HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
From "The Imlay Family" by Hugh and Nella Imlay, privately published in 1958, the continued story of Patrick’s son, John.
William [son of John] born April 16, 1790 and died February 6, 1880. On May 13, 1813 he married Ann, daughter of Samuel and Patience Cubberley Gordon of Allentown. Ann died September 3, 1877. William was a merchant in Allentown for many years and post master for twenty-five years. When he was a young man, the "silk worm fever" was spreading through the country and William, like many of his fellow townsmen, went into this new industry. The upper floor of his store was fitted up for a cocoonery. The production of cocoons was quite successful, but a sudden collapse in the business came and he lost all he had put into it. He died when ninety years old and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery at Allentown. William and Ann Gordon Imlay had several children, namely:
Mary Amelia was born March 23, 1814 and died March 24, 1899. She married Jonathan Fisk, a school teacher. He was born January 14, 1834 and died December 15, 1872. Mary Imlay Fisk inherited the Allentown property from her father. At her death in 1900 it was sold to Emma Gordon, a great niece of William Imlay.
Eliza Lawrence was born December 15, 1815 and died May 19, 1891. She married Samuel W. Fidler December 1841. He died October 23, 1910. They had one son, Charles Henry born October 3, 1842 at Imlaystown and died April 18, 1922.
Robert was born November 9, 1817 and died October 23, 1821; Charles Gordon born September 13, 1819 married Sarah A. Coryell December 8, 1843. They had four children, namely: William L. born October 1844 in Lambertside [Lamberton?], New Jersey; Newell born December 22, 1848 in New York City; Pauline born March 9, 1854 in Philadelphia; Annie C. born December 26, 1857 in Philadelphia, Pa.
Harriet Newell born November 18, 1822 married John C. Vanderbeck December 18, 1845. John died April 10, 1855 and she died November 24, 1909. Three children were born to then at Allentown, New Jersey, namely: Robert I. born November 15, 1846; Cornelius C. born January 26, 1852; Harry Douglas was born October 8, 1862.
Juliana born April 30, 1825 married John Miller Junkin May 12, 1852. She died April 6, 1890 and John died January 18, 1889. Helen was born October 4, 1828 and died December 15, 1871. She married Plimy Fisk May 12, 1852, a double wedding with her sister Juliana and John Junkin. Four children were born to them, namely: Ella born September 11, 1853 in Allentown, NJ; Horace Edgar born August 25, 1856 in Philadelphia; Mary Helen born July 6, 1859 in Philadelphia, married Charles E. Corwin, September 29, 1898; William born November 16, 1861 in Pottsville, Pa.
Elizabeth [daughter of John] born January 9, 1792 and died January 18, 1835. She married Dr. George Holcomb of Allentown, March 1, 1811. He was a member of Congress from his district for twelve years.
Joseph [son of John] was born August 27, 1793 and died at the age of seventy-seven. On February 16, 1816 he married Sarah Ann, the daughter of Captain Joseph and Sarah Montgomery Reynolds. She was born January 3, 1794 and died at the age of ninety-one years. Joseph and Sarah Reynolds Imlay were the parents of ten children: Mary born October 30, 1816 and died at the age of seventy years unmarried; Johnson born December 8, 1817; Henry born February 13, 1819 died September 27, 1820; George Holcombe born November 30, 1820, he married Miss Conover and had town children, Howard and Allis; Edward Dale born May 10, 1822 and died August, 1857, he married twice, his second wife being Jane Stagg; Alfred born March 22, 1825; Annette L., born January 15, 1827 died at the age of seventy-four, unmarried; Robert born January 27, 1829; Harper born February 28, 1833 and died November 11, 1833; Joseph Milnor, born 1835.
Jane [daughter of John] born October 23, 1794 died November 1798. John owned land on Indian Run near Allentown, New Jersey from 1801 to 1813 (Monmouth County Deeds, Y., page 301). He was married twice, first to Jane King, October 24, 1764. After her death he married a Miss Oatman, by whom he had no children. The marriage license of John Imlay and Jane King spoke of both being from Kingwood in Hunterdon County. They lived on a farm between Red Valley and Cassville.
John and Jane King had the following children: Mary, born November 25, 1772 married Jonathan Coward April 17, 1791. She died October 26, 1845. One son was born to them June 14, 1798 called Clayton. On March 17, 1826 Clayton married Elizabeth Darby. They had one daughter, Mary was born February 27, 1829. On July 24, 1859 she married Charles Robbins Hutchinson, The well know lawyer, historian, and genealogist of Allentown, who left many valuable records now in possession of New Jersey Historical Society in Newark, NJ. He died December 24, 1927.
John was a miller in Imlaystown. We know of one daughter who, as Mrs. Lydia Chase, was living at an advanced age in Franklin, Ohio. Joseph married Elizabeth Robinson (more below). Hannah, daughter of John and Jane King Imlay, married Thomas Robbins and lived on a farm between Sharon and Nelsonville. They are both buried in the Yellow Meeting House Cemetery in graves marked by unlettered field stones.
Thomas and Hannah Imlay Robbins were the parents of four children, namely: Mary, married Thomas Borden, a weaver and lived at New Sharon about 1820. Two sons were born to them: Enoch R., who was a newspaper man in Trenton, and Clayton; Jane married William Van Room Robbins and lived on a farm in West Windsor Township, to which their son William succeeded and later sold to William A. Burk; Eliza married Aaron Robbins. She died in 1840. They had two daughters: Ann Eliza, the first wife of Charles Miers and Louise R., who married Samuel C. David; Enoch lived in Clarksville, Mercer County.
Deborah, daughter of John and Jane King Imlay, married Mr. Borden and moved to Ohio. She was the grandmother of the late Hon. John Taylor of Trenton. Four other children of John and Jane King Imlay are mentioned in a deed: Alice, Robert, Jacob and Eleanor, who married Thomas Throp.
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].