The eight children were: Anchor, George, Absalom, Gabriel, Ambrose, Mary, Amos, and a daughter.

1. Anchor Fox (c.1728-aft 1762) was probably born on the Fox plantation in Amwell, northwest of Rosemont, although the family long believed she was born in a ship lying at anchor. Perhaps this was a creative way of dealing with a difficult name. In some sources, her name appears as Anclie or Auche, which sounds Dutch, even though her family was English.

A search of databases on the internet failed to show the name Anchor except in the case of “Think Baby Names,” where it was identified as a boy’s name, meaning ‘stability.’ Variant forms were Ancher or Anker, and it is thought to be an occupational name. Not likely with a little girl.

About 1750, Anchor Fox married Uriah Bonham (c.1724-1809), the son of Hezekiah Bonham and (probably) Anna Hunt [see Snell, pg 397]. The Bonhams came to Piscataway in Middlesex County from Barnstable, Massachusetts about 1670 , but in the early 1690s, Hezekiah Bonham and his family removed to settle in Maidenhead. Hezekiah had an extensive family, but only one of the Bonham children settled in Kingwood near Rosemont. John Lequear wrote that Uriah Bonham came to the area to work as a school teacher about 1763 or earlier. I would guess earlier, based on the dates of his children’s births. Anchor Fox and Uriah Bonham were important to the local history of the area, so I will save them for a future post.

2. George Fox (c.1729-1760), the fourth in the series. He was born sometime between 1729 and 1732, the first son and second child of George (iii) and Mary Fox. He took up the occupation of cooper, which was useful in conjunction with the operation of a mill. He married his wife Rachel around 1750. Her family is unknown. On June 7, 1760, George Fox wrote his will. It is from his will that we know that George and Rachel had two sons, Charles and George, and some daughters, all born between 1750 and 1760, and “an expected child.” George Fox must have suffered some sudden disease or accident, because he was only 31 when he wrote his will, which was recorded on June 25, 1760. His widow Rachel was named sole Executrix. The will was witnessed by Malakiah Bonham, Joshua Waterhouse, John Johnson and Gabriel Fox. The abstract in N.J. Archives mentions real and personal estate, without details. I have no information on the eldest son Charles, born about 1751. Younger son George (v) will appear in a future post.

3. Absalom Fox, born about 1734, in Kingwood or Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ, married about 1758, Christian Bonham (1737-1821), daughter of Amariah Bonham (brother of Uriah Bonham) and his first wife (see Linda’s comment below). Shortly after marrying, it is believed they left Hunterdon for Loudon Co., Virginia, where their first four children were born (1759-1765). Then they resettled at Amwell, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, where the last four were born (1772-1781). Absalom died about 1793, age 59-60, in Lone Pine, Washington Co., PA and Christian Bonham Fox died in 1821, age 84, in Springsboro, Warren, Ohio. (This information comes from online family trees, and therefore, I cannot vouch for it. I have made some corrections based on Linda’s comments.)

Before leaving for Virginia, Absalom had to sell his father’s mills. Snell and Lequear wrote that the mills fell into disuse after George Fox died, and that Samuel Runk started a new mill further north up the stream.

3. Gabriel Fox, born about 1736, performed his duties as his father’s executor with his brother George in 1754. About 1756, Gabriel Fox married Ann Warford (c.1727 – aft 1761), daughter of John Warford and Elizabeth Stout of Kingwood. They had a daughter Ivea about 1757. In 1763, Gabriel Fox of Kingwood bought land from Richard Bennet, and then sold it to John Snyder, also of Kingwood [Deed 1-449]. A mortgage of 1775 shows that Gabriel Fox bordered land of Noah Hixson in Kingwood [Mtg 1-217]. Probably after the end of the Revolution, Gabriel and Ann Fox removed to Hampshire Co., Virginia, where Gabriel died in 1799, age 63. Ann survived her husband, but I have no information on when or where she died. Their daughter Ivea died in Hampshire Co., Virginia, about 1787 at the age of 30.

4. Ambrose Fox was born abt 1737. He was provided for in his father’s will of 1754, but I have no further information on him.

5. Mary Fox (c.1738- ?) is interesting enough to get her own post.

6. Amos Fox was born Sep. 7, 1739, Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ. He was provided for in his father’s will of 1754, sharing land with brother Ambrose. Perhaps Ambrose and Amos both sold their land and left Hunterdon County. One source says that Amos married Annie Combs about 1759 and had 9 children (Dinah, Morris, Isaac, Gabriel, Gideon, Lydia, Annie, Mary and Amos).

7. Some sources show a daughter (7th child) for George and Mary Fox, born about 1741, and married to William Alger. There was an Alger family in Piscataway in the late 17th century, associated with the Bonhams. Perhaps William Alger was connected with them. I have no further information.

The next post will discuss the fifth George Fox.

Correction: Hezekiah Bonham came from Barnstable, Mass., not New Hampshire, as originally stated. See comments.