this is just a cut/paste from "Marfy" of Goodspeed for my own notes ... not my research
HISTORY:
The 30,000 Acres Daniel Coxe, Governor of West New Jersey, purchased shares of West New Jersey in 1688 from Edward Byllinge’s widow. He had no intention of leaving England and was simply planning to use these shares to “sell” properties. Coxe hired Adlord Bowde, draper of Hertford as his agent. Coxe filed his power of attorney on October 15, 1687 while Bowde was on his way to Burlington to sell make the transaction FOOTNOTE #2
He was instructed to use as many shares as possible in order to get as many land surveys in Coxe’s name, but Bowde found out that the proprietors hadn’t purchased enough Indian lands to cover all of Coxe’s acquired shares. So Bowde purchasing the lands himself on behalf of Coxe; there were a total of three separate purchases that became known as the 30,000 acres. In December 1688 Bowde died in Burlington and Agent James Budd finalized this “closed the deal”.
A note on line shows the northern boundary of that survey, a jagged and very distinctive line that now divides Hopewell Township from the Amwells, was which was well south of the northern line of the 30,000-acre purchase. So any land that lay north of the Hopewell line and south of the northern line of the Indian purchase was available to other proprietors who had shares that qualified them for surveys. Maybe a condition of Budd’s finalizing Coxe’s survey was that “SOME” land from the Indian Land Purchase be left for other proprietors FOOTNOTE #3.
This “condition” is how 1701 Richard Bull acquired 300 acres in 1701. It is said that Richard Bull made a “deathbed gift” this property to his sister Sarah Bull, wife of Samuel Green. This may be true, as the Hammond map of proprietary tracts suggests that Green did come into possession of that property after Bull’s death. Also noting of note Samuel Green’s son Richard Green owned same property by 1737. There is no deed on between Richard Bull’s widow and Samuel Green for this property.
PAUCH FARM - SAMUEL GREEN IN AMWELL TOWNSHIP, HUNTERTON COUNTY
No info. finding Samuel Green’s family in Gloucester County, even though we can be certain that he spent time there he spent time there, since he married the sister of a prominent Gloucester County surveyor, Richard Bull. This marriage must have taken place not long before Samuel Green moved to Amwell Township, about the time it was created in 1708. Samuel Green was present in 1709 when the Burlington Court named the first officers of the township. These were Samuel Green, Tax Collector, and John Reading Sr. and John Wilkinson, Assessors.
Exactly where Samuel Green was living in Amwell is unknown. He owned hundreds of acres there, and his house is long gone. One possibility is a tract of 250 acres he mortgaged in 1737, bordering son-in-law Benjamin Severns, son Richard Green, John VanVorst, the King’s road, Job Robins, James Ketchum, and son-in-law John Opdycke. FOOTNOTE #5
Samuel Green’s family settled in Amwell Township. It’s likely all of Samuel and Sarah Green children were born there. 1) Sarah Green born about 1709, married Benjamin Severns May 28, 1730 2) Margaret Green born 1711, married John Opdycke about 1737 3) Richard Green born about 1712, married Elizabeth Wolverton about 1740 4) Ann Green born about 1715, married Joshua Opdycke July 15, 1738. The Wolverton family were in Amwell almost as early as the Green family.
The Opdycke family came from Maidenhead (Lawrenceville) where Samuel Green may have spent time before moving to Amwell. Benjamin Severns’ father it is suggested is John Severns, merchant of Trenton, who died in 1732. Approximately 1737, Samuel Green conveyed 450 acres in Amwell to John and Margaret Opdycke in the vicinity of Headquarters and 495 acres to Benjamin and Sarah Severns, adjacent to the Opdycke tract FOOTNOTE #6. Joshua and Ann Opdycke, who lived in Kingwood Township, just north of Amwell, were given 298 acres FOOTNOTE #7
As for Samuel’s son Richard, a mortgage made by Richard Green in 1737 shows that he owned 400 acres in Amwell bordering the Medcalf tract, John Wright, Dimsdale’s tract, John Vanvorst, Samuel Green, and land formerly Daniel Robins FOOTNOTE #8
The Lotting Purchase Line, detail of Hammond Map F. From 1711 to 1718, most of Delaware Township was surveyed as part of a huge tract called the “Lotting Purchase,” land that had been acquired from the resident Indians in 1703. These 150,000 acres were intended to be used as dividends to owners of proprietary shares in the Province of West New Jersey FOOTNOTE # 9
The southern boundary of the Lotting Purchase ran through Delaware Township, from east to west, and was the old northern line of Bowde’s 30,000 acres. It also ran north of the 300 acres of Richard Bull, although there is some reason to think the line ran further north than shown on the Hammond map. One of the surveys in the Lotting Purchase was made by Richard Bull for Dorothy Medcalf, widow of Mathew Medcalf, in 1712 FOOTNOTE #10
It was for 437 acres and bordered on the northwest the 300 acres that Bull had acquired for himself, and that later came to Richard Green. That survey suggests that the Purchase line was not quite as Hammond showed it on his maps. In fact, that line between Bull and Medcalf and a tract of 147 acres surveyed to John Reading in 1715 is a confusing one when deeds and mortgages are compared FOOTNOTE #11
SAMUEL GREEN'S LIFE IN AMWELL TOWNSHIP, HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
In 1714, the County of Hunterdon was created, being set off from Burlington County. Once again John Reading was involved in the legislation. And Samuel Green was again one of the earliest officeholders. He attended the first session of the court of Hunterdon County on the second Tuesday of June, 1714 in Maidenhead. FOOTNOTE 6
In 1716, Samuel Green was named a Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County. This position was renewed in 1721 and 1722. Samuel Green, like Richard Bull, was a surveyor. They were about the same age, both being born around 1675. By 1715, they were turning their attention to lands in the northern reaches of Hunterdon County. Today that area is Sussex and Warren Counties, but those counties were not created until later (Sussex in 1753 and Warren in 1824). In 1715, Samuel Green was exploring the Johnsonburg area. FOOTNOTE 13
1717 Samuel Green continued to be a leader in his community. In 1721, Green was elected Freeholder from Amwell Township; he was also elected in 1723, 1726-28 and 1734-35. In 1723, he was named Tax Assessor for Amwell Township, and also in 1726-28. FOOTNOTE # 14
On November 24, 1732, John Wright, blacksmith of Amwell twp., wrote his will, naming his wife Orka his sole executor. Samuel Green and Daniel and Ruth Woolverton witnessed the will. John Wright probably died soon afterwards, for on December 29, 1732, Samuel Green and John Holcombe, also an early resident of Amwell Township, made the inventory of his estate. Wright’s will names his children: Harmanus, John, Hannah, William, Elizabeth, Katherine and Affea. Daughter Hannah Wright would have been about 20 years old at the time. About six years later, Hannah Wright married Samuel Green, becoming his third wife.
The first Town Meeting of Amwell Township took place in 1734 (previously, officers were appointed by the Burlington and Hunterdon County Courts). Samuel Green was again appointed Justice of the Peace. He was also chosen to be Assessor that year, and succeeding years until 1738. FOOTNOTE # 15
THE DEATH OF SARAH BULL GREEN
Sarah Green witnessed a Hunterdon County deed with her husband Samuel on May 28, 1726. FOOTNOTE 16 although there is no record of her death, Sarah Green must have died between 1726 and 1737. Her burial place is unknown. A deed of 1738 sheds some light on Sarah’s family. It was dated October 23, in which “Samuel Green of Hunterdon County and Samuel Green, Jr., his eldest son, {conveyed} to Samuel Harrison of Gloucester County, lots of land in Gloucester County, part of the property being lots that went to Sarah Green, heretofore wife of Samuel Green, the elder, and formerly Sarah Bull, coming to her from her father, Thomas Bull, Gentlemen, Deceased. FOOTNOTE #17
SAMUEL GREEN LEAVES AMWELL
By 1738, Samuel Green had left Amwell Township and moved north to the town of Greenwich. He left the children from his second marriage behind in Amwell. They all had properties and were raising their families there. His son Samuel Jr., from his first marriage with Margaret Kemp, accompanied him to Greenwich Township in what was Hunterdon County, but was about to become Morris County. One other person accompanied him—his new wife, Hannah Wright.
They probably married shortly before departing Amwell. Hannah was about 24 years old, but Samuel Green was about 63. He must have been a man of great stamina to head into the wilderness with a very much younger wife, to start all over again and to raise a family of seven more children. He became as prominent in his new home as he had been in his old one. We know that Samuel Green was present in Greenwich in 1738 because he was listed among the voters there that year. He voted for Daniel Coxe for Assembly FOOTNOTE #18
Voting the same way, but living in Amwell, were his son Richard Green, his wife’s brother Jno. Wright (Jr.), and Green’s sons-in-law John Opdycke and Benjamin Severns. Coxe was the candidate opposed to the West Jersey Proprietors, and he lost the election. The fact that Green and his adult son and sons-in-law favored Coxe does say something about their views.
Samuel Green was chosen to represent Greenwich Township in the Assembly that year, along with Henry Stewart, and John and Thomas Anderson. FOOTNOTE # 19 interesting that he could be elected in one town and allowed to vote in a different one.
THE REST OF SAMUEL'S LIFESamuel and Hannah Green settled in the town that became known as Greenwich in what was then Morris County. It had that name in 1738 when Green voted from there. The New Brunswick Presbytery, which was set off from Philadelphia in 1738, had a series of names for this town—first “Mr. Green’s,” then “Green’s Ridge,” then “Green-ridge,” “Grenage,” and finally “Greenwich.” Now that is a nice demonstration of the evolution of a town’s name FOOTNOTE # 20.
Greenwich was incorporated on October 12, 1739. In 1750, Greenwich Township was divided to create old Greenwich and new Hardwick Townships. Samuel Green’s home was now in Hardwick. In 1753, when Sussex County was created out of Morris County, Hardwick and Greenwich became part of the new county. In 1754, a meeting of the Board of Justice & Freeholders of Sussex County met at the home of Samuel Green. The question was where to build a county court house and jail. The voters met and decided on a place near Pettit’s tavern. The land was donated by Samuel Green.FOOTNOTE #21
Later, in 1760, Green would petition for a tavern license near the house of Jonathan Pettit, Esq. In the 1740s, Samuel Green was still surveying, often in the company of John Reading Jr., who kept a journal of his work and mentioned Green several times. Not only was Green surveying for customers, he was also acquiring large tracts of land for himself. In 1747, the sons of Daniel Coxe conveyed 2,100 acres to him, “in fulfillment of an agreement made by their father as compensation for trouble, expense and pains in discovering and looking up the boundaries of Coxe’s 6,230-acre tract.”FOOTNOTE #22
During the French and Indian War, Sussex County was exposed to Indian attacks. It was so unsafe that the Green family moved to Pennsylvania temporarily, taking shelter with the Moravians. This was appropriate because in previous years, the Greens had given land and support to the Moravians in New Jersey when they established a settlement at Hope, now in Warren County. Before the war was concluded, Samuel and Hannah Green and their children returned to their New Jersey home.
They were there on September 3, 1760, when Samuel Green of Hardwick, Sussex Co., wrote his will. It was a lengthy one because he had a large family and a large estate. But to his children left behind in Amwell Township, he left only 5 shillings each. He had already provided for them, and they were now independent. The other child to receive only 5 shillings was the eldest son, Samuel Green Jr., born about 1695. His mother was probably Green’s first wife Margaret Kemp, as indicated in a deed dated December 1, 1755, in which Samuel Green Sr. conveyed 500 acres that had been sold to Edward Kemp in 1718 to “Samuel Green Jr., heir apparent of said Edward Kemp. FOOTNOTE #23
Samuel Green died sometime before November 22, 1760 when his will was recorded. He left behind a large and prosperous family. However, the Revolution was not kind to the children of his third wife, as they were mostly Loyalists and were forced to emigrate to Canada. Meanwhile, his Amwell and Kingwood children and grandchildren thrived in Hunterdon County.
HOW I DESCEND FROM SAMUEL GREEN
Samuel Green and his 3rd wife Hannah Wright had seven children. Their daughter Rebekah (Rebecca), born 07 May 1747 in Log Gaol, Johnsonburg Greenwich, Morris Co., New Jersey, married Francis Glover (1728-1796).
Francis Glover's story is for another post. Rebebek/Rebecca Green died 17 May 1820 in (The Forty) Grimsby, Clinton Twp., Lincoln Co., Ontario, Canada. Rebekah Glover is the step-mother to Jacob GLOVER UEL.
Francis Glover's 1st wife (unknown)son Jacob Glover UEL had gone to Canada and Rebekah would leave New Jersey and join him in Canada after the death of her husband Francis Glover (Jacob Glover's father).
FOOTNOTES:
LIST
- William Nelson, Patents and Deeds and Other Early Records of New Jersey, p. 421, referring to Lib. B part 1, p. 173.
- Coxe himself declared that James Budd had made the survey for him: “30,000 acres above the falls of the Delaware, bo’t of the Indians of Adlord Bowde and surveyed by James Budd;” Indenture of Daniel Coxe, Governor and Chief Proprietor of West New Jersey, in Nelson’s Patents & Deeds, p. 316; from East Jersey Deeds, etc. Lib. G, p. 174.
- N.J. Archives. West Jersey Proprietors. Deeds and Surveys, Book A, p. 48.
- Hunterdon County Loan Office Records, NJ State Archives (hereafter HCLO) 1737, D 74. It was leased to one Robert Ray, about whom I know nothing. The mortgage’s metes and bounds are too vague to plot.
- HCLO 1737 D 75, 76.
- Charles Wilson Opdyke et al, The Op Dyck Genealogy, p. 225. This is interesting because when Samuel Green was living in Hunterdon, Kingwood Township had not yet been established.
- HCLO 1737, D 77.
- The Lotting Purchase deserves at least one article all its own, so I will postpone explanation of it until later.
- N.J. Archives, West Jersey Proprietors, Survey Book A p.138, 1712.
- For a discussion of the misaligned route of the Lotting Purchase, see to my article in the Hunterdon Historical Newsletter, Winter, 1983, pp. 371-73.
- James P. Snell, History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, 1881, p. 196.
- A. Van Doren Honeyman. Northwestern New Jersey: A History of Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex Counties. 5 vols. New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1927, vol. 2, p. 596; “Journal of John Reading, 1745.” Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 10 (1-3): 34–46, 90–110, 128–133.
- Snell’s History of Hunterdon County. Green may have held office in others years besides these mentioned; it’s a matter of what records were saved.
- James P. Snell. History of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. Philadelphia, PA. 1881, pp. 258, 347.
- Grantors Henry Kitchen and wife Ann Wheeler, daughter of Gilbert Wheeler, from June D. Brown, Abstracts of Bucks County, Pennsylvania Land Records, 1711-1749, pp. 153-54. John David Davis, in his book Bucks County, Pennsylvania Deed Records, 1684-1763, mistakenly identified the grantors as Ann Wheeler and husband Henry Hutchinson. The grantee was John Clarke of Hunterdon County.
- Gloucester Deeds Bk 10 p.5
- James P. Snell, History of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. pp. 193.
- Snell, James P. History of Sussex & Warren Counties, New Jersey. Vol. vol. 2, Warren County. 2 vols. Philadelphia, PA, 1881, pp. 474, 596.
- Henry Race, M.D., “Greenland in New Jersey,” A Historical Sketch of the Moravian Settlement in Sussex County, 1768 to 1808, Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, NJ: Advertiser Printing House, 1892, Vol. XI, 1890-1891.
- Snell, History of Warren Co., pp. 658-668, 685.
- Henry Race, “Greenland in New Jersey.”
- Race, “Greenland in NJ.”
