Benjamin Maple Jr (abt. 1696 - 1777)

Born about 1696 in Nottingham Township, Burlington County, Province of West Jersey [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 1777 at about age 81 in Mapletown, New Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bruce Maple [send private message]

This profile is part of the Maple Name Study.

Biography

Telford Grant Maple had he following entry for Benjamin: ^[1]

1. Benjamin Maple Jr. b. 1696-1706, prob. 1696, Burlington Co., NJ; d. intestate 1777, Windsor, Middlesex Co., NJ. m. Sarah _____.

In 1695, Benjamin's father, Benjamin Maple Sr was living in Nottingham Township, Burlington County, West Jersey, probably somewhere south of Assunpink Creek. By 1699, Benjamin Sr had moved north to newly settled lands in Maidenhead Township. (Still in Burlington County, West Jersey, his farm was right on the border with East Jersey.) Benjamin Maple Jr may have been born in either of these locations.

After Benjamin Maple Sr's death in 1727, Benjamin Jr inherited his father's 100 acre plantation in New Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Note that this later became part of South Brunswick Township.

Benjamin Maple Jr. was the constable for New Brunswick Township, NJ in 1728.^[2] In 1730, the constable was David Lee, his half-brother.

We know from the will of Thomas Leonard that sometime prior to 1755, Benjamin kept a tavern in Kingston.^[3]

"Settlement.—The location of South Brunswick near Trenton and other old towns west and south and the passage through it of the roads traversed from Amboy and New Brunswick south and south west, and early and long the principal stage-routes of this section of the State, were conducive to its early settlement. Along the stage-routes taverns were at a remote date established at Rhode Hall, at Dayton, and at Kingston, and about these houses of public entertainment settlements gradually grew up, which in time extended in all directions, until the township became generally populated."^[4]

"Tavern keepers in colonial New Jersey were important figures, and their status was frequently enhanced by law enforcement opportunities. They were often appointed to serve as constables, especially in their first years as licenseholders."^[5]

Marriage

At the time of Benjamin's death in 1777, his wife's name was Sarah. We know (from a 1772 deed to Benjamin's son William) that Sarah was the mother of William. The wording of a similar deed to Benjamin's older son, Jacob, suggests that Sarah was not the mother of Jacob.

Sarah's maiden name in not known. Two possibilities have been suggested, but both of these have been disproven:

1. A Bayles genealogy^[6] (1946) claimed that Benjamin married:

(1) Unknown, the mother of all his children

(2) Sarah (Nevius) Voorhees, the widow of Hendrick Voorhees who died in 1764. The author stated that proof of this marriage had been mislaid.

As pointed out by T. Grant Maple (below), these statements appear to be incorrect. Sarah's son William Maple could not have been born after the death of Hendrick Voorhees.

It may be worth noting that around 1968, in a SAR application submitted about 22 years after the Bayles genealogy was published, William Dentis Brown Jr made the undocumented assertion that Sarah was the widow of Peter Vorhies. This assertion is of dubious merit. There was a Petrus Voorhees who died in New Brunswick in 1751, but he could not have been Sarah's husband (certainly not if William Maple, Sarah's known son, was born in 1738, as the SAR application claims). There is no reason to think William Brown, 7 generations distant (including 5 generations of daughters), would have had any knowledge passed down to him concerning Sarah. In the absence of supporting documentation, there is no reason to think that this was anything other than a guess.

2. More recently, some have claimed (without evidence) that Sarah was a Sarah Lee who had previously married Solomon Coombs.

The Solomon who married Sarah Lee (in 1738), however, had a daughter [Elizabeth (Coombs) Gue] born in 1740, and he died around 1750 (in New York). This is clearly inconsistent with the notion that Solomon's wife was the mother of Benjamin Maple's children.

There is no record of a marriage between Benjamin Maple and a Sarah Lee or a Sarah Coombs. and a frequently cited record of "Sarah Maple" as the member of a church in Decatur, New York appears to be an incorrect transcription of the name Sarah Kaple.

Children

The following discussion of Benjamin's children is taken from "Genealogical History of the Maple/Mapel Family in America" by Telford Grant Maple, Penobscot Press, 1993:

" ... No list of the children of Benjamin Maple Jr. has come down to us from colonial times. The information must therefore be put together from other sources.

In the Middlesex County Clerk's Office there are four mortgage deeds executed by Benjamin Maple and wife Isabella. The first, 10 July 1779, refers to "Plantation where Benjamin Maple lives in South Brunswick Middlesex County" containing 100 acres and "Begins at corner of William Scudder formerly Josiah Davison at a ford across Millstone River". (Vol. 3 of Mortgages, p. 9). The second, 23 May 1783, "Land in Middlesex County where on his father Benjamin Maple lived at the time of his death, who died intestate, where by Benjamin became seized of same as heir at law.". (Vol. 3 of Mortgages, p. 51). The third, 7 March 1785, "Tract in Mapletown, Middlesex County...commencing at Fording place across Millstone river". (Vol. 2 of Mortgages, p. 169). The fourth, 16 Dec. 1785, also "commencing at a fording place across Millstone River". (Vol. 2 of Deeds, p. 259).

From these we know that Benjamin Maple Jr. had a son also named Benjamin, that the wife of Benjamin Maple III was named Isabella, and because Benjamin was heir at law that Benjamin Maple Jr. was the eldest son, and from other sources we know that Benjamin Maple Jr. had other surviving sons.

In the will of Job Swaime of New Windsor twp., Middlesex Co., May 1, 1754, Benjamin Maple was named sole executor and the will was witnessed by Benjamin Maple Jr. (NJ Archives. Vol. XXXII, p. 315).

Because the emigrant Benjamin Maple had died in 1727, it is clear that the Benjamins in the will are Benjamin Jr. (or II) and Benjamin III, respectively. Thus, because he would have to have been of legal age to be a witness, Benjamin Maple III was born before 1733.

On Feb. 21, 1772, Benjamin Maple and wife Sarah, residing in New Brunswick, Middlesex Co., NJ deeded to their son William Maple, residing in New Windor Twp., 113 and 1/3 acres on Upper Bear Brook, New Windsor Twp. (Middlesex County Deeds H3:238).

On Feb. 22, 1772, Benjamin Maple and wife Sarah also deeded to his son Jacob Maple, also of New Windsor Twp., 113 and 1/3 acres on Upper Bear Brook. (Middlesex County Deeds H3:241). In both these deeds Benjamin and Sarah signed by mark.

The difference in wording of the two deeds, "their son" and "his son" suggests that Jacob may have been a son of Benjamin by a prior marriage. The Bayles genealogy claims that Sarah was a second wife, nee Sarah Nevius, widow of Hendrick Voorhees whose will was proved Feb. 1, 1766; however it says that the reference which proved this was mislaid. But, William served in the Militia in 1776, for which the age minimum was 16, and he also had a daughter Abigail born no later than 1774. Clearly, Sarah could not have been the widow of Hendrick Voorhees. The maiden name of Sarah is unknown.

Both the above tracts adjoined that of Thomas Maple, but no deed to Thomas has been preserved. We conclude that Benjamin and Sarah made provision for three of their younger sons by dividing a 340 acre tract between them. No provision for son Benjamin III was necessary as under the English common law still in effect in 1772, he was heir by the rule of primogeniture to all of the real property of his father at the time of the latter's death. We do not know what provision was made for the other sons, David and John; probably they were given other tracts owned by Benjamin Jr., but the deeds have not survived.

On Nov. 26, 1777, Sarah Maple, widow, and David Maple, yeoman, were appointed to administer the estate of Benjamin Maple who died intestate. Sarah signed by mark, David as "David Map". An inventory was filed on Dec. 1, 1777 by Nathaniel Atchley and Robt Davidson. On Mar. 27, 1779, David Maple filed an accounting, signing here by mark. The record is confusing, in one place the adminstrators are named as Sarah Maple and David Maple, in another as Mary Maple and David Maple. (New Jersey Archives, vol. XXXIV, p. 332).

It may be asked why David Maple was appointed an executor, if Benjamin Maple III was the eldest son. The answer is that Benjamin II was in Cumberland Co. and it was not convenient for him to serve. On June 3, 1772, a Benjamin Maple and John Burt purchased 626 acres in Cumberland Co. at a sheriff's sale. (Cumberland Co. Records A-E, p. 449). In the pension application of Benjamin Maple IV he states he removed in 1772 to Cumberland Co., staying there 8 years, during which he entered service from Cumberland Co. He returned to Middlesex Co. in 1780. As he was only 15 years of age in 1772, it must have been his father, Benjamin Maple III, who purchased the land. We do not know what his relationship was with John Burt. Burt was a rare name in colonial NJ; the only other record of a John Burt is as a private of Sussex Co., NJ given by Stryker. The 1772 Tax Rolls show that both Benjamin and John were in Cumberland County in that year. We do not know the year that John returned to Middlesex County, except his name appears on the rolls there for 1778, so it is possible he was also older than David, but, like Benjamin III, unavailable to serve as executor of his father's estate.

Thus, Benjamin Maple II and Sarah had sons

1. Benjamin,
2. David,
3. Jacob,
4. William and
5. Thomas. (See also John E. Hopely, History of Crawford County, Ohio. 1913, p. 1156).
   To these, we can add
6. John,
7. and possibly Stephen, but there is no conclusive record for this last because the name of the father of Stephen Maple, revolutionary war soldier, appears only in the interrogatory portion of his pension application, not in the detailed statement by Stephen, and was likely merely an assumption on the part of the interrogator. Other evidence suggesting that Thomas was the father of Stephen will be discussed at a later point in this history.
   
   We have less definite information as to the possible daughters of Benjamin Maple II.
   
8. First, there is Mary, b. ca. 1739, who m. Michael Roseberry, possibly son of Joseph Roseberry of Sussex Co., NJ (American Monthly Magazine, Vol. XLI, July-November 1912. Published by the National Society of the D.A.R. No. 2, Aug. 1912, p. 69).
9. Next is probably Lydia, b. ca. 1743 (Gershom Mott letter, 1765. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany. Early Settlers of New Jersey and Their Descendants, by John A. Stillwell. 1916. Vol. Iv, p. 104).
10. Then, Ann, b. Dec. 31, 1745; m. John S. Sunderland, b. Apr. 15, 1740. (JJM collection, letter of Joseph Ludlam Kellinger; also per J. P. Sutherland, their g.g.gr.son).
11. Finally, Sarah, b. ca. 1748, who. m. Joseph Bowers of Monmouth Co., June 15, 1769. (NJ Archives, Marriages. Also, Mackenzie, Colonial Families of New Jersey, Vol. 4, p. 239).

Children of Benjamin Maple, Jr.:

1. Benjamin Maple III b. ca. 1725, NJ; d. after 1785. m. Isabella _____.
There is no record of any service during the Revolutionary War. His son, Benjamin Maple IV, b. in 1757, however, enlisted as a militiaman in 1777. Men between 16 and 50 were eligible for militia service according to NJ regulations. Although service was voluntary, it is believed that pressure from friends and neighbors due to patriotic fervor for independence and the risk of being stigmatized as a Tory were so great that few men of eligible age failed to enlist in the militia. The scarcity of ready cash and the fact that militiamen were paid for their service was likely another factor. Benjamin Maple III was thus probably over 50 at the time of the declaration of independence; the birthdate of his son also leads to the conclusion that he was born about 1725.

2. David Maple b. ca. 1730, NJ; d. ? m. Mary Johnson. Served in Capt. Aaron Longstreet's Co., Third Regiment of Middlesex County Militia. (NJ Adjutant General's Office, MSS No. 818: Capt. Aaron Longstreet's Roll, Oct. 2, 1776). He was therefore born later thn 1727.

3. Jacob Maple b. ca. 1734, NJ; d. after 1820 census, by 1822, Coshocton Co., OH. m. Elizabeth Stanford of Somerset Co., NJ, Jan. 27, 1769. Served as private, Capt. Jonathan Comb's Company, Colonel Jacob Hyer's Third Regiment, Middlesex County Militia. (NJ Adjutant General's Office, MSS No. 796). On rolls as a delinquent, October 1777. He was thus born later than 1728, possibly as late as 1745, unless his m. to Elizabeth Stanford was a second one.

4. William Maple b. ca. 1736, NJ. d. 1812, Jefferson Co., OH. m1. Kesiah Larrison. m2. Mrs. Annie More, a widow with dau. Catherine More; bur. Patrick Haley place, near Port Homer, Jefferson Co., OH. Served in Capt. Aaron Longstreet's Co., Third Regiment of Middlesex Militia. (Revolutionary War pension file of Henry Vantilburg, R 10 804, National Archives, Washington, DC, who stated that David Maple and William Maple were drafted to serve in the same unit with him). He was thus born later than 1727. His dau. Abigail was b. prob. 1773, so William Maple was b. not later than about 1750.

5. Thomas Maple b. Nov. 24, 1733, Middlesex Co., NJ; d. ca. 1782? m. Elinor Tappin; b. May 25, 1733, Middlesex Co., NJ. Served as teamster, Capt. Cahill's Team Brigade; in the Continental Service at the Post at Trenton, March 1, 1780. (NJ Wagon Master General's Department. Book 1, page 2). He was thus b. after 1730.

6. John Maple b. ca. 1740, NJ; d. after 1820 Census and before 1826, Lewis Co., KY, age 86; bur. Ebenezer Churchyard, Cabin Creek, Lewis Co., KY. m1. Margaret Norris. m2. Mary? Thompson, by 1792 in NJ. Soldier of the American Revolution. Private, Capt. Jonathan Comb's Co., Third Battalion of Middlesex Militia commanded by Col. Jacob Hyer, October 1777. (Stryker, p. 677. MSS No. 796).

7. Mary Maple b. ca. 1739; d. ? m. Michael Roseberry, ca. 1761.

8. Lydia Maple b. ca. 1743; d. ?

9. Ann Maple b. Dec. 31, 1745; d. ? m. John Sunderland, ca. 1762; b. Apr. 15, 1740.

10. Sarah Maple b. ca. 1748. m. Joseph Bowers, of Monmouth co., NJ, June 15, 1769.

Residence

Mapletown

A History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey^[7] states:

MAPLETOWN, which received its name from the Maple family formerly resident there, is a somewhat ancient hamlet on the “straight” turnpike from Trenton to New Brunswick, now nearly connected with Kingston by a continuation of dwellings. Gordon mentions it in his “Gazetteer,” published in 1832, as follows: A hamlet on Millstone River, a short distance above the mouth of Stony Brook, two miles southeast of Princeton and fifteen miles from New Brunswick, containing a fine grist-mill and saw mill and fulling-mill, and four or five dwellings."

It appears that Benjamin Maple Jr purchased land that lied within the area later known as Mapletown from his brother in law, Theodorus Mellott, sometime between 8 June 1727 and 26 April 1733. Theodorus Mellott had purchased 300 acres (extending from the Millstone River to Devils Brook) in a deed from Benjamin Harrison dated 8 July 1728.^[8] This was apparently an extended transaction, as Theodorus had already sold 33 acres of this land (in the west southwest corner, along the Millstone River) to Josiah Davison in a deed dated 8 June 1727^[9] (this is the land upon which Josiah built the mills later known as Scudder's Mills)^[10], and on 1 February 1728 Theodorus had sold another acre of this land to Henry Davis.^[11] A deed of 23 May 1726 to Daniel Brinton Davison also names Theodorus Mellott as the owner of the land on the northern border of his 224 acre parcel.^[12]

Benjamin Maple's land was described as lying north of Josiah Davison's land in a sale by Theodorus of an additional 57 acres to Isaac Fitz Randolph on 26 April 1733.^[13] Benjamin's land was also described as (land formerly belonging to Theodorus Mellott) lying north to 224 acres Josiah purchased from his brother, Daniel Brinton Davison, in a deed dated 2 April 1737.^[14] The 1727 deed to Josiah Davison described the northwest corner of his purchase as being at a ford of Millstream River -- this is apparently the fording place mentioned in the 1779-1785 mortgage records (pertaining to Benjamin Maple III) described above.

Upon Benjamin's death in 1777, his eldest son, Benjamin Maple III, inherited Benjamin's farm of 100 acres. We know from mortgage records that this was the same 100 acres that Benjamin Maple Jr had purchased sometime between 1727 and 1733. A mortgage by Benjamin Maple III dated 23 May 1783 describes the farm as the tract "whereon his father Benjamin Maple dwelt at the time of his decease and died intestate whereby said Benjamin became seized of and to the same as heir at law".^[15] A later mortgage dated 7 March 1785 described the tract as lying in Maples Town.^[16] On 16 December 1785, Benjamin Mapel and his wife, Isabella sold the farm (with the exception of 2 acres previously conveyed to Benjamin Maple IV) to Thomas Blackwell.^[17] This farm in Mapletown, New Jersey was the land that Benjamin Maple Jr acquired sometime prior to 26 April 1733.

See Mapletown, New Jersey

MIGRATION TO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO AND KENTUCKY^[18]

"Hopley (History of Crawford County, Ohio, 1913) on p. 1156 under "Aaron Maple" states: The first Maples came from England to Princeton, New Jersey. Six brothers emigrated to Huntington, PA in the year 1761. William Maple and his brother Thomas came from Port Homer, Jefferson Co., Ohio, they being two of the six brothers above mentioned, coming here from Huntington. Wm. Maple married Kesiah Larrison in the year 1791. When the state was admitted to the Union in 1803, he bought a farm paying for it with continental money. He was a farmer and veterinary surgeon by occupation. To this union were born four sons, William, George, Benjamin and Jacob, and five daughters, Abbie, Polly, Sarah, Clara, Kessiah. William emigrated to Bourbon Co., Kentucky. George emigrated to Coshocton Co., Ohio. Benjamin married Mary Rich and was the father of 23 children and was Captain on the north lakes in the war of 1812, but still retained his residence in Jefferson Co., Ohio. Jacob married Catherine Adams and lived in Jefferson Co., Ohio. Polly married Robert Maple and lived in Jefferson Co., Ohio. Sarah married John McLain and also lived in Jefferson Co., Ohio, of which marriage there were eleven children born. This John McLain was the grandfather of the mother of the subject of this sketch, consequently a maternal great grandfather. Clara married James McClelland. Kessiah married George Culp. Abbie who was the eldest daughter, married her cousin, Aaron Maple, son of Thomas, this Aaron being our subject's great grandfather in the direct paternal line.

Hopley undoubtedly obtained his information from the subject of the article, or a close relative. As tradition related by a great grandson of William Maple, it is remarkably accurate except for dates and a couple other details. However, only five of the six sons of Benjamin Maple Jr. emigrated to western PA, in late 1781 or early 1782. They may have stopped briefly in Huntingdon, Huntingdon Co., PA, but continued on to Washington and Fayette Counties, PA. William removed to Jefferson Co., OH on June 15, 1797, and settled above Port Homer, where he died in 1812. The first wife of William was indeed Kesiah Larrison, but their eldest, Abigail, was born in 1773 or 1774. Hopley correctly names nine of William's 13 children, but Jacob was William's son by his second wife, the widow Annie More. George may have gone to Coshocton Co., OH, but does not appear in the Census for the years 1820, 1830 or 1840. Capt. Benjamin Maple served 1 month in the militia, and may have fathered 23 children, although other sources give but 21.

Doyle (20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, IL 1910) provides fewer, but more accurate details. Page 463, William Maple came to Ohio on June 15, 1797, landing on the Ohio shore at a point between Elliotsville and Empire. He emigrated from Fayette County, PA, where he resided only a short time, coming there from Trenton, N.J., where he lived at the time of the Revolution and at which place he enlisted in the American army. After coming to Ohio he settled on the hill above Port Homer." Again on page 791, "The first of the Maple family to come to Jefferson County, Ohio, was William Maple,....a soldier of the Revolutionary War, who came here while this was the northwestern territory. He served in the battle of Trenton and other engagements of the war. William Maple was of English parentage, the family having been transplanted to American soil in the colonial days." ... "

- - -

Note that there is a community called Mapleton on the banks of the Juniata River in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania:^[19]

The community of Mapleton, in Union Township, stands 3 miles west of Mount Union along the south side of the Juniata River and near the intersection of State Route 655 with US 22. Although settlement occurred in the area as early as the 1760s, the town was laid out north of the river following construction of the canal and later the railroad through southern Huntingdon County; the town became known as Mapleton Depot. Incorporated in 1866, by 1880 the borough's population was about 450.

Although the origins of the name Mapleton are unclear, it is possible that some of Benjamin Maple's children lived there in the 1780's. Note that the family of Benjamin's son in law, Michael Roseberry, was enumerated in nearby Mifflin County in the 1790 US Census.

Additional Data

7 December 1749 - Benjamin Maple's land was mentioned in a proposal to alter the road from South River to Isaac Fitz Randolph's old mill house on the east side of Millstone River.^[20]

21 February 1750-1 - Benjamin Maple helped to administer the estate of Derrick Huff of Kingston. Derrick Huff's will was witnessed by Thomas Atchley (Benjamin's brother in law) on 22 October 1747.^[21]

"1754, May 1. Swaime, John, of New Winsor Township, Middlesex Co., yeoman; will of.

Daughters -- Jane, Saitye, Elisabeth, Sarg, Katerine and Anne.

Grandchild -- Mary Bustedo.

Benjamin Maple, sole Executor.

Witnesses -- Benjamin Maple Jr., Thomas Shinkfield and John Parker.

Proved Oct. 26, 1757.

Lib. 8, p. 472.

1757, June 17. Inventory, £128.10.9., incl. a note of hand on Joshua Bostedo, £1; a bond of Benj. Maple, Sr., £115, and a debt due by Jane Swaim, 12s.; made by Joseph Skelton and Thomas van Dick."^[22]

On 1 March 1764, John Davison of the New Brunswick Corporation, Middlesex County, New Jersey sold 117 acres to Jonathan Combs.^[23] The land was bounded on the east by land of James Freeman, on the north by lands of Freeman and Benjamin Maple, on the west by land of Jacob Scudder, Abraham Cruser, and Millstone River and on the south by Devils Brook.

Jonathan Combs sold part of this land to Abraham Cruser on 6 February 1774.^[24]

"1777, Nov. 26. Maple, Benjamin, of Windsor, Middlesex Co., yeoman. Int. Adm'rs -- Sarah Maple, widow, and David Maple, yeoman; both of said place. Fellowbondsman -- Henry Crusee, of New Brunswick, said Co.

1777 , Dec. 1. Inventory, £188.8.8, made by Nathaniel Atchley and Robert Davison.

1779, March 27. Account by David Maple, Adm'r. Cash paid for Benjamin Maple, Jr., at sundry times, £117.1.10.

Lib.18, p.623; Lib.22, p.70."^[25]

- - -

Land records suggest that Benjamin was actually living in Mapletown, New Brunswick Township at the time of his death, but at least 3 of his sons appear to have been living in Windsor Township at that time.

"The land that would become West Windsor lay within Piscataway Township (the portion of Middlesex County south of the Raritan River) until 1724, when New Brunswick Township was formed, encompassing all of the territory of present-day New, North, South, and East Brunswick, East and West Windsor, and Robbinsville. In December of 1730, the New Jersey governor issued a charter for a "city" of New Brunswick, but the description contained therein stopped at the Millstone River - the present northern boundary of West Windsor - leaving every portion of Middlesex County south of it without a government.

Thus, New Windsor, named after Windsor, England, was created. First referred to as "New Winsor" in the April, 1731 Middlesex County court minutes, this township consisted of present-day Princeton (only east of Nassau Street, however), West Windsor, and East Windsor, encompassing an area of a little over 65 square miles. Although it was hardly populated at the time of its incorporation (in 1772, Joseph Skelton, tax assessor for the town, estimated that only 40 farms existed in New Windsor in 1733), and the late 1600s/early 1700s land grants still largely remained in the families that had originally received them, the West Windsor portion of New Windsor would soon experience a series of land purchases from the descendants of William Penn (in 1737) and David Lyell (mid-1700s) that brought much settlement. Perhaps as a direct consequence, on March 9, 1751 (written as "1750" in what was then still the Julian calendar year), two decades after New Windsor's informal creation, "Windsor Township" was incorporated.

Over the next four and a half decades, Windsor (which would also often colloquially be called "New Windsor" until the end of the century) grew and matured into a thriving farming village. In 1772, New Jersey conducted a population census, showing that Windsor now had around 1900 residents and 300 homes - a large jump from the estimated 40 homes thirty nine years prior. Twelve years later, in 1784, 2,418 people lived in the township. It was six years later, in 1790, that the first Federal census was conducted, showing Windsor's population to be 2,838."^[26]

"The old records of South Brunswick were burned with the house of Richard McDowell, then township clerk, in 1844, ...".^[27]

DNA Connections

Several of Benjamin Maple Jr's descendants share matching chromosome segments. For details, see Space: Maple DNA.

All of Benjamin Maple Jr's patrilineal descendants share a block of 4 Big Y-700 Y-DNA SNPs (See https://www.familytreedna.com/public/MapleSurnameDNAProject?iframe=yresults):

BY135865, BY141141, BY151378, Y168385

These all originated sometime after the birth of the nearest common patrilineal ancestor of Benjamin Maple Jr and the Mapley families that lived in Buckinghamshire, England in the 18th century. Family Tree DNA estimates that this common ancestor was born about 1486 CE (95% confidence interval: 1267-1651 CE). (See https://discover.familytreedna.com/groups/maple-surname-dna-project/tree?subgroups=184710,204290,215004,245269,275270,297485.)

For information on how you can help to determine the path by which the Maple paternal line migrated through Europe into England and to the United States, see Space: MAPLE Y-DNA Haplogroup

Sources

1. ↑ Telford Grant Maple, "Genealogical History of the Maple/Mapel Family in America", Penobscot Press, 1993, page 5.
2. ↑ George J. Miller, "Ye Olde Middlesex Courts", 1932.
3. ↑ A. Van Doren Honeyman (editor), Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, Volume XXXII, "Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Adminsitrations, Etc. (1924) , page 196.

   1755, Dec 6. Leonard Thomas, Esq., of Prince Town, Somerset Co.; will of.... "To nephew, Capt. Henry Leonard, ... ; also to him, said Capt. Henry, house and lot in Kingstown, where Benjamin Maple did keep a tavern."

4. ↑ W. Woodford Clayton, "History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey", Everts & Peck, Philadelphia (1882), page 784.
5. ↑ Hightstown/East Windsor Historical Society News, September-October 1993. https://www.hewhs.com/newsletter_archive/1993/Sept-Oct_1993.pdf
6. ↑ Howard Green Bayles, Supplement to The Bayles Families of Long Island & New York (1946), page 147
7. ↑ W. Woodford Clayton, "History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey", Everts & Peck, Philadelphia (1882), page 791.
8. ↑ East Jersey Deeds: Book K, Folio 314; Theodorus Mellott purchased:

   "Beginning at the Southwest Corner of Henrey Davis's Land on Millston River from thence running East South East Seventy Eight Chains and a half to Thomas Ashleys Norwest Corner from thence running South Seven Degrees East thirty Eight Chains and a half to the Devils Brook from thence running down the said brook thirty six Chains till it Comes to Daniel Brenton Davisons South East Corner of his land from thence Running North thirty Eight Chains to a Stake a the East South East Corner of Daniell Brenton Davison Land from thence running West North West Sixty three Chains to a Stake down by Millstone River which is Daniell Brenton Davisons West Norwest Corner from thence running down the said River to Henrey Davises Corner where if first began containing three hundred acres be the same more or less bearing Northly to the Land of Henrey Davises land and on the East to the land of Thomas Ashleys and Devils brook and on the West to the land of Daniel Brenton Davison till it comes to the foresaid Stake which is the East South Corner of the Said Davison Land then Afterwards Bounding Southerly to the abovesaid Davisons Land till it comes down to Millstone River then bounding West to the river as the River Runs tell it courses to the above said Henrey Davises Land where it first began."

9. ↑ On June 8, 1727, Theodorus Mellott and Catrine Mallott sold 33 acres on Millstone River in New Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, East New Jersey to Josiah Davison: East Jersey Deeds: Book K, Folio 311; Theodorus sold:

   "Beginning at Daniel Briton Davison's norwest Corner Stack by Millston River from thence running East South East thirty three Chains to a Stack and Stone for a Corner from thence running North north East ten? Chains to a Stack and Stone for a corner from thence running West Norwest Down to Millston River at the ford from thence up the said River the several Courses as the river runs toll it to the Norwest Corner of Daniel Brinton Davison's land where it first began - Bounding South to the Land of Daniel Brinton Davison and on the East & North to the land of the Said Theodorus Melott and on West to the Said Millston River."

10. ↑ This appears to be the same 33 acres described in a 1853 sale from Cornelius C. Cruser's estate to Mary S. Cruser (Middlesex County Deeds, Volume 62, page 316: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYH-7S95-B?i=172&cat=219248.):

    "the old Mill property known as Scudder's Mills with the dwelling house and premises containing thirty three acres of land more or less"

11. ↑ Middlesex County, New Jersey Deeds, Volume 2, page 258: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4T-MD83?i=575&cat=219248: A deed dated 5 December 1775 from Henry Davis to Thomas Blackwell states, "beginning at the southwest corner of the first lot on Millstone River, then running east southeast along the line of the first lot 41.5 rods, then south 75 degrees west to Millstone River, then down the river to the beginning, containing 1 acre, being a lot purchased by the said Henry Davis from Theodorus Mellot by deed bearing the date 1 February 1728, the whole bounded North by Isaac Van Dyke, east by Fernant Gulick, south by Benjamin Mapel, and west by Millstone River.
12. ↑ 23 May 1726 - John Parker (executor of the will of John Harrison) sold 224 acres in New Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey to Daniel Brinton Davison: East Jersey Deeds, Volume E-2, p. 97:

    Beginning at Devils Brook at Theodorus Mellott's corner, running along Theodorus Mellott's line north 38 chains to a corner marked by a stake, then along Mellott's line West North West sixty-three chains to Millstone River, then up the river to the mouth of Devils Brook, then up the brook to the the place of the beginning. Bounded southerly and westerly by Devils Brook and the Millstone River; northerly and easterly by Theodorus Mellott's land.

13. ↑ On April 26, 1733, Theodorus Mellott and his wife Catarine Mallott sold 57 acres on the west side of Devil's Brook in New Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, East New Jersey. This land adjoined lands of Benjamin Maple and Josiah Davison: East Jersey Deeds: Book K, Folio 310; Theodorus sold:

    "Tract of Land Situate lying and bound in the Township of New Brunswick It being pt. of that Tract of Land where the said Malot now liveth Bounded as followeth beginning at a White Oak tree Marked on four sides Standing by Devils brook being the South West Corner of Josiah Davisons Land there running up the Several Corses of the Said Brook Ninteen Chains on a Strait line to a stake thence North twelve Degrees west thirty Chains along a now marked line to a stake and a stone planted in the ground thence North Sixty three Degrees West fifteen Chains to Benjamin Maples line thence along the said Maples line South South west five Chains and Sixty links to Josiah Davisons line thence along said Davisons line East South East Eight chains and forty links to a stake a Stone planted in the ground It being Said Davisons East South East Corner thence South One Degree East thirty Eight Chains to the place of beginning Containing fifty Seven acres"

14. ↑ East Jersey Deeds Volume E-2 p. 98 - On 2 April 1737 - Daniel Brinton Davison sold 224 acres to Josiah Davidson:

    beginning at Theodorus Melatt's corner on Devils Brook, running along Mellot's line north thirty-eight chains to a corner, then West North West 63 chains to the Millstone River. then up the river to the mouth of Devils Brook, then up the brook to the place of the beginning. Bounded on the east by the land of Isaac FitzRandolph formerly belonging to Theodorus Melat, on the north by the land of Benjamin Mapple formerly belonging to Theodorus Melat, and on the west and the south by Millstone River and Devils Brook.

15. ↑ MIddlesex County, New Jersey Mortgages, Volume 3, page 51: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSY4-F7WW-2?i=427&cat=222691
16. ↑ Middlesex County, New Jersey Mortgages, Volume 2, page 169: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSY4-F7Q7-C?i=292&cat=222691
17. ↑ MIddlesex County, New Jersey Deeds, Volume 2, page 259: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4T-MD83?i=575&cat=219248 Benjamin Mapel and wife Isabella sold 98 acres in Middlesex County to Thomas Blackwell:

    "Beginning at the northwest corner of Josiah Davison now William Skudders at a fording place across Millstone River then down the said river to a birch tree standing at the mouth of a small run that falls in the said river marked on the east side with T. M. north seventy five degrees east to Henry Davises line now Thomas Blackwells, thence East South East forty five chains to a stake and stone for a corner, thence South twenty seven degrees and thirty minutes West twenty five chains and sixty one links to Josiah Davison now Abraham Crusers Land, thence west north west twenty one chains to the South east corner of said Davison now said Skudders 33 acre lot, thence north north East ten chains to a stake and stone for a corner, thence West north west twenty nine chains to the place of beginning at Millstone River containing one hundred acres of land be the same more or less. Bounded west by the River, North by Blackwell, East by land lately Thomas Reynold, South by Cruser and Skudder. To have and to hold the above granted and bargained premises (except two acres near the northwest corner conveyed to Benjamin Maple Junr as by his deed more at large may appear) ..."

    -

    Thomas Reynolds had purchased the last remaining 111 acres of Theodorus Mellot's 300 acre parcel on 10 December 1737. See Middlesex County Deeds, Volume 5, page 380.

    Theodorus sold:

    "Beginning at the northwest corner of Thomas Achleys land at a stone planted in the ground markt with TA and FR, thence running South Seaven degrees East forty chains to the Devils Brook, thence down the said brook South Seaventy Seaven degrees and thirty minnits west eighteen chains and thirty links to a Stake or stone standing by the Side of said brook for a corner of Isaac Fitz Randolphs, thence north twelve degrees west twenty nine chains and a half to a stake or stone standing for another corner of said Fitz Randolphs land, thence north 63 degrees west 15 chains to Benjamin Maples line, thence north twenty seven degrees and thirty minnits east twenty chains and twelve links to Henry Davises line, thence along said Davises line East Southeast twenty five chains and a half to where it first begun Containing by computation one hundred and eleven acres of land bounded east by Thomas Achleys land, south by the Devils Brook, west by Isaac Fitz Randolphs land and Benjamin Maples land, and north by Henry Davises land." This was the final portion of the 300 acres deeded to him in 1728 that was still in his possession at that time. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-3SX8-6?cat=219248)

18. ↑ Telford Grant Maple, "Genealogical History of the Maple/Mapel Family in America", Penobscot Press, 1993, pages 9-10.
19. ↑ https://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Huntingdon_County/Mapleton_Borough.html
20. ↑ Middlesex County Deeds and Conveyances: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQ7-V9FS-B?i=272&cat=241987

    It was proposed to turn the road to cross Devils Brook and have it pass between the line of James Freeman's and John Reynold's plantations to Benjamin Maple's land, then along the line between Benjamin Maple's land and James Freeman's land to John Davisons's land, then westward between John Davison's, Benjamin Maple's, and Jacob Scudder's land to a west corner of Maple's land, then straight across Scudder's land to the line between Scudder's and Obadiah Davison's land to Millstone River as the road now runs to the _____ of the mill.

21. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey Wills: Volume II, page 251.
22. ↑ A. Van Doren Honeyman (editor), Archives of the State of New Jersey, Volume XXXII, Volume 3 of the Calendar of Wills, The Unionist-Gazette Assosication, Somerville, New Jersey (1924), page 315.
23. ↑ Middlesex County, New Jersey Deeds, Volume 6, page 78: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-NDHX?cat=219248:

    Beginning at the mouth of a small brook that leads from James Freeman's into Millstone River, then up the river as the mill pond now flows to the mouth of Devils Brook, then up the brook about 40 chains to James Freeman's corner, then along Freeman's line north with allowance for variation 40 chains and 66 links to a corner, then west northwest (with variation) 17 chains and 32 links to the northeast corner of Jacob Scudder's land, then south 20 degrees west 20 chains to Jacob Scudder's southeast corner, then across the road to Abraham Cruser's corner, then south about 47 degrees west 10 chains 32 links to the beginning.

24. ↑ Middlesex County, New Jersey Deeds, Volume 6, page 79: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-NDHX?cat=219248

    Beginning on James Freeman's line at a distance of 7 chains and 75 links on a course south 2 degrees east from an old corner of James Freeman, then south 71 degrees west 7 chains, then north 5 degrees west 90 links to a small maple near a small run, then south 71 degrees west 25 links, then south 9 degrees west 1 chain to an intersection with the line of "7 chains". then south 71 degrees west 16 chains and 30 links, then north 34 degrees and 30 minutes west 1 chain and 47 links to the southeast corner of the late Jacob Scudder, then along his line north 17 degrees west to a tree in the road, being Benjamin Maple's line and Scudder's northeast corner, then southeast (with variation) 17 chains and 32 links to James Freeman's corner, then south 2 degrees east 7 chains and 75 links to the beginning. Containing 29 acres, bounded north by James Freeman and the road, west by Scudder, east and south by lands sold by Jonathan Combs to David Barclay and now the property of Abraham Cruser.

25. ↑ A. Van Doren Honeyman (editor), Archives of the State of New Jersey, Volume XXXIV, Volume 5 of the Calendar of Wills, MacCrellish & Quigley Co., Trenton, New Jersey (1931), page 332.
26. ↑ https://www.westwindsorhistory.com/west-windsors-predecessors.html
27. ↑ W. Woodford Clayton (editor), "History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey, Everts & Peck, Philadelphia (1882), page 787.