William OLDEN, Sr.

- Bef 1720

• Name	William OLDEN
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	England
  Gender	Male
  Will	1 Jan 1720	Stony Brook (Princeton), Middlesex [now Mercer] County, NJ
  Death	Bef 10 Feb 1720	Piscataway, Middlesex County, NJ
  Notes	(1) Monnette, Orra Eugene, First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge Olde East New Jersey, Part 4, Los Angeles, CA: The Leroy Carman Press, 1931, p. 621: [Note by compiler: Information from this source should be viewed with caution, since the author, Orra Eugene Monnette, sometimes reached erroneous conclusions based upon flimsy evidence.] WILLIAM OLDEN (OLDHAM), m. Elizabeth Giles, ca. 1687, "a daughter of Major James Giles, who emigrated in 1668, and settled at Bound Brook, with wife, Elizabeth," in Piscataway, in 1682, and the OLDEN children were as follows, (PISC. V. R.), I. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 23, 1687. II. John, b. Apr. 5, 1689. III. Susanna, b. Dec. 16, 1690. IV. William, Jr., b. Mar. 14, 1693-4. V. Anne, b. Apl. 7, 1695. VI. Sarah, b. June 28, 1697. VII. Hannah, b. Feb. 1, 1701-2. VIII. Margaret, b. Aug. 25, 1704. IX. Thomas, b. Oct. 18, 1706. (2) Wright, Marcus S., Our Family Ties: Some Ancestral Lines of Marcus S. Wright, Jr. and Alice Olden Wright, South River, NJ: 1960, pp. 73-78: WILLIAM OLDEN was born in England. When just a lad he was brought to America, and received an education as a farmer. When he became of age he was employed by Sir Edmund Andros, Governor of New York, as a manager and overseer of his lands and farming business, which were extensive. He saved his money, and was soon able to purchase some land in New Jersey near Bound Brook in Middlesex County. He made a second purchase near Basking Ridge and later, a third in the neighborhood of Stonybrook, near Princeton. On the last purchase he settled his son John Olden, in whose family alone has been kept the name Olden, his other sons having had no male children. In the year 1685 William Olden married Elizabeth Giles, eldest daughter of James Giles. By this marriage he had nine children: John, Thomas, William, Susannah, Ann, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, and one other. The oldest authentic record of William Olden is to be found in the Piscataway register of births, marriages, and deaths, entered in the "Piscataway Town Book" (now missing). On March 8, 1679, his father-in-law Major James Giles applied to Governor Philip Carteret for a tract of land containing 180 acres within the bounds of New Piscataway, upon the Raritan River and along the Bound Creek. His application was granted on Jan. 6, 1681. Major Giles built a house on his land, and moved into it with his family Jan. 6, 1682. He was not to enjoy his new home for long, since he died during the summer of 1688, leaving an estate of considerable value. His brother Matthew Giles received a part of the estate, and for some unknown reason traded his own farm of 120 acres to his eldest sister Elizabeth Olden and her husband William Olden for their interest in the estate. In a very old handwritten letter copied from another very old handwritten letter, the two being more than 200 years old, we find a most interesting record of some of the dangers endured by the early Oldens, and by many of the early colonists. The letter tells us that James Giles came to Boston in 1669, and moved from place to place because of the Indian Wars. About the beginning of April 1675, all being peace and quiet, I [James Giles, father of Elizabeth Giles, wife of William Olden] went down the Muddy River to Mr. Weaswells house, which stood empty, and there I planted some Indian Corn and other things. I intended in the Fall to go up to our House with the rest of our neighbors, if the peace had continued with the Indians; but the Providence of Allmighty God had otherwise ordered it; for about the middle of the summer, King Phillip being killed, and most of the chief Sachems being killed or driven out of the Narraganset country, such as were left alive came away eastward to join with those Indians who were glad to play the rogue, and on the 9th August 1676, early in the morning, when no Englishman thought of any war, they came down to Rouseck and took it, and killed and took away about 50 people, and burnt down the house, and all the buildings about it, killing and destroying all that came in their way. So we were forced to flee for our lives in a canoe and leave all we had, and be glad we saved our lives. We and the rest of the Kennebec neighbors, whom God had preserved from the cruelty of the Indians got to Damoras's Cove that day. There was a fishing Island about two miles from the main, where we met with the people of Shipscut, Pinequid, and all other places there about, who fled there to save their lives. We stayed there a week, in which time we made several attempts into the river to see if we could get off anything that was left behind but all was in vain, for the Indians lay in ambush and beat us off, so as we could get nothing but blows. We saw all our houses burnt, and our cattle killed, and everything ruined and destroyed, and no help like to come to us from the Bay. And we being about 300 souls on a little Island, and no meat, drink nor anything else to relieve us. And being in this poor condition we thought good to call a council to consult what course we should take for relief. First we were to consider what vessels and boats there were in the harbor. And finding there were enough to carry all the people away, the 16th day of August, at night we set sail, and left not one man, woman or child behind; some for Piscataway, Salem, Boston and other towns in the Bay according as they had friends and relations. ["Copied from the Original which now belongs to Benjamin Clark, the 17 day of the 12 month 1785. (Signed:) Samuel Olden." (Again copied from the last-named copy by Mary S. Olden, May 1832.] Although there is no name to the foregoing journal, it is known beyond a doubt to have been written on behalf of James Giles who afterwards died and was buried at Bound Brook. He left a second wife, and four daughters who married as follows: the eldest, Elizabeth, to William Olden; the second, Ann, to Benjamin Clarke; the third, Jane, to John Worth; and the fourth, Sarah, to Joseph Worth; from whom the several families of the Oldens, Clarks, and Worths have descended. On Jan. 13, 1696, William Olden bought for the sum of 45 pounds, current silver moneys of the province of New York, a plantation of 330 acres at Stony Brook then in Middlesex County, East New Jersey, from Benjamin Clark, Jr., one of his brothers-in-law. In 1696 Clark acquired 1200 acres in Piscataway Township; but he did not like the land, and decided to sell it and buy elsewhere. Having heard of the Warne tract at Stony Brook, located about twenty-five miles to the south, he considered buying it. As the acreage was greater than he wanted, it is believed that he entered into an agreement with two of his brothers-in-law, William Olden and Joseph Worth, to take the 1200 acres, then divide the same among all three, agreeable to the desire of each. The plan having been followed through, Olden took 330 acres, Worth took 220 acres and Clark kept the remaining 650 acres. William Olden having acquired title to the aforesaid property, it is assumed that he and his family soon took possession of, and occupied it. From time to time he purchased more land, some of which he added to the home place. Many of the Olden family forebears were farmers, owning considerable land. William Olden already owned two or three extensive tracts of land, and the records show that he bought another tract then in Middlesex County, on the Raritan River near Bound Brook, containing 120 acres. A few years later he acquired still another 60 acres from his brother-in-law Matthew Giles. William Olden now owned more than 900 acres of land. It required men and women of great courage to go out into a wilderness such as this country was in those days. They were truly pioneers. Their experiences in developing a new and uncivilized region were both dangerous and interesting. Much heavy labor and long toilsome days were spent in clearing a site where a house and a few small buildings could be erected. Trees were cut down ruthlessly, the best of them being saved and carefully dressed for building purposes, the remainder piled into heaps and burned. Few churches had settled ministers, most of them being obliged to accept the services of circuit pastors who traveled about in a canoe or on horseback, from one settlement to another, preaching, baptizing, marrying, attending the sick, writing wills and conducting funerals. About this time, William Olden and a number of other inhabitants of Piscataway, made application to Governor Hunter for license to build a church in the town of Piscataway, wherein they might worship God according to the form and manner of the Church of England. The request was granted by the Governor. Part of the grant read as. follows: "Whereas I am informed of Your Pious designe to build a Church for the worship and service of God according to the forme and manner prescribed in the Liturgy of the Church of England and applyed to for a Lycence to erect it in the towne of Piscataway aforesaid I have thought fitt and doe hereby give Leave and Lycence to you to erect such a building." In 1714 William Olden became a vestryman of St. James' Church, Piscataway, N.J. St. Peter 's at Perth Amboy installed the Rev. William Skinner as the first rector of that church in 1720; four years later he was made rector of St. James at Piscataway also. In 1747 he wrote, "My circuit from the first Sunday in May is from Amboy to South River, from thence to Piscataway, and from thence to Amboy, while the river is passable, or travelling possible, and indeed the extremes of heat and cold render the service at sixty years of age very hard to your most humble servant." For 30 consecutive years he filled both offices acceptably and faithfully. He died in 1758 at the age of 71. William Olden was called upon to serve in public office from time to time, as is shown in the early records of Middlesex County. "At ye Court of Sessions of County Court held at Piscataway for ye County of Middlesex ye Third Tuesday in September 1694," among those called and sworn to serve on a special jury were William Olden, John Worth and ten other property-owners. Two of William Olden's sons, William, Jr., and Thomas, were members of the old Presbyterian Church at Bound Brook, and took an active interest in it; the latter provided in his will, that his executors should immediately put into the hands of the elders and deacons the sum of sixty pounds current money, at eight shillings the ounce, toward the support of the Gospel in the Presbyterian Congregation of Bound Brook. In drawing to a close this authentic story of William and Elizabeth (Giles) Olden, two of the pioneer settlers of Bound Brook, it seems worth while to pay to their memory this lasting tribute: "Together they began a new generation in a wild unsettled country, where forests must be subdued, civilization established, and many hardships endured. They made a comfortable home for themselves and their children, worked hard, were careful and conservative, thus laying the foundation of a religious and patriotic generation who served their Country well, in times of war and peace." William Olden died between Jan. 1, 1719/20 (when he made his will) and Feb. 10th of that year (when the inventory was taken). He left an estate of considerable value in both real and personal property. In his will, among other items, he says, "I give and bequeath to my ouldest son John all my farm or plantation situate lying and being upon Stony Brook in the County of Middlesex and province aforesaid, together with all orchards, Medows, and improvements to him and his heirs and assigns forever." Walter Hart Olden in his notes says, "It is interesting at this time (March 31, 1933) to observe, that the plantation of 330 acres, which William Olden devised to his son John at Stony Brook, descended to his grandchildren and even then to some of his great-grandchildren. From their generation until now, just one half of the acreage has been sold for residential purposes, and the Princeton Water Supply Development. The remaining one-half is owned and occupied by the writer." In an article written by Professor John S. Kendall in the Tulanian, April, 1936, he says "the Oldens were one of the six 'First' Families of Princeton, N.J. They held property there under a grant directly from the British Crown dated 1692. About the middle of the eighteenth century the family was represented by Hart Olden, who in 1785 married Temperance Smith. Their children were Sarah, Charles, Jane, Mary, and Ruth. Charles Olden became governor of New Jersey." (3) Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 [database online], Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000: Page: 345 Name: William Oldden, Ouldden Date: 01 Jan 1719-20 Location: Piscataway, Middlesex Co. yeoman; will of. Wife Elizabeth. Children?John, William, Thomas (under age), six daughters, of whom only Anne (married) is mentioned by name and some are under age, sons-in-law William Harris, Benjamin Bond and Simon Horn, cousin William Worth. Farm on Honey Brook, home farm with the land bought of John Barclay, John Mathews and James Clauson, on Ambroses Brook, land on Pessiack River, bought of Abraham Chapman. Personal property (a negro slave). Executors?the wife with sons John and William. Witnesses?John Lefforge, Benjamin Clarke, Joseph Worth. Proved March 9, 1719-20. Lib. A, p. 158 1719-20 Feb. 10. Inventory of the personal estate, ??468.-, incl. books ??2, bonds ??297.-, 100 bushels of wheat ??20.-, 20 bush. of "Ingin" corn ??2, a negro boy ??25; made by John Field and Dirck Konyn, signed also by Richar Robinson. (4) The following information was provided by Jeanette Sarah (Graham) French (1936-2021): Joseph Worth and Benjamin Clark witnessed William Olden's will?1720?in Piscataway 1719/1720 Jan 1 Oldden, William, of Piscataway, Middlesex Co., yeoman, will of Signed by William Oulden with his mark?a large ellipse Witnessed by: John Lefforge (his mark), and Benjamin Clarke and Joseph Worth signing their names. 9 Mar 1719/1720?probate, John Lefforge gave oath; however, "Benjaman Clerk a Quaker whom upon his solemn affirmation" . . . . The witness Joseph Worth not mentioned and no statement was made whether or not he was a Quaker. Also appeared William Ouldon, one of the executors and swore. . . . Thus, William Olden, the son, is not identified as a Quaker.
  Person ID	I11989	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth GILES,   b. Abt 1666
  Marriage	Abt 1687
  Children	1. Elizabeth OLDEN,   b. 23 Dec 1687   2. John OLDEN,   b. 5 Apr 1689, Bound Brook, Piscataway Township, Middlesex County, NJ d. 18 Feb 1757, Stony Brook (Princeton), Middlesex [now Mercer] County, NJ (Age 67 years)   3. Susanna OLDEN,   b. 16 Dec 1690   d. Bef 1704 (Age < 13 years)   4. William OLDEN, Jr.,   b. 14 Mar 1693   5. Anne OLDEN,   b. 7 Apr 1695   6. Sarah OLDEN,   b. 28 Jun 1697   7. May OLDEN,   b. 20 Oct 1699   8. Hannah OLDEN,   b. 1 Feb 1702   9. Margaret OLDEN,   b. 25 Aug 1704   10. Thomas OLDEN,   b. 18 Oct 1706
  Family ID	F5498	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024