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Rev. Abraham Pierson |
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Rev. Abraham Pierson |
Submitted by Ron Bloch. Thanks Ron.
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Family of Rev. Abraham
PIERSON First Generation
1.
Rev. Abraham PIERSON was born1,2
about 1609 in Yorkshire, England and was christened3
on 23 Sep 1609 in Branford, Yorkshire, England. He died4,5,6,7,8
on 9 Aug 1678 in Newark, New Jersey and was buried9
in 1678 in Newark Burying Ground, Newark, NJ. BIOGRAPHY: Abraham Pierson was the
first pastor of the settlements at Southampton, Long Island, Branford, CT and Newark, NJ. He graduated from
Trinity College, Cambridge in 1632. On
23 September 1632, he was ordained deacon at the Collegiate
Church, Southwell, Nottingham, England.
He was a strong Puritan, and left England for America. He was admitted a
member of the church in Boston on 5 September 1640. In 1640, he was
ordained as the minister in Lynn MA. He and other settlers left Lynn, MA
and founded Southampton, Long Island in December 1640. He was strongly
opposed to Southampton joining the Connecticut Colony in 1644 because
Connecticut did not require Freeman to also be church members. In 1647,
he moved to Branford, New Haven Colony, where he organized a church and
served as minister for 20 years. He was prominent in the affairs of this
colony. In 1667, he and most of his congregation went to
New Jersey when New Haven was absorbed by Connecticut. There they
founded Newark. It was to be the last Puritan theocracy in America,
where the church laws were almost indistinguishable from the civil laws.
Pierson remained the pastor there until his death. Pierson was a stern and strict Puritan who was
held in high regard in both civil and clerical circles. Cotton Mather
characterized him as a "godly, learned man" and "wherever
he came he shone." When he died, his library included over 400
books (one of the largest collections in the colonies), which were left
to his son, Abraham.
Abraham married Abigail
MITCHELL10.
They had the following children: +
2 M
i.
Abraham PIERSON was born about 1641 and died on 5 Mar
1706/1707.
3 M
ii.
Thomas PIERSON11
was born12
in 1641/1642 in Southhampton, NY. He died13
before 1684 in Newark NJ.
4 M
iii.
John PIERSON was born14
in 1643 in Southhampton, NY. He died15
before 1671.
5 F
iv.
Abigail PIERSON was born16
in 1644.
6 F
v.
Grace PIERSON was born17
in 1650 in Branford CT.
7 F
vi.
Susanna PIERSON was born18
in Dec 1652 in Branford CT.
8 F
vii.
Rebecca PIERSON was born19
in 1654 in Branford CT. She died20 in Nov 1732.
9 M
viii.
Theophilus PIERSON21
was born22
in 1659 in Branford CT. He died23 in 1713 in Newark NJ.
10 M
ix.
Isaac PIERSON24,25.
11 F
x.
Mary PIERSON26.
12 F
xi.
Davenport PIERSON27.
Second Generation
2.
Abraham PIERSON (Abraham) was born28,29,30
about 1641 in Lynn, Essex, MA. He died31,32,33,34
on 5 Mar 1706/1707 in Killingworth (Clinton), CT and was buried35,36
in Killingworth (Clinton), CT. BIOGRAPHY: Abraham Pierson the
younger was born in either Lynn MA or Southampton, Long Island. He
graduated from Harvard College in 1668. In 1669, he was called to the
pastorate of the church at Woodbridge, but he declined and became his
father's assistant in the church at Newark, NJ. In March 1672, he was
made co-pastor. When his father died in 1678, he became the sole pastor
and remained there for 14 years. In 1692, he left that church and
returned to Connecticut. He became the minister for the church in
Killingworth, now Clinton, CT, two years later, where he served until
his death. He became
prominent in the group of Connecticut ministers who founded the
Collegiate School in October 1701, which was subsequently renamed Yale
College. He was named one of the 10 original trustees, and on November
11, 1701, he was elected the first rector. He is now remembered as the
first President of Yale College, and his statue is on the grounds of
Yale in New Haven, CT.
Abraham married39
Abigail CLARKE37,38,
daughter of George CLARKE and Sarah HARVEY, about 1673 in Branford, New
Haven, CT. Abigail was born40 about 1654. She died41
on 15 Mar 1727 in Killingworth (Clinton), CT and was buried42
in Mar 1727 in Indian River Cemetery, Clinton, CT. They had the following children: +
13 M
i.
Rev. John PIERSON was born in 1689 and died on 23 Aug 1770.
14 M
ii.
Abraham PIERSON was born43
in 1680 in Newark, Essex Co. NJ. He died44
in 1752 in Clinton, Middlesex Co. CT.
15 F
iii.
Sarah PIERSON45.
16 F
iv.
Susanna PIERSON46.
17 F
v.
Mary PIERSON47.
18 F
vi.
Hannah PIERSON48.
19 F
vii.
Ruth PIERSON49.
20 M
viii.
James PIERSON50.
21 F
ix.
Abigail PIERSON51. Third Generation
13. Rev. John PIERSON52
(Abraham, Abraham) was born53 in 1689 in Newark, Essex Co. NJ.
He died54,55,56,57,58 on 23 Aug 1770 in Hanover, Morris
Co. NJ. BIOGRAPHY: Rev. John Pierson spent
his early days in Newark, NJ. He graduated in 1711 from Yale College. In
1714, he became the pastor of the Woodbridge Church (First Presbyterian
Church of Woodbridge). He was 28 years old at the time. His salary was
80 pounds a year. He continued to serve as minister there until 1752. He
was one of the first members of the Board of Trustees of the College of
New Jersey, which subsequently became Princeton University. He went to
Mendham, NJ in 1753, where he stayed for the next 10 years as a
minister. He remarried and lived on his wife's farm on Long Island, but
returned to New Jersey upon her death and spent the last years of his
life with his daughter, Elizabeth Greene, in Hanover.
John married59,60
Ruth WOODBRIDGE, daughter of
Rev. Timothy WOODBRIDGE and Mehitabel WYLLYS, on 18 Jul 1716 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. Ruth was born61,62
about Aug 1695 in Hartford Connecticut ? and was christened63,64,65
on 18 Aug 1695 in Hartford Connecticut ?. She died66,67,68,69
on 7 Jan 1732 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. They had the following children: +
22 M
i.
Wyllis PIERSON was born circa 1728 and died in 1810.
23 M
ii.
Abraham PIERSON70,71.
24 M
iii.
John PIERSON72,73.
25 F
iv.
Abigail PIERSON74,75.
26 F
v.
Anna PIERSON76,77.
27 F
vi.
Elizabeth PIERSON78,79.
28 F
vii.
Margaret PIERSON80,81.
29 F
viii.
Hannah PIERSON82,83.
Fourth Generation
22. Wyllis PIERSON
84, 85, 86, 87, 88
(John, Abraham, Abraham) was born
89 circa 1728 in Woodbridge,
Middlesex Co., NJ. He died 90 in 1810 in Duck Creek, Hamilton
Co. Ohio. BIOGRAPHY: Wyllis Pierson was named
as a son of Rev. John Pierson in his will dated 22 Nov 1768 and proved 2
Sep 1770 in Hanover, Morris Co. NJ. Wyllis was also listed in the 1771/2
census for Morris Twp., Morris Co. NJ as being the head of a household
with four males. His age was between 16 and 50. In a list of 1753
Freeholders in Morris Co. NJ (North Precinct which
includes Bernardsville), a Willis Person (sic) is mentioned as
being next door to Thos Riggs (Wyllis' father-in-law). In the will of
Thomas Riggs of Bernardstown, Somerset Co. NJ dated 9 Dec 1788 and
proved 15 Sept 1796, it mentions "the children my daughter had by
Wyllys Pierson." They were to inherit one-third of his estate. In 1762, Wyllis was chosen as a trustee of
the Rockaway (Morris Co.) NJ Presbyterian Church.
According to Charlotte Gitner's article in the Detroit Society
for Genealogical Research published
in 1978, he was a blacksmith as of August 1762 in Pequannock,
Morris Co. and he bought a one-half interest in a gristmill on the
Rockaway River which he planned to move to another, unspecified place.
On 10 July 1772, the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of Morris Co. NJ
declared Willis and six others "insolvent debtors." On 5 Feb
1771, Wyllys Pierson witnessed the renunctiation of a will of a John
Pierson of Hanover, Morris Co. NJ. It appears that Wyllis Pierson may have
moved to Western Pennsylvania near Fort Redstone as early as 1774, since
he is mentioned in court records that year and witnessed a deed in 1775.
The 1790 Federal Census lists a Willis Parson in Washington Co. PA.
According to the Revolutionary War pension application of Moses Pierson
(mentioned in Wyllis Pierson's will), he states that his mother died by
1778 and his father had moved to the Redstone Country of Pennsylvania.
Subsequently, it is believed that he moved down the Ohio River to
the Cincinnati area (Hamilton Co. OH), since many of his descendants
settled there and his will was probated in this county in 1810.
Wyllis married Mary
RIGGS91,
daughter of Thomas RIGGS and Mary MORRIS, about 1753 in Barnardsville,
Somerset Co. NJ. Mary was born in 1730 in Milford, New Haven Co. CT?. Wyllis and Mary had the following
children: +
30 F
i.
Ruth PIERSON was born on 10 Jun 1754 and died on 28 Mar 1833.
+
31 F
ii.
Hannah PIERSON was born on 15 Feb 1760 and died on 9 Apr
1817.
32 M
iii.
Abraham PIERSON92.
33 F
iv.
Eunice PIERSON93.
34 M
v.
Moses PIERSON94.
35 F
vi.
Mary PIERSON95.
36 F
vii.
Elizabeth PIERSON96.
37 M
viii.
Wyllys PIERSON97.
Fifth Generation
30. Ruth PIERSON (Wyllis, John, Abraham, Abraham) was born98,99
on 10 Jun 1754 in New Jersey. She died100,101,102
on 28 Mar 1833 in Horseheads, Chemung Co. NY and was buried103
in 1833 in Horseheads, Chemung Co. NY.
Ruth married104,105,106
Henry BREES, son of John
BREESE and Dorothy RIGGS, on 7 Jan 1774 in Somerset Co. NJ. Henry was
born107,108,109,110
on 29 Aug 1753 in Baskenridge, Somerset Co., NJ. He died111,112,113,114
on 3 Jun 1835 in Chemung Co. NY and was buried115
in Jun 1835 in Barbours Corners Cemetery, Chemung Co. NY. BIOGRAPHY: Henry Breese was a
soldier in the Revolutionary War. He served in Baskenridge,
Somerset Co. NJ in a company of Militia commanded by Captain
Platt Bailey for one year in the fall of 1775. He then served in various
parts of New Jersey under Captains Kilpatrick, Parker and Moffat in the
New Jersey Militia until September 1778. At that time, there was a great
need of waggoners and he joined the service under Henry Southard and was
engaged in transporting forage, clothing and provisions for the
Continental forces between Trenton NJ and Kingsbridge NY. In 1785, he
moved to Morristown NJ were he stayed until 1809. In that year, he moved
to Genoa in Cayuga Co. NY. In 1817, he went to Tioga County, NY where he
resided at the time of his deposition at the Elmira Courthouse regarding
his Revolutionary War service. Henry and Ruth had the following
children: +
38 F
i.
Mary (Polly) BREESE was born on 31 Oct 1774 and died on 7 Aug
1851.
39 M
ii.
Stephen BREESE was born116
on 29 Dec 1776.
40 M
iii.
Jermiah BREESE.
41 M
iv.
Joel BREESE.
42 M
v.
John Pierson BREESE was born117
on 3 May 1779.
43 M
vi.
Hosea BREESE.
44 F
vii.
Ruth BREESE.
Ruth married Jairus
TREAT.
45 F
viii.
Susan BREESE118.
46 M
ix.
Henry BREES Jr. was born119
on 2 Dec 1783.
47 M
x.
Acly BREES was born120
on 12 Jan 1799. He died121 on 19 Oct 1799.
31. Hannah PIERSON122,123
(Wyllis, John, Abraham, Abraham) was born124
on 15 Feb 1760 in New Jersey. She died125
on 9 Apr 1817.
Hannah married Samuel
BREESE, son of John BREESE and Dorothy RIGGS. Samuel was born126
on 17 Apr 1758. He died127 on 21 Jul 1837. They had the following children:
48 M
i.
Wyllis BREESE was born128
on 18 Mar 1781 in New Jersey. He died129 on 17 Oct 1853.
49 M
ii.
Daniel BREESE was born130
on 11 May 1783 in New Jersey. He died131 on 19 May 1864.
50 F
iii.
Mary BREESE was born132
on 23 May 1785 in New Jersey. She died133
on 21 Dec 1871.
51 M
iv.
Lot BREESE was born134
on 8 Jan 1788 in New Jersey. He died135 on 1 May 1868.
52 M
v.
Ezra BREESE was born136
on 13 Jun 1790. He died137 on 28 Jun 1869.
53 F
vi.
Elizabeth BREESE was born138
on 27 Mar 1793. She died139 on 22 Oct 1871.
54 M
vii.
John BREESE was born140
on 28 Aug 1795. He died141 on 12 Mar 1879.
55 M
viii.
Henry BREESE was born142
on 21 Dec 1797. He died143 on 21 Oct 1875.
56 M
ix.
Samuel BREESE was born144
on 6 Oct 1802. He died145 on 13 Dec 1875. Sixth Generation
38. Mary (Polly) BREESE146,147
(Ruth PIERSON, Wyllis, John, Abraham, Abraham) was born148,149,150
on 31 Oct 1774 in Morristown NJ (?). She died151,152,153
on 7 Aug 1851 in Elmira NY and was buried154
in Aug 1851 in Breeseport, Chemung Co. NY.
Mary married157,158
Abraham WOOD155,156,
son of Gershom WOOD and (?) WHITNACK, in 1795 in Morristown NJ. Abraham
was born159,160
on 9 Mar 1772 in Morristown NJ. He died161,162
on 19 Sep 1848 in Pontiac Michigan and was buried163
in Sep 1848 in Sashabaw Plain, Michigan near Pontiac. Abraham served as an apprentice to
the Overseer of the William Alexander estate near Morristown NJ. He and
a friend, Joseph Benjamin, explored the Lake country of southwestern New
York in 1794. In December, 1804, he and his wife, Mary, along with their
young children moved to Lansing, Tompkins County New York. At that time,
Tompkins Co. had not yet been formed. He located on a farm in Lot 62 2.5
miles northeast of Ludlowville. The source of this information is a
paper on the Wood family written by Isabelle Harper Wood Parish in 1957
and in the possession of the Lansing Historical Society. Betsey Wood's
obituary also confirms the date of 1804 when they moved to Lansing from
Morristown. Abraham and Mary had the following
children: +
57 F
i.
Betsey WOOD was born on 12 Dec 1802 and died on 28 Nov 1890.
58 ii.
Hannah WOOD was born on 4 Aug 1796.
59
F iii.
Elizabeth WOOD was born164
on 9 Aug 1798 in Morristown, NJ. She died165
on 15 Apr 1881 in Michigan?.
60 M
iv.
David WOOD was born166
on 28 Dec 1804 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. He died167
on 3 Sep 1877 in Ludlowville, Tompkins Co. NY.
61 M
v.
Henry WOOD was born168,169
on 12 May 1800 in Morristown, NJ. He died170,171
on 26 Nov 1818 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY.
62 M
vi.
Joel WOOD was born172
on 15 Feb 1807 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY.
63 M
vii.
Amasa WOOD was born173,174
on 13 Jan 1809 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. He died175,176
on 14 Jan 1895 in Ludlowville, Tompkins Co. NY.
64 F
viii.
Ruth WOOD was born177
on 18 Aug 1811 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. She died178,179
on 13 Dec 1818 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY and was buried180
in Bower Cemetery.
65 M
ix.
Sylvester WOOD was born181
on 21 Jan 1814 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. He died182
on 26 Jun 1815 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY and was buried183
in Bower Cemetery.
66 M
x.
Calvin WOOD was born184
on 10 Jun 1818 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. He died185,186
on 14 Jul 1818 in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY and was buried187
in Bower Cemetery. Seventh Generation
57. Betsey WOOD188 (Mary (Polly) BREESE, Ruth
PIERSON, Wyllis, John, Abraham, Abraham) was born189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196
on 12 Dec 1802 in Morristown NJ. She died197,198,199
on 28 Nov 1890 in Locke, NY.
Betsey married Mark
Hargen BROOKS, son of James BROOKS and Margaret Hargen (?), in 1820
in Lansing, Tompkins Co. NY. Mark was born200,201,202,203,204
on 22 Apr 1798. He died205,206,207 on 30 Sep 1850 in Locke, Cayuga
Co. NY (?) and was buried208,209 in Oct 1850 in Bird Cemetery,
Locke, NY. Appendix A - Sources 1.
Pedigrees of Descendants of the Colonial Clergy (Society of
the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy 1976), PA Genealogical Society,
Philadelphia PA. "Pierson, Rev. Abraham, A.B., b. Lynn MA 1641, son
of Rev. Abraham and ___(Wheelwright) Pierson; H.C. [Harvard College]
1668, A.B. ord. Newark NJ 4 Mar 1672; sett. Newark 1669-1692; sett.
Greenwich CT 1692-1694; inst. Killingworth, CT 1694; sett. Killingworth
(now Clinton) 1694-1707; Trustee and founder, Y.C. [Yale College] 1700;
inducted President, Y.C. 11 Nov 1701, served 1701-1707; CT Election
Sermon 1700; d. Killingworth 5 May 1707.". This source says he was
born circa 1608 in Yorkshire England. 2.
Johnson, Allen and Malone, Dumas (editors), Dictionary
of American Biography (New York: Charles Scribners' Sons 1937),
Volume 14 Page 587, PA Historical Society, 13th & Locust Streets,
Philadelphia PA. "Born in Yorkshire, England,
probably at Bradford, since he was baptized there on Sept. 23,
1609.". 3.
Johnson, Allen and Malone, Dumas (editors), Dictionary
of American Biography, Volume 14 Page 588. 4.
Lizzie B. Pierson, Pierson
Genealogical Records (Albany: Munsell 1878), PA Historical Society,
13th & Locust Streets, Philadelphia PA. 5.
Pedigrees of Descendants of the Colonial Clergy, Page 658.
"PIERSON, Rev. Abraham, A.B., b. Yorkshire, Eng. c. 1608; Trinity
Coll. Camb. 1632 A.B.; ord. in England, where he was minister at Newark,
Nottinghamshire; came to N.E. 1639; sett. Lynn, MA Nov to Dec 1640; sett.
Southampton, L.I., NY 1640; sett. Branford, CT 1645-1665; sett. Newark,
NJ 1667-1678; Chaplain 1654; d. Newark 9 Aug 1678." 6.
A History of the City of Newark, New Jersey (New York: The
Lewis Historical Publishing Company 1913), PA Historical Society, 13th
& Locust Streets, Philadelphia PA. "He died and was laid to
rest in the old Newark Burying Ground. Many generations ago, over a
century before the bones of the settlers were removed to Fairmount
Cemetery, all trace of Pastor Pierson's grave had been lost.".
"He died in 1678." 7.
New Jersey Archives, Calendar of Wills- Abraham Pierson the elder
(Somerville NJ: 1928), Volume XXI Page 42, PA Historical Society, 13th
& Locust Streets, Philadelphia PA. "1671 August 10. Last Will
and Testament of Abraham Pierson of Newark, wife Abigail, daughters
Devenporte, Mary and two others not named, sons Abraham, Thomas,
Theophilus, Isaac. Executors Jasper Crane, Robert Treat, Lieut. Swaine,
brother Tompkins, brother Lawrence, brother Serjant Wardl Witness Thomas
Pierson, Proved March 12, 1678. Inventoried at 854 pounds.". 8.
Johnson, Allen and Malone, Dumas (editors), Dictionary
of American Biography, Volume 14 Page 587. "Pierson, Abraham
(1609- Aug. 9, 1678)." 9.
A History of the City of Newark, New Jersey, Page 81. 10. New Jersey Archives, Calendar of Wills- Abraham Pierson the elder, Volume XXI Pag |
