USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey > Part 6
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WILL OF ALBERT COUWENHOVEN.
In the name of God Amen, I, Albert Coven- hoven, of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth and province of East New Jersey, yeoman, be- ing, thro' the abundant mercy and goodness of God, tho' very sick and weak in body, yet of a sound and perfect understanding and mem- ory, do constitute this my last will and testa- ment, and desire it may be received as such.
Imprimis : I most humbly bequeath my soul to God, my maker, beseeching his most grac- ious acceptance of it thro' the all sufficient merits and mediation of my most compassion- ate Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who gave himself to be an atonement for my sins, and is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him: seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, and who I trust, will not reject me, a returning penitent Sinner, when I come to Him for mercy. In this hope and confidence I render up my soul with com- fort, humbly beseeching the most blessed and glorious Trinity, one God, most Holy, most Merciful and Gracious, to prepare me for the time of my dissolution, and then to take me to himself into that peace and rest and incom- parable felicity, which he has prepared for all that love and fear his Holy name, Amen! Blessed be God.
Imprimis: I give my body to the earth, from where it was taken, in full assurance of its resurrection from thence at the last day.
As for my burial, I desire it may be decent, without pomp or state, at the discretion of my executrix and executor hereinafter named, who, I doubt not, will manage it with all requisite prudence. As to my wordly estate, it is my will, and I do hereby order, that in the first place all my just debts and funeral charges to be paid and satisfied out of my movable estate.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Eleanor, my dearly beloved wife, all my whole estate, both real and personal, for her own proper use, benefit and behoof, as long as she remains my widow and no longer.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my eleven well beloved children (viz: William, Ruluf,
Anna, Jane, Alice, Margot, Sarah, Peter, Jar- ratt, John and Cornelius), after the death or widowhood of my dearly beloved wife, all my whole estate, both real and personal, as goods, chattels, lands and tenements, to be equally divided amongst them (my eleven dearly be- loved children aforementioned) (viz: William, Ruluf, Anna, Jane, Alice, Margot, Sarah, Peter, Jarratt, John and Cornelius, to them and each of them and their heirs and assigns forever) so that each of them or each of their heirs and assigns hath the eleventh part of my whole estate as above mentioned.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son, William, the sum of three shil- lings as a gift (acknowledging him to be my oldest child) and to be paid to him in a con- venient time after my decease. I likewise constitute, make and ordain my dearly beloved wife, Eleanor, and my well beloved kinsman, William Covenhoven, son of Cornelius Coven- hoven, my only and sole executrix and exec- utor of this my last will and testament. And I also hereby utterly disallow, revoke and dis- annul all and every other former testaments, wills, legacies and executors by me in any way before this time, named, willed and be- queathed, ratifying and confirming this, and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun- dred and forty-eight (1748).
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Albert Covenhoven, as his last will and testament in the presence of us, the sub- scribers (viz :)
"My will and desire is that my well beloved son, Jarratt, have the use of one hundred pounds for ten years, whenever he wants it. This was writ before signing and sealing it being forgot to be mentioned."
ALBERT COVENHOVEN.
Jan Covenhoven, [L. S.]
Matteys Piterson,
William Williamson.
Be it remembered that on the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-eight, the within wit- nesses, Jan Covenhoven, Matteys Piterson and William Williamson, personally came before me, Thomas Bartow, duly authorized to prove wills and qualify executors in New Jersey, and they being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist did depose that they were present and saw Albert Covenhoven, the testator within named. sign and seal the within written testament and heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament and at the day thereof the said testator was of sound mind and memory to the best of their know- ledge, and as they believed, and that they each signed as a witness in the testator's presence.
THOS. BARTOW.
Be it also remembered that at the same time Eleanor Covenhoven, the executrix within named, personally came before me and was sworn to the due execution and performance of the within will and testament according to law.
THOS. BARTOW.
Probate granted by Governor Belcher in the usual form. Dated Oct. 3rd, 1748.
THOS, BARTOW, Pr. Reg'sr.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
The wife of Albert Covenhoven was Neeltje. Dutch for Eleanor or Nelly, daughter of Roelof Schenck of Flatlands, L. I., by his second wife, Annetje Wyckoff.
WILL OF CORNELIUS A. COVENHOVEN. In the name of God Amen This Eleventh Day of September In the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Ninety- three I Cornelius Covenhoven of The Town- ship of Freehold in The County of Monmouth & State of New Jersey Yeoman Being In health of Body and of Perfect Sound & Dis- poseing Mind and Memory Praised be Al- mighty God for the Same, Considering the frailty of Nature and Knowing it is appointed for all men To Die Do Make & Ordain This My Last Will and Testament In the following Manner and form- First I Recomend My Soul To God Who Gave it Trusting for Salvation In & Through the alone Merits of My Ever Blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ and as to my Body I recommend it To the Earth To be In- terred at the Discretion of My Executors here- inatter named Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall Receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God And as Touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it Hath Pleased God To Bless me in This Life I Do order, Give & Dispose of The Same in the following Manner-Imprimis I Do order That my Executors Do pay all my Just Debts & Funeral Expenses Out of my Moveable Estate which I may Leve at the time of My Decease -- Item I Give & Bequeath To my Loveing Wife Mary Dureing her Widdowhood a Comfortable Liveing as Usual With My Son Cornelius on My said Farm and have the Use of one Room with a Fire Place and Fire wood Brought to her Door one Good Feather Bed & Furniture and One Negro Woman Named Jane so Long as She shall Remain My Widdow and in Case my Said Wife Should Remarry my will is that my said wife have the sum of fifty pounds paid her by me Son Cornelius Current money of the City of New York as all Moneys in this
my Will are to be Taken & Esteemed To be, And one feather Bed & furniture In Lieu of her Dower or Thirds-Item I Give and Be- queath To my Daughter Sarah an Out Sett Equal in Vallue To the Out Sett I Gave my Daughter Nell To be Delivered to her hy my Executors out of my Moveable Estate at the Time of My Decease. Item-I Give Devise & Bequeath To my Son Cornelius Covenhoven all the Remainder of My Estate Both Real & Personal Wheresoever, To him his Heirs and Assigns forever Provided he Performs & fu)- fills all the other Matters & Things herein In- joined him in this My Will, (Excepting My Covered Waggon & Horses & Harness & the Remainder of My Horses & Cattle and Such Moveables That I may have and Negroes at the time of My Decece To be Equally Divided amongst my Children, To wit: William, Nelly. Allice, Cornelius & Sarah or their Children) Item it is My will That my said Son Cornelius Do pay the sum of Six Hundred pounds money aforesaid In Manner folling To Wit To allow a Good & Sufficient Support out of said sum for my Son Albert And after the Decease of my Self, my wife and my Son Albert, What- ever Part of said Six I. undred pounds Shall be Remaining Shall be Equally Divided Be- tween my four Children William, Nelly, Allice & Sarah or their Children And Lastly I Do Hereby Nominate, Constitute & appoint My brother in Law. Stoffel Logan & my friend Tobias Polhemus, Executors of this my Last will & Testament Utterly Revokeing & Dis- annuling all other Wills by me heretofore Made Rattifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament Note the word (form) and the word (of) & the word (Sarah) being Interlined Before Sealing & Delivery hereof
CORNELIUS A. COVENHOVEN. Signed Sealed pronounced & Declared To be his Last Will & Testament In the Presence of Garret Covenhoven Ruth Covenhoven
Joseph Throckmorton
JACOB COUWENHOVEN AND HIS ELEVEN CHILDREN.
Jacoh Couwenhoven married at Flat- lands, L. I., November 12, 1705, Sarah Schenck, who was baptized in the Dutch church at Brooklyn, December 18, 1685. She too was a resident of Flatlands, and the couple had doubt- less known each other from earliest childhood. Jacob Couwenhoven received such education as the schools in Brook- lyn at that time could give, and also such as he could pick up from chance associations with the traders, iner- chants, sailors and emigrants who fre- quented the harbor of New York. Like his brother Cornelius he is said to have owned a sloop, which made trips from Brooklyn across the bay to the Mon- month shore, It is likely that this was the same boat and owned jointly by
two or more of the six Conover broth- ers. For one boat of this kind would be amply sufficient to transport all their families, goods, chattels and stock, from the shore of the East river over to Monmouth county, and also to take back such peltries, venison and other articles they had to sell and for which a demand existed in the New York markets.
Jacob Couwenhoven, by his wife, Sarah Schenck, had the following chil- dren, all of whom are supposed to have been born in his dwelling house which stood on the north side of the street through Middletown village, somewhere between the location of the present Baptist church and the Hartshorne burying ground.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Jannetie, b. December 10, 1706.
Annetje, b. February, 1708, married John, son of Daniel Hendrickson and Catherine Van- Dyke, his wife.
Daniel Hendrickson, a son of this couple, married Nelly or Eleanor Van- Mater. She was born August 4, 1735, and died February 12, 1828, and is bur- ied in the Hendrickson burying ground on the farm of the late George Craw - ford Hendrickson in Middletown vil- lage. A son of this last couple, John, born June 13, 1773, married Mary, daughter of John Lloyd, and died in January, 1807. He was the father of the late Charles I. Hendrickson, of John Lloyd Hendrickson and Daniel Hendrickson, who owned the farm now occupied by the Morfords at the east- ern end of Middletown village and opposite to the farm owned by his brother, John Lloyd Hendrickson, in his lifetime.
William, b. February, 1710, married Antje, daughter of Daniel Hendrickson and Catherine VanDyke, aforesaid.
She was baptized December 30, 1711. The records in secretary of state's office at Trenton, show that letters of administration on his estate were granted October 17, 1742, to his widow, Ann, his brother Ruliph, and his broth- er-in-law, William Hendrickson. The Brick Church records show that he had two children baptized, viz: Daniel, March 30, 1737, and Jacob, October 14, 1739. His widow married March 17. 1744, for her second husband William, son of Cornelius Couwenhoven, of Pleasant Valley, and who has been heretofore mentioned as "William C. Kouwenhoven of Carroway." By this last marriage she had three children, (1st) Cornelius, baptized April 7, 1746, married Mary, daughter of Hendrick Hendrickson and Neeltje Garretse Schenck, his wife, and died October 10. 1806; (2nd) Catherine, baptized April 16, 1749; (3rd) Williampe, who married Martin or Matthias Couwenhoven, a brother of her mother's first husband and hereinafter particularly described.
Ruliph, b. March 1, 1712, married August 12. 1741, Jannetje, daughter of Daniel Hendrick- son and Catherine VanDyke, his wife, afore- said.
The church records show the follow- ing children baptized: Sarah, baptized February 21, 1742; Daniel, January 15, 1744, and Catherine, February 16, 1746. Letters of administration on his estate were granted to Peter Couwenhoven, (brother) William Hendrickson, (broth-
er-in-law) and Tunis Denyse, or Denise. His widow married for her second hus- band Peter Janse Schenck, as has been already mentioned, together with the names of her children by this last hus- band
Jacob, b. February 1, 1714, married Decem- ber 21, 1742, Margaret, daughter of William Couwenhoven and Arriantje Bennett, his wife. The marriage license was granted November 16, 1742.
Garret, b. November 5, 1716, married Octo- ber 12, 1744, Neeltje, or Eleanor, daughter of Roelof Schenck and Geesie Hendrickson, his wife, died December 9, 1797.
He owned quite a large tract of land in what is now Marlboro and Holmdel townships. Part of this land is still (1898) in the ownership and occupation of his lineal male descendants. The two farms near Taylor's Mills in Holmdel township, where Daniel D. Conover and Garret Rezo Conover lived about 40 years ago and where their sons now live, is part of the tract. The family burying ground is on the farm owned by Daniel D. Conover and near the dwelling house. It is especially notice- able for the care, neatness and good taste which it always shows. Here Garret and his wife and many of his descendants are buried.
Peter, b. December 14, 1718, died January 14, 1719.
Peter, baptized May 29, 1720, married Cath- erine, daughter of Roelof Janse Schenck and Geesie Hendrickson, his wife, and at that time widow of Simon DeHart.
Garret and Peter Couwenhoven are the two sons-in-law named as execu- tors in Black Roelof Schenck's will. Also see pages 317-18, Old Times in Old Monmouth.
John, b. May 17, 1722, married Mary, daugh- ter of Arie VanDorn and Antje Janse Schenck, his wife.
Martin, as spelled in will but Matthias else- where, b. 1725, married Williampe, daughter of "William C. Kouwenhoven of Carroway," and Antje Hendrickson, his second wife, and the widow of his oldest brother, William.
This Matthias Couwenhoven lived on a farm on the right side of the road from Ogbourns Corner to Middletown, just east of the Golden farm. There is an old Conover burying ground on the Golden farm near the line, which would show that the Conovers owned all the land around this burying ground at che time.
The Matthias Conover interred in the Baptist church yard at Middletown and whose tombstone shows that he died
House of Daniel Polhemus Schanck on his farm in Pleasant Valley, N. J. Photographed in summer of 1900.
Part of Schanck-Covenhoven Cemetery in Pleasant Valley, N. J. Photographed by Mrs. L. H. S. Conover in the winter of 1900.
١
31
EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTHI.
September 28, 1842, aged 80 years, 2 months and 5 days, and the Ruliph Conover, interred near him, who died June 12, 1873, aged over 85 years, are I believe descendants of the above named Matthias Couwenhoven.
There was also another child named Sarah but I can find no record of her except in her father's will.
Jacob Couwenhoven made his will July 5. 1743. He appoints his sons, Ruliph, Garret and Jacob, executors, and they all qualified. He mentions in his will six sons, Martin, (Matthias) Ruliph, Jacob, Garret, Peter and John, one daughter. Sarah, three grandsons, Daniel Hendrickson and Jacob Hen- drickson and Daniel Couwenhoven, and one granddaughter, Sarah Couwen- hoven. This grandson. Daniel Hen- drickson, I think became sheriff of Monmouth county during the revolu- tionary war. He was the grandfather of the late Charles J. Hendrickson who owned the farm on the north side of Middletown street, between the lands of the late Dr. Edward Taylor and the Murray homestead, now owned by his son, John S. Hendrickson.
Jacob Couwenhoven in his will des- cribes himself as a yeoman and a resi- dent of Middletown. I have not been able to find out where he was buried. He owned a large tract of land, and it is likely he was buried somewhere upon that as was then the custom.
According to tradition current among the descendants of his son, Gar- ret, at Taylor's Mills, he provided all of his seven sons with a farm. Of course such traditions are very uncer- tain and unreliable, but they some- times contain a few grains of truth. I do not know whether there is any truth in this tradition, but only repeat what is said. And this is the story handed down among the descendants of his son Garret, who as everybody knows, are among the most respectable citizens of Monmonth county, and whose everyday word is better than a good many people's oath on the Bible. They have been informed and so under- stand from talk of their forefathers, that Jacob Couwenhoven's seven sons owned and occupied the following farms:
William had the farm where Daniel G. Conover lived, and now or lately owned by Edward Hopping in Middle- town township.
Ruliph owned lands where the late Ezra Osborne lived and the farm adja- cent on the west or north side of the highway from Balm Hollow to the John Golden farm.
Matthias owned the lands on the op- posite side of this highway. The pri- vate family burying ground of the Con- overs on this land supports this claim.
Jacob owned the farm of the late John Eastman.
Garret owned what was in after years known as the farm of "Farmer Jacob Conover" and the farms of Daniel D. Conover and Garret Rezo Conover, near Taylor's Mills in Holmdel township. The last two are still (1898) in family ownership.
John owned the farm known as the Murray homestead in Middletown vil- lage together with lands adjacent, now part of the Morford farm and of John S. Hendrickson's farm.
Peter owned the "Garret VanDorn farm" on the south side of Middletown street, now owned by the son of the late Azariah Conover.
Jacob Couwenhoven is said to have been a large, well proportioned man, bluff and straightforward in manners and hospitable and obliging to all who sought shelter under his roof or aid at his hands. It will be noticed that there were several marriages between his children and Daniel Hendrickson's children. This man was quite a near neighbor, living where his great grand- son, Hon. William H. Hendrickson, now lives at Holland or the Luyster neigh- borhood, as sometimes called.
Garret, one of Jacob Couwenhoven's sons, married Netty or Eleanor, daugh- ter of Black Roelof Schenck, and had the following children:
Jacob. b. June 19, 1746, married April 25, 1771, Mary, daughter of Hendrick Schenck and Catherine Holmes, his wife.
He was known as "Farmer Jacob." and the farm he lived on was consider- ed the model farm of that day in Mon- mouth county. He left two sons, Hen- drick, who married Ann B. Crawford and whose descendants are named in "Old Times in Old Monmouth." Garret, who married Alice, daughter of Tohias Hendrickson and Rebecca Coward, his wife, of Upper Freehold township. A daughter of this couple named Rebecca H., born in 1805, married Thomas Meirs and was the mother of Collin B. Meirs, born September 7. 1833, on the old Meirs homestead in Upper Freehold township, and who was auditor of Monmouth county for seven years, and now one of the first citizens of Upper Freehold township.
Ruleph, b. Novembr 8, 1747, married June 22. 1773, Anna. daughter of Garret Coertse Schenck, and Nelly Voorhees, his wife.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Sarah, b. January 3, 1749, married John Lloyd and died September 8, 1773.
She is buried in the Conover family burying ground on the Daniel D. Con- over farm near Taylor's Mills. One of her daughters, Mary, married John Hendrickson, son of Daniel Hendrick- son and Eleanor VanMater, his wife, be- fore mentioned. She is buried in the Hendrickson burying ground at Mid- dletown village and the tombstone at her grave states that she died July 11, 1865, aged 92 years, 8 months and 24 days. She was the mother of the late Charles I. Hendrickson of Middletown village.
Daniel G., b. January 20, 1750, married Feb- ruary 9, 1786, Margaret Reseau, (often spelled Rezo). She was born February 23, 1763, and died December 26, 1823.
Daniel G. Conover lived and died on the homestead farm near Taylor's Mills and is buried in the family burying ground on this farm, After his death the land was divided between his two sons, Daniel D. Conover and Garret Rezo Conover, whom many persons now alive remember. Garret married as be- fore stated, Mariah Schenck. Daniel D. married May 26, 1825, Mary, daugh- ter of Garret G. Vanderveer, and died October 22, 1861. He was a genial, hearty man and endeavored to make everything pleasant to all with whom he came in contact. His hospitality was unlimited, if the roof of his house was left. His widow, who was born February 21, 1806, is still living on the homestead with their son, Garret. She is remarkably aetive and hale for one so near the century mark. Hon. Wil- liam V. Conover, who occupied the farm left him by his father, Tylee Conover, on the north side of the Shrewsbury river, opposite Red Bank, and who died a few years ago, was a grandson of the above named Daniel G. Conover and Margaret Reseau, his wife
Gachey, b. February 5, 1753, married first Hendrick P., son of Peter Albertse Couwen- hoven and Williampe Voorhees, his wife.
Anne, b. May 21, 1754, married July 13, 1785, Isaac, son of second Jacob VanDorn, and Maria Janse Schenck, his wife, and died June 11, 1843.
She and her husband are buried in the Episcopal church yard at Middle- town village. They were the parents of Garret VanDorn, who was born May 31, 1789. He married Williampe, daugh- ter of Hendrick P. Couwenhoven and Gaehey Couwenhoven, his wife, above mentioned, his cousin. She was born January 1st, 1793, and died on the Van-
Dorn homestead at Middletown village, January 31, 1874. She and her husband are buried in the Episcopal church yard at Middletown aforesaid.
Garret VanDorn died childless and in- testate. He was well known through- out Monmouth county, being gentle and placid in disposition, without an enemy in the world, he was respected and liked by all who knew him. He left a large estate with no debts be- yond funeral expenses and charges of his last sickness. Yet this estate has remained unsettled down to the pres- ent day. It is the "Jarndyce vs. Jarn- dyce" case of Monmouth county. It shows how an estate involved in no law suits and no debts, can be dragged through the courts for years. A true history of this estate would be of great interest, not only to the relatives in- terested but to the publie at large, so that we all might know "how not to do it," while making great pretension of doing, settling and distributing. A. more honest man never lived than Gar- ret VanDorn and no man ever left property freer from all claims and liti- gation than he. Yet the estate became entangled and has been left unsettled, although more than forty years have passed away since administration was granted to Williampe, his widow. She, of course, depended on and wholly trusted others to do the business.
The seventh child of Garret Couwenhoven and Neeltje Schenck, his wife, was Mary, born April 5, 1756, died young.
Garret, b. September 15, 1758, died unmar- ried.
John, b. May 23, 1760, married August 22, 1778, Jane, daughter of Garret Coertse Schenck and Nelly Voorhees, his wife, died May 11, 1802. He was buried in the yard of the Marl- boro Brick church. His widow married Aug- ust 20, 1812, her second husband, John H. Schenck, and died November 5, 1836.
John Conover and Jane Schenck, his wife, were the parents of the following children:
Elias, b. August 10, 1779, married July 1, 1798, Mary, daughter of Ruliff H. Schenck and Sarah Schenck, his wife.
They were the parents of John E., Ruliff E. and Hendrick E., already mentioned in a former article.
Garret I., b. March 31, 1785, married Jan- uary 6, 1807, Sarah, daughter of Ruliff H. Schenck and Sarah Schenck, his wife, died May 12, 1829.
He owned and occupied the farm where Gideon C. McDowell now lives in Marlboro township.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Jane, b. September 10, 1789, married Octo- ber 23, 1805, Jonathan R. Gordon, son of Ezekiel Gordon, and died June 1, 1831. Her husband was born March 16, 1785, died May 13, 1830.
Sarah, b. - married March 14, 1803, Albert VanDorn.
Nelly, b. - married December 7, 1796, George Morris.
There were two other children who died young.
There were, of course, other descend- ants of Garret Couwenhoven and Neeltje Schenck, his wife, but I have not the dates of their births, marriages and deaths and therefore do not name them, but the record I give will enable all who can go back to their grandfathers. to fix their family descent without any mistake. Garret Couwenhoven, the progenitor of this line of Conovers, is said to have been a hearty, whole- souled man. That he resembled in a marked degree his father, and because of his tall well proportioned form and his handsome appearance, attracted notice wherever he went. He is also said to have taken great interest in and care of his children; that he en- deavored to train them to habits of sobriety, economy and industry, and judging by results after all these years his descendants seem to have profited by his efforts, for with very few ex- ceptions they seem to have been among our principal citizens down to the present day. As his children grew up and left the old homestead to make their way in the world, he is said to have advised them in plain words, but in the spirit and intent expressed in the following verses:
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