NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

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

It may be well to mention some of the peculiarities of autography and pronunciation of our early settlers. They were a plain people, without time or inclination to show great learning, and generally made themselves comfortable and happy with the use of five hundred well chosen words of the English language. Words of three or more syllables were frequently contracted to two in proper names, with accent on the first. This Harriman or Herriman was reduced to Herman, and occasionally written so. Harrison to Hars'n, Casterline to Catlin, Shawanguck to Shongum, Elizabethtown to 'Lisbeth, New York to York. Custom "nick-named" the given-names of persons, and sometimes wholly changed them. The final e and the abominable final k were seldom used in writing which probably gave Webster the American idea.

John Harriman was a well-to-do inn keeper in New Haven, Ct., in 1646. He had wife Elizabeth. His son John was baptised at New Haven Jan. 24, 1647, attended Harvard College, married Hannah Bryan, a daughter of Richard, of Milford, Ct., Nov. 20, 1672. She was born 1654. He was a settled pastor of the first Presbyterian church at Elizabethtown, N.J., Oct. 1, 1687. He was given a land grant of one hundred acres by the Proprietors Feb 20, 1693.

Children:  John, born 1674, married Abigail Whitehead, daughter of Isaac, some authorities say of Morristown, N. J., others of Elizabethtown. Isaac Whitehead and wife Mary Brown had children born at New Haven:  Susauna, Isaac, Mary, Sarah, Samuel, Joseph, Grace, removed to Elizabethtown 1664 and had Nathaniel and Abigail who married John Harriman. The Whitehead family probably removed to Morris county at a later date. John and Abigail had children : David, who was at Yale College in 1711; Hannah, born 1693, married John Hendricks, buried at Eliza­beth Mar. 15, 1732 Abigail, married John Clark. John Harriman made will Feb. 17, which was probated Mar. 22, 1730.

Samuel, born June 25, 1676; Ann, born July 5, 1678; Mary, born Nov. 7, 1680; Alexander, born 1682, died 1695; Leonard, born June 15, 1683, died Feb. 1, 1696; Richard, born Aug. 9, 1685; Joseph, born about 1686, married and set-tied at Rockaway, at the “Harriman place” now occupied by Walter Freeman, previous to 1730. The name Denville was not known at this date, being named about the time of the Revolution from John Den, who settled near the Den Brook where it unites with the Rockaway River. Joseph died 1758, and was probably buried at the “Harriman burying-ground ;“ Stephen, was born 1689. Of the children of Rev. John Harriman, Joseph is perhaps the only one of the family who settled at Rockaway.

Children of Joseph, (no record of wife’s name): John, married Miriam Blockman, probably of Rockaway ; Hannah, married Noah Bench, son of Benjamin, resident of Hanover, N. J.; David, no records; Sarah, born Dec. 25, 1715, married Abner Beach, son of Benjamin, at Rockaway, now Denville Mar. 1734, lived near Denville depot.

Children of John and Hannah (Harriman) Hendricks, of Elizabeth: Hannah, Sarah, Lydia, David, born 1723, died at Elizabeth May 1732.

Children of John and Abigail Clark: John and Abigail.

Children of John and Miriam, all born at Rockaway : Jemima, married John Pipes, of Rockaway. was Revolutionary soldier; John, married (1) Sarah Price Jan. 31, 1750; (2) Loisa (Allen) Talmage, daughter of Job Allen, and widow of Daniel Talmage who was killed at battle of Lackawaxen July 22, 1778. John and Loisa lived near the present David Lash farm. Joseph, born Dec. 1, 1751, married Abigail, daughter of Elder John Clark, of Rockaway, Jan. 17, 1804, by Rev. James Richards. He died Jan. 8, 1829. She was born 1778, died Jan. 10, 1855. Both buried at “Harriman burying-ground" at Denville. Stephen, died not married, was Revolutionary soldier; Richard, married Catharine Peer. She was born 1757, died Feb. 13, 1827, buried at Rockaway. Jacob, was buried at. Denville, “S. H.,” marked on a rough stone, marks the grave. Married Affie Jones Dec. 1, 1795, by Rev, D. Baldwin, had one child, Hannah, who married Carter Bruen Sept, 18, 1803. David, married Hannah Hicks, of Rockaway, June 3, 1803; (2) Agnes Jackson; Hannah, married Samuel Lindsley; Bathsheba, married Moore; Sarah, died in middle age, not married.

Children of Daniel and Lydia: Ann Eliza, married a Flarrity, no children; John, Charles, Elizabeth Price, Sarah, baptized Feb. 1828; Catharine, Mary, Stephen Beach, baptized Feb. 1824. This family all removed to St. Louis, Missouri.

Children of Joseph and Abigail (Clark): Joseph, born Nov. 1805, married Mary Lee, widow of Elias, had one child, Caroline, died Aug. 5, 1853, buried at Denville. Miriam, born Jan. 1807, died Mar. 15, 1814, buried at Denville; Cynthia, born Feb. 2, 1810, married Joseph F. Lash Feb. 18, 1837. He was born Aug. 19, 1811, died Apr. 10, 1891. Both buried at Denville. Nancy, born Feb. 2, 1810, (twin), married Anthony Zeek Mar. 23, 1854, lived at Hibernia, N. J., no children, died May 29, 1893; Lucy, born Nov. 2, 1819, married Gabriel Lindsley Feb. 9. 1838, lived at Rockaway, had one child, died May 6, 1839, buried at Denville.

Children of Joseph F. Lash and wife Cynthia: Nicholas. born Feb. 27, 1839, was soldier in Civil War; Loisa, born Sept. 6, 1841, living on the old homestead; Sarah, born May 17, 1843, died about 1886, buried at Denville; John, born May 4, 1845, died Sept. 10, 1870; David, born June 9, 1848, married Eliza J.  Sanders Jan. 1, 1876. She was born July 16, 1859. Children: Thomas, born Oct. 16, 1876; George, born Sept. 14, 1878; Ada B., born Aug. 2, 1882.

Children of Richard and wife Catharine Peer: Elizabeth, born Jan. 6. 1778, died Dec. 6, 1834, buried at Rockaway; John, died, not married Aug. 27, 1850; Mary, born Dec. 2, 1783, not married, died Dec. 29, 1849, buried at Rockaway; Sarah, also died not married, date unknown.

Among the near neighbors of the Harrimans, Allens and Kitchels in Revolutionary times was one Andrew Hubbard, who came with his wife and two children from Germany and settled near Hibernia previous to the Revolution. He was a smelter by trade. There is a tradition that the soldiers came and blindfolded him, took him away where lie worked six months in a cave, molding bullets for the army. His family was well cared for, but he was not allowed to communicate with them, at the end of six mouths he was brought home, blindfolded, and well paid for his services. Where was the cave in the mountains?

Children of George Hubbard: Eliza, married ______ Sheldon; Mahlon, married ______ Monroe, and died at Whippany; Mary Ann, married ______ Smith, and removed West and died there; Nancy, born 1822, married Peter Vesper, who came from Germany, bought the Clark farm where his children now live. She died Nov. 24, 1898, buried at Rockaway. Catharine died young; German, married Hooker; Harriet married Robert Cook. Who can give more information of the Hubbard family and their service in the Revolution?

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