Adonijah Peacock (1724 - 1777)

Born 5 Aug 1724 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Springer) Peacock — married 28 Sep 1751 in Trenton, Hunterdon, New Jersey

Descendants

Died 19 Jan 1777 at age 52 in Chairsville, Burlington County, New Jersey

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jackie King [send private message]

Biography

Adonijah Peacock performed Patriotic Service in New Jersey in the American Revolution.

Adonijah Peacock is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A086853.

Adonijah Peacock was born on August 5, 1724, in Chairville, Burlington County, New Jersey, the son of John and Elizabeth Prickett Peacock. He was one of the oldest in a family of at least 10 children.

Adonijah was married on September 2, 1751 in Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey to Elizabeth Springer, daughter of Benjamin Springer and his wife, Ann Clapgut Budd.^[1]

Adonijah manufactured gunpowder for the Revolutionary Army under General Washington, for which purpose he burned maple wood into charcoal in a separate bldg from his residence. Then back to his residence, after grinding it by some contrivance, mixed and dried it.

It was in this way that he met his death, which happened on January 19, 1777, when he was 53 yrs of age. Tradition says he had been hurried by Washington to send powder to the Army, and that it was returned as not being sufficiently dried. He was in the act of drying it in a pot over the fire in the powder house, when it exploded. His daughter had just brought him his dinner and was standing in the doorway of the powder house at the time.

She was thrown some distance but escaped injury. He was blown through the air a considerable way & injured so badly that he died the next day.

The blast was heard and felt some 30 miles from the Peacock home on Branin Road. It is said that women's ironing tables in nearby homes trembled. The damage was extensive. The Peacock home and workshop were gone. The only sign that a house had existed was a blackened crater where the cellar once was.

Contemporary accounts of the incident still exist. One is this extract from John Hunt's Diary, dated January 20, 1777:

"This day Nijah Peacock was buried, a very Ingenous man in Evesham he had since the wars began Erected a powder mill and Carryed it on to Considerable perfection till one day he was at work amongst his powder and by Some means it Catchd fire and kild him and hurt several of his family Besides it was said that the Rhoof of the house was blown off and very much Shattered to pieces with the Blast of the powder. (Report heard for ten miles around)"^[2]

Adonijah was buried in the Peacock Cemetery in Chairville, Burlington County, New Jersey. A memorial page has been established at Find A Grave.

Will of Adonijah Peacock of Evesham, Burlington county, blacksmith, administratrix Elizabeth Peacock widow, Inventory £301-19-09 11 Apr 1777^[3]

From Ancestry.com

Adonijah Peacock, 1724–1777

Birth: 5 Aug 1724, Mt Holly, Burlington, New Jersey.

Marriage: 28 Sep 1751, Trenton, New Jersey: Elizabeth Springer (1735–1798).

Death: 19 Jan 1777, Burlington, New Jersey.

Burial: Chairville, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA

Family: Parents: John Peacock (1698–1759), Elizabeth Prickett (1705–1774); Spouse: Elizabeth Springer (1735–1798); Children:

1. Samuel V Peacock (1764–1802)^[4]

Gravestone for Adonijah Peacock, born 1724

From Findagrave.com

Adonijah Peacock

Birth: 5 Aug 1724 Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey; Death: 19 Jan 1777 (aged 52) Chairville, Burlington County, New Jersey; Burial: Peacock Cemetery, Chairville, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA. Memorial #: 6942573.

Bio: He manufactured gunpowder for the Revolutionary Army under General Washington, for which purpose he burned maple wood into charcoal in a separate building from his residence. Then back to his residence, after grinding it by some contrivance, mixed and dried it. It was in this way that he met his death, which happened January 19, 1777, when he was 53 years of age. Traditions say that he had been hurried by Washington to send powder to the Army, and that it was returned as not being sufficiently dried. He was in the act of drying it in a pot over the fire in the powder house when it exploded. His daughter had just brought him his dinner and was standing in the doorway of the powder house at the time. She was thrown some distance but escaped injury. He was blown thru the air a considerable way and injured so badly that he died the next day. He remained on the family homestead until his death. (A History of the Peacock Family, by George F. Peacock.)

Inscription: Adonijah Peacock, Born Aug. 5, 1724. Killed 1777 by explosion while making powder for Gen. Washington.

Family Members: Parents: John Peacock (1698-1759); Spouse: Eliz Springer Peacock (1735-1798); Children: Adonijah Peacock (1757-1831)^[5]

Citations

1. ↑ New Jersey State Archives, Index to Marriage Records, 1666-1799 (New Jersey State Archives, [Online database], Trenton New Jersey, 2006), A-W (Licenses) : Page/Item 317.
2. ↑ John Hunt, "John Hunt Papers" (MS, Chester, New Jersey, 1770 - 1828); privately held by Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
3. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc. p 382 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015028562166&view=1up&seq=388
4. ↑ Dayna Flynn, “Adonijah Peacock, 1724–1777" Ancestry.com. URL: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/17127122/person/20304944071/facts?_phsrc=GvC88&_phstart=successSource. Accessed 25 Mar 2018 by Patricia Prickett Hickin.
5. ↑ Ghostman (32036141), maintained by C Weisenborn (47152409), “Adonijah Peacock,” Findagrave.com. Record added 21 Nov 2002. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6942573/adonijah-peacock. Accessed 25 March 2018.

Sources

• Ancestry Family Trees Ancestry Family Tree 119004135 Accessed 2 Feb 2019.

• Anon., “Adonijah Peacock, 1724-1777,” Surname Genealogy Pages, URL: http://www.hazlettfamily.com/getperson.php?personID=P3766&tree=tree1. Accessed 2 Feb 2019.

• Flynn, Dayna. “Adonijah Peacock, 1724–1777" Ancestry.com. URL: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/17127122/person/20304944071/facts?_phsrc=GvC88&_phstart=successSource. Accessed 25 Mar 2018 by Patricia Prickett Hickin.

• Ghostman (32036141), maintained by C Weisenborn (47152409), “Adonijah Peacock,” Findagrave.com. Record added 21 Nov 2002. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6942573/adonijah-peacock. Accessed 25 March 2018.

• Hatcher, Patricia Law. "Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots" Ancestry.com Record Collection 4110. Accessed 2 Feb 2019.

• "The Historic Rancocas," Ancestry.com. Record Collection 13775 Accessed 2 Feb 2019.

• Hunt, John. "John Hunt Papers" (MS, Chester, New Jersey, 1770 - 1828); privately held by Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

• New Jersey, Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817 Ancestry.com Record Collection 2793

• New Jersey, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1643-1890 Ancestry.com. Record Collection 3562 Accessed 2 Feb 2019.

• New Jersey Index of Wills, Inventories, Etc., Vol I Note: Record Collection 48597 Note: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FLHG-NJWillsInvI&h=414691&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Ancestry Record 48597 #414691

• New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 Ancestry.com. Record Collection 61376

• Peacock, James, "QUAKER-ROOTS-L Archives." Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000. Archiver. rootsweb.ancestry.com. URL : http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/QUAKER-ROOTS/2000-04/0955405897 Unable to access on 2 Feb 2019.

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 25 Mar 2021), "Record of Adonijah Peacock", Ancestor # A086853.

Acknowledgments

• Jackie (Barnes) King created Adonijah Peacock on 19 Feb 2012.

N.B. I have removed the "three-apostrophe" material that was previously in this location and placed it in a .pdf, which you may view by clicking here.