Thomas and Samuel McPherson seem to have arrived in Hunterdon County at about the same time, in the mid 18th century. It is quite likely they were related, but I found no proof, and am therefore playing it safe and publishing their trees separately here. Thomas’ family comes after Samuel’s.

As usual, I have some doubts about these trees and will happily welcome additions and corrections. Unfortunately, comments are no longer possible on this website. To contribute to the article, you must email me at marfyg@goodspeedhistories.com. New information & corrections will get added, with notations in a future newsletter.

Heirs of Samuel McPherson

First Generation:

(1) Samuel McPherson Sr. (1709 – 1772) & Rebecca Drake (1716 – after 1785)
As far as I can tell, Thomas (below) and Samuel were not related, but I may be wrong. It is possible that Thomas was Samuel’s first child. What is most likely, both men were Irish immigrants.

Second Generation:

(1) Samuel McPherson Sr. & Rebecca Drake
|    (2.1) Anna Miriam McPherson (1736 – )
|    (2.2) John McPherson (1738 – 1785) & Unknown
|    (2.3) Samuel McPherson (1740 – ~1801) & Mary (c.1745 – after 1801)
|    (2.4) Rebecca McPherson (1743 – 1828) & Henry Compton (c.1735 – c.1806)
|    (2.5) Rachel McPherson (1746 – )
|    (2.6) David McPherson (~1747 – 1830) & Rebecca Elizabeth (c.1742 – 1801)
(I don’t have record of their children.)
|    (2.7) Nathaniel McPherson (1748 – 1789) & Ann Butterfoss (1748 – 1792)
|    (2.8) Temperance McPherson (1750 – )
|    (2.9) William McPherson (1753 – )
|    (2.10) Zachariah McPherson (1756 – )

Third Generation:

(1) Samuel McPherson Sr. & Rebecca Drake
|    (2.2) John McPherson & Unknown
|    |    (3.1) William McPherson (c.1760 – )
|    |    (3.2) Samuel McPherson (c.1762 – )
|    |    (3.3) Reuben McPherson (c.1763 – )
|    |    (3.4) Mary McPherson (c.1765 – )
|    |    (3.5) John McPherson (c.1770 – )
|    |    (3.6) Nathaniel McPherson (1782 – 1847)

|    (2.3) Samuel McPherson & Mary
|    |    (3.1) John McPherson (c.1770 – )
|    |    (3.2) Samuel McPherson (1772 – 1850) & Esther Eliz. Polhemus (1773 -1816)
|    |    (3.3) Rachel McPherson (~1775 – )
|    |    (3.4) Mary McPherson (~1775 – )

|    (2.4) Rebecca McPherson & Henry Compton
|    |    (3.1) Rebecca Compton (1768 – bef. 1840) & Samuel Hope (1766 – after 1840)
|    |    (3.2) Henry Compton Jr. (c.1762 – 1833) & Mary Lare (1773 – 1850)
|    |    (3.3) Eleanor Compton (c.1773 – c.1805) & Isaac Deremer (1765 – 1857)

|    (2.7) Nathaniel McPherson & Ann Butterfoss
|    |    (3.1) Rebecca McPherson (c.1785 – ) & Ezra Schamp (1770 – 1835)
|    |    (3.2) Elizabeth McPherson (c.1786 – 1871) & James Dalrymple (1785 – 1865)
|    |    (3.3) Samuel McPherson (c.1788 – )

Fourth Generation:

(1) Samuel McPherson Sr. & Rebecca Drake
|    (2.3) Samuel McPherson & Mary
|    |    (3.2) Capt. Samuel McPherson & Esther E. Polhemus
|    |    |    (4.1) Asa McPherson (1798 – 1880) & Elizabeth D. Porter (1802 – 1864)
|    |    |    (4.2) Samuel McPherson Jr. (1802 – 1890) & Sarah Ann Ryan (1804 – )
|    |    |    (4.3) Elizabeth McPherson (1804 – 1888) & Isaac Voorhees (1799 – 1865)

|    (2.7) Nathaniel McPherson & Ann Butterfoss
|    |    (3.1) Rebecca McPherson & Ezra Schamp
|    |    |    (4.1) Caroline Schamp (c.1805 – ) & Shf John Cavanagh (c.1780 – c.1829)
|    |    |    (4.2) Ann Nancy Schamp (c.1812 – ) & Joseph Scarborough (c.1803 – 1876)
|    |    |    (4.3) John M. Schamp (c.1814 – ) & Mary Ann Jones
|    |    |    (4.4) Alice Schamp (c.1815 – ) & William Crothers
|    |    |    (4.5) Rebecca Schamp (c.1817 – ) & Charles Lambert (c.1815 – )
|    |    |    (4.6) Sarah Schamp & George Arnold
|    |    |    (4.7) Catharine Schamp (1825 – after 1900) & Lewis Snyder (1824 – 1894)

|    |    (3.2) Elizabeth McPherson & James Dalrymple
|    |    |    (4.1) John Dalrymple (c.1809 – )
|    |    |    (4.2) Ann Dalrymple (c.1809 – 1896) & Thomas Hoff (c.1802 – 1860)
|    |    |    (4.3) Samuel B. Dalrymple (c.1810 – after 1856) & Sarah (c.1810 – )
|    |    |    (4.4) Joseph W. Dalrymple (1811 – 1908)
|    |    |    |    |   m.1) Amy Fox (1817 – 1847)
|    |    |    |    |   m. 2) Mary Margaret Rittenhouse (1827 – 1908)
|    |    |    (4.5) Nelson Dalrymple (1812 – 1839)
|    |    |    (4.6) Mary Dalrymple (c.1815 – after 1880) & Franklin Gordon (1805 – 1879)
|    |    |    (4.7) Ezra Dalrymple (c.1816 – 1841) & Amy T. Rounsavell (1818 – aft 1870)
|    |    |    (4.8) Thomas Dalrymple (c.1820 – ) & Mary Cregar (c.1825 – )
|    |    |    (4.9) Esther Dalrymple (c.1821 – c.1876)
|    |    |    |    |   m.1) John B. Britton (c.1821 – 1855)
|    |    |    |    |   m.2) James C. Martin (c.1820 – )
|    |    |    (4.10) Rebecca Dalrymple (1824 – 1895) & Francis Brewer (1825 – 1902)

Fifth Generation:

(1) Samuel McPherson Sr. & Rebecca Drake
|    (2.3) Samuel McPherson & Mary
|    |    (3.2) Capt. Samuel McPherson & Esther E. Polhemus
|    |    |    (4.1) Asa McPherson & Elizabeth D. Porter
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Samuel McPherson (1819 – 1910) & Cornelia P. Hunt (1829 – 1907)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Mary McPherson (~1826 – ) & George M. Housel (1832 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.3) Amos H. McPherson (1833 – 1918)
|    |    |    |    |    |   m. 1) Catherine A. Rockafellow (1835 – 1862)
|    |    |    |    |    |   m. 2) Sarah McCrea (1841 – 1874)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Ann McPherson (~1833 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.5) Theodore McPherson (~1836 – )

|    |    |    (4.2) Samuel McPherson Jr. & Sarah Ann Ryan
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Enos L. McPherson (1846 – 1904) & Joanna Suydam (1855 – )

|    |    |    (4.3) Elizabeth McPherson & Isaac Voorhees
|    |    |    |    (5.1) William Henry Voorhees (1841 – 1885)

Heirs of Thomas McPherson

Almost immediately after first publishing this branch of the McPherson Tree, I found a major error, and have repaired it, hoping that no one caught my mistake.

First Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson (c.1730 – 1784) & Ann Molleson (c.1730 – )
A likely Irish immigrant who arrived in Monmouth County before removing to Kingwood Twp., Hunterdon with wife Ann Molleson sometime before 1778. (No information on Ann’s family.) Thomas died intestate, and his estate was administered by sons Reuben and David. There is a Thomas McPherson buried in the Nixon-Craven burying ground in Franklin Township, but no dates are legible on the stone.

Second Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson & Ann Molleson
|    (2.1) Rebecca McPherson (c.1750 – ) & Thomas King (c.1750 – 1828)
|    (2.2) Reuben McPherson (1754 – 1793) & Elizabeth Barrows Leigh (1753 – 1825)
|    (2.3) David McPherson (c.1758 – ) & Sally Allen (c.1775 – )
Note that David removed to Hopewell Township; I do not have information on his family. I also have not pursued the family of Thomas & Rebecca King.

Third Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson & Ann Molleson
|    (2.2) Capt. Reuben McPherson & Elizabeth Barrows Leigh
|    |    (3.1) Thomas McPherson (1776 – 1832) & Mary Chamberlin (c.1782 – 1868)
|    |    (3.2) Gershom McPherson (1778 – bef. 1785)
|    |    (3.3) Sarah McPherson (1781 – 1831) & George Case (1774 – 1840)
Note: In my original version of the Thomas McPherson Tree, I got the marriage of George Case wrong; following the death of Sarah McPherson, Case married Sarah Barton (1797-1845), widow of Reuben McPherson (#2.2-3.8, below)
|    |    (3.4) Anna McPherson (1782 – 1856) & Daniel Pierson Esq. (1785 – 1855)
|    |    (3.5) Rebecca McPherson (1783 – )
|    |    (3.6) Gershom David McPherson (1785 – c.1827) & Ellen
|    |    (3.7) Mary McPherson (1790 – ) & George Teeple (c.1790 – )
|    |    (3.8) Reuben McPherson (1793 – 1831) & Sarah Barton (1797 – 1845)

Fourth Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson & Ann Molleson
|    (2.2) Capt. Reuben McPherson & Elizabeth Barrows Leigh
|    |    (3.1) Thomas McPherson & Mary Chamberlin
|    |    |    (4.1) Thomas McPherson (1813 – 1890) & Rachel Brewer (1816 – c.1864)
|    |    |    (4.2) Elizabeth McPherson (c.1818 – )
|    |    |    (4.3) Mary Ann McPherson (c.1821 – 1900) & William Cronce (c.1821 – )
|    |    |    (4.4) Samuel C. McPherson (1828 – 1904) & Mary Ann Rea (1831 – 1917)
|    |    (3.3) Sarah McPherson & George Case
|    |    |    (4.1) Rebecca Case (c.1800 – )
|    |    |    (4.2) Francis Case (1803 – 1804)
|    |    |    (4.3) Elizabeth Ann Case (1808 – 1826)
|    |    |    (4.4) Margaret Case (1810 – 1879)
|    |    |    (4.5) Mary L. Case (1813 – 1891) & John Howard Johnson (1811 – 1891)
|    |    |    (4.6) John Quincy Case (1821 – 1898) & Sarah Elizabeth Johnson (1818 – 1906)
|    |    |    (4.7) Joseph G. Case (1826 – 1855) & Elizabeth Ann (c.1828 – 1848)
|    |    |    (4.8) Margaret Case (1831 – 1889) & Holcombe Warford (c.1812 – 1886)
|    |    (3.4) Anna McPherson & Daniel Pierson Esq.
|    |    |    (4.1) Mary Pierson (1808 – 1887) & John Pegg (1805 – 1862)
|    |    |    (4.2) Susan Elizabeth Pierson (1811 – 1890)
|    |    |    |    |    m. 1) John D. Rodenbaugh (c.1805 – 1833)
|    |    |    |    |    m. 2) David Case (1815 – 1894)
|    |    |    (4.3) John Pierson (1817 – 1888) & Elizabeth Gulick Emmons (1821 – after 1880)
|    |    |    (4.4) Jacob S. Pierson (1819 – 1885) & Ellen R. Emmons (1824 – ~1900)
|    |    |    (4.5) Reuben Pierson (1823 – 1903) & Mary Kuhl (1822 – 1903)
|    |    |    (4.6) Daniel Hebron Pierson (1826 – 1881) & Hannah C. Buchanan (1832 – 1891)
|    |    |    (4.7) Joseph B. Pierson (1830 – ) & Mary Case (c.1835 – )
|    |    (3.8) Reuben McPherson & Sarah Barton
|    |    |    (4.1) Mary McPherson (1816 – 1885) & Jacob Dilts Snyder (1803 – 1868)
|    |    |    (4.2) Charity McPherson (1818 – 1898) & John F. Marshall (1807 – 1874)
|    |    |    (4.3) John Barton McPherson (1821 – 1884) & Sarah Ann Bush (1820 – 1913)
|    |    |    (4.4) Elizabeth McPherson (1823 – 1882) & Sidney L. Bush (c.1815 – bef. 1895)
|    |    |    (4.5) Nancy McPherson (1825 – 1827)
|    |    |    (4.6) Reuben McPherson Jr. (1831 – 1902) & Abigail Tomson, left Hunterdon

Sarah Barton (1797-1845) had me confused. I hope I have things straightened out. Following the death of Reuben McPherson in 1831, his widow, Sarah Barton, married George Case in 1838. She is not to be confused with Reuben’s sister Sarah McPherson (1781-1831) who was the first wife of George Case, and who died the same year that Reuben McPherson did. Note that Sarah Ann Bush and Sidney L. Bush were siblings.

Fifth Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson & Ann Molleson
|    (2.2) Capt. Reuben McPherson & Elizabeth Barrows Leigh
|    |    (3.1) Thomas McPherson & Mary Chamberlin
|    |    |    (4.1) Thomas McPherson & Rachel Brewer
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Richard B. McPherson (1840 – 1913)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Gershom McPherson (1842 – 1906) & Margaret Buchanan (1842 – 1917)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) Truman O. McPherson (1845 – 1865)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Mary Ann McPherson (~1846 – 1875)
|    |    |    |    (5.5) David McPherson (1850 – 1916) & Mary J. (1852 – 1920)
|    |    |    |    (5.6) Jenette McPherson (1854 – 1890) & David Dilly (1854 – 1930)
|    |    |    |    (5.7) Catherine Louise McPherson (1857 – 1877)
|    |    |    (4.3) Mary Ann McPherson & William Cronce
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Asa Cronce (c.1849 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.2) George W. Cronce (1853 – after 1910)
|    |    |    (4.4) Samuel C. McPherson & Mary Ann Rea
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Jeremiah McPherson (1859 – 1935) & Adelaide Mae Sutton (c.1860-1939)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Elmira McPherson (1859 – 1925) & Lewis Alpaugh (1861 – 1932)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) Bergen Still McPherson (1865 – 1943) & Harriet I. Kilburn (1861 – 1951)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Lucretia McPherson (1871 – 1966) & Frank Willis Alpaugh (1868 – 1938)
|    |    (3.8) Reuben McPherson & Sarah Barton
|    |    |    (4.1) Mary McPherson & Jacob Dilts Snyder
|    |    |    |    (5.1) John Snyder (1833 – 1904)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Christa Charity Snyder (1837 – 1872)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) William K. Snyder (1838 – 1914) & Mary Marshall (1840 – 1920)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Reuben D. Snyder (1841 – 1881) & Sarah Marie Abbott (1845 – 1926)
|    |    |    |    (5.5) Samuel B. Snyder (1843 – 1916) & Mary Trimmer (1843 – 1911)
|    |    |    |    (5.6) Henry S. Snyder (1845 – 1868)
|    |    |    |    (5.7) Sarah E. Snyder (1847 – 1879)
|    |    |    |    (5.8) Furman M. Snyder (~1841 – 1865)
|    |    |    |    (5.9) Joseph C. Snyder (1851 – 1920) & Lavinia C. (1861 – 1950)
|    |    |    |    (5.10) Jacob Snyder (1855 – 1933) & Charlotte H. Rowe (1855 – 1931)
|    |    |    |    (5.11) John Snyder (c.1862 – )
|    |    |    (4.2) Charity McPherson & John F. Marshall
|    |    |    |    (5.1) William F. Marshall (1837 – 1904) & Annie D. Robinson (1845 – 1916)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Reuben Marshall (c.1838 – 1918) & Sarah Jane Trimmer (1847 – 1927)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) John Marshall (1839 – 1848)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Lemuel Marshall (1843 – 1904) & Mary Ellen
|    |    |    |    (5.5) Stewart B. Marshall (1847 – 1863)
|    |    |    |    (5.6) Albert C. Marshall (1849 – 1920) & Louisa Johnson (~1850 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.7) Joseph P. Marshall (1852 – 1928) & Ella A. Van Fleet (1853 – 1938)
|    |    |    |    (5.8) Lewis A. Marshall (1855 – 1920) & Margaret Hendershot
|    |    |    |    (5.9) Anson Marshall (1858 – 1937) & Mary Etta Conover (1870 – 1951)
|    |    |    (4.3) John Barton McPherson & Sarah Ann Bush
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Sarah McPherson (1842 – 1863)
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Caroline McPherson (1847 – 1928) & (5) John Snyder (1833 – 1904)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) Jacob B. McPherson (1849 – bef. 1910) & Mary Catherine Hewitt (1860 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Reuben McPherson (c.1852 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.5) William McPherson (1854 – 1924) & Catherine Buchanan (1866 – 1953)
|    |    |    |    (5.6) Sarah Jennie Case (1855 – 1916) & Andrew J. Pierson (1855 – 1934)
|    |    |    |    (5.7) Charity McPherson (c.1858 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.8) Elizabeth McPherson (c.1859 – ) & David Thorn
Note that this family got added a couple days after initial publication.
|    |    |    (4.4) Elizabeth McPherson & Sidney L. Bush
|    |    |    |    (5.1) Sarah Bush (1846 – ) & William Potts (c.1845 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Egbert Trimmer Bush (1848 – 1937) & Sarah Eleanor Willson (1848 – 1922)
|    |    |    |    (5.3) Editha Bush (1850 – 1923) & John Hoppock Buchanan (1830 – 1907)
|    |    |    |    (5.4) Mary Bush (c.1857 – ) & William B. Painter (c.1855 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.5) Sidney McPherson Bush (1860 – 1950)
|    |    |    |    |    |   m. 1) Elizabeth Dilts (1857 – 1894)
|    |    |    |    |    |   m. 2) unknown (c.1860 – 1900)
|    |    |    |    (5.6) John Wesley Bush (1865 – ) & Annie Buchanan (c.1869 – )

Sixth Generation:

(1) Thomas McPherson & Ann Molleson
|    (2.2) Capt. Reuben McPherson & Elizabeth Barrows Leigh
|    |    (3.1) Thomas McPherson & Mary Chamberlin
|    |    |    (4.1) Thomas McPherson & Rachel Brewer
|    |    |    |    (5.2) Gershom McPherson & Margaret Buchanan
|    |    |    |    |    (6.1) John Buchanan McPherson (1867 – ) & Martha L. Schutts (1882 – 1935)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.2) Susan B. McPherson (1868 – 1875)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.3) George O. McPherson (1870 – 1951) & Sarah Hockenbury (1876 – 1938)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.4) Nora McPherson (1872 – 1886)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.5) Arthur K. McPherson (1874 – 1938)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.6) Sheridan Lanning McPherson (1878 – 1965) & Harriet Hoffman McCloughan (1878 – 1964)
|    |    |    (4.3) John Barton McPherson & Sarah Ann Bush
|    |    |    |    (5.5) William McPherson (1854 – 1924) & Catherine Buchanan (1866 – 1953)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.1) Sarah L. McPherson (1886 – )
|    |    |    |    |    (6.2) John B. McPherson (1887 – 1967) & Rebecca J. Pegg (1889 – 1985)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.3) Emma McPherson (1889 – )
|    |    |    |    |    (6.4) Elizabeth McPherson (1891 – )
|    |    |    |    |    (6.5) Reuben Jacob McPherson (1895 – 1985)
|    |    |    |    |    |    |   m. 1) Elizabeth Rea (1893 – 1932)
|    |    |    |    |    |    |   m. 2) Anna Louisa Leeds (1909 – 1999)
|    |    |    |    |    (6.6) Fannie J. McPherson (1897 – )
|    |    |    |    (5.6) Sarah Jennie Case & Andrew J. Pierson
|    |    |    |    |    (6.1) Mary Emma Pierson (1876 – 1962) & John Garrison Lawshe (1876 – 1947)