JOHN DARKE

• Born: 4 Mar 1667 in England to William Thomas Darke and Allis Butcher
• Married: Jane Rush 1698 in Byberry, Bucks, Pennsylvania
• Died: ca. 1730 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

 John and Jane had to following children:

• John Darke, Jr.   b. 1698
• William Darke     b. 1700
• Joseph Darke      b. 1702
• Thomas Darke    b  1704 (died young)
• Samuel Darke     b. 1706
• Mary Darke         b. 1709
• Susannah Darke  b. ca. 1710

John Darke was a large land owner and Constable in Makefield Township in Bucks Co., PA.  He was married to Jane Rush, youngest daughter of Captain John "Old Trooper" Rush and Susannah Lucas.     Captain John Rush commanded a troop of horses in Cromwell's Army and after the was he was married to Susannah Lucas at Horton in oxfordshire, England, June 8, 1648.  They came to Pennsylvania in 1683, and settled in Byberry, thirteen miles from Philadelphia.  William Penn also arrived at this time.  Captain Rush died at Byberry in 1699 and his horseman's sword was in the possession of Jacob Rush and his watch in that of General William Darke, grandson of John and Jane Darke.  Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also a descendant of this Rush family.

 The Rush Family was Quaker until 1691 when they became Keithians.  Then in 1697, most of them became Baptist.  According to records of the Pennypack Baptist Church, the oldest of this denomination in Pennsylvania, Susannah Lucas Rush was baptised into this faith on 5 July 1707, when she was about eighty years old.  John Darke, being Quaker, was disowned 1698, because he married out of unity.  It is possible that he and Jane could have been of Baptist faith, although, various denominations seem to occur down through the generations. 

John's will was probated in Bucks Co., Pa. in 1730. (Will #290 -Bk.1,pg. 85)
Reads as follows:


In the name of God Amen. In ye twenty seventh day of April in ye year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thrity, I, Johne Darke of Makefield in Buck County, in the Province of Pensilvania Yeoman, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God, therefore calling to mind the mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do make and ordain this my last will and testament,
that is to pay principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, and for my body I recommend it to ye earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, at the discretion of my Executor, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again and the Mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of them in the following manner and form ---- Imprimes, I give and bequeath to my loving and tender wife, Jane Dark, whome I likewise constitute make and ordain my only and sole Executor of this my last will and testament, all and singular my whole estate real and personal only paying unto everyone of my children five shillings each and all ye remainder by her freely to be
enjoyed for ever. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacies and Executors by me in anyways before this time named willed and bequeathed rattifying and confirming this an no other to be my last will and testament. In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.''

Signed John Darke.

Witnessed by Edward Lucas, William Gregory and Stephen Edwin.