New Jersey's first permanent European settlement was in 1660.
Lush forests in Colonial America allowed settlers to build wooden homes.
George Fox was born about 1734 in Kingwood, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He was the son of George and Mary Fox.
His wife was named Rachel.
Rachel and George's children included:
George Fox (1757),
Charles Fox (1760),
Jane Fox
Mary Fox
When his father died, he inherited five acres next to the plantation that he lived on. He was a cooper.
His will was recorded on June 25, 1760 when he was 26. His widow, Rachel, was named sole Executrix. The will was witnessed by Malakiah Bonham, Joshua Waterhouse, John Johnson and Gabriel Fox.
Kingwood Township is on the western border of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It was founded in 1798.
Hunterdon County was originally part of Burlington County, West Jersey. It was set off from Burlington County on March 11, 1714. It included Amwell, Hopewell, and Maidenhead Townships.
The Dutch were the first Europeans claim land in New Jersey. The region became a territory of England in 1664 when an English fleet sailed into New York Harbor and took control of Fort Amsterdam.
Estate inventories give us a glance into the home life of Colonial Americans.
Source FHL 0461817 Will of George Fox, Kingwood Tp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Occupation, Cooper.
Bk. 10, p. 578, (D) 7 June 1760 (ATT) 25 June 1760
Wife, Rachel Fox; sons, Charles & George Fox;
to son George, all that
part of my plantation on the north side of Mud Run together with 10 acres of
timberland
on the south side of said Run;
to son, Charles, all the remaining part of
my land on
the south side of Mud Run;
Daughters, Jane & Mary
Wife Rachel is with child; if it's a son, he is to be paid equal at age 21
by the two sons,
Charles & George, 30 pds. each in consideration of their having all the
lands. If the
child is a daughter, she shall be equal with my other daughter, Jane & Mary.
When
each reach the age of 18 they be given a cow and a calf from the increase of
my wife's
cows.
Rachel Fox Wife, Sole Executor.
Wits: Malakiah Bonham, Joshua Waterhouse, John Johnson(?), Gabriel Fox
Attest: 25 June 1760, Gabriel Fox and Joshua Waterhouse.
Apprasial: 151 pds, 9sh, 6p.
Cattle were vital to a household and an important legacy.
Unweaned cattle are calves.
Female cattle are heifers and cows (had a calf).
Male cattle are steers (castrated) and bulls.
Oxen are trained draft animals and are often castrated adult male cattle.
American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (orli) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
