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BENJAMIN SCHOONOVER (ca. 1741 IN NJ - 1813, Ulysses Town, NY) AND MARGARET SCHOONOVER, HIS WIFE (ca.1735 IN NJ - bef. May 1812, Walpack, Sussex Co, NJ), OF WALPACK AND LOWER SMITHFIELD, AND THEIR SMITH DESCENDANTS
Based on research by the poster and Ms. Marsha E. Smith.
Divided in two sections due to file size limitations on this message board.
PART 1
Benjamin Schoonover was son of Nicholas (Niclaes) and Peternella (Westfall) Schoonover. Benjamin's baptism 12 July 1741 was recorded at the Dutch Reformed Church, Walpack Twp., Sussex Co. NJ. The will of Benjamin's father, Nicholas Schoonhoven of Walpack, written Jan 1759 with codicil 6 Oct 1761, bequeathed to wife Pattenella / Peternela, son Hendricus (eldest: the house and lot deeded to him); sons Peter (third son), James, Benjamin, Ezekiel, and Joseph, and daughters Sarrah and Mary. Estate to be divided among the children. Wife to have use of all estate while widow, 40 pounds if she remarry [West Jersey wills 12:235, 59S-W, proved 28 Sep 1764]. Note that this Nicholas did not therefore die ten years later (about December 1, 1774) as stated in the Schoonover Master Tree [#16], and most likely died in the Walpack vicinity rather than in Orange Co., NY.
The will of Margaret's father, Hendricus Schoonover of Walpack, written 20 Apr 1767, bequeathed to wife Hanah, sons Henry (oldest), Rodolph and John, and to daughters Rachel, Cornelia, Margaret, Elisabeth, Catherine and Mary, and to various others (grandchildren), among them Johanna daughter of Benjamin Schoonover [West Jersey wills 155S - W; proved 4 Oct 1771]. We have not found documentation of Margaret's date of birth in Minisink region church records. Her mother is believed by Schoonover and Montanye researchers to have been Johanna (Decker).
The Moravian missionary, Brother Sven Roseen, repeatedly visited the area of Lower Smithfield, (now) Monroe Co., PA and went across the river to Walpack, Sussex Co., NJ. Translation of the portions of Roseen's diary between July 1748-July 1749 is reprinted in The Dansbury Diaries 1748-1755 (Camden, ME: Picton Press, 1994). "Dansbury" was the name of the settlement that later was named Stroudsburg. The missionary repeatedly mentions Nicholas Schoonover and his wife and family, and once mentions Nicholas' son Benjamin. He also mentions Henricus Schoonover (Nicholas' brother) and their neighbor Benjamin Smith and Catherine his wife. All had varying degrees of sympathy toward the views of the United Brethren, except for Nicholas' wife, who Roseen states was steadfast adherent to the Reformed Dutch church. Roseen mentions the visit in 1748 to Walpack of Abraham Smith, son of Lt. John Smith of "Shenandoe," calling Abraham son of Nicholas Schoonover's sister.
The gossipy Roseen mentions comment by Benjamin Smith on 10 acres conveyed to the Brethren by Nicholas Schoonover and one Brink for a school; Roseen wrote that Smith told him this was "really" part of Smith's land [Diaries p. 94, June 29 1749]. Candace E. Anderson has abstracted early records of Northampton Co., PA, which at the time included Lower Smithfield. In her first volume, Ábstracts of Deeds . . . 1752-. . .1773 (Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 2000) she includes abstracts of documents bearing various dates preserved within an unpaginated book in the Northampton County Clerk's office. On Anderson's p. 179 she lists a plat of 10-3/4 acres in Walpack Twp., then in Hunterdon Co., NJ, adjacent the Delaware River on the west, on the N and E next to Nicholas Scoonhoven's land and on the South to Company land. Written on the plat is some ownership history. The 10-3/4 acres was part of a 500-acre tract "Marah" conveyed (in part?) in Oct. 1725 to Nicholas Scoonhoven and Thomas Brinck, and (part?) to Joseph Kirkbride in June 1746. Then N. Scoonhoven, T. Brink and Benj. Smith conveyed a plot on the bank of the Delaware "where the schoolhouse was" to Jos. Powell, David Brice, and Joseph Shaw (no date given). The latter three men are among the United Brethren who had responsibility for the Smithfield-Walpack area, according to related material about the Moravian mission reprinted in Dansbury Diaries. Then 23 May 1765 Nath'l Serdie [sic in abstract, identified as Brother Seidel in _Dansbury Diaries_] of Bethlehem PA made an agreement with James Vandemark of Walpack allowing Vandemark to occupy the schoolhouse for four years. The reason for this document's filing in Northampton Co. records seems to relate to the last entry on the plat, which states that Thomas Shaw (one of the four grantees of the schoolhouse lot) left Walpack in April 1747, his first wife was May [sic] Jones and his second was lost at sea in Oct. 1747.
Accompanying the plat was a list of "Members of Shaw's Church," including (of Walpack) Nicholas Schoonhoven and wife, Rudolph and Dorothea Scoonhoven, Henry and Hanna Scoonhoven, Benj. and Cathar. Smith. The undated list also mentions Joseph Powel and James Burnside in Walpack, 1746.
On 8 Sep 1764 Aaron Dupui and Jemmima his wife, of Lower Smithfield Twp., agreed to convey 205 acres on McMicles Ck. in Lower Smithfield to Jacobus Schoonhoven of Walpack Twp., Sussex Co., West New Jersey (land originally patented to Dupui in 1762) [recorded 20 Apr 1768, Northampton Co. PA deeds B1:153-156, Anderson p. 86]. Then 12 Mar 1767 Jacobus Schoonoven of Walpack Twp. and Hannah his wife agreed to sell to Benjamin Schoonoven of Lower Smithfield Twp., 118 acres in Lower Smithfield, already possessed by Benjamin, part of a larger tract conveyed to Jacobus by Aaron Dupui and wife Jemmima; witnesses: Joseph Montanye and Peter Scoonhoven [also recorded 20 Apr 1768, Northampton Co. PA deeds B1:156-157, Anderson p. 86].
Benjamin Schoonoven, administrator on the estate of Peter Vandermark of Lower Smithfield Twp., requested an audit of accounting in Northampton Co. PA Orphans Court, 11 August 1774. The estate included 93 acres adjoining Samuel Drake and Jacob Minor. [Candace E. Anderson, _Genealogical Abstracts of Orphans Court Records Volumes A-E_; this in Vol. D.; Anderson omits original page numbers; Anderson's p. 83].
Benjamin Schoonhover was among those in Capt. Timothy Jayne's Northampton Co. Militia company who took an oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in Smithfield, on 7 August 1777. [_Northampton Co. Miscellaneous Public Records 1767-1779_, following p. 225; abstract by Anderson, this entry on her p. 202]. In the _PA Archives, 5th series_, Vol. VIII, p. 560 ff. are transcripts of Capt. Benjamin Schoonover's company pay rolls for 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781 and 16 Apr 1782. He was discharged 26 May, 1782. In Northampton County, returns of Officers of the 6th Battalion of Militia of Northampton Co., June 18, 1777, Benjamin Schoonover was listed as 2nd Lieutenant, Capt. Samuel Hover's Company, serving under Colonel Jacob Stroud [_PA Archives 5th Series_. VIII:425]. Anyone interested can track the majority of men in Capt. Schoonover's Company in Lower Smithfield Twp. by means of tax lists and the 1790 US Census.
In a letter datelined Lower Smithfield, Northampton County, Septem'r 27th, 1778, several of those in charge of the militia outline dire circumstances: "Above us in Deleware & upper Smithfield, a fine Contry near thirty miles in length, is almost Evacuated, the people moved over to new Jersey for safety; & in this Township there is only a Guard left at Cornl. Stroud, whoes times is almost expired & will soon return home, & unless they are replaced with others we shall lay expos'd to the Ravages of the savages." [John Van Campen, John Chambers, Sub Lt., Benjamin Van Campen, Sub Lt., Nicholas Depui and Jacob Stroud, Cornl. to George Bryan, Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council; _Pennsylvania Archives First Series_ VI:767]. It seems likely that this evacuation to New Jersey was an opportunity for Benjamin and Margaret Schoonover's daughter, Johannah Schoonover, to meet the family of the widowed Keziah (Pelton) Smith, including her son, Platt Smith. Documentation of disposition of these families has not been found, but some may have been taken in by inhabitants well away from the Delaware River, between the settlements of Hope and Hackettstown. The Smiths at this time lived in the vicinity of Vienna, Independence Twp., present Warren Co., NJ.
Tax assessment rolls for Lower Smithfield Twp., Northampton Co., PA, including those for both State and Federal assessments, are held by the Northampton County Clerk. Some are detailed itemizations, some give only an assessed valuation, some just list the tax owed. They were read and most generously shared from microfilm of the documents by Fran W. All valuations and tax assessments are in pounds-shillings-pence, presumably ‘Pennsylvania money' of the time. Note that 'James' was frequently substituted by English-speakers for the first names of men known as 'Jacob' in their home communities. The Peter and 'James' Schoonover in the tax lists are most likely older brothers of our subject Benjamin. Rodolphus / Dolphus / Dolves Schoonover in these assessments was probably Margaret's brother of the same name, who was about the same age as Margaret's husband Benjamin. Some Benajah Mundy and Casparus Vanauken are mentioned here because they had children who married children of Platt and Johannah (Schoonover) Smith.
For 1779 Benjamin Schonover was assessed on 100 acres, of which 45 acres was cleared and 8 acres sown, and on 3 horned chattles, 3 horses and 5 sheep. Dolphus Schonover was assessed on 200 acres, of which 60 acres were cleared and 15 sown, and on 6 horned chattles, 4 horses and 8 sheep. Peter Schonover had 56 acres, 30 cleared, 5 sown, as well as 4 horned chattles, 3 horses and 5 sheep. James Schonover had 188 acres, 40 cleared and 12 sown, 5 horned chattles, 3 horses and 7 sheep. None of the Schonovers were assessed on a trade or occupation. Neither Platt nor John Smith were listed, nor was Benajah Monday.
For 1780 Benjamin Schoonover was assessed on a valuation of £115.11.2, Dolphus Schoonover not found listed. Peter Schoonover's assessed valuation was £23.11.3, and James' was £51.11.2. Again there was no listing for Platt or John Smith, nor for Benajah Monday.
For 1783 there were two different tax assessments listed, not clear from the documents whether they were State or Federal. Benjamin Schoonhover owed £2.15.6 and £1.17.6, Dolphus owed an illegible amount and £4.11.9. Peter's taxes were £1.18.3 and £1.5.3, and James' were £3.15.9 and 2.10.9. Platt Smith was assessed £0.4.0 and £0.2.0, John Smith owed £10.12.6 and £6.12.6. Benajah Monday owed £0.7.0 and 0.5.0.
------------------CONTINUED IN PART 2---------------------
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