Rachel French, daughter of Thomas French and his first wife Jane Atkins, married first, Matthew Allen and second Hugh Sharp. [1] [2]
1676 Matthew Allen and other "proprieters, freeholders, and inhabitants of the said Province of West New Jersey", signed "In Testimony and Witness of our consent to and affirmation of these present laws, concessions and agreements" [for the government in New Jersey]. Dated March 3. [3] [4] [5]
1692-1699 Names and birthdates of several children of Matthew Allen and Rachel [French] Allen were listed in Quaker records: Matthew October 23, 1688; Mercy March 13, 1692; Mary October 23, 1795; Thomas April 7, 1699. [6] [7]
1701 The will of Matthew Allen was dated on September 7, 1701 at Chester. The will names Wife Rachel; sons--Matthew, Thomas; daughters--Marsy and Mary; legacies to Isaac Conorow and his daughter Alinor, to Jacob Conorow and Anthony Frier. Land on John Adams' path and on Northampton River, personal property. Executors--the wife and son Mathew. Witnesses--Abraham Heulings and Isaac Conarroe. Proved 17 Oct 1701. [8]
In the Name of God Amen This being my last will and testament: by which I make void any other wills whatsoever: this sevententh of the seventh month and in the thirteenth year of his majesties Reign : and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and one: I Matthew Allin of the Province of New West jersy and township of Chester being wake of body yet of a perfect memory and mind : I doe Constitute and ordeign my beloved wife Rachel Alin and my son Mathew Alin to be sole Executors: to performe my will as foloweth: I give to my son Mathew my plantation & all the land belonging to it except two hundred Ackers where Isaac Conorow now liveth (it fhall begin at the Run and so to John Adamses path so along the path half a mile so to the Run again) I give it to him when at age: to him and his heirs for ever also thirty pounds in Catle: I give to my son thomas Allin: the before mentioned two hundred Ackers and goshon lieing on Northhampton River: with thirty pounds in Catle: when at Age to him his heirs and assigns forever : I doe order that my wife or her Assigns pay to my two daughters Marsy [Mercy] and Mary Allin thre hundred pounds and my son Mathew or his heirs or Assigns shall pay one hundred pounds when they shall arive at the Age of twenty years to them and their heirs or Assigns for ever and if either Child, dye, its portion shall be devided equally between the Rest: the interest of the four hundred shall be for the bringing up of the Children ? Also I give my wife the lot of land in burlington to her or her Assigns for ever and the remaining part of the stock I doe order my wife to pay Alinor Conorow, the daughter of Isaac Conorow five pounds when at Age : Also that Negro dick be sold for the use of the plantation allso I give Isaac Conorow three shilings. Also to Jacob Conorow three shilings Also to Anthony frier three shillings
Sealed and delivered in the presents of Abraham heulings Isaac Conarroe
Octob' 17, 1701 Abraham Heulings and Isaac Conarroe appearing before us, two of the Justices in the County of Burlington upon their Solemn attestacon did declare that they were present and saw and heard the above Testator Matthew Allen signe Seal deliver Publish and declare tje above Instrument as his last will & Testamment & sett their hands thereto as Witnesses & further deposeth that to the best of their Understanding, the Testator was of sound and disposeing mind & memory at the Executeing thereof
Tho: Gardiner
Sam'll Furnis
1701 Inventory, dated October 9, of the estate (£743.7.8), made by John Pain, Tho. Eves and Abr. Heulings.
1701 Bond, dated October 17, of Rachel, widow, and Mathew, son of dec'd, as executors, Richard French and Charles French, all of Burlington, sign also the bond.
1702 Hugh Sharp of Pensbury, Bucks County, Pennsylvania married Rachel Allen of Chester Twp, Burlington County, New Jersey, widow, on 9 of month 12 called February, at the house of the aforesaid Rachel Allen. [9]
1709 Thomas Allen, son of Mathew, of Burlington County, was placed under the guardianship of Hugh Sharp, who has married his mother, Rachel, the widow of Mathew. Dated February 18, 1708-9. (Lib. 1, p. 226)
1709 Bond, dated April 11, of Hugh Sharp, of Burlington, gent., who has married Rachel, widow of Mathew Allen, as guardian of Thomas Allen, the 11 years old son of Mathew and Rachel; Thos: Napier, of the same place, blacksmith, and Obadiah Hierton, fellow bondsman.
1717 Hugh Sharp of Burlington County in West Jersey was authorized by Richard Adams of upper Heyford in Northampton, England, to have power of attorney to warrant land in Pennsylvania. (PA Archives Series 2, Vol 19, page 621).
1730 Elinor Wright, daughter of Jonathan Wright of Burlington, married Isaac Connarro on October 22. Witnessed by Rachel and Hugh Sharp and others. [10]
1741 The will of Hugh Sharp, Esq., was dated on October 5, 1741, at Wellingborrow, Burlington County. The will names Wife, Rachel, lot in Burlington on Pearl Street, and £30 annually. Daughter-in-law, Rachel, wife of John Mickle. £5 to Caleb Raper, Esq., for the Monthly Meeting of Friends in Burlington. Real and personal estate. Executors--sons-in-law, William Coate and John Brientnalle. Witnesses--Peter Fearon, Ab'm Farington, Joshua Raper. Proved Jan. 13, 1742. (Lib. 4, p. 356).
Some researchers name Mathew Allen as a brother of Ephraim, Judah, Daniel, and George Allen, all sons of George Allen [11] of Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, who were named in a 1687 Monmouth County deed. [12]
[1] Joseph R. Klett, ed., Genealogies of New Jersey Families: From the Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol. 1 (Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Publishing Co., c 1996), 732, of 727-732, [GoogleBooks].
[2] Milton Rubincam, "A Contribution towards the early history of the Sharp family of Burlington County, New Jersey" The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey 15 (1940), 8-14, at 8, [GoogleBooks].
[3] Aaron Leaming and Jacob Spicer, The Grants, Concessions, and original constitutions of the province of New Jersey (1881), 408, of 408-10, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[4] William A. Whitehead, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 1. (Administration 1631-1687) (1880), 268, of 268-69, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].
[5] Howard Barclay French, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Volume 1 (1909), 83-89, [HathiTrust].
[6] Quaker Meeting Records, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting Certificates of Removal Marriage Certificates, 1681-1741, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[7] Quaker Meeting Records, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting Certificates of Removal Marriage Certificates, 1681-1741, [AncestryImage].
[8] Howard Barclay French, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Volume 1 (1909), 85-86, [HathiTrust].
[9] Quaker Meeting Records, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting Marriage Certificates, 1681-1741, 28, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[10] Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Burlington Monthly Meeting, Minutes, 1677-1777 (includes many different types of records), 233, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[11] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for George Allen, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[12] Monmouth County, New Jersey Deed, C-61, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].