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Any of you that are related to Gov. John Reading of New Jersey may be interested in some information that I was able to discover about their ancestry. Turns out that his wife Mary Ryerson, has family that goes further back than I'd thought, and through the Ryersons, we Readings are connected to other prominent families The below is a genealogy that I created for my niece,with information culled from many sources. It traces the family to the present day California branch. I hope someone out there finds this helpful. I thought it was very interesting...
1) John READING [Sr.], b. unknown in England, d. unknown in Pipe Hill, Staffordshire, England; m. to Mary ____; they resided in Pipe Hill, St. Michael, Staffordshire, England; their children:
[#2] i. Col. John, b. 14 Sep 1657, d. 30 Oct 1717, m. Elizabeth ?;
ii. Job, b. 8 Nov 1659;
iii. Daniel, b. 28 Jul 1661;
(2) Col. John READING, b. 14 Sep 1657 in Pipe Hill, Staffordshire, England, d. 30 Oct 1717 in Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ; m., 22 Feb 1682, to Elizabeth ____ (b. 1657, d. 20 Jan 1714); they resided in Gloucester Co., NJ, and Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ; their children:
i. Elizabeth, b. 5 Jun 1684, 22 Jun 1692;
[#3] ii. Gov. John, b. 6 Jun 1686, d. 7 Nov 1767
m. Maretje "Mary" RYERSON;
iii. Mary "Elsie", b. 26 Sep 1688, d. 27 Feb 1732,
m. Capt. Daniel HOWELL;
iv. Sarah, b. 26 Aug 1691, d. 1691
Col. John READING, the founder of the New Jersey family, came to this country sometime after his marriage which occurred Feb. 22, 1682. He was interested in the development of West Jersey as shown by his purchase of 1/6 of a Propriety in August 28 and 29, 1677a lease and Release from William Penn, Gaven Lowry, Nicholas Lucas and Edward Byllling to John Reading and other for one Propriety; and this is further shown in a deed dated Nov. 1, 1687 when he conveyed 250 acres of land to Matthew Medcalf, a portion of "his second taking up of a 1/6 propriety, etc., bearing date of 28 and 29 Aug. 1677, and made between Edward Byllynge of Westminster in the Kingdom of Great Britain, the trustees of the one party, and John Reading and partners of the other party;" and still again when he conveyed 1000 acres of said propriety in 1697 to Samuel Thorn. A "Propriety" was "one equal one-hundredth part of a province."
There is a similarity of Coat Armor in the Reading families in England which suggest a common origin. This coat armor has the characteristic charge or device of "Three Boars' Heads." The seal used by John Reading when Clerk of Gloucester Co., New Jersey shows "Three Boars' Heads couped," and this charge is also shown on the Reading Coat of Arms which was on a set of two silver tankards, (given to the family by Queen Anne), and the family coat of arms has been willed to the eldest male descendant in each generation.
John Reading and his wife Elizabeth (last name unknown) on their arrival in the province, located at Gloucester; he surveyed land in N.J. as early as 1684. When Gloucester Town, the county seat, was surveyed and laid out he was one of the surveyors and became the owner of a majority of the 88 lots into which the town was divided. He became an extensive land owner, being one of the largest in the province; in addition to the lots in Gloucester and the 1/6 of Propriety mentioned before, he purchased Maurice Trent in January 1695/6 one eighth of a propriety; the following month 1500 acres of James Read; Sept. same year the propriety of Andrew Robeson; February 1700/1, 4000 acres of Sarah Welch and Susanna Turner; and in 1704 1/8 of a propriety from William Biles.
A chronological account of the various offices in the Province held by Emigrant John Reading: Member of Colonial Assembly 1685; Clerk and Recorder, Gloucester County, N.J., 1685-1711; one of the Proprietors of West Jersey, 1687; Commissioner 1688/9; Member of House of Rep. West Jersey 1697; Rep. Gloucester in Council 1687-1707; Member West Jersey Council Proprietors; Deputy Surveyor of the Sea Coast 1691; Member of the Council of the United Province 1702; Judge Supreme Court 1711; Member of the Governor's Council 1713-17; Capt. of Militia 1695; 1702; 1713; 1714 and Lt. Col. 1715. In 1693 he became owner of a ferry at Gloucester Point until 1707. In 1703 the Council of Proprietors appointed John Reading, William Biddle and John Mills to purchase the great tract of 150,000 acres between the Raritan and Delaware. Col. Reading removed from Gloucester County to the part of Burlington Co. which later became Amwell Township, Hunterton Co. His first purchase of lands there was in 1704. In a deed dated Nov. 12, 1709 he calls himself "Mount Amwell in the county of Burlington;" this no doubt the name of his estate, from which the name Amwell Twp. came. His estate lay on the Delaware River, and he established a landing known as "John Reading’s landing." Col. John Reading died at his seat in Hunterdon Co., N.J., Oct. 30, 1717, inventory and app. made December 6, 1717. Among the interesting items in his inventory is "Books and Instruments belonging to Writeing"£40,s.16,p.10
It is known that Col. John {1} and Elizabeth Reading left two children; Gov. John Reading and a sister. In all early accounts of this family, this sister's name is given "Elsie" who married Capt. Daniel Howell.
From the Gov. John Reading Bible, his sister Elizabeth died in 1692; his sister Sarah in 1691 and his sister Mary in 1732. The will of Daniel Howell dated Sept. 9, 1733 indicates the recent death of his wife, and this will names his "brother-in-law John Reading” as one of the executors. This old Bible record was discovered by Mr. Hiram E. Deats, Genealogist of Flemington, N.J. and published by him in the Publications of the Gen. Society of Penn. (1930-32 Vol. XI, p. 72/3). It was found in not the usual Bible, but in a volume of sermons, London, 1676, which Mr. Deats believes Gov. John (3) Reading must have bought when he was over there in school. It was given by Mr. Deats to the N.J. Historical Society. The births, deaths, etc., are in Gov. John's handwriting up until his death. Until its discovery there was no date of marriage of the 1st John Reading, or death date of his wife Elizabeth, nor list of their children.
West Amwell in Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County was named for General Robert Hunter a Royal Governor of New York and New Jersey in the years from 1710 to 1720. For the troubled period in which he lived his ten year term seems to have been a good one, possibly because the men he chose to help his administration were men who cared about the needs of the people they served.
The County went through a formation period being first a part of Monmouth and Burlington Counties until 1713 when it was set off from Burlington by an enactment of the Assembly. It originally included all or nearly all of what are now Morris, Mercer, Warren and Sussex Counties.
Amwell was an original Township formed in 1708 when we were still a part of Burlington and it became a Township in the new County of Hunterdon. The name AMWELL seems to have been taken from Mount Amwell-the home of John Reading who was probably our first land owner. He named his home in memory of Amwell in Hertfordshire, England from which he had come to the colonies. A more amusing if not accurate story of the name Amwell concerns the brothers David and Jonathan Stout who used on meeting one another to say, "I hope you are well, David" to be answered by "I am well Jonathan."
(3) Gov. John READING, b. 6 Jun 1686 in Gloucester Co., NJ, d. 7 Nov 1767 in Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ; m., 30 Nov 1720 in NJ, to Maretje "Mary" RYERSON (b. about Jul 1699, d. 17 Apr 1774; daughter of Joris "George" RYERSON & Anneken "Ann" SCHOUTEN); they resided in Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ; their children:
[#4} i. John [Jr.], b. 20 Mar 1722, d. 1766,
m. Isabella MONTGOMERY;
ii. Ann, b. 1723, d. 1768, m. Rev. Charles BEATTY;
iii. Col. George, b. 26 Feb 1725, d. 12 Aug 1792,
m. Rebecca MULLEN;
iv. Capt. Daniel, b. 2 Feb 1727, d. 15 Oct 1768,
m. Euphemia REID;
v. Hon. Joseph, b. 23 Nov 1728, d. 15 Nov 1806,
m. Amy PIERSON;
vi. Elizabeth, b. 1731, d. about 1781, m. John HACKETT;
vii. Richard, b. Dec 1732, d. 1781, m. Catherine REID;
viii. Capt. Thomas, b. 27 Sep 1734, d. 15 Dec 1814,
m. Rebecca ELLIS;
ix. Mary, b. 1736, d. 4 Apr 1794, m. Rev. William MILLS;
x. Sarah, b. 1738, d. 10 Jul 1809, m. Augustine REID;
xi. Samuel, b. 25 Oct 1741, d. 18 Aug 1749.
John {3} Reading, son of John {2} and Elizabeth Reading, was born at Gloucester, N.J., June 6, 1686. His father desired educational advantages for his son, and he and his sister were sent with their mother to England where they remained for several years. On Nov. 3, 1718, at the age of 32, he was nominated to a seat in the provincial council and Mar. 28, 1719 was appointed one of the commissioners to run the lines between East and West N.J. In 1720 he was selected as surveyor. June 24, 1720 he was appointed on his Majesty's Council but did not take his seat until March 1721 which office he retained until 1758 when he resigned. He was Justice from 1724 to 1750; Feb. 10, 1727 Col. of Mil. Reg. of Foot for Hunterdon Co., also in 1729; Appointed Feb. 10, 1727 as President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Aug 14, 1727 commissioned Surrogate for Hunterdon and Somerset Cos.; Nov. 6, 1728 was appointed by the Crown one of the Judges to try pirates. In July 15, 1730, Reading Township (present Readington, N.J.) was set off by Royal Patent and named in his honor. In 1735 he acted as Agent for the family of William Penn for their N.J. lands: April 18, 1740 he was appointed Enlistment officer in the War against Spain. In 1740 was commissioner of Boundary, to define boundary between Mass., and Rhode Island; 1741-44 Speaker of the Council; 1746-48 Founder and Trustee of the College of N.J. (Princeton); 1747 Acting Governor and Commander in Chief, being the first native-born Jersey man to govern the province. Sept. 9, 1757 he again took the oath as Governor which position he held until June 16, 1758 when Gov. Francis Bernard succeeded to the office. On July 28, 1758 he resigned from his Majesty's Council, and in due time the King accepted the resignation and appointed a successor as President of the Council. At this time he retired to private life until his death Nov. 5, 1767. His will, in his own handwriting, dated Oct. 1, 1767; codicil(?) Oct. 29; is a long and interesting one; it shows his extensive landed interests, as well as his valuable personal property. He leaves the use of "the Riding Chair and Chair Horse" to his wife Mary, "to use when and as often as she pleases"; money to be paid to her quarterly" she is to have the use of one of the Rooms in my present dwelling house with plenty of good and suitable firewood at all seasons of the year, to be cut and brought to the door of her room, and fires thereof at all times to be made" His books were to be divided equally to his surviving sons and the eldest son of his deceased son in a manner "most suitable to their genius and inclination" excepting those of Church History, Religion & Divinity, which were to be shared equally. He left Dr. Whitby's Paraphrase and Commentary on the New Testament in Two Volumes to his sons-in-law, Messrs. Beatty and Mills, and made his sons, Daniel, Joseph and Thomas his Execs. "Desiring of them for God's Sake, the Honour and Interest of the Family, to cause the same to be affectionately and justly performed." The Pennsylvania Gazette of July 28, 1768 published a beautiful tribute to our ancestor. Gov. John {3} and Mary Ryerson Reading had eleven children.
On 30 Nov 1720 when John was 34, he married Mary "Maritje" RYERSON. Mary (Maritje) Ryerson, was baptized July 19, 1699 at the old Dutch Reformed Church in New York City, the daughter of George (Joris) Ryerson by his first wife, Hanna (Anna Schouten Dey, daughter of Johannes Schouten and widow of Teunis Dey). Joris (or as the name is Anglicized to George) Ryerson was the son of Marten Ryerson who came from Amsterdam, Holland in 1646 and settled in the Wallabout (Brooklyn), Long, Island, NY. Martin Ryerson married May 14, 1663 Annetje Joris de Repelje, born February 8, 1646, the daughter of the Immigrants, Joris Janson de Rapelje and his wife, Catalyntie Trico. (See D.A.C. Lin. Bk., Vol. 6, pp. 340/2, No. 5984, Nell Downing Norton).
Mary Ryerson Reading died in Amwell Twp. Hunterdon Co., N.J., April 11, 1774, at the Reading estate called "Walnut Grove;" both Gov. Reading and his wife are buried in the burying-ground of the old Amwell Presbyterian Church, with which he was connected, and for which he provided a silver communion service in his will.
(This is kind of sideline but is interesting genealogically to our family…it shows that we had ancestors in America, (New Amsterdam, current New York City), as early as 1623. This puts us back one more generation than I originally thought. So, although you are in the 13th generation of American Readings, you are a 14th generation American…not many of us around!) Also, further research on this family has shown that within 100 years they had married into the Vanderbilt family, which means we are related to them as well…albeit distantly. In case you don’t know who they are, they were probably the wealthiest family in New York City in the 19th and into the 20th century. Ever heard of Gloria Vanderbilt? She has a fashion line, mainly jeans, also, her son is Anderson Cooper, who is a TV newscaster for one of the Cable Networks. One of the Vanderbilt family, Consuelo Vanderbilt, married the Duke of Marlborough, and her descendent is the current Duke of Marlborough in England.)
Catalyntie Trico*; b. 1605 in Pry or Prisch, Dept. of Nord, France; d. Sep. 11, 1689, in Wallabout, Brooklyn NY.
· m. Joris Jansen Rapalje* b. Apr. 28, 1604; d. Feb., 21, 1662.
· Catalyntie and Joris had 11 children:
o Sarah Rapalje*; b. June 7, 1625; d. 1685
§ m1. Hans Hansen Bergen*
§ m2. Tunis G. Bogart
o Maria Rapalje; b. Mar. 11, 1627; d. 1685
§ m. Michael Vandervoort,
o Janetje Rapalje; b. Aug. 18, 1628
§ m. Rem Vanderbeek
o Judith Rapalje*; b. July 5, 1635; d. 1726
§ m. Pieter Pietersen Van Nest*
o Jan Rapalje; b. Aug 28, 1637; d. 1663
§ m. Maria Frederickse (Lubertson)
o Jacob Rapalje: b. May 28, 1639; shot and killed by Indians while on the front steps of the Tap House on Pearl Street.
o Catalina Rapalje; b. Mar. 21, 1641.
§ m. Jeremias Westerhout
o Jeronimus Rapalje; b. June 25, 1642; d. 1690
§ m. Anna Denise
o Annetje Rapalje; b. Feb.8. 1646.
§ m1. Marten Ryerson (parents of Mary Ryerson Reading)
§ m2. Joost Franz.
o Elisabeth Rapalje; b. Mar. 28, 1648; d. 1712.
§ m. Dirck Hoogelandt.
o Daniel Rapalje (1650-1725).
§ m. Sarah Klock.
Catalyntie Trico* (1605-1689) was said to have been from Pry (or Pris, or Prische, depending on the source), Dept. of Nord, France, but spelled "Pris" on her marriage papers at the Walloon Church in Amsterdam. However, it is possible that her father was from Pry, while her mother may have been born in Paris, where her parents may have meet and lived for a while. She is the only known child of Jeronomus Tricault*, b. 1579, in Pry, and Michele Sauvagie*, b. c1585 in Paris. Jeronomus was a Huguenot weaver and inventor of a new fabric that came to be known as Tricot. Catalyntie in her old age, was known as the "old widow from Valenciennes". She may have first met her husband to be, Joris Jansen Rapareillet*, in Valenciennes (which is near Pry), since the Rapareillet family was known to live there at the time. Before Catalytie was married, the Tricault family may have moved to La Rochelle, France, where a large number of Huguenots had gathered as a result of the oppressions of Cardinal Richelieu. Joris was, on occasion, said to be from La Rochelle. There is no record of Catalyntie being in La Rochelle, but she ultimately joined Joris Jansen Rapareillet in Amsterdam, where they married and they came together to New Amsterdam on the ship Niew Nederlandt in 1624. Old references seem to indicate that there was a passenger named Joris Rapalje on the ship Unity in 1623. Thus, it is speculated that Joris could have made an earlier trip to America and returned to marry Catalyntie and bring her back with him.
A record of their marriage to each other has been found. They were married in the Walloon Church at Amsterdam, Netherlands, Jan. 21, 1623/24. However, prior to this knowledge, there has been speculation about whether they were really married. It seems that she was always known in all official records by her maiden name, Trico, which is a "Dutchification" of Tricault, her original French surname. Joris' surname, Rapalje, was also a Dutchification of the French name, Rapareillet. The word "rapalje" in modern Dutch means "scumie", and perhaps Catalyntie preferred not to use it. In the Bergen family history, published in 1876, it is asserted that they both came to the "Mannatans" on the Unity, commanded by Arien Jorsie, and were part of 18 families which remained on-board to go to Fort Orangie (now Albany), where they lived until 1626. From this reference, this author concludes that their first daughter, Sarah, born June 9, 1625, was born in Fort Orangie. However, this is contradicted by Sarah's own deposition to support a petition for land in Brooklyn many years later before a Judge Benson, where she stated that she was born in a house (which the Judge described in great detail in his writings) on the Waaleboght cove in Brooklyn. However, she would have been too young to actually remember anything of Ft. Orangie if she moved to Brooklyn at the age of two. She would have had to learn about Ft. Orangie from her mother. However, Catalyntie's own testimony before Gov. Thomas Dongan in her old age recites the story of the Unity taking them on to Fort Orangie.
Catalyntie lived in what is now Albany until 1626, when she and her husband moved to what is now lower Manhattan after Gov. Peter Minuit in May, 1626, purchased Manhattan Island from the Indians. After a few years of farming, Joris and Catalyntie opened a small tavern or "tap house" on the north side of what is now Pearl Street, abutting on the Fort, where she grew vegetables and served them to guests. Later she and her husband moved to a farm in Brooklyn in about 1655.
Catalyntie continued to raise her large extended family and grow vegetables on her farm in Brooklyn until long after her husband died. In 1680 a group of Labidist visitors noted that she was living alone, growing flowers and vegetables and had 145 descendants, soon to be 150 alive at that time.
Gravestone forGov. John READING1686 - 1767
(4) John READING IV (Jr.) b. 20 March 1722, d. 1766 in Amwell Twsp., Hunterdon Co., NJ; m. Isabella MONTGOMERY (birth and death unknown), daughter of William MONTGOMERY.
[#5] John Reading, b. 1751 in Hunterdon Co., New Jersey, d. 30 November 1820
m. Elizabeth HANKINSON
other children unknown
(5) John READING b. 1751,d. 30 November 1820, in Hunterdon Co., NJ; m. 7 April 1772 to Elizabeth HANKINSON (b. 27 Nov 1748, d. 19 June 1817 in Hunterdon County, NJ), daughter of Joseph HANKINSON
[#6} Joseph Reading, b. 12 Aug 1778 in Flemington, NJ., d. 2 Oct 1853;
m. Eleanor GRANDIN
other children unknown
(6) Joseph READING b. 12 Aug 1778, in Flemington, NJ, d. 2 Oct 1853; m. Eleanor GRANDIN, b. 15 Sept 1786 in Hampden, Hunterdon Co. N.J., d. 2 Dec 1873 in Philadelphia, PA
[#7] Hon. James Newell Reading b. 8 Aug 1808, d. 8 June 1884,
m. Sarah Celia A. SOUTHARD
(7) James Newell READING b. 8 Aug 1808 in Flemington, NJ, d. 8 June 1884 in Morris, Illinois; m. 10 Feb 1835 Sarah Celia A. SOUTHARD, (b. 12 Aug 1815 in Somerville, NJ, d. 30 Nov. 1896, in Morris, Illinois), daughter of Issac SOUTHARD (b. 30 Aug 1783, d. 18 Sept 1850) and Mary Wright DOTY, (direct descendent of a passenger on the Mayflower named Edward or Edmund DOTY)
[#8} Henry S. READING, b. 1842 NJ, (death date and marriage info unknown)
(8) Henry S. READING b. 1842 in Flemington, NJ. Death date, marriage info unknown, 1880 census shows him listed as a widower, living with his children and parents)
[#9} James H. Reading b. 1867, Morris, Grundy Co. Illinois, d. ?
m. 1907 Olive HOCKNEY
ii Ellenor G. Reading, b. 1869
(9) James H. READING b. 1867 Morris, Grundy Co. Illinois, d. about 1930, Maxwell, California; m. 1907 in Antioch, Lake County, Illinois Olive HOCKNEY (b. 1883 in Burton, McHenry County, Illinois, d. 1965 in Maxwell, California) daughter of George HOCKNEY (b. 1854 in Wisconsin, d.?) and Rose HOCKNEY (b. 1856 in Illinois d. ?).
[#10] Marjorie Hockney READING, b. 3 Sept 1910, Antioch Illinois, d. 1 Jan 1994, Stockton, California
m. 1932 Edwin GANNON b. 1910, Winters, California, d. 1942, Stockton, California
m. Laurence Leible d. 1995
(10) Marjorie Hockney READING GANNON Leible b. 3 Sept. 1910 in Antioch, Illinois, d. 1 Jan 1994, Stockton, California; m. 1932 in Maxwell, California
Edwin GANNON, (b. 1910, Winters, California, d. 1942 Stockton, California)
i. Bryant GANNON
ii. [#11] Ross Edwin GANNON, b. 19 June 1934, m. 17 Oct 1954, Sandra Lea ROGERS, b. 19 Oct 1935
iii. Glenda GANNON Moore
(11) Ross Edwin GANNON, b. 19 June 1934, Stockton, California; m. 17 Oct 1954, Sandra Lea ROGERS, (b. 29 Oct. 1935 in Lyons, Nebraska), daughter of Paul ROGERS
and Alma OHLMQUIST of Lyons Nebraska
i. Paul Michael GANNON, b. 11 Aug 1956. Stockton, California
ii. Susan Marie GANNON O’Connell, b. 14 June 1959, Stockton, California
iii. [#12] Steven Ross GANNON, b. 19 Sept 1961, m. 1989 Christina DAVAGGIO
(12) Steven Ross GANNON, b. 19 Sept. 1961 in Stockton, California, m. 1989 Christina DAVAGGIO
i. (#13) Jennifer Tess GANNON, b. 14 Jan 1991, Stockton, California
ii. Courtney Beth GANNON
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