From book "Descendants of James Stanclift of Middletown, Connecticut and Allied Families", By Robert C. and Sherry [Smith] Stancliff
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DESCENDANTS OF REVEREND JOHN STANCLIFF OF PHILADELPHIA AND CAPE MAY, NJ
GENERATION ONE
(PH11) REV. JOHN STANCLIFF
Son of an Unknown Stancliff born 1742, died 1802(1), married 1. Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA June 17, 1768 ELIZABETH DEWEY(2), married 2. First Baptist Church, Philadelphia County, PA October 2, 1788 SARAH PARKER(3).
In 1774 John Stancliff was listed as a (taxable) tenant in Delaware Ward, Philadelphia, PA in the household of John Minor, Cooper. From 1777 to June 18, 1778, British Troops occupied Philadelphia. In 1779, 1781 and 1782 John was on the State Tax List for Southwark, Philadelphia County, PA(4) and lived in 1779 near Enoch David, the principle exhorter at the Pennepek (now called Pennypack) Baptist Church. After Enoch David's death John was administrator for Enoch David's estate.(5) On Dec. 26, 1781 John was paid for duty as a Private Seventh Class, Sixth Battalion, City of Philadelphia Militia(6). 1781 and 1782.
In 1782 John was received into membership of the "Pennepek Baptist Church"(7) located in Lower Dublin Township, Philadelphia County, PA. This is subsequently identified in the records of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia as the "Baptist Church of Christ in Lower Dublin under pastoral care of Samuel Jones". A list of representatives of the Pennepek Church to the Baptist Association between 1775 and 1801 indicates that while a member of that church JOHN STANCLIFF served as a messenger or representative of the Pennepek Church. He was associated with Rev. Samuel Jones who was in charge of the Pennepek Church during the Revolution and until his death in 1814.(8) In 1878 the First Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA received into membership JOHN STANCLIFF Oct. 15, 1787 by letter from Lower Dublin(9). In 1788 the First Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA ordained John Stancliff a minister of the Gospel on Mar. 3, 1788, " John Stancliff, formerly a member of the Baptist Church of Christ in Lower Dublin under the pastoral care of Saml. Jones now a member with us, we grant unto him full liberty to Preach the Gospel to any church that may call him "(10).
In 1790 JOHN STANCLIFF was an assistant pastor at the First Baptist Church and on Oct. 12, 1789 "Brother Stancliff applied for a Letter of dismission to the Church at Cape May". But John's ministerial efforts in Cape May were being challenged by two Universalist preachers, and he sought help from an old friend, Rev. Samuel Jones. He wrote to Rev. Samuel Jones from Cape May, NJ on Aug. 4, 1790 to ask for his help in the form of an appearance at an upcoming meeting on Sept. 4, 1790. He wished to turn the congregation from the teachings of the Universalist preachers, and needed Rev. Jones' prestigious presence to help in that cause. He concludes the letter by sending regards from "Mrs. Stancliff"(11).
JOHN STANCLIFF appeared on the New Jersey Militia Rolls for Middle Township, Cape May, NJ in 1793(12). While John seems a bit old to be serving in a Military capacity, he may have been a Chaplin for the local Militia forces. Others on this Militia List were also middle aged or beyond. Records of the Cape May, NJ Baptist Church indicate that John remained as pastor the church until his death in 1802.
John was the author of numerous pamphlets containing his sermons.(13) Included was a sermon in given in Philadelphia on July 15, 1784 entitled "The Riddle of Riddles unriddled", and in 1784 a sermon "An Account of the Trial of Doctor Joseph Priestley, For the Horrid Crime of High Treason against King of Heaven and Earth, and Supreme Governor of the United States of North America." condemning the Reverend Doctor Joseph Priestley of Leeds and Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, an ordained minister and dedicated scientist, who discovered the presence of Oxygen and the nature of "Air" and wrote a series of Scientific papers describing his experiments.
CHILDREN: John and Elizabeth [Dewey] Stancliff
+ PH12- 1. JOHN STANCLIFF married Old Swedes Church, Philadelphia, PA October 28, 1792 RACHEL SHARPE(14).
PH13- 2. WILLIAM DEWEY STANCLIFF(15) baptized Old Swedes (Lutheran) Church (Gloria Dei), Philadelphia, PA 1769-70.
PH14- 3. MARY STANCLIFF born Feb. 16, 1771, baptized Christ Church (Church of England this date), Philadelphia, PA April 3, 1773(16)
+ PH15- 4. EDMUND STANCLIFF(17) born between 1765 and 1784(18) died between 1814 and 1820(19), married Cape May, Cape May County, NJ Oct. 12, 1796(20) SYLVIA "Silve" MOOR.
PH16- 5. ELIZABETH STANCLIFF married St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia 1816 STANTON R. DUPREY(21)
CHILDREN: Rev. John and Sarah [Parker] Stancliff
PH17- 6. PARKER STANCLIFF(22) married SARAH FITZGERALD
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Footnotes:
1. .Birth and Death Dates from WorldCat database accession number 26176308 for sermon preached in Philadelphia July 15, 1784 by John Stancliff entitled "The Riddle of Riddles Unriddled".
2. .PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, Series II, Vol. IX, page 345, Index to Some Philadelphia Marriages at St. Michaels & Zion Lutheran (1745-1800) and St. Paul's Church 1758-1806. This was a partial index to PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES Series II, Vol. IX, Names of Persons for whom Marriage Licenses were issued in the Province of Pennsylvania prior to 1790. The information in that source was on page 232.
3. .PENNSYLVANIA MARRIAGES PRIOR TO 1810, page 770
4. .PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, Series 3, Vol 14, page 704, Vol 15, page 146, Vol 15, page 777, and Vol 16, page 381 respectively.
5. .PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, Series 3, Volume 15, page 146.
6. .PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, Series 6, Vol. 1, ASSOCIATORS AND MILITIA. A GENERAL RETURN OF THE SIXTH BATTALION, page 411.
7. .B. HOFF KNIGHT PAPERS, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Records of Pennypack Baptist Church, Philadelphia County, 1687-1838, page 54.
8. .HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA 1609-1884 by J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott, page 1308.
9. .B. HOFF KNIGHT PAPERS, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, First Baptist Church of Philadelphia Records, Vol. I, page 26.
10. .B. HOFF KNIGHT PAPERS, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, First Baptist Church of Philadelphia Records, Vol.II, page 101.
11. .MRS. IRVING H. McKESSON COLLECTION, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, original letter written by John Stancliff.
12. .NEW JERSEY IN 1793, Abstract of Militia Census by James S. Norton 1973, page 362
13. .DICTIONARY OF BOOKS RELATING TO AMERICA, Vol 23, by Joseph Sabin
14. .PENNSYLVANIA MARRIAGES PRIOR TO 1810, page 521
15. .RECORDS OF OLD SWEDES CHURCH (GLORIA DEI) VOL. I, PAGE 128. Index only. William Duey Stantliss (Stancliff) appears together with Elizabeth [Dewey] and John Stantliss (Stancliff) in the index. Because of this and the fact that his middle name is the same as Elizabeth's maiden name, William is believed to be a descendant of John and Elizabeth Stancliff.
16. .COLLECTIONS OF THE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, VOL 167, Records of Christ Church, Philadelphia, Baptisms 1769-1794
17. .Since Edmund and Rev. John Stancliff listed above are both found in Cape May, NJ, it is possible that Edmund is a son of Rev. John.
18. .PA 1810 CENSUS, Philadelphia County, East Southwark for Edmund Stancliff.
19. .Philadelphia City Directories of 1820, 1821, and 1822 list Sylvia as a Widow living on 4th below Chestnut in 1820 and 127 Poplar north of St. John in 1821-2.
20. .CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY MARRIAGE RECORDS by Stanley H. Craig
21. .Possible daughter. Assigned to this family because name is the same as the mother and age is consistent.
22. .Assigned to this family because first name is same as mother's maiden name.
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