Many years ago while researching the family of Albertus Myers of Amwell Township (now Delaware Township), I came across his pension application on microfilm at the David Library. There, much to my joy, I found a page from the family bible. I assume they tore it out of the bible and included it with the application; they certainly didn’t photocopy it.
It is such a beautiful page, that I thought I should share it, especially since there are many descendants of this family working hard on their genealogy. Note the clever way Albertus’ name was worked around his initials (you’ll have to click on the image and then click to enlarge it). Also note the spelling of the name: Miers. And Alaburtus. Many documents show the name as Albertus Myers, and sometimes Mires. It all depends on who was doing the writing. The sophistication of the lettering suggests that Albertus hired a local schoolteacher to do the work. Unfortunately, by the time Anna, the youngest child was born, the school master had moved on.
Just to round out the information provided above, Albertus Myers married Anne/Anna Hann, daughter of Peter Hann and Elizabeth Hoppock, born about 1760, died 25 November 1841. I do not know where she was buried. It is assumed that she and husband Albertus were buried in the Baptist Cemetery in Locktown, but if so, their stones have not survived. Albertus Myers died on 22 January 1839, at the advanced age of 87. His homestead farm was located at the intersection of Ferry and Locktown-Flemington Roads.
Daughter Elizabeth is an unknown to me. She should not be confused with the daughter of Simon Myers, who died in 1814. That Elizabeth married Elisha/Elijah Matthews in 1809, and they received a portion of Simon Mires/Myers’ real estate in 1816.1
I also have no information on daughter Sarah.
John A. Myers married Elizabeth Fox on 7 May 1814. She was the daughter of Jacob Fox and Eve Sine. Along with the other heirs of Albertus Myers, John Myers sold the family farm to brother-in-law John Cain in 1841, and was promptly sued by another brother-in-law, Philip Rake, to render an account of the estate. John was living in Alexandria Township in 1850, and died on 16 May 1879 at the age of 92. He was buried at the Nixon-Ford cemetery, but I have no information on the death of wife Elizabeth.
Correction, 1/19/2013: see comment below regarding date of death.
Peter Myers was living in Amwell Township in 1830, with his own family, but had left before 1840, when he was living in Alleghany Co., NY. Once people leave Hunterdon County, I tend to lose track of them. Peter died on 27 October 1874 in Nunda Livingston, NY, a fact I must have picked up from a descendant’s research.
Pamelia (Pamela) Myers married Isaac Godown on 30 Apr 1814, the son of Jacob Godown and Sarah Lake. She died on 21 October 1879, age 86, and was buried in the Rake Cemetery near Sand Brook. Jacob died 14 July 1857, and is also buried there.
Catharine Myers married Philip Rake on 25 December 1820. He was the son of John and Else Rake. She must have died before the 1850 census, but I do not know when. Philip left Hunterdon County after Catharine’s death and settled in Rock Island, IL, where he died about 1854.
Cornelius Myers married Rebecca Mason on 12 September 1818. I am sure she was connected with the Mason family of Franklin township, but have not pinned that down. Cornelius died 8 March 1843, age 46. Rebecca is supposed to have died in July 1871, age 74.
Youngest child, Anna, married John B. Cain on 8 January 1825. In April 1841, before the death of widow Anne Myers, Cain purchased the rights of the other heirs in the homestead of Albertus and Anne Myers. But he did not keep it; in 1844 he sold it to Samuel A. Carrell, and removed to Rock Island, IL. John Cain was the son of Daniel Cain and Rachel Warford. I do not know when he died, but his wife, Anna Myers Cain, died on 24 April 1882 at Rock Island.
I hope that Myers descendants will note any errors of mine and add missing information in the comments.
- For some information on Simon Mires/Myers, see The Two Taverns at Robins Hill. ↩
Marfy Goodspeed
January 21, 2013 @ 7:03 am
I have been contacted by Carol Parks, a descendant of John Myers, son of Albertus and Anne, and she informs me that John Myers died on 16 May 1879 at the amazing age of 92 years and 4 months. He was buried in the Nixon-Craven cemetery, which makes sense since he was living in Alexandria Township when he died.
So who was the John Myers buried in the Old School Baptist cemetery in Locktown? Actually, his name was Mires, which connects him with the Kingwood branch of the family. Turns out, I had the wrong date, taken from an old list of burials. The correct date is 24 Feb. 1841, and that means that John Mires was the brother of Albertus Myers, born in March 1759, and married to Rebecca Wolverton on 3 June 1797. Thanks, Carol.
Gary Myers
January 21, 2013 @ 3:40 pm
Thank you very much for publishing this on your web site. It was a very nice surprise.
This may be the daughter of Alburtus…haven’t been able to find anything else though.
Database: New Jersey Marriage Records, 1684-1875
1. Sarah Miers m John P Rish 5-26-1846 in Hunterdon NJ
2. Sarah Miers m Samuel Young 3-4-1807 in Hunterdon Co NJ. 1-230 McLaughlin
…….
I believe it was John A. Myers not John O. Possibly the A for Alburtus. Also was John buried at Nixon-Ford cemetery or Nixon-Craven?
…….
Cornelius is my 3 great grandfather. His wife Rebecca Mason was living with her brother’s(Daniel) family in 1850 in Alexandria Twp along with their mother Mary. I have Josiah as Rebecca’s father but can’t find any definite link.
My brother also has an old family bible that lists Cornelius as the first entry. However it was printed in 1851 so I suspect that his son Albert started this bible and it has been passed down to the oldest son of each generation. At that time Albert spelled his name as Myres. Since Cornelius was the youngest son of Alburtus it looks like he wanted to start his own family bible.
…….
John Cain died August 21, 1885 Canoe Creek, Rock Island Co, IL
Marfy Goodspeed
January 22, 2013 @ 7:29 am
Gary, Thanks for the correction on John A. Myers’ name.
As for husbands of Sarah Myers, I believe that Samuel Young married the daughter of Simon Miers, not Albertus. And the marriage of 1846 sounds awfully late for someone born in 1787.
As Carol Parks pointed out to me, John A. Myers, son of Albertus, was buried in the Nixon-Ford, also known as the Nixon-Craven, cemetery. The other John Mires, brother of Albertus, was buried in the Locktown Baptist cemetery.
And thanks for the tip on the Mason family. I will look into it.
Geoff Raike
January 24, 2013 @ 5:25 pm
Hi Marfy
I didn’t realize that Philip moved out to Cordova too. I new some of his boys moved to Rock Island. Also, I came to the same conclusion about Catherine. Those Rake’s surely got around. Thanks
Helen Poland
September 7, 2013 @ 12:53 pm
Hi Geoff, I don’t think Philip went to ILL, years ago when I started the family history I thought he had. Will have to pull records but think I found him in 1860 still in NJ
Helen
Barbara
July 22, 2013 @ 10:11 pm
Hi Marfy,
I saw you were active in NJHunters which I just found. You knew so much about the Myers family, I was hoping you could help direct me. I’m new to NJ records and research. My Myers line goes from Ohio>Loudoun County, Virginia>Joseph Myers (Quaker), Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
I know little beyond that, early -mid 1700’s. Joseph is mentioned in the early Quaker records before he left for Virginia. No parents mentioned. I’m not sure how to find land records or anything that might help trace him.
Can you help get me started?
I appreciate your time,
Barbara
Marfy Goodspeed
August 2, 2013 @ 7:41 am
Barbara, I’m afraid I can’t help you with Joseph Myers. I have no information on anyone of that name.
Barbara
March 21, 2014 @ 12:32 pm
Hi again, Marfy!
You have so many resources available at your fingertips, I appreciate your taking the time to answer questions.
My Joseph Myers (mentioned earlier) was married to Phebe Schooley who was a Quaker. The Quaker records I’ve been able to locate refer to them as “Phebe Schooley wife of Joseph Myers”, so he is probably not a Quaker. I’m trying to locate a copy of the book, “Trails of Our Fathers…” which contains some information for the time period. We know that the couple left Hunterdon County in 1761. I’m trying to source my Myers line as carefully as possible. It seems there is much more research done on my Schooley line. I want to use what I find in books as a guide to actual records.
Do you have any advice to locating information previous to 1761 in Hunterdon County? Is there a known location for Quakers to use as a starting point? From what I’ve read about the family, they were most likely landowners.
Thank you very much for helping us struggling genealogists properly document our lines in unfamiliar territory!
Barbara
Marfy Goodspeed
March 22, 2014 @ 8:15 am
Barbara, One excellent source for Quakers is Wm. Hinshaw’s Encyclopedia of Quaker Genealogy, vol. 2, but there is nothing there for a Phebe/Phoebe Schooley. I have a note that on May 21, 1761, Jonathan Myers, his wife and children were dismissed from the Kingwood Friends to Fairfax, VA. This comes from James W. Moore, Records of the Kingwood Monthly Meeting of Friends, p. 28. On the previous line, they have Samuel Schooley and wife, along with daughters Phebe Myers and daughter Ann who are also dismissed to Fairfax, VA. Nothing for a Joseph Myers. I do not know of other sources for Quaker records in New Jersey for this time period.
Helen Poland
September 7, 2013 @ 12:51 pm
Hi Marty, your info was just sent to me. My line is Philip Rake, years ago when I started on the family history, I thought Philip had gone to Ill, I had this in my family history and I sent my info to a man and this death date has gotten around. Today I don’t believe that Philip went to ILL. I’m going to have to go back In my files, but think I found him in the 1860 still in NJ.
Helen Poland
Helen Poland
September 7, 2013 @ 4:39 pm
Marfy, searched the census again, looks like I mixed up my dates. I found in 1850 Philip was 60. Maybe I was right in my guess and he died in 1854 in IL. His son, Asher, and family was in Bureau Co., IL. There are some dates we will never know, as records weren’t kept. Was told a number of years ago there was a Rake family Bible floating around Hunterdon/Mercer Counties, haven’t been able to find it either.
Thank you for all the research you have been doing, it helps all us Genealogy nuts lol, and we need all the help we can get.
Helen
Carol Parks
July 25, 2015 @ 9:35 am
Hi Marfy. The John Myers (married to Elizabeth Fox) and buried in Nixon-Ford Cemetery had a daughter Lucinda who married Samuel Davenport. Samuel & Lucinda are also both buried there. Do you know of any listing of burials at that cemetery? I thought it might help in my search. You have written such informative articles about other cemeteries but I haven’t seen anything on this one although I could have missed it.
Carol
Marfy Goodspeed
July 28, 2015 @ 7:25 am
Carol, I assume you are asking for information on the Nixon-Craven cemetery in Franklin Township. I have not written about this one, yet. Beverly G. Kirby-McDonough found the earliest inscriptions in 2006. Since then, many more have been listed on Find-a-Grave, including Samuel Davenports, but not his wife Elizabeth. My note says she was buried in the Nixon-Ford Cemetery, but I think that info came from someone else. And it raises the question–were there two Nixon cemeteries? I’ll have to visit the HCHS to find out.
Susan Myers Goettsch
November 13, 2015 @ 8:37 pm
Hi Marfy, I’ve been taking notes on all the Myers information and I’m hoping that one of Johannes & Catherine’s 5 sons might have been Peter Albert Myers (b. 1760 Pittstown, NJ), my 5x great grandfather. Please say it is so!! I’ve been trying to determine who his parents were for SO long! My Peter was Baptist and of German descent. His children were Jacob, Sarah, Peter Albert, John, Elizabeth, Phoebe, Mary, and Joseph (many names in common with the children of Albertus).
Susan Myers Goettsch
December 5, 2015 @ 5:51 pm
Do you think “Burtis Myers” is Albertus Miers/Myers? He appears as the grandfather of Tunis Dilley Myers (1806-1880) of the Myers-Holcombe Mill, and father of the Peter Myers who married Elizabeth Dilley (1785-1853) . . .
Patrice Schadt
July 23, 2017 @ 10:14 pm
I just found your site and wanted to thank you for your informative posts. I have been working on the Myers family for quite a number of years and they had been a “dead-end” for so long. I finally decided to write up my findings and see if anything new is available.
I was wondering if you read John Myers pension record from the Revolutionary War. He was a brother to Albertus and Cornelius. It is very informative and gives the name of his father as Sebastian “Bast John” Miers. I believe they are children of Bastian Myers and Elizabeth Langerveldt. She is the daughter of J. A. Langerveldt and his wife, Christina. They were of Hunterdon County, as well.
Some folks are thinking that they connect to the Cornelius Longfield / Langervelt family and I disagree for a multitude of reasons.
I would love to talk to you all about this family and see if we can make some sense of them.
Marfy Goodspeed
August 20, 2017 @ 11:52 am
Patricia,
According to my records, and I might be wrong, the John Myers you refer to was not the brother of Albertus Myers. The father of Albertus was a Johannes Mires (c.1725-c.1775). Sebastian, also known as “Boston” Myers, did live for a time in Amwell Township where Albertus also lived, but he ended up in Sussex County, where his son John Myers had enlisted for his Revolutionary War service, as early as 1775. This family is very difficult to research. It seems quite possible that Sebastian Myers Sr. and the Johannes Mires I mentioned were related, maybe even brothers. Can’t go any further than that for now.
Patrice Schadt
August 20, 2017 @ 12:25 pm
Marfy – I may have the John’s confused. John Myers signed an affidavit in Albertus’ Rev. Pension file that he was Albertus’ brother. John signed a similar affidavit in his brother, Cornelius’ file. In his own file, John states that he was a substitute for his father, Sebastian, or “Bast John” as he was known and that he was in Sandyston, Sussex County, Montague, Minisink as well as Deckertown. I am particularly interested in Bast John Myers, who was an executor to the will of Christina Langerfeld Lambert.
If Bast John is Albertus’ father, then he might be also the John you refer to as Albertus’ father. If this all verifies out, then I believe I have found the will of Bast John aka Sebastian, Bastian, Abisha and it should tie some of the Myers branches together.
I would be interested in knowing your source for Alberrtus’ father.
For the past 30 years, I have been working on the Myers family from Sussex County. I have been trying to track the Myers family of Sandyston and believe now that this may a connection to Hunterdon county and beyond to their immigration and path to Germany.
Thank you for your time and help.
R. Underwood
November 8, 2020 @ 3:55 pm
Descended from Henry Myers/Miers (1796) & Abigail Clark (1796) of Sussex County NJ.