Phillip Tanner (c1693-1751) and Mary (—) (c1697-1761) of Chester Co., PA

Marty and Karla Grant

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[Tanner Home] - [Table of Contents] - Phillip Tanner (c1693-1751)

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Phillip Tanner and Mary are my 8 times Great Grand Parents.

Phillip Tanner was born ca 1692/93 per his tombstone which listed him as age 58 at his death (6 May 1751).

He was possibly born in Pennsylvania, or perhaps immigrated there as a child from Europe.

I don’t know who his parents are. There was a William Tanner listed on the 1715 tax list in Chester Co., PA in New Garden Township, and again there in 1722 and 1724/25 but listed as a non-resident those last two times. He could be related to Phillip, his father or brother perhaps, but I have no info about that so far.

Phillip Tanner married Mary (—) ca 1715, perhaps in Chester Co., PA if they were residing there yet. Their oldest child was born 14 Jul 1716. I haven’t yet found any indication of Mary’s maiden name. She was born ca 1696/97 per her age at death on her tombstone (age 64 on 17 Mar 1761). Her findagrave entry lists her as “Mary Elizabeth Dickey Tanner” which immediately looks questionable as women rarely had middle names in her time and I’ve seen nothing to indicate she had one, Elizabeth or otherwise. Is her maiden name Dickey? What is that based on? Her son, Phillip Jr, married an Elizabeth Dickey, which perhaps someone confused with his mother Mary and combined their names, which is a common enough genealogical mistake.

East Nottingham Township has no surviving tax lists prior to 1721 (as far as I’m aware), so I don’t know if the Tanners were residing there before 1721. However, Phillip Tanner is listed there on that tax list as a landholder. He appears pretty much every year afterwards until his death, sometimes as Phillip, sometimes as Philip (one L).

∙ 1721 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1722 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1724/25 Philip Taner

∙ 1725 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1726/27 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1729 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1730 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1732 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1734/35 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1735/36 Philip Tanner

∙ 1737/38 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1740 Philip Taner

∙ 1747/48 Phillip Tanner

∙ 1747/48 Phillip Tanner Jr

∙ 1749/50 Philip Tanner

∙ 1749/50 Philip Tanner Jr

∙ 1751 Philip Tanner

∙ 1751 Philip Tanner Jr

Note that his son Phillip Jr begins appearing in 1747/48. If he was born in 1716, as his tombstone indicates, he would have been 21 by 1737, so he ought to have begun appearing by then instead of ten years later. Perhaps Phillip Jr spent a few years out of Chester County. We should also keep in mind that Chester, and particularly East Nottingham Township, were in disputed territory also claimed by Maryland. There is evidence that Phillip Jr was in Maryland in the 1740s, so perhaps he’d been there earlier too.

Phillip Tanner operated a Mill on Pigeon Creek. On 18 Apr 1744, a fire broke out and burned the mill down destroying a great deal of flour and wheat according to a report in The Pennsylvania Gazette dated 10 May 1744. He apparently rebuilt it and devoted it to cloth, called a “Fulling Mill” which is used to turn woolen material into dense, durable broadcloth, this he became a cloth maker as well as a Miller.

On 22 Jan 1750, Phillip Tanner of East Nottingham Township, “Miller” made a deed to Joseph Tanner (his son) of the same place, “Wright” in consideration of rents paid, he sold him a small tract by the Fulling Mill containing one acre and 40 perches. On the same date, in the next deed, he sold him 100 acres, being the home place, but with the caveat that Joseph’s parents Phillip and Mary Tanner get to live the remainder of their lives there. Witnesses were Hugh Mahaffey, John Hathorn and Zach Butcher. This deed was filed in 1813 along with a series of other deed showing what happened to land over the years until William Bennett sold it to John Wilson in 1813. It states that on 1 Feb 1750, Joseph Tanner sold the land to John Hawthorn. (Chester Co., PA Deed Book H-3-56, pp. 407-413.)

Just a few days after selling the land to Joseph, Phillip Tanner made his Will on 26 Jan 1750 naming his heirs, describing himself as “being weak in body.” He named:

∙ son Philip Tanner 20 shillings

∙ son Joseph Tanner five shillings

∙ dau Hannah Henry wife of William Henry

∙ and dau Rachel Dickey wife of John Dickey

∙ and Rebecca Crossier wife of John Crossier

∙ each 20 shillings

∙ my servant man William McWherey? to remain with my wife Mary Tanner

∙ son James Tanner when he reaches 21, 100 acres adjoining the Fulling Mill

∙ Executor: My wife Mary Tanner

He signed as Phillip Tanner. Witnesses were John Hathern, David Wharry and Zack Butcher.

The Will was proven on 3 Jun 1751 meaning he’d died by then. His tombstone shows that he died on 6 May 1751. He is buried at the “Old Stone Graveyard” in Lewisville, Chester Co., PA. His marker is hand chiseled “Here lyeth the body of Philip Tanner who departed this life May 6 1751 age 58.” There is a cougar drawn at the top of the marker. The story is that Phillip didn’t die of the illness that prompted him to write his Will, but was rather attacked and killed by a cougar near home! I don’t know the source of this story, whether true or not, but it’s certainly interesting.

Widow Mary Tanner appears on the tax lists in East Nottingham for the years 1753, 1754 and 1758.

Mary Tanner, widow of Philip Tanner, deceased, made her Will on 5 Nov 1759, “being weak in body...” naming her children, some in-laws and several grandchildren.

∙ son Philip Tanner

∙ son Joseph Tanner

∙ dau Hannah Henry wife of William Henry

∙ dau-in-law Elizabeth and her dau Mary

∙ dau-in-law Mary my son James's wife

∙ my dau Rachel

∙ my son James Tanner

∙ grandson Philip Tanner son of Phillip

∙ dau Rebecca's children (not named)

∙ dau Hannah's children Philip ...

∙ James's eldest dau Mary

∙ Philip Henry

∙ my sons Philip and James Tanner Executors

She signed as Mary Tanner. Witnesses were John Hathorn, John Hill Jr, Sarah Best (signed with mark) and Pattrick Power.

The Will was proven on 3 Apr 1761 meaning she’d died by then. Her tombstone indicates she died on 17 May 1761 aged 64. She is buried by her husband and Old Stone Graveyard.

Children

Phillip Tanner and Mary have six children as named in both their Wills, his of 1750, hers of 1758.

1. Phillip Tanner (Jr) was born 14 Jul 1716 per his tombstone. He was named in both his parents Wills. He married Elizabeth Dickey before ca 1742, presumably in Chester Co., PA. Her maiden name is per other researchers. I haven’t yet seen proof of it. He is listed on the 1747/48 through 1797 tax lists in Chester, East Nottingham (some years missing). He is listed on the 1790 census in East Nottingham. He died on 1 May 1795, and Elizabeth on 8 Nov 1797. They are buried at the same cemetery as his parents. They had at least five children.

2. Joseph Tanner was born before 1726. He was named in the Wills of both his parents. He married Ann (—) maiden name unknown, ca1750, presumably in Chester Co., PA. He moved his family to Coddle Creek in North Carolina in the 1750s. See his own page for more information.

3. Hannah Tanner was born ca 1720s in Chester Co., PA. She married William Henry before 1750. They moved to Lincoln Co., NC where both died, he ca 1773, she in 1782.

4. Rachel Tanner was born ca 1720s in Chester Co., PA. She married John Dickey before 1750. They moved to Rowan (now Iredell) Co., NC where both died, she in 1789, he in 1808.

5. Rebecca Tanner was born ca 1730s in Chester Co., PA. She married John Crossier before 1750. I have no additional information on them yet.

6. James Tanner was born ca 1730/35 in Chester Co., PA. He married Mary (—) before 1759. I have no additional data on them after 1759 yet.

For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for Phillip Tanner and Mary.

Revised: March 16, 2026

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