November 1, 2013
Combining the knowledge from Contributions to the Family History and Genealogy of the Van Campen Family of America Ulster County, N.Y., Branch, Volume II and the D. Stanton Hammond Hunterdon Co., NJ, Land Owner Maps, the birthplace of Moses Van Campen can be narrowed to the highlighted area on this detail of Hammond Map D.
Detail of the D. Stanton Hammond Hunterdon Co., NJ, Land Owner Map.
The highlighted portion of the map is south of present day Quakertown Road, between Joe Ent Road and Cherryville Road, in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, NJ. Franklin Township was established by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1845, when it was created from portions of Kingwood Township. The diagonal line bordering the eastern portion of the highlighted area separates present day Franklin and Raritan Townships. The location of Flemington, NJ is indicated just under the large letter "I."
Contributions to the Family History and Genealogy of the Van Campen Family of America Ulster County, N.Y., Branch, Volume II, by Ogden, David A.D., Jr. and Van Campen, J.H. and Stowe, R.A., Seattle, WA: Todd Raymond Still, 1999, contains a transcript of a 1758 document by which Gerrit Van Campen (Moses' Grandfather) deeds 175 acres of land to his son, John Van Campen (Moses's Uncle). From this same transcript we discover that Gerrit Van Campen purchased 702 acres from the heirs of Colonel Daniel Coxe on July 2, 1752. The 702 acres would have been located within the highlighted area above. It is reasonable to believe that Cornelius Van Campen (Moses' Father) would be living on and helping work his Father's farm when Moses was born in 1757.
Noted below is the relevant portion of the deed and transcript.
"This Indenture made the first day of April in the thirty first Year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second [King] over Great Britain, etc., and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifty [eight] between Gerrit Van Campen of the Town of Kingwood in the County of Hunterdon and western Division of the province of New Jersey Yeo: of the one part and John Van Campen of the township of Kingwood aforesaid of the other part / Whereas Coll. Daniel Coxe in his life time by Virtue of some or one of his proprietary [shares] to land in the Western Division of the aforesaid province did regularly obtain a Warrant from the Council of Proprietors of the Division for the Survey of five thousand Acres of Land bearing date the thirteenth day of September Anno Dom: One thousand seven hundred and twelve by virtue whereof was lay'd out and surveyed to and for the Sd Coll. Coxe a tract of Land containing four thousand one hundred and seventy acres, besides the allowance for highways scituate in the Townships of Amwell and Kingwood in the County of Hunterdon afforsaid commonly called the Mount Carmel tract Bounded Southwardly by land formerly Surveyed to Governor Penn Eastwardly lands of Edward Rockhill, John Reading, Mahlon Stacy and Mary Tomkins, Northwardly by the upper line of the Cotting purchase and Westwardly part by land formerly surveyed to Mathew Gardiner and part by land then unappropriated.
A return of the Survey thereof Dated the Ninth day of October in the year one thousand seven hundred and twelve and recorded in the Secretary's office at Burlington. Daniel Coxe being so devized thereof did in his fife time make sale and conveyance of some part of the same and by his Last Will and Testament in writing [did] give and devise the remainder thereof to his sons Daniel, John, and William Coxe and his daughter Rebecca Coxe and to Charles, Thomas and Mary the children of Mary Johnson and to their Heirs and assigns forever by such shares and portion as are expressly mentioned in the said Win and under such provision and to uses and purposes as are therein particularly expressed as by the said Last Will and Testament of the said Coll.
Daniel Coxe dated the eighteenth day of April Anno Dom. One thousand seven hundred and thirty nine Duly proved and registered in the Prerogative office in Burlington refference thereunto being had may more fully and at large appear and whereas there was three hundred acres separated and divided forth of the said tract of land by certain meets and bounds unto the said Charles the only survivor of the said Mary Johnson's children as his full share and dividend thereof by and with advice, choice, approbation and consent of Samuel Johnson his uncle and guardian so that the remainder of the tract allowance and overplus which should be found to exceed the quantity of the first survey (if any) are fully vested in the said Daniel, John, William and Rebecca Coxe who being thereof as above seized of and in the same did by their indenture of bargain and sale bearing date the second day of July Anno Dom: One thousand seven hundred and fifty two Grant and Convey, by proper meets and bounds seven hundred and two acres of the above said tract of land unto the said Gerrit Van Campen partie to these presents and to his heirs, and assigns forever."