Full – 3 Column – Page 51 – GOODSPEED HISTORIES

Schafer, Shaffer or Shepherd

February 1, 2012 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Hunterdon Tags: early settlers

This is a reply to Kevin Shepherd who wrote this comment on my “Basic Resources” page:

Keith Shepherd <kshepherd@yahoo.com> 1/3/2012: Do you happen to have any information on the German or Dutch Shafer/Shepherd families of Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, NJ starting from about the mid 1750’s? I’ve been to the Hunterdon County Historical Society several times and found a few files on them but there are a lot of missing pieces. I’m trying to track down the first Shafer/Shepherd to arrive in 1754. The tradition is that he died on shipboard on his way over from Germany but his wife Margaret and their 4 children named John, Henry, Peter & possibly Richard (he may have been in his Mother’s womb) carried on to Amwell. She later married Andrew Bearder, who was on the ship with them when he traveled to America.

Continue reading »

Raven Rock Was Once Bool’s Island

January 30, 2012 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Bull, E. T. Bush, Heath, Johnson, Raven Rock-Saxtonville, Reading Tags: Bull's Island, D&R Canal, Nathaniel Saxton, post offices, stores, taverns

“Village Might Appropriately Have been Called Riven Rock
Quarry Once Busy Place”

By Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J.
published in the Hunterdon Co. Democrat, February 12, 1931

Note: This article was written by Egbert T. Bush, not by me. I have only added some footnotes for clarification and the photograph of Raven Rock Station, which was not part of the original article.

Saxton in Raven Rock

January 10, 2012 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Delaware Township, Hunterdon, Raven Rock-Saxtonville Tags: Bull's Island, mills, Nathaniel Saxton

Saxton’s First Appearance in Raven Rock

In 1802, Nathaniel Saxton witnessed the will and codicil of Guilbert Van Camp, who lived just east of Raven Rock. In 1807, he witnessed a deed from the estate of William Reading deceased, whose property was in the same vicinity.¹ These two events, and probably others I have not found yet, may have served to acquaint him with the neighborhood of Raven Rock.

Nathaniel Saxton, Esq.

January 8, 2012 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Hunterdon Tags: Bull's Island, land titles, mills, Nathaniel Saxton, surveying

Nathaniel Saxton Esq. is one of the more intriguing characters to appear in Hunterdon County history. I have been looking forward to writing about him for a long time.

Moses Quinby Departs

December 29, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Delaware Township, Quinby, Raven Rock-Saxtonville Tags: mills, Nathaniel Saxton, portraits, taverns

Before I write about the new owners of the Raven Rock mills (Nathaniel Saxton and George Holcombe), I must give due notice to Moses Quinby and the remainder of his stay in Amwell (Delaware) Township.

Absence and Return

December 29, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Uncategorized Tags: thoughts

Much to my dismay, I have written very little on this blog during 2011. There were reasons, of course, but I very much regret losing the thread of so many interesting subjects. I hope I can pick up those threads in the next few months, and follow where they lead.

Cooper & Curry, Aftermath

November 8, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Barber, Delaware Township, Quinby, Raven Rock-Saxtonville Tags: Bull's Island, early settlers, land titles, mills

What Became of Mahlon Cooper?

It is too bad that Cooper and Curry could not hang on long enough to enjoy the short-lived prosperity caused by the War of 1812. But perhaps that surge in economic activity helped them to recover from their losses in Hunterdon County. I do not know how their creditors recovered, since the sales of the mill property brought in so little ($7 and $50). I gather that Cooper and Curry were not expected to make up the difference, having lost everything in the lawsuit.

Cooper and Curry

November 6, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Delaware Township, Holcombe, Quinby, Raven Rock-Saxtonville Tags: Bull's Island, early settlers, land titles, mills, Nathaniel Saxton

It has been a long time since I published my last installment in the saga of Raven Rock. The last post described Moses Quinby’s purchase of the 75 acres adjoining Bull’s Island. This one will discuss the millers Mahlon Cooper and Robert Curry, whose 10-acre mill lot was adjacent to the 75 acres and to Bull’s Island.

Quinby Conveyances

September 7, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Delaware Township, Quinby, Raven Rock-Saxtonville Tags: Bull's Island, mills

As the end of the 18th century approached, ownership of Raven Rock and Bull’s Island was changed from a single large landowner to multiple owners with different ways of exploiting the resources of the neighborhood.

«‹ 50 51 52 53 ›»