It is now time to give Old Thomas Bacon his very own page. A trip to Salem, New Jersey was a delightful trip with more clues and lots of pictures of very old towns from 1700 in the south western area of New Jersey which happens to be swampy land. Did Thomas get his land from his grandfather or the Indians? The following deeds and wills mention "Indian Run." I did find Oldmans Creek bridge that is built over Oldmans Creek and I talked with the man who lives in the house there. The land has seen many owners of the property. A trip to Salem County Courthouse gave me more clues about the people who had been deeded land there. The deed books began with the year 1786 -- I must say that the office folks in the Salem County Courthouse were excellent help and especially the young man from the Archives who was filling in for the workers who had gone to lunch as well the lady in the Surrogate's office. I would have been there all day without their help. Driving around Salem and Gloucester Counties on King's Hwy has helped me when I look at census records of the area now that I know the townships Mannington, Pilesgrove, Woodstown, Harrison, and Deptford are all in close proximity to each other and people did move around a lot in those days
WILL OF THOMAS BACON
Feb. 9 1770, will of Thomas Bacon, of Pilesgrove Twsp., Salem Co., New Jersey yeoman; Daughter, Mary Hutchason, my homestead, and the
house and land over Oldmans Creek, of 357 acres, but if she should
marry again, then she shall have it no longer; and she is to have
the cedar swamp in Gloucester Co., while she is in the same condition; after her death or marriage my grandsons, Thomas Hutchason and John Hutchason, to have the same. If Thomas Hutchason
should come back and live with his wife again, who is my daughter, then care to be used that he have no control of said property
that is left to my daughter Mary. I give to Jeremiah Bacon, living
in Penna., by some said to be my son, 5 shillings. My friend, Samuel
Hogate, is to see that my daughter's husband does not spend her
portion. Executors — my daughter, Mary Hutchinson, and my grand-
son, Thomas Hutchinson. Witnesses — John Hutchinson, Samuel
Shivers, Jacob Richman. Proved April 23, 1770
Feb. 21 1770, Inventory, £167,15.1, made by Jacob Spicer and Samuel Shivers. Lib. 14, p. 259
DEEDS FOUND IN SALEM CO., NEW JERSEY COURTHOUSE
1. The present owner has lived at Oldmans Creek for twenty years (1991 to the present)
2. .....
3. July 29, 1969... The most famous owner of the land around Oldmans Creek would be Jerry Williams, coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and his wife of the Township of Pilesgrove, in the County of Salem and State of New Jersey, who bought from Helen E. Davis, widow, of the Borough of Woodstown, in the County of Salem and State of New Jersey
4. Helen E. Davis ....(abt...
5. February 20, 1930... Ruth E. Davis and husband Thomas W. Davis to Mary W. Johnson, of the Borough of Glassboro, County of Gloucester and State of New Jersey ; names mentioned with adjoining land southwest side of INDIAN RUN, and land of Aaron Coles, Thomas L. Edwards, John Bishop, Joseph P. Colson, Joseph D. Folwell, being the same land and premises which George W. Wood, singleman, by deed dated February 15th, A.D. 1917
6. February 15, 1907 ...George W. Wood, single man, of the Borough of Woodstown, in the County of Salem and State of New Jersey and Ruth E. Davis of township of Pilesgrove ; land owners mentioned are Thomas L. Edwards, John Bishop, Joseph P. Colson (now the new Oldmans Creek), Jesse Lippincott, heirs of Joseph D. Folwell
Unknown potato farmer with a Spanish wife ...
February 21, 1883 Ann H Pancoast to Joseph P. Colson ...
February 27, 1883 ...Samuel T. Lippincott Ex. of Ann H. Pancoast to Joseph P. Colson ; between Samuel T Lippincott executor of the last will of Ann H. Pancoast deceased of the township of Mannington County of Salem Co., New Jersey and Joseph P Colson of the township of South Harrison Co, Gloucester, New Jersey for the sum of ten thousand and eleven dollars. All that certain farm tract or piece of land and premises situate in the township of Pilesgrove County of Salem and state of New Jersey. Beginning at a stone where a maple formerly stood on southwest side of Indian Run in line of land of Aaron Coles north to a corner of land of John Bishop and the land of Thomas L. Edwards and runs thence by said Coles north to a corner to land of John Bishop and other lands of Joseph P Colson passing a marked black oak and hickory thirty nine chains forty four links to corner of land lately sold to said Colson now the new Oldmans Creek thence along said Creek ... bounding on lands of said Colson, Jesse Lippincott and to a corner in the middle of said Creek and corner to land of Joseph D Folwell...
Wills found in Salem Co. Court house that has the names of some of the people mentioned in the deeds and go back to 1836
Joseph Davis of Woodstown in twp. of Pilesgrove, Salem Co., New Jersey signed June 15, 1836 "it being the day that I am seventy years old and my birth day" ; Wife Mary (Haines) Davis, land given him by his father David Davis. Mentions brother Jacob Davis ; daughters Ann H Pancoast and Martha C Folwell ; grandsons Joseph D. Folwell and Joseph D Pancoast
Ann H. Pancoast daughter of Joseph Davis and wife of David Pancoast dated March 2, 1876 leaves estate to husband David and mentions sons William and C.F Pancoast and "divide to my six children named as follows, viz. Joseph D Pancoast, David, Mary D Lawson, Martha F Lippincott, Annie E. Stotensburg, Isabella Pancoast. Executors : my son Joseph D. Pancoast and son-in-law Samuel T Lippincott
I really need deeds from 1850 back to 1770 the time when Thomas Bacon died ; like 1790 to 1850 who was living there?
As I drove along Kings Hwy from Salem Co. to Woodbury, New Jersey I had to stop and get some pictures of the area...well some I snapped while driving along very slowly and I am sure some cars may have been in a hurry so when possible I did pull off to the side to snap some photographs of the quaint old historical counties of Salem and Gloucester. So sit back and enjoy the drive up Kings Hwy
Town of Woodbury
Statue by the entrance to Woodbury High School
Did Thomas and daughter Mary own a tavern something like this one? 1762
Cedar Swamp where cedar trees do grow
Salem town and the Fenwick Bldg. Fenwick first settler to Salem
GLOUCESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY
While at the Gloucester Historical Society Library I did find some interesting articles that I made notes of to research later
1. Bacon's Adventure by Herbert Marion Bacon a very interesting book about Samuel Bacon who purchased land from the Indians in 1683 and on August 19, 1690 he purchased 360 acres from John Adams of Salem, New Jersey
THE WILL OF SAMUEL BACON
"The last Will & Testamt of Saml Bacon being weak in body but in Pfect memory on this 18th day of September 1695.
Imprms. I give vmto my son William all my land & meadow being two hundred acres with the house and houseing & orchard all vnto there belonging, my son William payeing to me or my wife the full and just sum of ffivety pounds Currt money of this countrey and one half of the Corne and half ye Pduce of the orchard dureing our naturall Lieuuis
2nd, I give to my son Samuel five shillings
3rd, and vnto my son John five shillings
4th, and vnto my son Nathaniel five shillings
5thly, I give vnto my son Jeremiah ten pounds
6th, and to my daughter Ann ten pounds
I give vnto my son Benjamin all my Right & Title of the land yt wass John Ffulers Benja, payeing those bonds to John Ffuler & indempnifieing my son William from ye same
I give my son Joseph five shillings
I give vnto my daughter Martha five pounds
All the remaining Pte of my estate I give to my wife
In confiemacion hereof I have sett my hand & Seale the day and yeare above written
Signed ...Samuel Bacon (Seal) and witnessed (by) Obediah Holmes, John Gillman
2. Records of the Moravian Church at Oldmans Creek by Paul Minotty, 1968 - Gloucester Co., New Jersey ; the index had no Bacons or Hutchinsons listed ; this church was just north of Oldmans Creek but I forgot to look for it
3. History and Records of Trinity Episcopal Church Marriages 1785-1975, Swedesboro, Gloucester Co ; the only Bacons listed were : Joseph Benson & Mary Bacon November 26, 1803 and John Bacon & Jessabelle Calbert Lower Pensneck October 30, 1785
SALEM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Stopping by the second oldest library in New Jersey I looked in the history room and copied notes from some books
1. Capsules of New Jersey History by John T. Cunningham, 1974 New Jersey Mfg Insurance Co
From "Lenape" (original people) Territory to Royal Province New Jersey 1600-1750 New Jersey State Museum April 1971
Salem Co. Wills 1831-1860 ; 1982 Gloucester Co. Historical Society
DAVID BACON 1839 Woodstown to sister Rachel Sheppard, brother Charles Bacon, nephew Moses Sheppard, Cousin Thomas Bacon $2000, pay his father John Bacon $ 120 annually
John Bacon 1851 Woodstown wife Sarah if remarries to children ; John, William C, Hannah Bacon
Thomas Bacon 1853 Salem wife Elizabeth son John S, stepson Joshua B Stretch ; at the Salem Courthouse the guy looked up Bacon marriages and listed is Thomas Bacon to Elizabeth Stretch, all of Salem. License February 22, 1831 and marriage February 22, 1831 as listed in the Salem Messenger Wednesday February 23, 1831
SALEM COUNTY ARCHIVES ROOM
Thomas Bacon marriage to Elenor Dare May 26, 1747
Thomas S Bacon marriage to Pricilla Cooper March 10, 1830
Thomas Bacon marriage to Elizabeth Wright October 7, 1807
Thomas Bacon Jury February 20, 1753 Common Pleas, Minute Book page 351
Thomas Bacon Jury February 20, 1753 Common Pleas, Minute Book page 350
Thomas Bacon Jury February 20, 1753 Common Pleas, Minute Book page 349
