Patrick Imlay, Part 5 of 7

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

   From "The Imlay Family" by Hugh and Nella Imlay privately published in 1958, the story of John, last of Patrick’s four sons, and his family’s lineage.

   
John, a son of Patrick, lived on land adjoining that of his father and brothers in the Imlaystown neighborhood. He owned the southwestern part of the four hundred eighty acre tract along Doctors Creek on April 1, 1730, according to an old survey delineated by John Anderson, which was among the "Imlay papers" owned by Mrs. Peter Pumyea of New York City. Also in 1731, John Imlay was taxed for two hundred acres of land in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth County.
   Mr. Charles R. Hutchinson, in his study of the Imlay family, gives Sarah, the daughter of Elish Lawrence, as the wife of John Imlay, but this is an error. Her marriage is recorded in the great Bible of John Emley of Burlington County as follows:
   "John Emley and Sarah Lawrence was joined together in marriage at her father’s house, before James Ashton, Justice, the 25th of June, 1719."
   The Emleys were English and Quakers, while the Imlays were Scotch and Presbyterians. As they lived only a few miles apart, the names evidently became confused.
   John Imlay married Rebecca Johnston, the daughter of James Johnston. To this union were born two sons: Johnson Imlay, a son of John, grandson of Patrick, was born in 1722. On March 22, 1749, he married Isabella Montgomery, the only child of Jane Montgomery, whose father was William of "Brigend" and whose mother was the daughter of Robert Burnett of Lethentie, one of the proprietors of East Jersey. The Montgomery’s built a beautiful home just outside of Allentown, which they called "Eglington." It [was in 1958] still standing on the road to Imlaystown, but it passed out of family many years ago and is now in a devastated condition.
   Johnson bought a ten acre lot on the westerly side of Cattail Brook where the Old York Road crosses the brook, at what is now New Sharon. There, he and Isabella lived and he carried on his trade as wheelwright [along the former stage route]. He died April 8, 1763, in Hunterdon County and was buried in the Presbyterian graveyard in Allentown.
   After his death, April 23, 1765, Isabella married Samuel Bailey. Two children were born of this union, Isabella, June 9, 1767, and John, November 5, 1769. When Isabella died in 1769, she was buried by the side of her first husband and the inscription on her tombstone read: "Isabella, the wife of Johnson Imlay."
   Johnson and Isabella Montgomery Imlay were parents of the following children: John born December 18, 1749, married twice, first, Elizabeth DeBow, a niece of his mother, born in 1756 and second, Ann Cafferty, in 1807; Peter B. born January 4, 1751, married Euphenia Reading. At one time he owned the mill in Allentown; Mary born December 10, 1754; William born March 25, 1757; Jane born January, 1759; Joseph born September 11, 1761; and Lucy born October 31, 1763.
   Lucy married Wessel Ten Broeck Stout, and had one son, Richard Montgomery born November 12, 1784, and died January 19, 1857. Richard married Mary Wikoff and had six children: John, Caroline Holmes, Peter Wikoff, Dr. Wessel T., Mary, and Elizabeth Wikoff. Elizabeth married her second cousin, Joseph Milnor Imlay. Their children are given under Joseph Milnor Imlay.
   John Imlay born December 18, 1749 was in his fourteenth when his father died in 1763. He learned the trade of wheelwright from his father and succeeded to the property and business at New Sharon. However, he remained there a short time, for in 1776 he is found a resident of Philadelphia engaged in commerce and was prosperous. He became a great shipping merchant his vessels plying between Philadelphia and the West Indies and in a few years had accumulated a large fortune. He acquired real estate around Allentown, New Jersey, and in 1783 he removed his residence there and built a fine mansion on Main Street, which remained in the family until 1936, when it was bought by Dr. Walter D. Farmer, who converted it into a general hospital.
   On January 25, 1773, John married Elizabeth DeBow, born in 1756, the daughter of James and Mary Montgomery DeBow. Elizabeth died February 8, 1806, and in 1807 John married Ann Cafferty.
   John and Elizabeth DeBow Imlay were the parents of twelve children, namely: John born October 27, 1774, married and died in the West Indies leaving a son Martin, and a daughter.
   James born July 16, 1776 married Hannah Hendrickson, January 3, 1799. They were the parents of five children: Eliza, born November 7, 1799, and died October 5, 1805; John H. born May 20, 1802 and died September 13, 1837; Jacob T. born June 28, 1807 and died September 13, 1837; Johnson born June 28, 1807 and died August 28, 1807; Mary E. born December 6, 1810 and died August 29, 1811. James Imlay died when thirty-six years old and is buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Allentown. His wife, Hannah, and two infant children are buried beside him.
   Robert born July 5, 1778; Johnston born December 6, 1780; Mary born October 15, 1782; Robert born July 13, 1784; Isabella born April 4, 1786; George Washington was born January 15, 1788 and died October 26, 1817. On January 31, 1810 he married Ester, the daughter of Captain Joseph and Sarah Montgomery Reynolds. She was born November 22, 1788 and died January 15, 1841.
   They were the parents of three children: John Reynolds, born November 5, 1810 and died in November 1837. He married Julia Ann Edwards and had one son, Alexander Fullerton, born in Imlaystown and died October 22, 1914.
   Joseph Milnor was born June 27, 1812 and died July 7, 1894. He married Elizabeth Wikoff Stout, November 9, 1836, and had the following children: Mary Stout; George August; Richard Montgomery Stout; and Wessel Ten Broeck Stout born in 1851 and died June 9, 1910. He married Margaret Rockhill, who was born in 1856 and died November 26, 1918. One son was born to them, namely: Ten Broeck Stout born June 22, 1888 and died May 16, 1947. He was a hereditary member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey. His funeral was at Queens Village, New York.
   George Augustus born November 25, 1814 and died 1835 [the last of the three sons of George Washington and Ester Reynolds Imlay].
Historically Speaking is a regular column presented by John Fabiano, president of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Historical Society. For information about the historical society, send e-mail to [email protected].