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HD 268 .Q3 V3 Copy 2
HISTORY OF LAND TITLES
IN THE VICINITY OF
Quakertown, New Jersey
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HISTORY OF LAND TITLES
IN THE VICINITY OF
Quakertown, New Jersey
MARY C. VAIL
e
FLEMINGTON, N. J. H. E. DEATS 1915
Copy 2
HI1268 Q3V3 copy 2
Originally published in the Hunterdon County Democrat, Flemington, N. J., in the issues of March 10, 17, 24 and 31, 1915. Edition of 210 copies in this form, printed April 10, 1915.
APR 21 1515
THE KILLGORE PRESS. FLEMINGTON, N. J.
History of Land Titles in the Vicinity of Quakertown
The following article was prepared by the late Mrs. John Vail, of Quakertown. It was her intention to read it at a meeting of the Hunterdon County Historical Society, and later to publish it in the Jerseyman. Her untimely death prevented further research on the subject, and the paper is here pre- sented as she left it.
In October of the year 1712, three tracts of land, all included in the "Third Indian Purchase" made in 1703, lying in the central part of Hunter- don County and abutting on each other in the near vicinity of Quakertown, were surveyed by John Reading and set off to Daniel Coxe, Thos. Gardiner and Rachel Hutchinson respectively. First in order of date was that of Col. Coxe, the return of the survey of which is recorded in Book A, page 126 in the Surveyor General's office at Burlington and bears date 9th and 10th of Oct., 1712, being described as follows: "Beginning at a post standing in Gov. Penn's line for a corner then along ye said line East 130 chains to a hickory corner tree of Edward Rockhill's land, then along ye said Rockhill's line North 62 chains to a hickory corner tree in John Reading's line, then along ye said line West 12 chains to a corner post of said Reading's land, then still along ye said John Reading's line North 130 chains to a black oak corner tree of Mahlon Stacy's land, then along ye line of ye said Stacy West 96 chains to another corner white oak tree, then still along said Mahlon's line North 62 chains to a corner white oak tree, then along Mary Tomkin's land North 84 chains to a post for a corner, then South-west 534 chains to a hickory corner tree, then North westerly about 60 degrees 601/2 chains to a black oak corner tree, then South 15 chains to a Redd oak corner tree, then West 34 chains to' a hickory sapling for a corner, then South 200 chains to a post standing in ye Great Swamp for a corner, then East 114 chains to a hickory tree for a corner, then South 148 chains to ye first men- tioned corner" containing 4170 acres. This was the well-known Mt. Carmel Tract which extended northward from Flemington where it joined Gov. Penn's land and included what is still known as Cox's Hill and the sites of
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the villages of Klinesville (formerly called Mt. Carmel) and Cherryville. From the latter place it extended westward to within about a half mile of Quakertown including in that vicinity lands now owned by Samuel K. Ever- ett, Jacob West, Theo. McPherson, Kuhl Hoffman, Asa Case, James W. Case, Robert Hanna, Conrad Philhower and others. Col. Coxe was a resident of Burlington City, was one of the largest individual land owners of West Jer- sey in those early times and our own county records contain very many conveyances from his heirs to others.
Thos. Gardiner, whose tract comes next in order of date of survey, was a native of England and son of Thos. Gardiner, Sr. The family appear to have come to New Jersey previous to the year 1680, and Thos. Jr. and Han- nah Matthews, also late of England, were married in the Burlington meeting of Friends, 25th of 4th mo. 1684. It does not appear that they ever dwelt on any portion of the Hunterdon County tract. The return of the survey of said tract dated Oct. 14, 1712, is recorded in Book A of Surveys, page 133, in the Surveyor General's office at Burlington, and the tract is thus described: "Beginning at a corner white oak tree standing in Col. Coxe's line, then along ye said line South 196 chains to a post for a corner standing in ye Great Swamp, then West 101 chains to a poplar corner tree, then North 151/2 chains to another corner post, then West 25 chains to a beech for another corner, then North 180 chains to a hickory sapling for a corner then East 126 chains to the first mentioned corner, containing 2225 acres, besides 60 acres of overplus and ye usual allowance for Highways." The beginning corner white oak tree stood about 150 yards east of the old foundry near Quakertown, while the "post in ye Great Swamp" was probably about a half mile east of the Frog Tavern. The beech tree at the southwestern corner of the tract stood on the bank of the Laokolong Creek a short distance below Oak Grove, the western boundary line was the same as that which now di- vides lands of John R. Case and W. H. Lake, Dr. W. D. Wolverton and Wm. Dubon, Jeremiah Snyder and Wm. R. Matthews and John Opdyke, while the northern line now forms the boundary between lands of John Opdyke and the late Wm. J. Case, John Brown and Lewis R. Hiner, Morris Hampton and John Robinson, the Friends' meeting property and lots adjacent on the north, and between the farm late owned by John T. Stires and lots contiguous on the south. Thos. Gardiner or his heirs probably disposed of a portion of the tract at quite an early date as in 1727 we find Thos. Hains in possession of the southeastern part, probably about 500 acres, including lands of J. K. Roberson, W. A. C. Robinson, Jacob McCloughan and others. Daniel Smith, a merchant of Burlington, who came from York, England, in 1691, and mar- ried Mary Murfin, of Nottingham, Burlington County, in 1695, became the owner of 500 acres in the northeastern corner of the tract, and in 1727 con- veyed the same to John Stevenson of Burlington County, who married, first, Mercy Jennings, daughter of Governor Samuel Jennings, in 1706, and, second, Margaret Wood in 1724. Smith's deed to Stevenson described the 500 acres thus: "Beginning at a white oak marked for a corner (the same which was the beginning corner of the original survey) then by Col. Coxe's land South
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100 chains to a hickory sapling, thence West 521/2 chains by Thos. Haines' land to a chestnut tree, thence North by Jacob Doughty's tract purchased of Matthews Gardiner to a post, thence East 52 chains by Rachel Hutchil !- son's (deceased) land to the first station, containing 500 acres with allow- ance for highways." This deed was not recorded until 1790. The descrip- tion speaks of Jacob Doughty as being owner of the land contiguous on the west but Doughty's deed for that tract bears date 21 and 22 of September, 1729, two years later. Doughty, however, became a resident of Hunterdon County in 1725 and it is probable he rented and lived on it, which may have led to the error as to ownership.
The Stevenson purchase included lands now owned by Dr. Q. E. Snyder, Wm. H. Garrison, John D. Case, H. D. Young, heirs of Theo. Probasco, Emley and Ellwood Nixon, the estate of Abram R. Vail, Morris Hampton and several lots in the village of Quakertown. The tract was soon divided up and Samuel Stevenson, Samuel Carpenter, Matthias Van Horn and others are mentioned in various deeds as subsequent owners of the southern part. After the death of John Stevenson in 1744 suit was brought against his estate by one Wm. Allen and his "lands and tenements in Bethlehem" were sold Nov. 8, 1744, by David Martin, Sheriff. The widow, Margaret, bought 150 acres for 79 pounds. The description runs thus: "Beginning at a post corner to land of Samuel Stevenson, thence by said Stevensons' line West 26 chains and 25 links to a corner, thence by land formerly Jacob Doughty's and John Coats' North 60 chains to a corner, thence East 26 chains and 25 links to a corner, thence by land formerly Thomas Stevenson's, South to the be- ginning." Thomas Stevenson, eldest son and heir-at-law of John, released the same tract to his step-mother by quit-claim deed, dated Sept. 18, 1744 (recorded July 21, 1786) in which the premises are described as "all that messuage or tenement late of said John and tract or parcel of land there- unto belonging, situated in Bethlehem Township and bounded northward by land late of John Tantum, eastward by land of Jeremiah Williams, south- ward with Samuel Carpenter's land and westward with the road that leads from Bethlehem towards Trenton, which road divides the same from the land of Daniel Doughty." The northern boundary of the 150 acres was the same line which now divides the farm late owned by John T. Stires from lands of Dr. Snyder and W. H. Garrison; the eastern one is still a dividing line between lands of Hiram D. Young and the late Theo. Probasco, while the southern was probably near to the present north boundary of the Abram R. Vail farm. By deed dated June 20, 1749, Margaret Stevenson conveyed to Henry Farnsworth of Kingwood for a consideration of 225 pounds, a "cer- tain messuage or tenement plantation and tract of land thereunto belonging in his actual possession now being, containing 148 acres and 7 square chains besides allowance." From her 150 acres Margaret reserved for herself one acre near the northwestern corner, which undoubtedly included the "mes- suage or tenement late of said John" mentioned in her step-son's quit-claim deed, and it is almost equally certain that the dwelling is still standing, it being the western portion of the house in Quakertown now occupied by Dr.
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Q. E. Snyder. A former resident of Quakertown, a gentleman of unques- tioned veracity, states that the late Elizabeth Clifton, whose family long owned and occupied the dwelling, told him when a boy that it had been built one hundred and sixteen years. He cannot fix the date of the conversation exactly, but thinks it may have been about 1840. This would indicate its erection to have been about two years prior to Stevenson's purchase, but as there is no mention of any tenement in his deed, it seems most reasonable to suppose it was built by him in 1727. The messuage or tenement sold to Farnsworth and being already in his possession was doubtless one which tradition says stood farther east and some distance back from the road; some traces of it existed within the memory of some of our recently deceased old people. Farnsworth may have occupied it as a tenant and farmer previous to his purchase. The deed to Farnsworth shows that there had been a small lot containing three-tenths of an acre sold out of the northeast corner. Anyone who is familiar with the premises will readily see that this was done to give water privileges to the land adjacent on the east. This lot was again incorporated with the original tract many years ago.
Henry Farnsworth died in 1758 and in his will directed that the plan- tation he then lived on should be equally divided between two of his sons, Daniel and Thomas. They, with the assistance of Dr. John Rockhill, divided it June 4, 1759. Daniel's share included the land lying on the north side of the Cherryville road and south of it probably about as far as the present north boundary of the Nixon farm and contained 96 acres, but two acres were excepted out of the tract, one for the widow Stevenson and one for the "corner house" which was willed to another son. Margaret Stevenson who went to Burlington County to live with her son in 1753 is thus shown to have retained the ownership of the homestead for some years after she left it. She probably sold it to Daniel Farnsworth soon after the division of the land took place, as prior to 1765 he had sold to some one a lot of four acres which included it. This four-acre lot and "messuage" was sold Aug. 10, 1765, as the property of Wm. Rea by Samuel Tucker, Sheriff, to Benj. Stout. It was again sold after the decease of Benj. Stout, July 4, 1769, by Micajah How, Sheriff, to Henry Coate, blacksmith, for 75 pounds 10s. Henry Coate and Deborah, his wife, sold the same to Isaac Horner, March 31, 1772. The re- maining portion of the land lying north of the Cherryville road was sold by Daniel Farnsworth, of Alexandria, to John Mulliner, of Kingwood, July 1, 1767, and John Mulliner, Cordwainer, and Rebecca, his wife, conveyed it to Isaac Horner, March 1, 1772. Isaac Horner thus became owner of the two lots about the same time and on Aug. 11, 1779, he sold to John Drinker, Hatter, of Philadelphia, the two lots with two houses thereon containing to- gether 32 acres. John Drinker and Rachel, his wife, sold the tract to Henry Cliffton, Hatter, June 8, 1784. Henry Cliffton, who came from Philadelphia in 1773, was a nephew of John Drinker and brother-in-law to Isaac Horner, having married his sister Amy in 1777. At Henry Cliffton's death in 1830, the lot passed with other lands to his daughter Elizabeth, who at her death in 1853 devised it to Amanda A., wife of Elijah Warford, who sold it March 4,
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1864, to Dr. Matthias Abel, and he in turn conveyed it in 1883 to Dr. T. A .. Skillman, of whom the present owner, Dr. Q. E. Snyder, purchased it in 1884.
The "corner house and acre of ground" willed to Henry Farnsworth, Jr., by his father subsequently became the property of Charles Hoff, who deeded it to John Emley, May 1, 1770. This dwelling was known within the memory of persons yet living as the "old yellow house" and was probably built by the Farnsworths. Henry Clifton afterwards became the owner of this lot and of the land contiguous on the east and south. His daughter Elizabeth sold it to Elijah Warford in 1844 and he to Abraham Lawshe in 1855, of whom Wm. Large purchased it in 1884. The Emleys also became possessors of the land southward along the Trenton road including the Nixon farm, which was part of the allotment made to Thos. Farnsworth. Dr. Aaron Forman, who married Ann, daughter of John Emley, Sr., in 1769, occupied this farm until 1794. when he moved to Pittstown. Robert Emley, son of John, Sr., owned it at the time of his death in 1808. His daughter Mary, wife of Thomas Craven, became next owner and during their residence there they built the western part of the present dwelling. Mary Craven deeded the farm to her sister Elizabeth, wife or widow of Job Olden of Middlesex Co., Aug. 9, 1822, and Emley Olden, son of Job and Elizabeth, and Martha, his wife, conveyed it to Wm. Nixon, April 9, 1832.
At the time of Margaret Stevenson's purchase of the 150 acres in 1744, the land to the south of her tract was in possession of Samuel Carpenter, but at the time of her sale to Farnsworth, was owned by Matthias Van Horn, who sold it to Thos. Lambert, July 1, 1751. Thos. Lambert sold May 1, 1790, to Benjamin Wooley, carpenter, a lot of 50 acres from the northwest corner. Robert Emley subsequently became possessed of this lot also and his daugh- ter Susanna, wife of Isaac Horner, Jr., sold it to John Fauss, June 14, 1808. John Fauss of Bethlehem Township and Sarah, his wife, conveyed the same to John Hartpence, May 8, 1811. He sold to Samuel Buchanan in 1817 and he to Samuel Willson in 1833. At the death of Samuel Willson in 1846 it with adjacent lots which had been purchased from time to time became the property of his son-in-law, Henry S. Trimmer, who sold to Samuel Groff in 1848. Groff conveyed it in 1849 to John Snyder, of whom the late Abram R. Vail purchased it in 1851. The buildings are situated on the 50-acre lot sold from the large tract by Thomas Lambert in 1790. The old house which was removed some years since was probably the first dwelling on the premises and may have been erected by Benj. Wooley. The western end of the present dwelling was built by Henry S. Trimmer. The eastern part of the original Stevenson tract containing about 200 acres seems to have been early transferred by John Stevenson to his son Thomas, who prob- ably sold it to Jacob Doughty, as Annie Doughty, widow of Jacob, conveyed it to Jeremiah Williams of Westbury, L. I., April 29, 1742. Jeremiah Williams was a prominent member of the Friends meeting and active in the work of building and rebuilding the meeting house erected in 1747-8 and burnt in 1752. He with his wife, Mary, conveyed the tract of land to Jeremiah King of Rahway, March 1, 1758, for a consideration of 400 pounds proclamation
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money. King seems to have sold that portion of the land lying north of the Cherryville road to Samuel Large. After Large's death about 1828 it. was divided into lots and sold by Wm. Probasco, guardian of Rebecca Large, a lunatic. The homestead lot containing 73 acres was purchased by W .: ). Nixon, Dec. 1, 1829. Fifty-one acres of the same were sold by Nixon, May 15, 1830, to Gilbert Deats, of whom his brother, Hiram, purchased it June 3, 1834. He also became owner of several other lots of the tract, on one of which he built a foundry in 1836 which he operated until about 1859, at which time he conveyed the property to Wm. D. Hires, who sold it to James Hoff, in 1867, who granted it to Wm. Large in 1875 and he to Asa Case in 1883, of whom the present owner, John D. Case, purchased it in 1884.
Jeremiah King and his wife Phebe conveyed the remainder of the farm together with other lots adjoining, of which King had become owner, to Henry Drinker, merchant, of Philadelphia, March 9, 1776, who with his wife Elizabeth granted the same lands to Arthur Stevenson, May 1, 1797, and Stevenson sold to Thos. Runyon, April 22, 1817, of whom Asa Jones pur- chased it Aug. 13, 1825, and sold 193 acres to Simeon and Moses Pownall, March 22, 1830. The dwelling and the greater part of the "old plantation" bought by Jeremiah Williams in 1742 were included in their purchase and also the "right, title and interest of, in and to a certain spring of water on the land of Wm. E. Elmendorf, which right was conveyed to Thos. Runyon by Edward Stevenson, attorney, for Arthur Stevenson, by release dated May 25, 1817." This spring is situated on land owned by the late Theodore Pro- basco, which lot of 30 acres was a part of Daniel Farnsworth's tract. It was purchased with other lands by Jeremiah King at Sheriff's sale, July 4, 1769, and sold by him to Henry Drinker with the larger tract. One of the subse- quent owners severed it from the larger tract and we thus find it in posses- sion of Wm. E. Elmendorf in 1817. James B. Elmendorf and Peter D. Vroonı deeded it to Wm. Probasco, Aug. 11, 1834. From Simeon and Moses Pownall the main tract descended to Morris and John Hampton, sons of Benjamin, who held a life right in it and resided there until his death in 1869. It was sold at public sale the same year to Samuel B. Hudnit, of Frenchtown, of whom the present owner, Hiram D. Young, bought it in 1872. Most of the owners of this tract dwelt on it for at least a part of the term of their owner- ship, Henry Drinker being probably the only exception. Joseph Drinker, presumably a brother, occupied it from 1776 to 1779. Henry who also owned the farm now belonging to Theodore McPherson (then called The Retreat) from 1776 to 1800 was no doubt the Henry Drinker of the firm of James & Drinker, prominent merchants of Philadelphia, about the time of the Revolu- tion and later. When and by whom the first dwelling was erected on this tract is not known. It may have been built by Thomas Stevenson, son of John, during his ownership. He married Sarah Whitehead, of L. I., in 1730, and their son John, born in Kingwood, 11th month 27th day, 1732, Old Style, was the progenitor of one branch of the Stevenson family in this county. The older part of the present house shows indications of there having been a still older portion which was removed and replaced by the stone addition.
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On the western part of this tract near the spring on the Probasco lot there still exists unmistakable traces of an ancient tannery. Tradition is silent as to when and by whom it was established and operated, but there is in existence an article of agreement between Daniel Doughty, yeoman, and Joseph Willets, tanner, dated 1736, wherein it is "mutually agreed by and between the parties that each of them for the carrying on a joint trade be- tween them shall bear, sustain and be at even and equal cost and charge of purchasing skins, pelts and hides and of getting bark for tanning and also of making tan pits, vats and mills for grinding bark on the land of the said Daniel Doughty in Bethlehem, and for making and doing all other things that may be necessary for carrying on the joint management of the tanner's trade or business equally between them as co-partners for and during the full term of twenty years." Joseph Willets was to have the privilege during the same term of years "to get and take dead wood sufficient for fuel for making fires for him and his family in his dwelling house." A memoranda on the back of the agreement further states that Joseph Willets "shall have the privilege to pasture with Daniel Doughty's cattle on the said Daniel's plantation two cows and one horse until such time as the said Joseph hath gotten land clear on the land which the said Daniel hath demised unto him at such times as there is not sufficient pasture in the woods, and also to cut for his use as much green wood on ye said demised premises as may be necessary." The article of agreement duly signed and witnessed was placed in the hands of Samuel Large. While there is no positive proof that the tannery thus established was the one on this tract, traces of which are so distinctly visible, yet it seems entirely probable it was, since we find the Doughtys in possession of the land in 1737. If this supposition is correct there was in all probability a dwelling on the premises, though there was evidently but little of the land cleared.
The farm now owned by Morris Hampton and occupied by Britton King was probably most if not all of it a part of the Stevenson purchase. It seems to have been early in the possession successively of Samuel Stevenson, Samuel Carpenter and Matthias Van Horn. The last named sold a tract in- cluding it to Thos. Lambert in 1751 and he was still owner in 1790. April 3. 1808, Nathan Price, Sheriff, deeded it to Geo. Holcombe, Jr., it being sold as the property of Charles Thatcher, and Geo. Holcombe conveyed it to Daniel Snyder, May 1, 1814. Later we find it in possession of the Holcombes again and Jas. Manners, Sheriff, sold the same as the property of Geo. Holcombe to Nathaniel Saxton in 1825. It was "taken at the suit of Samuel Holcombe and sold towards satisfying a judgment of $20,000 obtained in 1816." As the property of Nathaniel Saxton it was deeded to Solomon Holcombe by A. B. Chamberlain, late Sheriff in 1851, and the right and interest of George Hol- combe in the same premises were transferred to Peter P. Runyan by deed from John Bodine, late Sheriff, dated May 29, 1845. George Holcombe had lived on the farm for fifteen years previous to his death. Solomon Holcombe and Peter P. Runyan sold it to Charles Bartles Nov. 26, 1851. C. Bartles and wife and George B. Stothoff and wife conveyed it Dec. 20, 1853, to Hiram
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Nixon, of whom Elisha Warford purchased it and sold to Henry Fisher, Oct. 17, 1855, who in turn sold it to Morris Hampton, the present owner, April 1st, 1856.
The western part of the Gardiner tract containing 1212 acres was con- veyed by Mathews Gardiner, son and heir of Thomas, to Jacob Doughty by indentures of lease and release dated 21 and 22 of September, 1729. Jacob Doughty was a native of Long Island, son of Elias and Sarah Doughty, and married Amelia, daughter of Major Daniel and Abigail Stevenson Whitehead, of Jamaica, L. I. They came to Burlington Co., N. J., previous to 1711, at which date he was engaged in the mercantile business at Crosswicks. In 1721 he went to Burlington City and from there to Hunterdon Co. in 1725. They had a large family, tradition says twelve daughters, but evidently only one son, Daniel, born in 1703, who married Ann, daughter of John Stevenson, in 1729. Jacob died in 1737 leaving all his lands not previously disposed of to his wife Amie, who died in 1742, as did also Daniel's wife and three of his children. Daniel married a second wife, Edith Newbold, a widow, of Bur- lington Co., in 1747. From the western side of this tract Jacob Doughty conveyed to Samuel Willson by indentures of lease and release dated 21st and 22nd of January, 1730, six hundred acres extending the whole length of the tract from north to south and including lands now owned by John Brown, John Opdycke, Wm. R. Mathews, Dr. W. D. Wolverton, Annie E. Wolverton, Isaiah Mathews, Israel Myers and W. Howard Lake. Samuel Willson was a son of Robert and Ann Willson and was born in Scarborough, England, in 1681, coming with his parents and three sisters to Burlington Co. in 1682. He married Esther, daughter of Samuel and Hannah Overton, in 1705. They had a large family, several of whom were among the pioneer settlers of what is now Warren Co., N. J.
Upon the extreme western edge of his tract Samuel built in 1735 the stone dwelling still standing and known as the old Willson homestead. The choice of site was probably determined by its close proximity to the home of his brother-in-law, Samuel Large. There was previously a small stone dwelling there in which the family probably lived until the erection of the larger one; but tradition says this was not the first house upon that portion of the tract, one still more ancient, probably built of logs, stood near the "big spring" about a quarter of a mile southeast from the one now standing. This spot near the spring was a favorite resort of the red man as the numer- ous arrow points in various stages of completion and bits of stone chipped from the implements in the process of their manufacture still to be found there abundantly testify. Samuel Willson sold to his eldest son, Samuel, Jr., probably soon after his marriage in 1732 to Deborah, daughter of Joseph Willets, 150 acres from the northern end of his tract and also 77 acres con- tiguous on the eastern side, which last was sold by Samuel, Jr., to Samuel Large in 1743. The 150 acres included lands of John Brown, John Opdycke and Wm. R. Mathews and in all probability Samuel, Jr., built and dwelt in the stone house which was removed about the year 1853 and the present dwelling occupied by John Opdycke erected near the same site.
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