John Ford (bef. 1675 - bef. 1722)

Born before 1675 in Duxbury, Massachusetts [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Freeman) Lindsley — married 18 Dec 1701 in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey

Descendants

Died before 17 Feb 1722 at about age 47 in Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Fontaine Wiatt [send private message]

Biography

John Ford, was born ca. 1659-1675 at Duxbury, MA, and died in ca.1724 at Virginia while there on business.^[1].

It is apparent from a letter that John Forde, esq. of Hanover, NJ, received from his uncle Andrew Forde and other evidence presented, that John Ford of Woodbridge, NJ was the grandson of Andrew Ford of Weymouth, Mass. That James Ford was the only son of Andrew through whom John Ford of Woodbridge could have descended.^[2]

John Ford, born bef. ____, 1675, about (had to be at least 21 years old in 1698), probably son of James (son of Andrew) Ford of Weymouth, Mass., removed from Duxbury, Mass., to Windham, Conn., and on Oct 28 1698, purchased a home lot containing 20 acres, and 110 acres additional. On Dec 12 1698, he was admitted an inhabitant of Windham. Nov 12 1701, John Ford "Late of Windham" forfeited his lands on a judgment in the Inferior Court at Hartford, CT. He removed to Woodbridge, NJ, and on Dec 18 1701, was m. by Samuel Hall, Justice, to Elizabeth Freeman, b. Axford England, March 21 1681, dau. of Joseph and Elizabeth (Goss) Freeman; their marriage is recorded in the Baptist Church Records of Piscataway, NJ, p. 330.^[3]

John and Elizabeth (Ford) had 2 sons and 1 daughter: i. Experience, b. 1702; ii. Jacob, b. April 12, 1705, Woodbridge, NJ, birth recorded in Baptist Church Records at Piscataway, NJ, p. 330; and iii. Samuel, b. Oct 11, 1710.

John Ford died 1721-2 leaving a will dated Oct 20 1721, proved Feb 17 1721-22. He was admitted a member of the Church at Woodbridge, Jan 29 1707-8; Elizabeth his wife was admitted a member June 26 1709; he was a Deacon there Oct 20, 1709, and Ruling Elder, March 28 1710, and Justice of the Peace for Woodbridge, 1719.^[4]

Elizabeth Freeman Ford his widow, m. (2) John Lindly. She died Aug 21 1772, aged 91 years, 1 month.

John Ford was a carpenter and a miller. He purchased many tracts of land in New Jersey, some of which he sold and some he bequeathed to his sons. On Jan 20 1714-15, at a Town Meeting in Newark, "it was then agreed by Vote ye John fford should have Liberty to sett up a Mill below ye old mill, and that he should have a Quarter of an acre of Land." It is not known that he actually occupied this land.

Sometime around 1710, a major landowner in Morris County, a man named John Budd, made an offer to one of the wealthiest residents of Woodbridge in eastern New Jersey — our ancestor John Ford (1659‒1721). The two men had met each other while they were in Philadelphia at a meeting of their presbytery (the governing regional body of Presbyterian congregations). According to the History of Morris County, “Budd offered Ford a large tract of land if he would remove to Monroe, between Morristown and Whippany, an offer which was accepted.”

Once Ford, with his wife Elizabeth (Freeman) Ford and their children, had made the move west, he and Budd opened what is believed to have been the first iron forge in the county on the banks of the Whippany River. A historical marker today (see photo) marks the site where this forge was located. The History of Morris County relates,

Mr. Green in his history of the Hanover church speaks of the old building in the Whippany graveyard as “about 100 rods below the forge which is and has long been known by the name of the Old Iron Works.” It was no doubt a very small and rude affair, where good iron was made free from the ore by smelting it with charcoal, and without any of the economical appliances even of the bloomaries of a hundred years later. The ore was brought to it from the Succasunna mine in leather bags on horseback—the only method of transportation. A single horse, it is said, would carry from four to five hundred pounds fifteen miles in a day.

Historical marker designating the approximate location at which John Ford and John Budd set up the first-known iron forge in Morris County.

Authorities for this biographical summary include: Manuscript Ford Genealogy, Boston, Mass., Book 4, pp. 5, 124; Book 8, pp 5, 8, 9; History of the First Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge, NJ; Records of Newark, NJ p. 124; History of the First Presbyterian Church Morristown, NJ, p. 76; Dawson's Historical Magazine, 2nd Series, IX, p. 91; Trenton, NJ, Wills and Deeds; Horace W. Dickerman, Newark, NJ, "Records of the Secretary of State's Office", Trenton, NJ, "History Hingham, Mass., IV.

Birth

John Ford (John Foord) was born sometime between 1659 and 1675, at Weymouth, Norfolk, MA or Duxbury, Plymouth, NA. (a distance of 22 miles between the two towns)

Parents

Known Grandfather of John Ford was Andrew Ford of Weymouth, Norfolk, MA.

• Father: Probably James Ford, son of Andrew.^[5].
• Mother: unknown

Note: It should be recognized that there was another John Ford, b. 14 Aug 1659 at Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts who died Feb 1721 , Morris Co., NJ who m.Hannah Sherman b. 21 Feb 1668 Marshfield, Plymouth Co., MA ; d. 8 Jul 1745 Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA. (Age 77 years). The two john fords may have been confused, leading to conflicting birth dates and death dates. This John Ford had a dau. Ann Ford, b. Abt 1687.

Marriage

Our John Ford married Elizabeth Freeman, born at Axford England, on March 21 1681, on December 18, 1701, Age 20; she was dau. of Joseph and Elizabeth (Goss) Freeman. The marriage is recorded in the Baptist Church Records of Piscataway, NJ, p. 330^[6]

Children

John Ford and Elizabeth Freeman had the following known children^[7]

• i Experience Ford, b. 1711. married John Conger ^[8]
• ii Col. Jacob Ford,(Apr 13 1704 - Jan 19, 1777), Iron monger/mill owner. He married HANNAH BALDWIN, dau. of Jonathan Baldwin and Susannah Kitchell (b. 1701).
• ii. Jacob, Ford, bp. April 12, 1705, Woodbridge, NJ, birth recorded in Baptist Church Records at Piscataway, NJ, p. 330

• iii Samuel Ford. (Oct. 11, 1709 - Aug 11 1752), married Sarah Baldwin (Jul. 20, 1707 - )
• iii. Samuel Ford, b. Oct 11, 1710.

Death

John Ford died sometime between Oct 20, 1721 and Feb 17 1722:^[9]. (Between will creation and proof)

Died Hanover, Hunterdon Will Date 20 Oct 1721 Probate Date 17 Feb 1721

Will of John Ford

The will of John Ford of Woodbridge is recorded in the Office of Secretary of State, Trenton, NJ, in Liber A. of Wills, p. 207, and mentions:^[10]

"I John Ford of Hanno in the County of Hunterdon and Province of New Jersey Carpenter:" Son Jacob Ford 200 acres in Hanover, NJ, and "Likewise all my Lands Lying at Windom above New Norridg and Likewise mt Seader Swamp in Duxbury In Matitutes bay and also half my lands that Lyes at Quene bog up New London River that falls to me by my father." Unto son Samuel Ford all "this Plantation" after his mother's decease and the "other half of my lands that falls to me by my father at Quene abog." "Unto Experience Ford my daughter" fifty pounds. Unto wife Elizabeth Forde, whom he makes executor, etc. Dated Oct 20 1721, witnesses appeared in Court at Perth Amboy, NJ, Feb 17 1721-2. Executors sworn Feb 17, 1721-22.

Letter from Andrew Ford, b. 165, to nephew John Ford of Hanover, NJ :

An important family letter, written by Andrew Ford (son of Andrew Ford) to his nephew John Ford of Hanover, N. J., has been preserved and published in The History of Weymouth, vol.3, p.227:

"Dear Kindsman: I am glad to hear of ye welfare of which I have been apprized by Mr. Dean. I should be glad to see you but I despair of it in this life considering my age and the distance of place of our habitations. I and my wife are well (excepting the infirmities of old age). My children also are well. My son Hez. is lately married unto his second wife (viz) unto Sarah Magoone our kindswoman and they are well and give their service unto yrself and yrs and returne you many thanks for yr kindness unto their brother James Magoone who deceased with you or att ye Least att ye house and they desire yt you would send his pocket book unto ym by Doctor Dean the bearer herof if it is with you for it may be of service to his administrators. Your kindsman Thomas Magoone is living and he is all of yt family excepting my sons wife and my sister Magoone. You have but three uncles living, viz, myself, my brothers Nathaniel and Israel Forde (both of Weymouth). I and my wife present our tender love and service unto you and yrs. I earnestly desire yt you would write me by the bearer hereof.

I am yr Affectionate uncle, Andrew Forde Abington Mar. 22nd 1721."

Notes

John Ford and Elizabeth, his wife were involved in a number of real estate transaction that are listed in the source document^[11].

Sources

1. ↑ ref: rootsweb database: jghts (12 June 2010)-- James Lindsley
2. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
3. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
4. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
5. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
6. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
7. ↑ Children named in John Ford's will of Oct 20 1721.
8. ↑ Birth: "American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)"
   Godfrey Memorial Library; Middletown, Connecticut; American Genealogical Biographical Index; Volume Number: 33; Page number: 165
   Ancestry Record 3599 #2294491 (accessed 16 October 2023)
   Experience Conger born in 1711.
9. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
10. ↑ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook)...
11. ↑ Google Books: The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook). pages 165 and 166

• New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817 pg 126.

• WebSite: Geni-- Elizabeth Ford (Freeman) 1681 - 1772)

• Ford genealogy; / being an account of some of the Fords who were early settlers in New England; more particularly, a record of the descendants of Martin-Mathew Ford of Bradford, Essex Co., Mass (1916) Ford, Eliakim Reed, 1851- Oneonta, N.Y., The author Pg. 22

• Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, Page 148
• Website: PURITANS, PATRIOTS, AND (YES) A FEW CROOKS – SETTLERS OF MORRIS COUNTY John Ford (1659 – 1721) & Elizabeth Freeman (1671 – 1772) [1]

• Old Iron Works - New Jersey Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

• Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records

• History of Morris County, New Jersey (1882); Authors: Halsey, Edmund Drake, 1840-1896; Aikman, Robert; Axtell, Samuel Beach, 1809-1891; Brewster, James F; Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925; Howell, Monroe; Kanouse, John L; Megie, Burtis C; Neighbour, James H; Stoddard, E. W. (Elijah Woodward), 1820-1913; Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell & co., Call number: F142.M8 H2, Digitizing sponsor: MSN; Book contributor: Cornell University Library, Collection: cornell; Americana

• Google Books: The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53 (Google eBook), Richard Henry Greene, Henry Reed Stiles, George Austin Morrison, Hopper Striker Mott, John Reynolds Totten, Louis Effingham De Forest, Charles Andrew Ditmas, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1922 - New York (State)- [2]

• Additional authorities cited in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: Dawson's Historical Magazine, 1871, 2nd Series, Vol. X, 321; Baldwin Genealogy pp 485-6; New Jersey Historical Collections, p 396; Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, 2nd Series, Vol II, p 38; History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, NJ, pp 76, 239; Books of Commissions Secretary of State's Office, Trenton, NJ A.B., pp. 14, 17, 25, 53, 66, 67, 87, 126, 170; NY Gen. and Biog. Record Vol. LI, p 94; Revolutionary War of NJ, by Stryker, P 352.

• Google Books: Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Volume 23 (Google eBook), William Nelson, Press Printing and Publishing, 1901 - New Jersey [3]

• NEHGR 119:112-115.

Acknowledgments

• Ford-3467 was created by Tom Quick for on 24 Nov 13.

• Ford-3467 was merged into Ford-687, Quick-803 18:11, 21 January 2015 (EST).
• Profile Ford-3420 adopted by Tom Quick, Dec 12, 2013

Thank you to Robin Lee for creating Ford-3420 on 5 Nov 13.