THOMAS FORCE/JACOB WOOLEVER BIOGRAPHY, MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY Copyright (c) 2000 by Stewart J.A.Woolever Jr (sjaw@citlink.net). ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submittor has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************ The reference to Jacob Woolever appears in the info of THOMAS FORCE, pg 824 and 825 of First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodsridge Olde East New Jersey, under IX William THOMAS FORCE, son of BENJAMIN FORCE, (Let us call him JUNIOR.) THOMAS FORCE, JUNIOR, was a F.S. of W., as early as 1716-7, (see below), which has occasioned the belief that he was THOMAS FORCE, The Elder, as confused Vosburgh, (supra). He was b. Sept. 13, 1693, at Wrentham, Mass., and by 1715 had married MARY SPENCER, of W., (dau. of JOHN), and in a misc. rec. Dutch Church Recs., of Staten Island, she appeared, 1727, as "MARYTJIE FORCE," in a marriage record, (STILLWELL, Vol. I, p. 701). JOHN SPENCER of W., d. in 1716-7, leaving an estate, July 15, 1715, of which RICHARD SKINNER and BENJAMIN FORCE made the inventory, and one of the creditors was THOMAS FORCE, (ARCH., Vol. XXIII, p. 435). THOMAS FORCE d. "of WOODBRIDGE and RAWAY," and admin. was June 5, 1736, to MARY FORCE, his widow, and JONATHAN FREEMAN, which kinship now developes. (ARCH., Vol. XXX, p. 182), and in the same, (p. 449), is the will of William Spencer, dated Sept. 8, 1738, proved Jan. 22, 1743, referring to his brother, JOHN SPENCER, et al., and to "HENRY, CHARLES, SAMUEL and THOMAS FORCE, sons of my sister, the widow of THOMAS FORCE," and this record is valuable. This branch of the fam. cont, at W. Concerning the children of THOMAS FORCE, JUNIOR, it has been one of the triumphs of the compiler to establish these, intricate as was the problem, outside the will of the grandfather, BENJAMIN FORCE, and the records last referred to, from other collateral and fam. recs. THOMAS FORCE and wife, MARY SPENCER, had issue: I. HENRY, ment, in the will of his uncle, William Spencer, and that of his grandfather, BENJAMIN FORCE. This name undoubtedly orig. in that of HENRY FREEMAN. II. CHARLES, do, the first source, above. III. THOMAS PALMER FORCE, do, both sources, above, with the added idea of "PALMER," indicating family orig. IV. SAMUEL, do, the first source, above, and the wills of JONATHAN FREEMAN, 1761, and his wife, CHARITY FREEMAN, 1763, (vide, ante, this PART, p. 713). V. DAMARIS, b. 1735, d. 1808, m. ISAAC HATFIELD, the Second, (q. v., this PART, p. indic.). Indicated in will of JONATHAN FREEMAN, (supra). VI. PRUDENCE, b. (???), d. (???). Living in 1763, and mentioned in the will of CHARITY FREEMAN, (supra), m. (???) HATFIELD. VII. TIMOTHY, (???), d. 1768, of Newark; will, 1768, Nov. 23, with admrs., Rachel, (wife), and ISAAC FORCE, son; from other sources the wife was RACHEL MANNING, mother of the above ISAAC FORCE and MANNING FORCE, ancestor of the famous PETER FORCE, American Archivist. (ARCH., Vol. XXXIII, p. 147.) VIII. JAMES; to this family, tho' not mentioned in any will, must be alloted this person, of Newark, will, 1770, Nov. 21, (ARCH., Vol. XXXIII, p. 147). IX. WILLIAM. On account of the William Spencer relationship, this son must be allotted. He, 1747, was related to Joseph Mattison of Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co., and further: (ARCH., Vol. XXX, p. 327). He had d. bef., 1774, for at that date will of Jacob Woolever of Amwell, Hunt. Co., (ARCH., Vol. XXXIV, p. 598), he was dead, but the former had a dau. "Elizabeth, the widow of WILLIAM FORCE," and, after her death, "to her 2 sons, THOMAS and JACOB (FORCE)." X. Prob. et al First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodsridge Olde East New Jersey part 5 , Page 825 ... 1774, for at that date will of Jacob Woolever of Amwell, Hunt. Co.,... State of New Jersey Index of Wills, Inventories, Etc , Page 1342 ... 1541S. Inv. 1817. Woolever, Jacob, 401S. B. 38, p. 81. Int... "A History of East Amwell 1700-1800", East Amwell Bicentennial Committee, Ringoes, NJ 1976. 2nd Ed. published by Hunterdon Co Historical Society, Flemington NJ. 1979 Small Lots Within Dawlis Tract, pg 98 On March 19, 1811 Jacob DECKER and his wife Ann, then of Knowlton Township, Sussex Co. sold the former Boughner property at Rocktown to Jacob EGE with the following notation recorded with the deed, "...deed become the property of EGE...which deed will fully demonstrate all former trasfers and coveyances of aforesaid lot of land from the first down to date hereof". The lot was bordered on the west by land formerly belonging to JACOB WOOLEVER (BROTHER OF HENRY), on the south by John Christopher LIVERTON, east by the Trenton Road and north by land formerly belonging to the Reverend GRANT. Sadly for historoy's sake no detail of these former transactions was included in the deed. The Calvinists, pg 192 Tombstones in the graveyeard of United Church at Larison's Corner indicate that members of this congregation were among the earliest German setetlers of the Amwell Valley In 1749... The Germans built themselves a new stone church in Amwell at Pleasant Corners. Bu this time they were known as the Calvinistical High Dutch Congregation and a deed dated January 21, 1749 records the sale of one acre of land for 10 pounds by James WITTAKER to William KASE, Peter HOFFMAN and William BELLOWSFELT, Trustees of the church. The witnesses who signed the deed were JACOB WOOLEVER, John GARRISON, John CASE and the same Daniel LAROE from whom the Presbyterians would buy their parsonage lot a few years hence. The Calvinists continued... Pg 194 Rev. Frederick DALLIKER followed STABEL in 1763 and remained for seen years. It was during his ministry in 1767 that the church finally bought land for a parsonage, 52 acres from Abraham KISE for 270 pounds. The congregation took out a mortgage for 100 pounds in the names of Mathias HOUSEL, JACOB WOOLEVER, and Hieronymus MINGUS who were the Elders, and Adam DEATS and WIlliam YOUNG, Deacons. Jos. Reed Takes Over Store, pg 87 (This chapter is regarding continuing the operation of MULLEN's store by Joseph REED) The appraisers included in their inventory an "accounting of the balances due Mr. Joseph REED's books" as of July 23, 1774. (Lengthy listing of names which appeared in this accounting, names which were notated with an * were accounts "deemed dubious", the absence of an * meant the accounts were "deemed good".) JACOB WOOLEVER, deceased "IX. William. On account of the William Spencer relationship, this sonmust be allotted. He, 1747, was related to Joseph Mattison of Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co., and further: (ARCH., Vol. XXX, p. 327). He had d. bef., 1774, for at that date will of Jacob Wooever of Amwell, Hunt. Co., (ARCH., Vol. XXXIV, p 598), he was dead, but the former had a daughter "Elizabeth, the widow of William Force," and, after her death, "to her sons, Thomas and Jacob (Force)."