James Logan's Autobiography; Gateway to the Logans in our European Ascendancy

From Myers, Albert Cook, Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750. 1902, 1994, xxii+ 177 pp. 1902. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969 .Page 238-240. G F Library
 
 

"His Autobiography About all that is known of James Logan's early life is contained in his autobiography, which, as it has never been published--so far as I can learn--is here printed in its entirety:

Ancestry  My Father was born in E Lothain in Scotland: was educated for the Clergy, & was a Chaplain for some time; but turning Quaker, he was obliged to go to Ireland & to teach a Latin School there--He had several children,1 of whom none are  now living, nor have been, more than these 50 years past, saving my Br Wm who took his degree of Doctor of Physick in Holland--and is now the chief Physician in Bristol--and myself--My Mother was Isabel Hume Daught of James Hume--a younger Brother of the House of St Leonards, of the Shire of Mers (as I think) in the South of Scotland. He was Manager of the Estate of the Earl of Murray--who owed, but never paid him ú1500 Sterl. tho the said Earl lodged for some years in his House in the Shire of Fife--My Grandmother, before she married, was Bethia Dundas,2 Sister of the Laird of Dundas, of Didiston, about 8 miles west of Edinburgh a fine seat, and the Earl of Murray assisted my Grandfather in carrying off my Grandmother--She was nearly related to the Earl of Panmat [Panmure] &c.

Education and Apprenticeship The Family Flees to Scotland, 1689 His Father Teaches Friends' School at Bristol
Having learned Latin, Greek, and some Hebrew, before I was 13 years of age--in my 14th I was put Apprentice to a Linnen Draper--one as considerable with his Partner as any in Dublin. But the Prince of Orange, landing before I was bound (tho' I served my Master 6 months) in the winter 1688, I went down to my Parents--and the wars in Ireland coming on, In the Spring I went over to Edinburgh with my Mother--after which my Father soon followed, who being out of employment--repair'd to London, & was there gladly receiv'd by our friends--Deputies to the Genl Meeting from Bristol in that City--as their schoolmaster3--for the
 

His Father Returns to Ireland and Leaves Son in Charge of School, 1693
In 1693 after above 3 years stay there, pretending to go over for my Mother,1 but with a real design never to return He left me in his school, not full 19 years of age--ordering me on the receipt of his Letter Signifying my Mother would not come over, that I should give up the school & return to him. But our Friends would not give me up, I therefore continued in the same employment until the peace of Reswick in 1697.
Studies Mathematics and the Languages
In which time, as I had in Edinburgh in my 16th year, happily met with a book of the Leyborns on the Mathematics, I made myself Master of that, without any manner of Instruction, and in the time in which I kept school, I further improved myself in the Greek looking a little further into the Hebrew--I also learned French & Italian with some Spanish; but went 3 mos. to French Master to learn the Pronunciation, without which I was sensible I should never be able to  speak it. But otherwise I never paid one penny for Learning any thing whatsoever, and tho' I had my course of Humanity--as it is  called in Ireland from my Father, I can safely say, he never gave me the least instruction whatsoever, more than he gave to the other scholars--
 
 
good scholar, and an apt schoolmaster to instruct youth in Latin, &c., is a present out of employment, and, upon some discourse of it among Friends at London, is in some expectation that he may be serviceable to Friends'  children at Bristol. upon consideration of which this meeting is desirous  to promote it, in hopes it may be serviceable to our youth." In 9 Mo.  following the treasurer was desired to hand Patrick Logan "ú50, and to  pay Jno. Harwood's note of carpenter's work for the said school."--William  Tanner, Three Lectures on the Early History of the Society of Friends    in Bristol and Somersetshire, London, 1858, p. 124.
1 At Ulster Province Meeting, 2 Mo. 13, 1695, "Some Books being brought To Pattk Loagan Sent him from George Keeth & friends being Sensiblee of ye hurt which ensued if ye Said Books Should be received   amongst any professing Truth have Therefore Concluded ye Said Books  Shall be viewed and Presed [perused] by Some Sencible friends and ye  Errours noated in ye margent and Then Sent back To George Keeth To   London for prevention of his Sending any more Such factious Books and  That a Letter be also Sent with ye Said Books on behalfe of ye Province   Meeting To George Keeth."

 

Engages in Shipping, 1697 But to return;
After the Peace, having first agreed in Bristol, to go over with another Factor to Jamaica, I  went over to Ireland to see my Parents1: and having told them my intention of going over to that Island, my Mother was so averse to it, that she affirmed she would much rather see me dead--On this I was obliged to change my measures, & began with a cargo, from Dublin, to enter on a trade between that place and Bristol, which I followed for about 8 months.

Becomes Penn's Secretary, 1690 [sic]
When in the spring of 1699, our old Proprietor [William Penn] sent for me, and made me hisproposals to come over to Penna as his Secretary, and desired me to take time & advice upon it--Some of my Friends advised me to accept, & some others as strenuously against it; but in some few days I went over to Bath--with my frd Ed Hackel, & accepted of it.

Comes to Pennsylvania In 8or 1699,
being then at Sea, in our voyage hither--I was 25 ys. of age--The Proprietor continued here 2 years wanting about 5 weeks, and left me in more offices that I was fit to undertake & got thro'. But had I left his whole business--at the time of his departure, I might--considering my singular good fortune--or the kind Providence that has ever attended me--for which I can never be sufficiently grateful, I might I say with great ease have doubled my present fortune--& equaled what the Propts son Thos charged me with having--according to an information he had recd viz:--ú60,000 but I am fully content with what I have tho' not half so much--The old Proprietor was willing to give me what I would ask, for my ten years service, & considering his melancholy circumstances in 1711 I set it at ú100 a year curcy for all manner of services whatsoever, But told him I would stay in his service no more than 2 years--But he was seized with an apoplectic fit in less than 1 year which tied me down to his business, vastly it proved to my loss--as my Letters designed at first for our Proprietor Thos Penn fully demonstrate--2

Public Life Penn brought Logan to Pennsylvania on his second coming, in the Canterbury, in 1699, and immediately plunged him into the affairs of the

1 William Penn wrote to James Logan from London, 4 Mo. 21, 1702: "Of thy Family.--Thou hast heard of the death of thy father and marriage
of thy mother with one not a Friend; an exercise W. Ed [William Edmundson]  &c told me so at our Yearly Meeting."--Penn and Logan Correspondence,
I., 117.
 2 From a copy (No. 108) in the Smith MSS., Vol. 1, 1678-1743 (F. 7287 1/2), Ridgeway Branch, Philadelphia Library Company.

The remainder of this text is a discussion of James Logan's role in Penna
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/_glc_/1767/1767_241.html