1699 John Mills was appointed as the new constable of Wellingborough Twp, Burlington County, New Jersey. Abraham Hewling returned John Mills for his successor as constable of Wellingborough, but John Mills did not appear and Abraham Hewling was instructed to take John Mills before a justice to attest to serve in the office of constable for the ensuing year. Dated February 20, 1698/99 at the Burlington court. [1] [2] [3]
1704 John and Mary Mills purchased land in New Hanover Twp, Burlington County, New Jersey on February 2. Another purchase was recorded with date September 17, 1709. Note that the second purchase was after John had died. Perhaps widow Mary made the purchase and it was recorded in both of their names or perhaps the deed was recorded for the purpose of administering the estate. [4]
1709 John Mills dated his will on April 17 in Chesterfield Twp, Burlington County, New Jersey. The will named wife Mary and eldest son Michael and four youngest children [unnamed]. Witnesses Constantine Wood, Zachariah Jess, John Scholey, Charles Woolverton. Proved May 3, 1709. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Transcription:
In the name of god amen
I John Mills of the county of Burlington and province
of new jersey being in perfect memory praise be
therefore given to almighty god do make and ordain this
my last will and testament in manner and form fol-
lowing that is to say first and principally of commend
My soule into the hands of almighty god hoping through
the merits death and passion of my savior Jesus Christ
to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my
sins and to inherit everlasting life and my body I commit
to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion
Of my executrix hereafter named and as touching
The disposition of all such temporal estate as it
Hath pleased almighty god to bestow upon me I give
And dispose thereof as followeth
First I will that my debts and funeral charges
That be paid and discharged
Item I give and bequeath to my eldest son Michael
Mills one shilling sterling money of England and
The rest of all my whole estate both real and
Personal unto my deere and loving wife Mary Mills
My full and sole executrix of this my last will and
Testament in order for her maintenance during
Her widowhood and at her decease if she dies a
Widdo in my name that then all my estate as aforesaid
To be disposed of by her amongst my four youngest
Children at her discretion and do hereby revoke
disnull and make void all former wills and testaments
By me heretofore made in witness I the said
John Mills to this my last will and testament being
Contained in one sheet of paper set my hand and seal
The seventeenth day of April one thousand seven
Hundred and nine.
Signed sealed and declared - John Mills
To be my last will land
Testament in the presence
Of
Constantine Wood
Zachariah Jogg
John Scholey
Charles WoolvertonBurlington the 9d May 1709
We Constantine Wood, John Schooley and Charles Woolston do solemny
declare in the presence of Almighty God, the witness of the truth of what
we say that we were present and saw the testator John Mills signe
seale publish and declare the within written instrument to be his last
Will and testament and that at the time of the publication thereof
He was of sound and perfect understanding and memory by the ?
Of these deponents judgement and belief and that at the same
Time we saw Zachariah Jess signe the same as witness thereto
In presence Of the testator
the mark John (three horizontal lines crossing a vertical line) Scooley, Charles Woolason, Constantine Wood
Burlington the 8d May 1709?
Then appeared before me Richard Ingoldesby Esqr Lieutenant
Governor of her Majesty Province of New Jersey New Yorke?
Constantine Wood, John Schooley and Charles Woolston whose
Solemn affirmation did declare that they were present
And saw the testator John Mills signe seole publish and declare?
the within written to be his last will and testament and that at
the time of ? publishing thereof he was of sound and
Perfect understanding and memory to the best of their
Knowledge and belief and that at the same time
Zachariah Jess? signe the same as witness thereto in the presence
Of the testator
Rich. Ingoldesby
Burlington the 3rd May 1709
Then Appeared before me Richard Ingoldesby the?
lieutenant governor of her majesty governor of (obscured line)
New Jersey New York ? Mary Miles executric of the
Within will and tooke her oath … inventory (?)
Inventory
A true and perfect inventory of the goods and chattels
Of John Mills of the township of Chesterfield and
County of Burlington and province of new jersey yeoman
Lately deceased taken and apprised by us under written
Apprisors this second day of may annonomony 1709
Household items, farm tools, 19 cattle, 3 calves, 2 mares, a gelding, 5 books, 6 acres of corn, 2 hives of bees.
Michael Newbould, Thomas Dugliss, Richard Ridgway junior Appraisers
Research Notes:
1683 John Mills was a witness to the will of Simon Reus in East Jersey. [10]
1699 John Mills and others of Fairefield, New Jerey purchased land on the Eastside of Chohansey River and Northside of Saw Mill Creek from the West Jersey Society. [11] Were John Mills of Fairfield, and John Milles whose will was dated 1709 in Chesterfield, the same persons? Perhaps this was Rev. John Mills of Salem and Cumberland counties, New Jersey. [12] The Cohansey River is in South New Jersey. [13]
1721 Mary Mills, widow of John Mills, sold 190 acres of land to Richard Kirby. [14]
1732 A Chattin genealogy suggests that the children of John and Mary Mills of Chesterfield included Sarah (c 1684), Francis (c1686), William (c1690), and Grace (c1698). [15] Sources for others mentioned in the book are interspersed below with Google excerpts from the book.
1666 John Wood and Alice Sale were married on October 28 in Marsden, Lancashire, England. [16] [17]
Birth of Constantine Wood?
1670 Constantine Wood, son of John Wood and Alice Wood, was born on 26 of month 1 (March 26) 1669/70 in Rossendale, England (Quarterly meeting of Norfolk and Norwich). [18] [19] [20]
1669 Constantine Wood, son of John Wood and Alice Sale Wood, was born on March 26, 1669 in New Jersey. [21]
1683 Constantine Wood, son of John Wood and Alice Wood, was born on July 24, 1683. [22]
1673 Sarah Wood, daughter of John Wood and Alice Sale Wood, was born on February 8 in New Jersey. [23]
1681 Henry Wood, son of Jon Wood and Alice Wood, was born on January 22 1680/81 in Rossendale, Lancashire, England. [24] [25] [26]
1682 Constantine Wood arrived in West New Jersey. [27]
1689 Sarah Woods and Joshua Lord were married on June 13 in Camden, New Jersey. Sarah Woods was a child of John Woods. [28]
1705 Henry Wood and Sarah Mills were married in Camden, New Jersey. [29] [30] Daughter Mary Wood may have been born on July 11, 1706. [31]
1713 Joshua Lord died and was buried on 6 of 8 month, 1713. at the house of John Wood in Haddonfield, New Jersey. [32]
1713 The will of Joshua Lord of Racoon Creek, Gloucester was recorded with inventory made by Henry and Constantine Wood. [33]
1717 Abraham Chattin and Grace Mills stated marriage intentions on December 10 in Camden, New Jersey. [34]
1718 Abraham Chattin and Grace Mills stated marriage intentions in Camden, New Jersey on 14th, first month. [35]
1717-1741 The births of the children of Abraham and Grace Chattin were reported in Haddonfield meeting records. [36]
1709 … (page 45) Grace's presumed father, John Mills, yeoman, of Chesterfield Township signed his will (by mark) on 17 April 1709. He was extremely ill because he died shortly thereafter, the will being proved on 3 May 1709. Mary, his wife, was the sole executrix. Eldest son, Michael, …
1721 Joshua Lord and Sarah Wills were married in Burlington County, New Jersey. [37]
1721 The inventory of the estate of Henry Wood of Deptford, Gloucester County, New Jerey was dated on November 4. Constantine Wood was the administrator. The administration was dated December 13, 1720. The account by Constantine wood was marked "not allowed". [38]
1725 Francis Milles lived in Burlington County and purchased land there.
1727 The will of James Lord was witnessed by Abraham Chattin. [39]
… (page 46) other than their son, Michael. There is indirect evidence, however, that four of them, with their approximate birth years, were Sarah Mills (c1684), Francis Mills (c1686), William Mills (c1690), and Grace Mills (c1698). The key person linking most of these presumed children to John and Mary Mills is Constantine Wood, who (a) was present at the Mills house in 1709 when John Mills on his deathbed signed his will …
… (page 49) Michael Mills was survived by only two children (father's will):
i. Rosannah Mills, b. c 1743,
11. Sarah Mills, b. c1746. She probably is the Sarah Mills who married 8 Nov, 1766 (NJ lic. date) Daniel Coats both of Burlington Co.… (page 49) 3. Francis Mills was born c1686. He married c1714 Elizabeth Lord, who was born 12-8mo(Oct)-1690, the eldest child of Joshua Lord (will proved June 16, 1714) and Sarah Wood. Her father's will, dated 5-8mo(Oct)-1713, appointed Elizabeth and her brother James as executors. … The will of Francis Mills was proved September 15, 1732. Elizabeth Lord's mother may have been Sarah Wood, daughter of John Wood (will proved March 18, 1705/6)
… (page 51) Elizabeth's death date is unknown. Children of Francis and Elizabeth (Lord) Mills, all probably born in Burlington Co., birthdates unknown but birth order within sex, as given in their father's will, should be correct.
i. Joshua Mills, b. c 1715, d. aft. 1762, m. 1 Nov. 1739 (NJ lic. date) Margaret Williams, dau. of Lydia (-?-) Williams Ivins. He was named …
ii. Jemima Mills (unreadable) The marriage record identifies both as New Hanover residents - John a yeoman and Jemima "the daughter of Eliza Mills … widow." Jemima and John were witnesses to the 1770 will of her brother William Mills. Jamima married John Bowker on May 22, 1789. John Bowker's will was proved on May 22, 1789.
iii. William Mills, b. c 1719, d. 1770. He spelled his name Milles, which apparently was transcribed Miller. On 11-11mo(Jan)-1747/8 ("liberty" date Haddonfield MM) William Miller of Chesterfield … Will proved December 22, 1770.
… (page 51) 4. William Mills was born c1690. William Mills, yeoman, Springfield Twp., Burlington Co., died intestate in 1714 at the age of about 24 years. He probably was still single. An inventory of his meager personal estate (£39.2.4) was made on …
… (page 52) Although Chesterfield is about 35 miles from Constantine's residence at Woodbury Creek, it was Constantine, not his brother Henry, who witnessed the deathbed will of John Mills at Chesterfield in 1709. Furthermore, Constantine was an appraiser of the personal estate of John's son Francis Mills, who died in 1732. The fact that Constantine and Alice named one of their sons Francis also may be of some significance. …
… (page 52) she was the Alice of unknown surname who married Constantine Wood, born 24-7mo(Sep)-1683, son of John and Alice (Sale) Wood and the first child of English parents born at Woodbury Creek. Alice and Constantine's marriage date is unknown, but it probably was within a year or two of Apr. 1709, the date of John Mills's death. A link between the Mills and Wood families had been established by 1705 when Sarah Mills, John's daughter, married Henry Wood, Constantine's next …
1734 The will of Constantine Wood was recorded in Woodbury, Gloucester. [40]
1677 George Miles [perhaps the father of John Mills] likely arrived in Burlington County on the ship Kent, Martha or Shield. [41] [42] [43] [44] Note that Thomas Schooley [45], a brother of John Schooley [46] who witnessed the 1709 will of John Milles, reportedly arrived on the same ship Martha.
Samuel Mills of Long Island is another candidate ancestor [47] [48] [49] [50]:
Morgan Young married, May 25, 1741, Elizabeth Mills of Long Island, N.Y. The Mills family settled at Southold, L.I. in 1660. Timothy and Samuel, sons of Samuel Mills of Long Island, moved to Morris County, N.J. in 1740, and a daughter of Samuel married Isaac Drake, Jan. 27 1740. Elizabeth Mills may have been another daughter of Samuel. She was born in 1720.
1727-8 Jan. 31, Inventory of the personal estate of Nicholas Mills, £22.15.9, a Bible and 4 other books I is.; made by James Patterson, James MacDaniel and Edward Woolley. [51]
1714 Zachariah Jess (witness to the 1709 will of John Mills) married Hannah or Rachel Lippincott, daughter of Restore and Hannah Shattock Lippincott.
Possible ancestors in England:
Holborn is in central London while Surrey is southwest of London.
1632 (7 Charles I) On 6 October and 12 January, Michael Milles, yeoman, of St. Andrew's, Holborn, was indicted at Westminster for not attending church. [52]
1658 On 4 April, Michaell Miles, son of Nicholas and Mary Miles, was born in Godalming Parish, Surrey, England. [53]
1662 On 1 January, Elizabeth Milles, daughter of Joshua Milles was buried in Surrey, England. [54]
1684 Michael Miells was buried 15 May 1684 in Surrey, England. [55]
[1] H. Clay Reed and George J. Miller, The Burlington Court Book. A Record of Quaker Jurisprudence in West New Jersey 1680-1709, Vol. 5 (1944), 213, 219.
[2] H. Clay Reed and George J. Miller, The Burlington Court Book. A Record of Quaker Jurisprudence in West New Jersey 1680-1709, Vol. 5 (1944), [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[3] H. Clay Reed and George J. Miller, The Burlington Court Book. A Record of Quaker Jurisprudence in West New Jersey 1680-1709, Vol. 5 (1944), [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] Major E. M. Woodward and John Hageman, History of Burlington and Mercer Counties, New Jersey (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1883), 379, [HathiTrust].
[5] New Jersey Record of Wills, 1705-1804, 1-232, image 142, [FamilySearchImage].
[6] New Jersey Record of Wills, 1-460, 1688-1713, 222, image 150, [FamilySearchImage].
[7] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 23. (Wills and Administrations 1, 1670-1730) (1901), 321, citing Lib. I, p. 232, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[8] New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817, Vol.36, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[9] New Jersey, U.S., Calendar of Wills, 1670-1760, [AncestryRecord].
[10] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 178, bottom, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[11] Patents and Deeds and Other Early Records of New Jersey 1664-1703, see also previous page, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[12] Rootsweb Mills Family, [URL].
[13] Wikipedia article about Cohansey_River, content subject to change, [Wikipedia].
[14] Burlington County, New Jersey Deeds (1785-1901), F-344, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[15] William B. Fetters, Abraham Chattin (c1692-1761) and Grace Mills of Woodbury Creek, New Jersey and Their Descendants, 45-55, source not seen, quotes are from Google excerpts, [URL].
[16] Liverpool, England, Quaker Registers, 1635-1958, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[17] England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[18] England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837, Piece 1616: Quarterly Meeting of Norfolk and Norwich (1657-1732) and Suffolk (1776-1794), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[19] Liverpool, England, Quaker Records, [URL].
[20] Rossendale meeting, [URL].
[21] New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931, [AncestryRecord].
[22] U.S., Hinshaw Index to Selected Quaker Records, 1680-1940, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[23] New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931, [AncestryRecord].
[24] England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[25] England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837, Piece 1616: Quarterly Meeting of Norfolk and Norwich (1657-1732) and Suffolk (1776-1794), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[26] Liverpool, England, Quaker Registers, 1635-1958, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[27] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, [AncestryRecord].
[28] Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Minutes, 1681-1741, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[29] U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Newton meeting, Women's Minutes, 1687-1707, Call Number: P2.23, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[30] Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Women's Minutes, 1687-1738, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[31] U.S., Hinshaw Index to Selected Quaker Records, 1680-1940, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[32] Quaker Meeting Records, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting Marriage Certificates, 1681-1741, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[33] New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817, Vol.36, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[34] Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Women's Minutes, 1687-1738, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[35] U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Newton meeting, Women's Minutes, 1687-1707, Call Number: P2.23, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[36] Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, [AncestryImage].
[37] U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Burlington and Rancocas Monthly Meetings, 1681-1747, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[38] New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817, Vol.36, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[39] New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817, Vol.36, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[40] New Jersey, U.S., Calendar of Wills, 1670-1760, [AncestryRecord].
[41] Samuel Smith, The History of the Colony of Nova-Caesaria, or New Jersey (1890), 102, [InternetArchive], [Google].
[42] Joseph S Middleton, "Friends and their Meeting-Houses at Crosswicks, New Jersey," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 27 (1903), 340-45, at 340, [HathiTrust].
[43] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, [AncestryRecord].
[44] William E. Schermerhorn, History of Burlington, New Jersey (Burlington, New Jersey: 1927), 379.
[45] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Thomas Schooley, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[46] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for John Schooley, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[47] Our Young Family in America, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[48] North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[49] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[50] Morgan Young genealogy.com page, [URL].
[51] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 23. (Wills and Administrations 1, 1670-1730) (1901), 321, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[52] John Cordy Jeaffreson, Middlesex County Records, Rolls, Books, and Certificates, 1 Charles I to 18 Charles II, 1625-1667, Vol. 3 (1888), 129 and 130, top of 128-131, [HathiTrust].
[53] Henry C. Malden, The Parish Registers of Godalming (Surrey) 1582-1688 (1904), 119, [InternetArchive].
[54] Henry C. Malden, The Parish Registers of Godalming (Surrey) 1582-1688 (1904), 289, [InternetArchive].
[55] Henry C. Malden, The Parish Registers of Godalming (Surrey) 1582-1688 (1904), 313, [InternetArchive].