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SECOND GENERATION. 2. JOHN SHINN, JR. (2).--JOHN (1). John. Born in England. Designated in records John, Jr.
He appears upon the Records of West Jersey for the first time on the 6th day of the 10th month (December 6), 1683, when he and his father, John Shinn, Senior, signed the marriage record of John Woolston and Letitia
Newbold as witnesses. Said ceremony was performed by Elias Pharo Justice. (Burlington Records, 1683.) Then, on May 13th, 1685, John Renshawe, of Burlington, deeded John Shinn, Jr., of Birch Creek, Burlington County, for
œ17, silver, two hundred acres of land, in the First or Yorkshire Tenth. John Shinn, Jr., is designated in this deed as "husbandman," and lived near the line between the First and Second Tenths. (W. J. R.,
Liber B, Pt. 1, p. 87.) Then came the momentous period of his marriage. Following the custom of Friends, of which society he was in all probability a member, he published his intention to marry Ellen Stacy before the
Monthly Meeting of Friends at Burlington on the 5th day of the 2d month (April 5), 1686. Further following the requirements of the society, he and Ellen published their intentions of marriage by a second appearance
before the meeting on the 3d day of the 3d month (May 3, 1686), 1686. Upon their first appearance a committee was appointed to inquire into the character of John and Ellen, and to see whether any hindrance or impediment
existed which could lawfully and religiously bar the marriage. This committee reported at the second meeting that no impediment existed, and the meeting left them at liberty to consummate the weighty affair in the fear
of God. These inquiries of the church into the clearness of candidates for matrimony deserve the commendation of prudent men. They not only prevented to a large degree the marriage of such as were within the canonical
degrees, but also improvident and hasty marriages. For two young people to appear twice in open meeting at different times and publicly announce their intention to marry not only requires courage, but is conducive of
proper thought with reference to this solemn contract. "To marry out of meeting," that is, to ignore the requirements of the society and be married by a "priest" or by an "officer of the
law," although recognized by Friends as a lawful marriage, was a sufficient cause for excommunication from their membership, and resulted in "disownment." John Shinn, Jr., and Ellen Stacy had
"passed meeting" properly, and there remained nothing save the marriage ceremonial to be performed. Its simplicity will be seen from the following record, taken from the First Record Book of Marriages, Births
and Deaths of Burlington Monthly Meeting of Friends: "Whereas there hath been an intention of marriage dewly published at two several Monthly Meetings of the People called Quakers in Burlington (upon the
river Dallaware in the province if West New Jersey in America) between John Shinn, Jr., of Birch Creek, Husbandman, and Elin Stacy, daughter of Robert Stacy of Burlington, both inhabiting the Province aforesaid, Inquiry
having been made for removing obstructions, and also ye consent of parents being had, ye meeting permitted their joyning together in marriage. "Now this may certify ye truth unto all whom it doth or may
concern on ye day of ye date hereof in our sight and hearing and in an Assembly of the Lord's People ye said John Shinn did take and declare ye said Elin Stacy to be his wife, and ye said Elin Staey did take and declare
ye said John Shinn to be her husband according to ye example of ye Holy Men of God recorded in the Scriptures of Truth. Each of them consenting or proposing to be loving, faithful and true in ye capacity as husband and
wife during the term of their natural lives together. In witness whereof the parties themselves have first of all subscribed their names, and we also as witnesses this third day of ye fourth month, 1686." Signed
John Shinn, Ellin Stacy, John Shinn, Sr., Robert Stacy, Jane Shinn, Thomas Shinn, George Shinn, John Stacy, Elizabeth Stacy, Mary Shinn, and twelve others. This young lady, Ellen Stacy, was the daughter of
Robert Stacy, one of the principal men of the colony. The family in England was a most respectable one, and had borne with honor and distinction many important positions in the country. Robert Stacy was one of the
original proprietors of New Jersey, and his signature appears on "The Concessions and Agreements;" he was also one of the First Commissioners sent over to the young colony by the proprietors. In New York
Colonial Documents, Vol. XXI, page 635, he is set down as one of the first magistrates of West New Jersey, his commission being dated August, 1677. In the Pennsylvania Colonial Records, Vol. I, page 75, he appears as a
mediator between the Province of Pennsylvania and East Jersey. The New York Colonial Documonts, Vol. XII, page 614, show that on November 14, 1678, he leased Matiniconck Island from Sir Edmund Andros, Governor of New
York. Soon after this he took up lands along Assincunk Creek, and in 1680 was the owner of one-sixth of a propriety. In point of wealth and grasp of affairs, few men stood higher than he, and no one in West Jersey had a
greater influence. He removed to Philadelphia in 1690, where he and his son, John, began the manufacture of leather. His will, dated 2/2/1699, was admitted to probate October 18, 1701. (Phila. Wills, page 147.) There is
no record of the children of this marriage, and we are left to the recitals of wills and deeds to ascertain their names, but are without any material whatever to predicate an opinion as to the order or dates of their
birth. The will of the father-in-law. Robert Stacy, gives a legacy to "Ellen and her son," but does not name him. We shall now take up the land transactions of John Shinn, Jr., not so much to show his
position as a landholder as to construct an authoritative line of descent. There is doubtless in some old book in some forgotten heap of rubbish an accurate family record of John and Ellen (Stacy.) Shinn, but as I
cannot find it, I am driven to the next best thing to construct one from materials that are as authentic as a record, but not so orderly nor so comprehensive. As early as 1685 John Shinn, Jr., had begun to
acquire land, as is evidenced by the following conveyances, recorded in the records of Burlington County. We have already noted that on May 13, 1685, John Renshawe, of Burlington, conveyed two hundred acres, to be
surveyed in the First Tenth, to John Shinn, Jr., of Birch Creek. (Liber BB, f. 87.) On January 6, 1706-7, John and Mary Crosby conveyed to John Shinn, Jr., brother of said Mary, five hundred and fifty-five acres, the
land that had been given them by John Shinn, Sr. (Liber BBB, f. 215.) On May 17, 1716, Joseph Ambler, of Philadelphia, sold John Shinn one hundred acres. (Ibid., f. 298.) On August 27, 1718, John Shinn conveved to John
Ogbourne thirty acres. (Ibid., f. 348.) On January 11, 1713-4, he sold Abraham Bickley, of Philadelphia, one hundred acres in Springfield Township. (Ibid., f. 414.) On June 30, 1722, he sold a meadow in Springfield
Township to Thomas Budd, of Northampton. (Liber BB, f. 379.) Hon. John Clement, of Haddonfield, furnished me with the following note, gleaned from records in the Surveyor General's office at Burlington:
"In 1725 John Shinn and his four sons--Clement, Joshua, Jacob and Caleb--located land in Burlington County." (Rec. Sur. Gen. Office, Burlington, N. J.) On June 1, 1726, John Shinn, of Springfield Township,
conveyed six hundred and eighteen acres on a branch of Raritan River, in Hunterdon County, to Widow Sarah Dimsdale. (Liber D, f. 189.) On May 11, 1726, John Shinn sold to his sons, William and Clement, several tracts of
land. On October 20, 1736, William Shinn, of Springfield, brother and heir-at-law of Clement Shinn, late of same place, conveyed to John Shinn, father of William and Clement, the land which John Shinn, the father,
conveyed to William and Clement on May 11, 1726. (Liber E, 202.) On October 21, 1736, John Shinn conveyed the same land to David Lewis, of Lebanon, Hunterdon County. The deed contains the recitals set out above. (Liber
E, 205.) On the same day John Shinn deeded his son William 426 acres in Lebanon, Hunterdon County. (Liber E, 205.) John Shinn, Sr., died in 1711, and after that period the title senior passed to John, Junior, his son,
and the title junior passed to another John, the son of the first John, Jr., as is evidenced by the following will: WILL OF JOHN SHINN, JR. I John Shinn Junr. of
Springfield In ye County of Burlington & Western Division of ye Province of New Jersey Yeman being very sick and week in Body but of Sound and Perfect mind & memory Thanks be given to Almighty God Therefore
calling to mind ye mortallity of my Body & Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dy Do make this my Last Will & Testament Utterly Revoaking & Disanulling all other former Wills & Testaments by
me heretofore made and as Touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me with In this Life I Give Devise and Dispose of ye same In manner following. Imprimis--I
give Devise & Bequeath unto my two Brothers Clement Shinn & William Shinn ye Land & Plantation where I Live Lying in ye Township, County & Division obovesaid adjoining to my fathers Land on one side
& Samuel Barker on another side & John Ogbourn on another side & Richard Ayre on ye other side--To be Equally Divided Between my said Brothers Clement Shinn and William Shinn ye one halfe To be holden &
Enjoyed unto & by my Brother Clement Shinn & his heirs & Assignes forever & ye other halfe to be holden & Enjoyed unto and by my Brother William Shinn & his heirs & Assignes for ever.
Item--I Give & Bequeath unto my Sister Elizabeth Ruckel ye one halfe of all my Personall Estate In Goods Chattels & Credits to be paid by my Executers after my Just Debts & funeral Charges is paid.
Item--I Give & Bequeath Unto my Sister Mary Shinn ye other halfe of all my Personal Estate In Goods Chattels & Credits to be paid by my Executers after my Just Debts and funeral Charges is Paid. Item--I Give
& Bequeath unto my Brother Clement Shinn & Robert Ruckel whom I Likewise make, ordaine & Constitute my whole & sole Executers of this my Last Will & Testament all my Personall Estate in Goods,
Chattels & Credits to ye Intent & purpose That my said Executors Shall & Do Pay all my Just Debts & Legacies & funeral Charges and I do hereby Rattifie & Confirm this & no other to be My Last
Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Eighth Day of February Anno ye Dominey one Thousand seven hundred & twenty seven Eight 1727-8.
Memorandum ye word (& by) & (&by) was his
Enterlined before ye Ensealing & Delivery John Shinn
hereof Published Pronounced & Declared mark
by ye said John Shinn to be his Last Will
& Testament--In the presence of us
John Shinn Abraham Marriott John Budd.
Be it Remembered that on the Seventh day of March Anno dom One thousand seven hundred and twenty seven personally came & appeared before me Samuel Bustill Surrogate and Register of the Western Division of
the Province of New Jersey John Shinn Abraham Marriott and John Budd the three Witnesses Subscribed to the within Will. John Budd on his Solemn Oath wch he took on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God and John Shinn and
Abraham Marriott being of the People called Quakers on their Solemn affirmation according to Law do dispose and affirm that they were all present and saw the within named John Shinn sign and seal and heard him Publish
Pronounce and Declare the within Writing to be his last Will and Testament and at the doing thereof the Testator was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief and that at the same
time they did sign their names as Witnesses to the within Will in the presence of the Testator.
Affirmed and Sworn Before Me Sam'l Bustill Surr & Regr.
Be it remembered that on the Seventh day of March Anno Dom. One thousand seven hundred and twenty seven psonally came & appeared before me Sam'l Bustill ------------ Robert Rockhill surviving Executor
(This shows that Clement Shinn died within a few weeks of his brother, John)
of the last Will and Testament within written he being one of the People called Quakers on his Solemn affirmation according to Law doth declare and affirm that the within writing contains the last Will and Testament of John Shinn the Testator therein names as far as he knows and believes. And that he will well and truly pform the same by paying first the Debts of the dec'd and then the Legacys contained in the within Will &c--&c--
Affirmed Before me-- Sam'l Bustill D Surr & Regr.
On January 29, 1736-7, John Shinn, the father, executed his will, in which he names his wife, Mary; sons, Jacob and Caleb; grandson,
John, son of son George, and cousin, Samuel Shinn. His sons Caleb and Jacob and cousin Samuel Shinn are named executors. This will was probated March 19, 1736-7. (Wills, No. 4, p. 91.) From these authentic
records it is an easy task to construct the following table as the children of John Shinn, Jr., and Ellen (Stacy) Shinn: George, named as son in will of the father.
John, Jr., named in his own will as brother to Clement and William.
Clement, named as son in several deeds.
William, named as son in several deeds.
Elizabeth, named as sister by John, Jr., in his will.
Mary, named in same will. The will of John, in 1736-7, names Mary as wife, and as we have introduced Ellen Stacy as wife, it will be necessary to take up the church records to clarify this seeming
anachronism. And inasmuch as we have been designating John, who married Ellen Stacy, as John, Jr., we shall adhere to this fashion to avoid confusion; but it should be remembered that this title left him in 1711, upon
the death of his father, and passed to his son, who died in 1727-8, and then passed to John, son of George, grandson of John, Jr., and great-grandson of the immigrant. John Shinn, Jr., was not as consistent in
his religious affairs as was his father, but the records disclose some activity in that direction; enough, at least, to enable us to clear away some of the perplexing mists of the family record. And if it shall do no
more than this, it will outrank many other religious characters that cumber the church rolls. Our first view of John Shinn, Jr., was made possible by the elaborate record which the Quakers at Burlington made
upon the occasion of his marriage. The great worth of the father seemed to overshadow the son, and for many years we find him in the background of the picture, with his father as a central figure. In 1697 he
was appointed on the ubiquitous committee that adorns every church to raise money. In 1701 he and his father sign a "testimony" against some pretended "Friends." In 1706 and again in 1707 he
had gained sufficient prominence to be sent to Quarterly Meeting. On the first day of the seventh month, 1707, the church appointed two Friends to speak to John Shinn, Jr., to let him know that meeting expects that he
should clear truth and Friends from the reproach he had brought upon them by his disorderly doings. He appeared before the meeting, 10th of the 9th month, 1707, and promised to attend to the matter at the next meeting.
On the 1st day of the 10th month, 1707, he brought in a paper condemning his action, which was accepted by the society. His offense was taking a wife who was not a Friend, "and the disorderly way of taking
her." The disorder consisted in being married by either a preacher of some other church, or by a heathen, Justice of the Peace. Thus the wiles of the great arch enemy of mankind, "lovely woman," led
another good man astray. But for this little church record we should not have known of this second marriage of John, and even with it we are unable to tell the maiden name of his wife. To the Quakers she was Anathema
Marenatha, and not for any consideration would they mar their records by giving her name. From it we infer that Ellen was dead, and from the will of John we know that her Christian name was Mary. Mary what? Not until
all secrets are given up before the August Monarch of the Universe will this be known. Jacob and Caleb were certainly her sons, for the records show their birth to have been after this second marriage. The will of
Robert Stacy furnishes evidence that there was one son at least by the first marriage. This son was, in all probability, George. He married Elizabeth Lippincott, daughter of Restore, in the month of June, 1712, as is
shown by the records of the church. Elizabeth Shinn, sister of George, was also a child of the first marriage, for that she herself married Robert Rockhill in November, 1716, as appears from the Burlington records of
that date. John Shinn, Jr., of 1727-8, names Elizabeth, Mary, William and Clement as brothers and sisters, but does not mention George, Joshua, Caleb or Jacob. These were certainly alive at the date of the will, and the
omission of all reference to them furnishes ground for the inference that Joshua, Caleb and Jacob were but half-brothers. But why he should not mention George cannot be explained on this hypothesis. George lived then in
Gloucester County, and, being the eldest son, was passed by his brother. It may be safely assumed that the children of John Shinn, Jr., and Ellen Stacy were George, Mary, Elizabeth, William, Clement and John. They (John
Shinn and Ellen Stacy) were married in 1686, and she died before 1707, when John married the second time. The children of the second marriage were certainly Caleb and Jacob, and very probably Joshua. There was
one daughter by this marriage, whose Christian name was Jane, and there may have been one more. I have been aided in these deductions by Hon. John Clement, a man familiar with the law and well versed in genealogy. The
property which William inherited as heir at law of Clement, deceased, was property bequeathed to William and Clement by will of the brother John, who died in 1727-8. In any case the full blood brother relationship of
William, Clement and John is established. George died in April, 1732, as is shown by his will probated in Gloucester County on April 14th of that year. Wills No. 3, p. 98. Clement died between that date and May 11,
1736, the date of William's deed to his father of the property inherited from Clement. John Shinn, Jr., died in 1736-7, a very wealthy man for the day and time. Not as conspicuous as his father in public and
religious life, he inherited the bulk of his estate, and managed it frugally and well. Whoever the second wife may have been, it is safe to say that she was of the first families of the period, for the children of John
Shinn, Senior, who married, had entry into this circle, and as will be seen hereafter married exceptionally well. Having established the line of descendants of John, Jr., we pass to the other children of John, Sr.,
whose genealogy will be easier to ascertain. Children of John Shinn, Junior. 11. (1) George married Elizabeth. Daughter of Restore and Hannah Lippincott 2nd day 4th month 1712. (Burlington
M. M. Records.)
12. (2.) Elizabeth married Robert, Son of Edward Rockhill Sr. 5th day 9th month 1716. (Bur. M. M. R. Chesterfield M. M. Records.)
13. (3.) Clement; ob, sine proli.
14. (4.) John; ob. sine proli.
15. (5.) William, married (1) Martha, daughter of Joshua and Jane (Budd) Shreeve, 2nd day, 11th month, 1728. (Chesterfield Monthly Meeting Record.) William married (2) Exorcise
Corliss; 1739.
16. (6.) Joshua.
17. (7.) Jane, married Jonathan Gaskill 5/4/1732 (B. M. M. R.).
18. (8.) Caleb, married Mehitabel Curtis, 1739.
19. (9.) Jacob, b. 5/13/1715; married Hannah Lippincott
(relict of Freedom Lippincott), nee Rakestraw--12th month, 1745-6. (Burlington and Haddonfield M. M. Records.)
20. (10.) Sarah, married Thomas Atkinson, son of Thomas and Sarah (Shinn) Atkinson 6/12/1739. (B. M. M.
R.)
21. (11.) Mary married Abraham Bunnell in 1731; they removed to Hunterdon Co. upon lands given her by her father in Lebanon. They reared a large family, one son, Abraham Bunnell, becoming Lieutenant-Colonel of
the Battalion raised by Somerset, Essex and Hunterdon, under an Ordinance passed by the Convention of New Jersey, 7/18/1776. |
