In the Beginning....
The Early Quicksalls
by Laura Quicksall Hanks
Taken from a transcript entitled "Quicksalls" (c) 1988
Pronunciation of the Surname
Based on numerous researched records, the correct pronunciation of Quicksall may be Quick-sill or Quick-sell which was the way it was pronounced by the grandparents of today's older generation. As if phonetically written, the surname is found recorded as Quicksale, Quicksail, Quixall, Quicksill, Quicksil, Quicksell, Quicksel, Sucksel, etc. The prevalent spelling of all records in Quicksall and is also written as such in the earliest documents on file. Thus, it can be concluded the correct spelling is Quicksall. Today, the name is pronounced Quick-saw by most.
Settling in America
In 1677, 230 Quakers of London and Yorkshire Counties/Shires in England came to America and founded a settlement in New Jersey which became known as Burlington. William Quicksall, linen-weaver, established in the area sometime after that and is thought to have immigrated from Sheffield, England.
From records, during the 6th month of 1689 (August according to old dates), William Quicksall of Chesterfield purchased 300 acres on Crosswicks Creek. He built a cabin on his tract of land and since it was the custom in those days to designate a home place with a title, he named it "Boulones." Between the years of 1689 and 1695, several land dealings were recorded concerning William Quicksall of Boulones.
William of Boulones and his wife, Mary, had four sons and one daughter: Joseph (1698), William (1700), John (1902), Joshua (1704), and Sarah (1706). For some reason, William by-stepped his sons and made daughter Sarah the administrator of his will dated August 28, 1728. She declined on August 21, 1736, and requested that her brother John be appointed. The will was proved January 6, 1740. William of Boulones died before the birth of his grandson who later fought for the colonies' independence from Great Britain.
During the American Revolution, John Quicksall, Jr. (1741-1783), Quaker of Burlington, organized, at the dismay of his father and financed at his own expense, 100 men to fight in the war. Being elected as Captain by his men, Capt. John Quicksall Jr. received his commission on August 26, 1775, and his organized company was incorporated into the First Regiment of Burlington County Volunteers. Capt. Quicksall served gallantly under Gen. George Washington and at the close of the war, was honourably mustered out.
There were several major battles in and around New Jersey during the Revolutionary War and by reason, however, of the hardships endured, Capt. John Quicksall, Jr.'s health suffered. He lived but a short while to enjoy the liberty which he so nobly and generously helped to win. His death occurred on October 10, 1783, and his pregnant wife who had been left with four young children also died shortly afterwards, apparently in childbirth or complications of childbirth. The Captain's heavy war debt was cleared by his proud and honorable father according to his father's will. John Quicksall, Sr.'s will dated October 30, 1783, mentioned his widowed daughter-in-law and her four children, but then a codicil was added March 22, 1784, probably because of the daughter-in-law's sudden death, "Land in Nottingham near Assanjunk to pay debts of son John, deceased."
After the deaths of Capt. John Quicksall, Jr., of the Revolutionary War, in 1783 and his wife in early 1784, John Hunt, the father -in-law, took the orphaned Quicksall children to Kentucky. The three Quicksall Girls, Sarah, Elizabeth, and baby Mary, married Kentucky men. The two Quicksall boys, Aaron and John, left Kentucky and went back to their home state and married New Jersey women.
After the American Revolution, Quicksall migration flowed from the New Jersey area. At present, documents have not been located to show Quicksalls living in Virginia before 1790, but in the book, Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Adam Quicksnell (Quicksell) is listed as being from Alleghany County. In 1802, Rev. Jonathan Erastus Quicksall does appear in the state. It is not known of where he came from. (It was later determined that he immigrated to Virginia from England by way of France).