Charles Woolverton and Mary Elizabeth ?
Husband Charles Woolverton
Born: Cir 1660 - Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England? Christened: Died: 1746 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Buried:Marriage: 1697 - West Jersey, USA
Wife Mary Elizabeth ?
Born: Cir 1674 - Springfield, Burlington, West Jersey USA Christened: Died: 1751 - Kingwood, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Buried:
Children
1 M Charles Woolverton Jr.
Born: 17 Jan 1697-1698 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 31 Oct 1765 - Amwell, Washington County, PA Buried:Spouse: Margaret ? ( - )
2 M Roger Woolverton
Born: 1 Dec 1700 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 1761 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Buried:Spouse: Mary Milburn ( - )
3 F Mary Woolverton
Born: 11 Apr 1702 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Christened: Died: Unknown Buried:
4 M Daniel Woolverton
Born: 6 Mar 1703-1704 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 1789 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Buried:Spouse: Ruth Wright ( - ) Marr: Bef 1732
5 M Isaac Woolverton
Born: 24 Apr 1706 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 1770 Buried:Spouse: Abigail ? ( - ) Marr: Bef 1731
6 M Dennis Woolverton
Born: 26 Jan 1709 - Burlington County, New Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 19 Aug 1774 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Buried:Spouse: Elizabeth Pettit (1714-1785) Marr: 1733
7 F Dinah Woolverton
Born: 26 Mar 1711 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, West Jersey, USA Christened: Died: Unknown Buried:Spouse: Andrew Pettit ( -Cir 1748)Spouse: Jonathan Furman ( - )
8 M Joel Woolverton
Born: 31 May 1715 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 25 Feb 1795 - Amwell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Buried:Spouse: Elizabeth Robbins ( - ) Marr: 1740
9 M Thomas Woolverton
Born: 11 May 1717 - Rosemont, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Christened: Died: 1759 - Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey Buried:Spouse: Mary Pettit (1719-1765)
General Notes: Husband - Charles Woolverton
FTM BIRT: RIN MH:IF41
DEAT: RIN MH:IF42
From Dr. Newton Wolverton
An intimate anecdotal biography of one of the most colorful characters in Canadian History
By A. N. WOLVERTON:
Many branches of the family in the United States and
Canada trace back to (1) CHARLES WOOLVERTON,
who came to America in 1682. Charles was a Quaker.
There was little religious liberty in England and either at the
suggestion of Charles' friends George Fox and William Penn,
or perhaps in their company, Charles sailed from Dorsetshire for the new land. There is a well established tradition
that he brought along with him his two brothers Gabriel and
John, but if so, no records have ever been discovered regarding
these brothers. Charles' great-granddaughter, Elizabeth
Woolverton, who married her cousin Robert Wolverton,
July 21, 1798, and who died March 23, 1863, took great
delight in telling her children and grand-children of the
olden time when Charles, Gabriel and John came to America
and founded the family. She always named the three
brothers in the same order.
Charles Woolverton settled in Long Island and lived there
for some years, undetermined how long, but tradition mentions
the year 1689 as the date of his removal to Burlington
County, 'Province of West Jersey,' where it is recorded that
on August 20th, 1693, he bought a hundred acres of land
from William Biddle. That deed named the purchaser as
'Charles Woolverton of the County of Burlington, Province
of West Jersey, Husbandman'.
Charles Woolverton married Mary Chadwick, daughter of
John and Elizabeth Chadwick (said to be from Virginia)
about 1696 or 1697.
Charles bought 1665 acres of land in Amwell Township,
Hunterdon County, "Province of West Jersy" on March 2,
1714, which is the earliest record of his residence in Hunterdon
County. This land was also bought from William Biddle,
with whom he appears to have carried on much trading
during many years residence in "Jersey". This purchase was
a very beautiful tract of land lying along the banks of the
Delaware River, some of which is still owned by his descendants.
It is inferred that he moved to this property about
1714, and after that date very many records appear of his
purchase and sale of lands. The Records of the Society of
Friends (Quakers) mention his name frequently, and the
Court Minutes, of 1721, name him "Justice of the Peace for
Hunterdon County" equivalent today to Judge of the
Supreme Court.
Charles Woolverton owned a very valuable family bible
which is still in existence and is owned by Rev. F. J. Tomlinson,
Pittstown, N.J. It is a "Breeches Bible", and was printed
in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 10, 15 60, by Roland Hill
and other eminent Protestants who were forced to leave
England on account of religious persecution by Queen Mary.
The Bible is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, and calls upon
her to avenge the wrongs done the Protestants during the
reign of her predecessor. It is called a "Breeches Bible" because
of the peculiar translation appearing in Genesis 3-7--"And they made unto themselves breeches out of fig
leaves." The bible is valuable from an antiquarian point of
view as well as being a priceless heirloom in the Woolverton
family.
As will be seen from some of the original entries in the
owner's own handwriting, this Bible was bequeathed to
Charles' eldest son (Charles), but it appears to have passed
out of the family at some time during the 18th century. A
hundred years later it was purchased at an auction sale, and
by the purchaser presented to an ancestor of Rev. F. J. Tomlinson,
whose family is descended from Dinah Woolverton,
who married Francis Tomlinson (Dinah being Charles'
granddaughter through his son Dennis).
On the fly leaves left for family records appear the following
important entries:
"Charles Woolverton, his book. I bought it of Hugh
"Huddy, of Burlington, and it cost thirty shillings."
"This book I give to my eldest son,
"God give him grace to use it,
"That he may give his heart and mind,
"Rightly for to use it.
"Whoever shall defraud him on it,
"Will violate my will,
"And he that wrongs the fatherless,
"Assuredly do ill.
"This caution in my life I wrote,
"Mistakes to prevent,
"And leave it in this holy book,
"A standing monument."
"January 17th, 1698, my son Charles was born."
"The first day of December in the year 1700 my son Roger was born."
"March the 11th, 1702, my daughter Mary was born."
"March the 6th, 1704, my son Daniel was born."
"April the 24th, 1706, my son Isaac was born."
"January 26th, 1709, my son Dennis was born."
"March 26th, 1711, my daughter Dinah was born."
"May 31st, 1715, my son Joel was born."
"May 1 1th, 1717, my son Thomas was born."
"And this I give to my eldest son,
"That he may learn the just man's steps,
"When I am dead and gone.
"For in my life much love I had,
"To read this holy book,
"And therefore leave it to my son,
"That he may in it look.
"For 'tis the path the just man trod,
"This holy book leads to,
"And he that truly fears the Lord,
"The mysteries o' it shall know.
"God give the grace, my son,
"This book to look upon."
No further family records appear in this old bible with
the exception of the birth of Dinah Woolverton, who was a
daughter of Dennis (born 1709) and who was born in 1738.
Perhaps this last entry was the reason for the recovery of the
bible many years later and its presentation to Dinah's descendants,
instead of to the descendants of Charles, the eldest
son of the original owner, and to whose family the heirloom
should naturally belong.
The last official record bearing Charles' own signature was
dated June 13, 1737, but on July 29th, 1746, a deed was
given by the "Son and Heir" Charles, in which document
are mentioned both father and son. It is therefore concluded
that Charles Woolverton, the founder of the Woolverton (or
Wolverton) Family in America, was born in England about
1660-1665, came to America in 1682, married Mary Chadwick
about 1696-7, and died in Hunterdon County, (New)
Jersey, 1746. All authenticated records of American and
Canadian lines trace back to him."
From Schenectady County History:
"Charles Woolverton, of Amwell, Hunterdon county (formerly a part of Burlington county), New Jersey, is the first ancestor of the Mohawk Valley Woolvertons of which we have absolute records. In a deed to him in the west Jersey records, consisting of a hundred acres of land and bearing date August 20, 1693, he is described as a husbandman of Burlington county, in that colony. In "Snell's History of Hunterdon County, New Jersey," [Editorial note: this may be James P. Snell's History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey] it is stated that on March 2, 1714, he purchased a tract of one thousand six hundred and sixty-five acres, in and about Rosemont, New Jersey, and upon his death left two hundred and eighty acres to each of his six sons; that he came from Long Island, and that the family originally came from Wolverhampton, England.
There are reasons for believing that Charles Woolverton emigrated from England with his brothers, John and Gabriel, and after living a short time on Long Island, moved about 1680 to the Pennsylvania bank of the Delaware river, from which locality he soon removed to Burlington county, on the opposite bank. Besides being a man of considerable means, he appears to have been one of the leading men in his community. On the erection of Hunterdon county, he was in 1721 elected one of its first five justices of the peace, and thereafter was frequently called on to witness his neighbors' wills. He is supposed to be the Charles Woolverton who, in 1731, was appointed overseer of the Friends (Quakers), settled at Bethlehem. All his children were probably born near Rosemont, New Jersey."
From Annals of the Forty No. 9:
"The Woolverton family is of very ancient lineage. The name
appears frequently in old English records and in the Doomsday book
as far back as the thirteenth century. It has several forms of spelling
as Wolfreten, Wolfestan, Woolverstone, Wolverton, and Woolverton.
Charles Woolverton, a Quaker, probably from Staffordshire, sailed
from Dorchester, England to America on the vessel “Welcome”, William
Penn’s ship. He was described as “Gentleman, a man of means”. He
reached Newcastle on the Delaware river in 1682, later going to Long
Island. He returned to Burlington, West Jersey, in 1693, and bought
from William Biddle 100 acres of land. Many transactions are recorded
in his name from this time on. In 1714 he bought 1,605 acres of land
near the present village of Rosemount, Hunterdon County and settled
there. Charles Woolverton was a Justice of the Supreme court of West
Jersey from 1721 to 1729, holding many positions of trust until his
death in 1746. He and his wife, Mary Chadwick, lie buried in the Rosemount
churchyard together with many of their children and grandchil dren.
Charles owned a very valuable Breeches Bible printed by R.
Hill, Geneva, Switzerland, 10 April, 1560. He purchased it in 1704
and inscribed in it these words:—
'Charles Woolverton, his book, bought of Hugh Huddy of Burlington
NJ. and it cost thirty shillings. (In 1900 it was owned by Rev.
Francis Tomlinson of Pittstown, NJ.)
Charles left no will unless the following in his handwriting and
concerning his Bible may be accepted as such:——
This I give to my eldest son, Charles, that he may learn the
just‘man’s steps, when I am dead and gone.
For in my life much love I had to read -this Holy Book and
therefore leave it to my son that in it -he may look.
For ’tis the path the great man trod the Holy Book leads to, and
he that truly fears the Lord, the mysteries shall know. God give thee
grace, my son, this book to look upon.'
Children of Charles and Mary (Chadwick) Woolverton, as recorded in his Bible:—
Charles, b. 17 January, 1698, wife’s name Margaret.
Roger, b. 1 December, 1700, wife’s name Mary.
Mary, b. 11 April, 1702. No data.
Daniel, b. 6 March, 1704, date of his will, 1786.
Isaac, b. 24 April, 1706, wife’s name Abigail (probably Pettit).
Dennis, b. 26 January, 1709, m. Elizabeth Pettit.
Dinah, b. 26 March, 1711, m. Francis Tomlinson,
Joel, b. 31 May, 1715, wife’s name Elizabeth.
Thomas, b. 17 May, 1717, wife’s name, Mary. As his father before
him Thomas was a Justice of the Supreme Court of West
Jersey. He lived at Newton, Sussex County."
From David Macdonald:
"The most complete treatment of Charles Woolverton is to be found in Emma Ten Broeck Runk's 'The Woolvertons, Early Legal Records of the Family in New Jersey and the Descendants of Charles Woolverton to the Seventh Generation' (Harris & Partridge Inc., Philadelphia, PA, 1932) 5-11. He was a Quaker.
Charles Woolverton is said to have been one of three brothers: Charles, Gabriel, and John, who sailed to America from Dorsetshire, England, in 1682, perhaps with his friends George Fox and William Penn, and to have settled at first on Long Island, from which he removed in 1689 to Burlington County, West Jersey. None of those statements can be traced beyond Elizabeth Wolverton (1774-1863) a Canadian descendant. The story later became more specific: Charles was said to have come with William Penn on the 'Welcome', Gabriel and John having died of small pox, and to have landed at Newcastle, Delaware, on 1 November 1682. However, the Welcome landed at Newcastle on 26 October 1682, and had moved on to another port by the next day. G. E. McCracken's 'The Welcome Claimants Proved, Disproved and Doubtful' (Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 1970), the most exhaustive study of the subject, does not list any Wolvertons as claimants or as passengers. There is no sound reason to believe that Charles Woolverton settled on Long Island or that he arrived in America substantially before he can first be found in 1693 in Burlington County, West Jersey. He did not name any of his five sons Gabriel or John which suggests that he had no brothers who bore those names. The name Gabriel first appears in the known family around 1750, when Charles' son Joel gave the name 'Gabriel' to a son. It is unlikely that Joel would have named a son after an uncle who had died thirty years before his own birth."
General Notes: Wife - Mary Elizabeth ?
FTM BIRT: RIN MH:IF43
DEAT: RIN MH:IF44
From "Dr. Newton Wolverton
An intimate anecdotal biography of one of the most colorful characters in Canadian History"
By A. N. WOLVERTON:
"Charles Woolverton married Mary Chadwick, daughter of John and Elizabeth Chadwick (said to be from Virginia) about 1696 or 1697."
From David Macdonald:
"Charles Woolverton married Mary _____. Her mother is known to have been Elizabeth ____, wife of Isaac Leet, and later wife of John Chadwick and then of John Dixon, but it appears Mary was a daughter by an even earlier marriage...
The identity of Mary _____ Woolverton's father remains undetermined. It has been claimed that there is in England a record of the birth of a John Chadwick in 1640, at Rochdale, Lancaster, England, and of his marriage to an Elizabeth Scholefield, but the location and identity of the actual documents have not been specified. It has not been indicated that there is evidence showing that the John Chadwick who married in England was Mary Woolverton's father. In fact, if the John Chadwick who married Elizabeth Scholefield were Mary Woolverton's father, he could not still have been living when in 1685, his widow, Mary's mother, married Isaac Leet, Hence he could not have been the John Chadwick who married Elizabeth Leet in 1688. In sum, there is no known evidence that Mary's father was named John Chadwick and no known reason to look in the Chadwick family for her father."
Notes: Marriage
Number of children:9
FTM
RIN MH:FF568
MARR: RIN MH:FF11
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