USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
Hannah, the daughter of Ambrose and Ruth Whitaker, mar- ried Ephraim Foster, by whom she had the following children- David, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Jonathan, Jeremiah, Phebe, Ruth, Hannah, Elizabeth and Esther Foster. Phebe Foster married Hosea Sneathen, and died without issue. Jonathan Foster died a young man, unmarried. Ruth Foster married Samuel Thomp- son, and died, leaving several children. Their names were Samuel, Newcomb, Phebe, Harriet and Elizabeth Thompson. Hannah, daughter of Ephraim and Hannah Foster, married John McQueen. She died in 1854, at an advanced age. Their children were Ephraim, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Sarah and Hannah. Rebecca married Jonathan Swing, of Pittsgrove. They had several children. Elizabeth McQueen married John Garrison ; they lived near Deerfield. Elizabeth died leaving one child. Hannah married Benjamin VanMeter. There were several chil- dren by this union. Sarah McQueen never married. Elizabeth,
355
WHITACAR FAMILY.
the daughter of Ephraim and Hannah Foster, married Matthew Newkirk, of Pittsgrove, (Newkirk's station); being his second wife. She had children-Matthew, Nathaniel and Mary New- kirk. Matthew married and died young, leaving one son, Mat- thew, who married and resides in Ohio. Nathaniel, son of Mat- thew and Elizabeth Newkirk, was a physician, and married Martha, daughter of John and Ann Bacon, of Greenwich, Cum- berland county. He died at Bridgeton, leaving issue. Mary Newkirk, daughter of Matthew, is living, unmarried. Elizabeth, widow of Matthew Newkirk, married Samuel Thompson. She died at Bridgeton, leaving no issue by her last husband. Esther Foster married Ethan Osborne ; he was an eminent Presbyterian minister, of Fairfield church. She was his second wife, and died without issue.
Lewis, son of Ambrose and Ruth Whitaker, was married to Mary DuBois, in 1797, and died 1st of 10th month, 1828, in his fifty-eighth year. Their children were Ambrose, Hannah and John Whitaker. Ambrose is unmarried, and lives near Swing's Corner, in Pittsgrove. Hannah Whitaker married Benjamin Burroughs. They settled near Cincinnati, Ohio, and left chil- dren. John Whitaker married and died at Pittsgrove, leaving issue. Lewis Whitaker was married the second time, and had issue-Mary, Nathaniel, Benjamin B. and Ruth Whitaker. Mary, daughter of Lewis Whitaker, married Jolm G. Sweat- man, and died in 1854, at Watson's Corner, leaving no children. Nathaniel Whitaker married and died in Pittsgrove. Benjamin B. Whitaker is unmarried. Ruth married John Mounce, they have no children.
Recompence, son of Ambrose and Rachel Whitaker, (Rachel was his third wife,) married Rachel Moore 6th of 3d month, 1800, and died in his thirty-sixth year, leaving five children. Their names were Abigail, Enoch, Hannah, Caroline and Rachel Leake Whitaker. Abigail, daughter of Recompence Whitaker, married Buckly Carll, a Presbyterian minister. Her husband is deceased, and buried at Daretown. Abigail is still living. Hannah Whitaker, daughter of Recompence, married George Hires ; she is still living, having no children. The other chil- dren of Recompence Whitaker died young.
Oliver, son of Ambrose and Rachel Whitaker, married Mary Summerill, 2d of 2d month, 1799. The children by this mar- riage were Rhoda, Summerill, Rachel, Ruth and William. Rhoda married William Biggs, of Cincinnati. They have a large family of children. Summerill married early in life, and went to the State of Illinois. Rachel Whitaker married Jacob
356
WHITACAR FAMILY.
Johns ; they reside in Iowa, and have issue. Ruth married William Villers, near Cincinnati; they have a large family of children. William is deceasd, leaving no issue. Mary Sum- merill, wife of Oliver Whitaker, died aged twenty-four years, and in 1807 Oliver married Elizabeth Kirby. Their children were Ambrose, Phebe, Oliver, Ephraim K., Joseph and Mary Jane Whitaker. Phebe, daughter of Oliver, married James Buck, by whom she had one child-Sarah Elizabeth Buck. Oliver Whitaker married Hannah R. Hollingsworth ; their children were Isaac, Martha, Ann, Sarah Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph B., Charles H., William A., and Abraham Whitaker. Ephraim K. Whitaker married Mary Vanderoot ; their children were Phebe, Sarah Elizabeth and Isaac Newton. Joseph Whitaker married Rebecca McBriant ; the ; had four children- Mary L., William Oliver, Ephraim K. and Elizabeth Ann. Mary Jane died in childhood. Oliver Whitaker, Sr., soon after his marriage with Mary Summerill, settled in Clinton county, Ohio. ITis descendants are mimerons, and scattered through the West. He died 11th of 12th month, 1831, aged about fifty-six years.
Freelove, daughter of Ambrose and Rachel Whitacar, mar- ried David DuBois, 23d of 4th month, 1804. Their children are as follows : Henrietta, Jonathan, Jedediah, Edmund, Asher, Janetta and David DuBois. Henrietta DuBois married James Coombs, of Upper Pittsgrove. They had issue-Mary Ann, Albert, Edwin, Jane, Oliver, Isabella and Henry Coombs. Albert, Jane and Isabella are deceased. Jonathan Du Bois married Martha Adcock; he died, leaving two sons-Henry and George DuBois. Jedediah DuBois married Ann Adcock, and died, leaving three sons. Edmund DuBois married Sarah Johnson ; there are children. Asher DuBois married Swing, and died, leaving children. Janetta DuBois married Edward Shute, and died leaving issue. David DuBois married a daughter of Adam VanMeter, they had one daughter. David DuBois, Sr., died in 5th month, 1837 ; Freelove, his wife, died in 1st month, 1842, aged sixty-four years. Both are buried in the old church yard at Daretown. Isaac, the son of Ambrose and Rachel Whitacar, married Aun, daughter of Jonathan Fithian, of Deerfield, 10th of 3d month, 1814; they had twelve children-Isaac, Ann, Mary, Sarah, Caroline, Oliver, Enoch, Charles, Eliza, James, Lydia and Lewis Whitacar. Isaac, son of Isaac and Ann Whitacar, settled in Carlinville, Illinois, about 1840. He married there Virginia B. Bement, formerly of New York. He was known as Captain Whitacar. His
357
WHITACAR FAMILY.
wife died leaving six children-Mary Ellen, Harriet B., Edna Caroline, Virginia, Charles and Clara Whitacar. Mary Ellen, married Victor Hoyt. Harriet B. married James Gand. Ann married Jacob Webb ; they had five children-Harriet, Alexan- der, Charles, Isaac W. and George Smith ; two survive, Alexander and George ; both of whom are married and have children. Ann and husband are deceased. Mary married Edward Burton, of Bunker Hill, Illinois ; they have one child, named Joseph. Sarah Whitacar, daughter of Isaac, Sr., mar- ried Daniel Smith ; she died in her forty-second year, leaving the following children-Anna B., Elizabeth L., Caroline W. and Franklin Smith. Anna B. and Franklin are the only sur- viving ones. Caroline, fourth daughter of Isaac and Ann Whitacar, married Edward VanMeter, of Salem. [See Van- Meter Family.]
Oliver, son of Isaac and Ann Whitacar, married Sa ah A. Fisher ; they had one child-Mary Whitacar. Enoch Whitacar married Ruth Diamond; they had three children- Lewis, Edward V. and Richard W. Whitacar. Charles, son of Isaac and Ann Whitacar, died in his nineteenth year. Eliza died in infancy. James Whitacar, son of Isaac and Ann, mar- ried Louisa Iszard ; they had five children-Joseph, Frank, Lonisa, Charles and Coleman Whitacar. Lydia Whitacar, married Jonathan D. Ayres. Their surviving children are as follows: Harriet W., Robert S., Caroline V. and Florence Ayres. Lewis, the youngest son of Isaac and Ann Whitacar, married Mary Elizabeth Shove ; they have four children living -Harriet, Anna, Elizabeth and Lewis Whitacar.
Isaac, son of Ambrose and Rachel Whitacar, when he was about eighteen years of age, attended school at Woodbury, New Jersey. Among his classmates was James Lawrence, afterwards Captain James Lawrence, of the Chesapeake, whose dying words, "Don't give up the ship!" have often been quoted. When Lawrence received his commission he tried to induce Isaac Whit- acar, with whom he was very intimate, to accompany him on his vessel, promising to get him a commission also, but Isaac knowing his mother would never consent to such a thing, de- clined, although very anxious to go. As a keepsake, James Lawrence drew on a piece of paper, a ship in full sail, and pre- sented it, before leaving school, to Isaac Whitacar, his chosen friend. This is now in possession of the family, and is highly prized by them.
Isaac Whitacar, Sr., departed this life 23d of 2d month, 1857, in his seventy-eighth year. Ann, his wife, died 23d of 4th
358
WIIITACAR FAMILY.
month, 1855, in her sixty-third year. Both are buried in the Presbyterian church yard at Deerfield. Most of their family are living at the present time in Illinois.
WYATT FAMILY.
Bartholomew Wyatt emigrated to this county about the year 1690. I believe he came from the county of Worcestershire, England. Soon after his arrival he purchased 1200 acres of land in Mannington, of John Fenwick's heirs. The said land was bounded on the east by James Sherron's land. The first house he built on his property was a log house of considerable size, as I was told by Samuel Austin, who was considered in his time as the most correct antiquarian in that part of the county. The said house stood upon the point of land near the meadow, not far from a small creek, (called Puddle Dock), nearly half a mile from where, a few years later, he built himself a large brick house, it being not far from Mannington creek, which was navigable at that time. He was a prominent man in his time in the civil affairs of the Colony, frequently serving as a Grand Juror, as the records of the Court show; also an active mem- ber of the Society of Friends, and was one of the largest con- tributors to the fund for the erection of the Friends' brick meeting house in the present graveyard in Salem. He and his wife, Sarah Wyatt had two children-Bartholomew, who was born 4th of 1st month, 1697, and Elizabeth who was born in 1706. There is no mention in the records of the county, or of the meeting's records later than the year 1728 ; therefore I pre- sume he died somewhere near that period. His son Bartholo- inew inherited all his father's real estate. He married about the year 1730, Elizabeth Tomlinson, who was born in 1706. IIc and his wife Elizabeth resided in Mannington during their lives, and in the year 1731 their son Bartholomew Wyatt, 3d, was born. Their daughter Sarah Wyatt was born in the year 1733, and subsequently became the wife of Richard Wistar, of Phila- delphia. Bartholomew Wyatt, Jr., the father of the before mentioned children, lived what was considered at that time quite aged. He died in 1770, aged seventy-two years ; his wife had been deceased many years before. It is probable that the disease with which most of the Wyatts and several of the Wis-
360
WYATT FAMILY.
tar family died with (being pulmonary consumption), was hered- itary in his wife's family.
Bartholomew Wyatt, 3d, in physical appearance, I have been informed by persons that knew him, was tall, and remarkably pleasing in his address. He was considered one of the best English scholars, at the time in which he lived, in the county of Salem. The late Casper Wistar, when young, it is said, looked very much like his great-uncle as to his size and the features of his face. His company was very much sought after ; and being of a benevolent turn of mind, he gave largely to the poor and needy ; and when the Society of Friends at Salem and vicinity thought it would be a benefit to them to build a larger meeting house, he was the largest contributor, excepting Samuel Nichol- son, of Elsinborough. Bartholomew died in the prime of his life, at the age of fifty years, leaving one daughter, Elizabeth, who, a short time before her father's death, had married Wil- liam Carpenter, the son of Prescott Carpenter. William and his wife Elizabeth had two children-Mary and Hannah. The last named child died in infancy. Elizabeth Carpenter, their mother, died before she arrived at middle age. Mary Carpen- ter, their daughter, afterwards married James Hunt, a son of John Hunt, of Darby, Pennsylvania. I believe she left three daughters and two sons, and they disposed of the greater part of the real estate of their ancestors in Mannington, to Andrew Thompson, of Elsinborough.
Casper Wistar was the first of that name in this country. He emigrated to the province of Pennsylvania in the year 1717, and as Watson states, was naturalized in 1722 as a citizen of the province of Pennsylvania. His native place was Germany. It appears he had three children-Richard, Casper and Sarah Wistar, and was by trade a button maker. As soon as he had sufficient funds by working by day's work at any employment he found to do, he commenced business at his trade in manufactur- ing buttons. They were small brass buttons, being nearly round, and were used on short clothes which were the common wear at that time, and they were much sought after and readily sold at renumerative prices. He would invest his money in lands within the city limits, and as the town increased in size the property became valuable, consequently his heirs became wealthy by the increased value of property.
Casper Wistar, Jr., I have been informed, only left one daughter, Elizabeth Wistar, who became the wife of Abram Sharpless, of Chester county, Pennsylvania. She and her hus- band resided near Concordville, in Delaware county. Abram
361
WYATT FAMILY.
owned a large tract of land in that neighborhood, and together with his wife's property in the city of Philadelphia, enabled them to leave to their two sons, Abram and Casper Wistar Sharpless, princely estates. Both of them died a few years ago with much reduced estates, fulfilling the old saying :- " The " first gets it, the second keeps it, and the third spends it."
Sarah Wistar, I am informed, never married, and lived to a very advanced age. In her will she left four of her great- nephews, all of them named Casper, £11,000 a-piece, and after the specific legacies were paid, there was left £44,000 to her legatees. Richard Wistar, the eldest brother, purchased a large tract of land in Alloways Creek township, most probably from William Hall, Jr. Soon afterwards he erected a glass factory about two miles above the village of Allowaystown, and com- mneneed the mannfacture of glass. Johnson, in his history of this county, stated it was the first of its kind in the United States, but I think he was mistaken in that statement. Massa- chusetts claims the first, which was started in 1742. The most reliable account I have ever seen respecting Richard Wistar fixes the time he commenced operation in 1744, it being two years later than the Massachusetts enterprise. Richard's glass works, it has been stated, proved to be a very profitable invest- ment. His own time was very much taken up in looking after his great estate in the city of Philadelphia, and consequently he employed Benjamin Thompson, a young man of great business capacity, the son of William Thompson, of Allowaystown, to be the overseer of his glass works. He filled the position, it has been stated, during the time the glass works were in opera- tion, much to the satisfaction of the proprietor. About the year 1750 Richard married Sarah Wyatt, the daughter of Bar- tholomew Wyatt, Jr., of Mannington. I think they had six children-Richard, Casper, John, Thomas, Elizabeth and Cath- arine. Richard Wistar, Jr., married and left two children. Richard and Sarah died a few years ago. Casper became one of the most eminent physicians of his time in the city of Phila- delphia, and I believe he left a family of children. John mar- ried Charlotte Newbold, the daughter of Clayton Newbold, of Burlington county.
At the death of Bartholemew Wyatt he owed his son-in-law, Richard Wistar, £1,000. In making his will he devised one- half of his real estate in Mannington to Richard and his wife Sarah, provided he would cancel the debt, which was accord- ingly done, and Richard Wistar became the owner. His son, John, after his marriage, settled thereon, and at the death of
46
362
WYATT FAMILY.
his father the said property became a part of his share of his father's great estate.
John Wistar, it can be truly said, was one of Nature's noble- men. He had an intellectual mind which he inherited from his mother's family, and a large share of the milk of human kind- ness. It has been stated, and I do not doubt the correctness of it, because it was in accordance with his feelings toward suffer- ing humanity, that he was the first to advocate the establishing of the Salem County Ahns House. He and his wife had, I think, eight children ; their names were Mary, Bartholomew, Clayton, Charlotte, Casper, Hannah, Catharine and John. Their father, John Wistar, died in his fifty-sixth year, of pulmo- nary consumption. It could be truly said of him he was lost too soon for his family and his own religious society, and to the community generally. His widow survived him several years. Their oldest daughter Mary married Isaac Davis, of Philadel- phia. Bartholomew married a young woman by the name of Newbold. He was a merchant in Philadelphia. Clayton Wistar's wife was Mary Stevenson, the daughter of John Ste- venson, who was a lineal descendant of that eminent man, Sanmel Jennings, of Burlington. Clayton and his wife had two sons-John aad Richard Wistar. His second wife was Martha Reeve, the daughter of Josiah Reeve, of Burlington, formerly of Cumberland. By this connection they had one son, Josiah Wistar, of Mannington.
Charlotte Wistar married Jonathan Freedland, the son of Jonas Freedland, who was one of Salem county's favorite sons. Charlotte has been deceased several years, leaving no children ; her husband is still living.
Casper Wistar's wife was Rebecca Bassett, daughter of Jo- seph Bassett. Casper is now deceased, leaving a widow and five children-Sarah, Mary, Casper, Joseph and Catharine. Hannah Wistar married Dr. Theophilus Beesley. He had an extensive practice in Salem when he was married, and a few years afterward he and his wife removed to Philadelphia. In that city he stood high in his profession. They are both de- ceased now. Catharine Wistar married Thomas Evans, the son of Jonathan Evans, of Philadelphia. Thomas, whilst living was an eminent minister in the Orthodox branch of the Society of Friends. John Wistar, the youngest, was left the homestead of his father. In a few years he became of age, he sold it to Thomas Bacon and removed to Philadelphia.
Elizabeth Wistar, the daughter of Richard and Sarah Wistar, married Richard Miller, the son of Josiah and Letitia Miller,
363
WYATT FAMILY.
of Mannington. They lived most of the time after they were married on the property where their grandson, Wyatt W. Mil- ler, now owns and lives. Richard died in the prime of his life, leaving a widow and three children. Their names were Sarah, Letitia and Josiah Miller. Elizabeth W. Miller was considered in her time more than ordinary in her physical and mental abil- ities. She, when quite young, had an attack of scarlet fever, which impaired her hearing, and before she reached middle age she was entirely deaf; but it often occurs when a person is de- prived of hearing, the other senses are much stronger and it was true with her to a remarkable degree. I well remember when young in seeing her in Friends' meeting, at Salem, taking her seat fronting the gallery, and if any one spoke she would watch the lips of the speaker, and if the one that was speaking remained motionless, it has been said she would get as good un- derstanding of the discourse as others did who had their hearing. Also in conversation, particularly with persons she was accus- tomed to, there appeared to be no difficulty for her to under- stand them. She resided in Mannington on the farm for a few years after her husband's death, and then removed to Salem, and died there aged over ninety years.
Sarah Miller married Benjamin Acton, son of Clement Aeton, of Salem. Benjamin and his wife Sarah had eight children- Richard M., Benjamin, Hannah, Letitia, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Sarah Wyatt, and Casper W. Acton. Benjamin and his wife are both deceased, although she survived her husband several years.
Letitia Miller's husband was Thomas B. Sheppard, the son of John Sheppard, of Cumberland county. She died young, leaving one daughter.
Josiah Miller, the son of Richard and Elizabeth Miller, in physical and mental abilities, was above the ordinary man, and if he had cultivated his mind, with his wealth and family influ- ence, he would have been one of the most useful men in his generation.
Josiah married Hetty James, daughter of Samuel L. James. She was amiable in her disposition, and was well calculated to make home pleasant and agreeable. He died a comparatively young man, leaving a widow and three minor children-Richard, Samuel and Wyatt Miller. The two youngest own and reside on their patrimonial estate in Mannington. The said property has been in the Miller family four generations.
Hetty Miller, the widow of Josiah lived until she was ad- vanced in life, and then married David Reeves, of Phoenixville,
364
WYATT FAMILY.
Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was formerly a resident of Bridgeton, Cumberland county, New Jersey, and was the son of Thomas Reeves, of Gloucester county. That connection was of short duration, however, as she was taken away by a short and severe illness in a short period after they were mar- ried, and he survived her only a few years.
WHITTAN FAMILY.
James Whittan purchased property in Mannington the latter part of the seventeenth century, adjoining lands of Richard Woodnutt on the west, lands of Wheoeby on the east. He and his wife, Sarah Whittan, had two children-Ann, their dangh- ter, was born in 1707, and their son, Joseph Whittan, was born in 1709 ; he died a minor.
James Nevell and Richard Tindell died about the year 1703 or 1704. Nevell was a lawyer, and acted as agent for William Penn in disposing of his lands lying in Fenwick's tenth. It appears that Penn had implicit confidence in his ability and integrity. The settlements he made with the proprietor for lands he disposed of for him fully justify that opinion. Rich- ard Tindell was considered in his time to be remarkably correct in his surveying and in his calculations ; so much so, that I have been informed the surveyors at the present time have no diffi- culty in following the various lines of the numerous tracts of land that he run and calculated more than one hundred and eighty years ago. I call the attention of the reader to one tract of meadow and swamp Richard Tindell re-surveyed by an order from James Nevell in 1685, it being the town marsh which was given by John Fenwick to the inhabitants of Salem town in 1676, and was surveyed by Richard Hancock the same year. Some five or six years ago the present owners of said meadow agreed to have a general survey of it again. They employed Belford Bonham, of Cumberland county, who is considered one of the most correct surveyors in this part of the State. The number of acres that Belford made of the meadow was about the same that Richard Tindell surveyed one hundred and eighty years ago,it being 560 acres. After the death of these two eminent men, Nevell and Tindall, James Logan, the faithful secretary of William Penn, took upon himself the task of dis- posing the lands that belonged to the proprietor within the boundaries of Fenwiek's tenth. He accordingly appointed Benjamin Acton, Jr., to be his surveyor. The said Benjamin Acton resided in Salem, on the property formerly belonging to
366
WHITTAN FAMILY.
his father. The property was on East Broadway, opposite Johnson street. Benjamin Acton, Jr., built a large brick house on the lot of ground in 1727. The foundation is still remaining. George Rumsey rebuilt it a few years ago.
After somewhat of a digression, I now come back to the Whittan family again in 1712. James Logan gave an order to Benjamin Acton to survey 100 acres of meadow for James Whittan, the said marsh being over the creek, opposite said Whittan's plantation, for which he paid £20 pounds, new cur- rency. James Whittan, I think died in 1730, leaving his estate to his daughter, Ann Whittan. She married Benjamin Cripps, and their son, Whittan Cripps, became the owner of the real estate of his mother, Martha Huddy.
William Cripps married and had two children-Benjamin and Mary. Mary married Peter Andrews. He was a native of Egg Harbor. Soon after their marriage they purchased a farm of Robert Johnson, being part of the Pledger property in Mannington. Clark Lippincott is the present owner. On that farm Peter and his wife resided. Whilst they lived they had four children. Their names were Clara, Martha, Isaac and Thomas Andrews. After the death of Peter Andrews his widow and daughter, Clara, lived in Salem. Both of them died there at an advanced age. Martha Andrews' husband was William Shourds. They left four children-Rachel, Mary, Benjamin and William Shourds. They all reside in Philadelphia except Rachel, her home is in Mount Holly. Isaac married the daugh- ter of John Woodside, of Mannington. They subsequently removed to the State of New York, near Rochester. Thomas Andrews, likewise, went to the same neighborhood with his brother. He, I believe, studied law, and afterward located him- self and family in the State of Michigan. Whittan Cripps was considered above mediocrity as to his native talent. At the breaking out of the war of the American Revolution he left the Society of Friends, of which he was born a member, and devoted all his energies in assisting to carry it on in this part of the county, and at the close of the Revolution he became an active politician as a member of the Republican party as it was then called, but afterwards known as Jeffersonian Democrats and was considered to be the leader of that party in this county. He was elected two or three times in succession to the office of Sheriff. During his last term of office a law was passed by the Legislature of this State, prohibiting any person holding the office of Sheriff more than one term in succession, and his son, Benjamin Cripps, was chosen Sheriff at the next election.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.