Barb Petty - bpetty@freenet.vcu.edu
Someone was looking for the precise definition of proprietor in New England. It is my understanding that a proprietor was one of the original landowners in a new town, and that he owned land in the town which when later sold, he would get a share in the profits of. That's about as precise as I can get with it.Michel Platt-Metford - metford@bigfoot.com
I wouldn't even be that precise! I *think* it's too detailed. Not being an expert on the matter, but having people in my line who owned land in towns, I have tried to sort some things out. The is a slight difference between proprietor and esquire but they both would have land. Usually (this is the case in several of my lines), the original "esquire" was someone who could even buy the land but usually took the name associated with it even if very minor (this is in two of my English lines). Generally a proprietor bought the land, kept his name and if he was shrewd enough the family became "esquire" over time (one of my English lines). You could become landed gentry which I think would be the best synonym for proprietor. Look for Esq. Anyhow, this is just what I have found in my families and what the bank in England explained to me. My grandfather (who will be 96 this year) still gets his yearly 70 British Pounds being from this type of family (and it's been two generations, now, since the family came over) as part of the rent due in Taunton. Upon his passing, it will go to my mother and aunt (Papa having no male heirs). The bank calls Papa "Esquire" and the title is more honorary today for us but for some reason the British still cling to all those titles, including proprietor. I would add that the proprietor is someone who has the land whereas the esquire (again, a basically defunct title) only has the title from a formerly important family.Paul M. Gifford - GIFFORD_P@lib.flint.umich.edu
I think he was from the family of Burnet of Leys (Burnets owning the property or castle of Leys). I don't know too much more, but there should be plenty of information in Scottish sources. Robert Barclay of Urie, Quaker theologian, was nominal governor of East New Jersey from 1683. Barclay and his brother-in-law David Falconar (my ancestor) were responsible for inducing emigrants from the Montrose and Aberdeen areas to settle in New Jersey. One of the proprietors of the colony was Robert Burnet of Leys, if I recall. Your ancestor was probably related.
The children of David Falconar, one of the proprietors of East New Jersey, settled in Maryland, so I haven't yet discovered any in New Jersey.Bev Crifasi - bcrifasi@hicom.net
I have been trying to improve my knowledge of the Proprietors and recently got John Cunningham's "The East of Jersey- a History of the Gen. Bd. of Prop. of the Eastern Div. of NJ"- hopefully I can make better use of their minutes when I have a better sense of that whole political structure. I'm coming at it from the perspective of wanting to know more about the Horse Neck Riots and also trying to find out more about a relative named William Gibson who was a Proprietor, although he never came to NJ. (Joanne and I share him.)
Just thought you'd like to know- the two deans of NJ history have just published a new book on the history of Essex County. John Cunningham and Charles Cummings apparently got some funding from a bank - and that's where I have to go to buy one! Announced in the newspaper as the first new book on Essex County history in 70 years, which I can believe. I'll scope it out next week and let you know if it's worthwhile - probably is, because those two are the best. BTW, were you ever able to get any m'film on St. Stephen's? I found a book of visitations, but nary a CRANE - and how 'bout that William GIBSON? He must be the least known NJ Proprietor of all, but surely the Quaker records have him somewhere- have you tackled him yet? There are a bunch of GIBSON's in the NJ Archives records of Betsey's time- made me wonder if maybe she came over with a brother or something, since William supposedly stayed in London. Any ideas?Joanne L. Rabun - jrabun@ix.netcom.com
According to Max K. Vorwerk's thesis "A History of the Horseneck Riots" published in 1976, Horseneck includes what is now Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Verona, Essex Falls, Roseland, Caldwell Township, Cedar Grove and Livingston. The New Jersey Proprietors challenged the legality of the original purchase of the land from the local Indians. In 1745, the Proprietors began to evict our ancestors from the land that they had settled some 50 years previously. They certainly believed it to be their propery. On September 19, 1745, Samuel Baldwin (probably the grandfather of Beverly Crifasi and me) of Horseneck was evicted and taken to Newark prison. While there, a group of settlers freed him -- using force -- and then marched back to Horseneck riotously. This was the beginning of a long series of riots. They were classified as open rebellion against the motherland. The Proprietors called it treason.From Genealogies of Connecticut Families:
Edward Ball, the subject of this sketch, was at Branford, CT, Oct 30, 1666; on which day the heads of families, designing to remove to Newark, NJ signed an agreement, the most noticeable article of which, was not to admit as freemen, any but church members.
In 1667, he was at Newark, NJ and was assessed in the first list of taxables. Jan 1, 1767, he first appears in public life, as messenger of the town Courts. In Mar 1678, he was one of the Surveyors appointed to run a boundary line of an Indian purchase. In 1683, he was appointed on a Committee to settle certain differences between the settlers and the Lords Proprietors; and was continued on this very important committee, from year to year, for several years, while all his associates were changed.
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