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Archiver > NJHUNTER > 1999-08 > 0935196792
From: Pam Bush <>
Subject: Fwd: [NJHUNTER] Tombstones in Nixon Burial Ground in Kingwood Twp. Hunterdon Co NJ
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 20:53:12 -0400
Midge,
A better source of some McPherson family information is J. E. Stout's
excellent "Facts and Fancies of Franklin". In it are reprints of the
newspaper articles of Egbert T. Bush writing in the 1930s about Franklin
Township. Mr. Bush states on page 159:
Another stone [in Nixon Cemetery] has this marking: "David McPherson,
who died February 13, 1830 aged 83 years." Beside him sleeps "Rebecca
McPherson, consort of David McPherson, died December 4, 1801, aged 58
years." [She would be born in 1743.]
And earlier on the same page: "The oldest lettered stone found here, either
in a search made fifty years ago or upon a thorough recent inspection, a
rough stone crudely carved, bears this inscription: "Samuel McFerson Sener
(sic) was born April 4, 1709, and departed this life September 2d 1772 aged
63 years." And on page 133 Mr Bush writes about John McPherson wo was a
son of Samuel McFerson and also had a brother Samuel, to whom by deed dated
January 5, 1802, he released all claim to their father's real estate, the
sisters, Mary and Rachel, "for a valuable consideration," having released
their claim to their two brothers. The three Reuben McPhersons are
mentioned as well.
The reference to Elizabeth as consort to David in Snell on page 442 might
be an error.The reference to Rebecca as wife of Samuel on page 434 of Snell
is verified by the NJ Calendar of Will abstracts for Vol V which also lists
4 sons of Samuel: Nathaniel, John, Samuel and Zachariah, the latter being
under age 21 with John and Samuel being the elder as executors. Note also
the inventory done by a Thomas McFerson, an adult. Whose son was he?
Unfortunately he died intestate in 1784 with David and Reuben McFerson as
administrators. David and Samuel were also executors of John McFarson who
names his children in 1785. You would have to check the original will of
Samuel Sr to be certain that David was not mentioned. His father may have
given him the funds to purchase the land in 1768 and thus he would have no
need to inherit. Apparently Egbert T. Bush helped Hiram Deats with the
section of Franklin Township in Snell's history, and this mention of
Rebecca in his newspaper article might atone for the possible error that
was printed on page 442 of Snell. I am only guessing. E.T.Bush's father was
Sidney L. Bush, whose first wife and the mother of all his children, was
Elizabeth McPherson, born 10 Feb 1817 Cherryville, d. 15 May 1882
Cherryville. The Craven-Nixon cemetery is so overgrown with weeds and the
inscriptions on the marble tombstones are mostly illegible, but there might
be a copy of the tombstones at Alexander Library, Rutgers University.
Pam Bush [whose husband is not related to Egbert Trimmer Bush]
>>From the book "HISTORY OF SOMERSET AND HUNTERDON COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY," by
>James P. Snell , page 442,
>DAVID MCPHERSON is listed as a son of SAMUEL MCPHERSON in the HISTORY OF
>SOMERSET AND HUNTERDON CO, NJ by James P. Snell pp 434. He is not listed
>in the will of SAMUEL dated 1772. DAVID MCPHERSON in 1768 bought 100 acres
>of Gershom Lee and John Griggs, described as being a part of the Mount
>Carmel tract, surveyed by Col. Daniel COXE in 1712. Later DAVID MCPHERSON
>was located at Quakertown, keeping a tavern. He died in 1830 , aged
>eighty-three, (That would make his birth in 1747.) and was buried at Nixon's
>by the side of his wife REBECCA, who died in 1801.
>
> This note is questionable since there is on record a tombstone inscription
>in Nixon's Burial Ground reading "In Memory of ELIZABETH MCFERSON, Consort
>of DAVID MCFERSON, died December 4th 1801". Not REBECCA. However DAVID's
>mother, wife of SAMUEL b. 1709, was named REBECCA . Could she have been
>buried in Nixon (later known as Craven's) Burial Ground?? A SAMUEL
>MCPHERSON is said to have owned all the land between Nixon's and Quakertown
>in 1764 which he bought from DAVID COXE. SAMUEL MCPHERSON and Family lived
in
>Piscataway before coming to Hunterdon Co. The Craven's Burial Ground is
>bordered by lands owned by SAMUEL MCPHERSON, and Trenton Road.
>
>Any information on a REBECCA MCPHERSON be buried in Nixon or Craven's Burial
>Ground? And is there a different date than the1801 on the tombstone for
>ELIZABETH MCPHERSON? Are REBECCA AND ELIZABETH the consort of DAVID
>MCPHERSON the same person OR is REBECCA MCPHERSON the mother of DAVID and
>ELIZABETH his wife??
>
>Midge Haines
>
>
>
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