USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV > Part 58
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99
(VIII) Dr. James A. Deane, son of Silas (3) and Eleanor ( Salisbury ) Deane, was born at Coxsackie, Greene county, New York, No- vember 26, 1840. He was educated in the public schools, prepared for college at Coey- mans Academy and Claverack Institute, en- tered Rutgers College at New Brunswick, New Jersey, but failing health compelled him to quit college. He later regained his health and chose the profession of medicine, study- ing with Dr. Mackey, of Catskill, New York. He entered Bellevue Medical College of New York City, where he was graduated M. D., class of 1865. Ile practiced his profession in Catskill for a time, then removed to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he practiced for seven years. In 1873 he returned to Catskill, where he again entered active practice, continuing until 1808, when he retired to private life. His home is the famous Rip Van Winkle farm. He attained high rank in his profession, and holds membership in the leading medical so- cieties, holding the office of president of the Greene County Society. He served three terms as coroner of Greene county and was on the staff of hospitals and institutions. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed church of Catskill, and a Democrat in politics. He mar- ried ( first) Selena Post, of Saugerties, New York, who died November 5. 1888. He mar- ried (second) Ellen M. Osborne, who died July 21, 1895; married (third) June 12.
1698
HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS
1899, Helene, daughter of Charles A. and Amelia (Raeder) Vedder, of Leeds, New York. No issue by any of the marriages.
WOOD The Wood family now seated in Chatham, New York, are of old Massachusetts ancestry. Through intermarriages they are related to many noted New England families, and themselves were of more than local celebrity. One branch in- termarried with the Quaker family of South- wick that suffered much persecution at the hands of Massachusetts authorities. The di- rect ancestors were whipped, imprisoned, and finally banished and their property confiscated, their sole offence being that they dared wor- ship God in a manner not dictated by Massa- chusetts statutes. The Rice and Taft families are also Wood connections. In the revolution, Ezra Wood and Captain Josiah Wood, both descendants of Thomas Wood, the founder, gave patriotic service. This particular branch inclines to the professions, and a num- ber of ministers, physicians, lawyers and pro- fessors, are found in several of the genera- tions. The family appears in New York after the revolution, Wheelock Wood being the first of his line permanently to settle in Herki- mer county, New York.
(I) Thomas Wood, of Rowley, Massachu- setts, is supposed to be the first of this branch in this country. His ancestors have not been discovered, although there is some reason to believe he belonged to the Wood family of Norwich, Norfolk county, England. In 1763 Colonel Eliphalet Dyer visited England and brought back for Annic (Wood) Elderkin, wife of Colonel Jedediah Elderkin, and daughter of Thomas, son of Thomas Wood, of Rowley, a crest and coat of arms, supposed to be those of the Wood family to which she belonged, the Woods of Norwich. The first known of Thomas Wood is his marriage re- corded in Rowley. Thomas and Ann Wood were married 4 months, 7 days, 1654. His . wife was Ann Hunt, of Ipswich, Massachu- setts. Rowley records show him to have been a man of excellent Christian character and of high standing among his townsmen. He was buried September 12, 1687. Children : I. Mary, born March 15, 1655, supposed to have been the Mary Wood who married Edward Ordway. 2. John, born November 2, 1656; settled in Bradford, Massachusetts, then in Littleton ; married Isabel Hazen. 3. Thomas, born August 10, 1658; married Mary Hunt. 4. Ann, born August 8, 1660; married Benja- min Plummer. 5. Ruth, born July 21, 1662; married (first) Captain Joseph Jewett, (sec- ond) John Lunt or Ilunt. 6. Josiah, born
September 5, 1664; married Mary Felt. 7. Elizabeth, twin of Josiah, married Captain Joseph Boynton. 8. Samuel, born December 26, 1666: married Margaret Ellithorpe. 9. Sol- omon, born May 17, 1669; married Mary Hazeltine. 10. Ebenezer, of further mention. II. James, died at age of twenty years.
(11) Ebenezer, tenth child and sixth son of Thomas and Ann (Hunt ) Wood, was born in Rowley, Massachusetts, December 29, 1671, baptized in the First Church, December 31, 1671. He lived in Rowley until July 14, 1717, when he and wife were dismissed to the Men- don Church. He married, April 5, 1695, Ruth Nichols. Children born in Rowley: I. James, born April 28, 1696. 2. Ebenezer, De- cember 6, 1698. 3. Jonathan, of further men- tion. 4. David, May 30, 1704. 5. Samuel, May 21, 1706. 6. Jesse, March 2, 1709. 7. Moses, April 3, 1712. 8. Eliphalet, baptized August 15, 1714.
(III) Jonathan, third son of Ebenezer and Ruth (Nichols) Wood, was baptized in the First Church at Rowley, Massachusetts, No- vember 2, 1701, by Rev. Edward Payson, the fourth settled pastor of that church. He married Hannah Dresser and had issue, in- cluding sons Jonathan and Josiah.
(IV) Captain Josiah Wood, son of Jona- than and Hannah (Dresser) Wood, was born in Mendon, died November 3, 1815. He lived on the Lake Faron place in Northbridge, Mas- sachusetts, and was said to be a Universalist. This may be true, as in the Orthodox church records the names of Josiah Wood and Tip- porah Wood appear as uniting with the church in 1765, by confession, also that she was ex- pelled, August 24, 1802, and he, November 26, 1809 (revolutionary record ). Josiah Wood appears with the rank of captain on Lexington alarm roll of Captain Josiah Wood's com- pany which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, from Northbridge to Roxbury. Length of service, ten days. Town to which cach sol- dier belonged, Northbridge. (Vol. 13, p. 163). Josiah Wood appears among a list of officers dated July 9, 1776, chosen by the sev- eral companies in Colonel Ezra Wood's (Third Worcester Company) regiment. Rank, captain, Seventh Company. Reported com- missioned, July 9, 1776. (Vols. 43 & 28, pps. 222 & 119). Josiah Wood appears among a list of officers appointed to command men listed in or drafted from (Worcester Com- pany ) brigade, as returned to Major General Warren (year not given). Rank, captain, of a company drafted from Colonel Ezra Wood's regiment, company to join Colonel Josiah Whitney's or Colonel Nathan Sparhawk's regiment, residence, Northbridge. (Vol. 1, 2).
( M )1 )
HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS
Josiah Wood, of Upton, and Tipporah Wheel- ock. of Mendon, were married by Artemus Wood, justice of the peace, February 12, 1757. Children : Emory and others.
(\') Emory, son of Captain Josiah and Tip- porah (Wheelock) Wood, was born in 1768, died March 2, 1835. Ile married Patience, daughter of Ezekiel Wood. Children: I. Wheelock, of whom further. 2. Sophia, mar- ried Sylvanus Taft, lived to be ninety-four years of age : no children. 3. Nancy, married Caleb Sturtevant and had issue. 4. Lucinda, married Comfort Rice. 5. Submit, married Henry Pelton. 6. Abigail, not married. 7. Rhoda, married Mason White. 8. Cynthia, married Lyman Callum. 9. Josiah, unmar- ried. 10. Manning. 1I. Emory Jr.
(VI) Wheelock, son of Emory and Pa- tience (Wood) Wood, was born in North- bridge, Massachusetts, September 7, 1794, died in Herkimer county, New York, April 10, 1887. Ile married Hannah Comstock, born in Smithfield, Rhode Island, July 15, 1797, died January 20, 1892, after many long years of wedlock. They settled in Herkimer county in 1829 and resided there until their deaths. Chil- dren: 1. Charles O., born 1821; married Martha Western : died January 8, 1900. 2. Susan, born 1823; married William Com- stock (deceased) : she removed to South Da- kota : died December 26, 1895. 3. Martha E., born 1825 : married Lorrin Kelley ; died Feb- ruary 1, 1885. 4. Elias W., born 1828; mar- ried Laura Ilodge of a prominent family in the neighborhood. 5. Rev. William A., born 1830 in Ohio, Herkimer county, New York; married Margaret Lightbill, of Madison county. 6. Rev. Benjamin Franklin, of whom further. 7. Hannah Melissa, born July 30, 1834: mar- ried William Comstock. 8. Amanda S .. born July 11, 1836: married (first ) Oliver Darl- ing : ( second) Philip Walther, of Allegany county, New York. 9. Rhoda Matilda, born October 0, 1838 ; married John S. Wood ; died January 8, 1892. 10. Sarah W., born An- gust 18, 1841 ; married Benjamin E. Western, of Herkimer ; died February 7, 1898.
(VII) Rev. Benjamin Franklin Wood, son of Wheelock and Hannah ( Comstock ) Wood, was born in Ohio, New York, August 14. 1832. lle was licensed to preach under the rules of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1852; was admitted on trial to Black River conference (now Northern New York con- ference ) in 1854, and filled the following ap- pointments: Steuben circuit (junior preach- er). 1853-54, (conference year ) ; Belmont, 1854 (part year) : Brasher, 1856 (part year) ; Brockets and Stratford, 1859: Ohio and Gray, 1860-61 : St. Johnsville, 1863-65 (two years) ;
Middleville, 1865-08: Pert Liplen 1808-71 ; Constableville, 1871-73 : Blanks Rivete 1873-70: Theresa. 1870-77 : presi lin_ Elder, Watertown district, 1877-81 : Port Letlen, 1881-84. Co- penhagen, 1884-85 ; Adan- district, 1885-91; Turin, 1891-94: Martin-burg, 1894-99. Chau- mont, 1899-1900. He was superannuated m 1900, since which time he has re-pledom Wa- tertown, New York, and hastofficiated exten- sively as supply. In the fall of iso1 he en- listed in Company G, Eighth Regiment, New York Volunteers. Ile was in the Peninsula campaign under MeClellan : his regiment was in the advance of Fair Oaks and it ranks terribly thinned. After escaping unharmed in open battle, it remained for him to become a victim of malarial fever while encamping in White Oaks swamps, and on a surge m's cer- tificate, he resigned. In 1862. in June. he was mustered out as second lieutenant. Four many years he was president of the Riverside Camp Meeting Association.
He married (first) \\senath, daughter of John and Rosalinda (Higley) Barnes, who removed from Connecticut to llerkimer county, New York, in their carly married life. They were very thrifty and brought up a family of seven children: Hiram, John. Rosalinda, Amanda, George, Asenath, mar- ried Rev. B. F. Wood, Lyman. John Barnes died at the age of seventy-eight years while his wife lived to be upward of ninety-two years. Mrs. Asenath ( Barnes) Wood was noted for her lovable disposition. She at- tained special prominence as a teacher. She married, August 23, 1853, and died January 3, 1865. Children of Rev. B. F. and Asenath ( Barnes) Wood: 1. Dr. Gary Hosmer, born December 10, 1854: graduated from Fairfield Seminary, 1874, graduated from Long Island College Hospital, 1877, since which time he has practiced his profession at Antwerp, New York : in politics he is a Republican and has served in the following offices: Coroner three years, supervisor of town of Antwerp, Jeffer- son county, from 1800 to 1800; member of assembly from second assembly district, Jei ferson county, from January 1, 1906, to Janu- ary 1, 1911 ; he is ex-president of the Jefferson County Medical Society and member of the New York State Medical Society, prominent in the Masonic order, and past district deputy of the twenty-fourth Masonie district, state of New York. He married Mary I. Tamblin, An- gust 30, 1876. Children : i. Fthel May Wood. born November 26, 1882, died June 19. 1884; ii. Lillian Asenath Wood, born October 19. 1884, graduated from Vassar College, 1904. married T. D. MacGregor. August 25, 1900: iii. Isabelle Tamblin Wood, born March 24,
1700
HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS
1891, graduated from Vassar College, 1911. 2. Dr. Emory Hamlin, born October 14. 1859: he was graduated from Ives Seminary in 1876 and from Ilahnemann Medical Col- lege of Chicago in 1881 : in 1883 he removed to South Dakota, and later he returned to New York ; he has practiced his profession in the following places: Copenhagen, New York, 1881-83: Hand county, South Dakota, 1883-94: Salisbury Center, New York. 1894: he has served repeatedly as coroner and health officer : in South Dakota he held the position of county superintendent of schools. He mar- ried Eunice Brooks, August 16, 1882. Chil- tren: i. Laura A .. born July 12. 1886; ii. Hazel E., horn November 27, 1888 : iii. Brooks Franklin, born July 17, 1892. 3. Professor Frank Higley, of whom further. 4. Harriet Libbie, born in St. Johnsville, Montgomery county, New York, August 18. 1863 ; married Bower Thomas Whitehead in Frement town- ship. Moody county, South Dakota, March 20, 1887, who has latterly been in charge of the department of pharmacy in the State Agricul- tural College at Brookings. South Dakota. Children : i. Lindsey Wood Whitehead, born in Fremont township, Moody county, South Dakota. June 16, 1888; ii. Lyndall Whitehead, born in Brookings, Brookings county, South Dakota, December 23. 1900. Rev. B. F. Wood married (second ) October 5. 1865, Jane A. Dorn, by whom he had three sons, all of whom died in infancy, and one daugh- ter. Florence, who married Charles Palmiter, of Watertown, New York, September 11, 1889, and to them one son was born Novem- ber 17, 1891. Clebron Wood Palmiter.
(\1HI ) Frank Higley Wood, A. M., son of Rev. Benjamin Franklin and Asenath ( Barnes ) Wood, was born in Ohio. Herkimer county, New York, May 23, 1861. Receiving his elementary training in district schools, he graduated from Ives Seminary in 1870, and from Syracuse University in 1885. completing the course in approximately three years, win- ning the possible honors, including member- ship in the Phi Beta Kappa. Choosing teach- ing as his calling, he occupied the following positions: District school, town of Antwerp. winter of 1879-80; district school, village of Black River, winter of 1882-83. After spend- ing the summer of 1883 on a preemption claim in Hand county, Dakota (now South Dakota ), he served as principal of the graded sebou hat West Carthage, 1883-84. Granville high school. 1885-87 : Yates high school ( Chit tenango), -1887-89; Chatham high school, 1880-95. Entering the state service through civil service examination, he was inspector of training classes, 1895-99; supervisor of bu-
reau of training classes, 1899-1902: super- visor of bureau of inspections, 1902-04 ; chief, inspections division, state education depart- ment, 1904. He is prominent in the Masonic order : is a past master of Columbia Lodge, No. 98. Free and Accepted Masons ; member of Lindenwald Chapter, Kinderhook ; Lafay- ette Commandery. Hudson : Cyprus Temple, Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Albany; also a past regent of Nat Hyatt Council, Royal Arcanum, and is a mem- ber of the Order of Modern Woodmen. Chatham, New York. He has long been a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, of the Chatham high school, and of the Chatham Rural Cemetery Association. Ile is also the first president of the Morris Memorial Histor- ical Society. July 3, 1889, Professor Wood, as he is popularly known, married Dora Fos- ter. of Chittenango, daughter of Albert and Elsie ( Cook ) Foster, who on account of the early death of her mother was brought up in the home of her grandparents, Clement Cook, a former inhabitant of Otsego county and a veteran of the civil war, and Louise ( French) Cook, a member of a prominent Vermont fam- ily. Children: 1. Elsie Louise, born Octo- ber 20, 1891 : died March 28, 1907. 2. Har- rict Asenath, August 26. 1896. 3. Helen Florence, June 11, 1900: died February 13. 1904. 4. Frank Iligley, Jr .. August 8, 1903. 5. Theodore Wheelock, March 22, 1906.
DECKER This is a genuine German sur- name. Decher, as the name is frequently spelled, represents in German the number ten, and was applied to the tenth child. Some assume, however, that the family name was derived from the occupation of a decker-one who builds or lays the decks of vessels. The name is com- mon in Germany and in the United States. The family is found in Holland, whither it is believed they fled to escape religious persecu- tion. The name is first found in New Eng- land in 1672, when John Decker was a resi- dent of Exeter. The name is found at a still carlier date in the early records of Staten Island, where Johannes De Decker arrived in April, 1605. The family became very numer- ous on Staten Island, frequent intermarriage making the tracing of their genealogy exceed- ingly difficult. Johannes De Decker was a prominent man in the colony, filling various offices of responsibility, and after a public service of several years retired for the re- mainder of his days to his farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres on Staten Island.
(I) The line from which Edward C. Decker is descended begins with Jan Broersen Decker,
1701
HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS
who with other Hollanders was at New Dorp, New Netherland, and he was one of two mag- istrates appointed at Marbledorp (later Mar- bletown), October 6, 1673. Further particu- lars of him do not appear.
(II) Cornelius, son of Jan Broersen Decker, married, December 22, 1695, Elsie, daughter of Wessel and Marya (Ten Eyck) Ten Broeck, and had four children. She died June 9. 1725, and is buried beside her hus- band. Children : Johannes, baptized August 16, 1696; Maria, May 1, 1698; Heyltje, Janu- ary 14, 1700; Wessel, January 25, 1702.
(III) Johannes, son of Cornelius and Elsie (Ten Broeck) Decker, married (first) Ca- trina Wynkoop, baptized December 17, 1699, died January 2, 1724. The Decker family Bible record is, "My wife Catrina Wynkoop is at rest in the Lord and buried the 4th (Janu- ary, 1725) among her friends and beside her mother." She was a daughter of Evert and Guertje (Elmendorf) Wynkoop. They had one daughter, Guertjen, baptized October 15, 1721. He married (second ) Marytje Jansen, May 17, 1726, daughter of Mattheus and Rachel (Popinge) Jansen. Children: Elsie, born March 26, 1727; Rachel, February 28, 1728-29: Cornelis, January 6, 1731-32; Mat- thewis, December 14, 1733; Marya, January 9. 1736-37 ; Catharyna, February 17, 1738-39 ; Johannes, April 16, 1741. Johannes, the father, died January 23, 1741-42.
(IV) Cornelius (2), son of Johannes and Marytje ( Jansen) Decker, married (first) July 1, 1762, Elizabeth Van Wagenen, born November 1, 1739, died March 12, 1764, daughter of Symen and Sara (Du Bois) Van Wagenen. They had a daughter Sarah, born January 16, 1764. He married (second) Eliz- abeth Decker (presumably a cousin ), who died June 10, 1813. Children: Johannes, born June 2, 1767; Cornelius, July 13, 1770 ; Catharine, February 2, 1774 ; Elizabeth, Octo- ber 8, 1778, died August II, 1795; Maria, November 22, 1780.
(VI) John G., grandson of Cornelius (2) Decker, and son of either Cornelius or Jo- hannes Decker, was born in Columbia county, New York. He removed to Fulton county, where he was one of the early farmers of the town of Johnstown. He married Nancy Ru- pert : children : John H., see forward: Eliza- beth M., George F., Eleanor B., William A., Ann S.
(VII) John H., eldest son of John G. and Nancy ( Rupert) Decker, was born in the town of Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, July 15, 1826, died March 14, 1901. He was one of the pioneer glove manufacturers of Gloversville, where he was associated with
Josiah C. Leonard for many years. In 1875 he established the glove-making business in Johnstown, conducting it alone until 1880, when he admitted his son, Edward C. Decker, to the firm, which then became J. H. Decker & Son. In 1882 Sidney Argersinger was admitted, and the firm has since been known as J. II. Decker Son & Company. John H. Decker continued at the head of the business, which developed into one of the largest in the county, until his death. He became a resi- dent of Johnstown village the year after his marriage (1854), and was prominent in pub- lic affairs. He served three terms as trustee of the village, was trustee of the district six- teen years, and was president of the village board of education. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and politically a Repub- lican. He married, February 8, 1854, Marian E., born in Johnstown, 1835, daughter of Jo- siah C. and Mary Leonard. Children : I. Mary L. (or Minnie L.), born in Johnstown, 1856; married, January 8, 1880, Sidney Ar- gersinger ; (child) Edward D., married Mary C. Sammons. 2. Edward C., see forward. 3. Celia A., born March 25, 1861 ; married, April 14. 1886, Asa J. Browne, born in the town of Mayfield, Fulton county, New York, April 7, 1840. 4. William H., born December 28, 1867. died May 3, 1885. 5. Luella C., born December 8, 1872; married Charles R. Mosher.
(VIII) Edward C., eldest son of John H. and Marian E. (Leonard) Decker, was born in Johnstown, New York, October 26, 1858. He was educated in Johnstown Union School and Academy. He early began an active busi- ness life as an assistant to his father in glove manufacturing, and in 1880 was admitted a partner to J. H. Decker & Son. On the death of the senior Mr. Decker, in 1901, Edward C. succeeded him as head of the firm of J. H. Decker Son & Company, which continues one of the most important glove manufacturing firms in the county. He is a thoroughly capa- ble, earnest man of affairs, and occupies a commanding position in his city. He was a charter member of the board of library trus- tees and still holds same. He is a director of the People's Bank of Johnstown, and inter- ested in other of the business enterprises of Johnstown. He is a member of the Presby- terian church, and in politics supports the men and measures of the Republican party. His clubs are the Eccentric of Gloversville, the Automobile, Lotus and Colonial of Johns- town and the Antlers of Amsterdam, New York. He is interested in the history of his county, and holds membership in the Fulton County Historical Society. He married, Octo-
1702
HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS
ber 20, 1886, Louise, daughter of Robert Henry, of Johnstown. Children, Marian L. and Katherine B.
Curtis N. Douglas, son of DOUGLAS John Pettit and Henrietta (Hughson ) Douglas, was born at Watertown, New York, May 28, 1856. He attended Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytech- nic Institute from 1864 to 1870, and John C. Overheisuis Classical School from 1871 to 1873. He then entered the University of Roch- ester, from which he was graduated, class of 1877, with the degree of A.B. He at once began an active business life: from 1877 to 1880 he was secretary and assistant to his father, the most extensive land owner in Jef- ferson county, New York. He assisted in the management of farms, stock breeding and lumber operations, all of which were of large proportions requiring expert knowledge and careful supervision. But his tastes were not satisfied by a business life, being inclined towards a literary or professional career. From January until June, 1881, he was head master of Betts Academy at Stamford. Con- necticut, and from there went to J. H. Massis College Preparatory School in New York, where he was assistant master. From 1882 to 1886 he conducted a college preparatory school of his own. In 1886 he returned to commercial life and since that date he has been general manager of L. Thomson & Company, wholesale lumber merchants of Albany, New York. He has always taken a lively interest in public affairs. In 1894 he represented the tenth assembly district of Albany in the state legislature, and in 1899-1900 was state sena- tor from Albany county. Ile is an ex-presi- dent of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion of Albany. He married, June 24, 1886, Nancy Sherman, daughter of Lemon Thom- son, of Albany, and granddaughter of Au- gustus Sherman, of Glens Falls, New York. (See Thomson IV). Mr. and Mrs. Douglas have three children: Kenneth Thomson, Dor- othea and Gertrude Thomson.
(The Thomson Line).
Douglas and Thomson is a blending of Scotch-Irish blood that has produced, as it always does, men and women of high charac- ter and strong physical as well as mental at- tributes. The name of Thomson is common to England, Scotland and Ireland, differing only in the addition or omission of the letter P. Douglas is the name of an ancient Scottish clan whose history has been told in story and song for centuries. Both families have pro- duced men of note in the political, military, lit-
erary, professional and business life of the United States. New Jersey was the home of John Thomson, shot and scalped by Indians, and his wife, Juda, who drew her little son John two hundred and fifty miles over the mountains of Pennsylvania after the killing of her husband. They were the grandparents of Judge Thomson, of Hunterdon county, New Jersey.
(I) Benjamin Thomson, American ancestor of this branch of the Thomson family, was born in the north of Ireland, died at Eliza- beth, New Jersey. The date of his emigra- tion and settlement in New Jersey is not def- inite. He was a magistrate under the Crown, and a man of importance and means, as his son received a college education. His wife came from Scotland. They were both mem- bers of the Presbyterian church.
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.