William Stites (1676 - 1727)

Born 3 Apr 1676 in Hempstead, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 May 1727 at age 51 in Springfield, Essex, New Jersey

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Biography

William Stites was born 3 April 1676 Hempstead, Long Island, New York ^[1] He married Mary Hall, daughter of Isaac Hall, Jr. of Bridgeport (Stratfield), CT.^[2]

Life events

1698/9 A record of Deed between Richard Stites and his son William - 2 Jan 1698/9. - (see transcript) ^[3]
1700/1 Beneficiary in his father's will.
1705-6 William sells one hundred acres to Joseph Holsted. (See transcript) ^[3]
1710 William sells 10 acres of land in Hempstead, formerly his father's. (See transcript) ^[3]
1710 William sells 10 acres of land in Hempstead, formerly his father's. (See transcript) ^[3]
1714 Agreement 23 Oct 1714, between Sarah Hall by power from my husband Joseph Hall, and William Stites by marriage with Mary, and Thomas Jecox by marriage with Abigail, And Ezekiel Baldwin by marriage with Hannah, which are the daus. of the dec'd Dr. Isaac Hall, all resident in Queens County, N.Y., - appoint our bretheren Francis and John Hall of Stratfield our attorneys to adjust controversy with our cousin Samuel Hall, heir to our dec'd uncle Samuel Hall. ^[4]
1724 William sells land in Hempstead to Benjamin Smith. ^[3]
1725 William is one of 24 signaturies to a Deed granting land to Cap't Jacob Hicks. Possibly a town grant by the town council or prominent citizens.
1726 9th Aug 1726 - At the above twon meeting pursuant to the above sd voat we the freeholders of the sd meeting have by mager voat chosen these men following viz. Justice John Tredwell, John Mott, Christifor Dingey, Peter Smith, Samuel Jackson, James Seaman, Benjaman Seaman, John Dorlon, William Stits and Thomas Williams for to tak care and see that according to the above sd voat our sheep shall not be foulded and if they or any two of them or one of them do find that any parson or parsons be found by any of theme men above mentione foulding of our sheep then wee the free holders as above sd do give full power to sew them in our behalf for the damages don to the sheep and us the freeholder. This entered by order of me Tho Gildersleeve Clarck.
1727 William & Mary sell sixty acres together with all buildings to Thomas Carmon. (See transcript) ^[3]

It is unclear when William relocated from Hempstead on Long Island to Springfield in New Jersey. In his will of 1727 he is recorded as "late of Hempsted, Long Island, N.Y. now residing in Elizabeth Town". However the above records of Hempstead appear to show him in Hempstead as late as Jan 1727. Perhaps he was commuting between the two whilst establishing the property in Springfield? If the sale in Jan 1727 was their principal residence in Hempstead it could have been as late as this that they actually took up permanent residence in New Jersey. In the item below titled "The Springfield Cemetery", the earliest surviving burial was in May 1727. According to the author there was an earlier but obliterated burial in 1720. Considering the above perhaps this child is buried in Hempstead?
(Edited by Simon Parker-Galbreath Nov 2018.)

"Removed to a 700 acre tract on the south side of the road and west of the Rahway River, in the section of Elizabethtown, which is now the Township of Springfield, Union Co., New Jersey. ^[5]

The settlement (Springfield) dates from 1717, when the Briant (or Bryant) family of Hackensack located here. The Whitehead, Van Winkle, Stites and Denam families soon followed, and many others moved up from Connecticut Farms. ^[6]

William died 13 May 1727 Springfield, Union, New Jersey^[1] and is buried at The Springfield Cemetery which, for a number of years past, has been know as the "Revolutionary Burying Ground", dates back to the settlement of Springfield, in 1717. It is situated on a high elevation known as the "Hill", about 100 yards south of Morris avenue. West of the cemetery, and within fifty feet, is Van Winkle's creek. To the northeast and within a stone's throw is the old Presbyterian church.
As nearly as can be ascertained William Stites, who came from Hempstead, Long Island, to Springfield when the village was first settled, in 1717, purchased the land. His property consisted of seven hundred acres west on the Rahway River. He settled there with his family. Three acres were cleared of woodland and set off as a family burying ground. The first person interred there was Mary Stites, four years old, who died about 1720. Her grave was obliterated when a street was cut through the tract in later years. The second burial was that of Richard, the twelve year old son of William Stites, who died May 5, 1727. Eight days later, May 13, 1727, William, the father, died, and on August 21, 1728, one year later, the mother followed, and was buried by the side of her husband. A double stone now marks the spot, on which are the following inscriptions : "Here lies ye body of William Stites, died May ye 13th, 1727, aged 51 years"; "Here lies ye body of Mary, wife of Mr. William Stites, died August ye 21, 1728, aged 51 years."..................
There is also a stone marking the resting place of Hazel Stites, aged twenty years, who died February 11, 1728. She was the daughter of the first William. Five small children survived their parents, and the property was sold by the administrator. Although the cemetery plot went with the rest of the property, the living descendants of the Stites family stoutly maintain that the graveyard was never alienated from the family and that old records will prove it...............
During the Revolution the population of the little graveyard was increased to almost full capacity. ............... At one time the cemetery covered a space of three acres, but at present only twenty-two stones are standing. Part of the yard was used at one time as a base-ball field, and some of the stones were broken off and used for bases. A lawn-tennis court also occupied part of the field. The monuments yet standing are of old brown sandstone, and from two to three feet in height ......... Most of the stones are moss-grown and weather-stained, and it is with difficulty they are read. ^[7]

Probate - New Jersey [Lib. B, p.70, Essex Wills]
Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my son Hezekick (this name was misspelt and then partly corrected by overwriting but the "ick" on the end was left, but is must be the first son Hezekiah) one pair of four year old stears when he shall come to the age of twenty one years of his life Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Mary all the remainder of my whole estate both real and personall & I do hereby make & appoint my beloved wife Mary my executrix and my beloved son John executor. ^[8]

Inventory - 2 June 1727, Another Inventory 1727 to value of £67.S.

Sources

• Torrey Marriages Title: New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Author: Torrey, Clarence Almon Publication: Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, 1984, Original Date, 1985 Paranthetical: Y

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 28, The Cheshire Home and Family of William Hough, 1640 Immigrant to New England, https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-york-genealogical-and-biographical-record/image?pageName=166&volumeId=13275&rId=24797931, 1676.
2. ↑ History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, Vol. 1, edited by Donald Lines Jacobus
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Records of the towns of North and South Hempstead, Long Island, New York 1854-1880 - V.1' - by the Town Board of North Hempstead 1896.
4. ↑ History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, Vol. 1, edited by Donald Lines Jacobus
5. ↑ Woodruff Chronicles' by Ceylon Newton Woodruff, Vol 1, pg's 128-134.
6. ↑ History of Union County, New Jersey, 1664-1923' publ. Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1923.]=
7. ↑ History of Union County, New Jersey, 1664-1923' publ. Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1923. Extracts from pg's 490- 492]
8. ↑ New Jersey - Lib. B, p.70, Essex Wills.