From: Betty Gerlack [mailto:gerlack@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 9:36 PM

BEGIN

Johannes3 Gerritsen Was the First John Garrison

of Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Actually Duncan's brother-in-law John Garrison did not need to be living
in Amwell. The James3Stout of Amwell you reference named his uncles as
executors without mentioning that they lived in Upper Freehold. Has this
John been checked out.

In 1738 a John Garretson of Acquackanonk Twp NJ [Essex Co.] bot from
Ebenezer & Rebecca (Stillwell) Saltar for [pounds]1100 land on Staten Island.
In deed it is stipulated that the purchaser need not travel more than ten
miles from his house to pay installments. [JES(4)189:Saltar Genea] Ebenezer
Salter/Saltar (s. of Richard & Sarah (Bowne) Salter) m. Rebecca Stillwell
(d. John & Rebecca (Throckmorton). In 1731 Ebenezer Saltar inhabitant
of Upper Freehold 320a. Died 1746 widow m2 John Cox.) 1730 Acquackanonk
census lists: Garrison: Cornelius G. 373, Henry 377, Henry 412, John 400,
Simeon 400 In 1738 Ebenezer Saltar [m Rebecca Stillwell] [of Freehold and
Staten Island] witnessed the will of Nathaniel Brittain of Staten Island
[JES#3:189] John3Garrison's sister married a Nathaniel Brittain.  In 1757
John Corson petitioned concerning admin of estate of John Stillwell, saying
that Stillwell's dau Rebecca widow? of Ebenezer Saltar resided the best
part of the time in the western part of Monmouth Co.  [JES(4)189:salter genea]

Besides keeping everyone in the loop, one of the reasons that I copied
everyone in on this reply is to find out if anyone else has already researched
the individuals that Betty has identified and has any additional information
or analysis to provide in response.

<snip>

3. Johannes/John3 Gerritsen/Garrison (Jan2, Gerrit1 Jansen van Oldenburg)
was born, probably on Staten Island, about 1678. He died, probably in
Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co., N.J., probably between 13 October 1733
and 6 April 1736. He married, probably on Staten Island, before January
1704, Hester.

Known children [CAREFUL, "known" means there is documented proof] of
Johannes/John3 Gerritsen/Garrison and Hester included:

I deleted "Known"

<snip>

v. Rebecca Garrison, b ca. 1739;[68] d. ca. 1780; m. Cornelius4 Prall
(Aaron3, Pieter2, Arent1 Jansen Prall), b. Amwell Township ca. 1732, d.
before 25 March 1813 [by 1782], m. (2) before 7 Aug 1782 Sarah (Sutphin),
"a young widow," dau. of John and Ann (?) Sutphin, m. (3) 1st Presbyterian
Church, Cranbury, N.J. 6 March 1803 Christiana "Lucretia" (Provost)
Catterhin, dau. of Jonathan and Adriana (Springsteen) Provost.[69]
Children:[70] 1. Garrison, b. Hunterdon Co., N.J. ca. 1755; d. K.Y.  1792; m.
Hunterdon Co. 11 May 1779 Mary4 Stout (Benjamin3, David2, Richard1), b.
17 June 1760, dau. of Benjamin3 and Mary (Higgins) Stout. 2. Elizabeth. 3.
John. 4. Cornelius. 5. Rebecca. 6. James. 7. Anna, m. Aaron Stout. 8.  Mary.
9. Jemima.

END



from unknown ...

BEGIN

THE GARRISONS OF AMWELL TOWNSHIP, HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY 1728 - 1775

Johannes3 Garrison (Jan2 Gerritse, Garrit1 Jansen van Oldenburg) brought
his family to Amwell Township about 1728, having purchased land adjacent
to the East/West Jersey Province boundary.  No deed has been located, but
a description of the land is found in a mortgage dated 25 March 1737. (1)
It states: "tract of land, farm, plantation lying near where the reputed
line of the Division of New Jersey now crosses Neshanning (sic) Brook at
or near to a place called Rainbow Hill, thence up said Brook, the several
courses thereof to the mouth of a Brook which comes down from the place
where David Stout formerly lived.  Thence up the same keeping the easterly
side thereof onto a white oak corner tree standing at or near the mouth
of a small run of water, thence up the same bounded by the stream thereof
to a place where an old burnt stump formerly stood being in a straight
course NEly 65 degrees 20 chains thence NEly 64 degrees 30 chains to a post
standing in the above Division line, hence along the same to the beginning,
containing 150 acres before highway land".

The earliest record found, indicated that Johannes' son, John, had accompanied
his father.  John had probably married Hannah ...?... prior to their move. In
April 1731, John Garrison and Thomas Houghton took the inventory of James
Stout, dec. (2)  John continued to be active in the community and it is
obvious that he had received a formal education.

On 12 February 1732, Duncan Oliphant of Amwell Township wrote his will,
and appointed his brother-in-law John Garrison as one of the executors. (3)
This John is Johannes, identified by the relationship, rather than by
Senior or Junior. This relationship has puzzled researchers, who came to the
'obvious' conclusion that Duncan's wife, Mary, was John's sister.  This was
disproved when Johannes' brother Cornelius of Staten Island died, intestate,
and the court was appointing an administrator. (4)  Those records mention
his sisters Aeltje Prall and Elizabeth Brittain. If Mary had been an older
sister, it was likely that her husband, Duncan Oliphant, a well educated
and religious man, would have been appointed.  They were still living on
Staten Island at the time.  Researchers have found no record of any family
of Duncan Oliphant, so Mary Oliphant and Hester Garrison must be sisters.

The first record of Duncan Oliphant appears in the 1706 census of Staten
Island, Richmond County, New York. (5) It lists him as "Dunkan Olyphant (age)
24, (wife) Mary Olyphant, (son) David Olyphant.  There must be an error in
Duncan's age, as David was born 1 March 1702. (6) If Duncan and Mary were
married in 1701, he would have been 19 years old. The law required males
to be 21 years, unless a parent or relative signed an affidavit permitting
the marriage. Since no relative has been found, his birth year should be
around 1680, close to the age of Johannes Garrison.

Duncan's name appeared occasionally in the Staten Island records, the latest
being a witness to a will in 1717. He purchased 411 acres (a later survey
showed it was 451 acres) of land in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County,
New Jersey on 22 April 1721, from the estate of Thomas Stevenson, dec. of
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. No deed has been found, but it is mentioned in
the 31 May 1749 deed when the land was sold. (7)

He moved to Amwell Township around 1723 with his friend Peter Prall of Staten
Island. He paid taxes in 1724, and his name appears in the old township
records from 1725 through 1728. (8) On 22 January 1725, "William Lummox,
a resident and property owner in this section, conveyed to John Knowles
and Duncan Oliphant, all of Amwell Township, in the consideration of the
sum of five shillings of current money, in trust to the sole benefit and
towards the settling of the Church of England Ministry, and for no other
intent or purpose whatever, a tract of land containing eleven acres". (9)
It was organized under a Crown Charter as St. Andrews, and a log church
was built shortly thereafter. It was located on the northwest side of the
Old York Road at Larison's Corner. Meetings had been held in the homes of
the members and they depended on itinerant priests. That same year, Duncan
was appointed as a trustee for the Anglican Church. (10)  On 28 May 1727,
John Knowles wrote his will and Duncan Oliphant was one of the witnesses. (11)

Duncan Oliphant's will states: "I, Duncan Oliphant of the Township of
Amwell, in the County of Hunterdon, western division of the Province of
New Jersey,....yeoman, sick in body but of sound mind, etc......Touching
the disposition of all such temporal estate as it has pleased Almighty
God, far beyond my deserts to bestow upon me....I give to my oldest son,
David, the long gun, the large Bible, and a Book called the Conducter
(sic) Generalis in right of his primogeniture or birthright. My loving
wife, Mary, shall have the use and sole management of all my estate, both
real and personal...during her widowhood for the maintenance of my family
and the bringing up of my children in their minority, and at her marriage
or death, which happens first to be, my will is that the tract of land,
farm or plantation where I now dwell be equally divided amongst my four
sons, namely David, John Ephraim and James....I give and bequeath unto
my three daughters, namely Margaret, the wife of Thomas Gordon, Mary and
Ann, the plantation or farm wherein William Allen now dwells, to be sold
when youngest daughter is 18, and price equally divided...As soon after
decease as possible a true inventory to be taken, and the sum thereof on my
wife's decease or marriage equally divided among my sons as above. My son,
David, my brother-in-law John Garrison and my loving friend Peter Praull
(sic) executors, and my loving friend John Reading Trustee....in Testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twelfth day of February
1732." Witnesses were Thomas Lake, William Job and Jacob Reeder. Duncan signed
his will and affixed his seal. His inventory was recorded 7 August 1734 at
Trenton, New Jersey.  The Appraisers were Thomas Lake and Daniel Seaburn and
the total value was 152 pounds 19 shillings 1 pence. (3) Duncan was buried
in the little cemetery by the Anglican Church; however, no gravestone was
ever located. He was a wealthy man, and although he speaks of himself as
a yeoman (farmer), he raised and sold purebred horses.  His land, situated
on the Brunswick Road, was in an ideal location for his trade.

Children of Duncan and Mary Oliphant were: (12)
     1. David born Sunday 1 March 1702, married Hannah Stout, daughter of
         Benjamin Stout and Hannah Bonham.  He died in 1774 and Hannah died
         in 1800.
     2. Margaret baptized 19 April 1709 in the Dutch Reformed Church,
         Staten Island, New York.  (13) She married Thomas Gordon, son of
         Thomas Gordon and Janet Mudie.
     3. John born about 1713.
     4. Ephraim born about 1715, married Sarah Stout, daughter of Freegift
         Stout and Mary Higgins. He moved to Virginia and died in the 1790s.
     5. James born 1724, married Jennetye Woertman daughter of Andries
        Woertman and Jennetye Post. They moved to Berks County, then to
        Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and after 1800 were living in Saratoga,
        New York.  James died in Ballston, New York in 1816.
     6. Mary under 18 when her father died. No further information.
     7. Ann under 18 when her father died. No further information.

John Bacon owned a large tract of land north of the original Garrison
purchase, and upon his death, his heirs offered it for sale. On 15 November
1734, Freegift Stout purchased a portion, (14) and about that time, Garrison
bought 300 acres. The northern boundary ran along the Brunswick Road
near the Oliphant tract. No deed has been found but the land is described
in a mortgage dated 8 September 1775. (15) He built a grist mill on the
northeast side of the Neshanic River, which served the growing community.
The nearest mill had been at Ringoes, several miles to the southeast. It
was a two stone mill and the stones were cut from hard local stone.

On 6 April 1736, the Robert Tees (Teaze) estate mentions John's name in
the final accounting, It states: "By moneys paid to John Garrison, a debt
due by the deceased as by note" and receipt #6 is listed. (16) Teaze was
a weaver and lived in Bethlehem Township, so this contact cannot be explained.

John took out a mortgage for twenty five pounds on his original tract on
25 March 1737, which was cleared by 7 April 1738. (1) At that time, he was
granted another mortgage, #129, for twenty eight pounds, 8 shillings and
nine pence. This was to be paid over a fifteen year term but he paid it in
full by 26 April 1750.

                             END NOTES

1.  Burlington, New Jersey Commissioners of Loan Office Records 1733-1748
    #128.
2.  A. Van Doren Honeyman, "Calender of New Jersey Wills" Vol. II 1730-1750
    #70J.
3.  "Hunterdon County, New Jersey Wills" Lib. 2 pg 425 #104J.
4.  Kenneth Scott, "Genealogical Data From Administration Papers". 1972 pg
    125. WNYHS 2:130.
5.  John E. Stillwell, "Historical and Genealogical Miscellany" pg 154.
6.  Bible of Capt. Jonathan3 Oliphant (David2, Duncan1 Oliphant). Mentioned
    in "Aunt Lucy’s Diary", the original of which is in the William Trent
    House, Trenton, New Jersey. Aunt Lucy is identified as being the wife
    of Nelson Oliphant, physician, from Trenton. Nelson was a descendant
    of David, and they did extensive research on the Oliphant family in
    Amwell Township from 1912 to 1917.
7.  "West Jersey Deeds" Bk HH pg 34.
8.  James P. Snell, "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey
    1881 pg 346.
9.  This deed, possibly unrecorded, was in the possession of St. Andrews
    Church, Lambertville, New Jersey, according to "Aunt Lucy’s Diary".
10. East Amwell Bicentennial Committee, "A History of East Amwell 1700-1800"
    pg 187.
11. William Nelson, "Calender of New Jersey Wills" Vol. 1 1670-1730 pg 276
12. Information provided by Jeanne Bletcher, 904 South Leaf Ave. West Covina,
    CA 91791. She is a descendant of Duncan Oliphant’s son James.
13. Richard M. Bayles, "History of Richmond County, New York" 1887. Baptisms
    of the Reformed Dutch Church of Port Richmond NY.
14. Unrecorded deed from the Hiram E. Deats Collection, Hunterdon County
    Historical Society.
15. Hunterdon County Mortgages Vol. 1 pg 220.
16. (2) pages 474-475 #105J.

END