can get some better defence."
In May, 1778, the British soldiers made an expedition out of Philadelphia, and among other damage done they burned the residence of Col. Kirkbride, who thus speaks of the event in a letter to President Wharton: "The enemy have lately Burnt two Valuable Dwelling Houses, with all my out Houses of Every kind and sort, a great deal of Furniture, Utensils, Corn, Hay, etc. and Intirely Dislodging my Family, is the only apology I can offer your Excellency for my unpunctuallity. otwithstanding, I can say with sincerity, I had rather lose ten such Estates than to be suspected to be unfriendly to my Country."
While in public life Col. Kirkbride made the acquaintance of Thomas Paine and a friendship sprung up between them that lasted many years. In 1802, after Paine had rendered himself obnoxious to many by the publication of his "Age of Reason," he called on Col. Kirkbride, then residing at Bordentown, New Jersey. The Colonel, remembering the eminent service Paine had rendered the Patriot cause, and their former friendship, gave him a kindly greeting, although he was far from approving the views expressed in the work that had aroused such indignation among church people. Upon Paine's departure Col. Kirkbride took him in his own carriage to Trenton. and "as subjected. to some extent, to the indignities heaped upon Paine by the mob. Col. Kirkbride was one of the early members of the American Philosophical Society, and a man of much culture and intellectual ability. He died at Bordentown, October 26. 1803, at the age of seventy-two years, and was buried at the Borden lot in that town. He married Mary Rogers and left issue.
[1] New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1656-1999, Monmouth County, New Jersey, Will A-638, also cited as Lib 11, p. 333, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[2] Samuel Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives, First Series, Volume 6. (General Assembly 1777) (1853), 503, index shows other listings, [InternetArchive].
[3] New Jersey, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1643-1890, [AncestryRecord].
[4] Find A Grave Memorial 11545273, [FindAGrave].
[5] New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1656-1999, A-218, 1804-1818, image 229, FHL film 832912, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[6] John W. Jordan, Colonial Families of Philadelphia, Vol. 1 (New York: Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), 551, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].