Thomas Jefferson Chapter

John Hart was born on 21 February 1713 in Maidenhead, Burlington, NJ, and died on 11 May 1779 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ. In 1739, he married Deborah Scudder, who was born in 1723 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ, and he died on 26 October 1776 in Hopewell, Hunterdon, NJ. They had a son, Edward Hart (1755-1812), who was a private from PA in the American Revolution.

The following is taken from "Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence," by The Reverend Charles A. Goodrich.

The history of the world probably furnishes not another instance in which there was a nobler exhibition of true patriotism, than is presented in the history of the American revolution. It was certain at its commencement, in respect to numerous individuals, whose talents, wisdom and enterprise were necessary to its success, that they could derive but little, if any, individual advantage.

Peter Hines was descended from a Londonderry, Ireland family that settled in Jamestown, Virginia, in October of 1650, having arrived on the sloop Anne Bolyn. Peter Hines, the son of Wlliam Hines and Elizabeth Gross of Montrose Planation in Surrey County, Virginia, was born in 1717 in Surrey County, Virignia.

Peter Hines married Elizabeth Edmunds, and had five children: Elizabeth Hines (1751), Mary Hines, Henry Hines, Peter Hines, and Anne Hines. Peter Hines moved to Edgecombe County, North Carolina, in 1768. He owned land on the Tar River and on the Gouger Branch, as well as a saw mill on Town Creek. Peter Hines did public service during the Revolutionary War.

Peter Hines’ will is dated November 15, 1783, and was made in Edgecombe County, North Carolina.

Enos Hotchkiss, descends from an English Family from Dodington, County Shropshire. Enos’s immigrant ancestor, Samuel Hotchkiss I, was born in Dodington, England around 1622. He immigrated to Connecticut, and settled in the New Haven Colony. His son, Samuel Hotchkiss II, served as a lieutenant in King Philip’s War in 1675.

Enos Hotchkiss married Elizabeth Shepard on February 5, 1756 in East Haven, Connecticut and they had nine children: Enos Hotchkiss (January 25, 1757), Elihu Hotchkiss (December 1757), Elizabeth Hotchkiss (October 2, 1763), Ruth Hotchkiss (October 2, 1763), John Hotchkiss (June 17, 1764), Huldah Hotchkiss (1765), Stephen Hotchkiss (October 30, 1772), Hannah Hotchkiss (August 10, 1774), and Samuel Hotchkiss (April 25, 1778).

Frederick Jordan was born in 1730 in Bertie County, NC, and was the son of Charles Jordan and Elizabeth. He married Winifred Avent (1735-1795), daughter of Thomas Avent and Ursula. Frederick died on 14 Oct 1795 in Wayne County, NC. He and Winifred had 6 children: Vicey Jordan (1885-1812) who married Dr. John Edmundson in 1791; Aven Jordan; Matthew Jordan (1776-1850); Pryor Jordan (1776-1850); Penelope Jordan (1768-?) who married Henry Smith; and Dicey Jordan (1765-1822) who married Erastus Hamm.

Frederick signed the Oath of Allegiance in Dobbs County, NC, on 2 Feb 1779.

Born to a German family in the Union District of South Carolina in 1753, John Henry Lentz (he went mainly by “Henry”) volunteered for the North Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War on four separate occasions. He was living in Mecklenburg County, NC, early in the war, and first volunteered as a private in the Mecklenburg County militia under the command of Col. Thomas Polk and Capt. John Phifer in October, 1775, for four months. Henry’s pension application mentions action “against the Cherokee Indians on the head of Tygo River in South Carolina where they defeated the Indians & captured Colonel Brown who commanded them,” likely referencing the Snow Campaign against the Cherokee that coincided with this period of service. 

Edmund Littlefield descends from an English Family from Titchfield, County Hampshire. Edmund’s immigrant ancestor and namesake, Edmund Littlefield, was born in Titchfield, England around 1592. He immigrated to the Massachusetts Colony in 1636, and settled in Boston. He was a member of Reverend John Wheelwright’s congregation, and fled to Maine with the reverend when he was expelled by Massachusetts.

Edmund Littlefield the patriot was born on April 3, 1724 in Braintree, Massachusetts, the son of Nathaniel Littlefield and Abigail Spear. Edmund filed an intention to marry Mary Caswell on 6 October of 1750 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Edmund and Mary had nine children: Mary Littlefield (born 1753), Edmund Littlefield (born May 4, 1755), Jedediah Littlefield (born June 18, 1758), Anna Littlefield (born August 3, 1760), Asa Littlefield (born August 8, 1762), Josiah Littlefield (born June 30, 1765), Jesse Littlefield (born August 23, 1767), Elisha Littlefield (born November 17, 1770), and Elizabeth Littlefield (born May 2, 1773).

Darius Mead I descends from an English Family. Darius’s immigrant ancestor, William Mead, emigrated from Lydd, County Kent, England, on the vessel Elizabeth to the Massachusetts Colony. He eventually moved to Connecticut, and was one of the original settlers in Stamford, part of the New Haven Colony.

Darius Mead I was born on March 28, 1728 in Greenwich, Connecticut. Darius married Ruth Curtis around 1750 and had children: David (January 17, 1752), Asahel, John, Ruth (April 16, 1761), Darius II (December 9, 1764) Betsy (June 1, 1769) and Joseph Mead. Darius purchased a farm in Hudson, New York, and moved there. After his first son was born in Hudson, Darius moved to Pennsylvania and became proprietor of some valuable lands in Wyoming County under Pennsylvania titles, which were patented for £5 per 100 acres. Darius lived near Fort Augusta (modern day Sunbury, Pennsylvania), which was a frontier trading post for commerce with the Indians.

Darius Mead II descends from an English Family. Darius’s immigrant ancestor, William Mead, emigrated from Lydd, County Kent, England, on the vessel Elizabeth to the Massachusetts Colony. He eventually moved to Connecticut, and was one of the original settlers in Stamford, part of the New Haven Colony.

Darius Mead II was born on December 9, 1764 in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, the son of Darius Mead I and Ruth Curtis. His parents had moved to Pennsylvania from Connecticut, when both states had overlapping land claims. Around 1778, the Indians of Western Pennsylvania began to prey upon the white settlers, and Darius’ brother Asahel Mead was found killed and horribly mutilated by Indians.

Silas Morton was born on July 10, 1752 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the son of Silas and Martha Morton. Silas served as a Minuteman in a militia company from Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the siege of Boston, 1775-1776. On January 1, 1777, Silas was commissioned as a lieutenant in the First Massachusetts Regiment, commanded by Colonel John Bailey. Silas served in New Jersey as an orderly carrying dispatches for General George Washington. He served in Washington’s Army at Valley Forge. On July 16, 1779, he was present at the capture of Stony Point. He was at West Point at the time of Benedict Arnold’s treason, and he witnessed the execution of Major John André.

John Oliver was born before 1728 in Johnston County, NC, and he died on 28 May 1792 in Johnston County, NC. He married twice (1st wife unknown), and 2nd wife was Sarah Edwards. He had a son Henry Oliver (1750- 1804), who married Lucretia Pearce in 1774. He provided civil service during the American Revolution as a constable.