Transcribed from typewritten manuscript attributed to Chas. H. Stubbs, MD in "The Kirk Family" 1872.
"The old traditional story "of having descended from three brothers," who came from England, Ireland, or some other foreign land, and settled in different localities, is told and believed by many of the descendants of the first colonists of south-eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.
In fact, this ancient, stereotyped tradition, seems to attach itself to all our old families; and is related with an unction sufficient to make one, not cognizant of the uncertainties connected with genealogy, accept it as a historical truth.
The Kirk Family, of Nottingham, being among the oldest established in Pennsylvania, does not lack in traditionary lore as regards ancestry.
As a natural sequence we have the following:
I. "The Kirks are all descended from three brothers: Alphonsus, who came from Ireland, and settled in New Castle, Delaware; Jacob, who settled on the rich lands of the Conestoga, and Roger, who located near the waters of North-east Creek."
II. The first who came to America was Alphonsus Kirk, and from him descended all of the name Kirk in this country.
After three year's patient search and inquiry, having access to many old documents of a historical nature, we have arrived at the conclusion that none of the above statements have any foundation in fact.
"Prior to the arrival of William Penn, and for many years after this event, a number of persons of the name Kirk migrated to this country, settled in different localities, and eventually became the founders of numerous families. In all probability they cam from the same region of country in the "Old World", but to tell what relation they bore to each other, is, at this late day, a matter of impossibility.
"In our genealogical researches we have succeeded in tracing our family back to Roger Kirk, of East Nottingham; but no farther. It appears that he was among the pioneers of Nottingham, and we are led to infer that he migrated from the North of Ireland. He located in East Nottingham, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania, at least as early as 1712, where, at different times, he purchased large tracts of land, situated on both sides, and extending for a great distance along, North East Creek. By occupation, he was a weaver, and it would seem that he carried on this business together with farming."