NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: J. Percy Crayon, Rockaway Records of Morris County, N. J. Families, (Rockaway, N.J., Rockaway Publishing Co., 1902)

A few preliminaries are necessary before writing upon the GORDON family. The name is spelled in many ways in the old records. From the old family Bible of David GORDON, better known as the "old sexton" of Rockaway, the following entry is made: "Capt. Wm. GORDON, Decest, Apr. 15^th, 1777. In the forty-first year of his age." Also, "William GORDON, son Joshua and Martha GORDON." The remaining record obliterated. Other records have "Oct. 22, 1777. Letters of administration on estate of Joshua GORDON, deceased, intestate, granted to Thomas KINNEY." Also, "9 February 1778, Letters of Admn. On estate of Capt. Wm. GORDON, deceased, intestate, granted to Thomas KINNEY." Also, "21 December 1786. Letters of Admn. on estate of Jeremiah GORDON, of Morris Co. deceased, intestate, granted to Timothy CANFIELD."

The wife of William GORDON was Deborah (KINNEY) CANFIELD. She was widow of David CANFIELD, who died 1756, and a probable sister of Thomas KINNEY above. David CANFIELD had children: Samuel, Timothy, Phebe, Henry, David and Experience.

Joshua GORDON was quartermaster in the Revolution, and had: William, perhaps John, who lived in the parish of Rockaway, and was assessed in 1792 for eighty-two acres of land for the salary of Rev. J. J. CARLE and died May 1, 1813, and buried at Rockaway, and Charles, born 1775, died 1815, married two sisters, Hannah and Elizabeth PERKINS, and Jeremiah.

A certified copy from the records at Trenton have, "It is certified, that the records of this office show that Joshua GORDON was in commission as quartermaster of Colonel Ephriam MARTIN’s Battalion; Brigadier General Nathaniel HEARD’s Brigade; New Jersey State Troops, July 6, 1776, during the Revolutionary War."

Also, "It is certified, that the records of this office, show that, William GORDON, was in commission as second lieutenant of Captain John ROSS’ Company, Third Battalion, First Establishment, New Jersey Continental Line, March 5, 1776; promoted First Lieutenant, July 19, 1776. This battalion served in the expedition to Canada and took an active part in the operations before Quebec in May and June 1776. He was commissioned captain in Third Battalion, second establishment, New Jersey Continental line, Nov. 29, 1776, and died in service in April, 1777, during the Revolutionary War."

Adj. Gen. STRYKER has also William GORDON, a minute man of Monmouth County Militia, also another a minute man in the Middlesex Militia, and also a William GORDON, who served as a private in the Fourth Company, Captain John BURROWES commanding. Colonel Oliver SPENCER’s Regiment, Continental Army, served in the Indian Campaign against the Six Nations in Western Pennsylvania from May to November, 1779, also served as a private in Captain’ Jonathan HOLMES’ Company, Second Regiment, New Jersey Continental line, during the Revolutionary War. There is tradition that William GORDON, the father of the "old sexton," was buried during his time, opposite the monument to the "old sexton," and that his son William was buried in the same plot of David GORDON. These records are very conflicting, who can give correct?

The following are certified records at Trenton: "It is certified, that the records of this office show that David GORDON served as a private in the Eastern Battalion, Morris County, New Jersey Militia; also as a private in the New Jersey State Troops; also private in the First Battalion, Second Establishment; New Jersey Continental Line, and in the Sixth Company commanded by Captain Jeremiah BALLARD, Third Battalion, Second Establishment; served in the Indian Campaign against the six nations in Western Pennsylvania from May to November, 1779; private in Captain Alexander MITCHELL's’ Company, First Regiment; detailed to Colonel BARBER’s New Jersey Light Infantry Battalion, and served in the Virginia Campaign from April to October, 1781; took part in the siege of Yorktown, and was present in the battle of Yorktown and surrender of Lord CORNWALLIS, October 19, 1781, - during the Revolutionary War." The following are the records from the War Department at Washington, DC: "The records of this office show that David GORDON enlisted July 24, 1777, as a private in Captain Jeremiah BALLARD’s Company, Third New Jersey Regiment, commanded by Colonel Elias DAYTON, Revolutionary War, to serve three years. His name appears on the rolls from June 1777 to August 1780, without additional data." The records also show that, "David GORDON served as a private in the 5^th company of foot, first New Jersey regiment, commanded by Colonel Mathias OGDEN, Revolutionary War. He enlisted, date not shown, to serve during the war. His name appears on the rolls for January, 1781, to February, 1783, without additional data." The records show further that, "David GORDON enlisted, date not stated, as a private in Captain Jonathan DAYTON’s Company, New Jersey Regiment, commanded by Colonel Mathew OGDEN, Revolutionary War, to serve during the war. He joined March 1, 1783, and his name is borne on the rolls for March and April, without additional data."

As David GORDON was born Oct. 23, 1759, monumental record Sept. 23, it will show that he enlisted before he was 18 years of age, and continued in the service nearly six years. His father, William, was 40 years of age, and his grandfather, Joshua, in the 60’s. David GORDON died July 23, 1852, the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Barnabas KING from text, 1 Peter 4^th chapter 7^th verse.

Joshua GORDON may have had a brother William, as the first mortgage on record at Morristown, NJ, is a follows: "An abstract of mortgage from William GORDON and Jemima his wife, of Hanover, in the County of Morris, and Province of New Jersey, to David OGDEN, of Newark, in the County of ESSEX, and province aforesaid. Dated the 5th July, 1765, of all that tract of land, situate lying and being at Hanover, in the County of Morris aforesaid, containing eighty-one acres and seventy-three perches, and is bounded northerly and easterly, partly by the land of Benjamin HOWELL, and partly by the land of Zachariah BALDWIN deceased, and southerly and easterly by land of Samuel PARRIT, being the plantation whereon the said William GORDON now lives and by him purchased of Samuel PARRIT, for the sum of one thousand and seventy-seven pounds and ten shillings current money of New Jersey at eight shillings the ounce to be paid on the twenty-first day of May next, expiring the date of said mortgage with lawful interest for same.

Recorded the 8^th day of August, 1765 by me – A. MOORE, D. Clerk"

From this and other records it will show that this GORDON family was early located in Morris county, the exact location of Joshua and William is not known, but it is probable at or near Rockaway.

David GORDON, born 1759, enlisted July 24, 1777, and served in the Revolutionary War nearly six years, as the records show, married while on furlough May 17, 1780, Nancy SOUTHARD, a daughter of Timothy, Jr., who lived at or near Rockaway. Children: Phebe Canfield, born Nov. 11, 1780, married (1) Asepth PATCH, Jan. 1, 1804; (2) William MERRIAM. She was buried at Rockaway; no records of children. William, born Nov. 19, 1782, married Elizabeth ROCHELLE, of Sparta, NJ, Aug. 27, 1803, lived at Rockaway. While on a business trip to Baltimore, MD, to introduce a method of extracting iron from cinder refuse of the forges, was taken sick, returned to New York, called at a hotel and requested a room to rest, and was told they had none for a drunken man, he acted so strangely, he insisted he was a sick man, and inquired for Ithamar AYRES, who was sent for and removed to his house where he died. He was buried at Rockaway near his father, David, but there is no monumental record of the same. Susannah, born Oct. 10, 1785, married Ithamer AYERS, lived at New York and was buried at Brooklyn. No records of children. Amy, born Sept. 25, 1787, married (1) Timothy LOSEY, Dec. 19, 1807, lived at Upper Longwood; (2) ____ TUTTLE, probably buried at Berkshire Valley. No other records. Naomi, born June 29, 1790, married John FICHTER, son of Frederick and Mary (WITTEY), Oct. 9, 1813. He was born Dec. 3, 1788, died Jan. 6, 1876. She died Dec. 2, 1880. Both buried at Oak Ridge. Lived at Milton, NJ. Children: Nancy GORDON, married Ephriam LINDSLEY, of Dover, NJ. He was born Nov. 8, 1810, died Aug. 28, 1884. He married (2) Ursula F. GAGE, of Dover; Sarah married Stephen A. LINDSLEY. He was born 1817, died July 17, 1897. William GORDON, born Jan. 13, 1818, married Eliza GREEN, Feb. 1844, died Sept 4, 1849, buried at Oak Ridge. Had one child, Mary Joanna, died Oct. 17, 1851, aged 5 years, 2 months and 3 days. James, born Nov. 3, 1822, married Ann. M. DEMOREST Feb. 2, 1854, died June 19, 1860.; Eliza T., born Sept. 4, 1823, died Mar. 14, 1851; Catharine J., born Aug. 6, 1829, married Nelson HAMLIN Feb. 4, 1852, died June 20, 1852; Elizabeth, born Jan. 1, 1831, married Jacob L. FICHTER, died Jan. 29, 1851; Abram Losey, born Mar. 25, 1833, married Mary F. THOMPSON, died May 7, 1869. She was born Mar. 1837, died Jan. 1873. Mary Samantha, born Jan. 18, 1843, died Aug. 23, 1857; John GORDON, died young July 13, 1848. Nearly all the children died before middle age of consumption, and nearly all buried at Oak Ridge.

John, born July 30, 1796, died 1813, buried at Rockaway.

Sarah Beach, born Oct. 7, 1800, married Abraham LOSLEY, lived at Milton. No records of children.

Paenell Beach, born Sept. 10, 1803, married John MOTT, Jr., of Rockaway, Apr. 2, 1830, died Feb. 17, 1895. He was born July 17, 1799, died June 27, 1865. Both buried at Rockaway. Children: John Gordon, Nathaniel Revo, and Sibbah. John MOTT, Jr., married (1) Sibbah TALMAGE, daughter of Capt. Job, July 28, 1818. She was born Sept. 15, 1800, died Sept. 7, 1828.

Children of William and Elizabeth (ROCHELLE) GORDON: John Harvey, born Oct. 26, 1805, married (1) Nancy ATNO, Sept. 54, 1824. She was born Feb. 1, 1805, died Mar. 25, 1829. (2) Mary Ann FICHTER Dec. 25, 1830. She died Aug. 5, 1879. He died Oct. 4, 1855. All buried at Rockaway Valley, NJ. David, born July 30, 1808; Anna Marie, born Aug. 16, 1810, married Charles LEWIS, of Orange, NJ; William Moses, born May 26, 1817, married Frances Elizabeth TURNER, who was born Apr. 4, 1819; Amy Eliza, born Nov. 9, 1819, married Jacob PRICE, went West I 1855, and enlisted and was killed in war of 1861-65; Charles Lewis, born May 22, 1824, died young.

Children of John Harvey GORDON and Nancy ATNO: Abraham Losey, born Nov. 23, 1825, died about 1880, never married; Ann, born May 8, 1827, married Garrett JOCOBUS Jan. 1, 1848, lived at Whitehall, NJ, died Feb. 14, 1859. He was born Mar. 22, 1897, died Apr. 7, 1866; Joseph, born Jan. 30, 1829, died June 26, 1829. Children by second wife: David Reeves, born Oct. 17, 1831, married Eliza JACOBUS, died about 1890; Mary Elizabeth, born Apr. 20, 1833, married John R. STIRES Dec. 16, 1855. He was born Apr. 25, 1835. Martha, born Dec. 26, 1834, married John E. HUYLER June 4, 1853. He was born Apr. 15, 1830. Nancy Atno, born Feb. 28, 1837, married George W. GLADSON Mar. 28, 1860. He was born Feb. 8, 1832. William, born March 6, 1839, married Susan Ann UNANGST June 27, 1860. She was born Sept. 14, 1843. John Jacob, born Jan. 15, 1841, married Margaret BLANCHARD, of Rockaway, Jan. 25, 1861. She was born Jan. 24, 1843. Charles Wesley, born Nov. 8, 1843, married Mary HIXON May 20, 1869. She was born Apr. 15, 1846.

Children of William and S. A. (UNANGST) GORDON: Laura, born Jan. 16, 1862, married Cyrus Bryan DIXON, of Rockaway Valley, NJ, Oct. 28, 1884. He was born Dec. 10, 1860. Children: Clifford, born July 1885; Homer, born Dec. 1890; Russell, born Sept. 1893; Bryant, born Oct. 1895; Florence, born Mar. 1898. Frederick, born Mar. 3, 1864, married Annie TRIMBLE, Oct. 24, 1889. She was born Feb. 1, 1866. Child, Newell, was born Sept. 26, 1890. Mary, born Apr. 6, 1869, married Charles KINCAID, Jr., May 25, 1898. He was born June 7, 1864. Harry, born Sept. 27, 1880, at Lafayette College.

Children of John Jacob GORDON: Florence, Martha, William, Nellie.

Children of Charles Wesley GORDON: Bertha, Kate, William, Adaline and Charles.

Children of William Moses and his wife Frances: Susan Ann, born Sept. 7, 1839, married Moses HAND Dec. 7, 1857, living at Lyons Farms, NJ,; Wm. Henry, born Dec. 23, 1841, died aged six weeks; David, born May 23, 1843, married Caroline SANDS; John Harvey, born July 14, 1848, married Clara HEISE; William, (2) born Jan. 23, 1851, removed to Indianola, Iowa; Charles, born Nov. 1, 1854, removed to Thompsonville, Ill; Albert Augusta, born Jan. 15, 1856, died aged 2 years, 6 months; Josephine, born July 31, 1859, married, 1882, James BAILEY.

Children of Moses HAND and wife Susan A.: Ada Frances, born Oct. 8, 1851, married Wm. WOODRUFF Feb. 22, 1874; Henry Theodore, born Dec. 8, 1859, married Anna CLUMP, May 30, 1881; Emma Irene, born Aug. 18, 1863, died young; Marietta Stella, born Oct. 29, 1869, married Preston LaForge BENNETT Sept. 5, 1888.

In some of the old Rockaway records, mention is made of one Charles GORDON, a possible resident of Rockaway, and a probable brother or son of Captain William GORDON. He was born 1775, died 1815. The marriage records at Morristown County Clerks Office, have this marriage to Hannah PERKINS May 10, 1795, by Ebenezer Coe, J. P., and a marriage (2) to Elizabeth PERKINS, probably sisters, Mar. 2, 1799, by Rev. John J. CARLE, of Rockaway. He had children: Lewis, born Dec. 14, 1791, who married Hannah GARD, daughter of Captain Daniel, and died Aug. 1876; Isaac, who lived near Boonton, was murdered and robbed by George ACKERS or ACKERMAN, who was hung for murder at Morristown about forty years ago. Isaac had a son Samuel in the war 1861-5, and died near Boonton July 1900. Eliza, married John HARVEY; Charles, Deborah, married Michael DOLEN; Sarah, married John MILLS; Stephen, Amanda, married John THORN; Hannah, married Godfrey MANN.

Lewis and Hannah (GARD) GORDON lived at or near Berkshire Valley, and had children: William A., born Mar. 26, 1820, married Amy C. DICKERSON, died Apr. 1, 1861. She was born Apr. 26, 1824, died Aug. 5, 1895. Both buried at Berkshire Valley. Daniel Gard, born Jan. 25, 1824, married Sarah E., daughter of Benj. H. CORWIN, died Jan. 21, 1896; Abbie M., married Wm. N. SPENCER.

Daniel Gard GORDON had son Benjamin C., born Nov. 30, 1848. He married (1) Jennie Maria, daughter of Job A. TALMAGE, Apr. 13, 1871. She was born June 25, 1851, died June 2, 1875, buried at Hill Cemetery. (2) Frances SHUSTER, daughter of Jacob, Sept. 30, 1880, and had son Lewis, born Feb. 17, 1886.

David GORDON or GAUDEN, a probable brother of Joshua, born about 1724, and died Feb. 7, 1790, was resident at Rockaway, and mentioned in the old records. He married (1) Hopeful WOOD July 27, 1747; (2) Elizabeth STANSBOROUGH, Apr. 8, 1753, had children baptized at Morristown: Mary, Samuel, Jeremiah, Hopestill, John, Providence, William, Mary, Joseph, David, Robard and Seth. He was resident at Rockaway after 1780.

Since writing the above, I have copied the following facts taken from the original Bible Records of Timothy SOUTHARD, now in possession of Frederick GORDON, of Boonton. This important record will correct some statements found in the SOUTHARD and PALMER families, and is further connected with the GORDON family. The records were formerly held by David GORDON, the "old sexton."

Timothy SOUTHARD, born Oct. 6, 1736, married Susanna SWORDEN May 16, 1762. Tradition has that Timothy SOUTHARD served in the Revolutionary War, and died from the effects of service Jan. 31, 1777. At the bottom of said record, in another had writing, is Timothy SOUTHARD died Jan. 31, (date of year torn), aged 40 years, 3 months and 25 days, this would make date of death as above.

Susanna RANDAL, died Oct. 16, 1796, aged 55 years. She was born Apr. 23, 1741, and married second John RANDAL, of Denville. Sussanna SWORDEN had a sister Sarah, who married Stephen BEACH and lived opposite Denville depot. All are probably buried at Rockaway, but no records of same. Children: Anne, (also called Nancy), born May 4, 1763. She married David GORDON, died Feb. 1859, aged 89 years. Buried at Rockaway. Mary, born Mar. 27, 1795. No other records. Married, but name unknown. Amy, born Aug. 20, 1769, married Moses HOPPING, who lived at and owned Weldon, and afterwards Hopewell, was forgeman, and owned forges there. Date of death and place of burial unknown. Phebe, born Oct. 2, 1772, married William MITCHEL. He was a tailor by trade, lived at Franklin, and removed to Ohio. No other records. Neomi, born, (name of month torn), 5, 1775, married Silas PALMER, lived at Rockaway, gives date of birth that of Phebe, Oct. 2, 1772, which is an error. Children – see PALMER family. Silas, date of birth wholly torn, probably about 1777. Silas was married, name unknown. He had son Timothy, who taught school many years, was a lawyer and died near Lake Hopatcong, NJ. A daughter Mary married Levi HARVEY. Silas lived near Rockaway and was burn to death by falling in a charcoal pit, which he was attending.

Of the children of David CANFIELD, who married Deborah, a sister of Thomas KINNEY, Samuel is said to have served in the Revolutionary War; Timothy, lived and died near Cranberry Pond, now Silver Lake, NJ; Phebe, married, name unknown, and lived at Hibernia, NJ; Henry, no records; David, married and lived at Franklin, where Joseph ZEEK now lives, and Experience, called Peeney" never married, lived with her brother David. Both buried at Rockaway, but no records of burial.

The Thomas KINNEY above mentioned was born 1731, died Apr. 3, 1793, married Elizabeth GORDON, a probable daughter of Joshua, was born 1736, died Apr. 23, 1789. He had children baptized at Morristown: John and Jabish, June 22, 1760; Abraham, Sept 26, 1762.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)

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