Somerset County's Early Land Purchases

Number Acres

3. John Palmer, Sept. 25, 1683 877

4. Thomas Codrington, Sept. 25, 1683 877

5. John Royce, Sept. 25, 1683 877

6. John White, Sept. 25, 1683 877

7. Graham, Winder & Co. Sept 28, 1683 1904

8. Proprietors. Reserved and sold to Thomas Rudyard, Sept. 25, 1683 1170

10 Peter Sonmans, Oct. 9, 1685, at Green Brook 2500

12 John Campbell, Nov. 9, 1685 1874

13 John Dobie, Nov. 9, 1685 375

14 John Drummond, Nov. 9, 1685 1000

15 Andrew Hamilton, Nov. 9, 1685 700

22 Andrew Hamilton, April 25, 1687, on Holland's Brook 500

23 Andrew Hamilton, Oct. 3, 1687 250

26 John Robinson, May 1, 1686, on North side of Vanquillen 660

32 Thomas Codrington, April 20, 1688, in rear of his land 1000

34 J. and G. Alexander, June 15, 1686, at Blue Hills 462

35 Robert Fullerton, June 4, 1686, at Blue Hills 300

37 Hendrick Corson, June 10, 1688, junction of North and South Branches 500

38 James Cole Sr., April 23, 1688 125

39 Sir Ev. Cameron, south side of Bound Brook 1300

43 William Ackman, 0.4

48 Lord Neil Campbell, Jan, 9, 1685, on North Branch and Raritan 1650

49 William Dockwrn, May 20, 1690, on the south side of Passaic River 3000

50 Samuel Winder, in rear of Graham, Winder & Co 500

51 Margaret Winder, May 20, 1690, daughter of T. Rudyard 1000

53 John Johnston, May 20, 1690, west side of North Branch 400

55 Lord Neil Campbell, May 24, 1690, on North Branch 1000

56 Sir Ev Cameron, May 24, 1690, at Blue Hills 2000

57 Sir John Dalrymple, Feb. 17, 1692, on N. Branch at Riddle's 500

58 Ann Wort, Aug 14, 1693, on North Branch at Dalrymple's 912

59 Campbell & Blackwood, Aug 4, 1693, on North Branch 3000

60 Wm Pinhorn, March 3, 1697, joining Lord Neil Campbell 500

61 John Johnston, on North Branch, joining his own land 100

62 Johnston & Willocks, June 1701 3150

63 George Willocks, June 7, 1701, against Margaret Winder 60

64 Dr. John Johnston, joining Lord Neil Campbell on N. Branch 500

65 Michael Handon, west side of North Branch, 466&2/3

66 George Willocks, west side of North Branch 466&2/3

67 Miles Foster, west side of North Branch 466&2/3

68 Thomas Gordon, North Branch, at Peter Van Neste 500

69 Campbell and Blackwood, two tracts 7600

71 Elisha Parker, in the Blew Hills, between them joins Adam Hude's 469

72 Elisha Parker, between the same, a mile west of John Johnston's 250

73 Elisha Parker, between 1st and 2nd mountain, joining other tract 80

74 Adam Hude, joining Parker's 1st above tract 469

75 Adam Hude, joining Parker's 2nd tract 250

76 John Campbell, 120 chains up from Passaic Riv. on Dead Riv 200

77 Judiah Higgins, on Bound Brook and Rohobous Brook, Piscataway 500

82 William Penn, 1717 on Dead River and passaic 7500

85 John Pittinger, joining Penns's land 200

88 McDowell and Pittinger, May 1, 1721 on Peapack 132

90 John Hamilton, March 25, 1727, between 1st and 2nd mountain 500

93 Alexander McDowell, on Dan'l Shoemaker's, formerly Pittinger's on, on Penn's land 50

94 James Alexander, Feb. 12, 1727, begin a N. E. corner of Sir Ev Cameron 118&3/4

96 John Parker, Feb 12, 1727, begin at Hollinshead & Hamilton 165

97 John Parker, March 28, 1728, in Harrison's Neck 147

98 R.S. Hooper, May 16, 1726 125

99 James Alexander, Sept 17, 1741, east side of North Branch of Dead River 147

100 George Ricarick, March 28, 1728, between Dead River and Penn Brook 184&1/4

101 Joseph Jennings, Dec. 29, 1727, on first mountain, at falls of Stony Brook 4

102 Alexander McDowell, Sept 16, 1728, N.W. corner of M. Veghton's, on Raritan (Lot 3, John Palmer) 142&3/4

103 Daniel Hollinshead, June 18, 1727, between 1st & 2nd mountain 303

104 Daniel Hollinshead, march 25, 1727, on Harrison's Purchase 83&3/4

105 John Parker, Feb 27, 1730, joining Sutton's on Harrison's Purchase 83&3/4

106 John Parker, Sept 29, 1730, of Harrison's Purchase 159

107 David Cossart, May 23, 1729, on Sir Ev Cameron's 2000 acres 100

108 Ephraim Dunhams, March 1, 1730, joining Penn's Brook, and 20 chains on Passaic River 100

109 John Parker, Nov. 4, 1720, between 1st and 2nd mountain, on Dead River, at Moses Ayer's place 98&1/40

110 Dr. Wm. Beckman, on Dunstar's and Tieppell's 200

111 John Parker, July 10, 1731, between 1st & 2nd mountain, in Harrison's Neck 100

112 John Parker, in the mountain by Judiah Higgin's Salt Pond 100

113 James Alexander, Jan. 12, 1727, N.W. corner of Lockiell's 2000 acres on Bound Brook 116&3/4

114 James Alexander, Jan 12, 1727, behind Sonman's 118&3/4 593&5/10

115 Elisha Smalley, March 17, 1736, Blue Hills on Stony Brook 22

117 Nathaniel Rolph, March 28, 1740, on Harrison's Purchase 83

118 James Hopper, Oct 18, 1740, rear of Raritan Lots, S.E. corner of Margaret Winder 200

119 Alexander & Dunstin, June 1, 1740, on Peapack and North Branch 1240

120 Andrew Hamilton, Jan. 1, 1741 on Lamintunk 875

121 James Alexander, Sept. 17, 1741, in 6 racts in Harrison's Neck 785&45/100

122 Alexander & Dunstin, Oct. 15, 1741, on Harrison 583

123 Heirs of Hopper, Oct. 17, 1741, at 1st mountain 100

130 Peter Runyan, June 16, 1743, on south side of Passaic River 30

131 Peter Runyan, June 16, 1743, south side of Passaic River 25

133 Alexander & Dunstar, Oct. 25, 1743, between 1st and 2nd mount 1633

139 J. Alexander, July 10, 1744, at Basking Ridge 65&68/100

The following are the names of persons who purchased land of the proprietors or their heirs, with dates and number of acres, and, in some cases, its location. They are taken from Schedule No.3 (and accompany the map of Indian titles and land grants) in the Elizabethtown Bill of Chancery, published by James Parker, of New York, in 1747. The lot numbers below given correspond with those upon the accompanying map of the Indian purchases and sub-divisions of land tracts in Somerset County, north of the Raritan River:

This material was taken from "The History of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, 1881"

This is a brief glance at the principal purchases from the natives and the proprietors of lands comprising the territory of Somerset County, and at a few of the very earliest settlers who came to locate their homes within it.

[click on the map to view a larger version]

Last Updated: April 26, 2022