USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > Newton in Gloucester County > Sketches of the first emigrant settlers in Newton Township, old Gloucester County, West New Jersey > Part 10
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12 Lib. GI, 203 Lib. AAA, 245.
14 Lib. B, 44, Woodbury. - 13 Lib. Q, 460.
15 Lib. No. 11, 113.
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disposed of by Elizabeth Estaugh in her will. 16 This stood near the junction of Tanner street and the turnpike road, and was in existence within the memory of some now living.
The garden was surrounded by a brick wall, part of which is standing at this time. In the yard are the yew trees, planted by the hands of the first residents ; they are the admiration of every visitor to this interesting spot. One hundred and fifty years leave them as almost the only monuments of the liberality and taste of those who originated this place, and, fortunately, they have stood through successive generations to connect the present with the past. The yard and garden show the care and judg- ment exercised by this remarkable woman; and, what is com- mendable in the present owner, everything that is known to have originated with her, is preserved with scrupulous care. The old house was destroyed by fire in 1842. To the anti- quarian this place has much that is attractive, for here may be found those relics of by-gone days that have escaped the too often vandal hand of progress-relics which grow more interesting with their age.
The neighborhood of New Haddonfield was gradually being occupied with new comers, most of whom were Friends, when the propriety of establishing a new meeting was considered among them ; the Newton Meeting being several miles away, with miserably bad roads to travel most of the year.17 About 1720, and perhaps earlier, a meeting house was built near the King's road, and meeting was regularly continued there. The energy and liberality of Elizabeth Estaugh were again shown in putting this meeting on a permanent basis, for, in 1721, she went to England, and procured from her father a deed for one acre of land, and on this stood the new building, as a place of public worship. 18
The quaint description of the boundaries no doubt originated with Thomas Sharp, who prepared the deed before it was taken across the ocean for the signature of the donor; and, as one of the witnesses to this document, stands the name of Elizabeth Estaugh, in her own peculiar style of penmanship. The trus-
16 Lib. No. 11, 113.
17 The Friend, Vol. 4. 206.
18 Sharp's Book, 43, O. S. G.
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tees were William Evans, Joseph Cooper, Jr., and John Cooper. In this way and at this time, originated the Friends' Meeting at Haddonfield, where it has until the present continued; it being, until the year 1818, the only place of public religious worship in the village.
By deed of gift, in 1722, John Haddon conveyed all the land which he had purchased of Richard Mathews, to John and Elizabeth Estaugh, and in the deed called the tract "New Haddonfield ;" in 1732, they conveyed one and a quarter acres adjoining the lot where the meeting house stood, to John Mickle, Thomas Stokes, Timothy Matlack, Constantine Wood, Joshua Lord, Joseph Tomlinson, Ephraim Tomlinson, Joseph Kaighn, John Hollinshead, Josiah Foster and William Foster, as trustees to and for the use of the Society of Friends. 19
In 1763, the trust was continued by deed from Ephraim Tomlinson, Josiah and William Foster, to John Gill, Joshua Stokes, Nathaniel Lippincott, Samuel Webster, John Glover, James Cooper, John Lord, John E. Hopkins, John Brown, Isaac Ballinger and David Cooper, as trustees for the same purpose.
In 1828, all these trustees were dead, and Samuel Webster, as the oldest son of Samuel Webster (one of the trustees afore- said), continued the trust to other members of said meeting for like purpose." The first meeting-house was built of logs; it was much larger and more confortable than the old house at Newton, but every part of the work was scrupulously plain, and without paint or ornament of any kind. It stood upon the site of the brick house that was erected in 1760 and taken down in 1852, and, when the brick house was built, the old one was removed to the opposite side of the Ferry road and used as a stable. If some person, curious in such things, had made a faithful sketch of the old log meeting-house, as it appeared in its latter days, and the sketch were in existence at this time, some enterprising photographer would find for the duplicates a ready sale in this region of country.
19 Lib. B, 44, Woodbury.
20 Lib. VV, 322, Woodbury.
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ELIZABETH ESTAUGH.
John Haddon died in London, in 1723. In his will he men- tions that his wife had just died, with whom he had lived for forty-seven years-a remarkable clause in such a document, but placed there to perpetuate his affection for her, the companion of a life time.21
By his will he devised his entire estate (except a few small legacies) to his two children, and made them executrixes. The estate, however, was to vest as a joint tenancy; to defeat which, Benjamin and Sarah Hopkins, and John and Elizabeth Estaugh conveyed said real estate to John Gill (who was their cousin and resided at Haddonfield), in 1726, in trust for certain uses. 22
In this act, that regard for each other which existed between Elizabeth Estaugh and her husband, and which had been shown from the first, was again manifested ; for, in the deed of re-con- veyance from John Gill to them in 172723 for one-half of the same land, the estate was made to vest in the survivor, thus showing that any advantage that might be derived from the law regulating the descents of land, should not defeat the wishes of the owners. 24.
The husband, however, died first, and the entire estate passed to Elizabeth Estaugh in fee simple, as if the deed had not been executed.
John Estaugh had some skill in chemistry and medicine, which he made useful in his neighborhood, especially among the poor. He traveled in the ministry, beside writing many letters to meetings in other parts; and, while in London in 1722, he addressed a long epistle to the Quarterly Meeting of Salem and Newton of which he was a member. His writings were collected and printed in 1744, by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.
He died in Tortula, one of the West India Islands, on the sixth of the tenth month, 1742, while on a religious visit there.25 The brick tomb erected by order of his widow over his remains which lay at that place, has long since gone to decay,
21 Liber No. 3, 58.
24 Liber W, 254. "
22 Lib. D, 413, 415.
23 Lib. D, 419.
25 Lib. No. 4, 357. Friends' Memorial.
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he being only known by the people there as a stranger, who, in the course of events, was soon lost sight of and forgotten.
No better evidence need be had of the respect in which he was held by the community in which he lived, than the mem- orial set forth in the minutes of the Monthly Meeting at Had- donfield, immediately after his death. While mourning his loss to themselves as a valuable member, it bears witness of his consistent religious life and usefulness among them, and added to this is the testimony of his widow, recording the confidence of a companion who knew him as a man and a Christian in the every-day walks of life. This sincere, but subdued expression, coming from a bereaved wife, proves that the traits of a true professor, had controlled and governed him in all his intercourse with his fellow men. By his will he gave all his estate to his widow.
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Elizabeth Estaugh survived her husband some twenty years, and lived in the house built in 1713, in the same manner as during his life, entertaining Friends in their visits to the various meetings in the neighborhood. Her consistent Christian pro- fession showed itself in many ways, not the least of which was her kindness toward the poor of the surrounding country, observing the Bible injunction of secrecy in this regard.
The farm, of which about one hundred acres were arable land, was under her own care, and received her personal attention. Having no children of her own, she adopted Eben- ezer Hopkins, a son of her sister Sarah, who came to this country, was educated by, and resided with, his aunt at New Haddonfield, and who, in 1737, married Sarah, a daughter of James Lord, of Woodbury creek, and died intestate in 1757.26
In 1752, his aunt conveyed to him a tract of land fronting on Cooper's creek, in Haddon township, generally known as the "Ann Burr farm," which adjoined other lands owned by him at that date, and derived from the same source.27 On this estate he probably resided, and, in addition to his agri- cultural pursuits, turned his attention to the surveying, the laying out and the conveying of land.
26 Lib. No. 9, 38.
27 Lib. S, No. 6, 124, O. S. G.
lol al
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His wife survived him, and the following named children : John E., who married Sarah. a daughter of William Mickle; Haddon, who married Hannah, a daughter of Joshua Stokes ; Ebenezer, who married Ann, a daughter of William Albertson ; Elizabeth E., who married John Mickle; Sarah, who married Caleb Cresson ; Mary, who married Joshua Cresson, and Ann, who married Marmaduke Burr. From these came the Hopkins family that is now spread through many parts of the United States; one branch of which still remains in the neighborhood of the first settlement, owning, however, but little of the original estate.
After the death of her husband, Sarah Hopkins removed to Haddonfield, and occupied a house and lot, purchased in 1752 by Elizabeth Estaugh of the estate of Samuel Mickle, deceased.28 The house stood on the westerly side of the Main street, on the site of the present residence of Sarah Hopkins, the widow of a lineal descendant of Ebenezer and Sarah. It was removed some years since, and now stands on the north side of Ellis street, owned and occupied by Mary Allen. It is a small, hipped-roofed building, and, although somewhat altered, yet retains much of its antiquated appearance.
No other building is now left that can be associated with Elizabeth Estaugh. Here, doubtless, she made daily visits to the widow and her children, looking closely after the comfort of the one, and the moral training and education of the others. It is evident that she took much interest in them, since in these orphans she saw the perpetuity of her large landed estate in her own blood, and the tone of her will indicates a long settled intention in this regard.
In this house resided her only collateral descendants, and those who were to her the continuation of her family in America.
There was perhaps no act of Elizabeth Estaugh during her life, that showed more of her business qualifications than her last will and testament, which bears date November 30th, 1761.29 In this is exhibited a thorough knowledge of her estate, both
28 Lib. Q, 480.
29 Lib No. 11, 113.
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real and personal; and in her disposition thereof is manifested consummate judgment and sound discretion. She provided for her nearest relatives, but did not forget the humblest of her servants.
Her real estate was principally given to the children of her deceased nephew, Ebenezer Hopkins, while some portion of her personal property she gave to others of her connections. In disposing of some of her personal estate to the single daugh- ters of her nephew, she provided that they should marry in accordance with the order of Friends, or the legacy should follow another direction, a contingency that might press hard upon some of these young girls, yet it showed the bent of her mind, and the strength of her prejudices in favor of her relig- ious belief.
This remarkable woman died March 30th, 1762, in the eigh- tieth year of her age.30 It is unfortunate that she did not, near the close of her life, prepare or dictate her autobiography, so that the incidents of her eventful career could have been pre- served, as she would not then have left the most interesting and romantic parts of her life to vague and uncertain tradition.
Of men's characters much can be gathered from their partici- pation in public affairs, from their conduct in the purchase and sale of real estate, from the more general knowledge of them in the community, and, finally, in the disposition of their property by will; but of females, whose sphere of action is more limited, whose duties are quite as important yet less conspicuous, and whose influence may be observed in all classes of a community, but not always acknowledged by the stronger sex, the chances of securing a faithful history are at best uncer- tain and perhaps erroneous. This may be said of the subject of this sketch, who, although forced to assume responsibilities that many men would shrink from, still always exhibited the characteristics of the true woman. The estimation in which she was held, appears in the notice taken of her death by the meeting of which she was a member; in which her valuable services are acknowledged, and by which it is shown that she was adorned with every Christian virtue. Her remains were
30. Friends' Memorials.
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ELIZABETH ESTAUGH.
interred in the yard at Haddonfield, but nothing marks the spot of her burial.
Who, at this day, would not be gratified if some monument, however rough the stone or rude the letters, had been erected to show where were laid the remains of Elizabeth Estaugh, whose life was spent in contributing to the good of those around her, and whose labor in well-doing is felt and appre- ciated unto the present day.
" Is it not a noble thing to die As dies the Christian with his armor on !- What is the hero's clarion, though its blast Ring with the mastery of a world, to this?"
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JOHN GILL.
J TOHN GILL came to New Jersey under the patronage and guardianship of Elizabeth Estaugh. The blood relationship that existed between these two persons may be inferred from expressions that occur in the various papers of Elizabeth Estaugh, in reference to John Gill, and in her will, particularly, she names him as "her kinsman." His parents resided in or near London, and his mother was probably a sister of John Haddon, father of Elizabeth.
Some of the name lived in Cumberland, others in Cornwall, Devonshire and Huntingdonshire; being Friends they were subjected to fines and imprisonments, for refusing to pay tithes, or attend the national church, and to do other things required under the laws then in existence.
Henry Gill lived at Godalming, in the county of Surrey, London, in 1670, and was fined on two occasions for not attending church at Guilford. This was in the same part of that city in which John Haddon resided, and this. Henry Gill was probably the father of John.
This, however, is but conjecture, and, until a faithful search be made among the records of the meetings in that part of London, may so remain. The instances are but few in which the genealogies of families in America can be properly con- nected with those in England, a defect always to be regretted.
John Gill was a young man of considerable education, which was the exception at that day; he certainly had the confidence
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and good opinion of his uncle and cousin, this good opinion being assured by the gift of a tract of land made to him by John Haddon, which gift was bestowed, in all probability in order that he might participate in the political affairs of the colony, then in much confusion.
The time of his coming over is in doubt, and that of his age at such coming; yet enough may be seen upon the records to prove that he must have followed his cousin very closely.
In 1709, he was appointed administrator of the estate of William Higgs, deceased, of Newton township,-conclusive evidence that he had arrived before that date, and also had attained his majority. So far as noticed, this is the first record of his name, and has much to do with settling the question here mooted.1
In connection with John Estaugh, the management of John Haddon's estate here was controlled by him, and, no doubt, many of the locations returned to John Haddon were selected through his advice and observation.
John and Elizabeth Estaugh, and Benjamin and Sarah Hop- kins conveyed all their landed estate to him in 1726, that which was in New Jersey being large and valuable. It was done to defeat the joint tenancy created under their father's will, and to place each share within the absolute control of its owner.2-3 After the decease of John Estaugh, he became the attorney and adviser of his widow, and managed her large estate in a proper and acceptable manner. It is needless to follow this line to prove the confidence that existed between Elizabeth Estaugh and John Gill, for, during his life, she took no step in the disposition of her estate, without some act of his appearing in connection therewith.
As to his position as a church member, he may also be judged by the intimacy between his cousin and himself; for it can be accepted as a truth, that Elizabeth measured every one according to the religious tenets to which she so rigidly adhered, and which were laid down by the great prototype and leader in her belief, George Fox.
I Gloucester Files, 1718.
2 Lib. D, 413, 415.
3 Lib. D, 419,
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JOHN GILL.
In 1723, commences the record of the proceedings of the town meetings of Newton, in a book which Thomas Sharp says that he was ordered to purchase, and for which he paid nine shillings. The first entry is this:
"At a town meeting held at Newton for the township, the twelfth day of the first month called March, 1723, in order to choose officers for the ensuing year, Joseph Cooper and John Gill were continued Overseers of the Poor, and having made up their accounts there is found to remain in bank for ye service the sum of six pounds fourteen shillings and ten pence."
The overseers of the poor appear to have had charge of all the moneys of the township at that time, paying out the same and rendering a yearly account of such disbursements. This was continued for several years, which made the office one of the most responsible and important in the township. But John Gill withdrew from that position after the next year, the reason for which appears in a minute made in the book. The discharge of this duty he, no doubt, considered outside of his office, and that the best way to avoid a repetition thereof was to resign. The entry, as made, is as follows:
"At said meeting it was agreed yt Jonathan Bolton give some hay and corn to Ann Morris's horse, in order to make him capable to carry her to ye place from whence she came, and that she stay but until the seventeenth day of this instant ; and after that the overseers of the poor force her away if she refuse to go ; and that what charge is expended in ye perfecting of it shall be allowed by this meeting."
What became of Ann Morris or her horse, does not appear from the record ; but, it being a new feature in the duties of the overseers of the poor, neither Joseph Cooper or John Gill accepted the position for several years after that time.
When John Gill died, in 1749,4 his son John was old enough to take his place in the several positions which he, the father, had been called to fill, and, more particularly, in the manage- ment of the estate of Elizabeth Estaugh, which was constantly
4 Lib. No. 6, 231.
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increasing, and which required his personal attention and good judgment; and, although Ebenezer Hopkins, her nephew, had married in 1737 and settled near her residence, yet John Gill, the son, appears to have had the same oversight of her estate that his father had during his life time.
He was a much more active business man than his father ; this appears by his location, purchase and sale of lands in various sections of the country, by his participation in political affairs, and by the discharge of many duties involving the con- fidence of his neighbors and the public. He was one of the persons selected by Elizabeth Estaugh as executors of her will, which trust, thus bestowed, evidenced her regard for his capa- bility and honesty.
The first grant of land made by John Haddon to John Gill was in 1714; it was for two hundred and sixty acres of the survey which he had purchased of Thomas Willis, a son of John, in 1698.5 This land was situated in Waterford township, now Delaware, on both sides of the Haddonfield and Berlin road, and near the head of what was formerly known as Swett's mill pond, now owned by Joseph C. Stafford, and others. The conveyance says that the land was then in the occupation of John Gill, the inference of which is that he resided thereon ; if so, he lived in a small, hipped-roof frame house, which stood on the north side of the stream that falls into the mill pond-a house many years since torn down. It was surrounded by locust trees, some of which yet stand and mark the spot where his dwelling was situated. Although this place was in the midst of a forest, yet he was not entirely without neighbors. William Bates had settled on Tindall's run, about one mile west, where he was living with his Indian wife. George and Timothy Matlack, who purchased land the same year, had their plantations about two miles south; and Joseph Cooper had cleared some of the land given to him by his father, and had built a house on the opposite side of the stream, not far from the residence of John Gill. This was before his marriage, but the comforts of his bachelor home were, no doubt, looked after by some elderly female unknown to the present generation.
5 Lib. A, 13,
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JOHN GILL.
Previously to the year 1739, this tract of land passed into the possession of Bartholomew Horner, who, with his wife Elizabeth, conveyed it to their son Jacob. Jacob died intes- tate, and it descended to his oldest son, Isaac. He conveyed to his two brothers, Nathan and Jacob, and the first conveyed his interest to the last in 1771. In Jacob's family it remained for many years, but it now has passed out of the name.
The next residence of John Gill in Waterford township was near the north side of the south branch of Cooper's creek, where the King's highway crossed the same, and where the road leading to Edward Clemenz's landing turned to the westward from that thoroughfare. This property is now owned by James H. Billington.
It was a public place at that time, the landing being the highest on the creek; and thither all the wood and lumber in the region round about, intended for the Philadelphia market, were taken to be transported in vessels. The remains of the old wharf may yet be seen near the forks of the creek; and this place in the days of our ancestors was the scene of much business activity, occasioned by the teams in bringing, and the boats in taking away the only articles of sale and exchange among the people at that time. After 1715, it was known as Axford's landing, and it still retains the name; but some of the oldest inhabitants must be found, before the inquirer can know where to look for that place.
In a deed from William Lovejoy to Thomas Kendall, in 1697, a tract of land was conveyed, situated at a place called Uxbridge, " lying on the south branch of Cooper's creek on the road leading from Salem to Burlington." 6
This tract of land was near where John Gill lived, and the name was probably given in expectation of a town springing up at that point, several years before there was any thought that Haddonfield, as a village, would have a name or an existence. The description in the deed is conclusive as to the locality, and, although affixed twenty-five years before the present name was attached to the village, yet it never obtained any notoriety, and seems to have no history except in the old
6 Lib. B2, 645.
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conveyance above referred to. Although the name may more particularly apply to the land on the north side of the stream, yet, if a few houses had been built in 1697, and the improve- ments extended to the south side of the creek, the chances are that our forefathers would have adhered to the original title given at that period, and that the name of Haddonfield would never have been known, except as attached to the two residences of Elizabeth Estaugh. From this it may be inferred that William Lovejoy came from the town of Uxbridge, which is in Middlesex, England, about twenty miles from London, and that he wished to keep the name of his native place in remem- brance, like many of his associates who came to New Jersey about the same time.
In 1718, John Gill married Mary Heritage, a daughter of Joseph and granddaughter of Richard Heritage,-the first of that name in these parts. 6 Richard was a carpenter, and came from Brayle's Inn, Warwickshire, England.1 He purchased rights of Edward Byllynge, in 1684, and, upon his arrival here, made a location of land on the north side of the south branch of Penisaukin creek, in Burlington county, and called his new home "Hatten New Garden."* He purchased other rights, and made other locations in that region. None of the land, as originally held by him, has been owned by the family for many years; and none of the name reside in that section of the country at the present time.
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