John Severns (abt. 1675 - bef. 1723)

Born about 1675 in Newtown, Queens, New York Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 4 Mar 1723 before about age 48 in Trenton, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States

Biography

JOHN SEVERNS, TAILOR, SON OF BENJAMIN

John Severns, a tailor like his father, was probably born September 22, 1676 in Salisbury, Essex Co, MA.

John possibly married Frances Phillips. ^[1]

1708 -- "John Severns was in Trenton Township as early as 1708 (when it was still Hopewell), and was one of twenty purchasers of the church lot there. Of the twenty, twelve are clearly former Newtown, Long Island, NY residents. " (source David Blackwell 8/31/98)

1711--In the will of William Beaks of Nottingham, Burlington County, it mentions debts due from a John Severns and others (Will 1:313) (Unsure which John Severns.)

1712-- West Jersey Deeds, Book N, page 294; Daniel Coxe to JOHN SEVERNS; May 15, 1712; "Daniel Coxe of town and county of Burlington, Esq, to JOHN SEVERNS of Hopewell, yoeman; Whereas Edward Byllynge of London Gent. did convey to Thomas Williams of London Goldsmith 3/90 of 90/100 of West New Jersey, and Williams by deed October 30 &31, 1705, conveyed above shares to Daniel Coxe, therefore now Coxe conveys to SEVERNS 390 acres (besides allowance for highways) lying in the township of Hopewell and is that plantation and tract whereon said Severns now dwells and is part and parcel of the above 3/90. Beginning at red oak at West Shabakunk, E 24 ch to oak for corner by the road, by said road NNW 8 ch and N 8 ch 50 lk and NNW 13 ch to post for corner, ESE 29 ch to oak for coner, NNE 4 ch to post for corner, NE 50 degrees 24 ch to beech for corner by Shabakunk, by the same upwards to hickory by the said brook, W 2 ch 50 lk to black oak for corner, SSW 4 ch 50 lk to post for corner, WNW 76 ch to post for corner, SSW 47 ch lk to the said West Shabakunk, by the same to first mentioned corner tree."

1712 -- "John purchased in 1712 land on which he already was living along Pennington Road in totally 390 acres. Part of this he sold in 1714 to Robert Lanning, and the other part was soon after in the hands of William Green, both of these latter being formerly from Newtown, Long Island, NY." (source David Blackwell 8/31/98)

1714-- West Jersey Deeds, Book H-H, page 442; John Severns to Robert Laning; January 15, 1714; "John Severns of Hopewell, yoeman, to Robert Laning of Hopewell, yoeman. Whereas Edward Byllynge to Thomas Williams 3/90 of 90/100, and Williams to Daniel Coxe the same, and Coxe by B & S dated May 15, 1712 to SEVERNS of 390 acres in Hopewell. Now therefore John Severns to Robert Laning 244 acres (beside allowance), part and parcel of the above 390 acres and is that plantation whereon the said Robert Laning now dwells, beginning at stone for corner by High Road leading from Falls of Delaware commonly called Roger Parks Road, WNW by Richard Lanings land to his corner stone 34 ch 50 lk p/m; SSW 47 ch 66 lk by land heretofore Henry Bells to ash tree for corner by Shabbucunk Run p/m, bounded by said Run the several courses thereof downwards ca. 46 ch p/m to corner oak, E 24 ch p/m to oak for corner by aforesaid Rogers Road, bounded by said road upwards ca 65 ch p/m by the land of William Greens and the said JOHN SEVERNS to first corner stone."

1717---John's father, Benjamin Severns died and will was probated on 22 May 1717; in which Benjamin left his entire estate to this son John. Benjamin's wife Mary (John's step-mother) was the sole executrix.

1723-"William Green, will proved 1 June 1723, of Trenton, Hunterdon County, NJ, yoeman, formerly of Newton, Long Island but now from Hunterdon County, gives to his sons Joseph and William the house and Plantation that he bought from John Severans." (Will 2:240)

1725--John Severns in 1725 bought property from James Trent, but sold it to William Allen. This is the site of the Rising Sun Tavern, later called American House. Trenton, NJ. (From Pennsylvania Magazine) This James Trent was the son of William Trent

August 30, 1725 -- will of Howell, Daniel of Trenton, Hunterdon Co, NJ, blacksmith -- wife Mary, son David, land on east side on the middle road, Trenton; lot on the west side of Kings Street, Trenton, adjoining JOHN SEVERAN; lot of meadow in Maidenhead great meadows, adjoining James Price's land, said lot bought of Samuel Hunt. Son Daniel, when 21, house in Trenton which JOHN SEVERIN lives in...."

1726--a John Severns was a witness to a deed conveying land that once belonged to Samuel Darke.

9 December 1726-John Severns and others witness a will of Peter Broome; will proved 25 Nov 1728 Brunswick Township, Middlesex Co, NJ (Book 2:561)

On April 10, 1727, Andrus conveyed a portion of his lot - one hundred and fifty feet square - for the nominal sum of five shillings to John Severns, John Porterfield, Daniel Howell, Richard Scudder, Alexander Lockart, William Yard, William Hoff, and Joseph Yard. The witnesses to the conveyance are John (?), Francis Giffiing, and Daniel Howell, Jr. (probably at Hunterdon County, NJ)

1727 Albertus Ringo continued to make his home and ply his trade on the original town lot near the old mill and in 1727 one of the nearby residents, Enoch Andrus, conveyed a hundred and fifty foot square out of the back of his "quota fifth" for the nominal sum of five shillings to John Porterfield, David Howell, Richard Scudder, Alexander Lockhart, William Yard, William Hoff, John Severns, and Joseph Yard, all of whom were active Presbyterians.

1728/29-The estate of John Heath proved 28 Jan 1728/29 Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co, owes money to John Severns and others.

1729-Abstracts from Ben Franklin's PA Gazette 1728-48....5 Dec 1729 John Severns of Trenton, his stable burned to the ground.

1730 John Severns witnessed an indenture dated 18 Nov 1730 between James Trent and Tho. McClelan for 1/4 acre lot on King Street in Trenton. Alexander Lockhart was the other witness. From some Records of Old Hunterdon Co, by Phyllis D'Aturechy, page 14 - page. 87. of Volume 1 of Special Deeds.

1730 In 1730 he witnessed the inventory of his deceased brother, Peter, and in the same year is mentioned as being owed an account from the estate of Maurice Trent. In 1733 he bought a half acre of land in Trenton (probably before the death of his father, Albertus) from James Trent. In that year he is also mentioned as a creditor of the estate of John Severns of Trenton.

1734-Widow Severns and John Severns owe debts of the estate of John Ferguson, account dated 13 Nov 1734

1738-- "West Jersey Deeds, Book E-F, page 163; Alexander Lockhart to Daniel Coxe....tract in Trenton Twp beginning at an oak being the most northerly corner of JOHN SEVERNS land..."

1758-1792---John Severns of Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co, mortgages in 1758, 1785, 1792. John Seaverns of Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co. mortgage in 1785.

"Will of John Severns of Trenton, NJ; wife Frances; sons Benjamin and Theophilus; use of house and lot in Trenton next to Samuel Johnson; sons to get use of house after mother's decease. Daughter Margaret Seanders---the testator's house and lot and 50 acres near town purchased from Staniland are to be sold. List of over 100 debtors." (source--J. Kaye Severns, Aug/Sep 1997)

Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey; First Series; Volume 30; Somerville, NJ; The Unionist-Gazette Association, 1918; page 424: JOHN SEVERNS, Trenton, Hunterdon County Will: Frances, wife, use of house and lot in Trenton adjoining Samuel Johnson. Son Benjamin, son Theophilus, daughter Magaret Seanders. Written May 25, (1747?) probably 1727. Proved July 10, (732?) (from Ray Beaty 6/98)

John Severns died in 1732; and he mentions only Benjamin, Theophilus, and Margaret Seanders as children. He makes Alexander Lockart and James Neilson his executors, rather than his sons. Now obviously his estate was large, and these men, both well established in Trenton, are reasonable choices. Benjamin however is included in the account list, presumably meaning he has set up a homestead somewhere in the region.

He died in 1728 in New Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey. He died before 1 Oct 1728. He had an estate inventoried on 1 Oct 1728. (419) He died before 25 Nov 1728 in Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey. (302) He has Ancestral File number NTKX-5V. (302) Boston Transcript 31 Mar 1930 Family tradition, as given to his son by Peter Bethel, grandson of Rachel (Groom) Raven says that the Grooms came from England with the Duke of ? that with them came Clark (------)This seemed to indicate a connection with Samuel Groome of Stepney, Middlesex, England, one of the irst twelve proprietors of East Jersey, who held their charter under the Duke of York, given during his brief ownership of the province in 1663. Samuel Groome died in 1683, leaving an only son, Samuel, but the settlement of their estates shown no connection with a Clark family or with Peter Groom, who bought land in Bucks Co., Pa in 1683 but sold it in 1690 and settled in New Jersey. In 1696, he bought 200 acres on Assinpinch River from John Bainbridge of Burlington Co. The first wife of Peter Groom, mother of his son Peter (2) may have been a Clark, for Benjamin and James Clark were named as executors of his will made in 1726. At this time, Peter (2) and all the other sons were minors, althought Peter was married and had a son, Peter (3). The second wife, married before 1709 was Elizabeth Wood, daughter of Thomas and Mary of Chesterfield, Burling Co. Inventory of the estate of Pater (1) Groom was taken, Oct. 1, 1728. The executors declined to act and the widow, also, she asking that her "son-in-law, Peter"(2) now evidently of age, be named as adminstrator. Those named in the will are in the following order: Sons, Peter Groom, and Samuel Groom, William Page and Johanna, his wife, and their son, Groom Page; sons, Thomas, William, and John Groom, granson, Peter Groom; daughters: Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Margaret and Sarah. "Trusty and well-beloved friends, Thomas Lambert, enjamin Clark, and James Clark, the son of Benjamin Clark, to be sole executors. The witnesses were Jonas Ingham, John Severns and John Vanlaer.

4 Mar 1723. Estate of John SEVERNE of Trenton [Essex Co, NJ]. Debtors included Robert COMBS [sp.?] (GDAC, NJ Wills, 2:346) Combs &c. Note: The editor included this record with Hunterdon Co, NJ, which was probably(?) in error.

John Severns 1732,Residence PlaceNew Jersey, USA Death Place Trenton, Hunterdon. Will Date 29 May 1732 Probate Date 10 Jul 1732, Spouse Frances ^[2]

The William Green house stands on a piece of ground that Daniel Coxe did sell in 1712. It was part of Coxe's large "Hopewell" tract, but the buyer was not Green, but one John Severns. This estate lay from the west to the east branches of the Shabakunk Creek, straddling both sides of "the high road from the Falls of Delaware commonly called Rogers Parks Road." This road had been laid out in 1700 and was resurveyed in 1741. It was the "Middle Road", that came to be known later as the Trenton-Pennington Road or Rogers Road. John Severns evidently sold to William Green Sr. the land east of this road, shortly after his purchase in 1712, although no deed is recorded. In 1714 he sold the property on the other side of · Page 2: the road to Robert Lanning. In this deed, fortunately recorded, Lanning’s purchase was bounded on the east side “by the said (Roger Parks) road upwards about sixty-five chains more or less by the land of William Green and the said John Severns.”

1730. Albert Opdike in appeal brought by John Severns. Former judgment (in favor of Albert Opdyck) confirmed....... (Same, Vol II.)

In less than six years from Hutchinson's deed to Heath and others, the Hopewell Presbyterians took measures for the erection of a church for themselves, within three miles of the one just described. This was the beginning of the congregation, which, after the foundation of the township of Trenton (1719-20), was called the "Trenton First Church," but which now takes the name of the new township of Ewing. The original deed was dated March 9, 1709, and conveyed two acres of land from Alexander Lockart, a Scotchman, to Richard Scudder, s Jacob Reeder, 8 John Burroughs, 9 Cornelius Anderson, Ebenezer Prout, John Silerons [or Siferons, Daniel Howell, Severance, Severns], John Deane, Simon Sacket, 10 John Davis, George Farley. Jonathan Davis, Caleb Farley, Enoch Anderson, William Reed, William Osborne, Joseph Sacket. 10

1730, Aug. Albert Opdike brings suit against Jacob Anderson. Judgment for ptf. for 8 pounds, 3 shillings, damages, and 6 pence, costs.... . (Same, Vol. II, 172, 4.)

1730. Albert Opdike in appeal brought by John Severns. Former judgment (in favor of Albert Opdyck) confirmed....... (Same, Vol II.)

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166810499/john-severns
2. ↑ New Jersey Colonial Documents. , U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817 pg 242

• Personal genealogy files with credit to Alice Severns