NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

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

Family tradition has it that Peter HILL came from Germany and first settled in Vermont, where he married Anne Margaret, or Marguerite, name unknown. She was of French descent from the early settlers of Vermont. The family, as nearly all the children were born in Vermont, came to New Jersey and settled about one mile north of Morris Plains, on what is now known as SIRES farm, in 1786, if not previous to that date. Both were received by letter at the Presbyterian church at Morristown, July 30, 1789, at which time their youngest child, Abigail, was baptized. She was born probably in Morris Plains Apr. 8, 1769. No further records of Abigail. Peter HILL was born in Germany 1721, date of marriage in Vermont unknown. Died at Morris Plains of asthma Jan. 18, 1781. His wife was born 1730, died Jan. 18, 1782, of fever, just five years previous to the death of her husband; buried at Morristown.

Peter, perhaps the oldest son; when a young man worked at Mt. Hope, as one of the liveried attendants to John Jacob FAESCH, Esq. On one occasion, it is related, that while assisting FAESCH to mount his horse, the horse shied and FAESCH fell to the ground. FAESCH being a lame man, always carried his heavy gold mounted cane with him, and not having the temper of an angel, after what had happened, struck young Peter over the head with is cane – Peter’s Dutch and French were both up, and the aristocratic FAESCH received a very severe chastisement from the hands of Peter. Peter afterwards married Charity BADGLEY Apr. 16, 1781. Had children: Rachel, born June 4, 1782; Daniel, born Sept. 11, 1783; Elizabeth, born Sept 4, 1784; Aaron, born Oct. 18, 1785; Sarah, born July 25, 1787. All baptized at Morristown. After this date, he emigrated with his family with the many who went West, and all further traces of his family are lost. Of Peter’s brother Nathaniel, we have no records. He probably preceded Peter to the West; perhaps married and died there.

Anna, perhaps the next oldest, married Cornelius LOSEY Dec. 14, 1785. He was born 1762, died Jan. 17, 1846. Had children:

• Elizabeth, born Sept. 20, 1787;
• Lewis, born Feb. 14, 1791. Both baptized at Morristown. They probably removed West in 1792, from Morris Plains.

David, born Sept. 26, 1758, was captain in the Revolution, and a resident of Rockaway. His first wife Anna, born 1777, died Dec. 27, 1813. He married (2) Hannah MINTON Mar. 28, 1814, by Rev. B. KING. She died Apr. 22, 1822. He died July 22, 1825. All buried at Rockaway. Children of David and Anna:

• Silas, born 1789, died Apr. 23, 1809, buried at Rockaway;
• Charlotte, married David, son of George and Anna (CONGER) STICKLE, lived at Denville. He was born Mar. 26, 1788, died Nov. 16, 1833. Had son
  • Silas HILL, born 1810, died July 18, 1877, buried at Rockaway.
• David, Jr., married at Rockaway, went to the Lake country in Western New York and died there. His wife returned to Rockaway in the 40’s and had two sons and one daughter and lived near the foot of the plane. The sons William and Eugene, both lived at Rockaway as late as 1853. A son of William is buried near the grave of Capt. David HILL, at the foot of a Maple, the roots have so entwined about the stone as to obliterate dates.
• Nancy, married Daniel GARDINER Feb. 8, 1816, by Rev. B. KING, lived at Denville, had a large family of children, mostly boys, who lived at Denville and Rockaway. Both are probably buried at Rockaway.

Mary, born July 30, 1802, married William HILER, died Apr. 27, 1841. Both buried at Rockaway.

"A son" of Capt. David HILL, died 1811, married Chillion, son of George and Anna (CONGER) STICKLE, died Aug. 15, 1851. She was born Mar. 11, 1804, died Jan. 26, 1860. Children:

• John W. Peter, Silas Hill, Joseph V., Martha C., Mary Ann, George. All buried at Rockaway.

Samuel, born 1760, married (1) Susanna LYON Jan. 1, 1787. Had children:

• Jonathan, born Dec. 17, 1787, died Feb. 12, 1810;
• Henry, born June 10, 1789;
• Abigail, born 1801, died Aug. 29, 1812, there were perhaps other children.

Married (2) Harriet HOWELL Aug. 7, 1813, by Rev. B. KING. He died June 2, 1838, probably buried at Rockaway, as he removed from Morris Plains to Rockaway.

Susannah, born May 15, 1762, married Ezekiel, son of Gideon and Sarah (GORDON) HOWELL, Feb. 16, 1786, died Nov. 27, 1851. He was born Mar. 27, 1758, died June 16, 1831. Lived at Littleton. Children:

• Anna, born Jan. 6, 1787, married John WARD, died Jan. 8, 1840. He married (2) Margaret, daughter of Elias HOWELL. Eunice, born June 15, 1789, died May 28, 1827;
• Daniel, born Mar. 7, 1791, died Sept. 18, 1794;
• Calvin, born Oct. 7, 1792, married Charlotte KITCHELL, lived at Whippany, died Oct. 8, 1868;
• Sarah F., born July 2, 1794, married Rev. John M. CARPENTER, died Jan. 11, 1863;
• Hannah M., born Oct. 1, 1800, married David TODD, lived near the asylum, died Jan. 13, 1885;
• Edward, born Feb. 27, 1804, married Mary, daughter of Maj. William and Abigail (BYRAM) LEE, lived at Littleton, died May 20, 1878. (See LEE family.)

John, born Feb. 3, 1764, called "Deacon" from the long time filling that office in the Morristown Baptist church, married Elizabeth ROLFE, of French descent in 1786. She was born June 20, 1767. Children:

• Alexander, born Feb. 11, 1787, married Rebecca, daughter of Jacob and Phebe (LYON) PALMER, Feb. 7, 1812, lived at Franklin, had children:
  • Alexander, John P., born Sept. 29, 1820, married (1) Mary RORICK Mar. 13, 1847; (2) Jane (SHADRICK) PALMER, Nov. 26, 1885, died Feb. 22, 1898, buried at Rockaway.
• Jacob, Elizabeth, married _____ CASTERLINE;
• Phebe Ann, married ____ DAVIS;
• Samuel, born Feb. 7, 1789, married Caroline CROCKER, removed to Oakland county, Michigan. Had children:
  • Polly, married Nathan A. BUTLER;
  • Betsey, married Samuel LAKE;
  • Charity, married John T. EVERTS. He died in Michigan before 1848.
• Lewis, born Mar. 20, 1791, and
• Susanna, born June 12, 1792, no records, probably married and removed West;
• Eliza, born Feb. 20, 1794, married Jacob SHIPMAN, probably lived at Littleton, no records;
• Maria, born Feb. 6, 1795, never married, lived at home in Franklin, died July 19, 1873, buried at Hill Cemetery;
• Betsey, born Dec. 13, 1796, married Joseph, son of Asher LYON, Mar. 30, 1815, lived at Union Hill and removed to Brookside. She died Aug. 13, 1868. Joseph LYON was born June 7, 1785, died May 6, 1858. Both buried at Rockaway. "Deacon" John’s wife Elizabeth died about 1800, probably buried at Morristown Baptist Cemetery. Married (2) Alice (SIMCOX) LOSEY about 1808, had Jane, born Dec. 9, 1809, married John S. FOLLIET, who came from Connecticut, was tailor by trade, lived at Franklin. She died Mar. 19, 1842, buried in Hill Cemetery.
• John Ogsbury, born Mar. 27, 1812, married Nancy BEACH, daughter of Job and Sarah (COOPER) TALMAGE, Sept. 27, 1836, after his father’s death came in possession of the farm at Franklin, where he died Mar. 18, 1893, buried at Hill Cemetery.
• Harriet, born Oct. 16, 1814, married Oliver OSBORN, removed to Pittsburgh, PA, where they had children:
  • John Hill; Lizzie P.; Frank P.; Mariah H.; Alice; Frances P. and Oliver Jr.

Alice SIMCOX, born Jan. 23, 1772, was daughter of Nathan, married (1) Aaron LOSEY, lived near Franklin, had children: Jacob, who went to Pennsylvania; Charles, went to Lake County, Ill.; Catharine, married Benjamin GOBLE, of New Vernon; Phebe Ann, born June 1, 1806, married Joseph Jackson AYRES, lived at Franklin; Alice, married (2) "Deacon" John HILL 1808, died Dec. 16, 1836. He died Nov. 30, 1848. Both buried at Baptist Cemetery at Morristown and removed later to the Hill Cemetery.

Children of Betsey HILL and Joseph LYON:

• Sarah L., born Dec. 15, 1815, married John WILSON and went to Western New York, died there;
• John HILL, changed to Joseph H. in some records, born Sept. 5, 1817, married Mary FORDYCE, Dec. 22, 1842. She was born Mar. 18, 1817, died Sept. 22, 1883, buried at Rockaway, also a number of their children.
• Phebe Jane, born Sept. 22, 1820, never married, died Aug. 30, 1851;
• Alice, born Oct. 3, 1823, was fourth wife of Job Allen TALMAGE, Sept. 3, 1845. She died July 28, 1887, buried in Hill Cemetery;
• Jacob L., born Jan. 23, 1827, married Anne CRANE, went to Australia, returned to St. Louis;
• Nancy K., born Apr. 28, 1829, married Elisha MEEKER, of Millbrook, May 22, 1853;
• Philip Edward, born Feb. 11, 1832, married Anna VOSE, removed to Scranton, PA, died June 25, 1897.

Children of John O. and Nancy B. (TALMAGE) HILL, all born at Franklin:

• Edward, born July 12, 1837, resident of Franklin;
• Cornelia Maria, born May 21, 1839, married Thomas Jefferson YOUNG Feb. 11, 1858, died Aug. 31, 1892, buried at Mt. Freedom. Thomas J. YOUNG was son of Christopher and Electra (TOWLAND) YOUNG, who were married July 4, 1825.
• Thomas J. was born Apr. 9, 1833, married (1) Julia A. DICKERSON, of Denville, Dec. 27, 1860, had
  • Frank J., born July 12, 1859, married Mary FREDERICKS Nov. 8, 1888.

  Julia A. DICKERSON was born July 10, 1832, died July 26, 1859, buried at Mt. Freedom.
  [BKB - Crayon does not state who the 2nd wife might have been for the children listed below. There is also a discrepancy between the listed date of marriage (Dec 27 1860) and the listed date of death ( July 26 1859) for Julia A Dickerson.]

  Children:

  • Julia Ann, born May 23, 1863, married Paul NORMAN Aug. 28, 1886;
  • Rosina Maria, born Oct. 14, 1865, died Jan. 24, 1873;
  • Susie Adelade, born Dec. 16, 1866, married Alfred R. QUIMBY, of Mendham, Sept. 22, 1891, died Oct. 12, 1894;
  • Christopher Lewis, born Sept. 23, 1870, died Jan. 27, 1873;
  • Almira Pierson, born Feb. 18, 1872, died Aug. 20, 1872;
  • Ira Edward, born May 12, 1874, married Jennie RUTHERFORD Aug. 1896;
  • George Pierson, born Mar. 30, 1880.

  Thomas J. YOUNGS, died Aug. 5, 1899, buried at Mt. Freedom.
   

• Job Talmage, born Apr. 14, 1841, married (1) Agnes T., daughter of John and Harriet (PALMER) AYRES, June 1865. She was born Nov. 22, 1846, died Jan. 11, 1866, buried in Hill Cemetery. (2) Elizabeth M., daughter of Mahlon and Mary Ann (MORRIS) ROBARDS, Oct. 24, 1868. She was born Jan. 6, 1845, died Feb. 11, 1886, buried in Hill Cemetery. Children:
  • Lewis, born Aug. 26, 1869; Frank, born Nov. 21, 1870, married Amelia O. OSBORN Jan. 18, 1899;
  • Alvin, born Oct. 10, 1872;
  • Laura, born Apr. 19, 1874, married Absolem T. CRAMPTON Oct. 4, 1899;
  • Bertha, born July 8, 1875, married Harvey Eugene AYRES Dec. 21, 1898;
  • John O., born Nov. 5, 1879, died May 31, 1884;
  • Frederick, born July 27, 1882;
• John Horace, born July 12, 1844, died Apr. 25, 1863;
• Nancy Eliza, born Jan. 12, 1846, died Oct. 26, 1846;
• Lewis, born Sept. 2, 1847, married Mary, daughter of Jacob H. and Catharine FORDYCE Mar. 21, 1869. He died Mar. 8, 1870. She married (2) Isaac LYON Dec. 1874.
• William Henry, born May 6, 1849, married Amanda, daughter of Joseph L. HATHAWAY, Sept. 1, 1870. She was born June 7, 1848, died Jan. 23, 1881. He died Aug. 26, 1883. Children:
  • Nannie Amanda, born Feb. 10, 1872, died Dec. 8, 1888;
  • William Henry, born Sept. 23, 1873, died Nov. 1, 1873;
  • John O., born Apr. 3, 1875, died Aug. 5, 1875;
  • Emma W., born Mar. 12, 1876, died July 19, 1877;
  • Susie Howell, born July 19, 1878;
  • Edith, born June 4, 1879, died Jan. 13, 1881, buried at Hill Cemetery;
• Sarah Rosina, born July 27, 1851, died Feb. 12, 1881;
• Franklin, born Apr. 20,1853, married Sarah J. SMITH Sept. 10, 1874. Children:
  • Estella, Olive and Walter.
• Susie Howell, born July 30, 1855, married J. P. CRAYON Nov. 15, 1893;
• George Washington, born Oct. 26, 1857, died May 15, 1858, buried in Hill Cemetery.

In the CONDICT manuscripts at New Jersey Historical Society, mention is made that Peter HILL was wounded in the hand near Strawberry Plains Jan. or Feb. 1777. James KITCHEL testifies that he was with Peter HILL three months in Capt. Josiah HALL’s Company, Col. Eleazer LINDSLEY commanding, and that Hiram HOWARD of the same company was wounded in the arm and heel, Cornelius DICHE was wounded in the shoulder, and that one Leonard, of Sussex county, was killed at Strawberry Plains. Was at Elizabeth, Monmouth and revolt of the Pennsylvania line.

John HILL, a younger brother testifies of Peter coming home with part of his fingers badly cue (cut?), but not entirely off. He was then about 12 years of age. He married Charity BADGELY, removed to Ontario county, New York, and died there about 1830. His widow claims his pension.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)

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