Britton Genealogy: Your Questions
Saturday, April 9, 2011 7:31 AM
From: "John Brittain" <>
To:
Message contains attachments -- 1 File (31KB)
Donna,
I've had time to think about your questions.
_1. Early New York Brittons marrying both Dutch and English women: _Your question frames this in the context of territorial battles between England and Holland. However, I think the important context is one of religion, not nationality. I may be putting this history somewhat simplistically, but I believe the great migration from England to America was a flight from excesses and abuses of the Church of England against non-conformists. Most of them came to Massachusetts, where they ran into a very strict and non-congenial form of Puritanism. Many of the immigrants then moved on, many to New Amsterdam (Lady Moody and her followers, for example). So they were very happy in a Dutch colony where various religions were accepted with tolerance. Then, when England acquired New Amsterdam and turned it into New York, many Englishmen - Stillwell, Nathaniel Brittain, and others - not wanting to again live under the religion of the English administration - moved to Staten Island, which they bought from the Indians and set up a Dutch-style, religiously-tolerant administration. (Again, any professional historian will take this brief summary to task.) But, the point is, English and Dutch colonists were happy neighbors, and the Brittain boys simply married the best-looking girls, no matter where they were from.
2. _Zeboeth and His Brothers. _My information does not show Zeboeth in a NJ militia, but instead, in the Northampton Co., PA militia. I have attached Zeboeth's page from the genealogy that I wrote, but I don't think it will help you with Jesse. The biographical references on the page are as follows:
JEB - Brittain, James E. _Brittain Genealogy_. Wayne, Nebraska, 1939. (Typed manuscript.) This document was in my grandfather's papers and was what started me on my genealogical quest. It contains next-to-no source documentation but, over the years, has proved highly accurate.
KIN - King, William R. Brittain Genealogy. Manuscript, Peoria, IL 1994. Another family member-authored document.
NOR - Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society. _Scotch-Irish of Northampton County, PA_. Easton, PA. 1926.
UTA - Daugherty, Joyce. _Brittain-Brattain Gleanings_. Salt Lake City, 1987. This is a mass of miscellaneous references to Brittains all over the country. If I still have my copy, I'll scan it for any Jesses. If I find any, I'll let you know.
VAN - Elmer Van Name.
Regards,
John
Attachment:
REFC02
(Revised 12/8/2005)
NameZEBOETH BRITTAIN
BornJanuary 9, 1746George II
Died July 11, 1790George Washington
Father and Age at BirthWILLIAM BRITTAIN, 21 ?REFC04
Mother and Age at BirthMARY COLLINS,REFC05
HISTORY:
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He was born in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., N.J.
He married Elizabeth Marr in 1768.
On the same day, he and his brothers Nathaniel and Samuel signed up with the Colonial militia and their younger brothers James, William, and Joseph signed with Loyalist brigades. He served in the Revolutionary War in the Northampton Co., Pa. militia. In 1778 and 1779, he is listed in Capt. John Nelson’s Company, 6th Battalion,and was still enrolled there in 1781. He is said to have served at the battles of Stroudsburg and Fort Washington, spending a summer in each campaign.. He was still on militia rolls in 1785. (According to JEB, he also served in the Chester Co., Pa. militia. (?))
He lived in Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co., Pa. In 1785,1786, and 1788, he had 125 acres, 3 horses, and 2 cows. This was probably in the so-called Hunter’s Settlement, in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp., which dates from 1734.(NOR) He moved to Northumberland County in 1782, where he died of smallpox. (KIN).
The statement in UTA that he is buried in Riverview Cemetery, Easton, PA., is highly unlikely, as he died in Northumberland County, where his will was filed.
He had the following brothers and sisters:
1.Nathaniel (3/12/1744 -7/31/1817 or 10/2/1817(VAN)) , born in Amwell Townshp, Huntedron Co.,N.J. He married Jane Simonton (1/11/1750-3/8/1799) of Welsh descent, from N. J., ca. 1769 . He served in the Northampton Co. militia,Hugh Gaston’s Company; also in Capt. McCalla’s Company, Bucks Co. militia. His second marriage was to Sarah Davidson. He died in Columbia, Pa. and is buried in Three Churches Cemetery, Lower Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co. (According to descriptions in NOR, this cemetery seems to be in the vicinity of Martin’s Creek.)(The place of death being
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Columbia (Lancaster Co.), Pa. is from UTA, which quotes information in the Temple Book. The same source gives the same Columbia as the place of birth of his son Samuel, below. However, Samuelwas born in 1770, and in 1780 Nathaniel, a farmer, was taxed on assets of 943 pounds in Mt. Bethel Twp. A possible solution to this question is that the Columbia referred to is Columbia, N. J., which is on the DelawareRiver, just across from Mt. Bethel Twp. in Northampton Co., Pa.).
He and his wife had the following children:
a. Samuel (2/28/1770 -5/19/1841), born Lower Mount Bethel Township, Pa (KIN) who moved to Derry Township, Montour Co., and sired many Brittains in that area (see Appendix I).
b. William (4/6/1776 - ) who married Mary Jacoby in Easton, Pa. on 12/27/1801. He probably went west to Northumberland Co. soon after, possibly with his cousin William (C01). He served in the War of 1812 on the muster roll of the Warrior Run Rifle Co. (KIN). Moved to Pickaway Co., Ohio.
c. Mary (5/2/1776 -6/17/1840), who married Moses Ayres. She is buried at Three Churches Cemetery.
d. Elizabeth (12/24/1781-8/9/1846). She married John McCrea, and is buried at Three Churches Cemetery.
e. Robert (3/25/1784 or 12/25/1771 NOR- 2/12/1857), whose son Rufus (1822-1899), from Tazewell Co., Va., served as an adjutant in the 29th Va, Regt.,CSA, in the Civil War.
f. Jane (6/22/1788- 3/6/1852 ), who married Andrew Hutchinson.
g. Sarah (6/22/1788-1/23/1862), who married Samuel Eaken. She is buried at Three Churches Cemetery.
h.Nathaniel (4/24/1791-3/21/1866 ), who married Elizabeth Davison. They moved to Turbot Township in 1849 and to McEwensville in 1861. (KIN). They had eight children. Their son Calvin had a daughter Mary Irene.
i. John (9/2/1802-11/4/1808).Buried at Three Churches Cemetery.
2.Zeboeth, i.e., himself.
3.Elizabeth (3/11/1748 - 1828), born in N. J. Married Peter White.
4.Samuel (3/9/1750 - 1795), born in Hunterdon Co., (KIN) N. J. He married Sarah Bright in 1773. Served in the Hunterdon Co.,New Jersey and Bucks Co., Penna. (private in Capt McCalla’s Co.) militias. He and a partner bought 1000 acres in
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Tyler Co., Va. on Middle Island Creek. When he returned home to Maryland, he and his wife died of yellow fever (UTA). Their children were taken by their uncles Nathaniel and Zeboeth? to live in Lower Mount Bethel Township, Northampton Co., Pa. The children:
a. Mary (1772- 1852 ). Married John Bowman
.b. Jeremiah (1774 - 1844), married Ellen Hutchinson He served in the War of 1812. They moved to New Brighton, Beaver Co., Pa. Their grandson was Joseph I. Brittain, American Consul in Nantes, France
.c. Elizabeth (1776-1830). Married James Davidson. Died in Rocksburg, N.J.
. d. William (1778 -1866? ), married Catherine Gardner. Both are buried in Three Churches Cemetery.
e. Eleanor (1781-1864 ). Married James Hutchinson.
f. Sarah (1786-1852). Married John Bowman (yes), who died in Briar Creek Twp.,Columbia Co., Pa. in 1843. She died in Williamsport.
5. James (8/31/1753 - 1838), born in N.J. Married Elizabeth Butler. A Loyalist in the Revolution. His house was robbed and plundered by rebels, from whom he escaped into the woods, where he was fed secretly by his wife for a month. He then joined the New Jersey Volunteers, a Loyalist corps under Cortlandt Skinner. At one point, he was captured and sentenced to death, but he escaped from prison and swam the Delaware to rejoin his corps. He was an ensign in the 1st Battalion in 1782, and lieutenant at the end of the war. In 1783, he was transported to Canada with his two loyalist brothers, on the Duke of Richmond, buying property in St John’s, New Brunswick. At his death , he was the oldest magistrate in king’s County. He died at Greenwich, N.B. .at age 87. He had ten children. (SAB).
6. William (10/15/1754 - 1811 or 1813), born in N.J., a Loyalist who joined his brother James in the New Jersey Volunteers, as a private in DeLacy’s Brigade, and went through the same capture and escape as James did (see above). He married Christianna Moody. He went with James to Canada.
7. Mary (3/4/1757 - 1815), born in N. J., who married John Van Voorhees (KIN).
8. Joseph (9/24/1759 - 1830 or 1832), born in N. J., a Loyalist who joined his brother James in the New Jersey Volunteers. He went through the same capture and escape as James did (see above) and went with him to Canada. He died at age 72.
8. Rachel (5/5/1761 - 1843 ), born in N. J. Married a Thornton. Died Orangeville, Pa.
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9. Sarah (11/7/1764 - 12/4/1843), born in N. J., who married Abraham Willett about 1784. Their eight children were born in Bloomsburg. Died near Orangeville, Columbia Co.,Pa.