Contributed by: Linda Herman
NICHOLAS WESSELS (1759-1839) was born in Paramus, Bergen Co
New Jersey. He was the son of Joseph (1730-1840) and
Ariaantje Wessels. His siblings include :
Sarah b. July 5, 1761
Nellie b. Oct 21, 1763
Joseph b. 1767
Ariaantje b. Dec 25, 1768
Benjamin b. Apr 2, 1775
Benjamin b. 1780.
Nicholas is believed to have married Ann ROBLIN. His sister, Sarah Wessels, married John ROBLIN. Both families immigrated to Quebec (as Canada was then called) in 1787. Nicholas brought a wife and five children with him and petitioned for two hundred acres which was granted to him June 1, 1791 in Sophiasburg, Prince Edward County. He petitoned from Sophiasburg on Aug 2, 1797 for the additional Bounty of 1878 and in 1810 received a grant of 300 acres,Con 4, Lot 18, 100 acres and Con 4, Lot 19 ,200 acres both in Murray Twp, Northumberland County.
Anne (SMITH) Wessels, daughter of John Smith, believed to have been Nicholas's second wife petitioned from Sophiasburg in Aug 1797 for land as a daughter of a Loyalist under the regulations of 1789 and in 1801 received a grant of 200 acres, Lot 18, Con 7 in Murray Twp.
Nicholas had ten children:
1. Joseph b. 1777 Bergen Co. N.J. ;
m. Margaret _____
2. Philip b. betw 1778-84 Bergen Co. NJ;
m. Martha McKenna
3. Owen b. 1785 Bergen Co. N.J. ; never married
4. John b. 1786 Bergen Co. N.J. ;
m. 1) Elenor ____ 2) Phebe ___
5. Harriet b. 1787 Bergen Co. N.J. ;
m. Jonathon Greeley
6. Nicholas b. 1789 Sophiasburg P.E. ;
m. Lillian "Anna" Ryckman
7. Stephen b. 1792 Sophiaburg P.E. Co. ;
m. Susannah Hartt
8. Sarah b. Nov 18, 1793 Sophiasburg, P.E. Co. ;
m. Job Hartt
9. Elizabeth b. 1797 Sophiasburg P.E. Co.;
m. Robert McCamon
10. Benjamin b. 1799 Sophiasburg P.E. Co.:
m. Rebecca Smith
There are now 10 generation with over 900 family members in this line.
Other names associated with this family include: Fitzgerald, Horsley, Preston, Anderson, Stickles, Bell, Smith, Green, VanDraska, Brundage, Pledger, McColl, McPhail, Burley, Ireland, Curtis, Spencer, McIntyre, Drayder, MaGuire, McKay, Fitzsimmons, Greeley, Ryckman, Comstock, Cronk, Hartt, Tripp, Gainford, Healy, Brohm, Ellis, Cullen, Campbell, Turney, Hoskins, Norton, McCamon, McFaul, Brown, Kimmerly, Della, Miller, Carley, Showbridge, and McKenna.
CROSS Family of Murray Township
Contributed by: R. CROSS at
I have discovered that my ancestor Elias Cross and his family totalling 12 were settled in Murray Twp on Lot 36, Concession 4 as early as the 1848 Census for Newcastle District. In 1848 he was listed as the non proprietor and on the 1850 census he was listed as proprietor. He had 100 acres, which by 1850 was made up of 12 acres occupied; 5 in pasture; 14 cultivated; and 55 in wood/wild lands. The farm yielded 14 acres of wheat, 9 acres of rye, 6 acres of oats, 4 acres of peas, 1/2 acre of maize corn, 1/2 acre of potatoes and 7 tons of hay. Their holdings included: 150 lb of maple sugar, 25 lb of wool, 12 yds of fulled cloth, 14 yds of unlined cloth. Their animals included 9 neat cattle, 2 horses, 18 sheep and 8 hogs.
Family members included Elias, his wife Martha JONES, Elias' family of Zebulon (age 81, and believed his father), brother Asahel (age 51), sisters Holdy and Sarah (age 54 and 44), as well as Elias and Martha's children: Cezia, Zebulon, Olive, Mary, Matilda, and one girl age 10-14 name unknown as well as one male, age 21-30 name unknown. They ultimately have several more children including Robert, Elias Jr., Martha, Lewis and Abagail. Elias and Martha were married in 1843 in Victoria County, both born in Prince Edward County, Elias in 1816, and Martha in 1825. The older members of the family, Zebulon, Asahel, Holdy and Sarah were all born in the US according to the 1851 census for Brighton, where Elias is listed as a yeoman. Asahel settles in Trenton in 1854, Sarah marries Ira ROSE in 1859 and lives in Brighton, Holdy's whereabouts are unknown. Zebulon dies before the family appears on the 1861 census for Seymour Twp. The family ultimately ends up in Peterborough Cty, in Dummer and Asphodel Twp., with a number living in and around Norwood.
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