Today
I’ll tell you about 5th Great Grandfather Benjamin Doty and his lands
in Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey.
Before
I discuss the division, let me give you a little background. Benjamin was born
about 1735 in Middlesex County, New Jersey to 6th Great Grandparents
Benjamin and Rachel Doughty. Although 5th Great Grandfather was born
in New Jersey, his parents also lived for a time in Orange County, New York. He
married about 1758 to Mary. Some Doty researchers suggest Grandmother’s full name
was Mary Bush. That could be true; I haven’t yet found the documents to prove
it. I don’t know when 5th Great Grandfather settled at Wantage but
believe the family was Sussex County residents by the 1790’s.
Benjamin
Doty died in 1802. His widow and son, Isaac Doty, administered his estate. It
turns out there wasn’t enough money in Great Grandfather’s personal estate to
pay his debts.
So
Great Grandmother Mary and Isaac got permission from the Sussex Orphans Court
to sell land to cover the debts. Benjamin had purchased two parcels a few years
earlier. James and Mary Rosecrants sold about 88 acres to Benjamin May 6, 1800
which would be bought by Birdseye Watkins in 1806.
A
day after Great Grandfather bought the 88 acres from the Rosecrants, he
acquired roughly 79 acres from James and Sarah Northrop May 7, 1800. Seventy
two acres of the tract remained in the Benjamin Doty estate and this is the
property that would be divided among his children.
Timothy
Doty presented an application to the Sussex Orphans Court May 26, 1812
requesting a division of his father’s estate among the heirs. The Court
approved, and the Division was presented in Court August 18, 1812.
The
partitioning identified Benjamin’s thirteen children, both living and dead:
Benjamin Doty assigned Lot 1
containing 5 acres
Jacob Doty assigned Lot 2 containing
7 ¼ acres
Timothy Doty assigned Lot 3
containing 5 acres
Nathaniel Doty assigned Lot 4
containing 7 ¼ acres
Archelous Doty assigned Lot 5
containing 3 ½ acres
Abner Doty assigned Lot 6 containing
7 ¼ acres
Ephraim Doty assigned Lot 7
containing 6 ½ acres
John Doty assigned Lot 8 containing
9 ¾ acres
Willet Doty assigned Lot 9
containing 6 ¾ acres
Isaac Doty assigned Lot 10
containing 9 ¾ acres
Sarah (Doty) Patterson assigned Lot
11 containing 2 ½ acres
Mary (Doty) Everett assigned Lot 12
containing 2 ½ acres
Phebe (Doty) Hunt assigned Lot 13
containing 2 ½ acres
What
prompted a land division ten years after Benjamin Doty passed? When Timothy
Doty approached Sussex Orphans Court, his mother and three of his brothers were
already deceased. Benjamin and Mary’s son, Abner Doty, died in 1798. Great
Grandmother Mary died by October 1811 according to an inventory submitted to
Court. My ancestor, Isaac Doty, passed in 1811 and his brother, Willet Doty,
died in 1812.
I’m
assuming Abner, Isaac and Willet’s families received money for their shares but
I couldn’t find deeds to verify it. Ephraim Doty wanted his father’s lands. As
early as Feb. 3, 1813 Ephraim bought Lot 12 from Mary (Doty) and Nathan
Everett. In 1814 and 1815 he acquired
Nathaniel, Jacob and John’s portions. Timothy, Benjamin, and Archelous sold
Ephraim their lots in 1816. [Sussex Co., NJ Deed Book I 2, pages
70-77]
I
visited the Sussex County Surrogate Court, Newton, NJ and viewed the Estate
Division in Divisions Book B, pages 28-32. Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org
have digitized copies on their web sites as well. Here are images of pages
28-32 followed by a transcription I prepared.
Sussex
County Surrogate Court, Newton, New Jersey, Division Book B, pages 28-32
Top portion of page
32
Note: Lot No. 6
allotted to Abraham Doty on map;
No doubt this was
meant to read Abner Doty
Division of the Real
Estate
of Benjamin Doty deceased
In pursuance of a
Decree of the Orphans Court for the county
of Sussex made in the
Term of May last past appointing us the
Subscribers
Commisioners for dividing the Real Estate of Benjamin
Dotey deceased, in
the county of Sussex, between Isaac Dotey
Benjamin Dotey Abner
Dotey Nathaniel Dotey Timothy
Doty John Doty
Archelous Dotey Ephraim Doty Willet Dotey Jacob Doty
and Sarah Patterson,
late Sarah Dotey Mary Everett, late Mary Doty and
Phebe Hunt, late
Phebe Dotey his heirs at Law: We do
report to the Judges
of the said Orphans
Court that we have made division of the Dec'ds Real Estate
between the said
Isaac Dotey, Benjamin Dotey Abner Dotey Nathaniel Dotey
Timothy Dotey John
Doty Archelous Dotey, Ephraim Doty Willet Dotey and Sarah
Patterson late Sarah
Dotey Mary Everitt late Mary Dotey and Phebe Hunt
late Phebe Dotey, according
to the act entitled an act to alter the law
deciding the ______
of Real estates, passed the 24th day of May 1780 and
have ascertained each
ones share by metes and bounds as followeth, that is to
Say
1 We have assigned and set off unto the Said
Benjamin Dotey in seve-
rality the lot meadow
and numbered in the Maps No. 1 being a part of a tract
of seventy two acres
and thirty three hundredths situate on the west side of the
Drowned lands in the
township of Wantage and county aforesaid, both sides
of the great road
that leads from Abraham Wallings to Bartholfs Mill,
Beginning at a head
of stones laying in the South east edge of the
great road aforesaid
and in the North east line of the _____ track. Sou
heap of Stones is
also the beginning corner of Lot No. 2 Said Lot No. 1 lays
on the North West
side of the great road, thence running from said heap of
stones 1. South forty
three and a half degrees West three chains and ten
links to a heap of
stones in said road, thence 2 North Seventy two and a
half degrees West
fifteen chains and ten links to a heap of stones ___
line of the entire
tract thence 3. North thirty three and a half degrees east
three chains and
thirty links to a heap of stone the fifth corner of the whole
tract thence 4. South
Seventy two and a half degrees East fourteen chains
and forty links to
the 4th corner of the whole tract, thence 5 South fifty
and forty links to
the 4th corner of the who tract, thence 5 South fifty-
four and a half
degrees East One chain and sixty links to the beginning
containing five acres
be the same more or less.
2.Unto the Said Jacob
Dotey we heirs assigned and set off in sever-
alty the lot marked
No. 2 Situated on the South East side of the great
road aforeaid.
Beginning at a heap of stones on the South east side of the a-
foresaid ___, said
heap of stones is also the beginning corner of lot No. 1
thence running by
said road. 1. South forty three degrees and a half West
five chains, to a
Stone planted in said road, thence 2 South fifty-
four degrees and a
half East fifteen chains and eighty links to a
heap of sontes thence
3. North thirty eight Degrees and a half East four
chains and seenty
five links to the third corner of the entire tract,
thence 4 North fifty
four degrees and a half West fifteen chains and
forty links to the
beginning containing Seven acres and a quarter
to be the same more
or less
Unto the Said Timothy Dotey we have assigned
and set off in severalty the
lot marked No. 3
Situate on the North west side of said road, Beginning at a
heap of stones in
said road being the 2nd corner of lot No. 1. Thence running along said
Lot 1. South forty
three Degrees and a half West three chains and sixty links to
a heap of stones,
thence 2 North Seventy two Degrees and a half West fourteen
chains and thirty
links to the fourth corner of lot No. 5. Thence 3. North thirty seven
Degrees and a half
East three chains and forty links to a heap of stones in the third
corner of lot No. 1.
Thence 4 Seventy two Degrees and a half East fifteen chains and ten links to
the beginning containing five acres be the same more or less.
Unto the Said Nathaniel Dotey we have
assigned and set off in severalty
the lot marked number
4. Situate as the South East side of the great road. Begin-
ning at a heap of
stones lying on the South East side of said road being the fourth
corner of lot No. 2.
Thence 1. South fifty four degrees and a half East fifteen chains
and eighty links to a
heap of stones in the 3rd corner of lot No. 2. Thence 2 South thirty
eight degrees and a
half West four chains and fifty links to a heap of stones
Thence 3. North fifty
four Degrees and a half West Sixteen chains and twenty
links to the
beginning corner of lots No. 6 and 7 Thence 4 North forty three Degrees and
a half East four
chains and sixty links to the beginning containing Seven
acres and a quarter
be the Same more or less.
Unto the Said Archelous Dotey we have
assigned and set off in Severalty
the lot marked No. 5
Situated on the North West side of said road Excluding
the house. Beginning
at the second corner of lot No. 3. being a heap of stones
on the South East
side of said road, thence running by said road 1. South fifty three
degrees and a half
West two chains and eighty two links to a flat rock and heap
of stones the
beginning corner of lots No. 6 and 7 thence 2. North seventy two
degrees and a half
West thirteen chains and fifty links to a heap of stones in
the fifth corner of
lot No. 7. Thence 3. North thirty degrees and a half East
two chains and sixty
links to a heap of stones the 3rd corner of lot No. 3. Thence
4. South Seventy two
degrees and a half East fourteen chains and thirty
links to the
beginning containing three acres and a half be the same
more or less.
Unto the Said Abner Dotey we have assigned
and set off in
Severalty the lot
marked No. 6. Situated on the East side of the road Be-
ginning at a ____
rock and heap of stones being the 4th corner of lot No. 4
the second corner of
lot No. 5 and the beginning corner of lot No. 7. Thence
running 1. South
fifty four degrees and a half East sixteen chains
and twenty links to a
heap of stones the third corner of lot No. 4 Thence 2
South, thirty eight
degrees and a half West four chains and forty links
to a heap of Stones
thence 3. North fifty four degrees and a half West
sixteen chains and
forty links to the beginning corner of lot No. 8 thence 4
North twenty nine
degrees and a half East eighty eight links to a ches-
nut tree thence 5
North forty three degrees and a half East three chains
and fifty links to
the beginning containing seven and a quarter acres
be the Same more or
less.
7. Unto the said Ephraim Dotey we have assigned
and set off in severalty
the lot marked No. 7.
Situated on the North west side of the great road be-
ginning at a ____
rock and heap of stones being the beginning corner of Lot No. 6
and the fourth corner
of lot No. 4 and the second corner of lot No. 5. Thence 1. South
forty three degrees
and a half West three chains and fifty links to a chesnut tree
Thence 2 South twenty
second degrees and a half West two chains and eight
links to a Hickory
Saplin the beginning corner of lot No. 9 thence 3. North
Seventy two degrees
and a half West thirteen chains and ten links to a heap
of stones Thence 4.
North thirty degrees and a half East five chains to the third
corner of lot No. 5.
Thence 5 South Seventy two degrees and a half East thirteen chains
and fifty links to
the beginning containing Six acres and a half be the Same
more or less.
8. Unto the Said John Dotey we have assigned and
set off in Severalty
the lot marked No. 8
Situated on south east side of said road. Be-
ginning at a heap of
stones standing on the South east side of said Road
Said heap of stones
is also the fourth corner of lot No. 6 thence running
1 South fifty four
degrees and a half East sixteen chains and forty links to a
heap of stones the
third corner of lot No. 6. Thence 2 South thirty eight and a
half degrees West Six
chains and ten links to a heap of stones thence 3.
North fifty four
degrees and a half West fifteen chains and forty links to a
heap of stones thence
4. North twenty nine degrees and a half East Six chains
and Seventy links to
the beginning, containing nine acres and three quarters be
the Same more or
less.
9. Unto the Said Willet Dotey we have assigned
and set off in severalty
the lot marked No. 9
Situated on the North west side of said road. Begin-
ning at a Hickory
Sapling marked on four sides with a blaze and two
notches, Standing on
the South east side of the road being the third corner of
lot No. 7. Thence 1
South twenty nine degrees and a half West four chains
and five links to a heap
of stones thence 2 North Seventy two Degrees and a half
____ thirteen chains
and ten links to the fourth corner of lot No. 11 thence 3
North thirty degrees
and a half East four chains and forty links to the fourth
corner of lot No. 7.
Thence 4 South Seventy two degrees and a half East thirteen
chains and ten links
to the beginning, containing six acres and three
quarters be the Same
more or less.
10. Unto the Said Isaac Dotey we have assigned
and set off in severalty
the lot marked No. 10
Situated on the South east side of said road begin-
ning at a heap of
stones being the fourth corner of lot No. 8 thence running
by the same 1. South
fifty four degrees and a half East fifteen chains
and forty links to a
stake and stone the third corner of lot No. 8 thence
2 South thirty eight
degrees and a half west four chains and seven
links to the Second
corner of the entire tract which this is a part of thence
3 North Seventy
degrees West fourteen chains and eighty links to a heap
of stones at the road
then 4 North twenty nine degrees and a half East Eight
chains and eight
links to the beginning containing nine acres and three
quarters be the Same
more or less.
And unto the said Sarah Patterson, late
Sarah Dotey, we have assign-
ed and set off in
Severalty the lot marked No. 11 Situated on the North west side of said
road. Beginning at a
heap of stones being the second corner of lot No. 9. Thence 1. South twenty
nine degrees and a half West two chains and sixty links to the beginning corner
of lot No. 12 Then 2. North Sixty seven degrees West thirteen chains to the
sixth corner of the whole lot thence 3. North thirty degrees and a half East one
chain and forty links to the third corner of lot No. 9. Thence 4. South seventy
two degrees and a half East thirteen chains and ten links to the beginning
containing two acres and a half be the Same more or less.
Unto the said Mary Everett, late Mary Dotey
we have assigned and set off in Severalty
the lot marked No.
12. Situated on the North west side of said road. Beginning at a heap of stones
being the second corner of lot No. 11. Thence 1 South twenty nine and a half
degrees West four chains to a heap of stones Thence 2 North forty seven degrees
and a half West thirteen chains and thirty links to the sixth corner of the
whole tract thence 3 South Sixty Seven degrees East thirteen chains to the
beginning containing two acres and a half be the Same more or less
And unto the Said Phebe Hunt, late Phebe
Dotey we have assigned and set
off in severalty the
lot marked No. 13. Situated on the North west side of said road beginning at a
heap of stones being the second corner of lot No. 12. Thence 1. South twenty nine
degrees and a half East two chains and forty five links to a heap of stones the
4th corner of lot No. 10. thence 2 North Seventy degrees West three
chains and fifty links to a heap of stones the beginning corner of the entire
tract thence 3. North twenty nine degrees West eleven chains and twenty links
to a heap of stones thence 4 South
forty seven and a
half degrees East thirteen chains and thirty links to the beginning
containing two acres
and a half more or less
And we do further certify and report that
the foregoing are all the land
and Real Estate of
the said Benjamin Dotey deceased in the county of Sussex
known unto us whereof
we could make division. In witness whereof we have here-
unto set our hands
and seals this fourteenth day of August 1812.
George
Backster
Robert
Carr
Moses
Dewitt
Filed in the Sussex County Surrogates Office
August 18. 1812, presented to
the Comrs. approved
and ordered to be recorded
Recorded June 13, 1835
_______ Surrogate
