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Thursday, May 12, 2016

Doubts and Great Grandfather Samuel Kimber



Kimber family researchers will tell you my 5th Great Grandfather Samuel Kimber was the youngest child of George Kimber and Sara Westfall born September 11, 1762.

The baptisms of Samuel’s siblings took place at the Dutch Reformed Church in Deerpark, Orange County, New York. (See my blog post “George and Sara’s Children Baptised Dutch Reformed Church, Deerpark, NY”.)

            Petrus, baptized August 5, 1750 (died young)
            Sarah, baptized March 11, 1753
            Margriet, baptized Feb. 16, 1755
            Petrus, baptized August 26, 1759
           
No baptismal record exists for Samuel or any other proof linking him to his father. Thus doubts about his lineage nag me from time to time.

That is until I studied a land record dated September 17, 1817 when Great Grandfather Samuel mortgaged 90 and 24/100 acres to David and Mary Cook, all residents of Minisink, Orange County, New York. This must have been when Samuel Kimber decided to leave Orange County and move to Darke County, Ohio with his son Peter. (See blog post “Dear Son and Nephew”)

The land described in the indenture sounded familiar--especially the section about the land formerly being part of Sussex County, New Jersey:

   “For all that certain lot or parcel of Land lying and being Situate in the above mentioned, town county and state it being formerly in the County of Sussex and Eastern division of New Jersey on the west side of the Wallkill Bounded by Joseph Bartons and Elijah Inmans lands, Beginning at a red oak tree standing on a point of land by the Wallkill called Parmar’s point from thence running north seventy five degrees east six chains and fifty links, Thence north seventeen degrees east eleven chains, Thence north twenty two degrees West nine chains, thence north ten degrees east seven chains and fifty links thence forty seven degrees West, twenty one chains, thence south twenty seven degrees West six chains, thence south fifty degrees, West six chains, thence south fifty five degrees east thirty six chains to the Beginning Containing ninety acres and twenty four hundredths of an acre Strict Measure”
  [Excerpt, Orange County, New York Land Records, Mortgage Book O, pages 82-84]

A De ja vue moment! This would date back to the New York and New Jersey line war. 6th Great Grandfather George Kimber acquired two tracts of land in Sussex County per a deed granted by the New Jersey Proprietors December 13, 1762. At various times during the border war, George’s land was claimed by both states.

You’ll find a photocopy of George Kimber’s Indenture below. (Sorry, I know it’s hard to read.) Although the descriptions are not verbatim, I think you’ll agree this is the same 90 and 24/100 acre tract.

The deed passed from father to son so Samuel could legally mortgage the land 55 years later.

George Kimber's Deed Dec. 13, 1762 Granted by New Jersey Proprietors

George Kimber’s Deed Dec. 13, 1762
Presented to the Town of Minisink
From Robert H. Clark’s papers
By Margaret W. Myers
March 1984

6 comments:

  1. I love this!! I have love land records for just this reason---there are hidden treasures in them! I'm so glad you were able to put this all together.

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    1. Thanks Michelle for visiting. I've always been a fan of land records. Now I'm really motivated to gather the family deeds.

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  2. I know how you feel. I had the same *happy dance* moment when I realized I could use land records to prove the relationship between the Rupe father and son in Maryland. I wish access were easier in Virginia and West Virginia. I would be dancing all day long!! ~ Cathy

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    1. Cathy, thanks for visiting. I wish you many happy dances with your Virginians.

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  3. Samuel is my 5th Great Grandfather also. I think. Is he father of Benjamin Kimber, husband of Kezia L Bennett? Wondering how was Benjamin born in Orange County if dad moved to Ohio?

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    1. Samuel Kimber left Orange County about 1818 with his son, Peter Kimber and settled in Darke County, Ohio. He would have been an older man by then. Benjamin Kimber remained in Orange County with his wife and daughters.

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