Descendants of John Keepers

Descendants of John Keepers

Group 15: Salem County, NJ

Generation No. 1

1. John¹ Keepers¹. He married Elizabeth. She was born Abt. 1724, and died Aft. February 06, 1804 in Pittsgrove, Salem Co., NJ².

Notes for John Keepers:

In "New Jersey Colonial Documents, Calendar of Wills - 1771-1780," pp. 283-284, the will of John Keeper (sic), wife Elizabeth, dated July 27, 1776, lists the children of John & Elizabeth with a few spellings of children's names that are different from those in the church records reported by J. V. Hollingsworth. Listed are son Thomas, youngest son John, and daughters: Elizabeth, Sarah, Catharin, Bathniphliath, Rebecka, Judea, Rachel, and Rhode. The will gives to his wife Elizabeth "the profits of my lands, and after her death, I give the plantation to my son Thomas. Youngest son, John, the plantation I bought from Richard Graham." To the daughters, "personal estate." The will was witnessed by David Mayhew, Tobitha Mayhew, & John Nelson, and proved September 13, 1776. Administratrix - Elizabeth; fellowbondsmen, John Daindelspeck and David Mayhew; all of Salem County.

Notes for Elizabeth:

Will of Elizabeth Nickels, dated Feb. 6, 1804, and proved Sep. 19, 1804:

1804. Feb. 6. Nickels, Elisabeth, of Pittsgrove, Salem Co.; will of. Son, Thomas Keeper, $3. Granddaughter, Elisabeth Vansant, bed and bedding, large pewter platter. Daughter, Elisabeth Vansant, pewter platter. Daughter, Rebecca Dunham, $3. Daughter, Catharine Garrison, bed and bedding. Daughter, Kezia Hogate, loakingglass. Son, Thomas Keeper, my undivided half part of plantation whereon I now live. Remainder of moveable estate to be divided between my 5 daughters, i.e., Elizabeth Vansant, Sarah Stratton, Catharine Garrison, Rhoda Cobb and Kezia Hogate. Executor -- Jerediah Dubois.

Witnesses -- Joseph Brewster, Enoch Shute, Anne Westcoat. Proved Sept. 19, 1804. (Recorded, Surrogate's Office, Salem Co.)

1804, Mar. 21. Inventory, $350.21; made by Enoch Shute and Solomon Dubois. File 2722 Q.

Note that her son John and daughter Bathniphleoth are not mentioned in the will. It may be the Kezia is a middle name for Bathniphleoth.

More About Elizabeth:

Baptism: November 08, 1750, Swedish Lutheran Church, Raccoon, NJ³

Children of John Keepers and Elizabeth are:

2 i. Thomas² Keepers, born June 05, 1753 in Pittsgrove, Salem Co., NJ; died Aft. 1834.

Notes for Thomas Keepers:

From the pension application of Thomas Keepers:

Thomas received $22.52 per year, starting March 4, 1834 as recorded by the clerk Viniul Luce. At the time of application, he lived in Gloucester County, New Jersey. He appeared in court to petition for his pension on October 15, 1832, then "...age 80 years nearly..." He lists service from Jan.-March, 1777, and Feb.-June, 1778. Resided, when entered service, at Pittsgrove, Salem County, New Jersey. He entered a company commanded by his uncle: Cpt. Christopher Rape. Thomas marched through Moorestown, Mount Holly, Trenton, and other places to Somerset Court House: "...I was never in an engagement..." The battle had always seemed to move on by the time his group got there. He was born in Pittsgrove, County of Salem, N.J., on June 5, 1753 - stayed there most of his life - moved to Gloucester county "within a few years past." "...saw a great many officers at Morristown, but did not know any of them.... ...I never received a discharge." There is a shaky signature: Thomas Keepper. There were also two witnesses who were "well acquainted with Thomas Keeper." The court recorder referred to "Thomas Kepper." Joseph Johnson was a witness, and "a neighbor of 40 years", John Cade, supported the petition of "Thomas Keeper."

Note: At no time does an "s" appear at the end of Keeper in the papers of application for the pension. However, there is, in the microfilm file, a copy of an inquiry from Mildred M. Sackman, 25 So. Pierson Road, Maplewood, N.J., dated March 12, 1929. She wanted information about a pension for Thomas Keepers, and cites information: Captain Josiah Crane, Co - Colonel Silvanius Seeley's Eastern Batallion, Morris County, N.J. Militia - Revolutionary War. She stated, "I have a pension claim."

The tax information below was contributed on the web by Kevin Riley:

Pequannock Township Tax Ratables

May 1778 and (February 1780)

Key:

* c-horned cattle

* ex-exempt

* h-horse(s)

* hh-householder

* p-pigs

* rc-riding chair (single axle carriage)

* sm-single man who works for hire

* sm&h- single man who keeps a horse

* u- acres of unimproved land

* £-amount out at interest

(Thos. Keepers 200; 2c, forge, sawmill)

More About Thomas Keepers:

Baptism: June 5, 1753 at Swedish Lutheran Church, Raccoon, NJ.

Military service: Revolutionary War veteran⁴

+ 3 ii. Elizabeth Keepers, born Abt. 1755.

4 iii. Sarah Keepers⁵, born August 19, 1757. She married Stratton.

5 iv. Catherine Keepers, born March 23, 1759. She married Garrison.

6 v. Bathniphleoth Keepers, born June 10, 1760.

7 vi. Rebecca Keepers, born June 27, 1762. She married Dunham.

8 vii. Judith Keepers, born August 11, 1764.

9 viii. John Keepers, born September 18, 1766.

10 ix. Rachel Keepers, born March 29, 1769.

11 x. Rhoda Keepers, born September 27, 1770. She married Cobb.

Generation No. 2

3. Elizabeth² Keepers (John¹)⁶ was born Abt. 1755. She married Vansant.

More About Elizabeth Keepers:

Baptism: January 29, 1755, Swedish Lutheran Church, Raccoon, NJ

Child of Elizabeth Keepers and Vansant is:

12 i. Elisabeth³ Vansant.

Endnotes

1. Records of the Swedish Lutheran Churches at Raccoon and Penn's Neck, NJ, 1713-1786, p. 273; page 283; page 295, Births and some baptisms of the John & Elizabeth Keepers family are listed, according to J. V. Hollingsworth. (See J. V. Hollingsworth letter.).

2. New Jersey Colonial Documents; Calendar of Wills 1801-1805 (NJ State Hist. Soc., Newark, NJ), P. 330, The will of Elizabeth Nickels is cited with her bequests to her son, Thomas Keeper(s), granddaughter, Elizabeth Vansant, daughter, Elizabeth Vansant, daughter Rebecca Dunham, daughter, Catherine Garrison, daughter, Kezia Hogate, daughter, Sarah Stratton, and daughter, Rhoda Cobb.

3. Records of the Swedish Lutheran Churches at Raccoon and Penn's Neck, NJ, 1713-1786, p. 273, States baptism of John Keepers' wife Elizabeth, 26 years old.

4. National Archives, Revolutionary War Pension Records, #M804, Roll#1460, The file describes the successful application for a pension by Thomas Keepers.

5. New Jersey Colonial Documents; Calendar of Wills 1801-1805 (NJ State Hist. Soc., Newark, NJ), p. 330, Husband's name assumed from her Mother's will. We do not know of other marriages.

6. New Jersey Colonial Documents; Calendar of Wills 1801-1805 (NJ State Hist. Soc., Newark, NJ), p. 330, Husband's name assumed from her Mother's will. We do not if there were other marriages.

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