From New Jersey To The Redstone Settlement

From the Records of New Jersey:


Lib. 35, p. 83; File 1893H.
1790, Mar. 3. Holmes, John, of Middle Precinct, Cape May Co.; will of.

"...To natural son, John Holmes...part of 2 tracts of land of 711 acres, in Redstone Settlement, Fayette Co., Penn. Should any of said sons die before 21, their portion to be divided between the surviving sons. Daughter, Elizabeth, 2,000 Spanish milled dollars with principal and interest when 20. Mother, Isabella Holmes, 600 Spanish milled dollars, to be sent to Ireland. Nephew, John Holmes, (son of brother, James Holmes, dec'd), lands and meadows in Galloway and Great Egg Harbour Twsps., Gloucester Co. Wife, Elizabeth, 1/6 of the remainder of estate; and my children, Robert, William, James, John and the expected child, each 1/6 part. Executors — wife, Elizabeth, brother, Nathaniel Holmes and son, Robert Holmes. Witnesses — Silas Swain, Christopher Ludlam, Stephen Buck. Proved Jan. 26, 1791.

Maxfield? No, Maxwell

William Roark's pension application gave the name as Maxfield (which was incorrect):

"The next tour of a similar service was under Capt. Mark Thompson, during which time we were marched to a place called Bound Brook.  The next tour was under Capt. John Maxfield.  These several tours comprised a time of..."

"I do not recollect many of the United States officers excepting those mentioned and General Washington who was about this time in New Jersey and General William Maxfield the brother of my captain."

WILLIAM MAXWELL, NEW JERSEY’S HARD FIGHTING GENERAL at All Things Liberty.

"Brig. Gen. William “Scotch Willie” Maxwell usually receives scant attention in books covering the American Revolution."

"Maxwell also commanded men in New Jersey during the winter of 1777 and at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth Courthouse."

 

"An examination of the wartime correspondence between Brigadier General Maxwell and the commander-in-chief, Gen. George Washington, shows a close, productive working relationship until Maxwell’s sudden resignation from service in the summer of 1780."

General Maxwell's Brigade:

"The last half of the year 1778 was an eventful period in the history of the war for freedom in America. The plains of Monmouth, in New Jersey, had just been the scene of a fierce conflict on a hot Sabbath day, between the Continentals and the British Line, and the royal army had disappeared by a midnight flight."

Donald McDonald, New Jersey Volunteers

British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, C Series) - INDEX ONLY
Microform: c-11837 (Image 5337):

Pike Panting For Promotion

Source

Colonel Joseph Ryerson's Obituary

" Died, at his residence, near Vittoria, county of Norfolk, on "Wednesday, the 9th of August, 1854, after a short illness of three days, Colonel Joseph Ryerson (father of the Rev. Messrs. George, William, John, Egerton, and Edwy Ryerson), in the ninety-fourth year of his age."

" Colonel Ryerson was born near Paterson, New Jersey, about fourteen miles from the city of New York, the 28th of February, 1761. His ancestors were from Holland; he was the seventh son; he lost his father in childhood. At the breaking out of the American revolution, two of the brothers entered the British army."

"His [Colonel Joseph Ryerson's] funeral was attended by a large concourse of people — especially of the old inhabitants. Six of his old neighbours acted as pall-bearers — namely, Colonel Potts, F. Walsh, Aquilla Walsh, Abner Owen, Joseph Culver, and S. Ellis, Esquires — whose joint ages amounted to almost 400 years. The Scripture lesson was read, and prayers offered up at the house by the Rev. Mr. Clement, Wesleyan minister; and the service was read at the grave by the Rev. George Salmon (an old friend of the family), in the absence of the Rev. Mr. Evans, rector of Woodhouse, to the erection of the church of which rectory Colonel Ryerson had been the largest contributor. " Colonel Ryerson is probably the last of the old United Empire Loyalists in Canada who joined the British army in 1776 — a race of men remarkable for longevity and energy, and a noble enthusiasm for British institutions." Page 259 of The Loyalists Of America

Up Goes Huddy For Philip White

Fold3 has an abstract of the Huddy/White incident from the papers of the Continental Congress:

The incident from the Loyalist's point of view:

His [Captain Richard Lippincott's] connection with the execution of Captain Joshua Huddy, of the rebel service, attracted a great deal of attention both in Europe and America. Captain Huddy was a partisan officer of some repute in New Jersey, and had been concerned in the murder of a Loyalist named Philip White, who was a relative of Lippincott, and a resident of Shrewsbury.

Shortly after, Captain Huddy was captured and taken as prisoner to New York. The " Board of Associated Loyalists of New York " sent Captain Lippincott to Middleton Point, or Sandy Hook, with Captain Huddy and two other prisoners, to exchange them for prisoners held by the rebels. He was authorized to execute Huddy in retaliation for White, who had already been put to death. Therefore, on the 12th of April, 1782, having exchanged the two other prisoners, Captain Lippincott hung Huddy on a tree by the beach, under the Middleton Heights. In 1867 the tree was still to be seen, and tradition keeps alive in the neighbourhood the story connected with it.

Up Goes Huddy for Philip White. [Source]

Dahiel McDonald

Source [Image 5321]

McDonald, Dahiel

Private, 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers

March 1778

C. 1858, P. 14

John McFadyen And His Heritage

Source [See vol...Dec_1_1905_to_May_15_1906.pdf]

The biography of John McFadyen, son of Michael and Margaret (Craig) McFadyen, provided information about the family.  One important clue stated that John was born in Kilburnie, Ayrshire, Scotland (in 1849).  John's widowed mother came to Maryland with five children when he was about 7 years old.  After the Civil War the move was made to Pennsylvania where Margaret McFadyen died at the age of 65.

John attended Johns Hopkins and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and spent his life in the coal industry, perhaps influenced by the legacy of his father, who was a mining engineer.

John's 1910 death in New Jersey was noted in his biography.  It was noted that two of his siblings, James, of Wilkinsburg, and Kate Duckworth, of Connellsville, survived him.

Here's a blog of another person who is researching McFadyens from Kilburnie.

Petitts In Grimsby

Source

From Déliberations Et Mémoires de la Société Royale Du Canada:

Jonathan and Deborah Pettit lived in the State of Pennsylvania. Part of their land was in New Jersey. There were two sons, Andrew and Nathaniel. *Andrew married Sarah Smith in 1780, and in 1787, with wife and four children, started for British territory.

His brother Nathaniel lived on a farm between Grimsby and Beamsville. He owned the land on which Grimsby now stands. Nathaniel Pettit owned lot No 9 in the first and lot No 9 in the second concession.


From the Grimsby Museum:

"This Indenture of Land  [see Indenture online] was made between *Andrew and Sarah Pettit and their son Jonathan A. Pettit on August 17, 1814.  Lot 14, Concession I & II, 160 acre lot."

John B. Pettit, son of Jonathan and grandson of Andrew:

Source

Captain Teeple, Loyalist

Source

More at the Teeple People website.  Also see the family tree.

Was Our William Roark At Valley Forge?

William Roark's last name could have been written as Roark, Roach, Rork, Rowark or Rorick.  There are probably other versions, too.

Private William Roach Rank and File

State: Pennsylvania

Division: Armstrong

Brigade: PA Militia

Regiment: PA Militia

Valley Forge Muster Roll Project

Private William Roach Rank and File State: Pennsylvania Ethnicity: Division: Armstrong Brigade: PA Militia Regiment: PA Militia Company:  ID:PA33378

The loss of their senior officers and the defeat at Bound Brook apparently caused "distracted" behavior in the ranks. In General Orders of 28 April at Morristown, New Jersey, Private Samuel Philips was sentenced to be reprimanded, Private Henry Randall and Ensign McKee were acquitted, and Lieutenant Simrall was cashiered for refusing to do his duty. Washington appended the following note.

The Commander in Chief (taking into consideration the late distracted State of the 8th. Pennsyl. Battalion, an inquiry into the cause of which he has directed to be made without loss of time) is pleased to suspend the execution of the Sentences of Alexander McKay, David Livinston, John Dilworth, John Edgar, Jacob Knight, John McClaugherry, William Roach, Daniel Clark, John Kirckendal, and Jacob Wilker -- Privates of that Battalion, 'till the proceedings of the Court are reported to him.

There was a William Roach in the 8th Pennsylvania, per Fold3:

Source

How many William Roark/Roach/Rowark's were there? [I don't know]

Referenced above was pensioner William Roach living in Jefferson County, Ohio, who mentioned Colonel Wilson of the 8th Pennsylvania line in his pension application. [Not ours]

The pension application of our William Roark specified that under Captain Mark Thompson he marched to a place called Bound Brook.  Then there's William "Rork" at Bound Brook, too.

William Roark, Deserter In 1780?

William Roark Was One Of The Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried In Illinois

Note:  Donated Photo (Have Visited Site Personally)

Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois, By Mrs. Harriett J. Walker:


WILLIAM ROARK was born in New Jersey [or Ireland] June 1760. He served in the war four different times eight months until 1782. He was under Capt. John Fleet, Mark Thompson, John Maxfield and Michael Catt. He served under Gen. George Rogers Clark, was taken prisoner carried to Detroit and Canada, was paroled in 1783. He came to Gallatin county, Illinois, but died in Saline county March 4, 1841. He was pensioned.

Benjamin McDonald

Source [Image 5283]

McDonald, Benjamin

Private, in 1st Battalion of New Jersey Volunteers

25-1-1783

C. 1853

P. 48

(Over)

British Military and Naval Records [Index]

Microform: c-11837

William Rorick Of Maxwell's Company

List of New Jersey Troops...Numbered Record Books Records of …and Service Officers and Enlisted Men Volume - Title: 4 - List of New Jersey Troops. 1775-1780 4 - List of…. 1775-1780:

Source

Col. Oliver Spencers Regt.

New Jersey

Rorick, William

Maxwells C.

Jany 21, 1777

Des. May 1, 1777

More here.

William Rorick..

Acklin Business In New Jersey

Rootsweb had a transcription of the 1734 John Ferguson entry from the New Jersey Wills...; Christopher Acklin's name is in the excerpt of the same publication below:

Source

My ancestor, Christopher Acklin of Virginia, had a connection to New Jersey in 1782:

Possibly From The SWEM Card Index 

"23 Aug 1782 - New Jersey to try above ___ "

Kennedy Descendants Of New Jersey And Canada

My ancestor, David Kennedy, and his family also lived in Grimsby, and therefore names found in the Descendants of John Kennedy of Sussex County, New Jersey (and of Grimsby, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada) publication have also surfaced in my research.

So far, there has not been a connection made between the two Kennedy families.

Maxwell M. Fisher

Maxwell M. Fisher was born in Somerville, Brunswick, New Jersey, on October 10, 1824.

Census  1860 [Fold3]

6th Ward City Of Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

M M Fisher M 40 New Jersey

Emily A Fisher F 40 Rhode Island

*J B Wright M 16 Michigan

U C Fisher M 14 Michigan

Emma Fisher F 11 Michigan

Kate Buffum F 22 Vermont

Frances Buffum F 19 New Hampshire

In July of 1889 his passport application indicated that he was a capitalist whose permanent residence was Detroit, Michigan.  He asked that his passport be mailed to the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City.

Source

Also listed on the July 3, 1889, passport application was his wife, Mary Adelaide Fisher, who was born at Pokagon, Michigan, on March 25, 1861.

United States Census, 1900

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

Maxwell M Fischer Head M 76 New Jersey

Mary A Fischer Wife F 39 Michigan

Hattie Thornback Servant F 28 Canada E

Annie Newman Servant F 30 Sweden

George Hood Servant M 31 Canada E

An article about Mr. Fisher's unhappy California honeymoon (married 14 Feb 1886) and subsequent divorce from Mrs. John J. (Frances A. - Ames?) Garrison was found here in the 7 November 1888 edition of the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (seen at Fold3).  A breach of promise of marriage suit was initiated by a widow, Mrs. Nellie Goodwill, with whom Mr. Fisher was boarding after his separation from his wife, 

Photos of Maxwell M. Fisher's homes here.

The widowed Mrs. Mary A. (Jenks) Fisher died in Dearborn, Wayne County, Michigan, on 29 December 1927.

His name associated with the *Jonathan B. Wright spendthrift case .

James McCrea Of The New Jersey Volunteers

Index Cards from the British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, C Series):

Microform: c-11837

Source [Image 4558]

Image 4559

William Roark's Pension

William Roark

Photo from Eastern Kentucky University Special Collections and Archives (http://archives.eku.edu).

My transcription below; Fold3.com has William Roark's pension is online.


Pension Application of William Roark, #S-32495

State of Illinois
Gallatin County

On the 15th day of March 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Hon. Thomas C. Browne, judge of the Circuit Court for the county aforesaid now sitting, William Roark, a resident of said county, in the state of Ill., aged 73 years in June next, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as therein stated.  That he was drafted into service in the county of Sussex, state of New Jersey first under Captain John Fleet and served a tour under him during which time we were marched to Amboy in said state.

The next tour of a similar service was under Capt. Mark Thompson, during which time we were marched to a place called Bound Brook.  The next tour was under Capt. John Maxfield.  These several tours comprised a time of...

I do not recollect many of the United States officers excepting those mentioned and General Washington who was about this time in New Jersey and General William Maxfield the brother of my captain.  Some where during this time Capt. John Maxfield received a commission of captain in the regulars, and enlisted a company at the Grand Camps and I enlisted in it under him.  I was at the battle of Millston and took a prisoner at or near the settlement of Monmouth.  I had lived with an uncle who was acquainted with the General and he came down and got me off from further service at this time.  I moved and settled on the Monongahela waters but at what particular period these transactions transpired I am unable to recollect as I have no record of them or of my age.  In the year 1782 I think in June, but maybe in Aug. or Sept., an order came from Gen'l Clark for men and there was a draft.  He came down the Alleghany.  I again entered the service under Captain Michael Catt, and went to Wheeling on the Ohio river where we were to join Gen. Clark, but he had gone on down the river.  Colonel Lochry had not come in.  The general intention was to go to the falls of the Ohio, to get a reinforcement from the Kentucky settlements thence to proceed against the Indian towns.  We started under Col. Lochry or Laughery and had nearly overtaken Gen'l Clark, but got defeated by the Indians in June or July about ten miles below the Big Miami as it was said, some said it was further.  All were killed but forty-seven who were taken prisoners among which I was also taken.  The Indians took us to their town and after some time we were taken to Detroit.  From Detroit we were taken to Canada and confined about forty miles from Montreal where we were kept ten months or upward.  Then we heard of the surrender of Cornwallis at York.  Then under British orders we were taken to Quebec and put on board of a ship and taken to New York where we were discharged on parole (17th March 1783) for there was not prisoners to exchange for us.  I heard afterward the British got prisoners for us and I got home in January or February 1784.  After this time I resided on the waters of the Monongahela in Virginia from whence I moved to Muhlenberg county where I resided ten years.  Thence I moved to Gallatin county, Illinois, in the year 1810 where I have resided ever since.  I hereby declare I have received no compensation from the government of the U.S. and that I relinquish all claims to a pension except the present.

Sworn to and subscribed this 15th March 1833.
William his X mark Roark
in...
Leonard White  3-15-1833

Battle Of Trenton

Source

Battle Of Trenton