Nicholas Stillwell (1712 - 1780)

Born 1712 in Long Island County, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1780 at about age 68 in Sussex, New Jersey, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

John E. Stillwell wrote^[1]:

"Nicholas Stillwell, son of Major Thomas Stillwell, 9, was born probably in Gravesend, the residence of his father, about 1712.

He was a wheelwright by occupation, but evidently had an active interest in the ferry running between Yellow Hook and Staten Island. This ferry right had been secured by Major Thomas Stillwell, and shortly thereafter apparently conveyed to his four sons Nicholas, Christopher, Thomas and John. Rival companies were soon established, and the owners of the Yellow Hook ferry petitioned for protection, complaining of the damages caused by this competition.

1742, Jan. 7. “Whereas wee underwritten by pattent granted are obliged to furnishe with boats furniture and utencles compleat to answer all persons and att all times in order for the ready conveying of passengers over the narrows and being at vast cost for the maintenance of the same ferry find we labour under an illconvenency by our neighbour above the said ferry by detaining of strangers and forreners which makes an enquiry for the said ferry telling them that it is the [one] they would be att which proves very prejudiciall both to the travelling person and to ourselve which are att such vast expence. Therefore would begg the favour of your Honnour that you would take these things in consideration that they may be prevented since we are obliged to goe at all times and seasons for the post and your petitioners will be bound to pray.

Long Island Yellow Hook ferrey Jan 7, 1942

Nicholas Stillwell

Christophr Stillwell

Thomas Stillwell

John Stillwell

Albany, N. Y., Records, B. 73, p. 79.

“The ferry house across the Narrows, from Long Island to Staten Island, known by the name of the Upper Ferry, or Stilwell’s Ferry, is kept by Nicholas Stilwell. There are two good boats for man or horse.” New York Gazette, Jan. 18, 1753,

1753, June 18. “The Upper-Ferry, across the Narrows, from Long Island to Staten Island, is kept by Nicholas Stilwell. There are two good boats for man or horse.” Onderdonk's King's County.

“John Lane keeps the Ferry from Yellow Hook to Smith’s Ferry on Staten Island. In going from Flatbush to the Ferry, keep the marked trees on the right hand.” New York Mercury, June 8, 1753.

Some time after this Nicholas Stillwell moved to New York City, but kept his interest in the ferry, as his grandson Nicholas Stillwell, of Newark, accompanied him, not infrequently to Long Island to collect his rents, and while there would occasionally collect toll, at the end of a long plank walk which led to the ferry.

1759, Apr. 28. Nicholas Stillwell, late of Flatlands, in King’s County, but at present of New York, wheelwright, eldest son and heir of Thomas Stillwell, late of the said city, deceased, with Martha his wife, sold for the sum of £400, a dwelling house and land on the South side of Nassau Street, and a house and lot in Smith’s Valley, near Nassau Street. Nicholas Stillwell signed the conveyance, but his wife, Martha, madeher mark. New; YorkRegister s Office.

Having divested himself of his New York City property, Nicholas Stillwell removed to Whitehouse, Hunterdon County, N. J.

Writ to Sheriff of Morris County, returnable November, 1759, to produce Nicholas Stilwell before court at the city of Burlington, on the first tuesday of November next, to answer Thomas Shreeve and Jeremiah Brewer, administrators of Thomas Stilwell, deceas’d, of a plea of trespass & also a bill of them against Nicholas Stilwell for £1,800. Agreed and discontinued. Supreme Court Files, No. 3813, Trenton, N. J.

1767, Nov. 5. He was living in Sussex County, N. J., where he sold lands in Gravesend, to Bernardus Voorhess, which he had inherited from his father. William H. Stillwell's Memo. He died about 1780, at the house of Peter Hendrickson, in Sussex County, N. J., the husband of his daughter Hannah.

Hannah Stillwell, Johannah Stillwell, and Anna Stillwell are names somewhat confused. There was a marriage license issued to Peter Hendrickson Nov. 13, 1756, to marry Ann Stillwell {New York licenses), and there appears on the Dutch Church Record, of Flatbush, Long

Island, their marriage at this date. This is doubtless the daughter Hannah, who is given among the children of Nicholas Stillwell, as the wife of Peter Hendrickson, and whose name appears, as Johannah, in the New Utrecht baptisms.

Issue:

124 Johannah Stillwell baptised Sept. 17, 1732, in New Utrecht.*

125 Antje Stillwell baptised Oct. 13, 1734, in New Utrecht.

126 John Stillwell born about 1735; died 1799.

127 Daniel Stillwell born about 1737

128 Samuel Stillwell

129 Richard Stillwell born May 25,1742

130 Martha Stillwell married Samuel Willetts, of Whitehouse, N. J.

131 Charity Stillwell born 1746; a spinster."

Death location is uncertain because the source, DNSP, is listed as "Sussex Co, NY" which does not exist. The death location could have been Suffolk County, New York, or Sussex County, New Jersey, which is located in the Northeast part of New Jersey, closer to the New York area than Suffolk County, NY.

Stillwell-513 was a descendant of Lt. Nicholas Stillwell, b. 1603 (Stillwell-18) through Lt. Stilwell's second son, Capt. Nicholas Stillwell (Stillwell-52).

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[2]

Research Notes

Do not confuse with Nicholas Stillwell of Shrewsbury.

Sources

1. ↑ John E. Stillwell, "The History of Captain Nicholas Stillwell", New York, (1930). (https://archive.org/stream/stillwellgenealo03stil/stillwellgenealo03stil_djvu.txt)
2. ↑ Stillwell-513 was created by Catherine Nye through the import of DownloadGedcom.aspx.ged on Nov 15, 2014. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.

• Source: S-2123299154 Repository: #R-2145946579 Title: Public Member Trees Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Family trees submitted by Ancestry members.Original data: Family trees submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Tree Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=4420988&pid=1221
• Repository: R-2145946579 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:
• Descendants of Nicholas Stillwell PDFODT2.pdf (DNSP) document downloaded from the internet. Its source is not attested. The source is the topic of ongoing research, although some of the data therein have been corroborated in the Hay Genealogy.