Register Report

for

Samuel Green

of Sussex County, New Jersey

A collaboration of primary and secondary source submissions
by the Whitesell Researchers

 

[ PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR FACTS, SOURCES and CORRECTIONS]

Introduction

(Needed)

 

Benson gives the following Samuel Green as a son of Richard Green with brothers Richard and George.

1. SAMUEL1 GREEN, SR. of Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey left a will signed 3 September 1760 which was proved in 22 November 1760 listing his children by a "first" family, in which he names five children including a Samuel. Benson, indicates that he married three times, the first being to a MARGARET KEMP, daughter of Edward Kemp of Bucks County, Pennsylvania and by that marriage he had one child who was known as John Samuel or Samuel Jr. Samuel Sr. married SARAH BULL, daughter of Thomas Bull of Gloucester County, whose children are mentioned in his will as those of "First" family. He next married [need source that says he was 67 when he married at Somerville, Somerset, NJ circa 1738] HANNAH WRIGHT, daughter of John and Orcha (Harmanus) Wright. She is believed to have been born in Ireland. Their children are mentioned in his will as of "Second" family. Hannah is named as his wife in his will and she married next John Goodwin who may be the "John Goodin" who was witness to Samuel's will. Benson indicates that she was deceased [or remarried - can someone verify?] by 1785 when her so Adam deeded land she had occupied to Ralph Hunt.

Samuel Sr. became a prominent surveyor in western New Jersey and in 1729 had the title, "Deputy Surveyor General, 1729 in the Province of New Jersey."

"By 1738 Samuel Gren, Sr. had moved to Johnsonburg, formerly called Log Goal, at one time the county seat of Sussex County. He is recorded as a voter in 1738 in Greenwich Township, while it was stell in Hunterdon County, but which would now be in Warren County, as is also Johnsonburg."

The will of Samuel Green Sr. lists a Home-farm of 50 acres on the East of Mill Creek, adjoining Jonathan Pettit; a mill and lot of 20 acres let to Charles Murray; 300 acres formerly the home farm; 300 acres including said mill, adjoining George Allen; 300 acres next to the last, adjoining Anthony Morrice (sic); 300 acres more, and land in and about the Great Meadows. witnesses were Solomon Willits, Jr., Jonathan Willits, John Goodin. [Lib 10 p 471]

Inventory of the personal estate was £226,13 including a large looking glass, a silver cup and 7 silver spoons. Taken by Thomas Robinson and Solomon Willits.

Some Green sources:

Kirkconnell, Watson, Climbing the Green Tree and Some Other Branches.
Ida Florence Wright Crozier, A Green Genealogy, 1986.
Kluge, Rev. Charles F., "Sketch of the Settlement of Hope, New Jersey, p. 51, Transactions of the Moravian Historical Society.
Benson, Helen Encke Orton, The Samuel Green Family of Northwest New Jersey.

Child, according to Benson, by Margaret Kemp;

  1. JOHN SAMUEL 2 GREEN [also known as "Samuel, Jr." and poss. the "Samuel" of "first" family indicated in will of father in 1760], b. 1695 (g.s.) and bp. by Moravians, 26 May 1749 , m. ca. 1740, ANNA ABIGAIL LIGHT.

Children, by Sarah Bull, mentioned as "First" family in Samuel, Sr.'s will, written 3 September 1760, given as "Sarah Severns, Samuel, Margaret Opdike, Richard and Ann Opdike.";

  1. MARGARET GREEN, b. ca 1711; d. Hunterdon, NJ, 10 Aug. 1777, age 64 yrs.; m. JOHN OPDYKE. He d. at Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ, 10 Aug. 1777, age 68 yrs. They had 9 children (Benson p. 12,13); Elizabeth Arnwine, (1738 - 1836) Sarah Buchannan, (b. 17410) George, (1743 - 1795) Catherine Larew, (b. 1745) Mary Gorden, (b. 1747) Samuel, (1749 - 1801) Margaret Besson, (1751 - 1820) John, (1753 - 1773) and Thomas, (1756 - 1805). See The Opdyck Genealogy, by Charles Wilson Opdyke, pub. 1889.
  2. SARAH GREEN, b. ca 1712; m. 28 May 1730, BENJAMIN SEVERENS. No record of children.
  3. RICHARD GREEN, b. ; d. 1794 intestate. He m. ELIZABETH, b. 1716, d. 20 July 1807. (See Phyllis B. D.'Autrechy, Some Records of Old Hunterdon Co. 1701-1838). They had four children; Mary Holcomb, (b. 26 June 1741, d. 18 Oct. 1829) wife of John ((Jon K. Holcombe) holcombe@gisco.net is researching this line), Sarah Gano (relict of William), Elizabeth Waterhouse, wife of Henry and Samuel. Richard's son Samuel Green of Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co. had will written 28 Jan. 1797.
  4. ANN GREEN, b. ca. 1717; m. at Amwell, 15 July 1738, JOSHUA OPDYKE. He d. at Hunterdon, NJ, 6 May 1789. They had 4 children; Richard, (1740 - 1825) Luther, (1750 - 1838) Sarah Allen, and Elizabeth Hill. See The Opdyck Genealogy, by Charles Wilson Opdyke, pub. 1889.

Children, by Hannah Wright, mentioned as "Last" family in Samuel, Sr.'s will, written 3 September 1760, probably all born at Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, all listed as under age;

  1. ADAM GREEN, b. ca. 1739; d. at Saltfleet Twp., Wentworth Co., Upper Canada, aft. 22 April 1815; m. ca. 1775, MARTHA SMITH, dau. of John and Sarah (Freeman) Smith. She d. at Upper Canada, 1794. He was a Loyalist. He had children; They had 11 children all born in Hardwick Twp., Sussex Co., except the last, William Green, born Upper Canada and who became well known there in the War of 1812 as "Billy the Scout." Adam's daughter, Sarah, (1779-1863) married Nicholas Weitzel (ca. 1780 - 1849) [I will be posting information on him in the near future] whose descendants later used the spelling "Whitesell" It is not known whether there is any connection with him and the Whitesells of Sussex County. There was a Nicholas Whitesell estate, listed at Beverly Twp., Wentworth Co., Upper Canada in the 1851 Census on land next to Andrew Whitesell, Jr., son of Andrew the Loyalist. Also desc. of this Nicholas took up land later in Kent Co., Ontario next to desc. of Andrew the Loyalist's son David and his wife's Green relatives. Adam's son, Capt. Freeman Green, who died in Howard Township, Kent County, Ontario in 1878 had two sons who married two Whitesell granddaughters of Andrew Whitesell the Loyalist. Andrew's son, David Whitesell (1792 - 1862) had daughter Mary A. Whitesell (1820-1856) who married William Green (b. 1820) and David's daughter Nancy Whitesell (1822 - 1891) married William Green's brother, Levi Green (1824 - 1869). So as we can see there appears to be a long record of Whitesell / Green relationships. The children of Adam and Martha were Green were; Anna Muir (1777 - 1850), Sarah Weitzel, (1779 - 1863),Rebecca Lacey, (1780 - 1861), Samuel, (1781 - 1866), Keziah Corman, (1782 - 1864), Levi, (1783 - 1846), Capt. Freeman, (1785 - 1878) John, (1787 - ?), Richard, (1789 - 1861), Mary Yeager, (1791 - 1863) and William, (1794 - 1877). It appears that all children, with the possible exception of John died at Ontario, Canada.
  2. JOHN GREEN, b. ca. 1740; d. Upper Canada, 1830; m. MARY DAVIS. He was a Loyalist. Son William, (1772-1847) See Ida Florence Wright Crozier, A Green Genealogy, 1986.
  3. WILLIAM GREEN, b. ca. 1742; He inherited 300 acres of land from his father. [Brian Green sangreen@starpower.net
  4.  - gives that; "William and Daniel went west to Fayette Co., PA and then to Armstrong Co. William was a Loyalist as brothers, Adam and John."]
  5. DANIEL GREEN, b. ca. 1744; He inherited 300 acres of land from his father. Went to Fayette Co. then Armstrong Co., PA, Sold out in 1804. May have had sons Thomas and Richard.
  6. GEORGE GREEN, b. ca. 1746; d. in jail in 1777. He was a Loyalist; m. 12 Aug. 1777, ANNA MOORE. His will names sons' Caleb, Charles, James and Richard and brother-in-law, Samuel Moore.
  7. REBECCA GREEN, b. 7 May 1747; d. Grimsby, Lincoln Co., Upper Canada, 17 May 1820; m. Sussex Co., NJ, 17 April 1765, FRANCIS GLOVER. He was b. at England, 1729; d. Hardwick, NJ, 1 June 1796.
  8. MARY GREEN, b. Jan. 1749; d. Hope, Warren Co., NJ, 20 Jan. 1836; m. LEVI HOWELL, son of Samson and Jane (Vanderbilt) Howell. They had children, Jane Albertson, (1768 - 1843), John, (1770 - 1843), m. Lydia Whitesell; Samson, (1772 - 1851), Levi, (1776 - 1850), Levinah Smythe, (1778 - 1824), Jonah, (1781 - 1855), William Green, (1783 - 1835), George Green, (1787 - 1858), Rebecca Read, (1791 - 1864), Mary Harris, (1785 - 1859), Samuel Green, (1797 - 1868).

Generation Two

2. JOHN SAMUEL2 GREEN / SAMUEL GREEN, JR. (Samuel, Sr.1) was born in 1695 and died 15 April 1775 at Knowlton Township, Sussex County, (now part that is Warren County) New Jersey.[1] He is buried next to Andrew and Margaretha (Green) Whitesell at the Swayze Cemetery south of Hope, New Jersey. He married about 1740, ANNA ABIGAIL LICHT / LIGHT, daughter of Marmaduke Light.[2] She was born at Springfield, New Jersey, September 1720 and died at Sussex County, New Jersey, 25 July 1791. She was baptized into the Moravian faith, 26 May 1749, by Brother Johann Friederick Cammerhof. She is buried at the Old Moravian Cemetery at Hope, New Jersey.[3] Helen Encke Orton Benson in her work, The Samuel Green Family of Northwest New Jersey indicates that John Samuel Green (also given as Samuel Green Jr.) was the son of Samuel Green by his first of three wives, Margaret Kemp, daughter of Edward Kemp of Bucks County, Pennsyvania.

[Samuel Green was baptized and given the name Johan Samuel Green by the Moravian Church], 26 May 1749 by Brother Nathaniel Deidel at Bethlemem, Pa., but for many years he had lost touch with the Moravian Brotherhood, had fallen into a strange way of life, and had been living like a hermit. During his last illness, however, he was visited many times by Brother Ettwein and died in peace, having returned to his belief in the Moravian Church. He was "buried on the Holy Easter Day Apr. 16, 1775," Brother Ettwein conducting the service, which was attended by about 300 people. In accordance with the wishes of himself and his family, burial was in the Swayze Cemetery (about a mile south of Hope). This is the second entry in the Church Book but has no number, presumably because burial was not in the Moravian Cemetery.[4]

...it was Greenland not because of any connection with that great northern island where the "icy mountains" are but because a certain Samuel Green, Jr. had during the early 1700's, come into possession of a large tract of land in the general area of our mountain and lived, with his wife Anna Abigail, whom he married in 1740, in a log house which stood near what would now be the center of the village of Hope. Because of his connection with the area (as well as that of his father, who had been a justice of he peace, and well know in the area) the community came to be know as Green's Ridge.[5]

On 6 February 1775, Andrew Whitsal, Joshua Robins, and Richard Shackleton witnessed the signing of the will of Samuel Green of Knowlton Twp., Sussex Co. (now Warren County), New Jersey. Samuel, a yeoman, names wife, Abigail Green who is to receive "all personal, while my widow." Eldest son, Daniel Nicholas Green receives 1/2 of land. Son, Samuel Thomas Green, the other half. Daughter, Ann receives 200 acres in Oxford Township. Executors are wife Abigail and son Samuel Thomas Green. Will was proved May 22, 1775. On 11 May 1775 Andrew Whitsal and Richard Shackleton made inventory of estate in amount of £726.6.1.[6]

[Include will of Samuel Green, Jr.]

Children, "eight of whom five died in childhood," and three named in the will of Samuel Green, written, 6 February 1775:

  1. DANIEL NICHOLAS2 GREEN, b. bef. 1747 when younger brother born; d. aft. 1775 when named in father's will; Received half of father's land in 1775.
  2. SAMUEL THOMAS GREEN, b. 25 Dec. 1747; m. MARY WHITESELL, dau. of Andrew and Margaretha (Green) Whitesell. Samuel Thomas received half of father's land in 1775.
  3. ANN GREEN, b. 1749; d. 1749; In the Guide to the Old Moravian Cem., Bethleham PA, By Schultze, No. 26, Anna Green, 1749, dau. of John S. Green, four mon. old had been bpt. at Beth. with parents May 26, 1749. This must be a dau. with same name born earlier as was often custom to use same name if infant died. In Gen. Mag. of NJ, Vol. 39, p. 100 (Anna is given as (living in Salem, NC is a helper w/single sister choir).
  4. ANNA ABIGAIL GREEN, b. 1753; bp. 7 July 1754; d. at Bethlehem, PA, 13 May 1819. Received 200 acres of land in Oxford Twp. in 1775. She was a co-laboress of the "Single Sisters of the Moravian Settlement" near Wnston-Salem, NC.

Gravestone for John Samuel Green

at the Swayze Cemetery south of Hope, New Jersey

Photograph taken 1990

 

John Saml / Green / Born the / 1695 / Depart At / 1775.

Footnotes

1. Benson, p. 70, gives copies of two deeds (Q-193 1/2, dated 10 Nov. 1770 and Deeds, Sussex Co., New Jersey, Q0185, dated 30 August 1771 proving Samuel Green of Knowlton ans eldest son and heir at law of Samuel Green, late of Morris County. First recorded in Burlington [Lib. P. 522} and [Lib, AB of Deeds, PP 136-139] Clerks Office, Newton, Sussex County, New Jwersey.

2.

3. Alleman, Helen P., The Moravian Cemetery at Hope, The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol. 39, No. 3, September 1964, p. 97. References the Archives of the Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., and specifically the book entitled "Das Kirchen-Buch der Evangelischen Brüder-Gemeine zu Hope in Sussex County der Provinz West New Jersey." I n section headed Heimgegangen und Begraben is a list of the the one unnumbered adn sixty-two numbered listings of deaths and burials which took place while the Moravian Church at Hope was active, 1768-1808. "The single unnumbered entry was that of Johann Samuel Green who, at his own request, was buried in the Swayze Cemetery;" The book records are all in German, most of them in German Script. Entry for Anna Abigail Green "Late Licht, b. Sept. 1720, Sringfield, N.J., d. July 25, 1791. [dau. of Marmaduke Light, mar. about 1740 to Samuel Green who died Apr. 15, 1775. She was bapt. May 26, 1749, by the late Brother Johann Friederick Camerhof with the same Anna Abigail, since she previously had the name of Abigail only. No. 31. Children, eight, of whom five died in childhood. Thomas mar. Mary Whitezell and had 7 children. Nicolaus. Anna, living in Salem No. Carolina, has become a helper in the single sister choir (Mitchor dienerin).] [This source mentions that there was a Moravian Congregation at Mirfield, Yorkshire, England.]

4. Alleman, Helen P., The Moravian Cemetery at Hope, The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol. 39, No. 3, September 1964, p. 100.

5. Schattschneider, Rt. Rev. Allen W., Hope, "New Jersey and the Moravian Camp"; a paper read at a Lovefeast, sponsored by the Moravian Historical Soc. in the Nazareth Moravian Church, Nov. 25, 1984 (Portions of address have appeared in the April and Aug. 1984 issues of The Moravian Historian. Apparently Samuel offered his property to the church in Bethlehem in 1768 and a seelement was worked out for the Church to purchase for $1,000 and Samuel and wife could keep residence.

6. Calendar of Wills.

Green Researchers

Brian Green - My specific interest are the two sons of Samuel Green surveyor, William and Daniel, who went to Fayette and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania from New Jersey in the 1784 time frame after the Revolution and the loss of their New Jersey holdings. I have established their relationship to Samuel and to brothers Adam and John who went onto Canada. In the period 1790 to 1810 there was communication and visiting between the Pennsylvania brothers and the Ontario brothers. I've posted a family file to the Armstrong County GenWeb site at - http://www.pa-roots.com/~armstrong/ffolder/green.html

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