AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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Direct descendant is highlighted in red

FATHER

Peter White

MOTHER

Abigail

WIFE

1st Sarah Leonard

CHILDREN with Sarah Leonard

1. John White

2. Abigail White

3. Peter White

4. Sarah White

5. Leonard White

6. Catharine White

7. James White

8. Ruth White b. 28 Feb 1738/39 

John White
by Susan Brooke
July 2022

John White was probably born in Jamaica, Long Island, New York about 1699, but there is no record of him ever living there. His parents, Peter and Abigail White, moved to Piscattaway, Middlesex, New Jersey in 1716. John was a young adult at that time.  He may have moved with his family to Piscataway, but in January 1719 he was living in Monmouth County, NJ.  On Jan 30, 1718/9 John White was one of the witnesses to the will of James Hubbard, of Middletown, Monmouth, NJ. (1)   John's uncle, William White, Jr, had purchased land in Monmouth County in 1712. That deed was recorded on 11 Feb 1714 and referred to a brook that ran down to the Iron Works. (2) John White may have been living with his uncle and working at the Iron Works. (3) By 1722 John White had married Sarah Leonard, a daughter of Thomas Leonard whose father had helped establish the Iron Works. At that time he and his wife Sarah were selling land Sarah they had inherited from her parents. He also owned some land, as the land in this deed was recorded as "land east of his own."  John White was listed as "late of Wentipenk neck in Shrewsbury which was the name of Thomas Leonard's property. (4)  John White obviously had married Sarah Leonard sometime before May 22, 1722 and he signed that deed as John White, Capt. (5) He was probably active in the local militia.
As stated, John White referred to "land of his own" in the 1722 deed.  However, there is no record of that land.  Some land in New Jersey had been allotted twice by the King of England.  John White's father, Peter White, had probably obtained land through the Elizabeth Town Purchase.  The proprietors who had obtained the land through the Monmouth Purchase were claiming that the farmers living on "their" land must either pay the quit rents to them in arrears or vacate the land. John may not have had clear title to the land mentioned in the 1722 deed. 
Sometime after that 1722 deed, John and Sarah moved back to Middlesex County.  In 1726 there was a deed referencing the "land near John Whites and Peter Whites cleared land.  (6) It appears that the land of John White and Peter White was from the same tract. (7) Later, this land came under dispute as it was probably part of the Elizabeth Town purchase.
However, John did fortunately obtain land that was originally from the Monmouth Purchase and he was able to keep possession of this land. He had also married a very wealthy orphan as Sarah had inherited substantial land from her father.  John went into partnership with Sarah's cousin, John Leonard, in a saw mill located at Spotswood, in Middlesex County.  In 1727 John Leonard was shot by an Indian chief named Weequehela  for having cheated him out of his lands. In less than a week at a special court  held in Perth Amboy, Weequehela was found guilty in one day, and sentenced to death one week later.  Margaret, the widow of John Leonard, remarried to John Johnston, a blacksmith of South River.  Margaret was the executrix of her late husband's estate and in 1731 the Estate of John Leonard sold back one-half share of the saw mill to John White.  Then on April 21, 1731 John White transferred the whole property to John Johnston and Andrew Johnston.  From this point on, it becomes known as Johnston's Mills.  (8)
The Spottswood mill was just a few miles from South River where John White was living. (9) However, he was also referred to as "of Perth Amboy."  On April 9th of the same year, 1731 John paid £500 for some land in the same area from Samuel Leonard. (10) When this same land was sold in 1735 to James Hude it was listed as being near Edmund Bainbridge, and there was also a mention of land in the tract with the "former" timber rights of Peter White, Junr. (11)  So, it seems likely that in 1731 both John White and Peter White, Jr. were in South River.
By 1734 the land owners who had obtained their land through the Monmouth Purchase were evicting those farmers who had obtained their land through the Elizabeth Town Purchase even though those farmers had lived on what they considered their land for several years.  John White's father, Peter White for example, had taken possession of his land in 1716 and had been living on his land for 18 years.  However,  Thomas Farmar was ejecting Peter White, the tenant in possession of the premises in 1734. John White must have also had land that was in question.  John White of South River was being sued by Edmond Bainbridge (his brother-in-law) to answer unto Edmond Bainbridge of a plea of trespass for 108 pounds, 8 shillings, 8 pence of debt and was summoned to court on March 26, 1735.   (12)  John White gave a bond of £33 to Daniel White, his presumed brother, in January 1745/5. (13)  It was in May of 1734 when John White and his wife Sarah sold their part of their land to James Hude. In 1739 John Jolly (a distant cousin of Sarah Leonard) was suing John White for trespass and of cutting down trees on the land of John Jolly.  (14) John White seems to have sold some of his land in 1739.  There is a reference to this transaction in the abstracts by Richard S. Hutchinson for East NJ Land Records, D3, E3, and F3 on pg. 79 Jonathan Combs was selling land that was "conveyed to sd. Jonathan Combs from John White by deed dated 3 May 1739 and the other half from James Hude."  (15)
There was a lot of unrest in this part of New Jersey during this period.  Men were constantly being arrested for living on land they considered their own.  It all boiled to a huge uproar by 1747.  In New Jersey Colonial History it was called the Riots of 1747.  John's brother-in-law, Edmund Bainbridge, is an example.  On 17 Jul 1747 he led a mob to rescue his son from jail. Afterwards he was  "Indicted for a Riot in Somerset County, Recorded for a Riot in Middlesex County, Indicted for High Treason in Middlesex County, and presented for a Riot at Hunterdon County Session of the Peace". (16)
John and Sarah White may have already left the area by this time.  Their 8th and last child was born in 1739, the same year John supposedly sold the last of his land.  On 18 Feb. 1749/50 Capt. John White was granted a warrant for 573 acres on the Potomac River in Frederick County, Maryland,  adjoining Jeremiah Jack. Later references describe his land as being on the left side of the Wagon Road about 1 1/2 or 2 miles from Watkins' Ferry in Frederick County (now Berkeley County, West) Virginia. (17)  John's father, Peter White, had been living through some exasperating times.  Peter disappeared from the records in New Jersey about 1750, but there were warrants out for his arrest until 1753.  So, John White and his father, Peter White, left New Jersey at about the same time.
Jack Geary says in his writings about his great grandmother, (Sarah Leonard White),  that she died shortly after the family moved to Maryland. (18)  John remarried to Martha Jones, the widow of John Stull.  John White wrote his will  4 Sept. 1755 and it was  probated 24 Oct. 1759.  (19)  In the will he named his wife, Martha, sons, Peter, Leonard and James and oldest son John.  The named daughters were Sarah Stull, Catharine White, Abigail Debutt and Ruth White.  John's widow Martha later remarried to Hugh Torrance. .(20)

Sources

(1) Lib. A. p. 284 as taken from New Jersey Colonial Documents
John White witnessed the will of James Hubbard whose mother was Elizabeth Bayles, sister to Damaris Bayles who was the 2nd wife to his grandfather, William White, Sr.

(2) Land of William White Jr.
William White Jr. purchase in Shrewsbury from George Allen

Beginning at a chestnut Tree standing by a brook that runs down to ye Iron Works being a Corner Tree of Purdence Lininigs Land, Thence running South sixty chains thence running in Breadth West Twenty Chains thence North sixty Chains more or less to ye Brook thence Down ye sd. Brook to ye place where it began.  Bounded on ye South by ye Pines & barren land, North by Lewis Morris of Trenton, West by land of Thomas Wainwright, East by land of ye said Prudent Liming in all Containing one Hundred Acres be it more or less.  

 (3) We know John White was not a son of William White, Jr. since John White had a  sister, Abigail White who married Edmond Bainbridge.  She was born  20 Jun 1697 well before 1703 when William White, Jr. was recorded as having no children. 

Recollections of Margaret White Geary from "Ancestors of Kentucky" Volume 5 page 82.  Margaret White Geary was born 20 May 1770, daughter of Peter White and Margaret Stull White. Her grandfather was John White, sister to Abigail White Bainbridge. (John and Abigail were children of Peter White, son of this William White) In 1846 her son, Rev. Edward Ratchford Geary wrote ass follows:   "John, William, Peter and Abigail White constituted the family of my mother's great grandfather whose name is not recollected.  Their residence was Shrewsbury, New Jersey.  William and Peter never married.  Abigail married "Peter" Bainbridge and was the mother of John, Edmond, Peter and Absolom Bainbridge."

(4) Monmouth Deed BK E page 106 Robert Burnet to John Leonard
Land described as next to corner of Thomas Leonard's (deceased) Meadow commonly called Wentipenks bogg.  

(5) Deed BK G pg 87-88 Monmouth Co., NJ    22 May 1722 John White and Sarah his wife "late of Wentipenk Neck in New Jersey" selling land to John Throckmorton and Samuel Dennis Jr. on the east side of mine brook.   "bounded west by s'd Thomas Leonard's father's land and his brother Henry's east by land of his own.    ---  Also another tract of land beginning at a white oak marked on four sides standing on a branch of Swiming River being Col. Lewis Morris his corner thence south, etc.  --   thence north westerly eight degrees thirty chains to the place where the road crosses the river thence along the road east northerly six degrees ten chains to the first mentioned tree bounded east part by Col. Lewis Morris & part by barren land south by Nathaniel Leonards meadow west by land of s'd Thomas Leonards & north by a branch of Swiming River aforesaid containing after allowances for barrens high ways etc sixty acres english measure which said Lands meadow & premisses were by the proprietors of the eastern division of said Province patented unto sd Thomas Leonard dec's by patent bearing date the fourth day of October Anno Dom. 1695ndenture "Between John White and Sarah his wife late of Wentipenk Neck in Shrewsbury in the County of Monmouth - and John Throckmorton and Samuel Dennis Junr of Shrewsbury. - John White and Sarah his wife heirs of Thomas Leonard dec'd - bounded west by s'd Thomas Leonard's father's land and his brother Henry's east by land of his own."  signed by "John White Capt."

Deed BK G pg 87 Monmouth Co., NJ Deed BK g pg 88 Monmouth Co., NJ

Deed BK G pg 89-91 Monmouth Co., NJ 22 May 1722 Indenture between John White and Sarah his wife late of the Town of Shrewsbury and County of Monmouth and Samuel Dennis Junr. & John Throckmorton. - John White and Sarah his wife do lay claim to a certain tract of land heretofore bought of John Johnston Esqr. by Hester Leonard mother of Sarah White.

Deed BK G pg 89 Monmouth Co., NJ

Deed BK G pg 90 Monmouth Co., NJ

Deed BK G pg 91 Monmouth Co., NJ

(6) Extract of New Jersey Land Records C2  D2 by Richard S. Hutchinson
   D2  "pg 193 May 1726.  James Alexander, Surveyor General sendeth greetings.  WHEREAS, by a Lease & Release, dated 3 & 4 Aug 1724, betw. Peter Sonmans of one part and Christopher Gildermeester, of London, sold to sd. Christopher 2,000 a. in Middlesex co., East NJ. And, by his power of attorney, sd. Thomas Hopkins did obtain an Order & Warrant from the Government to direct me to survey run and ascertain the meters and bounds of the 2,000 a. dated 26 May 1725.  Now, by virtue of the several writings by Thomas Hopkins, I and my deputy Alexander Macdowall proceeded to the location of the 2,000 a. pursuant to his notice given to Peter Sonmans and located, butted and bounded the same (Page 194 is a full detailed map of the area and the adjoining lands, roads, etc. with names of land owners.) as follows. beg. on the 3rd line of the large tr. of 15,600 a. and then numerous courses (wherein the following names are mentioned -- Keyser & Osterland, John White's & Peter White's cleared land).  Signed Ja Alexander. I, Christopher Gildermeester by the sd. Thomas Hopkins, my attorney, do hereby declare that I have accepted the locating and bounding of the sd. 2,000 a. Wits: James Gilchrist, John Revell. Signed Christopher Gildermeester by Thomas Hopkins, his attorney.  Ackn; 30 May 1726.  Thomas Hopkins apprd bef James Alexander, Majesty's Council, and acknowledged that he signed the above instrument as the land deed for sd. Christopher Gildermeester."

(7) East Jersey deed BK D-2 pg 194 The "stake" is on the boundary of John White.  The "green birch" is the boundary for the land of Peter White's cleared land. The two markers are a quarter of a mile apart. In later documents it become apparent their lands were once part of the same tract.

page 194 of East Jersey Deed BK D2 showing survey

(9)

(10)  East Jersey Deed BK K pg 295-296

Abstract of Deed by Richard S. Hutchinson pg 295. 9 Apr 1731.  Samuel Leonard, and Ann, his wife, of Perth Amboy, Middlesex co., East NJ, sell to John White, of the afsd. place, for 500 pounds, for a tr. of land and meadow, within Perth Amboy, beg. where South River parts into two and up the stream called Manalapan River to Matchaponix River, then down same till it comes to the mouth of Deep Gully of Water, wch, drains out of the n. side of the Great Meadows, the mouth of wch, gully in the corner of land wch. Charles Jolly, dec'd, bot. of Samuel Leonard, and now in possession of John Jolly, then several courses to the outside of sd. Leonard's land, then n. to land of Thomas Warne, and then to the South River, then up same to beg.  ALSO, two-hundred parts of an undivided twenty-fourth part of unsurveyed lands in East NJ; wch. land was conveyed to sd. Leonard by his bro., Henry Leonard, by deed, dated 24 Jan 1712.  Wits.: Sarah Leonard, John Fawcet.  Signed: Samuel Leonard, Anne Leonard.  Ackn: 14 April 1731, John Fawcet apprd. bef. John Hamilton, Esq., Majesty's Council.

pg 1 of deed top half of pg 2 lower half of pg 2 DEED BK K pg 295-296

(11) East New Jersey Land Records E2-F2 pg. 537 1 May 1735

by Richard S. Hutchinson 1Abstract  May 1734.  John White & Sarah, his wife, of Perth Amboy, Middlesex Co., East NJ, sells to James Hude, of New Brunswick, Middlesex Co., NJ, for 105 pounds, for one equal half of a tr. of land and meadow in Perth Amboy, beg. where the River parts into two and then in a line where the road leading from the Sawmill parts into three and along the road that leads to the Burnt Meadows, and to the side of the tr. being in line of the tr. that John White sold to John Johnston, dec'd, and Andrew Johnston, then to Manalapan River and then to Matchaponix River and down the stream to the mouth of the gully of water that drowns the n. side of the great meadow, now in possession of John Jolley, then several courses to the outside of the sd. tr. then to Manthuas Bridge, then along the road to cleared land by the house of Edmond Bainbridge then along the road to Matchaponix Bridge and then to beg.  This tr. being part of a greater tr. bot by John White from Samuel Leonard by deed, dated 9 Apr 1731. To have the equal half to be divided unto James Hude (excep. the sawable pine timber on ye part of this tr. & did form. belong to Peter White, Junr. and timber swamp, meadows only excepted out of the tr. afsd.) to the benefit of sd. James Hude.  Wits.: Adam Hay, John Moore.  Signed John White, Sarah White.  Ackn 13 Aug 1734, John and Sarah White apprd. bef. John Hamilton, Esqr., Majesty's Council, Examined. - Thos. Bartow, Sec.

pg 1 of deed upper half lower half of pg 1 p2 2 of deed upper half lower half of pg 2 Deed BKs E2 -F2 pg 537-538

(12)  NJ Supreme Court Case #5613   Edmond Bainbridge vs John White   May Term 1734 John White of South River in Middlesex Co., NJ to answer unto Edmond Bainbridge of a plea of trespass for 108 pounds , 8 shillings, 8 pence of debt.

NJ Supreme Court Case #5613

(13)  Bond given from John White to Daniel White Dated this Thirtieth Day of January anno Domini 1733/4 Same Contains Thirty Three Pounds Georg Wetherill

bond found in estate of Daniel White

(14) New Jersey Supreme Court Case #20218 John and Sarah White were witnesses to the will of Charles Jolly of Perth Amboy on 24 Jan 1727. Charles Jolly was married to Jane Leonard, daughter of Samuel Leonard and Sarah Anne Brooks. a 1st cousin to Sarah Leonard. John Jolly was a son of Charles Jolly

John Jolly vs John White for trespass and cutting down trees 1739

(16) New Jersey Supreme Court Case # 21198 The King vs Roberts  Middlesex "Three hundred persons at least" - "with Staves, Axes Clubs and other warlike and unlawful weapons" rioted in Newark on Jan 16, 1745 between the hours of 3 and 5.  They broke out of "common goal" one Robert Young and one Thomas Sergeant.  Also one William Grant. Then on the 17th day of July 1747 in Middlesex county a grand jury presented that Amos Roberts, Theophilus Burrell, Robert Young, Nathaniel Williams, John Jeffers, yeomen of Essex County   -  Simon Wycoly, Thomas Clawson, yeomen of Somerset County  -  Edmond Bainbridge, Samuel Price, Abraham Anders, yeomen of Hunterdon county - Hendrick Hoagland, Daniel White yeomen of Middlesex County - John Hoppa, yeoman of Bergen county evil doers of one hundred and upwards with Staves & clubs riotously, noutously & unlawfully beat grievously John Deare, Esq. and High Sheriff of the City of Perth Amboy and broke one John Bainbridge in the goal & under the custody of the aforesaid John Deare.

New Jersey Supreme Court Case #21198  involving Daniel White and Edmund Bainbridge as they break John Bainbridge out of "goal".

Ancestry of William Seaman Bainbridge  by Louis Effingham De Forest, 1950
Most of the references to Edmund in the records relate to the serious difficulties in which he placed himself in 1747 because of his fears that the proprietors were going to take away some of his land. On April 7, 1747, he wrote a private letter to Nathaniel Camp of Newark about this threat and the measures being taken to prevent it. "If I lost my Estate," he wrote, "and could not live in fassion, should chuse an unknown land." The letter got into unknown hands and was forwarded to Chief Justice Morris of New Jersey, Edmund being referred to as "one of the Newark Committee" on the land question. With other "disaffected" he signed a congratulatory address to Governor Belcher in 1747, apparently in the hope of receiving assistance from the Executive. His son, John, was active with him in is protests and early in 1747, probably in May, father and son were leaders of a mob of rioters which broke open the jail at Somerset and rescued some men charged with high treason. John was caught and placed in jail at Perth Amboy being "indicted for a Riot in Somerset County and presented at Hunterdon County Sessions." On July 17, 1747, Edmund led a mob, variously estimated as between seventy and two hundred persons, to the Perth Amboy Jail and rescued his son. The Sheriff had a writ for Edmund on a charge of high treason and arrested him but he was taken out of the hands of the law and the rescuing party got away. A spectator wrote to Chief Justice Morris that "Bainbridge the Father and his Son had (afterwards) the Impudence Attended by a few more to ride through the town". Serious charges were prepared against Edmund Bainbridge reading: "Indicted for a Riot in Somerset County, Recorded for a Riot in Middlesex County, Indicted for High Treason in Middlesex County, and presented for a Riot at Hunterdon County Session of the Peace". However, he seems to have escaped punishment and on August 18, 1748, he and his son John took oaths and gave bond, taking "the Benefit of the late Act of Grace; Entitled, An Act to Pardon the Person guilty of the Insurrections, Riots, and disorders raised and Committed in this Province".
The plantation owned by Edmund, or at least part of his property, was situated on Stony Brook, East Jersey.

(17) On 18 Feb. 1749/50 Capt. John White was granted a warrant for 573 acres on the Potomac River in Frederick County, Maryland

Virginia Northern Neck Grants H. pg 82  573 acres

(18) Jack Geary says in his writings (about his great grandmother) "Sarah Leonard was an accomplished beautiful and remarkable active woman, born in the province of New Jersey. She was celebrated as a graceful and skillful rider, also as a devoted church woman.  She is said to have inherited a fortune.  The family estate was called Shrewsbury and is so known on the records of New Jersey.  John White, Jr. a son, was sent to England to recover a large estate accumulated by his uncle, William White, at the Cape of Good Hope, who died a bachelor and intestate.  The estate was large but was lost to the American Heirs through the mismanagement of the said John White, Jr., who spent quite large sums in dissipation while in Europe.  The result of this was embarrassment of home and the removal of the family to Maryland where the mother Sarah Leonard White died shortly afterward."

(19) WILL

Will of John White
4 Sep 1755
FHL film 5647682
Frederick County, MD Liber A pages 123 and 124

In the Name of God Amen I John White of  Frederick County in the Province of Maryland being of sound and perfect memory blessed be the Lord his mercies but calling to mind the mortality of my Body I Do make ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner and form following.  First I Bequeath my Soul to God that gave & my Body to be Buried in Such manner at the Discretion of my Extor hereafter named in hopes of a glorious Resurrection through the (?)  of our Lord Jesus Christ and as for worldly substance wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with I give and bequeath in manner and form following after my debts and funeral charges be paid & Discharged Then I give to my true & loving wife Martha her Choice of my Beds that is one of them & all my waring cloaths.  Item I give to my son Peter & Leonard White my gold Sleve buttons between them.  Item I give my son James White my silver neck buckle.  Item I give my Daughter Sarah Stull her mothers Silver Boakin.  Item I give to my Daughter Catharine White her mothers gold ring.  her sister Abigail Debutt had the other.  Item I give to my Daughter Ruth her mothers Silver Claspe.  Item I give all my waring Cloaths to my Sons Peter Leonard & James White.  Item  I give to my oldest son John White five shilling to be levied of my Estate & Paid him on Demand by my Executor hereafter named.   And it is my will of pleasure that all my Estate real & personal that belongs of right to me in Law & Equity as my Land in Frederick County in Virginia is also my Estate in Frederick County in Maryland by marriage was Extor by my wife be all appraised & sold by my Extor hereafter named & after my funeral charges & Just Debts & Legacies Due from the Estate of John & Daniel Stull are discharged & Paid then my wife Martha to have her equal third part of the whole Remainder of my Estate and the other two thirds of the whole remainder of my Estate it is my will that it be equally Divided between all my children VIZ John Peter Leonard James Abigail Sarah Catharine and Ruth White and I Do nominate and appoint my loving wife Martha White and my sons Peter and Leonard White Extors of this my Last Will & Testament. In witness whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal this 4th day of September in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred Fifty Five.

Witnesses: Thomas Scarlett, John Mark, John Rutter

(20) Martha Jones was the widow of John Stull.  After her second husband, John White, died, she married again to Hugh Torrence. In 1772 Martha Torrence was "of Cumberland Co. PA"

1772 Frederick Co., MD Deed BK P pg 410

Modern day map  of where Peter and John White  were living in 1725 in New Jersey

Modern day map  of where John White and Peter White, Jr  were living in 1731 and 1734 in New Jersey

There are several notations of a John White in the Middlesex County Minute Bks. of the Court of Common Pleas and Court of General Quarter Sessions.  However, there was another John White also in Middlesex County at this time.  This other John White was the grandson of one of the original Proprietors, John White.  He lived in Perth Amboy.  He died intestate in 1739.  The court cases found in the minutes are: John Browne vs John White in 1730.  Lewis Moore vs John White for debt also in 1730.  John White vs George Webb for debt.  There was also a John White who was Justice of the Peace from 1730 to 1735.  John White and Gabriel Stelle received a bond from Daniel Lawrence for 50 pounds in 1735 and a John White hired Philip Kearny as his attorney in 1735 in a suit against Edward Pierce.    All of these could refer to either John White.

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