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Welsh Mountain Family Gathering

We had a successful Reunion in New Holland (Lancaster County), on August 4th. Throughout the day in excess of 200 people were in attendance. Over the weeks I visited several cemeteries and took pictures of my ancestors grave markers. My Green ancestors back to the late 1600's through land records, deeds, and Wills. The Warrants and Patents naming Thomas Green were signed by Richard, John, and Thomas Penn. Thomas Green is the oldest ancestor, and purchased Warranted Land in the Pequea Valley (Chester County), in the early 1700's. Once Lancaster County was formed, his land was ceded to the new County. He left a will in 1737 naming his wife Ann as executor and his heirs, including my direct ancestor Thomas Green.

The Welsh Mountains was called the Pequea Valley by Natives, and as Green Banks, and is actually in New Holland Pennsylvania. It is not a name that has ever been incorporated, but one that most who are from the area recognize. For a long time the area was controlled by the Green family, and in 1790 an article was written in the Philadelphia Gazette (Benjamin Franklins Publication), naming Thomas Green as the leader of Green's Banditti. The article stated that Tom Green, a Burly Negro had control of the Mountains. Later his descendants would be accused of being Outlaws who controlled the Welsh Mountains along with the Buzzard Gang. The articles ran in such reputable News Papers as, the Reading Eagle, Lancaster Intelligencer, Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, and the Wide World Magazine (among others).

Great Great Grandfather Henry Greens Headstone Asbury Cemetery

Henry Green, my Great-Great Grandfather, was a participant in an event known as the, Resistance at Christiana the fugitive slave rebellion, in which a Slave owner was killed. The date of the event was 9/11/1851 and 38 men, mostly African American, were tried on charges of Treason. Later, Henry Green served in the United States Colored Troops out of Lancaster County.

The Green Story is told in my latest book, Black Minqua The Life and Times of Henry Green, available at, Leboudin.