Family History

 
TENTH GENERATION

William STITES was born on 3 Apr 1676 in Hempstead, Long Island, NY, USA. He died on 13 May 1727 in Springfield, N.J., USA.
 
1698/9 A record of Deed between Richard Stites and his son William - 2 Jan 1698/9. - (see transcript) 1
1700/1 Beneficiary in his father's will. (See transcript).
1705-6 William sells one hundred acres to Joseph Holsted. (See transcript) 1
1710 William sells 10 acres of land in Hempstead, formerly his father's. (See transcript) 1
1710 William sells 10 acres of land in Hempstead, formerly his father's. (See transcript) 1
1714 Agreement 23 Oct 1714, between Sarah Hall by power from my husband Joseph Hall, and William Stites by marriage with Mary, and Thomas Jecox by marriage with Abigail, And Ezekiel Baldwin by marriage with Hannah, which are the daus. of the dec'd Dr. Isaac Hall, all resident in Queens County, N.Y., - appoint our bretheren Francis and John Hall of Stratfield our attorneys to adjust controversy with our cousin Samuel Hall, heir to our dec'd uncle Samuel Hall. [History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, Vol. 1, edited by Donald Lines Jacobus]
1724 William sells land in Hempstead to Benjamin Smith. (See transcript) 1
1725 William is one of 24 signaturies to a Deed granting land to Cap't Jacob Hicks. Possibly a town grant by the town council or prominent citizens.
1726 9th Aug 1726 - At the above twon meeting pursuant to the above sd voat we the freeholders of the sd meeting have by mager voat chosen these men following viz. Justice John Tredwell, John Mott, Christifor Dingey, Peter Smith, Samuel Jackson, James Seaman, Benjaman Seaman, John Dorlon, William Stits and Thomas Williams for to tak care and see that according to the above sd voat our sheep shall not be foulded and if they or any two of them or one of them do find that any parson or parsons be found by any of theme men above mentione foulding of our sheep then wee the free holders as above sd do give full power to sew them in our behalf for the damages don to the sheep and us the freeholder.
This entered by order of me Tho Gildersleeve Clarck.
1727 William  & Mary sell sixty acres together with all buildings to Thomas Carmon. (See transcript) 1

  • It is unclear when William relocated from Hempstead on Long Island to Springfield in New Jersey. In his will of 1727 he is recorded as "late of Hempsted, Long Island, N.Y. now residing in Elizabeth Town". However the above records of Hempstead appear to show him in Hempstead as late as Jan 1727. Perhaps he was commuting between the two whilst establishing the property in Springfield? If the sale in Jan 1727 was their principal residence in Hempstead it could have been as late as this that they actually took up permanent residence in New Jersey. In the item below titled "The Springfield Cemetery", the earliest surviving burial was in May 1727. According to the author there was an earlier but obliterated burial in 1720. Considering the above perhaps this child is buried in Hempstead?
     
  • "Removed to a 700 acre tract on the south side of the road and west of the Rahway River, in the section of Elizabethtown, which is now the Township of Springfield, Union Co., New Jersey.
    ['Woodruff Chronicles' by Ceylon Newton Woodruff, Vol 1, pg's 128-134]
     
  • The settlement (Springfield) dates from 1717, when the Briant (or Bryant) family of Hackensack located here. The Whitehead, Van Winkle, Stites and Denam families soon followed, and many others moved up from Connecticut Farms.
    ['History of Union County, New Jersey, 1664-1923' publ. Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1923.]
     
  • The Springfield Cemetery :-
    The old Springfield Cemetery, which, for a number of years past, has been know as the "Revolutionary Burying Ground", dates back to the settlement of Springfield, in 1717. It is situated on a high elevation known as the "Hill", about 100 yards south of Morris avenue. West of the cemetery, and within fifty feet, is Van Winkle's creek. To the northeast and within a stone's throw is the old Presbyterian church.
    As nearly as can be ascertained William Stites, who came from Hempstead, Long Island, to Springfield when the village was first settled, in 1717, purchased the land. His property consisted of seven hundred acres west on the Rahway River. He settled there with his family. Three acres were cleared of woodland and set off as a family burying ground. The first person interred there was Mary Stites, four years old, who died about 1720. Her grave was obliterated when a street was cut through the tract in later years. The second burial was that of Richard, the twelve year old son of William Stites, who died May 5, 1727. Eight days later, May 13, 1727, William, the father, died, and on August 21, 1728, one year later, the mother followed, and was buried by the side of her husband. A double stone now marks the spot, on which are the following inscriptions : "Here lies ye body of William Stites, died May ye 13th, 1727, aged 51 years"; "Here lies ye body of Mary, wife of Mr. William Stites, died August ye 21, 1728, aged 51 years."..................
    There is also a stone marking the resting place of Hazel Stites, aged twenty years, who died February 11, 1728. She was the daughter of the first William. Five small children survived their parents, and the property was sold by the administrator. Although the cemetery plot went with the rest of the property, the living descendants of the Stites family stoutly maintain that the graveyard was never alienated from the family and that old records will prove it...............
    During the Revolution the population of the little graveyard was increased to almost full capacity. ...............
    At one time the cemetery covered a space of three acres, but at present only twenty-two stones are standing. Part of the yard was used at one time as a base-ball field, and some of the stones were broken off and used for bases. A lawn-tennis court also occupied part of the field. The monuments yet standing are of old brown sandstone, and from two to three feet in height ......... Most of the stones are moss-grown and weather-stained, and it is with difficulty they are read.
    ['History of Union County, New Jersey, 1664-1923' publ. Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1923. Extracts from pg's 490- 492]
     
  • Probate - New Jersey [Lib. B, p.70, Essex Wills]
     
    Inventory - 2 June 1727, Another Inventory 1727 to value of £67.S.

Mary HALL died on 21 Aug 1728 in New Jersey, USA., aged 51 years. 

Probate - New Jersey Wills, Vol II 1730-1750 :-
Mary Stites, Elizabeth Town, Essex Co. N.J. - dated Oct 1729.
Int. Inventory, £344.04.08; made by William Lines and John Littell.
Administration granted to John Stites 29 Jan 1729, Lib B, p.358.

Children were:

child i.  John STITES [sen.] born 5 May 1705.
child ii  Rebecca STITES born 6 Jan 1707.
child iii  Hazel STIES, born ca. 1708, died 11 Feb 1728.
child iv  Hezekiah STITES  born 4 Jan 1709.
child v  Richard STITES  born 19 Nov 1715.
child vi  Sarah STITES born 19 Nov 1715.
child vii  Mary STITES born ca. 1716, died ca. 1720.
child viii  William STITES  born 2 Dec 1719.
child ix  Elijah STITES born 7 Jul 1721.
child x  Benjamin STITES born 9 Feb 1725.

Names and births of the children of William Stites of L.I. [Rec:27:166], as copied from the "Old Family Bible" of Johannes Stites.

Sources
1. 'Records of the towns of North and South Hempstead, Long Island, New York 1854-1880 - V.1' - by the Town Board of North Hempstead 1896.


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