The John Eveland Family – First Generation
Before we dive into Eveland Family Genealogy, I’d like to review my research’s geographical scope. Since this blog post’s audience may be town residents who are not genealogists, I’ll try to make it brief as not to put them to sleep. If you are interested in the full research report, please email me at the end of the series.
Glen Gardner was incorporated in 1919, formed from parts of both Lebanon and Bethlehem Townships. However, the village has had a distinct identity from a much earlier date. Initially referred to as “Eveland’s Tavern.” The name Sodom was either adopted or bestowed on our little area for a while. When a postal stop was added in 1827, it was named Clarksville and finally changed to Glen Gardner by 1871. Because of the proximity to modern-day Warren County, the research scope must include Sussex and Warren County records. Warren County was formed from Sussex County in 1824. The earliest research will consist of both Hunterdon and Sussex Counties.
Figure 1
The Eveland Family
First Generation
John Charles Eveland Family
- John Charles1 Eveland was born around 1755, likely in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, or across the Musconetcong River in Sussex County, New Jersey.[i],[ii],[iii] He died in 1837, in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.[iv]
He married Esther Vanbuskirk around 1774. The first record in which he appeared is the will of his Father-In-Law, Peter Vanbuskirk, written 6 February 1775, in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Peter Vanbuskirk had many children, and his sons were left the real property. There is no indication that Peter’s land was willed to John Eveland, and his wife, Esther.[v]
“ Also, I give & bequeath to my Daughter, Esther [Ink blot on the th] the wife of John Eveland the Sum of 20 Pounds or Current money.”
John Charles Eveland operated a Tavern in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County not far from the Musconetcong River, the Northwestern border between Hunterdon County and Modern-day Warren County (Sussex County until 1824).[vi]
John Charles Eveland’s will was written on 27 June 1834; it mentions his wife Hester [Esther], and their six children. He left his wife a room in the manshon [mansion] house where they resided (along with other items), and one-third of all the crops raised on the land. John directed their son, Peter, to farm the said premises.[vii] John Eveland was buried at the Mansfield Woodhouse Church, which no longer stands, but the cemetery remains.[viii] It is located off Route 31 North, South of Cemetery Hill Rd, Washington, Warren County, New Jersey. The church dates back to 1734,[ix] but existing records began in 1787.[x]
Children of John Charles Eveland and Esther Vanbuskirk
- Harmon Eveland was born about 1775. He married Jennetta Johnson, 30 March 1800.[xi] He died on 16 August 1831, in Ohio.[xii]. His father’s will included a provision of twenty dollars to his son Peter, and his two daughters, Jane Martenis and Esther Martenis, in lieu of lots given to his son Harmon and daughter Elcy McKinney. There is no indication where the properties were located..[xiii]
Harmon was enumerated on the 1820 census in Miami, Clermont County, Ohio.[xiv] Only the household head was named on the 1820 census, but counts were provided for inhabitants. It is likely that Harmon, his wife, and children were enumerated, based on ages indicated. The family was living in Ohio by 1820, moving sometime after the marriage of Harmon and Jennetta. Further research of later records might narrow down the date based upon birth locations of the couple’s children. Interestingly John Eveland wrote his will in 1834, three years after his son Harmon’s death. It would appear that John did not know that his eldest son predeceased him.
- Elcy Eveland was born on 1 January 1778.[xv] She married William McKinney on 3 April 1801,[xvi] she died on 9 August 1841 in Ohio.[xvii] Her husband William McKinney appeared on the 1820 census on the third line from Elcy’s brother Herman [Harmon] Eveland.[xviii] William died intestate; his estate included the settlement of long-term debts of Jacob McKinney, some of which were noted to be from creditor’s in New Jersey. Jacob’s whereabouts were unknown, and he was supposed to be in desperate circumstances. It was stated that the $158.00 ($3,516, today)[xix] of debts paid by the estate would not be recouped from Jacob, “ supposed those notes will never be collected.” Jacob was likely a close relative for William to have been liable for the debt, perhaps a son or a sibling. Harmon Eveland purchased some of the items from the estate’s auction of Goods and Chattel. A William McKinney married Harmon’s sister, Elcy Eveland. William and Harmon appeared to be neighbors on the Miami, Ohio, 1820 census, William McKenney’s estate mentioned his widow Elcy McKinney, and Harmon Eveland was one of the Administrators. The notes payable from New Jersey strengthens the connection. It seems likely that William McKinney’s widow, Elsy [Elcy], was Elcy Eveland, sister of Harmon Eveland. Both families moved to Ohio before 1820.
- Frederick Eveland was born on 15 November 1785 and died on 12 December 1856. [xx] John Charles Eveland’s will instructed his son Peter to care for his brother Frederick for the rest of his natural life, and left a provision for his care.[xxi] Additionally, a grown man older than Peter lived with John Eveland in 1830.[xxii] It would seem that Frederick was not able to care for himself. Frederick’s gravestone is at Mansfield Woodhouse Cemetery. His parents’ were noted on the monument, but not a wife.[xxiii]
- Jane Eveland was born 15 November 1785, and died 14 April 1874, remaining in Lebanon Township her entire life.[xxiv] She married Christopher Martenis.[xxv],[xxvi]
- Peter2 Eveland b. 1788,[xxvii] d. 16 February 1858. m Elizabeth Fritts abt. 1812. His family will be covered in more detail in the Generation Two installment. He inherited the Inn.
. - Esther Eveland was born in March 1791 and died. 25 September 1854. She married John Martenis. [xxviii],[xxix],[xxx] Jane and Esther Eveland appeared to have married siblings. Christopher and John Martenis were the sons of Christopher Martenis of Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, who died around 1822.[xxxi]
Sources
[i] Edith May Wills Lanning, “Mansfield Woodhouse Church and Burying Ground, Warren County New Jersey,” “E” p. 10, (Phillipsburg, Peggy Warne Chapter D.A.R. (1938), Special Collections, Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
[ii] 1830 U.S. census, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Lebanon Township, p. 433 (penned), lines 9-10, John Eveland, Peter Eveland; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 03 January 2014) citing N.A.R.A microfilm M19, roll 83.[In the 1830 Federal census, only the head of household was named, but ages and gender of other members were enumerated. In John Eveland’s household, there were was one man between 70-80, which would indicate a date of birth between 1750-1760].
[iii] James S. Norton, Compiler, New Jersey in 1793, (Salt Lake City, 1973), Eveland, John [Lebanon Militia] p. 204.[The Act required all men between the ages of 18-45 to register for the militia, there was only one John Eveland registered in Lebanon Township, and his date of birth would be between 1748 to as late as 1775].
[iv] Edith May Wills Lanning, “Mansfield Woodhouse Church and Burying Ground, Warren County New Jersey,” “E” p. 10.
[v] Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Wills and Inventories, 1670-1900: file 1081J, Peter Vanbuskirk; Wills and Inventories ca. 1670-1900 control no. SSTSE033; Secretary of State’s Office, Department of State Record Group; microfilm no. 723 Wills Hunterdon County #1072J-1183J (1778-1782); New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
[vi] Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon Court of Common Pleas; Tavern Licenses, Applications, and Recognizances, “Loose Licenses Applications (1762-1799),” John Eveland (1795), Box 11, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
[vii] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland; images, Family Search (https:// familysearch.org : accessed 17 September 2014), Hunterdon > Wills 1815-1838 vol 3-6 > image 113 of 1128.
[viii] Edith May Wills Lanning, “Mansfield Woodhouse Church and Burying Ground, Warren County New Jersey,” “E” p. 10. [Note-I could not locate his headstone, but it was still standing in 1938 when this list was prepared, a photograph of his wife Esther’s headstone is on Find-a-Grave.]
[ix] Washington Township, Warren County http://www.washington-twp-warren.org/ : accessed 17 October 2020), “History and Key Events.”
[x] Donald Arleigh Sinclair, “A Guide to Original and copied Records of Religious Organizations Largely New Jersey Churches in the Special Collections and University Archives of Rutgers University, pp. 96-97, (New Brunswick, Genealogical Society of New Jersey (1999). [Note author also reviewed the microfilms of original records held by Special Collections].
[xi] “New Jersey, County Marriages, 1682-1956,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : 20 May 2020), Harmon Eveland and Jenetta Johnston, page 46; citing New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
[xii] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 01 November 2020), memorial page for Harman Eveland (29 Jul 1775–16 Aug 1831), Find a Grave Memorial no. 117618402, citing Union Cemetery, Branch Hill, Clermont County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by 5chandlers (contributor 47512372) .
[xiii] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland.
[xiv] 1820 U.S. census, Clermont County, Ohio, population schedule, Miami, sheet 49 (stamped), Harmon Eveland; digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 December 2020), citing National Archives microfilm publication M33, Roll 89.
[xv] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Elcy Eveland McKinney (1 Jan 1778–9 Aug 1841), Find a Grave Memorial no. 67999668, citing Union Cemetery, Branch Hill, Clermont County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by lawsongatch (contributor 47042484) .
[xvi] “New Jersey, County Marriages, 1682-1956,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: 20 November 2020), William McKinney and Alcey [Elsie] Eveland, 3 April 1801, citing Hunterdon County New Jersey, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
[xvii] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Elcy Eveland McKinney (1 Jan 1778–9 Aug 1841).
[xviii] 1820 U.S. census, Clermont County, Ohio, population schedule, Miami, sheet 49 (stamped), William McKinney; digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 December 2020), citing National Archives microfilm publication M33, Roll 89.
[xix] Inflation Calculation,” database; Official Data (https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1822?amount=158#buying-power : accessed 4 December 2020).
[xx] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Frederick Eveland (15 Nov 1785–12 Dec 1856), Find a Grave Memorial no. 60605999, citing Mansfield Woodhouse Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Washington, Warren County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Dr. J (contributor 47324040) .
[xxi] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland.
[xxii] 1830 U.S. census, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Lebanon Township, p. 433 (penned), lines 9-10, John Eveland, Peter Eveland.
xxiii Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Frederick Eveland (15 Nov 1785–12 Dec 1856), Find a Grave Memorial no. 60605999, citing Mansfield Woodhouse Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Washington, Warren County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Dr. J (contributor 47324040) .
[xxiv] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Jane Eveland Martenis (15 Nov 1785–14 Apr 1874), Find a Grave Memorial no. 9772779, citing Spruce Run Cemetery, Glen Gardner, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Rich H. (contributor 46489213) .
[xxv] 1850 U.S. census, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, population schedule, Lebanon, sheet 261 (stamped), dwelling 346, family 353, Christopher Martenis; digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 November 2020), citing National Archives microfilm publication M432.
[xxvi] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland.
[xxvii] 1850 U.S. census, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Lebanon Township, p. 475 (penned), dwelling 6, family 6, Peter Eveland; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 03 January 2014) citing N.A.R.A microfilm M432, roll 453.
[xxviii] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 December 2020), memorial page for Esther Eveland Martenis (Mar 1791–25 Sep 1854), Find a Grave Memorial no. 9258554, citing Spruce Run Cemetery, Glen Gardner, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Betty Sobotka (contributor 46541905).
[xxix] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland [Son-in-Law, John Martenis appointed an executor].
[xxx] 1850 U.S. census, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, population schedule, Lebanon, sheet 242b (stamped), dwelling 65, family 67, John Martenis; digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 November 2020), citing National Archives microfilm publication M432.
[xxxi] “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.3 p.478, Christopher Martenis; images, Family Search (https:// familysearch.org : accessed 17 December 2020), Hunterdon > Wills 1815-1838 vol 3-6 > image 280 of 1128.
Figure 1 – Sources
The Story of New Jersey’s Civil Boundaries:
Snyder, John F. The Story Of New Jerseys Civil Boundaries 1608–1968. (Trenton : Bureau of Geology and Topography, 1968). Archive.org https://archive.org. 2020. a https://archive.org/details/The-Story-of-New-Jerseys-Civil-Boundaries-1608-1968-Snyder/mode/2up
- 1664 New Jersey Colony -Duke of York Grants area to Sir George Carteret , and John, Lord Berkeley. 23 June 1664, p6.
- 1714 Hunterdon County – Set off from Burlington County 11 March 1713/1714, p32, 153.
- 1731 Lebanon Township – First Mention, set off from part of Amwell Township, 26 October 1731, p156.
- 1739 Morris County – What is now Sussex and Warren Counties, set off from Hunterdon 15 March 1739, p153.
- 1753 Sussex County – Set off from Morris County, consisted of Greenwich, Hardwick, Newton, and Walpack 8 June 1753, p229.
- 1824 Warren County – Formed from Sussex County, 20 November 1824, p245.
- 1919 Glen Gardner – Formed from Bethlehem and Lebanon Townships, p155.
Esther and John Eveland Birth Dates – Edith May Wills Lanning, “Mansfield Woodhouse Church and Burying Ground, Warren County New Jersey,” “E” p. 10, (Phillipsburg, Peggy Warne Chapter D.A.R (1938), Special Collections, Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Peter Vanbuskirk’s will written in 1775 – names his daughter, Esther the wife of John Eveland – Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Wills and Inventories, 1670-1900: file 1081J, Peter Vanbuskirk; Wills and Inventories ca. 1670-1900 control no. SSTSE033; Secretary of State’s Office, Department of State Record Group; microfilm no. 723 Wills Hunterdon County #1072J-1183J (1778-1782); New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
Tavern License Application 1795 – Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon Court of Common Pleas; Tavern Licenses, Applications and Recognizances, “Loose Licenses/ Applications (1762-1799),” John Eveland (1795), Box 11, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
Clarksville Post Office 1827 – Jim Walker, “Hunterdon County Postal History; Part 5 – DPO’s by Township,” New Jersey Postal History, 36, (August 2008): 165; online archives, New Jersey Postal History (https://www.njpostalhistory.org : accesses 12 February 2019).
Sodom Referenced on Map 1828 – Thomas Gordon, ” Map of the State of New Jersey: with Part of the Adjoining States” (Trenton, Thomas Gordon, 1828), digital images; Princeton University Library (https://library.princeton.eduaccessed 12 February 2019).
Glen Gardner Post Office 1871 – U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971,” Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Clarksville, database and digital images; Ancestry.com (https://ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2019), citing NARA Microfilm Publication, M841, 145 rolls. Records of the Post Office Department, Record Group Number 28. V 24, 25, Washington, D.C.: National Archives.
Figure 2 – Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Wills and Inventories, 1670-1900: file 1081J, Peter Vanbuskirk; Wills and Inventories ca. 1670-1900 control no. SSTSE033; Secretary of State’s Office, Department of State Record Group; microfilm no. 723 Wills Hunterdon County #1072J-1183J (1778-1782); New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.
Figure 3 – D. Stanton, Hammond, J.D., Hunterdon County New Jersey Land Owner Maps; Sheet B [John Eveland] (Trenton: Genealogical Society of New Jersey, 1967).
Figure 4 – “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.6 p.512, John Eveland; images, Family Search (https:// familysearch.org : accessed 17 September 2014), Hunterdon > Wills 1815-1838 vol 3-6 > image 113 of 1128.
Figure 5- 1820 U.S. census, Clermont County, Ohio, population schedule, Miami, sheet 49 (stamped), Harmon Eveland; digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 December 2020), citing National Archives microfilm publication M33, Roll 89.
Figure 6 – Clermont County, Ohio, “Will Records, Volume C, pp. 146-150, estate of William McKinney [Administration], 1822; digital images “Will Records, 1810-1900; Indexes, 1800-1963”, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 December 2020).
Figure 7 – Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Frederick Eveland (15 Nov 1785–12 Dec 1856), Find a Grave Memorial no. 60605999, citing Mansfield Woodhouse Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Washington, Warren County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Dr. J (contributor 47324040) .
Figure 8 – Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2020), memorial page for Jane Eveland Martenis (15 Nov 1785–14 Apr 1874), Find a Grave Memorial no. 9772779, citing Spruce Run Cemetery, Glen Gardner, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Rich H. (contributor 46489213) .
Figure 9 – “New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980,” [Hunterdon County] Vol.3 p.478, Christopher Martenis; images, Family Search (https:// familysearch.org : accessed 17 December 2020), Hunterdon > Wills 1815-1838 vol 3-6 > image 280 of 1128.
