NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: Family Records or genealogies of the first settlers of Passaic Valley and Vicinity above Chatham, with their ancestors and descendants, as far as could be ascertained in 1851. By John Littell, 1851.

EZEKIEL MULFORD, DAVID MULFORD, THOMAS MULFORD, and two other brothers, with their father, whose name is not now (1810) known, lived at East Hampton, Long Island. Ezekiel Mulford married Abia, whose mother was Deborah Mulford, a daughter of John Mulford, probably a relation of her husband. He removed, about the year 1700, to Cape May, in New Jersey, and had two sons, Ezekiel and Jonathan.

Jonathan, at four years old, at the request of his uncle David, who was a bachelor, was sent back to East Hampton. But his uncle David died four days before he arrived, making his nephew, Jonathan, his sole heir. The child lived with his grandfather, who at a proper age bound him an apprentice to Thomas Osborn, a tanner and shoemaker. His father also died before he arrived at 21 years of age. Soon after he came of age, he went to Cape May, and received his share of his father's estate, amounting to œ170, and returned to East Hampton. Soon after his return, he married Esther, a daughter of Cornelius Conklin, and shortly afterwards removed to Passaic Valley, and, by deed bearing date the 26th of April, 1740, bought of John Pierson a tract of land "containing fourscore acres," lying adjoining and west of Nathaniel Smith's tract, and adjoining the river, and having John Bedell, Jun. on the west, on which he lived till his death. He was born 29th September, 1718, and died 16th October, 1789, aged 71 years. His wife, Esther Conklin, was born 27th August, 1715, and died 22d October, 1776, aged 61 years.

CAPT. JONATHAN MULFORD, and Esther Conklin, had children: (3d Gen.)

1. Mary, born 18th December, 1741, and married Obadiah Valentine, son of Richard. [See Valentine.]

2. Deborah, born 30th Jan. 1744, married John Bedell, son of Henry. [See Henry Bedell.]

3. Ezekiel, born 24th June, 1746, and died 3d July, 1768, aged 22 years, unmarried.

4. Jonathan, Jun., born 6th Nov. 1748, married, 27th Nov. 1771, Deborah Ludlow, daughter of Jeremy Ludlow. He died 5th Dec. 1792; she died 28th April, 1801, aged 50 1/2 years.

5. David, born 5th October, 1750, and died October, 1768, unmarried.

6. Isaac, born 9th July, 1753, and died 25th October, 1759, aged 6 years.

7. Cornelius, born 18th April, 1757, and died 14th May, 1823, aged 66 years. He married Nancy Bryant, of Springfield, who died 16th March, 1837, aged 77 years.

8. Esther, twin to Cornelius, who married Edward Ball. [See Ball.] Esther Ball died January, 1819, aged 62 years.

9. Mary B., who died young.

Capt. Jonathan Mulford, after the death of his 1st wife, married Eleanor or Aula Bedell, widow of Jacob Bedell, (her maiden name was Aula Powers,) and had a son, Isaac 2d, who died Jan. 29th, 1783, aged 1 year and 4 months.

JONATHAN MULFORD, (son of Capt. Jonathan,) and Deborah Ludlow, had children: (4th Gen.)

1. Jane, who died in infancy.

2. Elizabeth married John Crane, son of Joseph. [See Crane.] She died 9th March, 1828, aged 53 years.

3. David, who married [26 May 1796, Presbyterian Church in Westfield New Jersey] Polly, daughter of Elder Benjamin Cory, of Elizabethtown. They both died without children.

4. Mary, who died 28th Sept. 1781, aged 2 years.

5. Daniel, who graduated at Princeton College, about 1805, studied law, commenced practice, and bid fair to become eminent in his profession; but consumption seized upon him, and he died 26th Oct. 1811, aged 30 years.

6. Jane, (2d) who died in infancy.

7. Mary, (2d) twin to Jane, 2d, who died 3d Dec. 1796, aged 11 years.

8. Levi, who died 7th Sept. 1814, aged 26 years, unmarried.

CORNELIUS MULFORD, (son of Capt. Jonathan,) and Nancy Bryant, had children:

1. Sally, who married Capt. Stephen Day, son of Benjamin, and had a son, Mulford Day, and died 7th April, 1801, aged 20 years. [See Stephen Day.]

2. Polly, who married, 31st Jan. 1824, Elias Coles, son of Master William Coles, and had children, Mulford and Mary, and died 4th May, 1843, aged 56 years. [See Cole.]

ESTHER MULFORD, (daughter of Capt. Jonathan,) and Edward Ball, lived in Clinton, and had children:

1. Prussia Ball, who married, 1st, Jacob Peshine, 2d, John Gardner, both of Newark,

2. Sally Ball married, 1st, Edward Bruen, 2d, David Doremus, both of Newark.

3. Nancy Ball married, 1st, Caleb Pierson, of Newark, 2d Smith Burnet, Esq., as his 2d wife.

4. Jane Ball married Edward Gruet.

5. Hetty Ball married Mr. Robison, of Newark.

EZEKIEL MULFORD, (brother of Capt. Jonathan Mulford,) came to this valley from Cape May. His first wife's name was Jane, who died 6th Aug. 1759, aged 40 years, and he married Jemima Marsh, 6th Sept. 1767. He had children: (3d Gen.)

1. John. 2. Deborah.

Mr. Ezekiel Mulford, with his son, John, returned to Cape May, soon after his 2d marriage, leaving his daughter here, who married Daniel Willcox, son of John, Sen. [See Willcox.]

JOB MULFORD, came from Long Island, and settled at Connecticut Farms. He lived a little east of Scudder's Mills, in Union Township. (1st Gen.)

He married Sarah Hampton, sister of Jonathan Hampton, of Elizabethtown, and had children:

1. John, who married Esther Ball, daughter of Nathaniel Ball. [See Ball.]

2. Abigail married Mr. Harrison.

3. Abraham married, for a 2d wife, Hannah Sickle.

4. Davis married Hannah, widow of Mr. Willis.

5. Caleb married, 13th Oct. 1786, Sarah Stevens, daughter of Jonathan Stevens.

His wife Sarah, died 30th Dec. 1787, and he married. 23d June, 1788, Phebe, the widow, of Charles Johnson, and daughter of William Bedell, and removed to Warren county, Ohio.

6. Hannah, who married John Allen.

7. David married _____ , and had a son, Job, who married Effa Thompson, daughter of Daniel Thompson, of Ohio. [See Thompson.]

JOHN MULFORD, (son of Job,) and Esther Ball, had children: (2d Gen.)

1. Mary, who married Andrew Drake, of Staten Island, and lived there.

2. William married Hannah Durand, daughter of Bryant Durand, and brother of John Durand, of Jefferson's Village.
His wife Hannah died, and he married, 2d, Betsey, the widow of Lewis Ludlow, and daughter of Deacon Jacob Davis, of Westfield.

CALEB MULFORD, (son of Job,) had children:

1. Jacob, who married June Hole, daughter of Doct. John Hole, of Montgomery county, Ohio. [See Hole.].

2. Rebecca married Elias Littell, son of Ephraim, son of Andrew Littell. [See Littell.]

3. William married Martha Meek, and died without children:

4. Job married Mary Dudley. They all lived in Ohio.

WILLIAM MULFORD, (son of John, son of Job Mulford,) lived where Thomas Squier formerly lived, in Passaic Valley, Morris county, and by his wife Hannah, had children: (3d Gen.)

1. Mary, who married Henry Clearman, of New York, and had 6 children, who all died young.

2. Esther, who died at 16 years.

3. Sarah, married John Cameron, of New York, and had children: 1. Mary Cameron; 2. William Cameron; 3. George Cameron; 4. Isabel Cameron; 5. Hannah Cameron; 6. John Cameron.

4. John, who married Phebe Lodowiska Davis, and went to Ohio. Mr. Mulford's wife. 

Hannah, then died, and he by his wife Betsey, had other children:

5. Hannah Eliza who married David E. Townley, son of Enos B. [see Townley,] and had children:

1. Sarah Elizabeth Townley; 2. Hannah Jane Townley; 3. Laura Townley; 4. Phebe Jaques Floride.

6. Harriet.

7. Mary married her cousin Joseph Davis, son of John, [see Davis,] and had children:

1. Phebe Lodowiska Davis.

8. Esther, 2d.

9. William, who died a young man, unmarried.

10. Paulina married Joel D. Thompson, son of Aaron. [See Thompson.]

11. Jacob Davis married 17th Oct. 1849, Sarah Valentine, daughter of P. D. Valentine.

12. Isaac Newton.

NOTE.--There was also a Jeremiah Mulford, in this place. In the Rev. Mr. Elmer's record of baptisms is recorded Abigail, daughter of Jeremiah Mulford, Jun., baptized 29th Feb. 1769. Deborah, daughter of widow Mulford, baptized 26th March, 1769. Hannah, daughter of widow Mulford, baptized 17th Feb. 1772.

Copyright ©1999-2018 by Brianne Kelly-Bly, all rights reserved.