From: mlake at mlake.net (Marshall Lake)
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:47:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Thomas LAKE, NJ->SC

DNA test results have just come back for "Thomas Lake, b c1735 NJ/MD, d
1814 SC" (kit # 124876, see http://mlake.net/lakedna).  The results show
that this Thomas descends from the Gravesend LAKEs.

The submitter of the test (Cristy Lake) is on this list.  According to
Cristy:

> ... my 5th great grandfather is Thomas Lake born c 1735 likely in
> Hunterdon County, NJ died c 1814 in South Carolina married Elizabeth
> Reeder. I have birth and death dates or at least years for all of them
> and know their wives names and many of their children. Supposedly Thomas
> was the Great Grandson of the Lake of Erby that immigrated, but I
> question how I can be told that but that that they do not know the
> father or grandfather. There is strong documentation for what I gave you
> above though.

Cristy, if you can add anything to this please do.

Does anyone know how this Thomas LAKE fits in?

From "A Personal Narrative of Some Branches of the Lake Family in America"
by Devereux Lake in 1937:

quote

   William C. Lake, a leading citizen of Union, South Carolina, has been
collecting data about the Lake family for the past thirty years -- since
he was a very young man.  He reports that in 1790, when the first U.S
census was taken there were six "heads of families," bearing the name Lake
in South Carolina.  One of these was his ancestor from New Jersey,
(believed to have migrated from Hunterdon County), Thomas Lake.  G. L.
Summer in the January, 1929, issue of the Newberry "Herald and News,"
credits this Thomas Lake with being the founder of the Newberry branch of
which the Edgefield and Union families are offshoots. Some members of
these families migrated to Texas, and their descendants are today living
in Dallas, Houston, Abilene, Lindale and elsewhere. The following is from
Mr. Summer's article:
   The origins of the Lake families in America was in the state of New
Jersey, Hunterdon County, where the two families of Lake and Reeder lived
during the sixteenth century.  W. Lesser was a citizen of Hanover,
Germany, about the period of 1500-25, whose descendants settled in New
Jersey.  The name was changed in English to Reeder.  Joseph Reeder came
over from England and settled in New Jersey and from a small record book
in his possession he was probably descended from the House of Hanover.
   Thomas Lake of New Jersey married a daughter of Joseph Reeder and
Susanna Gano Reeder, Elizabeth Reeder.  Some Lakes and Reeders moved to
Virginia, and there became the ancestors of many distinguished men of that
State.
   Thomas Lake was a patriot in the Revolutionary War, serving in the
Second Regiment of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, in company of Daniel
Bray.  After the war he came to Virginia, lived a few years and then moved
to South Carolina, settling in Newberry County.

unquote

Devereux Lake goes on to name five sons of Thomas LAKE (Enoch, John,
David, Elijah and Joseph) and offers further info on most of them.

In my research of Hunterdon County LAKEs I've assumed that another Thomas
was in the Revolutionary War in Bray's regiment.  How do we know which
Thomas LAKE did indeed serve in the War?  This other Thomas was the son of
Garret LAKE (of Gravesend, NY) and Sarah ------.  This Thomas was born
about 1760 in Amwell Tp, Hunterdon Co, NJ and married Catherine
LEREW/LARUE (of Amwell Tp, daughter of Daniel LEREW/LARUE & Margaret
WILLIAMSON).

There is another Thomas LAKE who could have served in the Rev War.  He was
born before 1758 and lived in Kingwood Tp, Hunterdon Co.  This Thomas was
the son of Daniel LAKE (born before 1717).  It has never been proved (as
far as I know) where this Daniel LAKE came from.  He's never been proved
to be connected to the Gravesend LAKEs.  Some researchers believe Daniel
is the son of Abraham LAKE and Classje LANGESTRAAT/LONGSTREET of Staten
Island, NY.  This Abraham could have removed to Kent Co, MD from NY.

There is a third Thomas LAKE who could have served in the Rev War.  This
Thomas was born 3 Jul 1758 in Amwell Tp, the son of John LAKE (1728 - 1809
Amwell Tp) and Sarah Ann ROBINS (1736 - 1823).

There is a Thomas LAKE (c1718 Long Island - 1787 Hunterdon Co).  Only five
children of Thomas can be identified (as far as I know):  Abraham, Joseph
(of which nothing is known), Eleanor, Hannah and Jacob.  Jacob went south.
There could certainly have been other children of Thomas which we do not
know.  Maybe Thomas is a son of this Thomas?  Maybe several of Thomas'
children went south and that's why there's no knowledge of these children
in Hunterdon Co records.

Can anyone here offer anything else?