Edward Roe Headley

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Leonard HEADLEY, prior to 1664, came from England, and landed at Boston, Massachusetts. From there he migrated to Connecticut, and later to Long Island. Subsequently, in 1664, he with a large party of settlers and their wives, located and settled in Elizabethtown, Essex county, New Jersey. Leonard HEADLEY being at that time married, as the records show, took up and caused to be surveyed a tract of land in the name of himself and wife. Soon afterwards, Leonard HEADLEY or some of his descendents went about five miles west of Elizabeth, took up land there, and settled what for many years was known on the maps of Essex county (afterwards Union county) as HEADLEY Town, being that part of Union township now known as Unionville, in which many of his descendents may still be found. Much of the land settled by Leonard HEADLEY is still held by HEADLEY descendents.

(II) Thomas HEADLEY, probably a son of Leonard HEADLEY, the immigrant, appears on papers in the city of Elizabeth in 1700-02.

(III) Samuel HEADLEY, in all probability a son of Thomas HEADLEY, was born about 1690, died about 1755. He accumulated large tracts of land in the vicinity of HEADLEY Town. They were members of the Presbyterian Church at "Connecticut Farms" and are buried there. "Connecticut Farms" is in the northern part of the township, four miles northwest from Elizabethtown, six miles southwest from Newark. Prior to 1749, a number of Connecticut people had purchased large tracts of land there, and given it the name of "Connecticut Farms", which has since been changed to Union. He married Mary ______, and had children: Mary, Joseph, Robert, of further mention; Samuel, Sarah, Rachel, Phoebe, Isaac.

(IV) Robert HEADLEY, son of Samuel and Mary HEADLEY, was born at "Connecticut Farms" Union county, New Jersey, in 1720, died at Milton, New Jersey, April 28, 1806. At the time he made his will in 1758 he lived in Essex county, New Jersey, and afterwards removed to Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, and was one of the very few that escaped the terrible massacre there. He was on friendly terms with the Indians, and one who was particularly attached to him gave him a timely warning. Robert said to him "You would not hurt me, would you?" and received the reply "In time of war Indian knows no friend." Mr. HEADLEY, acting on the advice thus given, secured an old high top wagon, in which he hastily packed such goods as were of a portable nature, and at four o’clock in the afternoon of July 2, 1778, started with his wife and four children for New Jersey. He finally reached the Hopewell mountains of Sussex county, New Jersey, at the beginning of the winter of 1778, built a log cabin on what is now the HAYWARD property, and spent the winter there. Early in the following spring he located at Milton, Morris county, New Jersey, where he built a log house which is still standing on the HEADLEY homestead. It is now owned by his great-grandson, Clarence Tehune. The original tract owned by Robert HEADLEY consisted of about 600 acres and included land now owned by Edgar H. McCORMICK, the present HEADLEY homestead, Charles H. JENNINGS, William M. HEADLEY, and Edward Roe HEADLEY.

Robert HEADLEY married (first) Susanna _______, and had children: Moses, Robert, Lois, Mary, who married Michael STAGG, who made his will October 18, 1757. Further than this all trace of the children of this first marriage has been lost. He married (second) Phebe (BALDWIN) GARDNER, and had children: 1. Joseph, born in New Jersey in 1758, died in Jersey, Licking county, Ohio, August 257, 1842; in 1809 he migrated with his family from New Jersey to Zanesville, Ohio, where he was a farmer; he served in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War, and was a member of the Universalist church; he married Martha RIKER, born in Sussex county, New Jersey, in 1758, died in Jersey, Ohio, September 16, 1842; they had children: Elizabeth, Peter, Dorothea, William, Samuel, Uzal, Lewis, Mary, Charles, Levina, Eunice. 2. Samuel D., born about 1765; in early life lived on the farm now owned by Edward Roe HEADLEY, near Milton; later he removed with his family to near Seneca lake, Yates county, New York, where he followed his calling as a blacksmith and a farmer; they were Freewill Baptists; he married Elizabeth BOUNTAIN, born in Morris county, New Jersey, August 21, 1775, and they had children: Hiram, Electra, Challion, Moses, Polly, Phebe, Eliza. 3. William, of further mention. 4. Phebe, married Peter Smith, and migrated to Licking counting, Ohio, where their descendents still live.

(V) William HEADLEY, son of Robert and Phebe (BALDWIN-GARDNER) HEADLEY, was born October 23, 1769, died August 22, 1856. He was a farmer and storekeeper, and lived and died on the old HEADLEY homestead near Milton, New Jersey, being the second of the family to own it. He held various offices of trust and responsibility in the community, and was a man of high standing. He married, October 12, 1797, Sarah, born July 23, 1778, died September 2, 1849, a daughter of Jacob and Abigail (GOULD) STRAIT. They had children: 1. Hiram, born December 9, 1798, died unmarried, June 20, 1831. 2. Mary, born in Milton, New Jersey, August 10, 1802, died at Fredericktown, Ohio, April 4, 1889; she married, August 3, 1822, John D. STRUBLE, born in Sussex county, New Jersey, October 19, 1792, died at Fredericktown, Ohio, May 21, 1875; at the time of his marriage he was a farmer and blacksmith near Branchville, New Jersey, on the pool house farm; they belonged to the Baptist church; children: Rebecca, Hiram, Daniel, William, John, Seymour, Oscar, David, Dallas. 3. Cynthia, born May 13, 1804, died January 23, 1876; married, October 12, 1820, Dr. Jacob ROE, who died November 11, 1857; he was a physician who practiced first at Milton, then at Branchville, New Jersey, where his death occurred; they were members of the Presbyterian church; children: Dr. William ROE, Everard, John, Edward, Harriette. 4. Abbie, born August 12, 1806, died May 12, 1878; married, November 13, 1828, Rev. Gabriel VAN DUZER, born near Goshen, Orange county, New Jersey, September 22, 1797, died at Milton, in the same State, June 2, 1873; he was a prominent minister of the old school Baptist church, and served as pastor at Milton many years; he was also a farmer, and lived and died on the farm now owned by William M. HEADLEY; children: Sarah, Hiram, Harriette, Lester, Lucretia, George. 5. Harriette, born in Milton, March 13, 1808, died in Knox county, Ohio, November 13, 1893; married, July 20, 1833, Jacob MERRIN, born in Branchville, New Jersey, July 25, 1800, died in Know county, Ohio, September 1, 1888; he was engaged in the mercantile business at Fredericktown with his brother-in-law, John D. STRUBLE, and was also connected with the banking business in that town; he served as a member of the Ohio legislature; he was a Presbyterian, and his wife was a member of the Baptist church; children: William, Sarah, Joseph, John, Mary, Harriette, Ann, Jacob, Lagrange, Theodore. 6. Helen, born at Milton, February 7, 1810, died at Fredericktown, Ohio, in 1895; she married, April 17, 1834, Robert VAN KIRK, a hotel proprietor, and a member of the Baptist church; children: William, Sarah, John, Dolsen, Edward. 7. William D., born in Morris county, New Jersey, May 14, 1812, died in Newark, New Jersey, May 6, 1873; married (first) April 21, 1841, Eleanor BRYANT, (second) Kate MILLISON, a widow; one child by the second marriage, Elmer. 8. Sarah Ann, born at Milton, December 22, 1813, died at Fredericktown, Ohio, May 6, 1865’ married, May 16, 1850, Joseph LINLEY, a statesman and financier of Fredericktown, who was born July 7, 1802, died November 24, 1853, and after their marriage they lived at Mansfield, Ohio; Mrs. LINLEY was a Baptist; children: Headley and Charles. 9. David, born in Morris county, New Jersey, May 26, 1816; married (first) November 28, 1840, Mary G. MASE, (second) ________, and had his place of residence in Michigan, where he died. 10. Elizabeth M., born April 29, 1820, died December 18, 1842. 11. Joseph Warren, of further mention.

(VI) Joseph Warren HEADLEY, son of William and Sarah (STRAIT) HEADLEY, was born February 23, 1822, died July 14, 1890. He was a farmer and owned lands in Jefferson township, Morris county, New Jersey, where all his life was spent. For many years he held various township offices, among them being those of county committeeman, collector and clerk. He also served as a member of the building committee and as a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church at Milton. He married Almeda, born November 25, 1843, a daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (KEEPERS) CHAMBERLAIN, of Milton, whose ancestral history will be found in another sketch. Children: 1. William Maurice, born March 4, 1845; a farmer residing on a part of the Robert HEADLEY farm; he married, January 1, 1879, Annabelle JENNINGS, and has had children: Almeda Caroline, married William W. WASHBURN; David George, a farmer at Milton; Charles Jennings, a printer. 2. Mary Ellen, born May 16, 1847; married, February 1, 1872, John K. NORMAN, a hotel keeper of Milton, who died January 27, 1882; children: Frank HEADLEY, deceased; Blanche Struble, was graduated from the Trenton State Normal School, and is now a teacher; Walter Bryant. 3. Elizabeth C., born February 21, 1853; she married, November 14, 1877, Abraham J. FRETZ, born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1849; he attended the various district schools of Warren and Sussex counties, New Jersey, then the Newton Academy, and in 1867 entered the Newton Collegiate Institute, to prepare for the Presbyterian ministry; he taught in Sussex county, New Jersey, later joined the Methodist Episcopal church of Newton, and was licensed to preach in September, 1870; he also studied at Wadsworth College, Ohio, and at the Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, Pennsylvania. He filled appointments in the States of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.; he built a residence in Milton in 1880; ordained deacon by John F. HURST, April 2, 1882, and elder by Bishop Charles H. FOWLER, April 1, 1888; he served as a township clerk, assessor and justice of the peace in Jefferson township, spent a part of his time in farming, and was the author of a number of family histories; children: Mary Headley, a music teacher; Joseph Martin; Ervin Kratz. 4. Edward Roe, of further mention. 5. Sarah Ann, was born May 19, 1859; married, December 25, 1888, William L. SCHUMAN, a painter and undertaker, of Sparta, New Jersey; one child, Helen. 6. Abbie Jane, born September 18, 1863, of Milton, New Jersey. 7. Frank Joseph, born April 3, 1866; a custom house employee and resides in New York City; he is the owner of the old HEADLEY homestead at Milton, New Jersey.

(VII) Edward Roe HEADLEY, son of Joseph Warren and Almeda (CHAMBERLAIN) HEADLEY, was born on the farm on which he is residing at the present time, at Milton, Jefferson township, Morris county, New Jersey, April 20, 1856. He was educated in the public schools and reared on the farm. Upon the completion of his school education he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter’s trade, which he followed for some time, then branched out into the building and contracting business. In 1893 he erected a beautiful house for himself in Milton, fitted with all modern conveniences, also owns a mill operated by water power, and 179 acres of farm land. He gives his political support to the Democratic party, has served for a quarter of a century as a member of the board of education, and for a considerable length of time as a justice of the peace.

Mr. HEADLEY married, October 12, 1880, Esther, a daughter of Adam and Eliza (LUM) DAVENPORT. Adam DAVENPORT was born January 29, 1825, died in 1909. He married Eliza LUM, born February 6, 1823, died in 1899, and they had children: Irene, now the widow of Charles SPARGO; Esther, mentioned above; Ella, married John STRAWN, of California; Bertha, married Joseph JENKINS, of Dover, New Jersey; Thomas Enos, of Tucson, Arizona; two sons who died young. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. HEADLEY were Enos and Fannie (KEEPERS) DAVENPORT, the latter born in 1799. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. HEADLEY were: Squire and Frances (NORMAN) LUM, the former born in 1777, the latter born June 6, 1800, died in March, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. HEADLEY have had children: 1. Adam Davenport, born November 23, 1882; a carpenter and builder; he married Nellie FREDERICK, and has: Helen, Robert, Dean, Donald. 2. Joseph Warren, born March 18, 1884; a painter and editor; he married Evangie GILBATT. 3. Squire Lum, born February 25, 1887. 4. Mary Vida, born September 2, 1889; married E. C. HAGAN, a general merchant of Milton. 5 and 6. Esther Dempsey and Louisa, born May 4, 1893.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)