18th Century Abbotts, Suttons, and Petersons of Salem County, NJ

Location: Salem, New Jersey
Surnames/tags: abbott sutton Peterson

Contents 1 Purpose 1.1 Revolutionary War 1.2 After the War 2 Individuals 3 Sources

Purpose

This is a page to collaborate and document the often confusing story of the Abbott, Sutton, and Peterson families who were in Long Island and Salem County, NJ before the Revolutionary War, and then many moved to Crawford County, PA after. Because of loyalist sympathies of many in these families, many changed names and changed locations after the war, making the tracking of them confusing. On this page we will gather supporting documentation, link to the people involved, and help build well documented connections between them as best we can.

Revolutionary War

Thomas Coates Sutton (1720-abt.1803), and his 5 sons:

• Thomas Sutton ( - bef 1816)
• John Sutton (abt.1742-aft.1803)
• Joseph Sutton
• James Edward (Peterson) Sutton (1746-1837)
• Moses Sutton
• along with a possible other son or relative Jacob Sutton ( - 26 Jun 1778)

were all Loyalist sympathizers during the Revolutionary War, with all of them except Joseph joining the British Loyalist Regiments in 1778, and serving in Capt. Daniel Bowen's company on Long Island. Joseph did not join the loyalist regiments,, but also refused to fight for the colonial cause in Capt Jacob Dubois' Pittsgrove regiment. The father was fined after pleading guilty. Joining them in the loyalist cause was their brother-in-law, husband of their sister Pennel, Richard Mead (abt.1751-1837). They were also joined by another brother-in-law, Abdon Abbott (abt.1720-abt.1790), brother of James's wife Elizabeth (Abbott) Peterson (1753-1841).

After the War

John Sutton (abt.1742-aft.1803) returned to Pittsgrove by 1786, and Moses Sutton returned in 1780 after being imprisoned for a year. It is unclear what happened to Thomas. Jacob was killed in action. James may have returned briefly in 1779, however hi personal property had been confiscated and forfeited to the colony in 1778/9.

Timeline

16 Oct 1745	Pittsgrove	Abdon Abbott (abt.1720-abt.1790) marries Elizabeth Blew (abt.1724-abt.1790) at the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
10 Jul 1748	Pittsgrove	John Abbott (1748-1834) is born
1773	Pittsgrove	Thomas Coates Sutton (1720-abt.1803) lives here from this point forward [1]
1816	Pittsgrove	Division of Real Estate of Thomas Coates Sutton (1720-abt.1803) [1]

• ^[2]

Individuals

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Hollingsworth, Henry Albert. "Sutton families of Southern New Jersey Counties" FamilySearch Book: 617087
2. ↑ Hollingsworth, Harry. "A Man Without a Country - James Peterson, Sr., Alias James Sutton of Crawford County, Pennsylvania" "The American Genealogist" volume 51, No. 3 (Jul 1975), pp. 158-161. Internet Archive Book