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Archiver > NJHUNTER > 2001-04 > 0987916123


From: "Dane Coefer" <>
Subject: [NJHUNTER] Sutton and Apgar in Lequear's
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001 22:09:27 -0700


>From pages 174 and 175 of Lequear's "Traditions of Hunterdon"
Originally published 1869-70.

"James Parker owned land at California <now Califon>, as well as several thousand acres at
Potterstown. The first mill built at California was a small affair erected by one Sheiler several
years before the Revolution, which was burned. Aaron Sutton came here about the time of
the war and erected a frame mill, which, after standing a few years, was torn down and one
of stone built in its stead.

"Mr. Sutton, like many other ambitious men, determined to drive a heavy business. He soon
became celebrated in his locality, for his enterprise, and large business transactions. He was,
at first, encouraged in his movements by Mr. Parker, who backed him up with money. If a piece
of land was to be sold, at a price higher than the prudent farmers dare go, Sutton was told that
he could stand it, and in he went---deep in speculation and deeper in debt. He built a splendid
mansion, now standing, but somewhat the worse for wear, costing more than five thousand
dollars, a heavy sum for a house in the wilderness, in those days, and then expended a like sum
to furnish it. The result was total failure, and the man who had launched out in such magnificent
style found himself and his family beggars. Then there was no houses in what is now the village
of California.

"Cokesbury was settled by a German population, the first land owners being the Apgars, Cramers,
and Hoffmans, whose descendants live on farms where their ancestors were content to cultivate
the little patches of land that had been cleared by the Indians and probably had worked for centuries...."

"There was a small hut kept as a tavern on the site of the present Cokesbury tavern, about as soon
as any settlers came to this place, which was about 1740. About the commencement of the present
century only four houses stood near the limits of the villiage: The old Hoffman homestead, the tavern,
kept by Conrad Apgar, and the house at the end of the mountain, where James Farley lived. There
was another old house, the ruins of which are still to be seen, surrounded by some Lombardy poplars,
about a hundred yards from the tavern, but this was, even in the olden time, uninhabited save by owls,
bats, ghosts and other such unprofitable and transient occupants."

Dane Coefer
Ashland, Oregon
http://www.geocities.com/dane97520/LequearIndex.html


----- Original Message -----
From: lisa a gogal
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 7:16 PM
To:
Subject: Lequear's



Dane,

I would appreciate it if you would please look up the following.

Conrad Apgar 175
William Lance 27
Baltis Pickel 95
Aaron Sutton 174

I am sorry there are so many but I am related to just about everyone in the
Oldwick, Fairmount area.

Thank you so much!

Lisa Gogal

PS I am from your neck of the woods. I am currently a student at the U of A
in Tucson but Roseburg is home for me.<br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p>;

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