Here is a wonderful link about the Thomas Willcox family including a beautiful photo of the house:
http://www.properphiladelphia.com/willcoxes-of-ivy-mills/
Showing posts with label Thomas Willcox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thomas Willcox. Show all posts
Wilcox family 'extremely good to the Irish'
I found the following biography online that mentions the Willcox family.
"James J. Tinneny, said
that he believed the reason his great-grandfather John changed his name from
Spillane to Spence was to better fit in when he went to England from Ireland to
apprentice as a papermaker.
He must have learned his
trade well since the first job that he had after landing in America [1850's] was in the
employ of the Wilcox family who James believed had a paper mill in Glen Riddle
Pennsylvania. The Wilcox family were socially and financially important
in the Diocese of Philadelphia and were extremely good to the Irish...."
Willcoxes in the History of Philadelphia
The above two pages were copied from the History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Volume 3 by John Thomas Scharf, Thompson Westcott
They are extremely valuable in sorting out "who's who" in the Willcox family and especially identifying the following photo:
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Thomas Willcox, founder of Ivy Mills in 1729, apparently had three sons:
John - left Pennsylvania and went to North Carolina. John's son, John, Jr. went on to Georgia and Telfair County.
James - stayed in Pennsylvania, didn't help with business management at Ivy Mills but instead managed his own paper mill in Ridley Creek until his death in 1769
Mark - managed the family business at Ivy Mills and upon his father's death inherited the mill which he left to his posterity:
"James M." in the photo above is Mark Willcox's son and Thomas Willcox's grandson. James M.'s sons Mark, James and Joseph are great-grandsons of Thomas Willcox. If I translated correctly....
A history of paper-manufacturing in the United States, 1690-1916
By Lyman Horace Weeks
Info about Ivy Mills is found on pp. 11-14.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lDghAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=The+Willcox+Paper+Mill,+1729+-1866&source=bl&ots=BfPMdob3Qe&sig=Xn9p20vv9AAlE2FC_iUxJZ3cvV8&hl=en&ei=xEQETcuND9SNnQfWl5jlDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=The%20Willcox%20Paper%20Mill%2C%201729%20-1866&f=false
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Three Willcox Paper Mills
Ivy Mills was the first mill, a hand mill, established by Thomas Willcox in 1729. James M. Willcox took over with a knack for progress and leadership and built two more machine driven mills. The Willcox paper was rated as some of the best in the world and they had a worldwide market for their famous product.
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Ivy Mills Paper Mill - With Labels
Thomas Willcox started his paper mill in 1729, the same year his friend Benjamin Franklin started his printing press a few miles away in Philadelphia. Some Willcox descendants made their way down to NC and on to Georgia. These families are still living in the Jacksonville, Georgia (Telfair County) and surrounding areas.
Thomas Willcox and Benjamin Franklin Did Business
SOURCE: http://www.pbase.com/jacksonville_ga/image/84215
Thomas Willcox sold paper to Benjamin Franklin and Franklin's General Store supplied Thomas Willcox with his needs in that line. They were also very good friends. It is said that the Willcox women made a quilt with a design given them by their family friend, Benjamin Franklin. He paid many visits to their Ivy Mills location and they made frequent appearances at his general store and print shop in Philadelphia.
The Old Willcox Mansion - Pennsylvania
Caption from http://www.pbase.com/jacksonville_ga/image/84216
Thomas Willcox was a religious man. Catholic Mass was held in this home in one of the front rooms on the right until a church could be built. As some of the Willcoxes moved South they filtered into other denominations as well.
Old Swede Church - Marriage Site of Thomas and Elizabeth Willcox
Caption from original photo at http://www.pbase.com/jacksonville_ga/image/84214:
Thomas Willcox and Elizabeth Cole were married in the Old Swedish Church of The Holy Trinity, Wilmington, Delaware, in 1727. This was the beginning of a whole big bunch of Willcoxes, now scattered all over this country.
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