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John Stillwell (1663 - bef. 1726)

Capt. John Stillwell
Born in Gravesend, Long Island, New Netherlandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 1692 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth, New Jerseymap
Descendants descendants
Died before before age 63 in Staten Island, Richmond County, Province of New Yorkmap
Problems/Questions Profile managers: Greg Wendt private message [send private message] and Dale Fulton private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 14 Sep 2010
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Contents

Biography

John Stillwell, son of Richard Stillwell and Mary Holmes, was born in 1663 at Gravesend, Long Island, New York, based on being age 43 on the 1706 Staten Island census.[1][2] He died before 17 Jan 1725/6 when his will was proved.

John received a patent for 160 acres of land on Staten Island which was previously taken up by his grandfather, Nicholas Stillwell, and settled there in 1693. In 1693 he was High Sheriff of Richmond County. In 1702 he was a delegate to the General Assembly and continued so until his death.[3] He was a member of the colonial Assembly from 1702 to 1716 as shown on p. 111 of N. Y. civil list. In 1701 he was an opponent of the Leislerian faction. He signed his name "John Stillwell."[2]

John wrote his will on August 16, 1724:[1]

"I, JOHN STILLWELL, being in perfect memory and senses, Blessed be God."
"I leave to my well beloved wife my dwelling house in which I now live, and the lot of land whereon the house strands, during her natural life, and then to my two sons Richard and Thomas; all my land and meadow in the County of Richmond, I give unto my foresaid two sons, Richard and Thomas equally to be divided between them and their assigns forever.
I give and bequeath unto my son John Stillwell my Plantation called Garratt's Hill, in the Township of Middletown, in New Jersey, and all my lands lying near the said Plantation with the poplar Lots, and one half of my meadows in the said township to him and his assigns forever.
I give unto my two sons Joseph and Daniel all my land lying at a place called porrassye in said township and one house lot and orchard in Middletown, and the other half of all my meadows in the said township equally to be divided betwixt them, and their assigns forever, and my son Joseph shall take his choice of the division and all of the right that I have unto my other land in New Jersey, I give equally to be divided between my three sons John, Joseph, and Daniel Stillwell. As for my personal or moveable estate I give unto my daughter, Rebecca Salter, 5 pounds; to my daughter, Alice Stillwell, 80 pounds in cash; to my daughter, Mary Stillwell, 80 pounds in cash; and of the remainder of his moveable estate, one third to his wife, and the other two thirds, equally, among his eight children.
Executors: his loving wife Rebecca Stillwell, his brother Richard Stillwell, and his two sons John and Richard. His brother Richard and his son John to be trustees of his three youngest children.
Witnesses: Richard Walton, Thomas Walton, Mathew Rue.
Signed John Stillwell
Liber 10, p. 140, New York Wills"

Proved, January 17, 1725/6.[4]


John E. Stillwell wrote:[1]

"Capt. John Stillwell had two wives. Elizabeth, the first wife, (who signed the deed of 1693), it has been stated, upon mere surmise, was a daughter of James Hubbard, of Gravesend. If so, the question at once arises what children, if any, were hers. The fact that John Stillwell gave his real estate, in New Jersey, to his sons John, Joseph, and Daniel, suggests that, as the lands came through the Throckmorton wife, that they were her issue: and that Richard and Thomas, his sons, who received Staten Island land, probably were born of the first wife. The girls, Rebecca, from her name, and Mary and Alice as being unmarried at the date of their father's will, which suggests their youth, were probably all issue by the second wife. It is noteworthy that no son James or daughter Elizabeth appear among John's children, which confirms my doubt concerning his first wife being born a Hubbard, unless they died infants, or he had no issue by her.
John Stillwell's second wife was Rebecca, daughter of John Throckmorton, Esq., of Middletown, N. J., who brought to her husband a large landed estate. She was a witness, as Rebecca Throckmorton, and therefore single, to the marriage of Robert Ray and Jenett Hamton, at Shrewsbury, N. J., 10th, 2nd mo., 1690. After his demise, I find but one allusion to her:
Oct.13, 1726, Rebekah Stilwel, of Staten Island, N. Y., widow, and John Coward, of Freehold, Middletown, Monmouth Co., "sister of the half blood of Joseph Throckmorton, deceased," their interest in the said Joseph Throckmorton's estate.
Issue:
20 Richard Stillwell
21 Thomas Stillwell
22 Rebecca Stillwell
23 John Stillwell
24 Joseph Stillwell, born June 28, 1705
25 Daniel Stillwell
26 Mary Stillwell
27 Alice Stillwell"

11 November 1703 - John Stillwell conveyed land in Middletown, Monmouth County, East Jersey to Henry Marsh.[5]

21 November 1705 - John Stillwell conveyed land in Middletown, Monmouth County to Nathaniel Leonard.[6]

23 November 1705 - Hugh Coward, Moses Lippit, John Stillwell, Robert Stillwell, Thomas Stillwell, and Deliverance Throckmorton conveyed land in Monmouth County, East Jersey to Henry Marsh.[7]

Research Notes

Sources confuse two different John Stillwells: This one was son of Capt. Richard2 and the other was son of Lt. Nicholas1. Both had wives named Rebecca and were said to have died about 1724.

  • The former, known as Capt. John of Staten Island, was born in 1663 based on being age 43 in 1706. His will dated 19 Aug 1724 named wife Rebecca, 2 sons Richard and Thomas, son John, sons Joseph and Daniel, granddaughter Rebecca Salter, daughter Alice Stillwell, daughter Mary Stillwell.
  • Little is known about the latter, but he is probably the John Stillwell b. 18 May 1660 who married Rebecca Budd about 1680.

The Gardner Family Tree reference on Ancestry.com suggests that John Stilwell's middle name was "Nicholas." However, this was not confirmed in the Hay Genealogy, which is considered an authoritative source. The name, "John Nicholas" does not appear anywhere in the Stillwell section of Hay. Therefore, the Gardner family genealogy notwithstanding, the middle name Nicholas was deleted from the profile.

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Stillwell, John E.. The History of Captain Richard Stillwell, Son of Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell, and his Descendants. New York: unknown, 1930, pages 14, 16.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Bergen, Teunis G. Register in Alphabetical Order, of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N.Y., from Its First Settlement by Europeans to 1700: With Contributions to Their Biographies and Genealogies, Compiled from Various Sources. (New York: S. W. Green's Son, 1881.) page 276 (on hathtrust.org)
  3. DeWitt Stilwell, "History and Genealogical Record of One Branch of the Stilwell Family," Sept 1, 1914, p. 40. books.google.com
  4. Abstracts of Wills Vol II 1708-1728, pages 329-330: Page 137.
  5. East Jersey Deeds: Volume I : Folios 343 and 345 (SSTSE023)
  6. East Jersey Deeds: Volume I, Folio 380 (SSTSE023)
  7. East Jersey Deeds: Volume I, Folio 345 (SSTSE023)
  • From Hay Genealogy, Stillwell section: 13. Capt. John6 Stillwell (Richard5, Nicholas4, Nicholas3, John Jr.2, John Sr.1) was born May 18, 1660 (Source: Greg Stilwell, FTW file, 1999.), and died 1724. He married (1) Elizabeth Hubbard Abt. 1684. She died Unknown. He married (2) Rebecca Throckmorton Abt. 1696, daughter of John Throckmorton and Alce _______. She was born 1680, and died Unknown.

Acknowledgments

  • Thank you to Greg Wendt for creating WikiTree profile Stillwell-205 through the import of Wendt.ged on May 26, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Greg and others.
  • This person was created on 14 September 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.




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Comments: 3

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Thank you everyone - I have found all the FULTON family I was looking for
posted by Dale Fulton
My John Stillwell was NOT the father of Maria Stillwell. My John Stillwell was my grandfather and I have the Stillwell ancestry back to about the 1500's
posted by Dale Fulton
My John Stillwell was NOT the father of Maria Stillwell. My John Stillwell was my grandfather and I have the Stillwell ancestry back to about the 1500's
posted by Dale Fulton

Rejected matches › John Stillwell (1660-)

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