KREPZE/CRAPSTER BIRTH RECORDS, SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY Copyright (c) 2001 by Richard Warfield Faber (RKayTek@aol.com). ************************************************************************ 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. ************************************************************************ Ruliff Crapster of Taneytown, Maryland. Who was he? by Basil L. Crapster (Major Second Revision) August, 1984 The fullest genealogy of the Crapster family was prepared almost half a century ago by Cousin Alice Galt. Me, and my parents' generation were accustomed to turn to this typescript to answer questions about family history. For the past decade I have been digging up material on the early history of Taneytown and, while I have not concentrated on the history of the Crapster family, I have found some material that sheds some light on that obscure figure that Cousin Alice introduced us to as "Ruliff Crapster", the earliest known member of the family. The result was a big surprise. I thought it worthwhile to put down what we do know, along with some thoughts and suggestions for further study. If I don't get to follow up the leads myself, perhaps this will set someone else on the right road. Ruliff in New Jersey (1752? - 1757?) The earliest record of Ruliff Crapster/Crabster is in the records of the Harlingen Dutch Reformed Church, Montgomery Township, Somerset County, New Jersey [1]. A 1752 subscription list shows [ROE] LOF KREPZE subscribing 3 pounds. Amounts subscribed ranged from 1 pound to 10 pounds. Apparently, this was for building a church. "Roelof" (in various spellings) is the Dutch equivalent of Rolf or Ralph. A list of pewholders, undated, but apparently roughly contemporary with the above [2] shows ROELOF KREPTER as holder of pew 19 in the "men's place." The 8th place in pew 18 in the "women's places" was listed for ROELOF CREPTER. The same church's baptismal records [3] shows the baptism of ABRAHAM, son of ROLIF CREPSSTER and his wife ABIGEL on July 19, 1752. Presumably this is the Abraham who married Margaret McCaleb and was a merchant at Liberty where he died without issue October 8, 1812. His tombstone at Piney Creek Presbyterian Church says that he died aged 58. That would put his birth in 1754 and baptism in 1752. The latter date seems the better attested of the two, unless there were two children of the same name, which does not show up in the baptismal records. A list of freeholders for the "western Precinct" (present day Montgomery Township in southwestern Somerset County) for 1753 lists ROULOF KREPSTER. It is now in the New Jersey Archives. Such lists are rare, and no other exists for the area. Along with the political connotation of full citizenship, a "freeholder" owned land. Unfortunately, the land records of East Jersey do not contain the name. The State Archivist estimates that only about a quarter of the deeds made at that time were recorded. Later baptismal records show the growth of the family. On October 8, 1754 ANNATE, daughter of ROLIF CREPSTER and his wife ABIGEL was baptised [4]. Nothing more is known of this girl, who may have died young. On August 12, 1757 RODOLLIF, son of ROLIF CREPSTER and ABIGEL, was baptised [5]. There is no further information on this child, who presumably died young. This is also the last dated record of "Ruliff" and Abigail in New Jersey. A reference, unfortunately undated [6] notes that ROLIF CREPSTER sold his pew to Cornelius Simonse Van Arsdalen Jr. Another reference, likewise undated, notes that ROLEF CREPSTER sold his place in the women's section to W. Simen Van Arsdalen Jr. This may well have been before moving away. There is also no baptismal record for daughter Hannah (Jones) who according to her tombstone was born in 1755, or for son John Crapster whose stone bears the birth date Sept 16, 1761. Possibly by the latter date the family had moved, but the absence of a record of Hannah permits no such explanation. Perhaps her tombstone is incorrect. There are no clues to the identification to the identification of Ruliff's wife Abigail. Between 1757 and his appearance in Maryland in 1768 we cannot be sure where Ruliff and family were. Along the way they may have stopped for a while. There was no Dutch settlement near Taneytown and only one or two settlers there with names that could be Dutch. The nearest Dutch concentration was around the Low Dutch Road east of Gettysburg where several families bore names also found in the Harlingen Church area, a fact that may or may not mean anything. The Harlingen (Dutch) Reformed Church today is at the intersection of the Dutchtown Road and U.S. 208 from Princeton to Somerville, about 15 miles north of Princeton. It appears to have gotten its name from a late eighteenth century preacher named Harlingen. About two miles behind the church at the end of the Dutchtown Road the local historical society has preserved a small stone house, dated 1752, that gives some indication of the lives of early settlers. The church, a white Greek Revival building of about 1820, is not on the site of the original church. That stood about two miles to the north along the Somerville Road (U.S. 208) where the extensive cemetery still is in use on the township border (behind the Belle Mead Inn). Although there are old Dutch tombstones, I could find none in the family name or indeed none from the 1750's. A search of the tombstones list for that cemetery in the New Jersey Room of the Rutgers University Library was equally fruitless. The original "Kerk op die Milstone" (Church over the Millstone Creek) was founded in 1727 by Dutch who began moving into the area in 1710 from New York. During the pastorates of the Frelinghuysens, father and son, the congregation was the center of the liberal faction in an intense religious controversy. In 1752 this group withdrew to the site of the present church, and 60 members formed a new "Sourland Church," taking its name from the Sourland Hills to the west. The original Millstone congregation gradually became extinct and its building was abandoned. Under Johannes Martinus Van Harlingen, pastor 1762-1795, services at Sourland were held only in Dutch, but under his successor English services began. [7] What do we know about Ruliff in Maryland? The first mention, October 1, 1768 An inventory of the estate of Teeter Tanner, deceased. a farmer in the Taneytown area, heads the list of book debts "the Executor thinks to be solvent" with the name "RUDEFF CRAPSTER, six shillings, eight pence."[8] Since I have found no previous deed, I guess that he was a tenant (or buying land on some installment plan), perhaps on the property he later bought. We can assume that he contracted the debt sometime before the date of the inventory. The deed of June 21, 1777 In the Frederick County Land records (RP p.179) is a deed of 21 June 1777, recorded August 20, 1777, in which Thomas Fisher, merchant of York County, Pennsylvania who speculated in Taneytown area land, transfers to RUDOLPH CRAPSTER, farmer of Frederick County, 100 acres, part of the tract called "Addition to Brooks Discovery on the Richland" and adjacent to a parcel recently made over by Andrew Parke and Abraham Hayter to Peter Coonce. The price was 300 Pounds currency (which was worth less than 100 Pounds Sterling). On July 28, 1777 Fisher registered notice that he had been paid. This is the "Locust Grove" farm just west of Taneytown. If there was a house on it, at that price it would have been a log structure as were virtually all the buildings in the area. Taneytown itself had been laid out only thirteen years before and was still a very small village. There is no tax list or census for the area earlier than 1790. His name has not emerged in any of the very spotty militia records in the equally spotty lists of patriots known as "associators" nor was it among the "non-associators," although his sons were active in the Revolution. At the time of the Revolution he was probably aged 45 - 50. Road supervisor, 1778 In 1778 the Frederick County Court, in making its annual appointments of road supervisors, designated (p.376) RUDOLPH CRAPSTER as supervisor of the county road "from Rouse's ford on the Monokesy through Tawney Town to Pipe Creek at the mouth of the Bear Branch." The annotation "sher." beside his and some other names I take to mean that the sheriff made the recommendation or would notify these persons personally. I believe the road in question came from the Monocacy, near Harney, past his house, through Taneytown, and on to Trevanion, the present Westminster-Taneytown-Emmitsburg road not then being in existence. Every citizen had to provide tools and labor each year on the County road nearest him at the call and under the supervision of an unpaid supervisor. Rudolph was not re-appointed the next year, which was usual. Although all recognized the importance of the roads, it must have been burdensome to summon the neighbors and direct their often grudging activities. I have not found him on a grand or petty jury which is a little surprising. Debts 1783-87 On August 19, 1783 the Frederick County justices ordered Daniel Long Jr., of Frederick County, yeoman to appear at the next court to answer charge of "trepass on the case" (unpaid debt) by Ruliff Crapster [9]. On November 3, 1783 Daniel Long went bail for Daniels Jr.'s appearance. On June 7, 1784 Ruliff Crapster asked the clerk of the court to drop the case, Long paying costs, as they have settled the matter. At the end of the Revolution, Rudolph and his son John were borrowing money, either to handle financial problems or, more likely since both names were involved, to launch John in the land, tavern, and other business in which he prospered. On March 11, 1783 John and RULIFF CRAPSTER borrowed 50 Pounds Sterling from Thomas Beatty, promising to repay with interest by May 1, 1784. In 1786 Senior Vandersal, in the creditor's name, tried to get payment through the courts. The case was three times postponed until March 1, 1787 when the Frederick County Court (p.88) ordered payment, plus interest, plus 387 lbs. tobacco costs. Similarly, in the same month of March, 1783 John and RUDOLPH CRAPSTER went on record owing 75 Pounds currency to Patrick McSherry, probably for lot #3 in Taneytown. There was a similar delay, and again Adam Good, the prominent local tavern keeper, went their bail. The case was settled also in March Court, 1787 (p.88), with judgement for the plaintiff. Incidentally, anyone studying the court records in the cash-poor society is struck by the number of debts, the delays in collecting, and the litigious natures of the people. Land Survey, June 11, 1785 On this date RUDOLPH CRAPSTER and a group of his neighbors agreed to a resurvey to settle boundaries [10]; Rudolph signed the agreement with his mark. (A number of his neighbors signed in German). Census of 1790 RUDOLPH CRAPSTER is listed in the 1790 Census for Maryland in the section of names from Piney Creek and Taneytown Hundreds (not the town section). His household is listed as including one free white male 16 or over (doubtless himself), 3 white females (his wife, but who the other two - his daughter was, I think, already married; an aged parent would probably be very old indeed), no males under 16, no "other" (such as indentured servants), and no slaves. Son John is listed as living in Taneytown, with3 males over 16, 4 males under 16, and 3 females, and no slaves. We know John's wife Susannah, and we know of 5 daughters and 4 sons. Abraham Crapster is listed as living in Liberty Town, in a household with 2 males over 16 (he had no children), 1 female and 2 slaves. His will, May 28, 1796 The will of RULIFF CRAPSTER is filed in Frederick Country records. It was made May 28, 1796, and mentions his wife Abigail, and children Abraham (1752-1812), John (1761-1824) and Hannah (Jones) (1755?-1835). The original will is in the Hall of Records in Annapolis. It is written in an educated hand, probably by a local justice of the peace. Incidentally, Rudolph's will was signed with his mark, which appears to look like the following: o O I can conclude nothing from the form. Often, but not always, this indicated that a person was illiterate. Conceivably it was the mark of a semi-paralyzed person. I think illiteracy here is probably since the 1785 deed is also signed with a mark and may have something to tell us about his background. Orthography was not very firmly set. The variation in the last name - Crabster or Crapster - understanding given the similarity of sounds. Indeed, around Taneytown many people still habitually pronounce it Crabster. The modification of Ruliff to Rudolph could further be attributed to the efforts of the mainly English-speaking clerks to capture strange (to them) names and accents. Direct Tax Assessment of 1798 The direct (real property) tax assessment of 1798, the oldest surviving for Taneytown, lists RUDOLPH CRAPSTER in the combined Piney Creek-Taneytown Hundreds as having 100 acres of land, assessed at 25 Pounds. I think it unlikely that that would include a brick house. John Crapster owned no land (and so is not listed) and Abraham Crapster was assessed for 16 lots in Liberty Town, value 400 Pounds. Probate will, February 15 ,1800 RULIFF CRAPSTER'S will was probated February 15, 1800, which suggests that he died very shortly before that, probably January, 1800. On March 19, 1801, sons Abraham and John as executors filed their final (and only) account of the estate [11] listing an inventory of personal property (excluding real estate) of 54 Pounds 11 shillings 5 pence, and of separate debts (e.g. debts apparently collectable) of 62 Pounds 14 shillings. The fact that his personal property was appraised by Ephraim Howard and Peter Orndorff, with Abraham Jones signing for the family, and F.B. Sappington and Daniel Stransburg for the creditors, makes me wonder whether in his last years he was not living near his daughter in Liberty. Howard, Jones Sappington, and Stransburg were in the Liberty area. There were three Peter Orndorffs in 1800, two in Liberty and one in Taneytown. The inventory of personal possessions is small indeed: a bedstead and "furniture", a chest, a round walnut table, a small table, a shovel and tongs, a tea kettle, a small Franklin stove, an axe, two table cloths, 4 pillow cases, 6 old sheets, 3 towels, a green rug, a looking glass, 3 knives and forks, 3 pewter dishes, 3 pewter plates, 4 spoons, glassware, a tin funnel, a ton of hay, 35 bushels of rye, an old saddle. There was no livestock or tools. All this suggests a small house for an old person. Some observations A fragmentary family genealogy by Cousin Ella Gilliland, done early in this century, reinforces some of the data given above. In it she says that the family name was originally KREIPSTER, that John and Abraham landed at Seaford, Delaware, and that they stayed for a while in Delaware. Now, this genealogy has some serious flaws in the early part: for example, it is ignorant of Ruliff and speaks of (his sons) John and Abraham as the first to come to America and to Taneytown. Anyway this branch of the family apparently kept a partially accurate tradition of the name, perhaps through Susannah Little Crapster (John's widow) who lived much with them. Ruliff's children married a (German Reformed) Klein/Little, a (Welsh or English Baptist) Jones, and an (Irish Presbyterian) McKaleb. Do the English-speaking ties suggest rapid acculturation? Or long residence in America. We know that son John supported Piney Creek Presbyterian Church, and son Abraham (and his wife's people, McKalebs) were buried there. John was buried on the farm at Locust Grove, and it has long been supposed that Ruliff and Abigail were among the unmarked graves nearby. When in latter half of the nineteenth century (with the farm in other hands), J.W.C O'Neal carefully moved his grandfather's (John's) bones to the nearby Taneytown German Reformed Cemetery and marked the new grave, he (despite a strong family sense) did nothing about his great- grandparents' supposed graves, although it is reported that bones were disturbed in the moving. Evelina Crapster O'Neal Shaw, who notes many points of family history in her diaries in the 1840's, makes no mention of Ruliff, although she talks about the grave of her father John. Apparently memory of Ruliff was thin or lost. Anyway, so far as can be discovered, although within sight of German Lutheran and (Calvinist) Reformed Churches in Taneytown, the family's connections appear to be with a (Calvinist) Presbyterian church several miles away. Perhaps Ruliff and wife were buried near Liberty. The (Calvinist) Dutch Reformed Church was not represented in either Taneytown or Liberty. Perhaps preference for English services over German dictated the choice. I have been told that Dutch settlers in an area without a Dutch Reformed Church were more likely to identify with an English-speaking Presbyterian congregation than with one of the German churches. Conclusion The man's name was Ruliff Krepster, probably born about 1730. He or his parents probably came to Somerset County, New Jersey up the Raritan Valley from the Dutch settlements in North Jersey or around New York City. It is probably there that the search for additional clues should start. REFERENCES 1 Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey. January 1942, 17(1), p.4. 2 Ibid. p. 5. 3 Ibid. 1943, 18, p.11. 4 Ibid. 1942, 17(1), p.40. 5 Ibid. 1943, 18, p.43. 6. Ibid. 1942, 17 p.37. 7 Prestor F. Strauss, History of Harlingen Reformed Church, Harlingen, N.J. 1727-1927 Harlingen,1927) 8 Frederick County Administrative Accounts 1769, v. 99, p.3. Hall of Records, Annapolis, Md. 9 Court Papers, march Term 1784, Imparlance Papers, #81-MHR9723-2. 10 Recorded August 18, 1785, Frederick County Land Records WR6, p. 72-74. 11 Frederick County Administrative Accounts GM2 p.55.