USA > New Jersey > Genealogical and memorial history of the state of New Jersey, Volume II > Part 78
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(V) Sophia, second child and eldest daugh- ter of Silas (2) and Jemima (Clark) Brown, was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, July 26, 1788, died in Louisville, Kentucky, Septem- ber 20, 1831. She married at Northampton, January 10, 1814, Silas Walsworth, born in Rome, New York, died in Wisconsin. (See Walsworth, V). Children : I. Jared Stock- ing, born in Keene, New Hampshire, Decem- ber 6, 1814. 2. Edward Brown, September 29, 1817. 3. Frances Minerva, January 26, 1820. 4. Maria Louisa, May 20, 1822. 5. Sophia Brown, see forward. 6. Silas South- worth, September 23, 1826. 7. Mary Elizabeth, March 9, 1829. All the children, with the ex- ception of the eldest, were born in Cleveland, Ohio.
(VI) Sophia Brown, third daughter and fifth child of Silas and Sophia ( Brown ) Wals- worth, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 29, 1824, and resides in Kansas City, Missouri. She married at Montgomery, New York, Sep- tember 16, 1845, Rev. Samuel B. Bell, D. D., who was born in Montgomery. Children: I. Holdena White, see forward. 2. Hal, born in Simpsonville, Kentucky, July 29, 1848. 3. Edward Walsworth, born in Maysville, Ken- tucky, January 7, 1851. 4. Sarah Pearson, born in San Francisco, California, April 7, 1853. 5. Harmon, born in Oakland, Cali- fornia, March 23, 1855. 6. Durant, born in Oakland, March 6, 1857. 7. Benjamin Pitman, born in Oakland, February 19, 1859.
(VII) Holdena White Bell, eldest child of Rev. Samuel B., D. D., and Sophia Brown
(Walsworth) Bell, married James Parmenter Martin (see Martin, VIII).
(The Walsworth Line).
The Walsworth trace their lineage directly back to Egbert, last king of the West Saxons, and the first king of England, 827-28. The name was originally spelled Warlworth, changed to Walworth, then assuming its pres- ent form of Walsworth.
(I) William Walworth, immigrant ancestor. came from near London, England, 1688-89, to introduce English farming into Fisher's Island, then owned by Sir Fitz-John Winthrop, governor of Connecticut. He and his wife and eldest daughter were baptized January 24, 1692, at New London, by Rev. Gurden Salton- stall, and he died at Groton, Connecticut. He married, shortly after his arrival in this coun- try, Mary Seaton, who came over on the vessel with him. Children: 1. William, see forward. 2. John, who was a captain of dragoons, and died at Groton about 1749; he married Sarah Dunn, of Newport, Rhode Island, and had : Samuel, married Hannah Woodbridge ; John, married (first) Mary Viner, of Stonington, (second) Patience Denison, of Lynn, was killed at Fort Griswold; Silvester, married, April 8, 1756, Sarah Holmes; William, of Delaware county, New York; James, died young : Benjamin, born at Groton, November 4, 1746; Abigail, died young; Sarah, married Benjamin Brown; Philena, married Joseph Minot. 3. Martha, born March 1690; married John Stark, of New London, and had children. 4. Mary, February, 1694 ; married Abial Stark, of Lebanon, Connecticut, and had children. 5. Joanna, October, 1698; married Christopher Stark, of Groton, Connecticut, and had four sons and four daughters. 6. Thomas, May, 1700; married a daughter of William Stark, of Groton, and had one son. 7. James, twin of Thomas, died during his minority.
( II) William (2), son of William (I) and Mary (Seaton) Walworth, was born in 1692, and was styled "Of Noank." He married (first ) June 16, 1720, Mary Avery, of Groton. Children : 1. Molly, born September 29, 1721 ; married, July 1, 1742, Sol. Morgan. 2. Martha, October 17, 1724. 3. Susan, October 22, 1726; married Obadiah Stark. 4. Amos, January 30, 1728; married Eliza Harris. 5. Lucy, De- cember 3, 1732 ; married Veach Williams. 6. James, see forward. 7. Nathan, married Je- mima Gallup. 8. Abigail. He married (sec- ond) September 23, 1742, Elizabeth Hinkley.
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Children : 9. Eunice, June 4, 1743; married, January 1, 1762, Deacon Simeon Smith. IO. Charles, 1744; married Lucy Harris.
(III) James, second son and sixth child of William (2) and Mary (Avery) Walworth, was born September, 1734. He was quarter- master with Ethan Allen at Ticonderoga. He married Eunice Packard or Parker. Children : I. James, born November, 1759. 2. Jesse, Feb- ruary 6, 1761. 3. Eunice, December 29, 1762 ; married and had: Gilbert, William, James, a Methodist minister; Sarah and Abigail. 4. William, December 2, 1764; married Sarah Grant, of Stonington, and had three sons and two daughters. 5. Elisha, October 11, 1766. 6. Daniel, see forward. 7. Abigail, August 14, 1772. 8. Susanna, January 9, 1775. 9. Avery, March 7, 1777. 10. Asa, March 22, 1779. II. Lucy, June 8, 1781. 12. Elijah, November 21, 1783.
(IV) Daniel, fifth son and sixth child of James and Eunice ( Packard or Parker) Wal- worth, was born November 11, 1768, and was accidently killed while still young. He married Mary or Polly, daughter of William South- worth, born in Leyden, Holland, about 1616, settled at Canajoharie, New York, and died in Middlesex, New Jersey, in 1690; his wife was Susanna Antice." William was the son of Thomas Southworth, and the grandson of Sir Robert Southworth, who was knighted by James the First, married Alice, daughter of Alexander Carpenter, and died in England about 1621. He was the financial agent of the Pilgrims in Leyden. Lady Alice brought her two sons over on the "Mayflower," some say the "Anne," and became the second wife of Governor William Bradford, August 1, 1623. Daniel Walworth was the father of Silas, see forward, and Elizabeth, married - - Foster.
(V) Silas Walsworth, son of Daniel and Mary or Polly (Southworth ) Walworth, was born in Rome, New York, and died at Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin, September, 1849. He held a captain's commission during the war of 1812. He married at Northampton, Massachu- setts, January 10, 1814, Sophia Brown ( see Brown, V).
The narrative here written is MATLACK to record something of the lives and achievements of the representatives of several generations of one of the notable old colonial families of New Jersey. The family has been made the sub- ject of narration by various chroniclers, for its marriage connections have been as notable as
is the history of the family itself, and in the main the accounts of these several writers are in accord.
(I) William Matlack, or as his family name appears in some old records, Macklack, was born in England about 1648, and was one of the colony of Friends who came from Crop- well Bishop, a small village in Nottinghamshire, in the year 1677, in the ship "Kent," Captain Gregory Marlowe, and was sighted off Sandy Hook August 14, of that year. The vessel followed along the coast to the mouth of the Delaware river, up which it sailed to Raccoon creek, where her passengers disembarked. The commissioners appointed by William Penn and the other proprietors, and William Matlack with them, took a small boat and went up the Delaware river to Chygoes island (whereon Burlington now stands ) almost surrounded by a creek named for an Indian sachem who lived there. Matlack was the first to leave the boat, just as in later years he was foremost in the work of development of the region in various other respects. He was a carpenter and built, or helped to build, the first two houses in Bur- lington and also helped to build the first corn mill in West Jersey. It is related that as the boat neared the shore Matlack sprang to the bank and the first one to meet him was an Indian chief, between whom and Matlack a friendship was formed that lasted through life.
He came over to America as an artisan in the employ of Thomas Olive, commissioner and proprietor, and after serving him four years bought from his former employer one hundred acres of good land between the north and south branches of Penisaukin creek, in Chester town- ship, Burlington county, as afterwards created. It is understood that the purchase price of the land thus acquired was his four years' service and "current county pay." The greater part of this tract is still owned and in the possession of William Matlack's descendants.
At the time of his immigration to America William Matlack was a young man less than thirty years old. "He saw a town rise up in the midst of the forest, surrounded by a thriv- ing population, busy in clearing the land and enjoying the reward of their labors. His leisure hours were spent among the natives, watching their peculiarities and striving to win their good will. Following the advice and example of the commissioners, every promise made by him to the aboriginees was faithfully kept, and every contract strictly adhered to." He and Timothy Hancock, with whom he worked in
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common in many things, "soon found their neighborhood was a desirable one; for new settlements were made there in a short time, and went on increasing until a new meeting of Friends was established at the house of Timo- thy Hancock by consent of the Burlington Friends in 1685." In 1701 William Matlack purchased about one thousand acres of land in Waterford and Gloucester townships, in Cam- den county (then Gloucester) lying on both sides of the south branch of Cooper's creek. In 1714 he gave to his son George five hundred acres of land in Waterford township, being part of the one thousand acre tract purchased of Richard Heritage. In 1717 he bought two hundred acres of John Estaugh, attorney for John Haddon, and there his son Richard settled in 1721. In 1714 he gave his son Timothy the remaining part of the Heritage purchase, and on this tract Timothy settled and built his house. The tract of lands owned by William Matlack and his sons, John, Timothy and Richard, extended from the White Horse tav- ern on both sides of the highway and contain- ed about fifteen hundred acres.
William Matlack, immigrant ancestor, mar- ried Mary Hancock, and of this event Mr. Clement writes thus: "In 1681 there came from Brayles, a small town in the southern part of Warwickshire, a young man named Timothy Hancock, accompanied by his sister, who was about fifteen years of age. Without friends or means, they lived in a very humble manner among the settlers, but the demand for work soon found Timothy employment, and the demand for wives did not leave Mary long without a suitor." She married William Matlack in 1682, and they then removed to a tract of land which he had located between the north and south branches of Penisaukin creek, in Chester township. Her brother also located an adjoining survey, and in 1684 married Rachel Firman. Thus it is that the Matlack family of New Jersey-a prolific family in- deed-began with William and Mary. Just when William died is not certain, but it was after 1720. and he lived to see his youngest daughter the mother of seven children. Tradi- tion says that he died in his ninetieth or ninety- first year, "and would have lived longer if his tools had not been hid from him, for he took delight in having his accustomed tools to work with, and when he could not have them he died." His children were: I. John, married (first ) Hannah Horner; (second) Mary Lee. 2. George, married (first) 1709, Mary Foster ; (second) Mary Hancock. 3. Mary, married
(first) in 171I, at Newton meeting, Jonathan Haines ; (second ) Daniel Morgan. 4. William, see forward. 5. Richard, married (first ) 1721, Rebecca Haines, at Evesham meeting ; (sec- ond) in 1745, Mary Cole at Chester meeting. 6. Joseph, married at Chester meeting in 1722, Rebecca Haines. 7. Timothy, married in 1726 at Haddonfield meeting, Mary Haines. 8. Jane, married Irvin Haines. 9. Sarah, married, in 1721, at Evesham meeting, Carlyle Haines.
The last resting place of the first Matlack in the New World is not certainly known. It is possible that his ashes mingled with the dust of the graveyard that his friend Timothy Han- cock dedicated on the bank of the north branch of Pensaukin creek where many of the early settlers were buried. But this spot has dis- appeared and the tombstones that marked their graves have gone to help form the foundations of adjacent buildings. His wife Mary died eleventh month, twentieth, 1728, and is interred in Friends' Graveyard at Moorestown, New Jersey. From these two all by the name of Matlack or Matlock in America are descended.
(II) William (2), son of William ( I) and Mary ( Hancock) Matlack, was born at Peni- saukin creek, Burlington county, New Jersey, December 2, 1690, died July 25, 1730. He married, September 17, 1713, Ann, daughter of John and Frances Antrim, of Burlington, and by her had eight children: I. Rebecca, born August 16, 1714, died July 30, 1798; married (first) John Bishop; (second) Caleb Carr. 2. Jeremiah, March 4, 1716, died Janu- ary 18, 1767. 3. Rachel, June II, 1718, died February 5, 1762; married (first ) Thomas Bishop; (second) Philip Wikard. 4. Leah, August 29, 1720, died February 25, 1731. 5. Ann, December II, 1722, died July 26, 1728. 6. William, June 20, 1725, see forward. 7. James, June 13, 1728, died November 24, 1728. 8. Mary, January 6, 1730, died April 15, 1759.
(III) William (3), son of William (2) and Ann ( Antrim) Matlack, was born June 30, 1725, died May 15, 1795. He married, at Haddonfield meeting, October 1, 1748, Mary, daughter of John and Jane Turner, and by her had ten children: I. Atlantic, born No- vember 13, 1750, died February 21, 1775 ; mar- ried Samuel Stokes. 2. William, May 15, 1752, see forward. 3. John, March 26, 1755, died August, 1831 ; married Rebecca Shute. 4. Reuben, November 17, 1757, died August 2, 1808; married Elizabeth Coles. 5. Jane, Febru- ary II, 1760, died May 3, 1760. 6. Samuel, June 7, 1761 ; married Sarah Shute. 7. Re- becca, February 13, 1765, died May 18, 1842:
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married Amos Buzby. 8. Joseph, August 21, 1767, died August 26, 1814; married Anna Shute. 9. George, March 6, 1770; married Sarah Roberts. 10. Mary, August 4, 1772, died February 9, 1790.
(IV) William (4), son of William (3) and Mary (Turner) Matlack, was born at Maple Shade, New Jersey, May 15, 1752, died Octo- ber 12, 1805, aged fifty-three years, and is interred at Mullica Hill, New Jersey. He mar- ried (first) Mary Matson, born 1767, died March 5, 1786. Married (second) Letitia Harris, born 1767. He had two children by his first and four by his second marriage: I. Atlantic, born 1782. 2. Sarah, 1785. 3. Ruth, 1790 ; married Elton Rogers, of Rancocas. 4. William, 1795, died 1801, aged six years. 5. Joshua, 1802, see forward. 6. Rachel, 1805; married Darlington Evans. The mother, Letitia Harris, afterward married Joseph Miller.
The Matlacks were Quakers. For which reason the most of them remained neutral dur- ing the great revolution. But this was only in obedience to the discipline for the acts of some, it would seem, who broke the restraint and served in the war for independence, indicated that the family nature was to love freedom and hate the tyranny of kings and men. The most conspicuous example of this was Timothy Matlack, the grandson of the first William by his son Timothy. This grandson was an his- toric character and was born at Haddonfield, New Jersey, in 1730. The breaking out of the revolution fired him with patriotic ardor, and throwing away the broad brim and turning down the "stand-up collar" he entered the army, for which act he was turned out of meeting. As colonel of irregular cavalry he did valiant service in the good cause. He was one of the founders of the Society of Free Quakers, who erected the building at the south- west corner of Fifth and Arch streets, Phila- delphia, for a meeting house. He was a mem- ber of the Pennsylvania convention, secretary to the continental congress, and a member of congress. In 1817 he was prothonotary of the district court of Philadelphia county. Living to be ninety-nine years old, he died in 1829, and was interred in the Free Friends' grave- yard on South Fifth street, Philadelphia. His portrait hangs in Independence Hall. Of lesser note were Josiah Matlack in the Light Dragoons of Philadelphia; Second-Lieutenant Titus Matlack, Second Company of Unassign- ed Militia ; Sergeant William Matlack, Linton's Company, Philadelphia Militia ; First-Lieuten-
ant Samuel Matlack, Captain Horner's Com- pany of Gloucester; and Joseph Matlack, a private in the state troops.
(V) Joshua, son of William (4) and Letitia (Harris) Matlack, was born at Maple Shade, in 1802. Being but three years old when his father died, he was taken and brought up by his uncle, George Matlack, from whom he learned the trade of shoe making, but from choice followed the vocation of a farmer. About 1826 he married Ann Burrough (who lived with her parents at Burrough's Mills, near Maple Shade) in the Friends' meeting house at Moorestown. By her he had nine children : William, Mary, Reuben, Samuel, Joshua, see forward; Albert, James, Anna Letitia and Ruth. His wife died in Camden in 1869 and was buried in Riverview cemetery, Trenton. He afterwards made his home in the capital city with some of his sons, assisting them in the baking business, until he passed away ninth month, twenty-first, 1885, aged eighty-three years, and was also interred in Riverview. Both he and his wife were members of the Society of Friends.
(VI) Joshua (2), son of Joshua (I) and Ann (Burrough) Matlack, was born in West- field, Burlington county, New Jersey, July 30, 1835. He received a good common school education, and after leaving school began his business career as a merchant at Groveville, Mercer county. However, in March, 1863, he put aside business concerns and enlisted for nine months as private in Company H, of the Twenty-third New Jersey Volunteer Infantry (E. Burd Grubb, colonel) ; served throughout the term of his enlistment and participated in the battles of Salem Church and Fredericks- burg, Virginia. In the fall of the same year he returned home and afterward for forty years was in the service of the Camden & Amboy and Pennsylvania railroad companies, being passenger conductor during thirty years of that long period of service. He married, May 18. 1857, by Friends' ceremony, Martha George Ellis, of Yardville, Mercer county, daughter of Micajah and Merebah ( Middleton) Ellis. Mrs. Matlack was born June 30, 1841, and is now living, having borne her husband seven chil- dren : 1. Laura E., born Yardville, September 12, 1858; married, 1880, Francis Harbaugh, now of Maple Shade. 2. Micajah E., see for- ward. 3. Joshua, see forward. 4. Martha G., died young. 5. Bessie, born at Camden, De- cember 3, 1868; married, June 14, 1900, at Mt. Holly, Elwood H. Stokes, a coal merchant of that place. 6. Wilson, see forward. 7.
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Martha G. E., born at Mt. Holly, December 23, 1878; living at home. In 1874 Mr. Mat- lack moved to Mt. Holly and continued to live there until his death, which occurred fifth month, twenty-ninth, 1903, and was interred in St. Andrew's burying ground at that place. He was a member of the Society of Friends. and in political preference was a Republican. He was a true type of his progenitors ; of ster- ling worth and ability, whose sentiments and living were those of an ideal American citizen. A man (as the Friend remarked in his eulogy at his bier) whose passing away was a loss to the community.
(VII) Micajah Ellis, son of Joshua (2) and Martha G. (Ellis) Matlack, was born at Yard- ville, Mercer county, New Jersey, December 19, 1860. He received his education in the public schools and at John F. Pfouts' Academy, Mt. Holly. He took up the study of the law with John C. Ten Eyck, Esq., and afterwards continued the same with Howard C. Levis, Esq. He was admitted to practice and has since been a member of the New Jersey bar. In connection with professional pursuits he has taken an active interest in military and political affairs and has served in various capacities from private to captain of militia and was adjutant of the old Seventh Regiment, Na- tional Guard of New Jersey. He is an expert in military tactics. He was a member of the lower branch of the New Jersey legislature for three sessions-1893-95-and for the last ten years has held the position of bill and printing officer of the national house of representatives. Is a member of the Episcopal church, and be- longs to the Order of Elks. He married, in June, 1894, Elizabeth B. Johnson, of Brook- lyn, New York, and has one child, Micajah Edward, born in 1900.
(VII) Joshua (3), son of Joshua (2) and Martha G. ( Ellis) Matlack, was born at Yard- ville, April 24, 1863. He was educated in the public schools and at Pierce's Business College, Philadelphia, where he took a thorough course, and afterward became a competent telegrapher with the Western Union Telegraph Company ; and subsequently was a stenographer. Later he studied law with George Harding and Fran- cis T. Chambers, patent lawyers of Philadel- phia, and in 1889 was admitted to the bar of Philadelphia. He established himself in prac- tice in that city and so continued until 1905, when he became connected with the Land Title and Trust Company, but still retaining his pri- vate practice. In 1894-95 Mr. Matlack was assistant journal clerk of the house of assembly
of New Jersey, and from 1892 to 1896 was general secretary of the State League of Re- publican Clubs of that state. He takes an active part in politics and is a public speaker. He is a member of the Episcopal church, belongs to the Junior Order of American Mechanics and the Knights of Pythias. He is unmarried.
(VII) Wilson, son of Joshua (2) and Mar- tha G. (Ellis) Matlack, was born at Hights- town, Mercer county, November 26, 1873. He received his education at the public schools and at the Mt. Holly Academy. He is now engaged in the coal business with his brother-in-law, Mr. Stokes Is an Odd Fellow, an Elk, and a member of the Episcopal church. Is now first- lieutenant of Company E, Third Regiment, National Guard of New. Jersey.
This name with its various ways SPEER of spelling it, as adopted by local- ity or possibly by errors in writing, transcribing or through ignorance or careless- ness on the part of persons bearing the name, appears to be distinctive of locality, as in Maine we find the direct spelling Spear and in other parts of New England Speare and Spears. In Pennsylvania and the southern states it is universally spelled Speer, in the west either Speer or Speers. In New Jersey Speir seems to have been the original spelling, and as the Speirs and Speers of New Jersey claim Hendrick Jansen Speer as their first American ancestor, the descendants are entitled to the orthography as it has been handed down, when not changed by families or genealogists through the habit of copying from town and church records the misspelling of clerks and translators.
For the purpose of this sketch when we use the surname, we will uniformily spell it Speer, and in so doing intend no offense to bearers of the name, who may have adopted other spell- ings. Unlike many surnames, the pronuncia- tion is not changed by the change in the letters making up the name, whether spelled, Speir, Spier, Spear, Speer, Speare, or by affixing the s, which is undoubtedly caused through the use of the possessive case.
Speer and Speir are the only spelling used by immigrant ancestors, so far as our research goes ; Speer by Scotch covenanters, who came. to America and settled in Pennsylvania and drifted south and west, and Speir by the Dutch immigrants.
(I) Hendrick Jansen Speer came from Amsterdam, Holland, to New Amsterdam at the mouth of the Hudson river in North Amer-
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ica, December 23, 1650, arriving on the Dutch ship "Faith." He had with him his wife, Madeline Hance, and two children, the third child, Jocobus, embarked with them, but died on the voyage and was buried at sea. The family lived in Nieu Amsterdam on Manhattan Island, until the settlement of New Utrecht and Flatlands on Long Island was undertaken by the Crownenhovens and inducements were made to the Dutch settlers living in Nieu Am- sterdam, who were looking for investments, and the families of Albertse Cortelyou, Ger- retson, Speer and Van Winkle became exten- sive landholders in the Flatlands neighborhood between 1657 and 1660. Here the Speer family lived and additions to their family came through births, one son and two daughters, being additions to the two sons who survived the long voyage in the "Faith" from the father- land. On January 15, 1674, Hendrick Speer joined with other immigrant settlers in a peti- tion for title to land on Staten Island, described as being at the mouth of the Kill von Kull and the next year he joined with the Cortelyous, Gerretsons, Van Winkles, Albertses and other land owners and men of wealth in Flatlands in exploring the lands on the Passaic river in eastern New Jersey, known as Acquockenock Patent of five thousand acres of land, of which tract these families became proprietors, and the Albertses, Van Winkles and Speers set- tlers. The governor-general and council of East New Jersey confirmed the original Indian deed purchase in 1685 as recorded in volume I. of the journal of proceedings of the govern- ment of that date. Additions to the patent were made for several thousands of acres near the Hackensack river and the deed given about 1701 by Tapyan and other Indians for a tract in Essex county on the east side of the Passaic river to the "hills."
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