Colver Family
Morris County, New Jersey

Morris Co. Up

Old Burial Ground

The Colver Family was found in two burial grounds, the Old Burial Ground located in Drakestown [Mt. Olive Twp.] and the Colver Family Burial Ground in Washington Township.

The following transcription was from the Genealogical Magazine of NJ
[GMNJ, Vol 49, No 1. January 1974, page 33]

Old Burial Ground, Drakestown [Mt. Olive Twp.]
      		       Date of       Date of	     Age
Name                    Birth 	     Death  	  yr-mo-days
COLLVER, Jemima                       2 Nov 1843  91- 4- 3
COLLVER, Simon                       11 Jul 1828  83- 3- 4

According to the article in GMNJ (referenced above) Chamber's Early Germans of New Jersey (1895), p. 298, notes that Simon Collver was a son of Thomas Colver, and grandson of John and Sarah (Winthrop) Colver. Simon, who married Jemima Tuttle, "went through [the] Revolutionary War." 

COLVER Family Burial Ground  
      			 Date of       Date of	      Age
Name                     Birth 	      Death  	   yr-mo-days
C., A.,                               17 Jul 1777    -  -
COLLVER, Sarah                           Mar 1756  83-  -
COLVER, Joseph                        15 Mar 1849  83- 9-12
COLVER, Sarah                         13 Apr 1858  91- 9-26
	[wife of Joseph]
COLVER, Nancy                         10 Jan 1834  39-  - (in 40th yr.)
COLVER, Robert                         7 Jan 1783  69- 6-27
WAEIR, Thomas                         15 Jul 1779  56-  -
["But 56 he did not live/him all his sins god did forgive."]

The following cemetery information for the "Old Burial Ground" was received from Robert H. Smith of Shelby, NC. The document states that it was collected and copied by Miss Mabel Thomas of Draketown, N.J. Copies of letters indicate that this information was obtained about 1914.

Buried around the old school house:

Simon COLLVER, died July 11, 1828 aged 83 years 3 months and 4 days
Jemima COLLVER, his wife, died Nov 2, 1843, aged 91 years, 4 months & 3 days
Furman PICKEL, buried fifty years ago. Was a man of 50 years. Grave unmarked.

Names of person buried at Draketown without tombstones, recalled by Mr. M.T. Thomas of Draketown, in a letter dated Sept. 7 1914.

Moses SEARLS
Mrs. Moses SEARLS
Miss SEARLS, sister of MOSES
Daniel C. YOUNG, died about 1880
Margaret YOUNG
Aaron YOUNG
Stephen YOUNG
Mrs. Stephen YOUNG
Ira BATSON
James LEE
John BLANCHARD
Susan BLAIN and two children

The following information is supplied as background for the Colvers and may or may not apply to the people listed above.

"Pioneer Families of Northeastern New Jersey" by William C. Armstrong, published by Hunterdon House, Lambertsville, NJ, 1979, p95-99; 218-223.

Edward Cullver, b. 1600 England  d. 1685
        - came to America in 1635
        - founder of Dedham, Mass., in 1636
        m. 1638 Anne Ellis, daughter of John Ellis

after the Indian wars he removed with his family to New London, Conn.,
where the Collvers became acquainted with the prominent Rogers family.

Children of Edward and Anne (Ellis) Culver:

  1. John Collver, Sr., baptized 15 Apr 1640, died 1733. Will dated 2 Dec 1732, Black River, Hunterdon Co., N.J.
    m. Sara Winthrop, daughter of Gov. John Winthrop
  2. Joshua Culver, baptized 12 Jan, 1643
  3. Samuel Culver, baptized 9 Jan, 1645
  4. Gershom Culver, baptized at Roxbury, MA, Dec 1648. Found at Southampton, L.I. in 1668.
    m. Mary Howell
    will probated 2 July 1716, names his wife, Mary, and his children, Jeremiah, David, Jonathan, Moses, Mary and Gershom
  5. Joseph Culver, baptized at Roxbury, MA, Dec 1648
  6. Hannah Culver, baptized at Roxbury, MA, Apr 11 1651
    m. John Burrows
  7. Edward Culver, Jr., b. 1653, a founder of Lebanon, Conn.
    m. Sarah Backus, b. 1663, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Pratt) Backus;
    Edward and Sarah had a son:
    Samuel who married Harriet Hibberd

John Collver, Sr., baptized 15 Apr 1640, died 1733.  (son of Edward & Anna (Ellis) Culver)
            Will dated 2 Dec 1732, Black River, Hunterdon Co., N.J.
            m. Sara Winthrop, daughter of Gov. John Winthrop

Children of John and Sara (Winthrop) Collver: (there were said to have been ten children, but the names of only four are known)

  1. John Culver, Jr., b. 1674, d. Dec 1760, buried on Mrs. William Martenis' place, Schooley's Mountain, N.J.
    m. Sara Franklin
  2. Abigail Culver, b. 1676, New Haven, Conn.
  3. James Culver, b. 1679
  4. Jabesh Culver; on 5 Aug 1774 gave a mortgage on land in Minnesink Mountain, Wantage Twp., Sussex Co., NJ

John Culver, Jr., b. 1674, d. Dec 1760, buried on Mrs. William Martenis' place, Schooley's Mountain, N.J. (son of John and Sara (Winthrop) Coolver)
m. Sara Franklin

Children of John and Sara (Franklin) Collver: [additional info follows on both children]

  1. Thomas Collver; will probated 27 Sept 1786. In 1749 purchased 200 acres of land of Thomas Batson near Drakestown, Morris Co., N.J.
  2. Robert Collver, b. 1714, d. 7 May 1783
    m. Anne _________
    bought a farm of William Cook

John Culver and family removed to Monmouth Co., NJ and remained there ten or eleven years. They returned to Morris Co., in 1748 or 1749.

In 1674 John Rogers started a new religious sect at New London, Conn. His followers were called Rogerenes. Among his converts were members of the Collver family. Because of persecution, the Collvers left their home and settled at Schooley's Mountain. Those of this faith in Morris County were known as Collverites after their leader John Collver, Sr.

The date of the location of the Collverites at Chalybeate Springs on the mountain was about 1734. Two of the original colonists were living as late as 1760 and 1766, namely Thomas Collver and Sarah Mann; both were buried in a private burying ground near Pleasant Grove church.

Thomas Collver; will probated 27 Sept 1786, names five children

  1. Amos Collver, will probated 4 June 1810, mentions seven children: Amos, Jr., Thomas, John, Jerusha (Mrs. Andrews), Esther (Mrs. Daball), Anna (Mrs. Woodworth), and Hannah (Mrs. Bellows).
  2. Simon Collver, b. 1745, d. 11 July 1828; went through the Revolutionary War.
    m. Jemima Tuttle
    will probated 13 Aug 1828, names seven children.
  3. Thomas Collver, Jr.
  4. Ephraim Collver, some think he was the Ephraim who was clerk of Knowlton Twp 1789-1794 he had a son, Thomas.
  5. Lydia Collver m. a Winkler

Simon Collver, b. 1745, d. 11 July 1828; went through the Revolutionary War.
m. Jemima Tuttle
will probated 13 Aug 1828, names seven children.

  1. George Collver
  2. David Payne Collver, b. 1787, d. 1878
    m. Margaret Meyers; settled at Lafayette, Sussex, NJ
  3. Sallie Collver
  4. Elizabeth Collver
  5. Irene Collver
  6. Lidy Collver
  7. Amos Collver

David Payne Collver, b. 1787, d. 1878
m. Margaret Meyers, daughter of Jacob Meyers; settled at Lafayette, Sussex, NJ

Children of David Payne and Margaret (Meyers) Collver (all born at Schooley's Mountain):

  1. George Washington Collver, b. 4 Feb 1810, d. 24 Nov 1890, at Lafayette, buried at Baleville, NJ. Twice married, wives were the Kay sisters, Mary S. and Dorcas P.
  2. Simon Bar Jonas Collver, b. 5 Oct 1811, m. Eliza F. Brown
  3. Jacob Meyers Collver, b. 23 Feb 1813, d. Apr 1881, at Detroit, MI, buried in McPherson Cemetery, Clyde, OH
  4. Amos Collver, b. 26 May 1814, went away from home when a young man
  5. Edward Collver, b. 3 Jan 1816, d. 28 Feb 1902, aged 86, buried at Newark, NJ; married four times
    m. (1) 1841 Catherine Sanderson d. 21 Nov 1849; 3 children
    m. (2) Mary E. Sanderson (sister of Catherine) d. 2 Jan 1854, no children
    m. (3) 1 Mar 1856 Anna Wilkinson, d. 1 Mar 1862; 3 children
    m. (4) 1864 Sarah A. Ross Hagaman, of Lafayette, NJ, d. June 1912
  6. John Miller Collver, b. 4 Nov 1818, m. Hulda Overton of Riverhead, L.I.
    Civil War Veteran
    removed to Brantford, Canada
    Children (2): Mary Elizabeth and Eugene
    removed to Green Point, Brooklyn, NY
  7. Clarissa Collver, b. 13 Feb 1820,
    m. (1) Morrison Peer, Children: of 10, David, Daniel and Amos served in Civil War. Family removed to Westmoreland Co., PA, where Morrison died.
    (2) Elias Colver; in 1853 removed to Burbank, Wayne, OH
  8. Polly Vanosdoll Collver, b. 21 Apr 1821, m. Robert Burris; both buried at Hackettstown, NJ. Children: Theodore, John and James
  9. Jemima Collver, b. 19 Aug 1823, m. a Mr. Sharp; removed to Chicago, IL, where she died and is buried.
  10. Nathan Collver, b. 15 Dec, 1824  d. 1 June 1885 at Chatham, NJ. m. Julia Snavel, who died at Lafayette, NJ and is buried there beside her husband. Children: John, Frank and David.
  11. Elizabeth T. Collver, b. 22 Nov 1827, m. William Williams of Lafayette, NJ. Soon after marriage removed to Poultney, VT, where both are buried
  12. Catherine Collver, b. 1 June 1830, died 14 Nov 1912, m. William Hunton of Lafayette, NJ.
    Children: 9, 3 died young
    A. Sarah E. Hunton m. Charles H. Collver; 9 children, 4 died young, remaining: Catherine, Edward, Lillian, Anna May and Charles H., Jr.
    B. Martha Hunton m. Theodore Burris, both buried at Hackettstown, NJ
    C. Margaret Hunton m. Stephen Effner; Children: Flora and Martin
    D. Mary Hunton m. William T. Williams; Children: 3
    E. Lucy Hunton m. William Littell; Children: 4
    F. John Hunton, not married
  13. Andrew Jackson Collver, b. 20 Feb 1833. left home when about 20 years of age

Robert Collver, son of John Collver, Jr. and his wife Sara Franklin.

Robert's will, probated at Trenton June 16, 1783, names his wife Anne.

Children of Robert and Anne Collver:

  1. David Collver
  2. Timothy Collver
  3. Joseph Collver, b. 3 Jun 1765, d. 13 Apr 1858 m. had 8 children
  4. Robert Collver, Jr.
  5. Mercy Collver, married a Hill
  6. Ann Collver, married a Waeir
  7. Lavina Collver, married Frederick Sovreen
  8. Esther Collver, m. Jacob Hann, son of William & Elsie Hann

The following is additional information for the Colvers and may or may not apply to the people listed above.

"History of Morris County New Jersey 1739-1882" published by W.W. Munsell, 1882, p374-375.

One of the early settlers on Schooley's Mountain was John Collver, a descendant of John Collver of England. The last mentioned had three sons—John, Edward and Joseph. Edward came to America and settled at New London, Conn,. and had two sons. One of these was killed by the Indians; the other, named John, had a son named John; he married Sarah Winthrop, granddaughter of Governor Winthrop, and came with his family and located on Schooley's Mountain. He died in 1760, aged 90, and his wife in 1766, aged 83. Both were buried in the private burying ground near Pleasant Grove church. The farm remained in the family for several generations.

Thomas, son of John Collver, purchased 200 acres on Schooley's Mountain in 1749. His son Simon Collver, born in 1745, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and died July 11th 1828. David, son of Simon, born in 1787, married in 1809 Margaret, daughter of Jacob Myers, who was born in 1792 and died in 1866. He died in 1878.

David J. Collver, son of David, removed in 1844 from Schooley's Mountain to Lafayette. In his 90th year he composed the song "The Republican Victory," which was published in the Newton Register. His reminiscences of Hackettstown were published in the Hackettstown Gazette in 1875. He organized the first Sunday-school in northern New Jersey, on Schooley's Mountain, in 1818.

George W., son of David J. Collver, was born on Schooley's Mountain, in 1810. He married Mary S. Hays, of Lafayette. He has lived at Allamuchy, Huntsville, Sparta and Lafayette.

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