East Greenwich NJ - PEASLEE FAMILY GENEALOGY

The PEASLEE Family of East Greenwich are direct descendants of Joseph Peasly/Peaslee.

[Note: I previously reported that Joseph-1 Peasly was the son of William & Anne (Calvert) Peaslee. That information is incorrect. My thanks to Jim White who pointed out that William and Anne (Calvert) Peaslee married 29 May 1627 at St. Martins, Middlesex England. They never had a son Joseph. Two of their sons, Francis and John, did indeed immigrate to America, however they landed and lived in Maryland. This Peaslee family were Catholics, not Quakers.]

JOSEPH PEASLY/PEASLEE -1, was born 1600-1605 in England, and died 3-Dec-1660 in Salisbury, MA. He married (1) abt 1625 in England to -- PEASLEY/ PEASLEE. She was born Abt. 1600 in England, and died before 1635 in England. He married (2) prob before 1635 in Wales to MARY JOHNSON, daughter of JOHN JOHNSON and HANNAH THROCKMORTEN. She was alive in 1664 when "Widow Peaslee, Exacitor to Joseph Piesly, received twenty acres of land in exchange for six acres of salt marsh formerly granted to her husband."

Joseph came from England before 1638 and first settled in Newbury MA; in 1639 he is found in Hampton NH with his wife Mary; then to Salisbury in 1641, and was one of the 32 landowners in Haverhill, MA in 1645. While he was residing in East Salisbury, he fell out of favor with the established church and moved out of it's jurisdiction to west of the Powow river in what is known as Amesbury Mills. He continued to have problems with the East Salisbury church who extended their jurisdiction, forcing Joseph and others to move farther west and making a permanent settlement in Haverhill, in that part which was in Massachusetts before the state line was established in 1741, changing some of the locations to current day New Hampshire.

Once there the settlers felt that they should have their own church and not have to travel to the church in Salisbury. The settlers began to meet at "church" in their new settlement. Joseph Peaslee and Thomas Macy preached the sermons. The General Court ruled on 6-Nov- 1646 that : "Any person living within the limits of the colony of Massachusetts Bay who shall without cause, neglect to attend public worship shall forfeit for his absence from every said published meeting, five shillings." Both Peaslee and Macy were warned about their preaching, but both continued to defy the General Court.

The inhabitants of Salisbury petitioned the General Court seeking to be declared a separate town and have the right to have their own church. The court ruled against them on May 26, 1658: "Judged it not meete to grant ye inhabitants of the new town of Salisbury their petition but doe declare and order for the present, that they shall attend the worship of God together in the old town and that they contribute their several proportions for the maintenance and continuance of the same amongst them."

The residents of Salisbury ignored this order and a warrant was issued ordering Joseph to appear before the court and answer for his disobedience to authorities. This warrant read: "That the recorder for the County of Norfolke, fforthwith issue out his warrants requiring Joseph Peasley & the rest of the inhabitants of the new toune, being masters of families, or at their own dispose to make theire personal appearances before the next County Court to be held at Salisbury, to answer for their disobedience to authoritie in not complying wth said order and the said County Court is hereby empowered to procede agt all such of them as in their appearance shall not fully make it cleare they have since said order, performed their duty and repajred to the public worship of God on the Lords day at the ould toune, to fine them for every days absence there, five shillings".

Joseph refused to stop preaching and in 1659 was fined 5 shillings per week by the court. The Court ordered him to stop preaching. A compromise was finally reached where the new residents would hire the preacher from the Salisbury church, Rev. Worcester, to travel to their church and preach. There were problems with this arrangement and after protests made, the residents were ordered by the court to attend Rev. Worcester's meetings. Joseph Peaslee and others decided to ignore this court order. The court then responded with a stronger order: "The Court, having considered of & given ansr to the petition of the inhabitants of Salisbury, calling to minde the affront that Joseph Peasley put upon this Corts judgement & order in the yeare fifty eight, not only by continewing his preaching amongst the inhabitants of the new toune of Salisbury notwithstanding this courts injunction to the country but refusng to come to ansr for his contempt of the courts order & understanding the County Court only fined him five shillings for his absence weekly, as they did others & that still he continews preaching there as frequently as before the courts order & that also as we have been informed against the advice of the church whereof he is a member, and that his preaching, (being very weak and unfitt for so great a work) doth rather encrease then lessen the contentions there, doe order, that the said Joseph Peasley be forthwith by order of this court forbidden to preach anymore in any part of this jurisdiction till he give full satisfaction to this Court for what have been past."This dispute was never solved during Joseph’s lifetime.

On 11-Nov-1660 his will was written:
The last Will and Testament of Josef Peasly is that my debts shall be payedout of my Estate and the remainder estate----my debts being payed I doo give and bequeath unto Mary my wiff During her life and I doo my daffter Sara all my hous and lands that I have at Salisbury and I doo give unto Josef my sonne all my land that I have upon the plain at Haverhil and doo give unto Josef my sonne all my medo ling in East medo at Haverhil and doo give unto Josef my sonne five shares of the common rites that doo belong to me on the plain. I doo give unto my daffter Elizabeth my fourty fower acres of upland ling westwards of Haverhil and doo give unto my dattfer Elizabeth fower acres and a half of medo ling in the---- at Haverhil and doo allso give my daffter Elizabeth fower of the common rites that doo belong to the plain and doo give unto daffter Jean fower shillings and to my daffter Mary Fower shillings. I doo give unto Sara Saier my grandchild my upland and medo ling in -----medo.
And I doo give unto my sonne Josef all the remainder of my land at Haverhil which is not herein disposed of. I doo allso make Mary my wiff my Soule executrer and doo allso leave Josef my sonne and the estate I have given him to my wiff to poss on till Josef my sonne be twenty years of age."

Joseph Peaslee was buried in the Quaker burial ground in Salisbury (now Newton) New Hampshire.
Children of Joseph & -- (Peasley) Peaslee:
1. Jane/Jean, b before 1630 in England; m. John Davis 10 December 1646, had issue [these are the direct ancestors of Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis, the actress]. Their children, recorded in Haverhill MA were Mary, b. 6 Nov 1647, Sarah b 7 march 1648, and John b 22 Aug 1654. He is said to have removed to Dover NH. "Jean" is mentioned in her father's will.
2. Mary, b. abt 1629, mentioned in her father's will; ?m. Joseph Whittier [History of Weare NH states she married Joseph Whitter. This is not the same Mary below who married Joseph Whittier, and possibly is an error].
3. Elizabeth, mentioned in her father's will.
Children of Joseph & Mary (Johnson) Peaslee:
4. Sarah, b. 20 Sep 1642 Newbury MA; m. Thomas Barnard Jr.; mentioned in her father's will.
5. +Joseph Jr., b. 9 Sep 1646 Haverhill MA [see below]; mentioned in his father's will.

JOSEPH PEASLEY-2, son of Joseph & Mary (Johnson) Peaslee, was born 9 Sep 1646 in Haverhill, Essex County, MA and died 21-Mar-1733/34 in Haverhill, Essex County, MA. Joseph was raised in the eastern part of Haverhill, near to Amesbury in the old riverfront settle ment of Rocks Village. He married 1st) 21-Jan-1671/72 in Amesbury, Essex County, MA to Ruth Barnard. Ruth was the daughter of Thomas & Helene (Morse) Barnard and was born 16-Oct-1651 in Salisbury, MA; she died 5-Nov-1723 in Haverhill, Essex County, MA. Joseph married the widow Mary (Tucker) Davis a short time later.

"Joseph Peaslee, called 'Junior', was but twelve years old when his father died. He and his family lived in the "eastern part of the town near the head of what is now (1977) East Broadway on the side towards the Merrimack River". The house he erected prior to 1675 on the County Bridge road This house became known as the "Peaslee Garrison" and still stands at 790 East Broadway, Haverhill. It was used as a sort of armory at one time and was constructed with bricks imported from England. (An interesting sidenote is that Robert Hastings , the mason who built the house, had a daughter, Elisabeth, who later married Joseph's son, Joseph.) The house is 2 stories high and has 3 rooms upstairs and 3 rooms downstairs. A chimney is located at each end of the house. During King Philip's War the home was used as a garrison house where soldiers were stationed and people could flee if need be.

His son, Joseph (III), married Elizabeth Hastings, daughter of Robert Hastings, who was one of the founders of Amesbury and Newton, with the Elder Joseph Peaslee. His daughter, Sarah, married Ebenezer Eastman, one of the first settlers of Concord, NH, and one of famous personages of the town. For descendants of them, see 'Eastman Genealogies'; altho, Rix in the 'Eastman Family in America', states that Sarah was the daughter of Col. Nathaniel Peaslee, but who was actually Sarah's brother.

It may be mentioned here that Joseph Peaslee (Junior) was a Quaker of whatever faith his father was. He acted as the Quaker preacher and held the meetings of the faith in his home, altho forbidden to do so. In 1699, Joseph Peaslee petitioned the town for the right to worship, with other Quakers, in the public meeting house. When this was refused Joseph opened his house for these meetings. In 1701, a fire caused Joseph Peaslee serious property damage, so much so that the town voted to "give him his rates on that account." In the town of Newton, NH, near the Junction, in the heart of the woods, is the old Quaker burial grounds. Here, are rows of graves, unmarked except by rude, unlettered stones at the head and foot of each. Here may repose the dust of Joseph and Mary, and of Joseph (Junior) and Ruth.

Children of Joseph & Ruth (Barnard) Peaslee include:
1. Mary, b. 1672, m. Joseph Whitter; ancestors of John Greenleaf Whittier, the poet.
2. Joseph, b. 1674, m. 1699 to Elizabeth Hastings, dau of Robert Hastings; had two sons, Joshua and Daniel
3. Robert,b 1677, d. 1742; m 1701 to Alice Currier, who was b. in 1678. Children: Amos, Samuel (who m. Hannah Purington in 1734), Ruth, Abigail and Alice
4. +John, b. 25 Feb 1678/79; m. Mary Martin
5. Nathaniel,b 1682, d 1775; m1) Judith Kimball who d. in 1641; m2) 1742 Abiah Swan. One of their daughters, Susannah, m. Christopher Sargent of Methuen MA in 1729 and one of their sons, Nathaniel Peaslee Sargent, was chief justice of Massachusetts.
6. Ruth, b 1684, m 1705 Samuel Clement who d. 1754
7. Ebenezer, b. 1688
8. Sarah, b. 1690; m 1710 Capt Ebenezer Eastman
9. another child reportedly was Lydia

Mary, the daughter of John & Mary (Weed) Martin, and a granddaughter of George & Susanna North Martin was born 1678 in Amesbury, Essex County, MA. Mary's grandmother Susanna was tried and convicted of being a witch during the infamous Salem Witch trials in 1692, and was executed (hanged). Later, one of Joseph & Ruth (Barnard) Peaslee's descendants, John Greenleaf Whittier, the famous Quaker poet, wrote the poem "The Witch's Daughter" (about Susanna's daughter -- note that Susannah did not have a daughter named Mabel).

John Peaslee moved to Newton, NH in 1713. Owner/Operator of a water powered mill. these mills were used to cut lumber, grind grain, and weave cloth

Children of John & Mary (Martin) Peaslee:
1. Joseph, b. 1706, m. 1729 to Martha Hoag, had issue: Nathaniel (who settled in Weare NH and m. Mary Colby), John, Mary, Ruth, Hannah, Joseph, Enoch, Martha, Stephen, Benjamin and Micajah.
2. John, b. 1707; m. Lydia --; had issue: Sarah, Timothy, John, Ruth, Philip, Silas, Mary, Paul, Simeon and Jedediah
3. Mary
4. Sarah?
5. +Jacob, b. 1710; m. Huldah Brown in 1735
6. Nathan, b. 1711; m. Lydia Gove in 1741
7. Ruth?
8. Moses, b. 1714, m. Mary Gove, dau of Jonathan and Mary (Lancaster) Gove in 1741. Children: Jonathan, Mary, Moses Jr., Ebenezer, John, Patience, Humphrey, Eliezabeth, Anna and Obadiah
9. Ebenezer, m. Lydia Weed in 1744
10. Other children reportedly included David and James
[some descendants from "History of Weare NH"]

Note: John Greenleaf Whittier was not a descendant of Susanna North Martin, but he would have been a cousin to her great-grandchildren through his Peaslee line. This John Peaslee's sister, Mary, married into the Whittier line as follows:
- Mary Peaslee, daughter of Joseph & Ruth (Barnard) Peaslee married Joseph Whittier (in 1694)
- Their son, Joseph Whittier Jr., married Sarah Greenleaf
- Their son, John Whittier married Abigail Hussey
- Their son was John Greenleaf Whittier

JACOB PEASLEE-4, son of John and Mary (Martin) Peaslee, was born at Haverhill MA, 11 May 1710; died Kingston NH, 29 July 1744. He married Amesbury MA, 25 10m [December] 1735, HULDAH BROWN, daughter of John and Abigail (Johnson) Brown, born Hampton NH, 3 November 1715; died probably Rockingham County NH, possibly before 19 April 1752 when an Abraham Dow of Hampton NH was granted guardianship of her son Elijah. In 'Peaslees and Others of Haverhill and Vicinity, a Mr. Beede is credited to have said that Jacob Peaslee settled in Kingston, NH, and died leaving one son. Child of Jacob & Huldah (Brown) Peaslee: Elijah

ELIJAH PEASLEE-5, son of Jacob and Huldah (Brown) Peaslee, born Kingston NH, 15 July 1741; died probably Pittsfield NH, 29 July 1810. He married Kingston NH, probably March 1766 (int. filed Amesbury MA, 20 February 1766), ESTHER GOODALE/GOODELL, daughter of Bartholomew and Sarah (Osborn) Goddale, born probably Salem MA, 16 January 1747 [/8?]; He settled in Pittsfield NH where he owned 500 acres in an area known as "Catamount.". He is listed as a farmer in the 1790 census, and was a selectman of Pittsfield around the same time. Elijah died probably Pittsfield NH before 13 July 1810, when administration of the estate of Elijah Peaslee was granted to Esther Peaslee, John Peaslee, Amos Peaslee and John Jenkins. [Note---compare Elijah's death date to the grant of administration date]. The inventory of the estate of Elijah Peaslee, late of Pittsfield NH, taken 1 September 1810, was valued at $3280.73 (about $33,866 in 1999). He is buried in Pittsfield NH, in the area then known as "Catamount", his grave being marked only with a boulder. Children of Elijah & Esther (Goodale) Peaslee included: Ruth, Jacob, Amos, Huldah, Samuel, Abraham, Amos, John and Stephen.

AMOS PEASLEE-6, son of Elijah & Esther (Goodale) Peaslee, was born 16/17-Jul-1780 in Gilmanton, NH and married Sarah Jenkins Lister in Amesbury, Mass on 4-Feb-1802. He died 29-May-1866 in Kingston, NH. He had five children with Sarah, who was born 31-Oct-1775 or 23-Jul-1776 and died 25-Aug-1828. Amos remarried to Sarah Nicholson Allen in Salem, NJ on 6-Jan-1830. Some records indicate he came to Mt. Royal, N.J. in 1820. Other details about this Amos include the statements that he lived in Pittsfield, NH, and moved to Salem, NJ on 30-Dec-1829. The Salem Co. Historical Society's index of deeds shows Joseph and Mary Bassett of Salem transferring land "to Amos Peaslee, of the same place; lot of land in Salem , joining other land of Amos Peaslee, August 26, 1830." The pamphlet, Salem A Century Ago, shows an unclaimed letter for Amos Peaslee in the Salem post office in July 1831. In various records he is listed as a farmer, a Quaker, and sometimes a tanner. He married his second wife at the Salem, NJ Quaker Meeting House. Their children were Anna/Anne, Elijah, Esther and Amos Jenkins.

Anna/Anne-7 PEASLEE born in Gloucester Co. NJ; married 10 DEC 1829 in in a public meeting at Upper Greenwich to Isaac B. WARD, son of John & Hannah Ward. [Note: Shirley Evans, a descendant of John & Hannah Ward provided the following information on this branch of the family]. From Woodbury Monthy Meeting (Hicksite) p. 8, 1829-12-10 Peaslee, Anna, dt of Amos and Sarah Peaslee of Gloucester Co., NJ: married Isaaac B. Ward of Newton Twp., Gloucester Co. NJ, son of John and Hannah Ward, dec: in a publick meeting at Upper Greenwich.
Witnesses included: John Ward, Amos Peaslee, Sarah N. Allen, Lettia Ward, Aron Ward, George Ward, Eliz. Peaslee, Amos J. Peaslee, Richard P. Ward (this should be a J. for Jordon), Ruth Ward, Mary Ward, Enoch Allen, John Allen, Beulah W. Allen, William Haines, Samuel Edmondson, Ann Haines by request, Charles Kaighn, Lydia Stockes by request, Ann Haines, Martha Rulon, Enoch Evans, Lydia S. Bqcon by request, William Pine, George Craft, Joseph A ---(illegible), Moses Rulon, Isaac Haines, Susana Rulon by request, Delia Paul, Mercy Owen by request, Mary B. Craft, Lydia Craft, Hannah P. Haines, Ann Allen, Mary Allen, Pricilla H. Warrington, Hepperchia Haines by request, Sarah Reeves, Heppe Haines, Edna Knight, Sarah S. Branson, Caroline Amelia Glover, Griffith Linchman (?), Mary A. Hinch___(illegible), Josiah Stockes, Jr., David B. Cooper, William Thorne, Joseph Owen, Nathan Warrington, Isaac Combs, William Haines, Jr.
Children of Isaac B. & Anna/Anne (Peaslee) Ward (may have been more children):
1. Samuel Ward born about 1829-30; died September 8, 1849 in Camden, NJ.
Isaac married 2nd) Nancy Troth on 11-5-1837 at Friends Meeting House.
Children of Isaac B & Nancy (Troth) Ward:
2. Charles Ward, born 1838
3. George Ward born 1843
4. Nancy T. Ward

AMOS JENKINS-7 PEASLEE, son of Amos & Sarah Jenkins Lister Peaslee was born 24-Apr-1813 in Amesbury, Mass. and died 11-@30-1884 or 1889. He married Hannah Lippincott, daughter of John & Hannah (Moore) Lippincott in Pilesgrove, NJ on 2-Mar-1843. Hannah was born 25 Jul 1812 in Pilesgrove Twp., Salem County, New Jersey and died 19 MAR 1890 in Gloucester Co. NJ. In 1847 AMOS JENKINS-7 PEASLEE purchased the Justice house on Kings Highway in Mickleton. The central part of that residence is believed to have been built c1747 for Nicholas Justison [some state his surname was JUSTICE] on land bought from Samuel Harrison, Jr. In 1850, according Cushing and Sheppard's History of Salem, Gloucester and Cumberland Counties, Amos Peaslee had a tannery shop on Kings Highway in Clarksboro. Amos J. Peaslee and his family is shown in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 US Census. [In the 1850 census he is listed as a tanner and currier; in 1860 and 1870 as a farmer]. In 1876 he had a house built at 356 Kings Highway on land bought from the estate of Joseph V. Clark. Prior to 1881 he was Commissioner of Appeals for East Greenwich . In 1883 he was trustee of the Upper Greenwich Friend Meeting. Amos J. and Hannah had seven children: Anna, Edward/Edwin H., Sarah, Gideon, Esther, Mary, and Hannah

GIDEON-8 PEASLEE, son of Amos Jenkins & Hannah (Lippincott) Peaslee was born 22 January 1849 in Harrisonville, Lewis Co. NY. He married Emma L. Waddington on 15 March 1875/76. At a meeting held in Clarks Hall (Clarksboro NJ) for the purpose of forming a fire company, the following officers were elected: C.G. Hughes - President, Gideon Peaslee - Vice President, Isaac T. Haines - Secretary, A.F. Hoffman - Treasurer. A motion to meet on April 15, 1903 at Clarks Hall at 8 o'clock PM was carried. A motion was made that the call be published for two weeks in a county paper. The company to be named the "East Greenwich Township Fire Association." (From the minutes of the East Greenwich Fire Company - March 24, 1903). In the 1910 census his occupation is listed as Bank clerk. . Children include: Ruth Waddington, Mary, Hannah Lippincott., and Amos J.

RUTH W-9 PEASLEE married James Gardiner Engle of Mullica Hill on 15 March 1904 . They were treasurers of the Ladies Auxiliary and the East Greenwich Fire Company, respectively. Their daughter,
EMMA P-10 ENGLE lived on Kings Highway, Clarksboro, and was one of the authors of the Centennial Booklet describing the history of East Greenwich Township. The East Greenwich Township Public Library was housed in her private home on the corner of Kings Highway and Cohawkin Road until the library moved to its present location.

AMOS JENKINS-9 PEASLEE II, son of Gideon and Emma (Waddington) Peaslee, (1887-1969) -- also known as Amos J. Peaslee -- of Clarksboro, Gloucester County, NJ

Amos Jenkins Peaslee II, circa 1907

Born 24 Mar 1887 he married Dorothy Quimby in 1920. He was an international lawyer, and a 1907 graduate of Swarthmore College (a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity). The Amos J. Peaslee Debate Society at Swarthmore College was named after him. He was an American Branch President of The International Law Association in 1928, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey in 1948 and 1952; and U.S. Ambassador to Australia, 1953-56 under President D. Eisenhower. In 1950 he wrote a book, Constitutions of Nations. The First Compilation in the English Language of the Texts of the Constitutions of the Various Nations of the World, Together with Summaries, Annotations, Bibliographies, and Comparative Tables. Between the years of 1930-1972 he maintained an intermittent residence in the Amos Peaslee home (built by his grandfather) on Kings Highway. In 1941, with the help of funds from Floyd Warrington's First-Day School Class and Amos and Dorothy Peaslee, The Little Red Schoolhouse was restored so that it could be used as a recreation center for the neighborhood. In 1957 Dorothy and Amos Peaslee donated .64 acre of land across from the Little Red Schoolhouse to the Mickleton Friends Meeting where they built tennis and basketball courts for use by the community. He died in 1969, with interment at Mickleton Meeting Graveyard. Children were Dorothy Waddington Peaslee (who married Alexander Xydis); Amos Jenkins Jr.; Lucy Ann Raynes (who married William Stewart Dougall), and Richard Cutts.

AMOS JENKINS -10 PEASLEE JR., (aka "Buzz") son of Amos J & Dorothy (Quimby) Peaslee, was born 10 Sep 1923 and died 29 Sep 1989; he married Barbara Alden Shedden. He graduated from Yale University, Class of 1948 and the University of Michigan Law School in 1951. He was a World War II veteran, serving with the US Army 10th Mountain Division in Italy. He was an attorney in New York State until 1969 when he moved back to his family farm in East Greenwich and continued to practice law in Woodbury, NJ.