Emerson, The Quartermans of Pennsylvania ca. 1750 to 1860

The Quartermans of Pennsylvania ca. 1750 to 1860 by Ann-Jannette Emerson 2001, Santa Monica, California vii + 88 pp., size 8.5 x 11 inches.

The author remarks:

``Yes, John, copies of my book, The Quartermans of Pennsylvania: ca. 1750-1860, are still available. I print and velo bind them now one at a time, as needed. The cost is $20.00, prepaid, for delivery that takes about two weeks. If you want the book sooner, $25.00 will get it to you by Priority Mail. I will print one up for you as soon as I receive your check.'' —Ann Emerson

Ann Emerson
540 Latimer Road
Santa Monica, CA 90402

Book Review

Recently I ordered and received a copy of The Quartermans of Pennsylvania ca. 1750 to 1860 by Ann-Jannette Emerson. It's an vii + 88 page 8.5x11 inch book.

I'm still reading it, but my impression thus far is that it's a solidly researched and referenced work of genealogy and history. It's also quite readable.

Here's how you can get one:

http://www.quarterman.org/books/emerson.html

The Pennsylvania Quartermans appear to have no relation to other U.S. Quarterman groups.

However, there are some items in this book that are relevant to other lines.

For one thing, she cites an entry from Filby's Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1538-1940 for Robert Quarterman, immigrated to South Carolina, year 1670 to 1698. I'd like to see what Filby's evidence is. From the vague date, I'd guess he simply inferred that Robert must have immigrated during those years.

For another, she asserts that Quartermus and Quartermis were variations on the Quarterman name that were frequently used in early British and American records, along with less frequent uses of other variations such as Quartermas and even Quartermaster, sometimes for the same person on the same page. This is in addition to the more usual Quartermaine, Quaterman, Quartermain, Quatermaine, variations.

When I researched the Maryland Quartermans, I deliberately did not use records for Quartermus, because I assumed that was a different family. There were more Quartermus records than Quarterman ones. So we need to reopen the Maryland case.

Emerson includes a few Maryland records for probate for two people named John Quartermus and one named James Quartermus. If we assume one of these was the same as the John Quarterman previously researched for Maryland, that would explain what happened to him; he died in 1694 in Ann Arundel County, Maryland. That date would work well with a son of his moving to S.C. in 1695, although there is no direct evidence. But there might be, in other Maryland records for Quartermus.

The Pennsylvania Quartermans had one obvious feature that makes them seem familiar: they were long-lived. In particular, their progenitor, a John Quarterman, lived to be 108 years old.

A big difference is that Ann Emerson has apparently traced this progenitor back to England, including how and when he came to America.

John S. Quarterman