Thomas Stokes

  Notes and Events:

• of: Lower Shadwell, London, England.

• Immigration, Aug 1677, New Castle, Delaware. "Thomas and his family sailed for America in the ship "Kent" in order to avoid persecution, and also with the object of seeking new fields of labor, and arrived at New Castle, 6th month, 1677, and proceeded to Burlington, West New Jersey, and settled on a tract of land containing one hundred and sixty-two and a half acres. The deed for the same was from his brother, John Stokes, of Wentworth street, London, England."

• Note. Located & claimed three hundred acres of land fronting on the northerly side of the Northampton river, and a portion of the tract remains in the family, having passed down from father to son by will. Thomas named the location Stockingham. "He was a man of influence, and took a very active part in the affairs of the colony. He served on the first grand jury held in Burlington county, and was one of the original signers of the Laws and Concessions of West New Jersey."

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21 Jan 1719 conveyed the tract of land he purchased of his brother John to Abraham Hewlings Jr.

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AFT 1699, in Waterford Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, relocated to live with his son following the death of his wife.

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Sep 1677 party to the making of "the concessions and agreements of the proprietors, freeholders and inhabitants of the Province of West New Jersey, in America,"

• Moved, About 1678, Rancocas Creek, Burlington Co., NJ.

• Census: Census of Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1709. Shows Thomas Stokes age 66.
Extracted from the minutes of the Towns Meeting, and presented by Mr. John Rodgers, of Burlington, NJ

• Will, 13 Oct 1719. I, Thomas Stokes, of Waterford, in ye county of Gloster and Province of New Jersey, being weak of body but of sound mind, Praised be God, and being willing to settle in order all my concerns in this world, Do make and constitute this my Last Will and Testament in manner following, herby revoking and making Null and Void all former and other Wills, and Wills Testament and Testaments by me heretofore made, and I do declare this to be my Will and Testament, Recommending my Soule to God and my body to be buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter mentioned. Imprimis-I give and bequeath unto Mary Stokes, the daughter of my son, John Stokes, 7 pounds and 10 shillings money according to our late Queen Royal's proclamation, to be paid her when she shall arrive at the age of 18 years or be married, or which shall happen first, and if it happens that she dies before married or comes to that age, that then the legacy given to her shall go to her next oldest sister. I give and bequeath unto Lydia Stokes, the eldest daughter of my son, Thomas Stokes, my bed and beding and Furniture thereunto belonging, and if she happens to die before she be married, then this said legacie to go to Deliverance Stokes, daughter of my said son, Thomas Stokes. Item-I give unto Joseph Stokes son of my aforesaid son Thomas Stokes a new strait bodied coat. Item-I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Stokes one mare and all my wearing apparel except ye coat before given to my grandson Joseph Stokes. Item-I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Stokes my pair of oxen and all other my horned cattle. Item-I give unto my daughter Sarah my grate Bible. I do also appoint nominate constitute and make my son John Stokes my executor of this my last Will and Testament, and after my debts be paid if any be, and my Funeral charges defrayed, all the above legacies mentioned discharged according to the true intent and meaning of this my last Will, I do give and bequeath all the remainder of my money unto my sons John Stokes and Joseph Stokes and Thomas Stokes and to my two daughters Sarah and Mary to be equally divided among all them five.

In Witness Whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this thirteenth day of October Anno Domino 1719.

Thomas Stokes [SEAL]

Signed Delivered Published and declared by the Testator above said as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of US Hannah Wright, James Childs, John Kay.

Proved before Isaac Secour Surrogate on the 9th day of April 1720, and probate sealed last of May 1720.

Recorded in Book 2 of Wills, page 138 in the office of the Prerogative Court, at Trenton, New Jersey.

Thomas married Mary Barnard, daughter of John Barnard and Frances Munt, on 30 Oct 1668 in Devonshire House, Westbury Street Friends' Meeting, Bishopsgate street, London, England. (Mary Barnard was born about 25 Mar 1645 in Stepney, Middlesex, England, christened on 25 Mar 1645 in Saint Dunstan, Stepney, Middlesex, England, died in May 1697 in Waterford Twp., Gloucester Co., NJ and was buried on 18 May 1697 in Waterford Twp., Gloucester Co., NJ.)

  Marriage Notes and Events:

• Marriage Note. (B)-The Bull and Mouth was lost in the Great Fire of 1666. Before it was rebuilt Friends took a lease on a house on Bishopsgate owned by the Earl of Devonshire.

After extensions in 1794, Devonshire House was used for the Yearly Meeting, previously held mostly at Gracechurch Street; also for the executive body, called Meeting for Sufferings because it arose from a system of reporting anti-Quaker persecution. The Recording Clerk recorded the Sufferings, and became the general administrator of the Society.

Devonshire House came to house the Recording Clerk's office, and also the Library, set up in 1673 when it was decided to collect two copies of everything written by Quakers, and one copy of everything written against them.

The Devonshire House premises came to be increasingly cramped and dismal, until the offices moved to the newly built Friends House in 1926, opposite Euston Station. Devonshire House was demolished, but is still part of the name of the local Monthly Meeting to which Bunhill and Stoke Newington belong.

  Marriage Notes:

(A)-The Bull and Mouth was lost in the Great Fire of 1666. Before it was rebuilt Friends took a lease on a house on Bishopsgate owned by the Earl of Devonshire.

After extensions in 1794, Devonshire House was used for the Yearly Meeting, previously held mostly at Gracechurch Street; also for the executive body, called Meeting for Sufferings because it arose from a system of reporting anti-Quaker persecution. The Recording Clerk recorded the Sufferings, and became the general administrator of the Society.

Devonshire House came to house the Recording Clerk's office, and also the Library, set up in 1673 when it was decided to collect two copies of everything written by Quakers, and one copy of everything written against them.

The Devonshire House premises came to be increasingly cramped and dismal, until the offices moved to the newly built Friends House in 1926, opposite Euston Station. Devonshire House was demolished, but is still part of the name of the local Monthly Meeting to which Bunhill and Stoke Newington belong.