The Cornelius Quicks of Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ

The Cornelius Quicks of Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ

There were several marriages of men named Cornelius Quick in and around Amwell in the period from 1770 to 1790.  There has been some uncertainty about them and their families.  This article will offer some additional information about them.

Cornelius Quick and Mary Williamson, 13 Oct 1770[1]

Cornelius Quick and Anne Covenhoven 11 Dec 1771[2]

Cornelius Quick and Elizabeth Quimby 2 Jul 1772[3]

Cornelius Quick and Eleanor Schenck 26 Jun 1779[4]

Cornelius Quick and Anne Johnson 4 Feb 1789[5]

Cornelius⁵ Quick (Peter⁴, Cornelius³, Jacob², Teunis¹) and Eleanor Schenck are said to have had two sons, Jacob and Garret.[6]  However, those were not their sons.  The will of Garret Schenck of Amwell Twsp, Hunterdon Co., NJ, dated 9 Jun 1794, mentions his grandsons, Peter and Ralph, sons of his daughter Lanah and his son-in-law, Cornelius Quick.[7]  On 3 Aug 1797, Ralph and Peter Quick of Hunterdon Co., sons of Cornelius Quick, dec’d, made the choice of Jacob Schenck as their guardian.[8]  Jacob was undoubtedly their maternal uncle.

Who then were the parents of Garret and Jacob Quick?  First, they probably had a sister, Mary Quick, named after her maternal grandmother, who married Judiah Higgins by license dated 13 May 1809 in Hunterdon Co., NJ.[9]  Mary was 68 in the 1850 census of Raritan, Hunterdon Co., NJ,[10] so born about 1782.  She had a son named Cornelius Quick Higgins.[11]  Her presumed brother, Jacob, had a son named Jediah Higgins Quick.  In the 1850 census Jediah was living in Trenton, East Ward, Mercer Co., NJ.[12]  Jacob J. Quick was born about 1790 and was living in Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., NJ according to the 1850 census.[13]  Garret was estimated to have been born about 1782.

I believe Mary, Garret and Cornelius (mentioned in the will of his grandfather[14]) are children of Cornelius⁶ Quick (Cornelius⁵, Teunis⁴, Cornelius³, Jacob², Teunis¹) and Anne Covenhoven, while Jacob is the son of Cornelius and his presumed 2^nd wife, Anne Johnson.

Anne Covenhoven was the daughter of John Couwenhoven and Mary Sprong,[15] though Mary is frequently misidentified as Mary Cozine.  Anne's daughter, Mary, was named after her maternal grandmother, while her son, Garret, was named after his maternal uncle.  Her other son, Cornelius, was named after his paternal grandfather.

Ann Johnson was the daughter of Jacobus Johnson and supposedly Sarah Quick.[16]  Jacobus was the son of Cornelius Johnson and Sarah Mambret, mentioned in his father’s will written in Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ on 5 Mar 1770, named as one of the executors.  In May 1786 Cornelius Johnson is mentioned as the surviving executor, Jacobus having died in the interim.[17]  Jacobus’ will, written on 2 Jan 1778 in Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ, mentions his wife, but does not name her, his two sons, Jacob James and Peter, and his daughters, Alice, Sarah and Anna.  The will was proved on 24 Oct 1778.[18]  Cornelius and Ann Johnson’s son, Jacob J (James?), was named after his maternal uncle.  From later probate records it appears that Jacobus’ wife at his death was named Elizabeth.  On 14 Aug 1790 Peter Johnson was appointed the administrator of the estate of Elizabeth Johnson of Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ[19] and Cornelius Quick was the fellowbondsman.  Both were of Amwell.  It is unknown if Elizabeth was the mother of any of Jacobus’ children.  Peter Johnson died before 13 May 1801 when Peter Fisher [Peter’s brother-in-law] and Jacob James Johnson, all of Hunterdon Co., NJ were declared the fellowbondsmen for his estate.  Cornelius Quick was of Oxford, Sussex Co., NJ when he died before 24 Nov 1795 when Jacob James Johnson of Hunterdon Co. was given administration of his estate.[20]  An inventory of his estate was taken in Hunterdon Co. by Peter Prisler [Peter Fisher?, his brother-in-law] and Jacob Schenck.  His widow, Ann, married Jesse Pettit before 27 May 1805 when she and her remaining siblings sold land of their brother, Peter, who had died without heirs (see Hunterdon, NJ Deeds, Vol 11, pg. 299).

Mary Williamson, wife of Cornelius⁵ Quick (Teunis⁴, Cornelius³, Jacob², Teunis¹), was probably the widow of John Williamson who died in Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ before 26 Aug 1769.[21]  Her son, Jacob, moved to Amwell by 1778 and may have been living with Cornelius and Mary in 1780.[22]  She would not have been the mother of any of Cornelius Quick’s children.  Cornelius’ first wife is unknown.

Elizabeth Quimby, wife of Cornelius⁵ Quick (Johannes⁴, Cornelius³, Jacob², Teunis¹), was probably the widow of Ephraim Quimby who died before 25 Sep 1767 in Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ when his will was proved.[23]  Cornelius probably did not marry Ephraim and Elizabeth’s daughter, Elizabeth.

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[1] A Genealogy of the Quick Family in America, by Arthur Craig Quick, p. 49.

[2] Quick Family, p. 75.

[3] Quick Family, p. 52.

[4] Quick Family, p. 54.

[5] Quick Family, p. 51.

[6] Quick Family, p. 85.

[7] Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 37, Calendar of Wills, Vol 8, p. 308.

[8] Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 37, Calendar of Wills, Vol 9, p. 292.

[9] Marriage Records of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, 1795-1875, Vol. 1, by Hiram E. Deats, p. 224.

[10] "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1 :1:M6MJ-8M5 : 9 November 2014), Mary Higgins, Raritan, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States; citing family 213, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

[11] http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lindajopayne&id=I86494

[12] "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1 :1:M6MV-TNG : 9 November 2014), Jediah H Quick, Trenton, East ward, Mercer, New Jersey, United States; citing family 621, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

[13] "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1 :1:M6MV-DJC : 9 November 2014), Jacob J Quick, Kingwood, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States; citing family 208, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

[14] Quick Family, p. 118.

[15] Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume VI. 1760-1766), ABSTRACTS OF WILLS LIBER 23, p. 101

Page 96. In the name of God, Amen, February 1, 1753. I, John COWENHOVEN, of Bushwick, carpenter, being in good health. I leave to my wife Mary the use of all my estate during widowhood, but not to dispose of any goods or lands without the permission of the executors. I leave to my son Garrett £5 out of the £100 that shall become due to me from Cornelius Cosine, and £20 out of my estate. Also my silver Beaker and best horse. I leave to my son Jan £15. To my daughter Altie 20 shillings. The rest I leave to the children of my first and second wife, viz. Pauline, Gerritt, Altie, Gabriel, John, Gertruy, Essye, Marya, and Annatie, and all the rest of my estate, except £40 which my second wife brought with her. I make my brother, Cornelius Cozyn, Gerritt Cozyn, and my cousin, Gabriel Duryee, executors. Witnesses, Gabriel Straugh, Abraham Van Ende, Abraham Scheuck. Proved, August 17, 1761.

Corrections:

PAGE 101. 17 lines from top for Essye read Efyce Cowenhoven. 22 lines from top for Gabriel Straugh read Gabriel Sprough.

I believe by "my brother, Cornelius Cozyn" he means his half-brother. Gabriel Duryea was the son of Simon Duryea and Annetje Sprong, sister of his presumed second wife, Mary Sprong.

[16] Quick Family, p. 52.

[17] Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 33, Calendar of Wills, Vol 4, p. 219.

[18] Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 34, Calendar of Wills, Vol 5, p. 274.

[19] Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 36, Calendar of Wills, Vol 7, p. 126.

[20] Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 37, Calendar of Wills, Vol 8, p. 291.

[21] Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 33, Calendar of Wills, Vol 4, p. 482.

[22] Revolutionary soldier, pension application(#W2393NJ) of 1832 states that Jacob Williamson lives in Clover Hill.  By his own recollection, Jacob Williamson, Esquire, moved into Amwell Township in 1778. He may have been the single man of that name who resided with Cornelius Quick when Amwell Township's Assessor, John Lambert, prepared his tax list in 1780.

[23] Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of New Jersey, Vol 33, Calendar of Wills, Vol 4, p. 340.