The lineage of Emanuel Jones of Chester County, Pennsylvania to Robert Frank Emanuel is documented with some certainty.
David Emanuel of Charlestown Township of Chester County, Pennsylvania was almost certainly a son of Emanuel and Jane Jones. The Will of Emanuel Jones, made in Charlestown Township on 30 Apr 1754, is the strongest evidence that David Emanuel was his son: "I give and bequeath unto my Son David Emanuel and his Heirs the Sum of five Shilling to be paid by my Executors." David Emanuel was associated with Emanuel Jones as a witness to the Will of John Lewis made in Charlestown Township on 4 May 1731.
A 14 Jun 1758 document by Jane Jones renouncing any role as administrator in the Estate of Emanuel Jones demonstrates that she was the wife of Emanuel Jones and mother of David Emanuel, Sr.
The migration of David Emanuel, Sr. and his family from Chester County, Pennsylvania to St. George Parish in Georgia is well documented. He appeared on a 1748 tax list for Lunenburg, Virginia. A son, Levi Emanuel, was born in Chester County in about 1748. David Emanuel was in Lunenburg County, Virginia by 4 Nov 1748 when he witnessed the Will of John Mills.
Assuming that David Emanuel was at least 21 years of age in order to witness the Will of John Lewis, he was born before 1752 and was about 37 years of age when he migrated to Lunenburg, Virginia sometime between in 1748. In 1748, Emanuel Jones was about age 58, and given their ages, it is reasonable that he did not also migrate to Virginia.
In his journal of "A Trip from Goshen to North Carolina in 1751," John Townshend of Chester County, Pennsylvania wrote of a visit on 22 Feb 1751 to the home of David Emanuel in Lunenburg County, Virginia. This visit by a party from Chester County, Pennsylvania is evidence that David Emanuel of Lunenburg County migrated from Chester County, Pennsylvania.
A 1 Jan 1751 deed for the sale of land by William Rees to John Ruffin is the last evidence of David Emanuel's residence in Lunenburg County, Virginia. This deed mentions land owned by David Emanuel on the west side of Ward's Fork. David Emanuel, Sr. migrated to St. George Parish, Georgia before 27 Mar 1759 when he was appointed collector of tithes and fines. During the period Apr - Nov 1760, David Emanuel, Sr. served as a Justice of the Peace in St. George's Parish.
On 22 Nov 1768, David Emanuel, Sr. made a Will in St. George’s Parish of Georgia documenting his relationship with his son David Emanuel, Jr. The Will names sons Amos Emanuel, David Emanuel, Levi Emanuel, and Asa Emanuel; and daughters Elizabeth Emanuel, Rebeckah Emanuel, Martha Emanuel, and Ruth Emanuel. The Will of John Emanuel, made on 21 Mar 1786 in St. George Parish, further documents this relationship. John Emanuel named his father David Emanuel as sole executor and bequeathed property to siblings Levi Emanuel, Amos Emanuel, David Emanuel, Asa Emanuel, Elizabeth Emanuel, Rebecca Emanuel, Martha Emanuel and Ruth Emanuel.
The relationship between David Emanuel, Jr. of Burke County, Georgia and his son Lewis Emanuel is less documented. An indenture by Eli Emanuel as attorney for John Emanuel and Lewis Emanuel identifies Eli Emanuel, John Emanuel, and Lewis Emanuel as heirs of David Emanuel, Jr. David and Lewis Emanuel were together on 1 Jan 1789 when they served as chain bearers to survey 100 acres of land for David Emanuel. A son of David Emanuel, Jr., John Emanuel, certified this survey.
Lewis Emanuel died intestate in about 1816 at about age 41 years. On 4 Nov 1827, the orphans of Lewis Emanuel were granted 287 acres of land in Irwin County, Georgia, which had been taken from Native American Indians. A 15 Oct 1827 survey of lot 242 in Irwin County, Georgia is labeled "Drawn by Lewis Emanuel, orph of the 69th dist Burke County." The 1830 Federal census of Burke County, Georgia enumerates Benj. T. Emanuel in the 69th Company District. In 1831, Benjamin Emanuel paid tax on the Irwin County land.
The marriage of Benjamin Thomas Emanuel and Amazon Jane Johnson on 2 Jun 1830 in Jefferson County, Georgia, is documented, and the 1850 Federal census of Talbot County, Georgia enumates the Benjamin T. Emanuel household including Amazon Jane Emanuel.
The birth of Francis Lewis Emanuel on 6 Sep 1874, "Son of W D & M S Emanuel," and his death on 20 May 1940 are recorded in the Bible of William David Emanuel. The 23 Jun 1880 Federal census of Clay County, Texas enumates Frank Emanuel, age 6 years, as a son of W. D. Emanuel.
Dye, Helen Sides, The Johns Connections, Heritage Books, Bowie, Maryland, 1999.
Futhey, J. S. and G. Cope. History of Chester County, Pennsylvania: With genealogical and biographical sketches, Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 1995.