For a history of the Claypole family in American see Genealogy of the Claypoole Family of Philadelphia. 1588-1893 by Rebecca Irwin Graff (published 1893) available on Google Books.

James Claypole (1643 - 1687) was a Quaker merchant from London and the Treasurer of the Free Society of Traders. He immigrated to Pennslyvania in 1683 and became a prominent member of the Provincial Council (ref.: William Penn and the Founding of Pennsylvania).

In 1684 James Claypole purchased 5,000 acres of land in the province of Pennsylvania. 1,000 acres of this purchase was laid out in what became Easttown township. The tract laid out was actually specified as 1050 acres. This did not include the normal 6% allowance for roads which brought the area up to 1,111 acres.

James Claypole died in 1687 having made his will and bequesting this tract jointly to six of his children, 3 daughters and 3 sons. Two of the daughters died before 1700. In 1700 Frances Cook, husband of Mary Claypole, the exectrix of the will, together with Nathaniel, George & Joseph Claypole sold 1000 acres of the 1,111 acres to Adam Rhoads. The actual location of the theoretical 111 acres not sold was not specified.

In 1702 Adam Rhoads sold half (500 acres of the northern part) of the tract to John Bethel. The way the deed reads Adam Rhoads believed he had purchased all of the Claypole tract. The southeast corner of the Bethel tract was the junction of what is now Grubbs Mill Road and route 252.

John Bethel sold the tract to Joseph Harvey in 1705 and Thomas Edwards acquired it in 1714. In 1715 Edwards partitioned the tract and sold 100 acres in the northeast section to Owen Hughes, 125 acres in the southeast corner to John David, and another 100 acres in the southwest corner to Richard Evans,. In 1724 Edwards sold the remaining 386 acres to Anthony Wayne (the grandfather of General Wayne).

The total area of the 4 portions was 711 acres, rather than the 500 acres originally specified.

The southern section of the tract

In 1721 Adam Rhoads sold a 125 acre section of the southern tract to Jane Jones, and in 1724 a 150 acre section in the southwest corner to Adam Trehorn / Trehern. The eastern boundary of both tracts was the eastern boundary of the Claypole tract.

In 1740 Adam Rhoads made his will and died. His executors sold a 69 acre tract to Anthony Wayne in 1750. This tract had a northern boundary of Grubbs Mill Road and a southern boundary of the Jane Jones tract.

The southern section of the Claypole tract also appears to be wider but shorter than the original survey. The whole area of the Claypole tract is estimated to have an area of 1,250 to 1,290 acres. Given that Adam Rhoads only purchased 1000 acres of the tract then the remainder would be held by the heirs of James Claypole.

In 1751 and 1761 Nathaniel Claypole, son of Nathaniel Claypoole senior, and grandson of James Claypole, the original purchaser of the tract; took out mortgages on an eighth part of 238 acres he contended was his inheritance. The description of the property boundary in the mortgage document does not make sense. Nathaniel died in 1761 and devised his property to his sons Thomas and James Claypole.

In 1762 James and Mary Claypole of Philadelphia, William and Edith McCrea, James Claypole of Maryland, and William Claypole, heirs of James Claypole sold their portion of the tract to Andrew Steel and Benamin Junkin (3/4 to Steel and 1/4 to Junkin). The deed does not quote a specific area covered by the deed but only talks about 15/16ths parts of Claypole tract excepting that sold to Adam Rhoads.

In 1766 Isaac Wayne purchased 160.5 acres from the grandchildren of Adam Rhoads (John and Sarah Ball et al). This tract was in the southwest corner of the Claypole tract. This brings the total land sold by Adam Rhoads and his heirs to just over 1000 acres. An overview of the sales is given below:

The southern section of the tract after 1766

In 1767 Andrew Steel released a 40 acre section of the jointly owned tract to his partner, Benjamin Junkin, and Junkin released 120 acres to Steel. The same year Steel purchased the 69 acre tract originally sold to Anthony Wayne. In 1768 Steel sold 51 acres of the 69 acre tract to John Evans. Then in 1769 and 1770 Steel and Junkin sold a total of 15 acres at the north end of the tract to John Griffith.

Benjamin Junkin through his wife Margaret (nee Ellis) inherited the 125 acre tract orignally sold to Jane Jones (date unclear, possibly 1742). Benjamin died between 1778 and 1781 and devised his part of this property to his son, David.