USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 21
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, SMITH AND DARKIN FAMILIES.
purchased 2,000 acres of John Fenwick, the purchase ex- tending from the head of Alemsbury creek to Alloways creek, and bounded on the east by Edward Champney's land, on the west by Samuel Nicholson. After the townships were laid off, one-half of said allotment of land was in Alloways Creek town- ship. Daniel Smith, the eldest son, bought 1,000 acres in in Alloways creek township, near what is now called Quinton. The land lay on the north side of the creek. He built and lived on the property that was owned by the late Ann Simpson. This Alemsbury estate was divided between Samuel, David and Jon- athan Smith. His daughter, Sarah Smith, married John Mason, of Elsinborough.
SAYRES FAMILY.
The Sayres family, it has been said, is of Swedish origin, but at what time their forefathers arrived in this country, is a mat- ter of uncertainty. About the year 1716, Thomas Sayres, son of Jonas Sayres, purchased a large tract of land, tradition says, of William Hall. I think it not improbable, inasmuch as Hall, about that time was the owner of a vast quantity of land in this county, including what is now Cumberland county. The Sayres land was located near Masons, now known as Maskell's Mill. Thomas Sayres and his wife Rachel, had several children- Thomas, James, Leonard, Lot and Ruth. The latter afterwards became the wife of James Daniels, an eminent preacher in the Society of Friends; he died in 1776, leaving Ruth, who was several years younger than himself, a widow; they had no chil- dren. Thomas Sayres and Rachel Abbott were married in 1742; they had eleven children-Abbott, born in 1743, Reuben, Han- nah, David, Renel, Joseph, Dennis, Rachel, Thomas, Dorcas and William. Abbott Sayres married, and died a young man, leaving one daughter-Hannah Sayres. The Sayres family, gen- erally, were ardent Whigs during the American Revolution. Reuben Sayres, the second son of Thomas and Rachel, born 5th of 11th month, 1746, married Hannah, the daughter of Bradway Stretch, who was several years older than himself. He volunteered in the army under Colonel Holmes, stationed at Han- cock's Bridge. The morning of the bloody massacre at that place he was killed. He succeeded in escaping from the house with his musket, but was pursued by several of the Tories, and one or two of the English soldiers. He ran for a large tract of woodland that was about a half mile distant from the house of William Hancock where the carnage took place, and reached it in safety. His pursuers followed him closely, and he then ran towards a swamp called the Holly Swamp, but as he climbed upon the fence his pursuers shot and killed him. His remains were not found for several days afterwards. He had two cousins who took part in the same engagement. One of them, John Sayres, was killed in the house whilst asleep, and James Sayres
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SAYRES FAMILY.
was severely wounded, but finally recovered. Reuben left a large real and personal estate, which was appraised at £1,345 8s. 9d. It appears there was considerable difficulty in appor- tioning his personal estate between his relatives and widow. The law at that period in reference to personal estates were not easily to comprehend, owing, I have no doubt, to the unsettled condition of the country. The administrators and heirs agreed to leave it to three disinterested men as arbitrators, and Andrew York, William Smith and Edward Hancock were chosen. The following is their verbatim return. "We the undersigned being "respectfully chosen to settle the personal estate of Reuben "Sayres, deceased, between the administrators and the several " heirs, this fourth day of February, 1779. We received the " papers and heard the allegations and proofs respecting premises " and the statement of the amount. We do agree and determine " the annexed statement is just and true for settling between the " heirs and the administrators. Witnesses our hands, that is " the widow should have the sum of £445 16s. Sd. Andrew "York, William Smith, Edward Hancock." The widow, Han- nah Sayres, afterwards married Wade Barker; they had one daughter-Hannah Barker. After the death of her second husband, she married James Sayres, the cousin of her first Imisband.
David Sayres, the son of Thomas and Rachel Sayres, was born 3d of 11th month, 1751. I have been informed by the family that he died a young man. He married and left one son, whose name was Abbott Sayres. Reuel, the son of Thomas and Rachel Sayres, born 4th of 10th month, 1754, inherited the farm which now belongs to Robert Butcher, and built the present house on the premises ; it has been rebuilt within a few years by the present owner. Reuel Sayres and his wife, I think, sold it to Henry Mulford, the father of the late Charles Mulford, of Salem. Reuel and his family removed to Ohio. Henry Mulford, I think, retained the property whilst he lived, and it was then sold, James Butcher being the purchaser ; hence the property was brought back into the Sayres family. James Butcher's wife, Hannah Sayres, was the daughter of Abbott Sayres, a direct descendant of Thomas and Rachel Sayres. William, the youngest son of Thomas and Rachel Sayres, born in 1767, subsequently married Amy Evans; they had issue- Reuben Sayres, born in 1798, and Evan Sayres, born in 1800, he died a minor. Samuel and Thomas Sayres were born in 1802. Reuben, the son of William and Amy Sayres, married Clarissa Press ; they have issue. Their daughter Amanda
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SAYRES FAMILY.
Sayres, was born in 1825. James Sayres, their son, was born in 1829, subsequently married Martha, the daughter of Silas Harris, of Salem; they had issue, two daughters and one son. He removed to Camden several years ago and followed his trade of house carpentering. Amy Sayres, Reuben and Clarissa Sayres' second daughter, married Edward, the eldest son of Ephraim and Mary Ann Carll ; they have issue-Mary Ann, Milton and Sarah Carll. Sarah D. Sayres, the youngest daugli- ter of Reuben and Clarissa Sayres, born in 1837, is unmarried, and remains at home. She has the charge, in a great measure, of her aged and honorable parents, who have long been consist- ent members of the Baptist Church at Canton. Paying a visit to the aged couple, at one time, and observing the solicitous care of their daughter towards her parents, it brought to my mind the saying of a wise man in ancient times, in addressing his son: " Go my son and observe the young stork of the " wilderness. See he bears on his wings his aged sire, he carries " him, lodges him in safety, and supplies him with food."
Thomas, the son of Thomas and Rachel Sayres, was born in 1763, and came in the possession of part of his brother Renben's real estate ; he married and had two daughters and one son- Anna, Rachel and Thomas B. Sayres. Anna Sayres, daughter . of Thomas Sayres, Jr., married David Bowen; they had four children-J. Madison, Rachel, Mary Ann and Thomas Bowen. J. Madison Bowen came into possession of the homestead farm, but afterwards sold it to Eliakim Smith, and removed to Cun- berland county. Rachel, the daughter of David and Anna Bowen, married Jervis Butcher, who was a hatter and followed his trade in Salem. He died many years ago, leaving a widow and one son-Jonathan Butcher. Mary Ann, the second daughter of David and Ann Butcher, subsequently married Richard, the son of Edward and Prudence Waddington ; they had six children-Anna, Edward, David, George, Elizabeth and Mary Waddington. Mary Ann, the mother of the above mentioned children, has been deceased for several years .- Thomas, the youngest son of David and Anna Bowen, removed to one of the Western States when a young man. Rachel, the second daughter of Thomas Sayres, Jr., married David Elwell. Her second husband was Benjamin Garrison, of Pilesgrove. I have been informed they lived in Camden for some time, and eventually removed to one of the Western States. Thomas B. Sayres, the son of Thomas Sayres, Jr., married the daughter of Sylvanus Sheppard ; they had issue. He and his family went to one of the Western States many years ago.
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SAYRES FAMILY.
James, the son of Thomas Sayres, the emigrant, was born about 1720. The most reliable account I have is that he lived, after he married, in Stoe Creek township, Cumberland county. He had three sons-James, John and Ephraim Abbott Sayres. James and John enlisted in the army of the American Revolu- tion and served under Colonel Hand. They were stationed at Hancock's Bridge, at the time of the bloody massacre at that place in 1778. John was killed while he was lying on the floor asleep, and his brother James was thought to be mortally wounded by having a bayonet thrust through him, but he finally recovered. James' first wife's name I do not know, but they had issue-James Sayres, 3d. His second wife was Hannah, the widow of Wade Barker, and the daughter of Bradway Stretch. Her first husband was Reuben Sayres, cousin of her third husband. James and his wife Hannah had one daughter, Rachel, who subsequently married Daniel Gilman, of Cumber- land. James Sayres' third wife was Sarah, widow of Job Smith. Her maiden name was Sarah Mulford, and she had by her first husband seven children-John, Jane, Sarah, Samuel, Mary, Eliakim and Job. The latter is a cabinet maker and undertaker, and carries on his business at Hancock's Bridge. James and Sarah Sayres had one daughter, Hannah, who subse- quently married Edmund, son of Conrad Hires, of Bridgeton. Abbott Sayres, the son of James, married and had two or more children-Hannah, who married James Butcher, and a son- Abbott, Jr. The latter married Mary Harris, and had one son, Abbott, who at the present time resides in Cumberland county.
Ephraim, the son of James Sayres, Sr., married and had one son-Ephraim. The last named purchased a farm in Stoe Creek township, Cumberland county, being originally part of Richard Wood's landed estate, and resided there until his death. He had two children by his first wife-Mary and Abbott. His daughter Mary married Reuben Dayton ; her second husband is Edward, the son of Edward and Catharine Fogg, and they have several children. His son, Abbott Sayres, married and at this time resides at Bridgeton.
Ananias Sayres, brother of Thomas, the elder, married Mary, the daughter of Richard Gibbon, living near Roadstown. Mary, it appears, inherited a farm from her father on which she and her husband dwelt. They had issue-Hannah, Rachel, Mary, Sarah, and Leonard G. Sayres. Hannah, their eldest daughter, married Job Remington, of Greenwich; they had one son- Job, who was apprenticed in Philadelphia to learn the house carpenter trade. He subsequently kept a lumber yard below
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SAYRES FAMILY.
Green street wharf, in that city, known as the George Knox lumber yard, and accumulated a large fortune. He retired many years before his death with a competency. His mother, Hannah Remington, married John Adams, a native of Egg Harbor, but at the time of their marriage followed his trade, that of a carriage maker, in the town of Greenwich. John and his wife had three children-Hannah, Joseph and John.
Rachel, the daughter of Ananias and Mary Sayres, married Job Tyler, of Greenwich. They had issue-Benjamin, Job, . Mary and Richard, all of whom are noticed in the sketch of the Tyler family. Mary, the daughter of Ananias and Mary Sayres, married David Mulford. They had eleven children-Hannah, born 9th of 2d month, 1776 ; Ephraim, Mary, Thomas, Naney, David, Sarah, Rebecca, William, John and Elizabeth. Hannah, Nancy and Sarah died minors. John Mulford died unmarried at the age of twenty-six. Ephraim, the son of David and Mary Mulford, born 8th of 10th month, 1778, married Ruth Wheaton, the second daughter of Isaac Wheaton, who lived at Cohansey Neck, near the town of Greenwich. The said Isaac Wheaton and his eldest daughter were drowned off Billingsport, in the Delaware river, with several others from on board the Green- wich Packet, Rachel, during a violent gale on the night of the 15th of 2d month, 1802. Ephraim and Ruth had issue-Ana- nias, William, Isaac and David Mulford. Ephraim's second wife was Rhoda, daughter of John Laning; they had three children-Ruth, Ellen and Alfred Mulford. Ephraim, their father, lived far beyond the age allotted to man, having died at the age of ninety-two years, leaving a large estate to his children. Mary, the daughter of David and Mary Mulford, was born 27th of 10th month, 1780, and married Dr. Charles Hannah, of Han- cock's Bridge. She died a young woman, leaving one son- James M. Hannah.
Thomas, the son of David and Mary Mulford, was born 19th of 12th month, 1782, and married Phebe Butcher, sister of the late James Butcher; they had issue-Richard and Charles Mulford. His second wife was a widow, Rachel Evan Scudder ; they had one danghter, Elizabeth Mulford, who subsequently married Richard Dubois, Jr. Richard, the son of Thomas and Phebe Mulford, married Lucetta, the daughter of Washington Smith ; they had issue-Phebe, Ann, Maria, Mary and Martha. Rebecca, the daughter of David and Mary Mulford, born in 1794, married Asa Couch. William, the son of David and Mary Mulford, was born in 1792; he married Grace Carll, the daughter of Ephraim Carll, Sr., and left several children.
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Sarah, the daughter of Ananias and Mary Sayres, married Richard Cole. They lived a number of years on the Isaac Norris farm near Salem, and had four sons and one daughter, Sarah Cole, who with her two eldest brothers, Charles and Richard, died in early age of consumption ; soon after that event Richard and his wife removed to Gloucester county, and there ended their days. Leonard G. Sayres, the son of Ananias and Mary, appears to have left his native county and settled in the state of Ohio, when the city of Cincinnati was a village. Whether he married before he went West I have no knowledge. He is reported to have prospered in his adopted State, and to have aeeummulated a large fortune. Leonard's second wife was Hannah Anderson, a widow, and the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Thompson, of Salem. Lot, the youngest son of Thomas Sayres, married the daughter of John Warner, a member of the Society of Friends. He, like many of that persuasion, became a strong Whig, and at the battle of Quinton's Bridge, in the revolutionary struggle, (notwithstanding he was an old man like John Burns of Gettysburg memory,) took his musket and volunteered in the skirmish. Lot and his wife had one son, Job Sayres, who was born in 1765, and subsequently married Sarah Padgett; they had issue; their eldest child was Street Sayres ; he was born in 1791, and died a minor. Rachel, the daughter of Job and Sarah Sayres, born in 1793, married Captain Daniel Dixon ; their children were Thophilus Beesley, Job S. and Daniel. Job Sayres' second wife was Mary Tuft, sister of the late Captain John Tuft, of Salem. By that union there were three children-Margaret, William and Rebecca Sayres. Theophilus B. Dixon married Harriet, the daughter of Daniel Dorrell; they have six children-John F., Sarah, Mary, Bilbe, Martha and Theophilus B. Jr. Job Dixon married Eliza F. Brown, one of the descendants (on her mother's side) of Joshua Carpenter, of Philadelphia, being the seventh generation. She was the daughter of Zaceheus, Jr. and Eliza Fogg Brown. Job and his wife have four children-David Fogg Brown, Zaceheus B., Daniel and Rachel Dixon. Daniel, the son of Daniel and Sarah S. Dixon, married Mary, the daughter of Edward Orr; they have nine children-William, Thomas V., Joseph, Charles, George, Helen, Hannah, Mary and Albert Dixon. Margaret, the daughter of Job and Mary T. Sayres, married Japhet Somers, of Penn's Neck ; they have issue-William, Mary and Ann Somers. William, the son of Job and Mary T. Sayres, married Eliza Pendgar, of New York; they have no issue. Rebecca, the youngest daughter of Job and Mary T. Sayres, married William Simkins ; they have issue.
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THOMAS SHOURD'S RESIDENCE. Built by one of his ancestors (Joseph Ware, 2d,) in 1730.
SHOURDS FAMILY.
History informs us soon after William Penn purchased the province of Pennsylvania he traveled through parts of Germany and Holland on horseback, inviting the inhabitants of those countries to emigrate to his newly acquired province in North America. Among those that accepted his invitation was Cor- nelius Shoverde, a stadtholder of one of the provinces of Hol- land. He and his family arrived at Philadelphia in 1684. They lived in a cave for a short period of time, near Germantown. Subsequently he purchased 300 acres of land of the propri- etor; the said land was located in Penn's manor, nearly oppo- site where Bordentown now is in New Jersey. There was a large stone placed at one corner of the allotment, with his initials cut on it, and the writer, in company with the late Hec- tor Ivins, who at that time resided near by, visited the place of his ancestor, where he lived and ended his days. His wife's maiden name was Sophina Weimar, and most of their children were born in Holland. Their names were Samuel, Catharine, Esther, Sarah and Sophina. Sophina, the youngest, married Zebulon Gaunt, in 1715; their children were Samuel, Zebulon, Israel, Hannah, Mary and Sophina Gaunt. Samuel, the son of Zebulon and Sophina Gaunt, married Hannah Woolman; they had seven children-Judah, Asher, Reuben, Elihu, Peter, Se- reptha and Elizabeth.
Samuel, the son of Cornelius and Sophina Shoverde, married Sarah Harrison, of Philadelphia; and he and his wife, Sarah Shoverde, had a large family of children. Two of the youngest located themselves at Tuckerton, and that generation of the family changed the spelling of their name from Shoverde to Shourds. Mary, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Shourds, married Jonathan Pettit. They resided at Tuckerton, and their house was standing a few years ago in a commanding situa- tion, near Barnegat bay. Their son, Joseph Pettit, married Sarah, the daughter of Elisha and Mary Woodnutt Bassett, of Mannington ; they had issue-Woodnutt, Jonathan and Mary Pettit. Daniel, the son of Samuel and Sarah Shourds, married
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SHOURDS FAMILY.
Christiana Bellange, who died 21st of 10th month, 1822, aged ninety years. They had six children-Samuel, John, Daniel, Shady, Hannah and Amy Shourds. Samuel, the eldest, married Han- nah Gray ;* they had nine children-Gray, Thomas, Samuel, Ben- jamin, John, Asa, Job, Daniel and Elizabeth Shourds. John, the son of Daniel and Christiana B. Shourds, married Sarah Johnson ; they had five children-David, Joseph, Hannah, Reu- ben and Ruth Shourds. Samuel and his brother, John Shourds, sold their property at Tuckerton over fifty years ago. Samuel rented a farm in Back Neck, Cumberland county, and resided there for several years, and John Shonrds rented property of the late Dr. Thomas Rowen, in Penn's Neck, and he and his family resided there several years. Samuel and his brother John subsequently removed to New York with their families, excepting David, the eldest son of John Shourds, who married and settled in the township of Lower Penn's Neck; he was the father of the present Joseph Shourds, of that township.
Samuel Shourds and his brother John purchased large tracts in parts of Munroe and Genesee counties, New York. The greater part of their land was then in its primitive state, it being soon after the Erie canal was completed, but their prop- erty advanced rapidly in value, and the natural result was they became quite independent in a few years. An uncommon circumstance occurred a few years before Samuel and John's death. They felt desirous to visit their native place once more before their death, and accordingly they came to Woodstown to visit Jonathan and Hannah Smith, the latter being their sister, and all four of them went to Tuckerton by land. Samuel was then in his eighty-ninth year, his brother, John, two years younger, Jonathan Smith in his eighty-eighth year, and his wife, Hannah, eighty-two years old. When they arrived at the place of their nativity what pleasing and also sad reflections
* Samuel, the son of Daniel and Christiana Shourds as stated in the Shourds genealogy, married Hannah Gray. She was a sister of Samuel Gray. The Gray family I think were natives of Monmouth county. Samuel Gray and his wife had four children-Charles F. H. Gray, Jesse, who now resides near Pemberton, New Jersey, Hannah and Charity Gray. Charles F. H. Gray came to this county in company with his father many years ago, and married a daughter of the late Joseph C. Nelson, an eminent land Surveyor of Pittsgrove. Charles and his wife have several children. He has filled many and various township offices. His father, Samuel Gray, ended his days at his son's house. Charles' grandfather and one of his uncles, emigrated to Genesee county, State of New York, more than half a century since, in company with Samuel and John Shourds.
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they must have had in recurring back to the days of their youth. How many of their former friends and associates had gone to their final resting place. There was one, however, who resided at Great Egg Harbor, their brother Daniel, who was still living to receive his aged relatives. Daniel, the son of Daniel and Christiana Shourds, married Rebecca Leeds ; they had issue- William, Phebe, Matilda and Daniel, 2d. Shady, the daughter of Daniel and Christiana Shourds, married Walter Wilson, of Burlington city ; they have issue-William, who died a minor. Hannah, the daughter of Daniel and Christiana Shourds, born about the year 1765, married Jonathan Smith, a lineal descend- ant of Richard Smith, of Long Island ; they had three children -Jerusha, Elizabeth and Jonathan Smith. Jerusha married Samuel, the son of William White, of Woodstown; their children were Mary, Samuel, William, David, Wilson and Jonathan. Jonathan married Lydia Waddington, the dangli- ter of Aaron Waddington, of Elsinboro. Elizabeth was
twice married. Her first husband was Clement Hinch- man ; they had issue, one daughter-Clemence Hinelman. Her second husband was William Cawley, son of Samuel Cawley, Jr. Elizabeth, the daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Smith, was twice married. Her first husband was Daniel Bowen, M. D., a native of Bridgeton ; they had one son-Smith Bowen, who married Ann Bisham, daughter of Samuel Bisham, of Philadelphia ; they have three children-Mary, Elizabeth, Anna Stoke and Samuel Bisham Bowen. Elizabeth Smith's second husband was Hosea Fithian, M. D., son of Jonathan Fithian, of Cumberland county ; they had three children- Hannah, Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth, their mother, died in 1854. Jonathan, the son of Jonathan and Hannah Smith, inarried Hannah, daughter of Jacob Davis, of Pilesgrove ; they had four children-Mary E., Samnel, who died young, Jonathan and Ellen Smith.
Samuel, the son of Samuel and Sarah Shourds, was born 24th of 7th month, 1718. The latter was a clock and watch maker, and followed his trade in Bordentown, New Jersey. His wife was Taminson, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Pancoast, of Burlington county. Taminson was born 29th of 11th month, 1725. Benjamin, the son of Samuel and Taminson P. Shourds, was born 7th of 1st month, 1753. He subsequently married Mary, the daughter of William and Rachel Silvers, of Piles- grove ; they had seven children-Thomas, Rachel, Samuel, Rhoda, William, Mary and Benjamin. Thomas, the eldest, died 23d of 11th month, 1778. Rachel, the eldest daughter of
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Benjamin and Mary Shourds, married Jervis Hall, of Manning- ton ; she was his second wife. There were two children- Casper and Rachel Hall. Rachel, their mother, died when her children were young. Casper Hall died in 1819, when he was about eighteen years old. Rachel, the dangliter of Jervis and Rachel S. Hall, married Josiah, the youngest son of Samuel Nicholson, of Mannington ; they had two or three sons and one daughter-Hannah Nicholson, who married George Radcliff ; they have issue. Josialı Nicholson has been deceased many years. His widow, Rachel Hall Nicholson, resides in the city of Salem, and is a teacher in one of the public schools of that city. Rhoda, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Shourds, married John, the son of John and Susan Denn, of Manning- ton ; they had five children-Rachel, Mary, Susan, Ann and Rebecca. The latter died young. John Denn, Jr., died in Mannington before he arrived to middle age. Soon after that event Rhoda Denn removed to the town of Salem with her children. She was above mediocrity in intellect, and remark- able for self-denial. She was a recommended minister in the Society of Friends for a number of years. Her communications in public meetings were not extended to much length, but she possessed a faculty of condensing and saying much for her hearers to reflect upon in a few words. She has been deceased a number of years. Her daughter, Rachel Denn, married Pro- fessor John Griscom, the son of William and Rachel Denn Griscom ; she was his second wife. They resided in the city of Burlington until his death. Soon after that occurred his widow, Rachel D. Griscom, returned to Salem to live. Mary, the second daughter of John and Rhoda Denn, died a young woman, unmarried. Susan Deun, the third daughter of John and Rhoda Denn, remains single. She and her sister, Rachel D. Griscom, keep house together, on Broadway, in Salem. Anna, the fourth daughter of John and Rhoda Denn, married William Gibbons, of Philadelphia ; they had two children-Susan and Henry Gibbons. William, their father, has been deceased several years. Their son, Henry, died in the West Town boarding school. He was a promising and interesting youth, and if his life had been spared I have no doubt he would have made his mark on the sands of time; but such is life. Anna Gibbons and her daughter, Susan, reside in the city of Salem.
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