Letter written by Peter Kiner Sedwick (1826 - 1902)

apparently to William H Sedgwick (1864-1934),
son of William Hadden Sedgwick (1933 - 1895) of Granville, Licking Ohio,
of the Joshua Sedwick/Joshan Manning family

sent by Nola Miles Rogers, researcher of that family.

For WH. jr. New Castle, Oct 25, 1891

Dear Sir;
    Hoping this will find you well and prosperous I will try to answer your communication of the 12th in reference to the antecedents of the Sedwick family, and I will inform you in the first place that my information on that subject is not very extensive, not extending back any farther than about 1800. My grandfather Thos. Sedwick came to Mercer Co., Pa., and with his bride settled on 209 acres of land near the town of Mercer. My grandmother was the daughter of a wealthy Pennsylvania Dutch farmer of Buck’s Co., Pa, who disinherited her for marrying an Englishman. Thomas Sedwick and wife lived in Mercer Co., a year or two when he left her as he said to go to England for his share of his father’s estate and never returned, It was reported that he was lost at sea. My father was born in A.D.1805 and lived in Mercer Co., all his life time and his family is scattered all over the U.S.A. We have a tradition about the difference in spelling the name which may be correct and may not. About 1580 there was a Sir Sedgwick on an estate in North Britian who had two sons, at his death the eldest took possession of the property and the younger started out in the world to make his fortune (William H. Sedgwick); he went to sea and became a captain of one of the largest ships in the English navy, at that time. After many adventures he finally settled in the Island of Jamaica and married a Spanish lady and had a family of four Sons and two daughters, some of whom or their descendants came to the United States and settled in Virginia, Maryland and Western Pa. William A. and all of his descendants left out the letter g in signing their names. I have never seen or spoken to any of the name outside of my own family. I am therefore pleased to correspond with you and I am sorry that I cannot give you more information on the subject. I do not know what part of the country my grandfather came from neither do I know of any source where I could get the information you wish. There is a large family of the name in Mass. and other Eastern States who have been distinguished as General and Statesmen and authors who always spell their names with a g. I am pleased that you are corresponding with my son in Pasadena and hope you will become acquainted with him. I will gladly furnish you any information I can pick up in my intercourse with the world. Accept my best wishes and I remain, yours very truly, P.K. Sedwick.