USA > New Jersey > Genealogical and memorial history of the state of New Jersey, Volume III > Part 73
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Cesse Williams ١
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support for over sixty years. He died at his homestead on Washington street, in 1885, and is survived by his daughter, Miss Julia Will- iams, who occupies and conducts the estate left by her father.
Jesse Williams married, November 23, 1832, Mary Williams, born in Orange, July 4, 1809, died there December 23, 1892, daughter of Governor Benjamin and Joanna (Williams) Williams. Children: 1. Joanna, born Febru- ary 24, 1834, died April 17, 1834. 2. Matthew, born June 19, 1835, died November 19, 1835. 3. Julia, born September 19, 1837, now re- sides on the original Matthew Williams home- stead property. 4. Mary, born January 25, 1840, died March 5, 1889. 5. Jesse, born De- cember 13, 1842, died November 14, 1859. 6. Matthew, born April 17, 1845, died April 19, 1857.
(II) Amos Williams, son of WILLIAMS Matthew Williams (I-q. v.), was born at Wethersfield, Connecticut, March 14, 1645-46, died August 20, 1683. He was on the tax list and town crier in 1668 at Wethersfield, and was one of the earliest settlers of Rocky Hill section of Old Wethersfield. With his brothers, Matthew and Samuel, he was one of the second Bran- ford emigration to Essex county, New Jersey. Exactly when the brothers severed their con- nection with the Wethersfield colony is not ob- tainable, and it is almost certain that he settled not far from his brother Samuel at Elizabeth- town. The Amos who owned property at the North Corner at Orange, was Captain Amos Williams, his son, who was the father of Sam- uel Williams, who died in 1812, aged ninety- nine years. There is no certainty of record of Amos Williams at Wethersfield after the ap- prisal and division of his father's estate in 1680, although he may have been there. He did not, however, visit his brother Matthew in Newark (who lived at ])ay and Washington streets, Orange). Amos Williams died Au- gust 20, 1683, and the inventory of his Wethers- field estate when probated was £217 15s. Janu- ary 3, 1697, Lieutenant Thomas Hollister moved to Connecticut to appoint a suitable person to make distribution of the estate of Amos Williams, Hollister having married the widow of Amos Williams in 1690. Amos Williams drew land in the 1670 allotment. In 1673 he bought a tract of sixteen and a half acres at Rocky Hill from Thomas Hollister, on west side of Middle road, between Jonathan Boardman's south and Samuel Boardman's
north, where he settled. He bought five acres from John Miller next north of William Mor- ris at Rocky Hill. He married, June 29, 1670- 71, Elizabeth Children: Amos, born March 17, 1670-71, mentioned below ; Samuel, born June 25, 1675, named for his uncle ; Eliz- abeth, born March 3, 1677, named for her mother; Susanna, born July 22, 1680, named after her grandmother.
(III) Captain Amos (2), son of Amos (I) Williams, was born at Wethersfield, Connecti- cut, March 17, 1670-71, died at Orange, New Jersey, April 19, 1774. On January 3, 1705, Josiah Ogden, merchant, and Catherine his wife, of the town of Newark, Essex county, in the eastern division of New Jersey, sell to Amos Williams, of Newark, a tract of land belonging to said Ogden and from his beloved mother, Elizabeth Ogden, comprising twenty acres, lying on the side of the "long hill" (Mountain) bounded south by the highway, west partly by Nathaniel Wheeler's and John Johnson's lands, north by George Day's and on the east by "Paraway's" brook as the brook runs. He was a yeoman and prominent in town affairs, a devout churchman. His name appears in the list of grand jurors of Essex county in 1700, and he was among the signers of the agreement for the Third Indian pur- chase of over Mountain lands in 1701, on which land he settled in the Northfield region (now Livingston) where his children were born. He was witness to will of Peter Condit, of New- ark, February 7, 1713-14. He was captain of militia April 2, 1720. "Upon reading a com- plaint made by one Captain Amos Williams, of Newark, that Major Josiah Ogden in Colonel Johnson's regiment, has lately made it his busi- ness to make the people believe that the mili- tary commissions lately granted by his Honor the President of the Council, are not legal, the President having no power to grant military commissions ; Ordered that said Captain Amos Williams and Major Josiah Ogden appear be- fore the board Monday, April 4, 1720. Cap- tain Amos Williams, of Newark, being order- ed to attend this board today, but he being sick could not come and has sent Joseph Jones his ensign." Captain Amos Williams and Eunice his wife are buried in the old burial-ground on Scotland street. where their headstones now stand. He married (first) 1700, Hannah Wheeler, born 1676, died November 13, 1719, daughter of Nathaniel and Esther Wheeler. Children : 1. David, born 1703. died March 8. 1781 ; he was a lieutenant of horse troop, and purchased half the Anthony Olive farm, May
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18, 1726, and in 1730 bought the other half. 2. Josiah, born 1705, died November 17, 1758. 3. Phebe, born 1706, died May 3, 1769. 4. Samuel, born 1713, mentioned below. Captain Amos Williams married (second) Eunice -, born June 6, 1692, died August 19, 1752.
(IV) Samuel, son of Captain Amos (2) Williams, was born in Newark, New Jersey, 1713, died at West Orange, April 1, 1812, aged ninety-nine years. He took up land in First Mountain, where he had twelve children born to him. They settled around him in the valley and at St. Cloud, the locality which now covers the old Williams farms and homesteads. The homestead of Samuel, modified in 1892, stands diagonally opposite the St. Cloud Presbyterian Church. A painting of this homestead can be seen in the home of Hanford S. Williams, on Hawthorn street, Orange. He became a pros- perous well-to-do farmer, and made cider and rum, as was the custom in those days. As a man he possessed many noble traits of char- acter. He was an upright, intelligent man and useful citizen. He and his wife were faithful members of the First Presbyterian flock, both being deeply religious. Their gravestones, be- side that of his father, Captain Amos Williams, can be seen in the old Scotland street burial- ground. The following obituary was in the Newark Sentinal of Freedom, April, 1812, con- tributed by Rev. Asa Hillyer, D. D. :
"Died at Orange on the 2nd inst. Mr. Sam- uel Williams in the 99th year of his age. Born Newark, 1713. He enjoyed an almost unin- terrupted health from his youth. He was the head of a family more than 70 years, and dur- ing this time had but one death in his family, that of an infant, until his wife departed her life a few years since (1810). He retained in a remarkable manner the use of his mental faculties to the last. In the relations of hus- band, parent and neighbor he discharged his duty with great fidelity. He was indeed an honest man and through his life he uniformly expressed a high respect for the institutions of our Holy religion, and was always a cheerful supporter of the Gospel. But not withstand- ing the many virtues which adorned his fair and unexceptional character, he was often heard to lament his imperfect life and guilt and to declare his only hope of salvation rested in the mercy of God through a crucified Sav- iour. As long as any live who knew him, he will be affectionately remembered. He left twelve children, all of whom were at his fu- neral and paid their last respects to a father who they deservedly loved and revered. He
had at time of his death forty-five grandchil- dren, forty-one great-grandchildren. His de- scendants now living are just equal in number to the years he lived."
He married Hannah Harrison, born 1723, died April 6, 1810, daughter of Joseph and Martha (Sargeant) Harrison. Children : I. Martha, married Cyrus Baldwin ; children : i. Sarah, married Joshua Baldwin, and had chil- dren : Eunice, married Stephen Peck ; Martha, married Asher Crane; Sarah, married Uzal Hedden ; Uzal S. ; ii. Charlotte, married
McDaniel; iii. Eunice; iv. Henry, married Sarah Baldwin; children: Cyrus, Catherine and Albert; v. Amos, married Sarah Crane; children: Sears, Daniel and Nathaniel. 2. Hannah, married (probably) Joseph Brown ; children : i. Hannah, married - Durand ; ii. Samuel, married Ellen Brown; iii. Phebe. 3. Daniel, born 1744, died January 9, 1823. 4. Jonathan, born June, 1747, died November 15, 1838. 5. Dorcas, born 1752, died January 2, 1818; married Henry Townley. 6. Samuel, born 1754; see sketch. 7. Susan, born 1757, died September 8, 1832; married Jonathan Baldwin ; children : i. Noah, married Cath- erine Sears; ii. Elihu, married Jemima Mat- thews ; iii. Hannah; iv. Lydia, married Silas Washburn: v. John, married Hulda Ham- ilton ; vi. Dorcas; vii. Cyrus, married Phebe Mingus ; viii. Lewis ; ix. Sarah, married Henry Ball ; x. Caleb Z., married Sarah Hamilton. 8. Eunice, born 1763, died March 3, 1829; mar- ried Nathan Squire. 9. Joseph, born 1758, died July 1, 1815. 10. Lydia, born 1761, died January 6, 1836. II. Moses, born November 28, 1762, mentioned below. 12. Mary, born 1764, died unmarried, September 26, 1841.
(V) Moses, son of Samuel Williams, was born on the old Williams homestead on Orange Mountains, West Orange, New Jersey, No- vember 28, 1762. He attended the district school and worked on the farm during other seasons. He learned the trade of shoemaker, serving an apprenticeship, and followed his trade for many years as was the custom, taking out the rough product from the Orange shops and making it up at home. He later was asso- ciated with his father in the farm, also working at his trade. He was a hard-working, industrious and frugal man, and was known for his honesty. A part of his father's estate, some forty acres, came to him at the decease of his father. This he cultivated and resided there until his death. The property is now owned by Ira C. Kipp. He died June 26, --. He was a Presby- terian in religion and a Whig in politics. His
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wife Sarah was noted for her piety, and regu- larly attended the prayer meetings during even- ing services, coming down the mountain by the way of the Christian's Pathway. She pos- sessed many lovable traits and was of an in- domitable spirit. Dr. Hoyt, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, at her funeral, said : "She was like a shock of corn fully ripe for Heaven." Moses Williams served in the revo- lution, in Captain Wood's company, First Regi- ment of Essex county, also in state troops. He married, 1792, Sarah Matthews, born Febru- ary 21, 1775, died February 28, 1856, daughter of Daniel and Anna Matthews. Children: I. Abiah, born April 22, 1794, died April 10, 1813; married Garry King. 2. Anna, born March 29, 1796; married Isaac Williams. 3. Isaac, born July 22, 1798. 4. Lydia, born April 2, 1800, died September 12, 1808. 5. Henry, born March 1, 1804, mentioned below. 6. Jo- seph, born October 21, 1807, died August 10, 1883; married Amanda Gardner ; children : Elizabeth ; Theodore, born December 17, 1832. 7. Samuel, born June 23, 1811, died 1864, un- married. 8. Daniel Morris, born July 30, 1813, married Lucy Steele. 9. Lydia, born August 10, 1816, died 1833. 10. Sarah, born February 13, 1820, died April 19, 1863 ; married Samuel Freeman.
(VI) Henry, son of Moses Williams, was born at Orange, New Jersey, March 1, 1804, at the old family homestead situated on First Mountain, now in West Orange. He was brought up on his father's farm, acquiring the usual school education of a farmer's son at that period. During his early manhood days he came to Orange Centre, where he apprenticed himself to one of the leading hatters by name of Stryker, serving seven years, Orange at that time being noted for its hat industry. Here young Williams found employment as a hatter. The process of manufacture was in the use of fur so applied as to form the hat body. After time, having prospered at his trade and accumulated his savings, he bought a small farm of twenty acres at West Orange, in what is now South Valley road, his land running to the top of First Mountain, and erected his homestead and hat shop, and in company with John Matthews continued in the manufacture of hat bodies. This business he continued for a number of years, until the era of inachinery, when the making by hand went out. He then manufactured wool bodies for a Bloomfield firm, continuing in this for quite a time. Dur- ing his hat business he conducted his farm, hiring the work done, and after giving up the
hat business gave his entire time to farming. He was a man of quiet nature, reticent, and on this account was nicknamed "Deacon," al- though not a deacon of the church. He and his wife were members of the First Presby- terian Church. He was a Whig in politics. He was a Free Mason, having taken the thirty- second degree, being the first in Orange to take that high degree. He served in early manhood in a cavalry company at Orange. He married Mary Jane Smith, born December 14, 1810, died January 1I, 1892, daughter of William Isaac, born May 20, 1798, and Betsey ( Mat- thews) Smith, born November 12, 1796. Will- jam I. Smith was a farmer. Children: I. Horace, born October 22, 1831, died Septem- ber, 1832. 2. William Smith, born November 16, 1834, mentioned below. 3. Sarah Eliza- beth, born June 12, 1837, died September 16, 1873; married, May 26, 1859, Enos Smith ; children : i. James Elmore, born January 20, 1863, died September 16, 1878; ii. Henry Will- iams, born February 25, 1864, married Emily Maddock ; children : Henry Enos, born Janu- ary 16, 1896; Edgar Maddox, born April 22, 1898; iii. William Pierson, born November 2, 1866, married Ella Harris; children: James Elmore, born September 16, 1894, and Gladys Harris, born December 14, 1898; iv. Thomas Luddington, born April 18, 1869, married Emma Smith; children : Raymond, Grace Louise, Mildred, Elizabeth, Milton, Harold. 4. Winfield Scott, born April 21, 1839, men- tioned below. 5. Isaac Morris, born October 18, 1841, married, December 15, 1870, Harriet Jane Van Duyne ; children : i. Nettie Mabelle, born September 23, 1872, married, June, 1897, Barton Miller ; child, Morris Randolph, born July 3, 1899 ; ii. Julia Crane, born December 2, 1873, married, October 15, 1904, Francis Will- ard ; child, Percy, born July 20, 1907 ; iii. Sadie, born January 1, 1876, died October 10, 1878; iv. Henry Smith, born October 24, 1877, mar- ried, March 3, 1904, Mattie Hixon; children : Ruth Harriet, born April 1, 1905, and Ralph Winfield, born December, 1907; v. Arthur, born April 17, 1880; vi. Benjamin, born March 22, 1882, died October 2, 1883. 6. Mary Ann, born January 20, 1844, married, January 3, 1867, Stephen Slack ; children: i. Thomas H., born January 4, 1868, married, June 24, 1891, Anna Gorman ; ii. Bertha, born April 8, 1872, died August 12, 1872; iii. Edith, born July 24, 1873; iv. Myra, born July 31, 1875, died May I, 1904 ; v. Stephen, born October 4, 1879, mar- ried, November, 1906, La Blanche Niesman ; children : Everett Shirley, born August 25,
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1907, and Stephen Williams, born May 19, 1909; vi. Victoria, born September 3, 1881, married, September 7, 1904, William Richard Clark; children: Constance Mason, born Sep- tember 13, 1905, and William Richard, born June 7, 1909; vii. John, born February 22, 1883. 7. Nancy Maria, born October 6, 1846, married, October 18, 1888, Albert Edmund Pruden. 8. Lydia Caroline, born August 25, 1848, died February 25, 1904. 9. Margaret Selina, born November 4, 1850. 10. Virginia Louisa, born May II, 1853. II'. Ida Matilda, born July 28, 1856, died October 18, 1866. 12. John Henry, born October 21, 1858, died Oc- tober 27, 1866.
(VII) William Smith, son of Henry Will- iams, was born at West Orange, then Orange, New Jersey, November 16, 1834. His early educational training beginning in the district school three months during the winter term was supplemented by two winter terms of pri- vate instruction under Master Alonzo Brackett. Being the oldest boy in the family, it was his duty to help his father in the work of the farm. During his early manhood years he was apprenticed to Peter Doremus to learn the trade of carpenter until he became of age. The few years under Mr. Doremus fitted him to apply himself as a journeyman, and at the end of his apprenticeship he began work as a journeyman for Jones & Doremus, where he re- mained for several years, subsequently accept- ing a similar position for two years with Jo- seph H. Condit and later for Joseph M. Dodd and several other well known builders, and for Lucius D. Gould, working at stair building for Mr. Dodd at Newark and for Mr. Gould. In 1862, feeling himself fitted to do business in his own behalf, having gained the practical experi- ence and accumulated sufficient savings to start, he located at 33 Harrison street, East Orange, his present home and shop. From that time to the present Mr. Williams has devoted his energy and skill to the art of stair building. His shop, situated in the rear of his residence, is a model in equipment, having the latest im- proved machinery used in wood work. His shop, which is carefully arranged and neatly kept, is used as his office; here Mr. Williams attends to the details of the business in the drafting and laying out the work in conjunc- tion with his many contracts. A major part of the stair building of the Oranges has been done by Mr. Williams, and some of the contracts were for the Dearborn and Morgan schools, First Presbyterian Church, City Hall, and in- numerable private residences both in the
Oranges and surrounding towns. Mr. Will- iams is also interest in the ownership and sale of land and lots of his father's old homestead farm. He was formerly a member of the old Dutch Reformed Church of Oranges. He is a Democrat in politics. He formerly belonged to the Order of United Americans and Knights of Pythias, and is now a member of the Master Builders' Association of Orange. He married, at East Orange, New Jersey, May 14, 1857, Ann Eliza Gruett, born June 13, 1833, daugh- ter of Peter and Mary Tichenor (Harrison) Gruett, the former of whom was a weal coverer in a hat factory, and later engaged in the livery business. Children : I. Mary Jennie, born May II, 1859; married, June 7, 1887, William Clay- ton Durand, born June 7, 1851, son of Byron and Eleanor (Clayton) Durand; child, Eva Mabel, born July 7, 1888. 2. Anna Eliza, born July 18, 1861. 3. Walter Smith, born March 19, 1867, died March 17, 1908. 4. Eugene Gruett, born November 30, 1871, died August 29, 1893, married Mary Lindsay ; children : i. Estelle Georgianna, born January 1, 1891, and William Smith Jr., born November 27, 1892.
(VII) Winfield Scott, son of Henry Will- iams, was born April 21, 1839, at the family homestead in West Orange, New Jersey. He early attended the nearby district school and Alonzo Brackett's private school at Orange. He later attended public and private schools at South Orange, and subsequently up to seven- teen was a pupil in Rev. Dr. Berry's private school on High street, Orange. During his youth he assisted his father on the farm, and during his early manhood years served a three years apprenticeship under Henry Matthews at the carpenter trade, and continued as a jour- neyman for Mr. Matthews up to August, 1861, when he enlisted in the service of his country, entering the navy. He was assigned to the re- ceiving ship "North Carolina," then in Brooklyn navy yard. He subsequently proceeded to Pensacola, Florida, where he was assigned to the schooner "M. A. Wood," one of the early cruisers, where he remained about four months. Returning to New Jersey he re-enlisted in 1863 and was assigned to the dispatch boat, "A. D. Vance," seeing service in the operations around Fort Fisher when it was captured by the Union forces. He remained on the "A. D. Vance" nine months, after which he was honor- ably discharged from the receiving ship "Ver- mont." He returned to Orange, New Jersey, and shortly after entered into partnership with his brother, Isaac M. Williams, under the firm name of I. M. & W. S. Williams, contractors
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and builders, at West Orange, New Jersey. After three years the brothers dissolved part- nership, Mr. Williams following his trade as a journeyman. While not active at his trade, he is engaged in agricultural pursuits, cultivat- ing his acres which are a part of the old Will- iams homestead property on the Mountain. A great part of this has been placed on the mar- ket for building purposes. Mr. Williams is one of the heirs of the property, which has descended from father to son for several gen- erations. Mr. Williams resides at 103 Central avenue, having erected his residence about forty-four years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Williams and their sons are members of Hillside Pres- byterian Church at Orange. Mr. Williams is a Republican in politics. He is a member of Uzal Dodd Post. No. 12, Grand Army of the Republic, a charter member of Carpenters' Union at Orange, and in his early days was a member of the Orange military company. He married, May 30, 1866, Georgianna Freeman, born at Orange, January 17, 1845, daughter of Alexander Phoenix and Margaret (Harrison) Freeman (see Freeman family). Alexander P. Freeman was a butcher by trade, and died in the California gold fields in 1853. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Williams : 1. Mary Ida, born July 18, 1867, died September 8, 1872. 2. Albert Winfield, born March 7, 1871, died September II, 1872. 3. Milton Elwood, born January 28, 1874, resides at home. 4. Wilbur Scott, born December 6, 1877, resides at home.
(III ) Amos Williams, son WILLIAMS of Matthew Williams (II- q. v.), was born in 1690, at Newark, New Jersey. He removed with his parents to the Mountain, and after the death of his father in 1732 reigned in the homestead, where he died June 16, 1754, aged sixty-four years. He was a cooper by trade, and a noted justice of the peace. His name appears in Newark town records as surveyor of high- ways, 1737-38, and assessor, 1741-42. He re- ceived by deed from his father-in-law, James Nutman, "for love and affection," one hundred acres. (Shaw's "History of Essex and Hud- son Counties," p. 810). James Nutman was concerned in the third Indian purchase of over- the-Mountain lands in 1701. He came from Edinburg, Scotland, and his name appears in Newark as early as 1695. June 17, 1730, Amos Williams received from his father, Matthew Williams, in consideration of love, good will and affection, land and meadow lying and being in Newark at the mountain plantations so call-
ed. (See copy of deed in Shaw's "Essex and Hudson County History," p. 809). He married Mary Nutman, about 1723, born 1700, died February 18, 1777. Children: Enos, born 1724, died 1742; Sarah, born 1728, died 1736; Nathaniel, born 1733, died 1782; James, born 1737, died 1758; Benjamin, mentioned below ; Sarah, born 1742, died 1818.
(IV) Benjamin, son of Amos Williams, was born in the homestead of his father in Orange, New Jersey, March 4, 1739, died September 4, 1826. In accordance with his father's will, Benjamin learned the trade of cooper from his brother Nathaniel, when fourteen years of age. After he became of age he took up by his father's will the upper part of his father's farm, then a wilderness, and commenced clear- ing and building a home. The brothers built a dam and erected a saw mill on Wigwam brook about 1765. When the revolutionary war broke out the brothers, together with their uncle, James Nutman, were imprisoned at Morris- town and Sussex county jails by the committee of safety. Nathaniel was sent to New York, where he died of smallpox in 1782. The fol- lowing from Jemima Cundict's book of old valuable records appears "December ye 26, 1777 :"
"Our people took three green Coats (the term applied to Loyalist troops ; to distinguish them from the British regulars they wore a uniform of green coats faced with white and cocked hats with broad white binding around them) and they Swore they see Benjamin Williams over upon Staten island &c. So upon that they Sent a file of men and fetch him Amcdiately Down to Newark where he is to be kept in Close Confinement until further exam- ination." Benjamin took out a written protec- tion from a British officer which, owing to the situation of the opposing armies, was of little value. At the last moment he was allowed by law, being induced by his father-in-law and his cousin, Captain Thomas Williams, whose re- gard and friendship had not been lessened by the diversity of political sentiment, to take the oath of allegiance to the new government and save his property. He always said that the Declaration of Independence was as big a lie as was even written, and would never accept an office under the new government, although prominent as a business man. After the close of the war he acquired much real estate, start- ed a tannery and built a bark mill, carding mill, distillery, currying shop and cider mill. Among other lands he purchased that of Peter Schuy- ler (Colonel). This farm was next north
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