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Pennsylvania Female Ancestors

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Below is a list of Pennsylvania's Female Ancestors that have been added to the NSCDA Register of Ancestors. The entries include their name; their birth, baptism, death, and burial dates if known; and their service category which allows their direct descendent to join the NSCDA.

As of December 2025, the NSCDA/PA has added 72 women to the PA list of qualifying ancestors.

Click on the individual's name to view their biography.

"Our ambition is kindled by the same of those heroines of antiquity, who have rendered their sex illustrious, and have proved to the universe, that, if the weakness of our Constitution, if opinion and manners did not forbid us to march to glory by the same paths as the Men, we should at least equal, and sometimes surpass them in our love for the public good."

---Esther DeBerdt Reed ("Sentiments of an American Woman" published 1780)

Baker, Elizabeth (Nicholson) | ? -1812 PA | Founder of County, 1773

Bartram, Ann (Mendenhall) | 22 Sep 1703 - 29 Jan 1789 PA | Woman of Distinction: Entrepreneur

Biddle, Mary (Scull) | 2 Aug 1709 - 9 May 1789 PA | Woman of Distinction: Map Editor

Biles, Jane (Boid/Bond) Atkinson | ? - bur. 21 Dec 1709 PA | Minister, Society of Friends, c.1688-1706

Biles, Johannah (Hillard) | 8 Nov 1647 - bur. 4 Sep 1687 PA | Historic Founder, arrived 4 Jun 1679 (with husband and 7 children)

Bogart, Mary (Gregg) Jamison | c.1730- 7 Mar 1785, Buckingham Twp., Bucks Co., and Philadelphia, PA | Woman of Distinction: Tavern Keeper (1754-1777), Meeting place Committee of Safety- Bucks Co.

Breintnall, Esther (Parker) | c.1698 - 18 Oct 1762 PA | Woman of Distinction: Tavern Owner/Public House (The Hen and Chickens)

Breintnall, Hannah (Sharp) | c.1707 - 25 Aug 1770 PA | Woman of Distinction: Proprietor Optician Shop "Sign of the Golden Spectacles"

Breintnall, Jane (Blanchard) | c.1656 - 25 Aug 1725 PA | Historic Founder (arrived on "Thomas & Anne", 1683); Quaker Minister, c.1700

Brodwell, Mary (Freeman) | 1 Jan 1629/30 - 2 Jan 1729/30 PA | Midwife and Shop Owner

Carpenter, Hannah (Hardiman) | c.1645 - 24 Jul 1728 PA | Historic Founder & Quaker Minister

Clare, Esther (Peacock) | ca.1674 - 3 Oct 1742 PA | Quaker minister, by 1714

Cloud, Elizabeth (Bayley) | bap. 19 Mar 1667- aft. 21 Dec 1717 PA | Historic Founder, Chichester, c.1683

Coates, Mary (Langdale) | 6 Jun 1713 - 23 Oct 1770 PA | Woman of Distinction - business owner, 1734-1770

Cock, Margaret (Lom) | c.1626 - bur. 13 Feb 1703 PA | Historic Founder (Service also qualifies in DE)

Cock, Martha (Ashman) | August 1650 - aft. 1724 PA | Historic Founder

Conaway, Mary (Hollingsworth) | 25 Mar 1656 - 1746 PA | Historic Founder (Arrival 1682 Penn Ship)

Couc Montour, Isabelle/Elizabeth | 1667-1752 Pennsylvania Frontier | Interpreter/Negotiator to the PA Provincial Council (c.1727-c. 1745)

Croasdale, Agnes Hathornthwaite | c.1646 - bur. 20 Oct 1684 PA | Historic Founder - Arrived on "The Lamb" (22 Oct 1682)

Deshler, Mary (LeFevre) | 24 Aug 1715-26 Feb 1774 | Healer, creator of Deshler’s Salve

Dickinson, Mary "Polly" Norris | 17 Jul 1740 - 23 Jul 1803 PA | Woman of Distinction - estate owner/manager, 1766

Draper, Rachel | c.1715 - bur. 26 Apr 1794 PA | Woman of Distinction: Boardinghouse/Tavern Owner, beg. c.1767

Drinker, Elizabeth (Sandwith) | 16 Feb 1735 - 25 Nov 1807 PA | Woman of Distinction: Diarist (1758-1807)

Ferree, Marie Warrenbauer | 1653-1716, Pequea Valley (Lancaster Co.), PA | Founder of Huguenot Colony in present day Paradise Twp., 1712

Franklin, Deborah (Read) | c.1704 - 19 Dec 1774 PA | Woman of Distinction - Business owner/manager

Fraser Dunlap, Jane/Jean (Bell) | 1735 - 1815 PA | Woman of Distinction: celebrated frontierswoman and innkeeper, c.1755/58

Fry, Cremona “Mooney” (Satterthwaite) Morrey | c.1715-1770 Cheltenham Twp., PA |Woman of Distinction: Manumitted and became landowner of 198 acres (1745/46)

Guest, Alice (Bailys) | bap. 28 Apr 1642 - 3 Sep 1705 PA | Founder, arrived 1683; Woman of Distinction: Tavern Operator and Land Patent/Wharf Owner

Harvey, Rebecca (Owen) Minshall | 1687 - aft. 1751 PA | Quaker minister, 1729

Henry, Ann (Wood) | 21 Jan 1734 - 8 Mar 1799 PA | Woman of Distinction, beginning 1755

Hoff, Justina Margaretha (Schnertzel) | 1743 - 1806 PA | Woman of Distinction

Hollingsworth, Ann (Calvert) | Nov 1650 - 17 Oct 1697 PA | Historic Founder (arrival 1682 Penn Ship)

Holton, Elizabeth (Guest) | 1675 - 10 Apr 1757 PA | Founder, arrived 1683; Quaker Elder

James, Elizabeth | ? - bef. 13 Jan 1747/78 PA | Organized Montgomery Baptist Church, 20 Jun 1719

James, Mary (Goodwin) | ? - ca. 1776 PA | Quaker minister, 1718 or 1737

Jones, Mary (Porter) | 1707 - Sep 1761 PA | Woman of Distinction: School Mistress (owner No. 8 Drinker's Alley)

Keurlis, Elisabeth (Doors) | c.1647- aft. 1 Feb 1727 PA | Historic Founder, 1683

Kunders, Lijntijen | c.1650 - bef. 19 Jun 1723 PA | Historic Founder, 1683

LeTort, Ann| c.1651 - 1720 PA | Woman of Distinction- Fur Trader c. 1687-1720

Lewis, Margaret (Thomas) | 1712 - 1789 PA | Quaker minister, 1744

Lloyd, Mary (Jones) | c. 1640 - 1683 PA | Historic Founder (arrived on "America", 1683)

Mackenet, Sarah (Shoemaker) Pastorius | c. 1723 - Apr 1795 PM | Woman of Distinction: Tavern Owner, (Green Tree, Saddler's Arms, Widow Mackent's)

Marsh, Elizabeth (Allibone) | 1 Aug 1683 - prob. 1741 PA | Woman of Distinction: Premier Schoolmistress known for her pupils' extant examples of fine needlework, 1720-1740

Masters, Sybilla (Righton) | c. 1676 - 3 Sept 1720 PA | inventor: First American Colonist granted an English patent (no. 401) held under her husband's name, Thomas Masters, 25 Nov 1715

Mattson, Margaret (Erichsdotter) | c.1630 - 1693 PA | Founder, arrived New Sweden on the Eagle, 1654; Woman of Distinction: Fought oppression, exonerated of Witchcraft by William Penn, 1683.

Morris, Elizabeth (Hudson) | 1722 - bur. 23 May 1783 PA | Quaker Minister, 1743-1783

Morris, Susanna (Heath) | 12 Oct 1682 - 28 Apr 1755 PA | Quaker Minister, c.1711-1755

Op den Graeff, Catharina "Trijntje" (Jansen) | bef. 1660 - c.1710 PA | Historic Founder, 1683

Painter, Ellinor (Musgrave) | ? - bur. 23 Jan 1689/90 PA | Historic Founder, arrived on the Unicorn 31 October 1683

Paschall, Elizabeth (Coates) | 1702 - 10 Apr 1767 PA | Healer

Penn, Hannah (Callowhill) | bap. 11 Feb 1670 - 1726 PA | Manager of Proprietary Affairs for the Colony of Pennsylvania, 1712

Pennell, Mary (Morgan) | c.1678 - 10 May 1764 PA | Quaker Minister

Piper, Lucinda | Abt. 1735-c. 1805, Shippensburg, Cumberland Co., PA | Woman of Distinction: Proprietor “Widow Piper’s Tavern” aka original Cumberland County Court House (1750-1751)

Queen Alliquippa | c. 1680- 23 Dec 1754, Pennsylvania Frontier | Woman of Distinction: Seneca Leader & frontier ambassador (c. 1701-1754)

Rambo, Brita (Mattsdotter) | 1630 - 12 Oct 1693 PA | Historic Founder

Read, Sarah (White) | bap. 16 Dec 1675 - 7 Dec 1761 PA | Woman of Distinction: Business Owner, Apothecary

Reed, Esther (DeBerdt) | 1746/47- 23 Sept 1780 PA | Woman of Distinction: Business Woman, Political Operative, and Writer

Richards, Jane | ? - aft. 16 Feb 1710/11 PA | Arrived on The Amity, 3 Aug 1682

Roberts, Gaynor (Roberts) | 1653 - 20 Feb 1722 PA | Historic Founder (Morning Star, 1683)

Robinson, Catherine (Hollingsworth) | Jul 1663 - 29 Aug 1746 PA | Historic Founder (Arrival 1682 Penn Ship)

Roker, Mary (Keen) Crathorne | 29 Sep 1728-May 1780, Philadelphia, PA | Mustard & Chocolate Manufacturer (Globe Mills) & Purveyor of Goods

Ross, Elizabeth "Betsy" (Griscom) | 1 Jan 1752 - 30 Jan 1836 PA | Woman of Distinction, Business Owner: Upholsterer and flag maker

Rufner, Barbara (Leininger) | c.1743 - bef. Sep 1824 PA | Woman of Distinction: Abducted and held captive by Indians in 1755 until her successfully planned escape 3 1/2 years later.

Samson, Hannah Callendar | 1737- 9 Mar 1801, Philadelphia, PA | Woman of Distinction: Diarist (1758-1788), noted as one of the earliest and fullest documents written by an American woman.

Seimens, Mercken Williamsen (Lucken) | 1652 - c.1715 PA | Historic Founder, 1683

Sharples, Edith (Yarnall) | 13 May 1743 - 18 Jan 1787 PA | Quaker Minister

Shoemaker, Dorothy (Penrose) | c.1704 - 11 Aug 1764 PA | Woman of Distinction: Business Owner "Dorothy's Mill", 1746

Shoemaker, Sarah | ? - c.1708 PA | Historic Founder, Cheltenham Twp., 1686

Steel, Rebecca (Steel) | c.1704 - bur. 29 Dec 1783 PA | Woman of Distinction: Business Owner

Thompson, Ann (Hollingsworth) | 28 Dec 1680 - aft. 1712 PA | Historic Founder (Arrival 1682 Penn Ship)

unknown, Dinah | btw c.1720 & c.1730 - 21 Feb 1805 PA | Woman of Distinction - Requested and won her freedom from Hannah Emlen Logan and William Logan at Stenton, April 15, 1776.

Wishart, Ann (Betson) | c.1690 - 16 Jan 1770 PA | Women of Distinction: Tallow Chandler/ Candlemaker & Merchant

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