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From: "Bellis Genealogy" <>
Subject: RE: [NJHUNTER] 1721 Survey of "the palatin's land"
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 21:43:13 -0400
In-Reply-To: <002801c56175$c198ed60$f8d80a44@yourus67pi6luv>


Hi Evelyn,

I suspect that the Adam BELLIS homestead near Copper Hill is most likely the
parcel of land referenced in the 1897 newspaper article. There were several
branches of BELLIS in the immediate surrounding area and, because I'm not
intimately familiar with the historical changes of township/county lines, I
wasn't sure if I was dealing with one or two distinct land tracts. I'll
know for sure when I read the history of the deed transfers.

But...I don't think I've ever heard of a 1721 survey which mentioned "the
palatin's land". Hhhmmm! Might there be a source which shows the geographic
plot of this survey and/or the "palatine" surnames associated with the
survey/plot, or list of the 22 landholders as of 1754?

Thanks!

Roz Bellis
Alexandria VA

-----Original Message-----
From: Evelyn Cataldi [mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 6:05 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] BELLIS farm sold to Enoch W. DRAKE in 1897

Hi Roz,

Can this be the BELLIS property in question?

From the book "Rural Hunterdon" by Hubert G. Schmidt
Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick 1946

Page 33:

"Traditions which say that the early settlers of the Ringoes area were
German are given some support by a survey of 1721 which mentioned "the
palatin's land." But it is probable that most of the Germans came in later
than the English and Scotch settlers. However, by 1747 there were thirty
members of the German Reformed faith in that locality. The settlement was
evidently scattered, as Johann Adam BOELLISFELDT (John BELLIS), one of the
pillars of the church, lived at Copper Hill, where he had settled about
1730. A list of the twenty-two landholders located on the Field tract in
1754 contains many German names, though there were a few English, one Dutch,
one French, and two or three of doubtful origin.

There is an index to Snell's "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties",
although it is elusive to obtain. The index to Hunterdon County alone runs
to 174 pages! I have one, and if anyone with access to this book needs a
lookup for page references, I will be happy to send the page numbers. The
Somerset index runs to 76 pages.

If you wish to reach me personally,

Evelyn


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