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Jediah Higgins Sr (1657 - aft. 1715)

Jediah "Jedediah, Jodiah" Higgins Sr
Born in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusettsmap
Husband of — married 12 May 1684 in Burlington, Burlington County, New Jerseymap
Descendants descendants
Died after after age 58 in Somerset, Somerset County, New Jerseymap
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Profile last modified | Created 14 Sep 2010
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Contents

Biography

"Jadiah the Sonne of Richard Higgens was borne in march 1656 alias 1657" in Eastham, Massachusetts. Jediah's mother was Mary, the second wife of Richard. [1][2][3]

With his parents, Jediah left Eastham, Massachusetts, and resettled in Piscataway, New Jersey about 1669.[2]

Before his marriage, Jediah began acquiring land of his own. Jan. 1, 1682. The first land record in Piscataway Township Book shows 2 acres of land granted to Jodiah Higgins. Registered June 25, 1682-83.[2]

"The Marriage between Jodia Higgins and Mary Newbold being first published according to Lawe, was Solemnized ye Twelveth day of ye Third Moneth called May 1684, before Elias ffarre Robert Stacy Justices and Thomas Revell Registr, Joseph Wood Eliakim Higgins, Tho: Higgins, Margarett Newbold Mary Peirson Elizabeth Hull Sarah Higgins Elizabeth Revell, Elizabeth Stacy Hellen Stacy", in Burlington[4] Mary Newbold, daughter of Micheael and Anne Newbold, was born May 23, 1661, at Eckington, York, England.

  • In 1683 or 1685, he was Ensign of the Piscataway trainband.[5]
  • Dec. 23, 1683. Jediah Higgins was appointed administrator on the estate of Francis Drake[6][7]
  • Oct. 26, 1685. Jediah Higgins, of Piscataway, sold a house and lot in Piscataway to Peter Elston of Woodbridge.[8][9]
  • Feb. 23, 1688-89. John Gillman of Chohanzy River, West Jersey, sold 33 and 1-2 acres of land in Piscataway to Jediah Higgins. Land joins that of Thomas Higgins on the north.[10]; [11]
  • In 1692 Jediah Higgins served as surveyor of highways in the township of Piscataway.[2]
  • In 1695-1698 he was elected at least twice as member of the General Assembly of New Jersey. About that same time, he is mentioned as the owner of a 500 acre tract on the West Branch of the Passaic River.[12]
  • Jun. 23, 1698, he was appointed administrator on the estate of his brother Eliakim Higgins of Woodbridge.[13]

In 1700, he signed along with others, a petition to the King, against the acts of the Proprietors (recently acquired, who were removing people from the land they had purchased). They requested a fair and impartial Govenor to help settle the matters.[14] A year later in 1701, they inhabitants were still having trouble with the proprietors and petitioned the King again.[15]

Jediah served on the Grand Inquest for the Superior Court, and again in 1709 as grand juror. About this time, he was entrusted with a message to the Governor.- New Jersey Colonial Documents,[16]

About the year 1703, Jediah fixed his residence near the village of Kingston.[2] A 1762 map shows the location of the homes of Jedediah, Joseph and a second Jedediah (son, son, and grandson?) Look to the right of the town of Kingston. This was along the old road from the Raritan River to the Falls of the Delaware (now Rt. 27). The Jediah Higgins house has been restored. Various websites imply that Jediah (d. 1772) bought 1000 acres of land and built this house. Jediah (d. 1772) probably did build the house, but he was born in 1691 and probably did not purchase the land. It was probably Jediah (d. 1715) who purchased the land reportedly for a sow and some piglets.

Jedediah in 1710 signed a petition to Governor Hunter against Peter Sonmans for his "Insolent behavior",[17] to which he later swore in court.[18] and brought suit against Sonmans for changing "the books"[19]

Will

Will of Jediah Higgins, dated 23 April 1715. Note: The original text is written all in one paragraph. For ease in determining provisions in the will, family members will be treated separately and property will be given as bounded.[20]

In the Name of God Amen The twenty third Day of April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fiveteen I Jediah Higgins of the County of Somerset in the Province of East New Jersey Yeoman being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory thanks be Given unto God therefor calling? unto mind the mortality of My body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once do dye do make and ordaine this my Last will and testament that I do ??principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul unto the hands of God that gave it and for my body I Recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the Same again by the mighty power of God as touching his worldly estates, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I Give / and ? of the same in the following manner and form ?

Wife, Mary: I Give to Mary my dearly beloved That one third part of all my moveable estate & all my now dwelling house during her natural life.

Son, Jediah. Item. I Give unto my well beloved son Jediah two hundred ackers of land to be laid out towards the Northermost part of my Tract of land 1. here to begin at a small brooke and so Runing the said brooke so farr as it will make two hundred ackres [200 acres in Northern part of Tract] and also one hundred and twenty ackers of Land lying at Barnegat Bay [120 acres at Barnegat Bay] and also two hundred & twenty ackers [200 acres]of land which Ji to take up belonging to a part of a property by me lately purchased all which tract and parcel of land here before mentioned to be by him freely to be possessed and enjoyed by him and his heirs and assigns forever.

Son, James. Item: I give unto my beloved son James a certain tract or parcel of land beginning at the aforesaid brooke 1. Running up the said brooke till it comes to the end of Jediah land 2. then behind the same till it comes to Daniel Cornelius corner tree? 3. go along the said Daniels line till it come to the said Cornelius lowermost corner 4. from thence a East South East line till it comes to a small brooke 5. from thence up the said brooke to the place when it first began. All which tract and parcel of land here before mentioned to by him freely to be possessed and enjoyed by him and heirs and assigns forever.

Sons, Miceall [Michael] and Thomas. Item: I give unto my well beloved sons Miceall [Michael] and Thomas all the rest of land belonging to this plantation here to be divided equally between them in quantity and quality to be by them freely to be possessed and enjoyed by them and their heir and assigns forever.

Son, Joseph. Item: I give unto my well beloved son Joseph the sum Eighty [80] pounds to be paid to him out of my Estate by my Executors hereafter mentioned when he shall come to the age of twenty and one years.

Daughter. Mary. Item: I give unto My Well beloved Daughter Mary when she shall come to aft of Eighteen Years or at the Day of her Marriage the sum of fifty [50] pounds. likewise to be paid her by my Executors.

Executor: Item: I give unto my Granddaughter Sarah Bloomfield the sum of ten [10] pounds to be paid her at the age of eighteen years by my Executors.

Also the rest of land belonging to this plantation here to be divided equally between them in quantity and quality to be by them freely to be possessed and enjoyed by them and their heirs and assigns forever. Furthermore my will that any of my children should happen to dye before they come of age or without issue that their portions or parcels of land be Return ? [the idea expressed to share and share alike] Equally to de divided amongst them and further I do appoint Constitute a make by dearly beloved wife Mary and my two sons, Jediah and James to be my Executors of this my last will and testament to see that the Same Executed and performed I do hereby ? disallow Revoke and make Voyd all former wills testaments or Legacies or Executors by me in ? before the herein named Rakpeiny and Confirming this to be my last will & Testament.

Children

  1. Anne Higgins was born 8 Mar 1684/5 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey. She died 1702.
  2. Rose Higgins was born 6 Nov 1686 in Piscataway. She died before 23 Apr 1715, when she was not named in her father's will.
  3. Mary Higgins was born 25 Oct 1688 in Piscataway. She died before 1699, at which time a second daughter was named Mary.
  4. Thomas Higgins was born before 19 May 1690 in Piscataway. The will of Michael Newbold 19 May 1690, shows that Mary had four children. Thomas was living Apr 1715 (father's will), but there are no further records.
  5. Jediah Higgins was born 11 Apr 1691 and married Mary
  6. James Higgins was born 7 Aug 1692 in Piscataway. He died intestate between 10 May and 22 May 1718 probably in Somerset, New Jersey. He was unmarried. His brother Jediah was administrator and his heirs were his brothers and sisters (five surviving). He served under Thomas Farmers as a Private in 1715
  7. Joshua Higgins was born 1 Oct 1694 in Piscataway and died before 23 Apr 1715 (father's will).
  8. Phoebe Higgins was born 11 Oct 1696 in Piscataway, Middlesex, NJ. She died before 23 Apr 1715 (father's will).
  9. Michael Higgins was born 23 Jul 1698 in Piscataway. He married Anne Bryant
  10. Mary Higgins was born 24 Jan 1699/1700; married Freegift Stout.
  11. Joseph Higgins was born about 1702. Will dated 17 May 1782 probated 13 Jun 1782 mentions sons: Jediah, Joshua, Azariah & daughters: Ruth Carle, Hannah Rittenhouse, Elizabeth Holliday. Daughters in FGS not in will: Rachel, Nanne.

Sources

  1. The Mayflower descendant : a quarterly magazine of Pilgrim genealogy and history. (Boston : Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1899) Vol 8. p. 14
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Higgins, Katharine Chapin. Richard Higgins A Resident and Pioneer Settler at Plymouth and Eastham, Massachusetts, and at Piscataway, New Jersey and His Descendants. (Worcester, Massachusetts: 1918). [https://archive.org/details/richardhigginsre00higg/page/58/mode/2up p. 58+
  3. Anderson, Robert Charles The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1995) p. 930
  4. Marriage records, 1665-1800 : edited with an historical introduction on the early marriage laws of New Jersey, and the precedents on which they were founded by New Jersey Historical Society; Nelson, William, 1847-1914 (Paterson, N.J. : Press Publishing and Printing, 1900) [https://archive.org/details/marriagerecords1221newj/page/n187/mode/2up/search/Jodia+Higgins p. lxxxvii
  5. Higgins cites New Jersey Archives, vol. xiii, p. 16; (this is not correct) and Journal of the Governor and Clerk of East Jersey, p. 9.
  6. . New Jersey Archives, vol. xxi, p. 56;
  7. Higgings cites also: East New Jersey Deeds, Liber D, p. 340.
  8. New Jersey Archives. Vol xxi p. 258
  9. Higgins also cites East New Jersey Deeds, Liber F, p. 216.
  10. New Jersey Archives, vol. xxi, p. 269.
  11. Higgins also cites East Jersey Deeds, Liber F, p. 391.
  12. - New Jersey Archives, vol.xxi, pp. p. 181161, 162, 282; East Jersey Deeds, Liber F, p. 565; Elizabethtown Bill in Chancery, p. 89.
  13. New Jersey Archives. Vol xxiii p. 226
  14. Archives of the State of New Jersey. First series. Documents relating to the colonial, revolutionary and post-revolutionary history of the State of New Jersey. vol. ii, p. 326;
  15. New Jersy Archives p. 396
  16. Archives of New Jersey. vol. iii, pp. [458,459], [484].
  17. New Jersey Archives Vol IV. p. 9
  18. New Jersey Archives Vol IV p. 15
  19. New Jersey Archives Vol IV p. 98
  20. Somerset County, New Jersey New Jersey B2, page 16. NJ Archives Transcribed by Ceil Leedom circa 2014 South Brunswick Township Historian and Kingston Historical Society, secretary

<1> *William Nelson Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey Calender of New Jersey Wills Vol 1. 1670-173 The Press Printing; and Publishing Co.,269 Main Street, Paterson, N.J., 1901. <2> * FindaGrave Memorial <3> * Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook). <4>* Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 <5>* Clemens, William Montgomery. American Marriage Records Before 1699. Pompton Lakes, NJ, USA: Biblio Co., 1926 <6>* Will of Jediah Higgins from 1715 Somerset County, New Jersey New Jersey B2, page 16. NJ Archives Transcribed by Ceil Leedom circa 2014 South Brunswick Township Historian and Kingston Historical Society, secretary <7>*RICHARD HIGGINS A RESIDENT AND PIONEER SETTLER AT PLYMOUTH AND EASTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, AND AT PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY AND HIS DESCENDANTS BY MRS. KATHARINE CHAPIN HIGGINS [1] Note: the entered above was copied from the on-line document circa 2010 or so. The text as of 2016 appears to have changed but the dates and information appears the same as shown above.





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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Jediah by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Jediah:

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Higgins-3041 and Higgins-213 appear to represent the same person because: same birth, death date on Higgins-3041 is actually the marriage date.
posted by Robin Lee

H  >  Higgins  >  Jediah Higgins Sr