Notes
Ref#168:
pg. 116
1713 March 16. Crane, Jasper, of Newark, Essex Co.; will of.
Wife ------. Sons--Joseph, Jonathan, Elehue and David; daugher,
Sarah Wheeler. Land at Wheeler's Point and in Newark. Personal
property. The wife sole executrix. Witnesses--Joseph Harison, George
Harison, Josiah Wood. Proved May 20, 1713.
Lib. 1, p. 405
Ref#239:
Tombstones erected in Newark previous to 1800 - First Presbyterian
Churchyard..
Crane, Mr. Jasper, died March 16, 1712, aged sixty-two years.
Ref#240:
"John Tompson & Priscilla Powell wer married by Mr. Jasper Crane at
Branford May 22th 66"
"Bartholomew Jacob and Mercy Barnes were married by Mr. Jasper Crane at
Branford Decemb: 20th 66"
The first Church of Newark was founded in 1667, and a building erected,
about 1714 or 1716, a second meeting-house was built, and the third
erected about 1787 to 1791. The people of Orange, Bloomfield and
Montclair communed with the Newark Church until about 1716. In fact, for
considerably more than a hundred years after the founding of Newark the
crest of the first mountain was the western boundary of the town, and
until the year 1806 the town of Newark was divided into three wards:
Newark Ward, Orange Ward, and Bloomfield Ward. That year Orange became a
separate town, and six years later Bloomfield Ward became the town of
Bloomfield. This part of Newark took in the territory from the Passaic on
the east to the crest of the first mountain on the west, and as this
section was so thoroughly occupied by the descendants of Jasper Crane it
was early called Cranetown.
Jasper Crane, Sr. was one of the purchasers of the "Kingsland Farms," an
immense estate near Newark, now known as Belleville.
The exact date that Jasper senior took his leave of Branford has not been
definitely fixed. In the spring of 1666, the people of Branford, becoming
dissatisfied about the union of the New Haven and Connecticut Colonies,
and particularly on account of granting the right of suffrage to the
inhabitants not members of the church, resolved at once to remove to New
Jersey, as agents, who had been sent thither, came back bringing
favorable reports of the new country. In October, after adopting a code
of laws for their government, Mr. Pierson with a portion of his
congregation left Branford for their future home, Newark, NJ. Jasper
senior although one of the original twenty-three who signed the first
contract in 1665, still was active in public affairs in Branford, holding
the office of assistant magistrate in 1666 and 1667. But in Jan. 30,
1667, he headed the list of signers to a new covenant and disposing of
his property at Branford that year took up his permanent home at Newark
and became very prominent in all transactions of the town, especially
during the first fourteen years of its growth and development. He was the
first president of the town court, and first on the list of deputies to
the General Assembly of New Jersey for several years. At the drawing of
Home Lots, Feb. 6, 1667, Lot 49 fell to the senior Jasper Crane, No. 40
to Deliverance Crane, and No. 62 to John Crane, they being his two eldest
sons.
At a town meeting of Newark, held January, 1668, Jasper Crane, with
Robert Treat, were chosen magistrates for the year ensuing, and also
deputies or burgesses for the General Assembly for the same year. This
Robert Treat was the first recorder or town clerk for Newark, and was
exceedingly prominent in all public matters while he remained in the
settlement. But in 1671 he returned to Connecticut, where he was held in
high esteem, and for several years was Governor of that Colony, proving a
faithful and conscientious worker for the interest of the inhabitants
under his charge. From January, 1668, until his death, Jasper Crane
senior was given a prominent part to perform in the settlement of Newark.
May 20, 1668, he as one of a committee signed an agreement fixing the
dividing line between Newark Town and Elizabeth Town. July 28, 1669, he
with Robert Treat was chosen by the town to take first opportunity "to go
to 'York' to advise with Col. Lovelace concerning our standing. Whether
we are designed to be a part of the Duke's Colony or not, and about the
Neck, and liberty of purchasing lands up the river, that the Town would
petition for." Re-elected magistrate January, 1669, "and Deputy to the
General Assembly if there shall be any." He with Robert Treat were chosen
to be moderators of town meetings for the year ensuing. Jan. 2, 1670,
again chosen magistrate and deputy, serving in latter capacity annually
until 1674, and at the town meeting Feb. 20, it was voted that the
governor be requested to confirm Jasper Crane and Robert Treat
magistrates or justices of the peace. The same honors were conferred in
1671, and in addition it was voted Jan. 22, 1671, that "every man should
bring his half bushel to Henry Lyon & Joseph Waters and have it tried and
sealed when made fit with Mr. Crane's, which for the present is the
standard." Mr. Crane was also one of a committee to see to burning the
woods for a year. May 13, 1672, Mr. Crane and Lieut. Swain were chosen
representatives for the town to consult with other representatives of the
country to order matters for the safety for the country. June 17, 1672,
Mr. Crane was again chosen magistrate, and also chosen "President of the
Quarterly Court to be held in Newark to begin September next." He was
also given "liberty to sell liquors in the town till the country order
alter it."
At a town meeting July 1, 1673, Mr. Crane was chosen to serve on a
committee, with Mr. Bond, Mr. Swain, Mr. Kitchell and Mr. Lyon, to
consider with messengers from other towns about sending a petition to the
Lords Proprietors in England for the removal of grievances; and July 5th
the town agreed to pay for sending the messenger to England, as the above
committee had agreed with Mr. Delevall about money to cover that expense.
August 4th the town chose Mr. Crane, Mr. Bond, Lieut. Swain and Sergeant
John Ward deputies to treat with the generals about having a privileged
county between the two rivers Passaic and Araritine. August 12 again
chosen magistrate; September 6th, on committee to try and secure the
"Neck" to add to the possessions of Newark; and September 16th instructed
by the town to "treat with the generals, and, if they can, to buy it." It
would seem the committee were successful, for October 25th Mr. Crane, Mr.
Molyns and Mr. Hopkins were chosen to look after the confirmation of the
purchase of the Neck and sue for further easement in respect to pay.
November 17th Capt. Swain and Mr. Crane were chosen to continue the trade
for the Neck. The following year (June 29, 1674) the town voted to have
Mr. Crane and Mr. Pierson, Jr., carry the petition and present it to the
Governor and Council at North Orange to "obtain confirmation of their
bought and paid for lands." August 10, 1674, was again chosen magistrate.
Mr. Crane was now becoming quite advanced in years, and the important and
exacting services required of him by the town must have proved a heavy
tax upon his strength, for he now dropped out of political office, while
his sons, John, Azariah and Jasper, Jr. began to work in. Feb. 19,
1678-9, it having been discovered that many of the settlers had taken up
lands contrary to a town agreement, Mr. Crane stated at a town meeting
that he would lay down all lands so taken if others would, and March 10th
following he was chosen, with Robert Dalglesh and Jasper Crane, Jr., to
lay out Samuel Potter's lot again. This entry, so far as the public
records of Newark shows, closes the public life of the senior Jasper
Crane.
If we may judge from the entries upon the Newark Town Records we should
say that, next to Robert Treat, Jasper Crane was the most prominent
figure in the early settlement of that town. After Treat returned to
Connecticut, Jasper Crane's name came first in the filling by popular
vote the highest and most responsible positions of public trust in the
settlement. That he held the confidence of the people is clearly
manifested by their returning him annually for so many years, and until
the infirmities of age unfitted him for further public service. But the
family name and traits of character were appreciated, for no sooner than
the name of Jasper senior disappears from the proceedings of the town
meetings than the names of John, Azariah and Jasper, Jr., are brought
into recognition. The patents for land in Newark to Jasper Crane, Aug.
25, 1675, covering one hundred and sixty-eight acres, are as follows:
"House lot 14 acres, 17 a. his first division on great Neck, 11 a. in
part for his second division on said Neck, 6 a. on said Neck, 4 a. at
bottom of the Neck, 20 a. for his second division by Two Mile Brook, 26
a. his third division by head of Mile Brook, 20 a. for his third division
at the head of the branch of Second River, 14 a. of meadow for his first
division at Great Island, 12 a. of meadow for his second division by the
Great Pond, 14 a. for proportion of bogs, 5 a. of meadow near the Great
Island, 1 a. of meadow at Beef Point, 4 a. of meadow near Wheeler's
Point, yielding 1/2 penny lawful money of England, or in such pay as the
country doth produce at merchants' price, for every one of the said
acres, the first payment to begin the 25th of March, which was in the
year 1670." These lands were taken up and occupied some time prior to
date of the patents. Another warrant seems to have been issued to Jasper
Crane, May 1, 1675, for 103 acres of land in Newark.
At a town meeting held Aug. 24, 1670, an agreement was made with Mr.
Robert Treat and Sergt. Richard Harrison to build and maintain a
sufficient corn-mill upon the brook called Mill Brook. They were given
sole privilege of this brook, with all the town grists, and all stone
within the town limits suitable for millstones, with all the timber that
was prepared by Joseph Horton for the mill, and two days' work of every
man and woman that holds an allotment in the town, with all the lands
formerly granted to Joseph Horton. They were to hold this land as their
own so long as they held and maintained the mill, and not to dispose of
the mill without consent of the town. The town was also to give thirty
pounds in good wheat, pork, beef, or one-fourth in good Indian corn, at
such prices as would enable them to exchange it for or procure iron,
millstones, or the workman's wages, &c.: Winter wheat 5 shillings per
bushel; summer wheat 4s. 5d.; pork 3d. per lb.; beef 2d.; Indian corn 2s.
6d. per bushel. As Mr. Treat was to return to Connecticut, Jasper Crane
assumed his portion of the contract.
From Jasper Crane we have a large number of descendants -- one branch of
them located westward of Newark, and five or six miles distant, calling
the lace Cranetown. Some of his descendants located four miles southward
of Newark, at a place called Elizabeth Town. Among those who settled here
was Stephen Crane, who there is good reason to believe was an elder son
of Jasper, born in England about 1630.
From these points members of the family pressed their way further
westward, crossing the Passaic River, settling Morris County. They were
all remarkable for frugality, honesty and piety, and were mostly
Presbyterians. It has been said by one, not a member of the family, "no
more respectable people, no better citizens, are found in our communities
than those who bear Crane blood in them."
Oct. 30, 1666, at a meeting in Branford, Conn., the preliminary agreement
outlining the conduct of the proposed new settlement upon the "Passiack
River in the Province of New Jersey" was signed by many Branford people,
among them Jasper Crane senior and his sons John and Delivered.* These
three names appear among the first proprietors of the town of Newark, and
at the town meeting held Feb. 6, 1667, Mr. Jasper Crane, John and
Deliverance* appear to have been present. Thenceforth for more than a
century the name of Crane occupied a conspicuous place in the annals of
the town, and scarcely a town meeting was held during a period of one
hundred years that there was not a Crane chosen to fill some town office,
and it was not unusual to elect to public positions several of the name
at one meeting. But March 13, 1759, the family seemed to have reached the
zenith of its popularity, for at that meeting by vote of the town eight
different offices were filled by Cranes. As it appears, however, that
John Crane was chosen collector and John Crane to serve on a committee to
settle a line in the parsonage land, it may have required but seven
Cranes to fill the eight positions; so that the election held this day
exceeded but a trifle that held March 12, 1754, when six Cranes were
elected to fill seven public positions. Their names were: John, for
collector; Timothy and Ezekiel, surveyors of Highways; Elijah and
William, overseers of the poor; John, clerk of strays; Noah, on committee
to settle the line between the towns of Newark and Elizabethtown.
Jasper Crane's will, dated 1678, named children John, Azariah, Jasper and
Hannah Huntington, and granddaughter Hannah Huntington; John to have his
"silver bole." Mr. Crane was probably born about 1605, and died 1681, his
will having been proved that year, and names wife Alice.
E-Mail from BEVERLY CRIFASI
to ELSIE SAVELL (Fidonet Crane Family Wiz)
Subj: Re: Crane History
Speaking of books with a new slant - here's the information on that book
we spoke about the other night. It consists of sermons by John Flavel "to
Christian readers in the town of Dartmouth [England]" and was published
some time subsequent to the only dated sermon I could spot, which is
March 14, 1671. The title page is missing, but the cover and construction
are clearly of that vintage. In addition, I compared it (side by side)
with a 17th century history of English kings owned by my BALDWIN
ancestors (but not, I'm sure, since the 1600's) and the similarities in
style (format, size, fonts, etc.) The owner, a CRANE, knows for a fact
that it was owned at least from the lifetime of a CRANE gr grandfather b
1844. The current owner does not know how long it had been in the family
before that CRANE obtained it, but believes that it had been in the
family from before
1844. This branch of CRANEs is known to have been very conscious of their
family history and extremely active in preserving local history, so it is
not inconceivable that this book could have been owned by CRANEs in the
lifetime of Jasper or Azariah. What a nice fantasy! The owner agrees, but
notes that Jasper had returned to England after the founding of Newark,
so he "could" have owned it. Supposedly Flavel was a Puritan, and the
fact that he intended the sermons for readers in a particular town may be
helpful. I'll see what I can find out this week in NYC, Elizabeth and
Newark. The hour was late, so we agreed to get together this weekend and
carefully look at it for margin notes and such. I will also photograph
the publication information- perhaps this too will yield a clue about
Jasper. This book seems like a natural for microfilming, even if it
yields nothing about Jasper. Coincidentally, I had spent the day
yesterday with people from the Montclair Historical Society (they own the
Israel Crane House) investigating grants. One member of our group recalls
using a microfilm of "early NJ books that no longer exist" to study
Puritan sermons and other works. That sounds like another possibility,
although I doubt Puritan sermons were as anecdotal as the ones given
today! Regards - Bev
E-Mail from: BARBARA PETTY
to: ELSIE SAVELL (Fidonet Crane Family Wiz)
Subj: Crane - Iron
Hi Elsie. I was just reading a book about the iron industry in colonial
New England and something made me think of you. This book is called
"Ironworks on the Saugus" by E.N. Hartley (1957). In Chapter 13 "Heirs of
Hammersmith" (the Saugus works being named Hammersmith for one in
England), it discusses the various other attempts to establish works in
New England after the general failure of the ones at Saugus and
Braintree. It seems that John Winthrop Jr. was very interested in the
business and attempted a works between New Haven and Branford Conn. This
too didn't exactly go over with flying colors and it was found that rich
prospects were found in New Jersey and a works opened there at Tinton
Falls, near the present town of Red Bank, Monmouth Co, but in its day
within the limits of Shrewsbury, a town settled by Connecticut people
about 1664 and the works seemed to be on the land of Col. Lewis Morris
(perhaps the man for whom Morris co. N.J. was named??) Now to get to the
point, I'll quote a couple of passages from this chapter for you: (this
is discussing the New Haven venture by Winthrop) - pp. 282-5
Trouble would probably have arisen had there been one town making the
appropriate grants, and one town "bloc" of presumably small shareholders.
The fact that there were two of each more than doubled the potential. And
Winthrop, one might almost say, characteristically, had rushed into
construction under a thoroughly murky legal title. By December, 1655, the
dam, built at least in part by the labor contributions of the townsfolk,
was fourteen feet high, major expenditures were being made, and it was
not established whether the plant site belonged to New Haven, to
Branford, to the investors in the two towns, or to Winthrop! .....(some
omitted here)
The product of negotiations toward this end was a pair of documents
signed in February, 1656. In the first, Stephen GOODYEAR, apparently on
his own, and JASPER CRANE and John COOPER, presumably as agents of the
investors of Branford and New Haven, respectively, agreed to finish the
furnace at their own cost. Winthrop was to be allowed a quarter interest
in return for his "discovery," his securing of privileges and immunities,
and his promotional costs. .....(more ommitted here)
If caution continued to reign among the ultra-Puritans of New Haven, the
two newcomers (Wm. PAINE and Thomas CLARKE [Boston merchants]) were
tending strongly in the opposite direction. From a letter which Paine and
Clarke wrote Winthrop asking him, as true owner, to support the efforts
which JASPER CRANE, at their suggestion, was making to get additional
grants and clarification of old ones from Branford and New Haven, we can
tell at least what they wanted. ....(more ommitted)
Crane's persuasiveness seems to have worked at Branford; at least, that
town made additional grants to the ironworks in the spring of 1658. It is
doubtful if New Haven saw fit to extend, now, and to outsiders, more than
it had been willing to offer Winthrop when it was bending every effort to
persuade him to settle there.
Those are (I think) the only mentions of the name Jasper Crane in these
pages, however, since he seemed to be involved with the iron works in
Conn. I wonder if it may be inferred that he also had something to do
with the developing iron industry in New Jersey? Just thought I'd let you
know about this. Seems I've seen you mention that you would like to know
what brought him to New Jersey? Don't know if he might have been involved
at all with the Tinton works but there is referenced an article "Tinton
Manor: the Iron Works," by Dean Freiday, in N.J. Hist. Soc. Proc., LXX
(1952), 250-61. There are also supposed to be some papers at Rutgers
Univ. on Tinton. Also I'm positive that you're aware of the genealogy on
the Crane family which is available from the circulating library of the
New England Hist. and Gen. Soc. Vol. 2: Descendants of Benjamin Crane of
Wethersfield, Connecticut, John Crane of Coventry, Connecticut. Also of
Jasper Crane of New Haven, Connecticut and Newark, New Jersey and Stephen
Crane of Elizabethtown, New Jersey with Families of the Name in New
Hampshire, Maryland and Virginia. Don't quote me on this, but it seems
that somewhere recently I've read that Newark, NJ was a part of
Litchfield Conn. at one time. This book seems to also indicate that
apparently the Tinton works doesn't have very detailed information left
to historians. Apparently the iron works people were not the best
business men and the most fastidious record keepers. I'm also trying to
learn more about my husband's ancestor John COBB and fam. of New Jersey.
He was involved in the iron works industry in NJ also. He came from
Taunton Mass (another not overly unsuccessful N.E. iron venture). My
ancestors the JENCKES, of Hammersmith and Providence RI are the reason I
bought this book to begin with. Usually when these ventures were started,
certain immunities were granted such as no taxes or military service
required. Guess that makes it even more difficult to trace ancestors
involved with them? They were a litigious bunch though, so court records
might prove revealing. Your many postings on the Crane name made me think
immediately of you. Persistence may pay off after all. Hope this is a
help. Barb
From: Elsie Crane Savell
6605 Millwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817-6057
Phone 301-229-1806
March, 3 1996
Dear CRANE Researchers,
I have received a message from Jay HARRISON on the Fidonet BBS that tells
of his finding a baptism date for Jasper CRANE -- 1602 in Welwyn,
Hertfordshire, England. Jay searches the FOOTE family that intermarried
and interacted with CRANES in England and America as did the WARDS,
HUNTINGTONS, OGDENS and other names found in New England and New Jersey
in the 1600s.
Jay says that we could probably re-find his information on microfilms at
LDS Family History Centers, and I plan to check on that as soon as I can.
If this baptism or christening date is accurate for the American CRANE
Progenitor Jasper CRANE, it means that he did live to be about 79 or 80
years of age. We do have records that speak of his living "to a great
age", ” but we have not known if that could have meant that he died a
well-worn” 65-year old or something like that. Ha.
Jay's information came from an AA CD-ROM #100, yielding a baptism of
Jasper there on 11 July 1602, son of SIR William CRANE and Unknown
Spouse. He has not verified it, but he thinks the m/f of the original
baptisms are available at LDS.
Jay cautions us that AA's CD 100 at best is poor-to-atrocious on
accuracy; that at best, it yields clues. We will indeed, be careful
about glomming on to this, but it seems so - right- to me the more I
think about it. And Barkhamsted/Berkhamstead is nearby. Ellery Bicknell
CRANE talks about that place in his introductory pages about the CRANES
of the Medieval age. Oxford is a few hours carriage ride to the west, and
Cambridge is the same to the north -- with Bury St. Edmonds, the KNOWN
CRANE location just east of Cambridge. Very near Chilton, the CRANE home,
is the home of the WINTHROPS. We have stories about CRANES driving
swiftly over to rescue the Widow WINTHROP in the late 1500s when some
kind of Peasant Riot was threatening.> In Branford, part of the New Haven
Colony (later Connecticut) Jasper CRANE and WINTHROP -- either the
Governor or a son -- were in partnership in the building of the first
ship in Connecticut. It was said to be "walt-sided" but set off anyway
for England with someone's wife on board. Was it the wife of Theophilus
EATON? Anyway, the ship was never heard from again, but it showed that
Jasper CRANE was very much "into" early industry in Connecticut.
I thought you would want to hear this news about the birthplace of Jasper
Crane. We still must "reconcile" this info with other stories we have
heard.
Even if that particular CD-ROM had some inaccuracies, I can not think of
any reason why anyone would make up a story of the christening, do you?
More likely, we need to bring together the threads of WHICH CRANE
families lived here and there in England in the late 1500s and early
1600s when the Puritan sentiments were spreading like wildfire and
capturing the souls of devout Christians in the London area and East
Anglia.
This information makes Jasper CRANE a youthful 28 when he is in London as
a merchant in maritime affairs and a vestryman at St. Stephens, Coleman
Street (Anglican) Church, from which he fled to America with their young,
charismatic minister John DAVENPORT, keeping him out of jail and out of
the clutches of Archbishop LAUD who was galled by the "purifying"
activities of these young churchmen and their holding of their tithes in
escrow accounts.
Through helpful people on the BBS, we have learned that St. Stephens was
burned in the Great Fire of London and rebuilt to a plan by Sir
Christopher Wren; then later bombed to smithereens by Hitler in World War
II. From a raggedy old book found by Joanne RABUN in Oregon, I have seen
a picture of the beautiful woodwork in the interior of the Wren-designed
Church and the gate to the Churchyard outside, taken around 1900.
I though you would like to rejoice with me at this new clue. I will
holler and stomp a lot before I get the clues checked out. As usual,
please let me know if you find anything relevant to our search. Copies
of this quick letter are going to about eight friends and relatives in
the CRANE search.
The Big GEDCOM / Revision 2.0 - created on
Wed Jul 23 22:18:38 1997
/ Copyright ©1996-1997 Descendants of Edward Ball of New Jersey Interest Group.
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