Myndert LeFevre (abt. 1744 - abt. 1798)

Born about 1744 in Rahway, Essex, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Vail) LeFevre — married about 1773 in New Jersey

Husband of Azubah (Pitney) Briant — married about 1790 in New Jersey, United States

Descendants

Died about 1798 at about age 54 in Mendham, Mendham Township, Morris, New Jersey, United States

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Biography

Minard's parents are not known. Some trees connect him as a son of Mijndert LeFevre (bef.1690-) and Katrijnke (Van Blaricum) Lefever (abt.1690-aft.1745) based on a privately published report by Ira C LaFever. Myndert and his wife Catherina would have been in their 50s at the time of Minard's birth (if 1744 is correct). Likely there is a generation missing. A 1969 article on the Van Blarcom Family, published in the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society Record in 1968-69, names the five children of Myndert and Catherina, two being unnamed sons (one baptised in 1716 and one in 1724).^[1] Either of these sons could be the father of Minard, with the earlier born one the most likely based on his year of birth.

Minard was part owner of an iron mine in Succassuna, Roxbury, Morris, New Jersey. This mine was worked for many years and was noted for its excellent quality of ore. Minard and his partner, Charles Dickerson, also owned a forge where the ore was melted and worked into iron bars.The bars were often bent U-shaped so that they could be carried on pack horses.

Minard was also part owner of a forge located on the Rockaway River in Berkshire Valley named "Valley Forge", not far from the Succassuna Mine, which he and Jared Coe built sometime between 1775 and 1780. Minard was one of the early iron-masters of Morris County, New Jersey.^[2]

"In 1779, Jonathan Dickerson and Minard Lefevre started to purchase interest in the Dickerson (Succasunny) Mine. By 1805, Dickerson had attained two-thirds ownership. During this time, permission to mine the ore was given exclusively to various owners of forges. After Jonathan's death in 1807, his shares were passed down to his son Mahlon, a soon to be prominent political figure. Three years later, Mahlon purchased Lefevre's interest attaining full ownership."^[3]

New Jersey Land Records

• On 14 Dec 1772, an advertisement was placed in the New York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury for land owned by "Myndert La Favour" in Mendem, Morris, New Jersey "containing two hundred and twenty seven and 1-2 acres of land; a framed house, with three rooms on a floor, with two fire places; a good stone cellar; a barn; three good barracks; a young bearing orchard well laid out, containing 230 trees good fruit, abundance of good peach and cherry trees; a good well never known to freeze or dry, a fine brook running through the middle of said farm, which will make it very convenient for two farms. On said brook may be built a saw-mill, as timber is plenty, and no mills within six or seven miles; a good iron mine is on said farm; a very good out let for cattle all over Suckesunny plains, which is a great advantage. This Farm is excellent for wheat, it produces from 24 to 27 bushels, per acre, weighing 63 to 65 pounds, per bushel, or is equally good for pasture, the land being pretty level and free of rocks, except about ten acres which is good wood; another advantage this farm has, it joins to the mine of Suckesunny, and when your team is idle you may be carting to the forges, and can make £. 40 in the winter, as the forges can't work without this ore, 90 or 100 acres of this farm is cleared land. This situation has as good a market as New-York, owing to the forges. It is within two miles of a place of worship, and in a good neighbourhood. Little of the money from the purchase is wanting, on giving bonds and good security."^[4]

• 7 Dec 1789 - TO: William Burnet (at the request of Minard Lafever); Minard Lafever (on a right of location). ^[5] SURVEY AND MAP. 30 acres. On a small branch of Rockaway River called Steven-Brook, on the West side of the Road from New Market to Longwood; Roxbury Township; Morris County. One of two tracts; surveyed together for 60 acres; containing 30 acres. (See also: S8, 358). OTHERS NAMED: Silas Condict (Deputy Surveyor); Minard Lafever (Witness); John Martin (Chain Bearer); Nathaniel Martin (Owner of adjoining land); Commings Oliver (Chain Bearer); John Rutherfurd (Surveyor General) LOCATIONS: East Jersey; Morris; New Market; Roxbury Township; Rockaway River; Steven Brook; Longwood; Roads, Streets, Highways, Paths

• 29 Jan 1790 - TO: Menard Lafever (on a right of location); Robert Morris (Esquire) (at the request of Menard Lafever)^[6] SURVEY AND MAP. 30.11 acres. About half a mile East of the Great Pond, at the west side of a small Run of water that issues out of Mine Swamp; Roxbury Township; Morris County. Two of two tracts; surveyed together for 40.30 acres; containing 30.11 acres. (See also: S10, 195). OTHERS NAMED: Silas Condict (Deputy Surveyor); John Rutherfurd (Surveyor General); Joseph Smith (Owner of adjoining land). LOCATIONS: East Jersey; Morris; Roxbury Township; Mine Swamp; Great Pond

Note: Copies of the last two above can be ordered from the New Jersey State Archives. See website: https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx

• 1 Jun 1791, Morris, New Jersey - Minard LeFever, along with Ebenezer Coe and Joel Coe, agree to a land line settlement with Hartshorne FitzRandolph.^[7]

Death and Probate

He likely is the Minard LeFever/Lafever whose estate was inventoried on 9 Jan 1799 in Mendham, Morris County, New Jersey. The administrators of his estate were John Lafever and Isaac Hance.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ The Van Blarcom Family of New Jersey, by George Olin Zabriskie, NYG&B Record, Vol 100, Issue 1, p. 39 - Jan 1969 - viewable with a paid subscription to the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society
2. ↑ : Hoskins, Annie Stelce. The Roxbury Township Historical Society presents the history of Roxbury Township : history, tales, statistics, pictures. Netcong, N.J.: Pyramid Press, 1983, p. 32
3. ↑ http://www.ironminers.com/mine-history/dickerson-mine/
4. ↑ Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, edited by William Nelson, Vol. XXVIII, publ. 1916, pp. 365-366 - https://www.google.com/books/edition/Documents_Relating_to_the_Colonial_Histo/xx9ezXhpcsIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Myndert+La+Favour%22&pg=PA365&printsec=frontcover
5. ↑ EJ Loose Records : S8-358 [1 of 2] (65083) (PEASJ003) and EJ Loose Records : S8-358 [2 of 2] (65084) (PEASJ003)
6. ↑ EJ Loose Records : S15-283 (68021) (PEASJ003)
7. ↑ A History of Morris County, New Jersey, Vol. I, Ch. 15, p. 455 - https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/19554852?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a2275374951545054622f5a6f386b462b4e6e49422f71437533452f6373466c514f71594573665a726e5671553d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d
8. ↑ New Jersey, Abstract of Wills, Collection Title: Volume XXXVIII, Abstracts of Wills, 1796-1800 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 - https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/19550717?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a226c624b4265393630327a79684b644341676e68596c68385137385733572f2f7a47737770696e73574f774d3d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d

See also:

• http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/lafever/100/
• LaFever, Ira C. LaFever Family Genealogy: Descendants of the French Huguenot refugee Hippolyte LeFevre who came to America about 1670, Self-published, Beaver Dams, N.Y.?:, 1964. pp. 2-3