USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 14
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James Denn lived to an advanced life very much at his ease, having all his father's real estate ; enjoying the natural privilege which were abundant in his time, living mostly at home in a retired way ; his brother John, was apprenticed at an early age in the city of Philadelphia to his uncle, David Bacon, to learn the trade of a hatter, and soon after he became of age he commenced the hatting business in the village of Hancock's Bridge. About that time he married Susan Fitzgerald; her family belonged to Delaware; they had three children-Samnel, John and Rachel Denn. A few years later he removed to Salem and followed his trade on Market street. The house and shop were located where Thomas Hilliard's house now is; he continued at his trade until he purchased thie Cripp's estate in Mannington. Soon after he abandoned his trade, removed, and took possession of his farm and soon became one of the most successful farmers in that township-certainly he was one of the best meadow men that ever lived in the county of Salem. About that time his son, John Denn, married Rhoda Shonrds, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Shourds. He built, and divided his farm, and his son, John, occupied the part he built on until his death, which took place when he was comparatively a young man, leaving a widow and five children.
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Their names were Rachel, Mary, Susan, Anne, and Rebecca, who died young. Rachel, his daughter, married Professor John Griscom, who has since died, leaving her a widow. Mary Denn, the second daughter, died a young woman. Susan remains single. Anne, the youngest daughter living, married William Gibbon, of Philadelphia ; he has been deceased several years, leaving a widow and two children-Susan and Henry Gibbon. The son died a few years ago. The daughter resides with her mother in Salem.
John Denn, Sr.'s daughter Rachel, married Jacob Hufty, she being his second wife. She lived bnt a short time after their marriage, leaving no children. Samuel Denn was a merchant in the town of Salem for several years, and married at an advanced age, Elizabeth Alford, the daughter of Samuel Alford. They are both deceased, leaving no offspring. John Denn, Sr.'s second wife was Margaret Hall, daughter of Joseph and Ann Hall, of Elsinborough. They had five children-Elizabeth, John, Anne, Margaret, and Rebecca Denn. Elizabeth married James Woodnntt, the son of Preston Woodnutt. John sold his real estate in Mannington that was left to him by his father, to George Abbott, and eventually removed to California. Anne Denn remains single. Margaret married Edward Bilderback, now deceased, leaving her a widow with two children. Rebecca married a young man in the State of Maryland, and has been deceased several years, leaving one daughter.
John Denn, several years before his death, made application to the Legislature of New Jersey for a law for him to dig a canal across the bottle of the meadow that he owned in Lower Penn's Neck, opposite his plantation in Mannington. The greater part of said meadow formerly belonged to William Penn. James Logan sold it to James Whitten, the former owner of the meadow, in 1712. He likewise had the power to contract the creek as soon as the eanal became navigable. The law was obtained, and he soon afterwards commenced opera- tions. After the canal was completed sufficiently for navigation, it was not of the capacity of the creek for draining the low lands and the large tracts of meadow that lay above the mouth of the canal, consequently the meadows were greatly damaged by not having sufficient fall of water, as great as formerly, before the creek was contracted, accordingly there was a great opposition by the proprietors of land above said canal. Meetings were called to devise some plan to prevent him from proceeding any further in his operations. They insisted he should remove the obstruction he had already made in the creek, but he continued
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firm in his undertakings, taking the precaution to keep within the limits of the law. He built a bridge across the creek for his own accommodation until such time as the canal would wear sufficiently to vent the water above, so it would not be any great detriment to the meadows. After fifty years or more there is now a permanent dam and road across the creek where his bridge was formerly. Therefore his plans and motives have been fulfilled, notwithstanding he did not live to see it all com- pleted on account of his great age. At his death he was more than fourscore.
David Denn, John's younger brother, lived to old age single. He was a tanner and currier, and carried it on in a small way, I believe, while he lived on his brother James' property, near Hancock's Bridge. His sister, Martha Denn, married Mark Bradway. They had one son, whose name was Mark Bradway. Her second husband was Thomas Thompson. She survived him many years.
MASON FAMILY.
John Mason was a native of Gloucestershire, England, and resided in the parish of Winehcome. He emigrated to America when a young man, and landed at Philadelphia in 1683. Soon afterward he came to Salem to live, and purchased a town lot in the town, containing sixteen acres; it lay on the south side of Broadway, and was bounded on the west by Samuel Hedge's land. He erected a brick house there, and lived in it for some time. In 1686 he purchased 5,000 acres of land, being part of the 32,000 acres that was laid off for Eldridge and Warner, to secure the debt that John Fenwick owed them. James Nevell sold the whole of the tract in the year before stated. About the year 1690, John Mason purchased of Roger Milton 1,000 acres of upland and salt marsh, in the township of Elsinborough; it was bounded on the east by Samuel Nicholson's allotment of 2,000 acres; on the west by Redroc Morris' land. In 1695 he built a substantial briek dwelling, left Salem, and lived on his landed estate before described. In 1704 he built a large addi- tion to it, which made it one of the largest brick dwellings that was in the county at that early day. John Mason married Sarah Smith, daughter of John Smith, of Ambelbury; she was born near London, England, 27th of 10th month, 1671. Their oldest child, John Mason, Jr., was born 19th of 7th month, 1697. Their daughter, Ann Mason, was born 24th of 11th month, 1699; William, the son of John and Sarah Mason, was born 23d of 11th month, 1701; Sarah, danghter of John and Sarah Mason, was born 2d of 2d month, 1704; Samuel, son of John and Sarah Mason, born 15th of the 3d month, 1706; Thomas son of John and Sarah Mason, was born 28th of 5th month, 1708. Rebecca Mason, born 1710, daughter of John and Sarah Mason, owned land in various parts in Fenwick tenth; he purchased considerable tract of land in Monmonth precinct of Anna Salter, erected a flour mill about 1705; it is now known as Maskell mill. IIe was appointed a Commis. sioner for public highways in 1706; was a member of the Leg. islature for two or three years, and one of the Justices of Salem
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Courts for a number of years. He was a large landholder in the State of Delaware, likewise in Pennsylvania in the neigh- borhood of Chester. His descendants are not very numerous ; there are none at the present time by the name of Mason of his descendents in this county. John Goodwin Mason, who died in 1839, was the last of the male descendants. There are quite a number in the female line who are direct descendants of John Mason, the emigrant. John Mason, the son of Thomas and grandson of John Mason, Sr., was born about 1729; his first wife was Ann, the daughter of Sarah Hall, of Salem; by her he had one daughter-Sarah Mason, who married Elgar Brown, a native of Pennsylvania; they had four children-Ann, Eli- sha, Israel and Jolm M. Brown. John Mason's second wife was Susanna, the daughter of William and Mary Goodwin ; they had five children-Thomas, Mary, Ann, Elizabeth and John G. Mason; Thomas Mason, their son, married Hannah, the daughter of Joseph and Hannah Butcher Hancock; they had issue, one daughter, who married Richard Miller Acton, of Salem. Mary Mason, daughter of John and Susanna Mason, first husband was Abner Beesley, of Alloways Creek; they had four children-Mary, William G., Benjamin and Thomas Mason Beesley ; her second husband was Job Ware; they had two sons-Job and Elijah Ware. Ann Mason, daughter of John and Susannah Mason, married Joseph Thompson, son of Joshua and Sarah Thompson; they had three daughters who lived to grow and settle in life; Susan, who married Joseph Pancoast ; Sarah married Thomas Shourds ; and Ann Thomp- son married Thomas Fogg. Elizabeth, daughter of John and Susannah Mason, died a young woman unmarried. John G. Mason, the youngest son of John and Susanna Mason never married, died aged fifty-six years.
Its probable Thomas Mason emigrated from England to West New Jersey, about the same time his brother, John Mason, did; he resided in the town of Salem some length of time. After the death of John Fenwick he purchased 500 acres of land in Upper Mannington, being part of Fenwick's grove; he soon became a citizen of that township and continued to reside there until his death. In 1720 he purchased of Samuel Fen- wick Hedge 500 acres of land, being part of Hedgefield. There is nothing to show that he even took an active part in the public affairs of the Colony. I see by the court records he occasionally served as one of the Grand Jurors. The fol- lowing are the names of Thomas and Elizabeth Mason's children: Mary, was born in Mannington 2d of 7th month, 1701; Aaron,
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was born in 1702; Martha, was born 12th of 9th month, 1704; Joseph, was born 14th of 8th month, 1706. James Mason, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Mason, born 11th of 6th month, 1709; he became in possession of nearly all of the large landed estate in the township of Mannington that belonged to his father, Thomas Mason. He married a daughter of Abel Nicholson ; they had no issue; he devised the greater part of his landed estate to his nephew, James Mason Woodnutt, son of Jonathan Woodnutt. James left his mill and farm adjoin- ing to his wife's niece, Ann, the daughter of John Nicholson.
MILLER FAMILY.
The most reliable information that I have obtained, is that Joseph Miller came from the State of Connecticut in 1698, and settled at Cohansey. His occupation was that of a land surveyor. It is well known that at that time, and for many years previous, New England, excepting Rhode Island, was not a place where the Quakers could meet in peace, and worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. Many of them went to reside in Rhode Island under a more liberal government, created by Roger Williams, and a large number emigrated to the Middle States. Such men as Robert Zanes, Richard Lippincott and their families, and several others, emi- grated as early as 1675. Joseph Miller and his wife had one son-Ebenezer, born at Cohansey, in 1702. At the death of Richard Tindall, Joseph was chosen deputy surveyor for the lower section of Fenwick's tenth. There is no mention of him as a public surveyor later than 13th of 9th month, 1729; he re-surveyed at that time a tract of land of 1,000 acres for John Brick, lying on the west branch of Gravelly Run or Stoe Ceeek. The said tract of land had formerly been surveyed by Benjamin Acton, of Salem, for Samuel Dumming, of Maryland, by order of James Logan, agent of William Penn, Governor of the province of Pennsylvania. My opinion is that he died about the year 1730, and his son, Ebenezer Miller was his successor as a public surveyor. In 1724 he married, I think, Sarah Collier, daughter of John Collier; their son, Ebenezer Miller, Jr., was born 15th of 9th month, 1725; their daughter, Hannah Miller, was born in 1728; Josiah Miller, in 1731; their son, Andrew Miller, in 1732; William Miller, in 1735; John C. Miller, in 1737; Mark Miller, in 1740; Sarah Miller, in 1743, and Rebecca Miller, 17th of 5th month, 1747. The father of the above mentioned children died in the town of Greenwich at the age of seventy-two years, with a comfortable hope that all would be well with him in a future state. His daughter, Han- nah, in 1740, married Charles Fogg, son of Daniel Fogg, of Alloways Creek; they had two children; their eldest daughter, Sarah Fogg, was born in the 5th month, 1747, and died the
20
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following fall. In 1749 their daughter, Hannah Fogg, was was born; she afterwards married William Hancock, son of Thomas Hancock, of Elsinborough, being his second wife. In 1771 their son, William Hancock, Jr., was born, and died within the same year; their son, John, was born 24th of 4th month, 1773, and their daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1776. William Hancock died when his son John was about ten years of age, leaving his real estate to his son, subject to his mother's thirds. John, before he arrived at the age of twenty-one, went into the mercantile business at Hancock's Bridge, as a partner with the late Captain John Tuft, of Salem ; he had a delicate constitution, and there appears to have been an unpleasant feel- ing between him and his half-sister, who had married a young man by the name of Daniels, of Alloways Creek; he was determined that if he should die his sister should have nothing of his estate, and he accordingly made his will on the day he arrived at the age of twenty-one, leaving his landed property to his cousin, William Hancock, son of Thomas Hancock, and his personal property to his mother; he died in a short time after- wards. His mother's second husband was Aaron Thompson, and they had no children. Hannah survived her husband many years, and in the latter part of her life made her home with Elizabeth Miller, she being a cousin of Elizabeth's husband, Richard Miller. In that family she ended her days at a very advanced age. Not long before her death she met Thomas Jones, Sr., on Salem street, and he accosted her in this way: "Mrs. Thompson, I am sorry to see you "lay aside your old-fashioned bee-hive bonnet that the aged " Quaker ladies have worn generally during my time. I was "in hopes you would adhere to the old-fashioned bonnets "whilst you lived. For my part," he continued, "I expect to " continue in the old custom of having my hair done up in a cue " whilst I live."
Ebenezer Miller, Jr., in 1751, married Ruth Wood, daughter of Richard Wood, of Stoe Creek township, Cumberland county. She was born in 1732. Their children were born in Cumber- land. Their daughter Hannah was born 14th of 1st month, 1753; their son Ebenezer in 1761, and died in 1763; Priscilla was born in 1763 ; their second son Ebenezer Miller, was born in 1766, and their daughter Sarah in 1768. Some two thousand acres of the Pledger and Lafetra allotment of 6000 acres, now known as Quaker Neck, came in possession of Benjamin Wyn- coop, he being an Englishman ; it's more than probable that the said Wyncoop purchased the land of one of the heirs of
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Hypolite Lafetra. The house is still standing that was built by one of the family in the beginning of the last century. The property that the old mansion stands on is owned at present by George Griscom. It is certain, however, that at the commence- ment of the Revolutionary War he was the owner of the whole allotment which is now known as Quaker Neck. At that period all the land from what is called Stone Bridge, which crosses the branch of Pledger creek, called then the Neck, extending to the Salem line, was covered with heavy timber. It went under the name of Wyncoop's woods. Great changes have been wrought there within 100 years. At the present time there is not less than ten farms on said tract; most of them have large and costly mansions, barns and other buildings, and the lands are highly cultivated. Upon the whole it is one of the most desira- ble situations for an agriculturalist in the county. Benjamin Wyncoop being an Englishman by birth, had a strong predelic- tion in favor of his native land. Traditional accounts state he had fears that for the part he took in favor of England his property would be confiscated, and he accordingly offered it for sale.
After selling his possessions here he removed to Philadel- phia, and owing to the depreciation in the currency, he became poor, and died a few years afterwards in one of the almshouses of that city. John Mountain, an Irishman by birth, who, by industry and economy, in a short time had become able to stock a farm, was fortunate enough to rent that large and inproved farm of John Mason, called the Mason's Point Farm, in Elsinborough, at a very moderate rent. In a few years he accumulated money enough to purchase the home- stead of Benjamin Wyncoop. At the time of his death Moun- tain left one daughter, Mary, who became the owner of all his real estate. Richard Parrott subsequently married her, and they had two children named Mary Ann and Isabella Parrott. Mary Ann became the wife of Hedge Thompson, of Salem. Their children's names I mentioned in the account of the Hedge family. Isabella remained single and lived to an old age. The landed estate of their mother was divided between them. George Griscom is now the owner of Mary Ann's share, and George Abbott, Isabella's land. George IIall bought a large tract of land of Wyncoop, being part of the Neck, all woodland at the time. Lucas Gibbs' of Salem, purchased about 175 acres, lying next to the town of Salem, and his brother Richard Gibbs bought 200 acres or more adjoining the homestead. Both of the Gibbs were Salem men. Lucas Gibbs' property was
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afterwards owned by Job Tyler, a native of Cumberland. The Fogg family are now the owners of Richard Gibbs' estate.
Ebenezer Miller, Jr,, purchased a farm of Wyncoop .- Richard Ware, of Alloways Creek, bought land and lived there the remainder of his days; Josiah Wistar is the present owner. Mark Miller, brother of Ebenezer Miller, purchased land known at this time as the David E. Davis farm. William Abbott, of Elsinboro, bought the farm and ended his days where his grandson Samuel Abbott now owns and lives. Benjamin Wright likewise bought 100 aeres adjoining the Abbotts .- Benjamin in his will devised the said farm to his grandson, Benjamin Wright; Joseph Waddington is the present owner. Ebenezer Miller and his brother, Mark Miller, removed from Cumberland, and made their homes on the lands they purchased of Wyncoop. Mark's wife was Phebe Foster ; they had five children-four daughters and one son-William F. Miller. Mary Miller, their eldest daughter, married John Sheppard, of Greenwich. One married Jacob Wood. William F. Miller's first wife was Esther Cooper, native of Gloucester; she died several years before William, leaving one son named Franklin Miller. William F. Miller's second wife was a Newbold from Burlington county, and she survived her husband several years. Franklin Miller married Elizabeth Acton, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Aeton; both of them died young of pulmonary consumption, leaving one daughter, Hetty Miller, who inherited a large estate from her grandfather and father. She was the wife of David E. Davis, formerly of Pilesgrove, who is now deceased.
Josiah Miller, the second son of Ebenezer Miller, Sr., married Letitia Wood in 1760, daughter of Richard Wood, Sr., of Stoe Creek township, Cumberland county, she being a sister of his brother Ebenezer's wife. They had five chil- dren-Josiah Miller, Jr., born 12th of 12th month, 1761; Richard Miller, born 15th of 4th month, 1764; John Miller, born in 1767; Letitia Miller, born in 1769, who subsequently married William Reeve ; and in 1774 Mark Miller was born. Josiah Miller about that period purchased a large tract of land in Lower Mannington, which formerly belonged to the Sherron family, it being the southern part of James Sherron's allotment of 1,000 aeres that he bought of John Fenwick in 1676, being considered one of the finest tracts of table land within Fenwick's tenth. Josiah soon after his pur- chase removed with his family from his native county and
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resided on his land in Mannington ; he built the brick house where his great-grand-son, Samuel L. J. Miller, owns and lives. I think his two youngest sons, John and Mark Miller, died young; his wife Letitia survived him several years. Josiah Miller, Jr., never married. After the death of his mother he lived with his brother Richard, and after the death of his brother he continued making his home with his widow whilst he lived. In his will he devised his farm to his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Miller, during her natural life, and afterward to her son Josiah Miller, and to his nephew Josiah Miller Reeve, he devised $2,500, with other legacies to his relatives.
The land Josiah Miller owned in Mannington was divided between his two sons-Josiah and Richard. The latter mar- ried Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Wistar, of Philadelphia, by whom he had three children-Sarah, Letitia and Josialı. Andrew Miller, third son of Ebenezer, married Rachel, dauglı- ter of Elisha and Abigail Bassett, of Pilesgrove. Andrew died before he reached middle age, leaving a widow, and two children, named Daniel L. and Rebecca. Rachel Miller, a short time after the death of her husband, opened a small store, whilst her son, Daniel, went into partnership with Abram Bois and the late Judge Thomas Sinnickson, in the mercantile busi- ness. The store was located where the drug store, known as Ingham's Building, now is. In the year 1809 he withdrew from the firm and moved to Philadelphia, as also did his mother and sister. The two latter kept a boarding house on Arch street and opened a retail dry goods store on Second street, which shows that they possessed more than ordinary business capacities. Daniel L. Miller, the son, and William Nicholson, Jr., who had left his native county in the same year opened a wholesale and retail dry goods store on Second street, under the name of Miller & Nicholson. About that period Daniel married Hannah Nicholson, daughter of Abel Nicholson, a citizen of the upper part of Gloucester county, but whose fore- fathers were natives of Salem. In 1812 William Nicholson withdrew from the firm, and James Kinsey, of Salem, and a young man by the name of Cooper, of Phildelphia, became partners with Daniel L. Miller. The firm was known as Mil- Jer, Kinsey & Co. Daniel and his wife had eight children- Charles, Elizabeth, Daniel L., William, Andrew, Rachel, Ann and Hannah. William, the oldest, married Ann Maria Seth, of Salem. Elizabeth became the wife of William Parrish, the son of the eminent Dr. Joseph Parrish, of Philadelphia.
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Andrew married Josephine Bunting. Daniel L. Miller, Jr.'s wife was Ann Ridgway. Rachel's husband was William Bid- dle, the son of the late Clement Biddle ; he kept a large hard- ware store in Philadelphia. I believe his sons and grand-sons are still in that business, and the firm is one of the wealthiest in that line in the city. Anna married Robert Biddle, the brother of William. Daniel L. Miller continued in the mer- cantile business until near the close of a long life; his wife is also deceased at the present time.
William Miller, the fourth son of Ebenezer, born 1737, mar- ried Mary Magere, a native of Wilmington, Del., about the year 1760, and had three children-William, Jr., Ebenezer and Elizabeth. William Miller, Jr., married Rebecca White, daughter of William White, of Pilesgrove, and they had two children, both daughters-Sarah Ann and Eliza. Sarah Ann married Amos Buzby, the son of Joseph Buzby. Eliza Miller married Lewis Hancock, son of William Hancock, of Elsinbor- ough.
John, fifth son of Ebenezer Miller, married Margaret Bacon, of Greenwich, in 1767 ; she was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Bacon, and was born 20th of 2d month, 1737. John and his wife had five children; their oldest son, Joseph, was born 16th of 6th month, 1768; their daughter, Mary, was born 1770; John Miller, Jr., was born 15th of 3d month, 1772 ; William was born 1774, and Isaac 20th of 5th month, 1776. Joseph Miller, John's oldest son, was a tanner and cur- rier, and he and his brother John carried on that business in the town of Greenwich the greater part of their lives. Joseph's first wife was Sarah Dawson, of Mount Holly, by whom he had four or five children. They all died young except Marga- ret Miller, who is still living, aged more than three-score-and- ten. His second wife was Letitia Matlack, widow of William Matlack, of Upper Greenwich, Gloucester county ; she lived only four or five years, leaving no children by her second hus- band. Joseph's third wife was Mary Allen, daughter of Anthony and Mary Allen, residents of Woodbury ; he had one son by his last wife-Joseph Allen Miller. Joseph survived his last wife a number of years. Besides attending to his trade he transacted considerable publie business, such as settling estates, for which business he was well calculated. The inhabi- tants of Greenwich had full confidence in his integrity and impartiality in transacting important public business ; he died at a very advanced age, regretted by a large circle of relatives and friends.
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