Jacob Abraham Emmons (abt. 1705 - abt. 1801)

http://www.royalprovincial.com/genealogy/confiscations/nj/confmonm.shtml

1)Psychologically they were older, better established, and resisted innovation.

2)They felt that resistance to the Crown—the legitimate government—was morally wrong.

3)They were alienated when the Patriots resorted to violence, such as burning houses and tarring and feathering.

4)They wanted to take a middle-of-the road position and were angry when forced by the Patriots to declare their opposition.

5)They had a long-standing sentimental attachment to Britain (often with business and family links).

6)They were procrastinators who realized that independence was bound to come some day, but wanted to postpone the moment.

7)They were rightly cautious and afraid of the anarchy stemming from mob rule, which did cost many their property and security after the revolution.

8)Some say they were pessimists who lacked the confidence in the future displayed by the Patriots, while others point to the memory and dreadful experience of many Scottish immigrants who had already seen or paid the price of rebellion in dispossession and clearance from their prior homeland

"Monmouth County (NJ) was named and established March 7, 1682-3. Shrewsbury, in which township the Shark River section lay during the struggle for independence, harbored many who preferred the British yoke to freedom.

... & Jacob Emmons were all 'fugitives and offenders' who assisted the British against their own relatives and countrymen. The lands of the above were confiscated and sold at Tinton Falls, March 29, 1779 and on May 3, of the same year, notice was given for all who had claims on any of the estates to bring their accounts before the Court of Common Pleas at Freehold before the 20th of the month that they might be settled.

Some of the tories regained their lands and their descendants are still among us, but many escaped to New York and went to England and Canada."