Featured Family
Rebecca Hulme Grundy was the mother of William Hulme Grundy and paternal grandmother of Joseph Ridgway Grundy and Margaret Ridgway Grundy. Her family, the Hulmes, links us to the nearby borough of Hulmeville which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2022.
Rebecca was born on May 16th 1804 in Middletown Township, Bucks County Pennsylvania. Her parents were William Hulme and Rachel Knight Hulme. She was the youngest of 5 children and proud of her heritage, being a descendant of Giles Knight, whom arrived on one of William Penn’s ships, either the Welcome or Society.
Rebecca married Edmund Grundy in April of 1824 in Philadelphia. From a letter that we have in our archives, she is given furniture as a wedding present from her uncle Samuel Hulme. Rebecca and Edmund have their first child Alfred Netherwood Grundy on July 8th 1825. Alfred died on July 27th 1825. There is an eight-year gap between his death and the birth of their second child Edmund Netherwood Grundy 1833. William Hulme Grundy (father of Joseph R. Grundy and Margaret R. Grundy) is born in 1836, then Susan Hulme Grundy (Harrison) in 1838, and finally Joseph Knight Grundy in 1841. Edmund and Rebecca purchased a farm along the Neshaminy Creek, Hulmeville, PA which became a favorite summer home and eventually the estate to which Edmund and Rebecca retired after moving out of Philadelphia.
Rebecca lived at Walnut Grove until her death in 1895. She outlived her husband and most of her children. Rebecca’s portrait is hung in the Upper Landing of the Grundy Museum.
