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The Missing Records

August 9, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Gloucester County, West New Jersey Tags: Daniel Coxe, land titles, proprietors

This is what I wrote in a previous post (dated July 14, 2010).

It is not clear whether any records were actually turned over, or if they were, what happened to them. While the directive of the Dominion of New England was in effect, New Jerseyans may have tried to avoid compliance. What I do not know is whether John Skene was ordered to deliver the papers to Boston himself or just hold onto them.

At the time of writing, I had not yet visited the State Archives and taken a close look at the Minutes of the Council of West Jersey Proprietors. Those minutes did shed some light on this problem of record-keeping, but first I want to say a few words about my visit to the Archives.

Quaker Justice, 1688

August 3, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Burlington County, Lambert, West New Jersey Tags: crime and punishment, early settlers, proprietors

The Burlington Court Book is full of fascinating cases that shed light on what life was like in early West New Jersey. One of those cases (pp. 75-80) jumped out at me, because it involves the daughter of one of the first proprietors to purchase tracts in Hunterdon County.

Coxe’s Landholdings, 1688

July 31, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Reading, West New Jersey Tags: Daniel Coxe, Indians, land titles, proprietors

At the end of the last post, I said I would leave the subject of Coxe’s West Jersey landholdings to discuss his other plans for the colony. Spoke too soon. Here is some more on the subject:

1688, Daniel Coxe’s Schemes

July 31, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Burlington County, West New Jersey Tags: Daniel Coxe, early settlers

Coxe and His Whale Fisheries

One of the subjects Daniel Coxe was particularly interested in was the whaling industry. This interest may have been sparked twenty-two years before he became governor.

West NJ 1688 & Daniel Coxe

July 24, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Hunterdon County, West New Jersey Tags: Daniel Coxe, Indians, land titles, proprietors, surveying

When Daniel Coxe began investing in land in the English colonies, he hired explorers and corresponded with them eagerly. He also corresponded with colonial governors and with the principle Indian traders. This activity became more focused in the years after he sold his proprietorship of West New Jersey. It would be fascinating to read these letters; I assume they are tucked away somewhere in England.

West New Jersey, 1688

July 14, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Bull, Burlington County, Gloucester County, Howell, West New Jersey Tags: Daniel Coxe, early legislation, early settlers, England, proprietors

The Courts Carry On

After a long digression to write about the life of Dr. Daniel Coxe before he became governor of West New Jersey in 1687, I am returning to my chronology to study the events of 1688 et seq., beginning with the Burlington Court session of February 1688, in which the list of those present began with “Daniell Coxe Esq. Governour.”

Basic Resources for Hunterdon County

June 17, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Bibliographies

Sources Pertaining to Hunterdon County

What follows is a list of the more commonly used sources for Hunterdon history and genealogy. This is in addition to archival material to be found in the Hunterdon County Clerk’s Office and the Hunterdon Surrogate’s Court.

Many of these books and pamphlets are out of print and can only be found in libraries. You might find some of them on Google Books, but so far very few have gone online. Some of the Hunterdon sources can be purchased from the Hunterdon County Historical Society. The Hunterdon County Library has a very good list of sources. Use the link to the Library.

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Old-Time Sawmills Were a Joy to Watch

June 5, 2010 By Marfy Goodspeed in Croton, E. T. Bush, Hockenbury Tags: farming, mills

Mention of Newly-cut Whiteoak Lumber Gives One an Appetite

Some Local Sawmill History

by Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J.

Hunterdon County Democrat, October 17, 1929

If the boy has ever lovingly watched the operation of one of the original sawmills, the old man’s memory will often go fondly back to those boyhood days. Whether they were or were not “the good old days” of which we hear so much, makes no difference at all. They were the days in which sawmills along country roads were almost as common as filling stations are today. And how much more interesting they were, and how much sweeter smelling!

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