Read the ebook Historical and genealogical miscellany; data relating to the settlement and settlers of New York and New Jersey by John E. (John Edwin) Stillwell
Great resource.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Ralph Waldo Emerson Dennis
Ralph Waldo Emerson Dennis 1852-1914, of Chicago , was a great great great grandson of Samuel Dennis of Shrewsbury. Ralph was a teacher , principal and super. of schools.
Photo is of the Park Manor School in Chicago, where he was principal from 1890 - 1910.
He graduated from Cornell University in 1877. He taught at the State Normal School in Oshkosh WI, where he met and married Ellen White, daughter of the Mayor of Racine WI in 1881.
(Ellen White was, by coincidence , a distant cousin of ours through the Tilton side of the family.... For that matter, so was Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Ellen, and their daughter Mary Dennis were both also teachers.
Son Chester Dennis was born in Jamestown , North Dakota in 1887, where his father was either a lawyer or a teacher of law. The record is unclear.
I wonder if there is any connection between being named after Ralph Waldo Emerson and choosing a career in Education.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Brief biography of Samuel Dennis
On November 2nd, 1650, Samuel Dennis was born in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England. He was baptized on January fifth.
His father was Benjamin Dennis, who was born there as well in 1624.
Samuel's birth was just after the the English Civil War, while Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of the English Common wealth. By 1660 when Samuel was ten years old, Cromwell had died, the Commonwealth collapsed, and the monarchy was restored under Charles the Second.
Samuel and his father Benjamin were bricklayers, possibly his grandfather as well. So by this age Samuel was probably learning the trade.
Samuel Dennis was a "Quaker". a member of the Society of Friends. In 1675 he left England to join the Quaker settlement at Shrewsbury, East Jersey.
He arrived in New York on October 27th 1675, and boarded at the home of Restore Lippincott on Rumson Neck, now Rumson New Jersey. Restore was the brother of his future wife, Increase. In 1676 he sent back to England for a letter from the Men's Monthly Meeting at Stansted Mountfitchet, which stated he was of good character and "clear of engagements" to marry.
His marriage to Increase Lippincott took place in Shrewsbury on April first 1680, when Samuel was about thirty years of age. By 1685 he is listed as paying quit rent on 120 acres of land at Shrewsbury. His home was on the same spot that my mother grew up in, now Sycamore Avenue and Sunnybank Lane, Little Silver, New Jersey.
Samuel and Increase had their children beginning in 1682 when their first daughter Abigail, named for her grandmother Abigail Lippincott was born. Samuel Jr was born in 1689, Jacob in 1691, and daughter Zipheah in 1693. Their youngest child Rachel was born before 1695, when Increase died on September 29 at the age of thirty eight.
Samuels daughter Abigail was about thirteen years old at the time of her mothers death, so presumably she helped care for her younger siblings from that time on.
Besides farming, Samuel was active in public affairs, being elected to represent Shrewsbury at the General Assembly of East Jersey at Perth Amboy in 1692. 1693 and 1694 . His name also appears as a surveyor, an active buyer and seller of property, and a Justice of the Peace from 1704 - 1723.
In December of 1702, the family converted to the Episcopal church, when a large number of Quakers were converted by a traveling minister, George Keith, himself a former Quaker.
Samuel Dennis passed away at Shrewsbury on June 7th, 1723. His gravestone can be found at Christ Church in Shrewsbury.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Charles James Turner
Charlie and Beth Turner, Morristown NJ in the Forties and Washington DC in 1970
Fathers Day
All the other posts on this blog are on my mothers side of the family, The Dennis and Hobbs families, this one is for my father on Fathers Day.
Here are his ancestors, several generations of fathers ( and mothers too). Mostly the families started out in the Boston area in the 1600's , then settled the frontiers of Massachusetts and Maine as they expanded.
His father, Frederick H. Turner, had changed his name from Selden Pliny Henley in the 1890's. Both names appear on the chart, but they are the same person.
His mothers parents, James and Helen Power, were from Ireland , emigrating to Newfoundland. I don't think they ever came to America.
One ancestor family, the Tristam Coffin family of Nantucket Mass. shows up in both the Dennis and Turner family trees.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Helen B. Pierson 1891-1983
Edwin Hobbs with Helen Pierson.
Helen B. Pierson was born in Morristown NJ , September 17th 1891. Her parents were Joseph F Pierson and Harriet Little. Her father was a letter carrier for the post office.
Her great great Grandfather was Job Pierson 1768-1852. He first appears on the 1806 census in Mount Freedom NJ. He was a farmer and a nail maker. He was a founder of the Mount Freedom Presbyterian Church in 1820. The family farm was along Hanover Avenue in the Shongum section, near where the Morris View nursing home is today.
His son, Helen's great grandfather, Alpheus Pierson 1806-1891 was also a farmer, nailmaker as well as a storekeeper and Justice of the Peace.
Helen's grandfather was named Alpheus Ebenezer Pierson 1841-1925, and was a butcher as well as a dealer in hides and tallow, who lived in Morristown.
The sources disagree as to where Job Pierson came from, the 1850 census says he was born in NJ, the 1880 census listing for his son gives Jobs birth location as NY. Another local history says he was from England.
Many of the Morristown area Piersons were descendants of Thomas Pierson who was among the first English settlers in the area. He built a sawmill in 1685 near the Greystone State Hospital site.
I could not find anything on the family of Helens mother, Harriet Little, except that her parents came from Ireland in 1863. Helen's Grandmother Jane Little and her Uncle William Leslie Little lived next door at 7 Hazel Street in Morristown according to the 1900 and 1910 census.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Letter from Killyman, County Tyrone, Ireland
This letter was written to 2nd Great grandfather Richard Simpson , May 17, 1863
;;;;;;;;;
My Dear Brother,
I have long thought on your not writing me, if there is a cause for so dong it is more than I know the reason. Your capital I think would afford to write your sister, you may think me (illegible) but I do not think this way. I think I might not care what I should write my brother and I hope you will look on this as coming from the hand of near relation. For my part I have lots of relations ... friends I believe I am the lowest in circumstances therefore I hope you will acknowledge me and answer to this note. I believe your capital is very strong and I trust you will remember me soon. I have written you several letters besides sending you word by my friends but of no use it has seemed.
I have looked on it this way that perhaps you did not get them or no word spoken to you. Our day might not be long in this life then our troubles will be over. This country has got a great change for the worse by reason of bad trade. I need not mention this as you know all this already. I send my kind love to Mrs. & children also accept the same yourself as it is all I have in my power. My husband to send his love to you all the parties that writes this is a great friend of ours and hopes you will give praise to the write by answering soon.
(Brother John is well)
From your affect. Sister Jane Dilworth care of Thomas Cross
Mayrow? (illegible) Killyman County Tyrone.
..............
;;;;;;;;;
My Dear Brother,
I have long thought on your not writing me, if there is a cause for so dong it is more than I know the reason. Your capital I think would afford to write your sister, you may think me (illegible) but I do not think this way. I think I might not care what I should write my brother and I hope you will look on this as coming from the hand of near relation. For my part I have lots of relations ... friends I believe I am the lowest in circumstances therefore I hope you will acknowledge me and answer to this note. I believe your capital is very strong and I trust you will remember me soon. I have written you several letters besides sending you word by my friends but of no use it has seemed.
I have looked on it this way that perhaps you did not get them or no word spoken to you. Our day might not be long in this life then our troubles will be over. This country has got a great change for the worse by reason of bad trade. I need not mention this as you know all this already. I send my kind love to Mrs. & children also accept the same yourself as it is all I have in my power. My husband to send his love to you all the parties that writes this is a great friend of ours and hopes you will give praise to the write by answering soon.
(Brother John is well)
From your affect. Sister Jane Dilworth care of Thomas Cross
Mayrow? (illegible) Killyman County Tyrone.
..............
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Julia Jones Still Hobbs
I found a web page with a family tree for Julia Jones Still Hobbs here.
It seems she was married twice, first to a Still, secondly to James Hobbs.
here is an excerpt from the above site: If it is correct , that is a whole lot of new ancestors in a single paragraph !
41. George Jones7, was born Feb. 4, 1787, at Edenville, Warwick Township. N .Y ..and died Dec. 23, 1868, at Vails Gate. N .Y where he had been living with a daughter after selling his farm. He md. Jan. 18, 1806 (perhaps at a double wedding with sister Rebecca) in Warwick Township;.Jane Lazear. b. Feb. 8, li88 in Warwick Township; died Oct. 8, 1857. Jane was the daughter of Cornelius Lazear and his wife, Catharine Lobdell, and the granddaughter of Johannes Lazear and his second wife, Jannetie Banta of Hackensack. Catherine Lobdell was dau. of Lieut. Samuel Lobdell, (Who came from Connecticut and married Elizabeth Blaine, dau. of Thomas Blaine, one of Warwick's first settlers, and Catharine Wisner, dau. of Johannes Wisner.) George was a farmer and an active leader of the Methodist Church. Both are buried in Warwick Cemetery. Children all born Warwick:
Children: 12
62. i. Catharine8 b. June 5, 1807; died Sept. 15. 1807.
63. ii. Samuel L.8 born Feb. 3. 1809; died July 7, 1889. He md. Oct. 28, 1830, Cecelia Dolan. She d. March I, 1832, and he md. (2) Isabella King.
64. iii. Sarah8 born Feb. 24. 1811; died Jan. 8, 1899. She md. Wesley Still of Vails Gate, May 4, 1831, who died May 26, 1884. Issue: Sarah, Elizabet., George, and Wilbur.
65. iv. Jane8 born .Apr. 25, 1813; died Jan. 13, 1901. md. May 26, I842, Thomas Still of Vails Gate, N., who died act. 30, I880.
66. v. Lumen A8 born June 21, 1815; died Oct 11, 1884. md. Sophia __________
( UNINTELIGBLE – 4 lines of BAD COPY Includes child 67, female * Julia Jones)
died. Nov. 8, 1844, at Florida. N.Y. He was son of Henry Still and Elizabeth Coleman, and was a carriage maker by trade. Issue: Catherine md. Artermas Many; Josephine md. Moses W Fuller; Hiram md: Jane Peck. Julia md. (2) *John Hobbs and had three children none of whom had issue. ,
NOTE -- Clearly not correct -- her husband was James Hobbs, and her son James Jr had two Children- Edwin and Wilbur Hobbs. ---68. vii. Catharine8 born Jan. 29, 1820; died Jan. 19, 1899. She md. Feb 23, 1843, Nathaniel Covert and removed to Dutchess Junction. N..Y. Issue: George, Henry, Cecelia, Alonzo, Fletcher, Judson: Alida, NathanIel, WilIard and Catharine.
69. viii. Cornelius8 born Jan. 24. 1822; d. July 10, 1854. md. Aug. 5, .1845.. LouIsa Ferner. Issue: Edward, md. Alice ??emerest; James.
70. IX. William8 born June 27, 1824; died Sept. 22, 1828.
71. x. Harriet V.8 born Oct. I, 1826; died Oct. 17. 1865. She married Sept. 15, 1847. William Many who died in 1851. She md. (2) John Hardwick in 1853. No issue.
72. xi. Hester Ann8 born Sept. 23. 1829; died Jan. 17. 1906. She md. (1) on Jan. 16. 1851..James VanDuzer who died Sept. 20, 1851, son of John and Nancy (Benedict) VanDuzer; had one son,Jarnes J., born posthumously. She .md. (2) Nov 13. 1855, William Satterly Curtis. son of Benjamin and Ablgail (Satterly) Curtis of Blooming Grove. N .Y. They had three children: Edward Thomas, Jennie Curtis. and Ruth Camille.
73. xii. Celia D.8 born Jan. 10, 1832; died Oct. 5, 1902. She md. Dec. 18, 1855, Robert Ferrier and had one child, Harriet, who md. Emory ; Dederick.
It seems she was married twice, first to a Still, secondly to James Hobbs.
here is an excerpt from the above site: If it is correct , that is a whole lot of new ancestors in a single paragraph !
41. George Jones7, was born Feb. 4, 1787, at Edenville, Warwick Township. N .Y ..and died Dec. 23, 1868, at Vails Gate. N .Y where he had been living with a daughter after selling his farm. He md. Jan. 18, 1806 (perhaps at a double wedding with sister Rebecca) in Warwick Township;.Jane Lazear. b. Feb. 8, li88 in Warwick Township; died Oct. 8, 1857. Jane was the daughter of Cornelius Lazear and his wife, Catharine Lobdell, and the granddaughter of Johannes Lazear and his second wife, Jannetie Banta of Hackensack. Catherine Lobdell was dau. of Lieut. Samuel Lobdell, (Who came from Connecticut and married Elizabeth Blaine, dau. of Thomas Blaine, one of Warwick's first settlers, and Catharine Wisner, dau. of Johannes Wisner.) George was a farmer and an active leader of the Methodist Church. Both are buried in Warwick Cemetery. Children all born Warwick:
Children: 12
62. i. Catharine8 b. June 5, 1807; died Sept. 15. 1807.
63. ii. Samuel L.8 born Feb. 3. 1809; died July 7, 1889. He md. Oct. 28, 1830, Cecelia Dolan. She d. March I, 1832, and he md. (2) Isabella King.
64. iii. Sarah8 born Feb. 24. 1811; died Jan. 8, 1899. She md. Wesley Still of Vails Gate, May 4, 1831, who died May 26, 1884. Issue: Sarah, Elizabet., George, and Wilbur.
65. iv. Jane8 born .Apr. 25, 1813; died Jan. 13, 1901. md. May 26, I842, Thomas Still of Vails Gate, N., who died act. 30, I880.
66. v. Lumen A8 born June 21, 1815; died Oct 11, 1884. md. Sophia __________
( UNINTELIGBLE – 4 lines of BAD COPY Includes child 67, female * Julia Jones)
died. Nov. 8, 1844, at Florida. N.Y. He was son of Henry Still and Elizabeth Coleman, and was a carriage maker by trade. Issue: Catherine md. Artermas Many; Josephine md. Moses W Fuller; Hiram md: Jane Peck. Julia md. (2) *John Hobbs and had three children none of whom had issue. ,
NOTE -- Clearly not correct -- her husband was James Hobbs, and her son James Jr had two Children- Edwin and Wilbur Hobbs. ---68. vii. Catharine8 born Jan. 29, 1820; died Jan. 19, 1899. She md. Feb 23, 1843, Nathaniel Covert and removed to Dutchess Junction. N..Y. Issue: George, Henry, Cecelia, Alonzo, Fletcher, Judson: Alida, NathanIel, WilIard and Catharine.
69. viii. Cornelius8 born Jan. 24. 1822; d. July 10, 1854. md. Aug. 5, .1845.. LouIsa Ferner. Issue: Edward, md. Alice ??emerest; James.
70. IX. William8 born June 27, 1824; died Sept. 22, 1828.
71. x. Harriet V.8 born Oct. I, 1826; died Oct. 17. 1865. She married Sept. 15, 1847. William Many who died in 1851. She md. (2) John Hardwick in 1853. No issue.
72. xi. Hester Ann8 born Sept. 23. 1829; died Jan. 17. 1906. She md. (1) on Jan. 16. 1851..James VanDuzer who died Sept. 20, 1851, son of John and Nancy (Benedict) VanDuzer; had one son,Jarnes J., born posthumously. She .md. (2) Nov 13. 1855, William Satterly Curtis. son of Benjamin and Ablgail (Satterly) Curtis of Blooming Grove. N .Y. They had three children: Edward Thomas, Jennie Curtis. and Ruth Camille.
73. xii. Celia D.8 born Jan. 10, 1832; died Oct. 5, 1902. She md. Dec. 18, 1855, Robert Ferrier and had one child, Harriet, who md. Emory ; Dederick.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas
“The renewal of hope and faith in a world gone wrong - that is what Christmas
means to me now.”
It would not be easy for me to say which was the nicest Christmas I ever had, because no particular one stands out in my mind. Christmases divide themselves into two groups for me- childhood ones, and grown up ones. The main thing I remember about childhood Christmases is the fact that we were never allowed to get up early and race downstairs to look at our presents, or even see the tree. We had to wait till after breakfast - and breakfast was no light snack in the kitchen either, it was a good solid meal, served in the dining room for the entire assembled family which included Aunt and Uncle who always spent Christmas with us. We had to stay at the table until everyone was finished. When breakfast was finally over, the great moment arrived. My father opened the sliding door which separated the dining room and the parlor - that door was never shut except on Christmas morning.
In one corner of the parlor, the tree stood, decorated with colored metal balls, spun glass angels, silver tinsel rope, and huge candy canes. And under it were the things Santa Claus had brought us - some sort of quite substantial toy for each of my brothers and I. All the other presents were in the fireplace -why I don’t know, but there they always were. It was a very fancy Victorian tiled fireplace which nobody ever thought of building a fire in, and it didn’t seem as queer to me then as it does now. My aunt had the honor of distributing the presents. (You’ll notice I haven’t used the word gift - they were presents at our house, nobody seemed to be aware that there was such a word as gift.) She sat on the floor and handed them out one by one and waited till each one was opened and properly appreciated before she reached for the next one. The fireplace was usually pretty full it seemed to me. It took a long time to get to the bottom of the pile.
Not much remains today of these Christmases. Even yet nothing can be opened except before the assembled family. But Grandmother, Great Aunt, and Uncle are all dead, and we live in a house so small that there is no fireplace and not even room for a tree. So we content ourselves with putting a wreath on the door, candles in the window and piling the presents on top of the piano. “The old order changeth” and the happy excitement that once meant Christmas is something that will never return. The renewal of hope and faith in a world gone wrong - that is what Christmas means to me now. That and a certain lightheartedness that I can’t help feeling at the sound of familiar carols, the lighted trees, the excited children in the toy departments.But never a Christmas comes that I don’t wish to be a child again, wish once more to have the thrill of seeing that greatest of all sights - our parlor on Christmas morning.
Written by Elizabeth D Hobbs, December 1939
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dennis' of Stansted Mountfitchet
Samuel born 1650 - came to Shrewsbury NJ USA 1675
Benjamin born 1648
Benjamin born about 1624
Richard born 1643
Elizabeth born 1645
Griffon ? born about 1620
Margarrett born about 1618 married George Tyler 1637
Thomas born 1633, the son of Thomas JR
John Dennis born about 1613
Marie born 1633
These are listed in the Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Register; the handwriting is difficult to read, I may have missed some.
Samuel born 1650 - came to Shrewsbury NJ USA 1675
Benjamin born 1648
Benjamin born about 1624
Richard born 1643
Elizabeth born 1645
Griffon ? born about 1620
Margarrett born about 1618 married George Tyler 1637
Thomas born 1633, the son of Thomas JR
John Dennis born about 1613
Marie born 1633
These are listed in the Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Register; the handwriting is difficult to read, I may have missed some.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Hertford England court record 1683
28 Sept. Note of convictions of the following persons for being present at an unlawful conventicle held at Patmore Heath, in the parish of Aldbury:—Thomas Burne, of Ware, maltster; Robert Terlin, of Aldbury, labourer; William Wright, of Bishops Stortford, tailor ; Joseph Taylor, of the same; Thomas Phip, of Furnix Pellham, chandler; John Goulston, of Stansted, co. Essex; Simon Joslen, of the same, " cowper " ; Benjamin Dennis, of the same, bricklayer; John Dunbar, of Mannenden, co. Essex; and Edward Lucas, of Arkesden, co. Essex, labourer; at which conventicle Thomas Burre took upon himself to teach. Each of the above mentioned persons was fined 5s., and Thomas Burre, fined £20
Baptism of Samuel Dennis
Found online, a baptism record from the Stansted Mountfitchet England Parish Register.
Samuell son of Benjamin Denis born 2 November 1650 and baptised 5 January.
So this confirms my belief that Samuel Dennis was the son of Benjamin. I also found a record of a will for one Thomas Dennis Sr. dated 1679, from a nearby town who was also a bricklayer like Samuel and Benjamin. Seems like a good candidate to be an ancestor or relative of Samuel as well. I am sending for a copy of the will.
Samuell son of Benjamin Denis born 2 November 1650 and baptised 5 January.
So this confirms my belief that Samuel Dennis was the son of Benjamin. I also found a record of a will for one Thomas Dennis Sr. dated 1679, from a nearby town who was also a bricklayer like Samuel and Benjamin. Seems like a good candidate to be an ancestor or relative of Samuel as well. I am sending for a copy of the will.
Friday, September 25, 2009
1764 AFFADAVIT OF SURVEY AND BOUNDARY LINES ON "RUMSOM NECK" , New Jersey
I found this framed and hanging on the wall at the Monmouth County Arcive in Manalapan on a recent visit, and the archivist, Mary Ann Kiernan, was gracious enough to take the framed print down from the wall and make a photocopy for me. I thiught it might be helpful to others in figuring out where their ancestors lived. This is in the Little Silver area, I think. The highway mentioned is probably Rumson Road, and I think the "North River" is the Navesink. Corrections appreciated.
Doesnt say it here, but Restore Lippincott was Jacob Dennis's uncle, and Justice Josiah Holmes was Jacobs son in law.
NEW JERSEY MONMOUTH Jacob Dennis in the Said County yeoman, aged upwards of seventy years being solemnly sworn upon the Holy Evangalist of Almighty God Deposeth and Saith , That his father Samuel Dennis late of said Shrewsbury deceased, from Great Brittain, who came to live in the said town in the year 1675 Boarded with one Restore Lippincott on Rumsom Neck in said town, and while he lived with him, the Surveyor laid out the said Lippincotts tract, and the tract next below or Eastward of it, now in the posession of Thomas Borden Jun.. And that the said Surveyor set his Compass at a Chestnut Tree about two rod below or South Eastward of the Highway that goes down Said Rumsom, on the Westerly bank of a small brook runing just under the root of the Said tree. To run the course between the said tracts to the North River which course this deponant thinks is Northwest and by North.
And that the Said little brook from the Said tree, and a small creek, that it runs into, was the bounds between the said tracts to the South Eastward. Which said Chestnut Tree this deponent saith his Said Father showed to him , and told him divers times to remember it, and that he was present at the laying out of the Said tracts as above and that the Said Brook & Creek were the bounds between said tracts below it. And that this deponents neighbour, Peter White deceased hath often told this deponent that the Said Samuel Dennis showed him the Chestnut Tree, and told Said White to remember it, And that he was present at the laying out Sd tracts as above. And the Deponent further saith that he as a Surveyor hath several times been employed by the owners of the tracts to run the division line ( or part of it ) of the Said tracts, and they began at the Said tree to run the Sd Division line , and that this brook and creek
**illegible line ***
till very lately. And that he believes it is upwards of fifty years ago that his said father showed him the said tree. And that the Said Chestnut tree hath been blown down many years, but young ones are grown up from the root thereof, And that part of this Said tree is still remaining. And further this Deponent saith not.
Jacob Dennis
Sworn this eighth day of July
1764 Before Me
Josiah Holmes, Justice
Present when the above affidavit was taken
the folling (???) vis.
John Chadwick
Elihu WIlliams
Peter Chadwick
David Allen
Thomas White sone of Levi White
Michael Hulit ( his x mark)
Thomas Hulit ( his x mark)
Joseph White
Benjamin White
Francis Chadwick
the mark of John Finemore (Tinemore ? ) X
illegible signature may be John Paterson? Capt. (?) or similar
I found this framed and hanging on the wall at the Monmouth County Arcive in Manalapan on a recent visit, and the archivist, Mary Ann Kiernan, was gracious enough to take the framed print down from the wall and make a photocopy for me. I thiught it might be helpful to others in figuring out where their ancestors lived. This is in the Little Silver area, I think. The highway mentioned is probably Rumson Road, and I think the "North River" is the Navesink. Corrections appreciated.
Doesnt say it here, but Restore Lippincott was Jacob Dennis's uncle, and Justice Josiah Holmes was Jacobs son in law.
NEW JERSEY MONMOUTH Jacob Dennis in the Said County yeoman, aged upwards of seventy years being solemnly sworn upon the Holy Evangalist of Almighty God Deposeth and Saith , That his father Samuel Dennis late of said Shrewsbury deceased, from Great Brittain, who came to live in the said town in the year 1675 Boarded with one Restore Lippincott on Rumsom Neck in said town, and while he lived with him, the Surveyor laid out the said Lippincotts tract, and the tract next below or Eastward of it, now in the posession of Thomas Borden Jun.. And that the said Surveyor set his Compass at a Chestnut Tree about two rod below or South Eastward of the Highway that goes down Said Rumsom, on the Westerly bank of a small brook runing just under the root of the Said tree. To run the course between the said tracts to the North River which course this deponant thinks is Northwest and by North.
And that the Said little brook from the Said tree, and a small creek, that it runs into, was the bounds between the said tracts to the South Eastward. Which said Chestnut Tree this deponent saith his Said Father showed to him , and told him divers times to remember it, and that he was present at the laying out of the Said tracts as above and that the Said Brook & Creek were the bounds between said tracts below it. And that this deponents neighbour, Peter White deceased hath often told this deponent that the Said Samuel Dennis showed him the Chestnut Tree, and told Said White to remember it, And that he was present at the laying out Sd tracts as above. And the Deponent further saith that he as a Surveyor hath several times been employed by the owners of the tracts to run the division line ( or part of it ) of the Said tracts, and they began at the Said tree to run the Sd Division line , and that this brook and creek
**illegible line ***
till very lately. And that he believes it is upwards of fifty years ago that his said father showed him the said tree. And that the Said Chestnut tree hath been blown down many years, but young ones are grown up from the root thereof, And that part of this Said tree is still remaining. And further this Deponent saith not.
Jacob Dennis
Sworn this eighth day of July
1764 Before Me
Josiah Holmes, Justice
Present when the above affidavit was taken
the folling (???) vis.
John Chadwick
Elihu WIlliams
Peter Chadwick
David Allen
Thomas White sone of Levi White
Michael Hulit ( his x mark)
Thomas Hulit ( his x mark)
Joseph White
Benjamin White
Francis Chadwick
the mark of John Finemore (Tinemore ? ) X
illegible signature may be John Paterson? Capt. (?) or similar
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Benjamin Dennis Stansted Mountfitchet
I found this on google, possible ancestor or sibling of Samuel Dennis- record of an indictment for unlawful assembly. Dates to 1684. LDS website www.familysearch.org has a listing for Benjamin Dennis born about 1624 Stansted Mountfitchet Essex England; but no source. Knowing that Samuel was a Quaker, and there was a Quaker meeting in Stansted makes it seem likely that this Benjamin was a Quaker too since the indictment was for a religious assembly.
1684 essex records office religious exercise
Added by samdennis1675 on 19 Sep 2009
T/A 418/195/38 Level: Item Scope and Content Indictment of John Perrin, John Giffin, [blank] Leonard wid., Calib Sammy John Plum, Benjamin Dennis, John Crabb, William Wallis, all of Stansted Mountfitchet, William Sweeting and John Dunbar of `Mallendine' [Manuden], John Read ironmonger and [blank] Ramsey basketmaker of Stortford, with divers other, 20 April 36 Charles II, at Stansted Mountfitchet under colour of religious exercises unlafully assembled there. Witnesses: John Milton, Robert Wells. [ASS 35/125/9/38]
1684 essex records office religious exercise
Added by samdennis1675 on 19 Sep 2009
T/A 418/195/38 Level: Item Scope and Content Indictment of John Perrin, John Giffin, [blank] Leonard wid., Calib Sammy John Plum, Benjamin Dennis, John Crabb, William Wallis, all of Stansted Mountfitchet, William Sweeting and John Dunbar of `Mallendine' [Manuden], John Read ironmonger and [blank] Ramsey basketmaker of Stortford, with divers other, 20 April 36 Charles II, at Stansted Mountfitchet under colour of religious exercises unlafully assembled there. Witnesses: John Milton, Robert Wells. [ASS 35/125/9/38]
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Will of Cornelius Honce Freehold, Monmouth , NJ 1793
In the name of God Amen. I Cornelius Honce of the Township of Freehold , County of Monmouth & State of New Jersey , Yeoman, being weak in body but of sound understanding and perfect memory, knowing the shortness of life and certainty of death, Do Constitute and appoint this my last Will and Testament in manner following - viz - First of all I recommend my soul to God who gave it - and my Body to the earth from whence it was taken - to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executors herein after named. Imprimus, I give and bequeath to my son John the sum of Ten Pounds lawful money of New Jersey, to be paid to him out of my estate when my youngest child arrives at age. Imprimus, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Conelia, one young wench , one feather beds, bedding and furniture the best in the houses, with her right of dower from the time my youngest child comes of age. Items, after the payment of my just debts, I also give and bequeath to my seven children viz - David , Cornelius, Hendrick, Jenny, Mary, Phebe and Aleha, their proportion of all my Landed and Moveable Estate in manner follwing. Viz- That two equal shares shall be divided to each of my sons (namely) David, Cornelius and Hendrick, and one equal share to each of my daughters viz - Jenny, Mary, Phebe and Aleha . Imprimis That the products of my estate shall be used for the benefit and support of my Wife and children to bring them up untill the youngest arrives to ye age of Eighteen years. That the estates to be disposed of both landed and moveable and a just dividend made according to thier shares as before ascertained. I do hereby Constitute my Dearly beloved wife and my son David Exexutrix and executor of this my last will and testament and trustees of my children. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three.
Cornelius Honce ( his mark )
Witness present
John Tice
John Walter
Henry Smith
Probate 14 October 1806
Cornelius Honce ( his mark )
Witness present
John Tice
John Walter
Henry Smith
Probate 14 October 1806
Friday, August 28, 2009
Honce Family of Marlboro , Monmouth, New Jersey
Elizabeth Dennis was the grandaughter of Elizabeth Honce. The Honce family lived at Marlboro in Monmouth county. The earliest member of the family I have found so far was David Honce who lived from about 1772 -1853. According to a story I read in a history of Monmouth County, he remembered hearing the cannon fire from the Battle of Monmouth in June of 1778, while his father was off fighting in the battle.
I will be trying to determine if the story is true, or at least if my ancestor was really a soldier in the battle of Monmouth, and whatever else I can learn about him.
Another mystery I want to solve is who was Elizabeth Honce's mother. Family lore says her name was Elizabeth Holmes, but I have found not a single record of her anywhere.
As a first step in the project I have "googled around" to find as many references as I can to the Honce family, to use as a starting place to put that branch of the family tree together. Step two will be a trip to the Monmouth County archives to check for land records and wills that may reveal some important clues.
The raw notes reveal some early Honce's, dating back to the early 1700's ; as shown below.
Honce, Cornelius Monmouth Vankerk, Mary Monmouth 9 Apr 1766 H (Part 2 : 1761-1772) : 362
marriage record at NJ DARM
Honce, Cornelius Stryker, Elizabeth Middletown Point Monmouth Co. : Matawan 5 Feb 1862 Bk. X : Pg. 163
Marriage Record at NJ DARM
Honce, David Williams, Rachel Keyport Monmouth Co. : Raritan 16 Mar 1856 Bk. X : Pg. 89
Marriage Record at NJ DARM
Honce, James (Widower) Stevens, Mary A. Raritan Monmouth Co. : Raritan 25 Jun 1854 Bk. X : Pg. 79
Honce, John J. Combs, Catharine New Brunswick Monmouth Co. : Marlboro 16 Jan 1867 Bk. X : Pg. 247
Honce, Elizabeth 42y F Monmouth County : Marlboro 21 Feb 1881 1880-81. 70 - H49
Death at njdarm
Honce, Leah 83y 11m F Monmouth County : Marlboro 24 Jul 1881 1881-82. 70 - H7
death at njdarm
Honce, Cyrus B. ~~ 1868 - 1931
Honce, David D. ~~ Feb 10, 1806 - Jan 19, 1890
Photo Photo # 2
Honce, David ~~ died Oct 26?, 1852, aged 86? years Photo Photo # 2
Honce, Jane Ann Van Cleaf (wife of David D. Honce) ~~ Jul 10, 1810 - Apr 30, 1884
Honce, Jane Schanck (wife of James Honce / daughter of John R. and Margaret Schanck) ~~ Feb 4, 1818 - Sep 2, 1852
Honce, Jennie C. (daughter of John D. and Kate J. Honce) ~~ Feb 13, 1869 - May 2, 1888
Honce, Jennie C. DuBois (wife of Cyrus B. Honce) ~~ 1866 - 1924
Honce, John D. ~~ Jun 4, 1834 - Nov 20, 1915
Honce, Kate J. Combs (wife of John D. Honce) ~~ Oct ?, 1829 - Feb 2, 1875
Honce, William V. S. (son of David D. and Jane Ann Honce) ~~ died Nov 15, 1840, aged 2 years Photo Photo # 2
Burials at Old Brick Reformed Church , Matawan
Honce, Cornelius May 1767, land rent due to Hendrick Schanck , this old monmouth of ours ; page 311\
*2nd Husband of Angenietje Roelofsen Schenck:
+John Voorhees Honce m: Aft. 1757 per Descendants of Pieter van Doorn on ancestry.com
1776 Roll of Monmouth County Militia ,under Colonel Daniel Hendrickson, Browns Point Middletown; David Honce This Old Monmouth of Ours page 55 - page 203 lists David Honce as revolutionary soldier and ancestor of Cyrus Honce ; Belmar Mayor.
Eliza Jane Honce daughter of James and Jane (Schank) Honce - born 9 April 1846 Marlborough NJ died 23 April 1866 in Branford CT - married Paschall Kidder Hoadley 13 November 1864 ;child James Morgan Hoadley born17 April 1866 Branford CT ; page 118 William Hoadley and his Descendants from ancestry.com
All Reformed Church of the Navesink and its two branches : the First Reformed Church of Freehold now known as the Brick Church of M results for Honce
Baptismal record , 1735 Johannes Hanse and wife Lena Willemse page 36
Stone in Van Noortstrandt burial ground Anteje, daughter of John and Halaner Hans; 17 Sept 1757 aged 24 years 10 months 24 days; who was baptised as daughter of Johannes Hansen Van Noortstrandt ; page 169
Caty Honce ; Husband William Van Vorhees ; several children born 1767 -1784 -A genealogy of the Van Voorhees family in America, or, The descendants of Stephen Coerte Van Voorhees of Holland and ancestry.com
John VanKirk, son of Jon Jansz (#7) and his wife, Alice, possibly born in New Ultrecht between 1690-1700, but unlike his brothers he moved to Monmouth County. Will made out June 29, 1770 (NJA 33:450) witnessed by Arthur Honce, David House and Thomas Bullman.
n. wm 1775 Feb 18 NJA_COW Pg 240, Lib M pg 16
Henrickson, Daniel Jr. Of Middletown, Monmouth Co.
Brothers Garret and Hendrick Hendrickson. Wife Mary,
Siters Nelly Vanmakert ( Vanmater ), Mary Covenhoven, Anne Honce.
To Jane Schank, a Cow when 18.
Phebe Honce marriage to Joseph Wood , both of Freehold, 24 July 1766 ; marriage records 1665-1800 by William Nelson
Jane Honce (F)
b. 1740, #66975
Jane Honce was also known as Jane Van Nostrand. She was also known as Jannetje Van Noostrandt. She was also known as Jance Honce. Jane Honce was born in 1740. She married Tunis Vanderveer, son of Tunis Vanderveer and Aeltje Gerretse Schenck, on 26 March 1759.
Per David Conover genealogy on the web
I will be trying to determine if the story is true, or at least if my ancestor was really a soldier in the battle of Monmouth, and whatever else I can learn about him.
Another mystery I want to solve is who was Elizabeth Honce's mother. Family lore says her name was Elizabeth Holmes, but I have found not a single record of her anywhere.
As a first step in the project I have "googled around" to find as many references as I can to the Honce family, to use as a starting place to put that branch of the family tree together. Step two will be a trip to the Monmouth County archives to check for land records and wills that may reveal some important clues.
The raw notes reveal some early Honce's, dating back to the early 1700's ; as shown below.
Honce, Cornelius Monmouth Vankerk, Mary Monmouth 9 Apr 1766 H (Part 2 : 1761-1772) : 362
marriage record at NJ DARM
Honce, Cornelius Stryker, Elizabeth Middletown Point Monmouth Co. : Matawan 5 Feb 1862 Bk. X : Pg. 163
Marriage Record at NJ DARM
Honce, David Williams, Rachel Keyport Monmouth Co. : Raritan 16 Mar 1856 Bk. X : Pg. 89
Marriage Record at NJ DARM
Honce, James (Widower) Stevens, Mary A. Raritan Monmouth Co. : Raritan 25 Jun 1854 Bk. X : Pg. 79
Honce, John J. Combs, Catharine New Brunswick Monmouth Co. : Marlboro 16 Jan 1867 Bk. X : Pg. 247
Honce, Elizabeth 42y F Monmouth County : Marlboro 21 Feb 1881 1880-81. 70 - H49
Death at njdarm
Honce, Leah 83y 11m F Monmouth County : Marlboro 24 Jul 1881 1881-82. 70 - H7
death at njdarm
Honce, Cyrus B. ~~ 1868 - 1931
Honce, David D. ~~ Feb 10, 1806 - Jan 19, 1890
Photo Photo # 2
Honce, David ~~ died Oct 26?, 1852, aged 86? years Photo Photo # 2
Honce, Jane Ann Van Cleaf (wife of David D. Honce) ~~ Jul 10, 1810 - Apr 30, 1884
Honce, Jane Schanck (wife of James Honce / daughter of John R. and Margaret Schanck) ~~ Feb 4, 1818 - Sep 2, 1852
Honce, Jennie C. (daughter of John D. and Kate J. Honce) ~~ Feb 13, 1869 - May 2, 1888
Honce, Jennie C. DuBois (wife of Cyrus B. Honce) ~~ 1866 - 1924
Honce, John D. ~~ Jun 4, 1834 - Nov 20, 1915
Honce, Kate J. Combs (wife of John D. Honce) ~~ Oct ?, 1829 - Feb 2, 1875
Honce, William V. S. (son of David D. and Jane Ann Honce) ~~ died Nov 15, 1840, aged 2 years Photo Photo # 2
Burials at Old Brick Reformed Church , Matawan
Honce, Cornelius May 1767, land rent due to Hendrick Schanck , this old monmouth of ours ; page 311\
*2nd Husband of Angenietje Roelofsen Schenck:
+John Voorhees Honce m: Aft. 1757 per Descendants of Pieter van Doorn on ancestry.com
1776 Roll of Monmouth County Militia ,under Colonel Daniel Hendrickson, Browns Point Middletown; David Honce This Old Monmouth of Ours page 55 - page 203 lists David Honce as revolutionary soldier and ancestor of Cyrus Honce ; Belmar Mayor.
Eliza Jane Honce daughter of James and Jane (Schank) Honce - born 9 April 1846 Marlborough NJ died 23 April 1866 in Branford CT - married Paschall Kidder Hoadley 13 November 1864 ;child James Morgan Hoadley born17 April 1866 Branford CT ; page 118 William Hoadley and his Descendants from ancestry.com
All Reformed Church of the Navesink and its two branches : the First Reformed Church of Freehold now known as the Brick Church of M results for Honce
Baptismal record , 1735 Johannes Hanse and wife Lena Willemse page 36
Stone in Van Noortstrandt burial ground Anteje, daughter of John and Halaner Hans; 17 Sept 1757 aged 24 years 10 months 24 days; who was baptised as daughter of Johannes Hansen Van Noortstrandt ; page 169
Caty Honce ; Husband William Van Vorhees ; several children born 1767 -1784 -A genealogy of the Van Voorhees family in America, or, The descendants of Stephen Coerte Van Voorhees of Holland and ancestry.com
John VanKirk, son of Jon Jansz (#7) and his wife, Alice, possibly born in New Ultrecht between 1690-1700, but unlike his brothers he moved to Monmouth County. Will made out June 29, 1770 (NJA 33:450) witnessed by Arthur Honce, David House and Thomas Bullman.
n. wm 1775 Feb 18 NJA_COW Pg 240, Lib M pg 16
Henrickson, Daniel Jr. Of Middletown, Monmouth Co.
Brothers Garret and Hendrick Hendrickson. Wife Mary,
Siters Nelly Vanmakert ( Vanmater ), Mary Covenhoven, Anne Honce.
To Jane Schank, a Cow when 18.
Phebe Honce marriage to Joseph Wood , both of Freehold, 24 July 1766 ; marriage records 1665-1800 by William Nelson
Jane Honce (F)
b. 1740, #66975
Jane Honce was also known as Jane Van Nostrand. She was also known as Jannetje Van Noostrandt. She was also known as Jance Honce. Jane Honce was born in 1740. She married Tunis Vanderveer, son of Tunis Vanderveer and Aeltje Gerretse Schenck, on 26 March 1759.
Per David Conover genealogy on the web
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Shrewsbury Meeting Website History page
Shrewsbury Meeting History
Explains the early history of the Shrewsbury Friends (Quakers) and Richard Lippincotts role.
Explains the early history of the Shrewsbury Friends (Quakers) and Richard Lippincotts role.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Letter from Jacob Dennis to his daughter Increase Woodward
This letter I found here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qrAQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA1&ots=gZ-6qYDbwF&output=text#c_top
Friends' miscellany
By John Comly, Isaac Comly : Page 20
On account of the change in my religious principles, I (Increase Woodward ) received the following communication from, my father.
Shrewsbury, December 30th, 1771.
My dear child,—--Lately I saw a letter you wrote to your sister Hannah, by which I find you have indulged yourself in a serious way of thinking and se- dateness of mind, more than is common to persons of your years; which temper, if not kept within proper bounds and well regulated, may lead you into many fatal errors and mistakes. Your father's advice and assistance may be of advantage to you, in travelling such an intricate road; he having gone the same path before you these many years, and almost arrived at his temporary journey's end. I know not but this temper of yours may be hereditary; for, by the time I was ten or a dozen years old, I had an unextinguishable thirst after knowledge and the truth of things, and read all authors I could lay my hands on. About this time the contest among the Quakers,—George Keith and his friends on one side, and the rest of the Quakers on the other,—ran very high. I heard abundance of it, and read their books on both sides, and compared them one with the other, and with the scriptures: so that by the time I was twenty years old, I was master of that subject as well as most men. And ever since, through all parts-of my life, both in conversation and books, I have been searching for and finding out the truth, and how to make my calling and election sure.
We do not find, from Adam to Moses, that there was any way to communicate one man's thoughts-to another but by word of mouth; writing not being known. Although every man was born with reason, the characteristic of man which is called the image of God, and, being diligently attended to, was sufficient to deter them from idolatry; yet, in about sixteen hundred years, the whole earth was corrupt and-full of violence, so that almighty God destroyed the whole earth, except one family. But Adam was living above half that time, and Methusalem died only the year before the flood. Yet almighty God, out of his exceeding love to man, revealed his will to several before the flood,—to Noah,—and in a particular manner afterward to Abraham, with whom he made a covenant to continue forever; and that the same might be held in remembrance, it was marked in their flesh, that it might be continually before their eyes. Yet by this time, though Noah lived till Abraham's time, and Shem who saw the flood, lived till about the time Isaac was married, the world was strangely overrun with wickedness and idolatry.
But when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron, he in a more wonderful and miraculous manner revealed and declared himself before the eyes of millions, and wrote them a law with his own finger, which was laid up in the ark from this time to the captivity of the Jews; and some time after, God of his infinite mercy to.frail man, kept up a constant succession of prophets and messengers, which he sent to his chosen people to admonish and threaten, and to put them in mind of their duty. But, for all this merciful love and care of their Creator toward them, the whole nation was several times almost overwhelmed in idoU atry and wickedness.
All this while the other nations of the earth lay stupified in idolatry and all manner of wickedness, worshipping the host of heaven and inanimate things; yet all were born with reason and the general illumination of mankind, which, as before observed, if duly listened to, would have kept them from these great sins.
About four or five hundred years after the close of the last period, learning, writing, and travelling both by sea and land, were so improved that they were in as great perfection as they are at present in those countries. At which time, our good and mer-. ' ciful God sent his only begotten son, of the seed of David according to the flesh, down amongst the children of men, as his last and greatest dispensation; that by his example and precepts he might reform the world, and leave the greatest sinners without excuse: the history of whose life, death, resurrection, divine laws and precepts, with the old testament, are all committed to writing by the same authority that sent him into the world, and are enjoined to be daily read, observed and followed; and are the certain standard and rule of faith and manners, by all those that call themselves christians, for above seventeen hundred years; and are of as great force and authority, as if they were every day repeated to us in thunder out of heaven. Which books have been translated into all languages where christianity is professed; and in spite of the devil and his angels, remain sure and agreeing one with the other to this day.
Now we may observe that the reason and light which every man is born with, and not assisted with God's holy spirit, without a written law and men set apart on purpose daily to instruct them in it,—have run into idolatry, which is the foundation of all other sins. But when writing came into use, though very uncommon from Moses to the captivity, they did not fall into it so easily as before; and after the captivity, when writing began to be common, they hardly fell into it at all, to our Saviour's time.
And when our blessed Saviour departed to his Father, he ordered his disciples (who were to order others) to preach the gospel to all the world (which, by the way, if that which was born with every man was sufficient, there had been no need of) which they did so effectually that the utmost parts of the then known earth had heard the sound thereof before the death of all his disciples. And wherever they were, they left copies of the before-mentioned sealed oracles of God, and promised to be with them to the end of the world. Accordingly, in all parts where christianity is professed, they are constantly read, adhered to and believed in, and thereby Satan's strongest holds are overturned; that is, ignorance and idolatry, they being almost rooted out where christianity prevails.
There is another observation may easily be made, that wherever God Almighty revealed himself to man in an audible and visible manner,he accompanied it with such signs and wonders that the devil or man could not counterfeit: thereby to testify that it was an Almighty Power that appeared to, and required such things to be performed by them, which he commanded them to do.
You tell your sister in said letter, that you have changed your principles, and joined yourself to the simple, despised people, the Friends; by which I understand the Quakers, and shall address myself to you accordingly. By which means you have espoused, and are chargeable with all the errors of those people, both in faith and practice.
You, by your parents in your infancy, was dedicated unto, and entered into covenants with God, and was baptized into or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and was to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant to your life's end; (your faith or principle in him being briefly comprised in the apostle's creed) and to obey his commandments as they are declared unto us in the above-mentioned written, revealed words of God, in the Old and New Testaments. That your parents had authority so to do, I shall say more on hereafter; but I cant help repeating, This faith, or principle, you have changed from!
The first Quakers that ever were heard of in the world, as a society, arose in the north of England in the year 1650, 51. For proof of which, see Edward Burrough's Epistle to George Fox's Great Mystery, a book in folio; which book I have seen in Cross- wicks; and, by some phrases in your letter, you have also.
You will find when you read the Holy Scriptures, that our blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, was born, bred up, eat and drank, and lived as other men do in all respects, sin excepted, all the days of his life, and is often called the son of man, and was crucified for us that bitter death without the gates of Jerusalem. All this was outward, palpable and visible.
George Fox, the founder of the society or people you have lately joined with, says expressly in said book abovementioned, which I have read, " Now if there be any other Christ than he that is crucified within, he is the false Christ: the devils and reprobates may make a talk of him without." In the same book he tells one of his opponents C. W. " The devil was in thee. Thou sayest thou art saved by Christ without thee, and so hast recorded thyself to be a reprobate'." All christians, in George Fox's time, before and since, daily experiencing the blessed effects of his holy Spirit, and praying for the indwelling thereof in their hearts.
My dear child, stop a little and consider. It is impossible that both these above positions can be true: one must be false; the Holy Scriptures be wrong,—or George Fox and the other Quakers that are looked upon as sons of God, are: for the Holy Scriptures tell us he was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, on mount Calvary, taken down from the cross and buried; and which if it were only within men, cannot possibly be so.
The beloved disciple tells us not to believe every spirit, but to try them. How shall we try them? By themselves? Must I try the light or spirit in my heart, by itself? ask it whether it be a true light or spirit, or not? It says it is. So does every false spirit say.— Then I must not take its word, but I must try it. I demand how I must try it. Therefore it must be by something else than its own dictates; which is the Holy Scriptures,—a certain rule to walk by! being plain directions in writing, asserted by the Holy Spirit of God, which will not be wanting if faithfully prayed for.
Now by this unerring rule, let us try the above doctrine of George Fox. St. John saith, " Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God." It is manifest that if there is no other Christ but he that is crucified within, he never could come in the flesh, and be crucified without the gates of Jerusalem; and that was once for all. I am loath to tell you what spirit the apostle saith it is, because my beloved daughter says she has joined herself with that people who believe G. Fox to be inspired by God.
Our blessed Saviour, the evening before he was betrayed, after supper took bread, blessed and brake it, and gave also to his disciples; and likewise the cup; and bid them eat and drink that he gave them, saying, This do in remembrance of me. St. Paul, who was not present, tells the Corinthians near twenty years after Christ's ascension, that by a special revelation it was revealed to him, how Christ, our blessed and (as I may say) dying Lord instituted it in the, same manner, as the disciples had done. This was outward bread and.wine. This the Friends you have joined with, never do; and some of the first .writers and setters up of Quakerism have vilified, in such a manner that I will not grate your ears with it.
When God made his covenant with Abraham (or promise, as it is frequently called in the old and new Testament) he enjoined him that every male child at eight days old, should have the said token or promise marked in his flesh: which covenant was everlasting; it made God one of the parties, and the child the other. St. Peter, in his first sermon to the Jews on the day of Pentecost (or Whitsunday) when they with great concern asked him what they should do,— told them they should repent and be baptized; for the promise was to them and their children. And St. Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, tells them that they that are of faith, or believing in Christ, the same are the children of Abraham; and as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ; and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. It is plain by these scriptures, that infants should be entered into covenant with God by baptism. Now, if we bring the spirit that actuates the Quakers to be tried by those oracles of God, we shall find they are not conformable thereto; for they practice it not, but scoff and flout at it.
The Friends to whom you have joined yourself, suffer the women to teach and preach in their places 0f public worship; which is a religion of heathenism; the devil's chief oracle at Delphos being officiated by women-priestesses. Now, if we try this spirit by the abovesaid oracles of God, we there shall find reiterated commands and express orders to the contrary, and a reason given why. One or the other must be wrong. Consider, my dear child, from whence such a spirit must proceed that emboldens a woman, in the face of God and man, to contemn and trample under foot the positive command of the tremendous Lord of heaven and earth. Read the first chapter to the Galatians.
I know very well that the Quakers interpret and construe the holy scripture, relating to. the abovesaid articles, in an inward sense: but, blessed be God, he hath left us an infallible rule to determine the sense of those controverted texts by. For he, by the mouth of his prophet Jeremiah, in the sixth chapter, saith, " Thus saith the Lord; stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein." Our Saviour saith, the gates of hell should not prevail against his church; and that he would be with them to the end of the world. Now, in obedience to this command, inquire for the old paths, and the good way; and thou wilt find that for more than seventeen hundred years after Christ, he had a visible christian church in Europe, in Asia and Africa,—and that in all those parts the holy Scripture was and is their rule and standard, as to their faith and manners. They made use of material bread and wine in the Lord's supper;—suffered no women to preach in churches, &c. This is made good by authentic records, besides the unerring word of our blessed Saviour. We upon search find this to be the old christian path, and the good way; and if you walk therein, God has promised that you shall find rest for your soul. O my dear child, for God's sake and your precious soul's sake, answer not as the rebellious Jews did, that you will not walk therein. This is a material point, and requires your most serious attention; for there never was a gathered society, or set of people that held the tenets the Quakers do, since our blessed Saviour's time, heard of in the world before the year 1650. So that it is come to this, That if there was such a visible church upon earth, the Quakers are in a wrong way, and a spirit not from God is within and actuates them.
When the Quakers rose in the aforesaid year, before education or interest bore sway, their meetings were attended with an extraordinary and remarkable power, which shook and convulsed their bodies; insomuch that even little children and strangers going into their meetings out of curiosity, were seized with it, and came out Quakers. Robert Barclay says in his Apology, he was seized with it in one of their silent meetings, and in part convinced by it. This power, or spirit, or life, or seed, I charge you strictly to examine, and, as you tender the salvation of your immortal soul, to try whether it be of God, or of sa- tan transformed into an angel of light. If it will stand the test when tried by the rules I have given you above, it is of God; otherwise reject it immediately.
This power, life, seed, manifestation, light within, or Christ within, &c. (for by their primitive writers all these names seem to be synonimous) they say every man that is born into the world hath; and, if truly followed, is sufficient of itself, without any thing else, to insure his happiness, and to guide him into all truth. Now, when this is carefully and thoroughly searched into, it is nothing more than the reason and natural light which Christ enlightens every man with that comes into the world (not Christ himself:) which light is fallible, and wants helps; and these helps are chiefly the assistance of the holy spirit of God, and the revealed will of God written in the old and new Testament. For, in the times before that was committed to writing, it appears how soon the general defection into idolatry was: and it is undoubtedly true, that if the revealed written will of God was totally disregarded by men, in a few centuries mankind in general would be heathens and idolaters again; for then there would be nothing to control or try it by. The deists (or free-thinkers) openly and aboveboarA do it; believing in God, but denying any revealed religion. The Quakers (I mean their first setters up) depreciated those sacred oracles, setting their own writings or speakings above them, and not to be determined by them: which I have read myself in their books.
So that what the Friends or Quakers call the light within, the power, or seed, &c. the deists call reason; and it is one and the same thing, and not to be by them controled or tried by the scriptures. The chief tendency of Robert Barclay's Apology, (though I charitably believe it was not wrote with that view) will terminate in the same thing; and is gloried in by the Quakers as an excellent piece to support their cause.
What authority for their tenets but their own bare word and say so, did Fox, Burrough, Howgill, Hub- berthorn, Fisher, &c. and those the first setters up of Quakerism, produce, that God sent them. They wrought no miracles to testify it: nay; if they had, christians are commanded not to give heed to them contrary to those oracles of God, the scriptures; which apparently some of those tenets are.
Our Saviour told the Jews to search the scriptures (there being then none but the old Testament) for they testified of him; and says that if his Father send any in his name, that is, according to the scriptures, him ye will not receive; but if any come in his own name, him will ye receive: and he points as it were with his finger at those times. " Let no man deceive you, saith he, for many false christs shall arise, and deceive many; and if it were possible, deceive the very elect. If they say, lo! he is here, or there,— in the desert, or secret chamber, go not forth; believe it not, saith he, I have told you before." -
Thus, my dear child, I have given you some of my advice, experience and assistance, to know and discern good spirits from bad; which they will assuredly do, if assisted by God's Holy Spirit, which will not be wanting, if you faithfully and daily pray for it. I dare say there is not one of the Friends in a thousand in these parts that has taken the pains I have, to find out the trufh; but they follow their leaders, as the Israelites did Absalom. I have a great deal to say to you, but I forbear till I see you, or hear from you. I think you are something blame worthy, in not imparting to me that you were tempted to change your principles, or faith, that I might have assisted you sooner, and examined.whether your reasons were sufficient to authorize you so to do. God of his infinite mercy grant that what I have wrote may be of service to you. God be thanked, your relations are all in health, and would be glad to see you here. You must not expect to see me at Crosswicks, for I am eighty-one years old, but hearty: God be praised. My love to Betsy and her husband,—to yours, your father, and all other my relations. I am, my dear child and beloved daughter, your loving father,
JACOB DENNIS
http://books.google.com/books?id=qrAQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA1&ots=gZ-6qYDbwF&output=text#c_top
Friends' miscellany
By John Comly, Isaac Comly : Page 20
On account of the change in my religious principles, I (Increase Woodward ) received the following communication from, my father.
Shrewsbury, December 30th, 1771.
My dear child,—--Lately I saw a letter you wrote to your sister Hannah, by which I find you have indulged yourself in a serious way of thinking and se- dateness of mind, more than is common to persons of your years; which temper, if not kept within proper bounds and well regulated, may lead you into many fatal errors and mistakes. Your father's advice and assistance may be of advantage to you, in travelling such an intricate road; he having gone the same path before you these many years, and almost arrived at his temporary journey's end. I know not but this temper of yours may be hereditary; for, by the time I was ten or a dozen years old, I had an unextinguishable thirst after knowledge and the truth of things, and read all authors I could lay my hands on. About this time the contest among the Quakers,—George Keith and his friends on one side, and the rest of the Quakers on the other,—ran very high. I heard abundance of it, and read their books on both sides, and compared them one with the other, and with the scriptures: so that by the time I was twenty years old, I was master of that subject as well as most men. And ever since, through all parts-of my life, both in conversation and books, I have been searching for and finding out the truth, and how to make my calling and election sure.
We do not find, from Adam to Moses, that there was any way to communicate one man's thoughts-to another but by word of mouth; writing not being known. Although every man was born with reason, the characteristic of man which is called the image of God, and, being diligently attended to, was sufficient to deter them from idolatry; yet, in about sixteen hundred years, the whole earth was corrupt and-full of violence, so that almighty God destroyed the whole earth, except one family. But Adam was living above half that time, and Methusalem died only the year before the flood. Yet almighty God, out of his exceeding love to man, revealed his will to several before the flood,—to Noah,—and in a particular manner afterward to Abraham, with whom he made a covenant to continue forever; and that the same might be held in remembrance, it was marked in their flesh, that it might be continually before their eyes. Yet by this time, though Noah lived till Abraham's time, and Shem who saw the flood, lived till about the time Isaac was married, the world was strangely overrun with wickedness and idolatry.
But when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron, he in a more wonderful and miraculous manner revealed and declared himself before the eyes of millions, and wrote them a law with his own finger, which was laid up in the ark from this time to the captivity of the Jews; and some time after, God of his infinite mercy to.frail man, kept up a constant succession of prophets and messengers, which he sent to his chosen people to admonish and threaten, and to put them in mind of their duty. But, for all this merciful love and care of their Creator toward them, the whole nation was several times almost overwhelmed in idoU atry and wickedness.
All this while the other nations of the earth lay stupified in idolatry and all manner of wickedness, worshipping the host of heaven and inanimate things; yet all were born with reason and the general illumination of mankind, which, as before observed, if duly listened to, would have kept them from these great sins.
About four or five hundred years after the close of the last period, learning, writing, and travelling both by sea and land, were so improved that they were in as great perfection as they are at present in those countries. At which time, our good and mer-. ' ciful God sent his only begotten son, of the seed of David according to the flesh, down amongst the children of men, as his last and greatest dispensation; that by his example and precepts he might reform the world, and leave the greatest sinners without excuse: the history of whose life, death, resurrection, divine laws and precepts, with the old testament, are all committed to writing by the same authority that sent him into the world, and are enjoined to be daily read, observed and followed; and are the certain standard and rule of faith and manners, by all those that call themselves christians, for above seventeen hundred years; and are of as great force and authority, as if they were every day repeated to us in thunder out of heaven. Which books have been translated into all languages where christianity is professed; and in spite of the devil and his angels, remain sure and agreeing one with the other to this day.
Now we may observe that the reason and light which every man is born with, and not assisted with God's holy spirit, without a written law and men set apart on purpose daily to instruct them in it,—have run into idolatry, which is the foundation of all other sins. But when writing came into use, though very uncommon from Moses to the captivity, they did not fall into it so easily as before; and after the captivity, when writing began to be common, they hardly fell into it at all, to our Saviour's time.
And when our blessed Saviour departed to his Father, he ordered his disciples (who were to order others) to preach the gospel to all the world (which, by the way, if that which was born with every man was sufficient, there had been no need of) which they did so effectually that the utmost parts of the then known earth had heard the sound thereof before the death of all his disciples. And wherever they were, they left copies of the before-mentioned sealed oracles of God, and promised to be with them to the end of the world. Accordingly, in all parts where christianity is professed, they are constantly read, adhered to and believed in, and thereby Satan's strongest holds are overturned; that is, ignorance and idolatry, they being almost rooted out where christianity prevails.
There is another observation may easily be made, that wherever God Almighty revealed himself to man in an audible and visible manner,he accompanied it with such signs and wonders that the devil or man could not counterfeit: thereby to testify that it was an Almighty Power that appeared to, and required such things to be performed by them, which he commanded them to do.
You tell your sister in said letter, that you have changed your principles, and joined yourself to the simple, despised people, the Friends; by which I understand the Quakers, and shall address myself to you accordingly. By which means you have espoused, and are chargeable with all the errors of those people, both in faith and practice.
You, by your parents in your infancy, was dedicated unto, and entered into covenants with God, and was baptized into or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and was to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant to your life's end; (your faith or principle in him being briefly comprised in the apostle's creed) and to obey his commandments as they are declared unto us in the above-mentioned written, revealed words of God, in the Old and New Testaments. That your parents had authority so to do, I shall say more on hereafter; but I cant help repeating, This faith, or principle, you have changed from!
The first Quakers that ever were heard of in the world, as a society, arose in the north of England in the year 1650, 51. For proof of which, see Edward Burrough's Epistle to George Fox's Great Mystery, a book in folio; which book I have seen in Cross- wicks; and, by some phrases in your letter, you have also.
You will find when you read the Holy Scriptures, that our blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, was born, bred up, eat and drank, and lived as other men do in all respects, sin excepted, all the days of his life, and is often called the son of man, and was crucified for us that bitter death without the gates of Jerusalem. All this was outward, palpable and visible.
George Fox, the founder of the society or people you have lately joined with, says expressly in said book abovementioned, which I have read, " Now if there be any other Christ than he that is crucified within, he is the false Christ: the devils and reprobates may make a talk of him without." In the same book he tells one of his opponents C. W. " The devil was in thee. Thou sayest thou art saved by Christ without thee, and so hast recorded thyself to be a reprobate'." All christians, in George Fox's time, before and since, daily experiencing the blessed effects of his holy Spirit, and praying for the indwelling thereof in their hearts.
My dear child, stop a little and consider. It is impossible that both these above positions can be true: one must be false; the Holy Scriptures be wrong,—or George Fox and the other Quakers that are looked upon as sons of God, are: for the Holy Scriptures tell us he was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, on mount Calvary, taken down from the cross and buried; and which if it were only within men, cannot possibly be so.
The beloved disciple tells us not to believe every spirit, but to try them. How shall we try them? By themselves? Must I try the light or spirit in my heart, by itself? ask it whether it be a true light or spirit, or not? It says it is. So does every false spirit say.— Then I must not take its word, but I must try it. I demand how I must try it. Therefore it must be by something else than its own dictates; which is the Holy Scriptures,—a certain rule to walk by! being plain directions in writing, asserted by the Holy Spirit of God, which will not be wanting if faithfully prayed for.
Now by this unerring rule, let us try the above doctrine of George Fox. St. John saith, " Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God." It is manifest that if there is no other Christ but he that is crucified within, he never could come in the flesh, and be crucified without the gates of Jerusalem; and that was once for all. I am loath to tell you what spirit the apostle saith it is, because my beloved daughter says she has joined herself with that people who believe G. Fox to be inspired by God.
Our blessed Saviour, the evening before he was betrayed, after supper took bread, blessed and brake it, and gave also to his disciples; and likewise the cup; and bid them eat and drink that he gave them, saying, This do in remembrance of me. St. Paul, who was not present, tells the Corinthians near twenty years after Christ's ascension, that by a special revelation it was revealed to him, how Christ, our blessed and (as I may say) dying Lord instituted it in the, same manner, as the disciples had done. This was outward bread and.wine. This the Friends you have joined with, never do; and some of the first .writers and setters up of Quakerism have vilified, in such a manner that I will not grate your ears with it.
When God made his covenant with Abraham (or promise, as it is frequently called in the old and new Testament) he enjoined him that every male child at eight days old, should have the said token or promise marked in his flesh: which covenant was everlasting; it made God one of the parties, and the child the other. St. Peter, in his first sermon to the Jews on the day of Pentecost (or Whitsunday) when they with great concern asked him what they should do,— told them they should repent and be baptized; for the promise was to them and their children. And St. Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, tells them that they that are of faith, or believing in Christ, the same are the children of Abraham; and as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ; and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. It is plain by these scriptures, that infants should be entered into covenant with God by baptism. Now, if we bring the spirit that actuates the Quakers to be tried by those oracles of God, we shall find they are not conformable thereto; for they practice it not, but scoff and flout at it.
The Friends to whom you have joined yourself, suffer the women to teach and preach in their places 0f public worship; which is a religion of heathenism; the devil's chief oracle at Delphos being officiated by women-priestesses. Now, if we try this spirit by the abovesaid oracles of God, we there shall find reiterated commands and express orders to the contrary, and a reason given why. One or the other must be wrong. Consider, my dear child, from whence such a spirit must proceed that emboldens a woman, in the face of God and man, to contemn and trample under foot the positive command of the tremendous Lord of heaven and earth. Read the first chapter to the Galatians.
I know very well that the Quakers interpret and construe the holy scripture, relating to. the abovesaid articles, in an inward sense: but, blessed be God, he hath left us an infallible rule to determine the sense of those controverted texts by. For he, by the mouth of his prophet Jeremiah, in the sixth chapter, saith, " Thus saith the Lord; stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein." Our Saviour saith, the gates of hell should not prevail against his church; and that he would be with them to the end of the world. Now, in obedience to this command, inquire for the old paths, and the good way; and thou wilt find that for more than seventeen hundred years after Christ, he had a visible christian church in Europe, in Asia and Africa,—and that in all those parts the holy Scripture was and is their rule and standard, as to their faith and manners. They made use of material bread and wine in the Lord's supper;—suffered no women to preach in churches, &c. This is made good by authentic records, besides the unerring word of our blessed Saviour. We upon search find this to be the old christian path, and the good way; and if you walk therein, God has promised that you shall find rest for your soul. O my dear child, for God's sake and your precious soul's sake, answer not as the rebellious Jews did, that you will not walk therein. This is a material point, and requires your most serious attention; for there never was a gathered society, or set of people that held the tenets the Quakers do, since our blessed Saviour's time, heard of in the world before the year 1650. So that it is come to this, That if there was such a visible church upon earth, the Quakers are in a wrong way, and a spirit not from God is within and actuates them.
When the Quakers rose in the aforesaid year, before education or interest bore sway, their meetings were attended with an extraordinary and remarkable power, which shook and convulsed their bodies; insomuch that even little children and strangers going into their meetings out of curiosity, were seized with it, and came out Quakers. Robert Barclay says in his Apology, he was seized with it in one of their silent meetings, and in part convinced by it. This power, or spirit, or life, or seed, I charge you strictly to examine, and, as you tender the salvation of your immortal soul, to try whether it be of God, or of sa- tan transformed into an angel of light. If it will stand the test when tried by the rules I have given you above, it is of God; otherwise reject it immediately.
This power, life, seed, manifestation, light within, or Christ within, &c. (for by their primitive writers all these names seem to be synonimous) they say every man that is born into the world hath; and, if truly followed, is sufficient of itself, without any thing else, to insure his happiness, and to guide him into all truth. Now, when this is carefully and thoroughly searched into, it is nothing more than the reason and natural light which Christ enlightens every man with that comes into the world (not Christ himself:) which light is fallible, and wants helps; and these helps are chiefly the assistance of the holy spirit of God, and the revealed will of God written in the old and new Testament. For, in the times before that was committed to writing, it appears how soon the general defection into idolatry was: and it is undoubtedly true, that if the revealed written will of God was totally disregarded by men, in a few centuries mankind in general would be heathens and idolaters again; for then there would be nothing to control or try it by. The deists (or free-thinkers) openly and aboveboarA do it; believing in God, but denying any revealed religion. The Quakers (I mean their first setters up) depreciated those sacred oracles, setting their own writings or speakings above them, and not to be determined by them: which I have read myself in their books.
So that what the Friends or Quakers call the light within, the power, or seed, &c. the deists call reason; and it is one and the same thing, and not to be by them controled or tried by the scriptures. The chief tendency of Robert Barclay's Apology, (though I charitably believe it was not wrote with that view) will terminate in the same thing; and is gloried in by the Quakers as an excellent piece to support their cause.
What authority for their tenets but their own bare word and say so, did Fox, Burrough, Howgill, Hub- berthorn, Fisher, &c. and those the first setters up of Quakerism, produce, that God sent them. They wrought no miracles to testify it: nay; if they had, christians are commanded not to give heed to them contrary to those oracles of God, the scriptures; which apparently some of those tenets are.
Our Saviour told the Jews to search the scriptures (there being then none but the old Testament) for they testified of him; and says that if his Father send any in his name, that is, according to the scriptures, him ye will not receive; but if any come in his own name, him will ye receive: and he points as it were with his finger at those times. " Let no man deceive you, saith he, for many false christs shall arise, and deceive many; and if it were possible, deceive the very elect. If they say, lo! he is here, or there,— in the desert, or secret chamber, go not forth; believe it not, saith he, I have told you before." -
Thus, my dear child, I have given you some of my advice, experience and assistance, to know and discern good spirits from bad; which they will assuredly do, if assisted by God's Holy Spirit, which will not be wanting, if you faithfully and daily pray for it. I dare say there is not one of the Friends in a thousand in these parts that has taken the pains I have, to find out the trufh; but they follow their leaders, as the Israelites did Absalom. I have a great deal to say to you, but I forbear till I see you, or hear from you. I think you are something blame worthy, in not imparting to me that you were tempted to change your principles, or faith, that I might have assisted you sooner, and examined.whether your reasons were sufficient to authorize you so to do. God of his infinite mercy grant that what I have wrote may be of service to you. God be thanked, your relations are all in health, and would be glad to see you here. You must not expect to see me at Crosswicks, for I am eighty-one years old, but hearty: God be praised. My love to Betsy and her husband,—to yours, your father, and all other my relations. I am, my dear child and beloved daughter, your loving father,
JACOB DENNIS
Origins of Samuel Dennis
The below is from Comlys' Friends Miscellany 1839. I found it on Google Books here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qrAQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA6&lpg=PA1&ots=gZ-6qYDbwF&output=text#c_top
Of the early life and religious exercises Increase Woodward, as found among her papers.
Her grandfather, Samuel Dennis, removed to America from Essex, Great Britain, and arrived at New York the 27th of 8th month, 1675—thence to Shrewsbury, New Jersey, where he settled. He afterwards sent home to England for a certificate, which is as^follows,—
From the men's monthly meeting at Stansted, in Essex, the 29th of the 5th month, 1676.
" This is to satisfy all whom it may concern, that we whose names are hereunto subscribed, being of acquaintance of one Samuel Dennis, a bricklayer,who was an inhabitant of a town called Stansted, Mount Fitchel, in the county aforesaid, and who sent to us for a certificate according to the good order of truth. Inquiry hath been made about him, and finding no one that hath any thing against him, and to the best of our knowledge, he lived soberly amongst us, and so departed, leaving a good report behind him, as be- cometh truth: also, clear of marriage engagements to anyone here in England, to the best of our knowledge.
From your loving friends and brethren in the truth.
Joseph Smyth, Ewin Morrell, Wm. Custer, John Custer, Benjamin Scott, Wm. Scott, Thomas Munch, John Mascall,John Brown, John Carebread, Anthony Penystone, John Salmon, Samuel Rooder."
In the year 1680, he married Increase, only daughter of Richard and Abigail Lippincott, of Shrews^ bury. By this connexion he had five children— these, with their parents, became members of the Episcopal church, through the sophistry and influence of George Keith, who had abandoned the principles and Society of Friends, and resided for a time in their family. It is a melancholy reflection, that while he acted, as we have reason to believe, against conviction, he led away those who were really sincere, and himself became shipwrecked in the end, and too late lamented his unhappy condition.
http://books.google.com/books?id=qrAQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA6&lpg=PA1&ots=gZ-6qYDbwF&output=text#c_top
Of the early life and religious exercises Increase Woodward, as found among her papers.
Her grandfather, Samuel Dennis, removed to America from Essex, Great Britain, and arrived at New York the 27th of 8th month, 1675—thence to Shrewsbury, New Jersey, where he settled. He afterwards sent home to England for a certificate, which is as^follows,—
From the men's monthly meeting at Stansted, in Essex, the 29th of the 5th month, 1676.
" This is to satisfy all whom it may concern, that we whose names are hereunto subscribed, being of acquaintance of one Samuel Dennis, a bricklayer,who was an inhabitant of a town called Stansted, Mount Fitchel, in the county aforesaid, and who sent to us for a certificate according to the good order of truth. Inquiry hath been made about him, and finding no one that hath any thing against him, and to the best of our knowledge, he lived soberly amongst us, and so departed, leaving a good report behind him, as be- cometh truth: also, clear of marriage engagements to anyone here in England, to the best of our knowledge.
From your loving friends and brethren in the truth.
Joseph Smyth, Ewin Morrell, Wm. Custer, John Custer, Benjamin Scott, Wm. Scott, Thomas Munch, John Mascall,John Brown, John Carebread, Anthony Penystone, John Salmon, Samuel Rooder."
In the year 1680, he married Increase, only daughter of Richard and Abigail Lippincott, of Shrews^ bury. By this connexion he had five children— these, with their parents, became members of the Episcopal church, through the sophistry and influence of George Keith, who had abandoned the principles and Society of Friends, and resided for a time in their family. It is a melancholy reflection, that while he acted, as we have reason to believe, against conviction, he led away those who were really sincere, and himself became shipwrecked in the end, and too late lamented his unhappy condition.
Stansted Mountfitchet Essex England birthplace of Samuel Dennis
http://www.historyhouse.co.uk/placeS/essexs23.html
This link is page with historical information about the village of Stansted Mountfitchet located in Essex, England, near London. This is the birthplace of Samuel Dennis , who was one of the original settlers of Shrewsbury, Monmouth County NJ in 1675. He arrived in New York on August 27 1675.
This is according to Increase Woodward, Samuel Dennis' grandaughter, who lived from about 1742 to 1822.
This link is page with historical information about the village of Stansted Mountfitchet located in Essex, England, near London. This is the birthplace of Samuel Dennis , who was one of the original settlers of Shrewsbury, Monmouth County NJ in 1675. He arrived in New York on August 27 1675.
This is according to Increase Woodward, Samuel Dennis' grandaughter, who lived from about 1742 to 1822.
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Saturday, August 1, 2009
Anthony Dennis
The chains that he hung from still dangled from the tree limb outside the courthouse, though Fagin's skeleton had long since disappeared. All that remained of the villain was the skull that was stuck in between two of the lower branches. A passerby had stuck a corn-cob pipe in the skulls mouth as a final insult.
to be continued
to be continued
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