History: Family: Bi-Bo Surnames: Genealogy Tidbits: Monmouth County, NJ.
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The information on these surnames is based on lookup requests from
the Monmouth County USGenWeb page. This is a means of sharing
these efforts. We welcome your contribution. jpatter@epix.net
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INDEX
BILLS/BILES (also see Williams)
BILLS, Thomas and Nathaniel
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BILLS/BILES
Hi, Joe gave me your reference. I have been researching William BILLS
for three years, and have hit a couple of snags. I have a vast
amount of information on the BILLS family , and have several branches
I would like to hook up. Joe says you use two sources, Horner and
Stillwell. Well, in my branch, William who was a patriot (1751 -
1838) and also was orphaned by Nathaniel Bills and wife Mary. He was
adopted by a T. Davies of Burlington County. Anyway, Wm had 4
children, sally, john stephen and Sylvanus. I am descended from John,
who had James, Johnson, JOHN JR, and George. I am descended from
James. He had three children by his first wife, Samuel, Mary and
Anne. Samuel was married to phebe ann Stillwell. He also had 5
children by his second wife Rachel, daughter of the above Sylvanus:
Catherine, Daniel, John H., Alethia and Laura. I am descended from
Catherine. Catherine married Ruliff Van Cleaf in 1842. ANY
information on this branch would be appreciated. I am trying to go
back farther than the progenitor Wm of Barnstable Ma. I want to fill
in all the distant cousins, of which I have hundreds.
RESPONSE
"HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL MISCELLANY"
BY
John STILLWELL, M.D.
VOL. I
pg 256 'The Friends Records of Shrewsbury'
"1708, 27th of 11th mo., [in margin, 11th of 4th mo., 1710], George Williams
md. to Joanna Bills, both of Shrews., 5th day of week at Quaker Meeting
House."
pg 277 'Second Book of Shrewsbury, NJ, Friends Records'
"1735, 22, 3mo. William Bills md. to Mary Bordin, both of Shrews., at house
of Francis Bordin, at Shrews."
pg 281
"1736, 27, 3mo. Isaac Hance md. to Content Bills, both of Shrews. at
Friends' Meeting House, at Shrews."
pg 286
"[Date missing.] Isaac Hance, Jun'r., md to Joanna Bills, both of Shrews.,
at house of Isaac Hance, in Shrews."
{NOTE: the previous entry was for 1740 and the following for 1742--they
"appear" to be chronological. Shrews.=Shrewsbury}
pg 342
"Thomas Bills desesed his life ye 2 of ye 2 mo., 1721.
"Joanna Bills desesed her life ye 4 of ye 4 mo., 1723
VOL II
pg 341 'In an Old Burying Ground Allentown, NJ'
"In the rear of Nelson & Co.'s store, on the Wilson Wright property, at
Allentown, N.J. are the following inscription:
among others;
"Peter Bills died, Sept 6, 1854, aged 69 yrs. and 19 days"
"Sylvester Bills died, Feb. 6th, 1825, aged 66 yrs., 7 mos., and 10 days
"Elenor, wife of Sylvester Bills, died, May 27th, 1834, aged 68 yrs., 1 mo.,
and 28 da
"Washington B. Bills died, Feb. 21st, 1832, aged 32 yrs. and 12 days
"M.B., daughter of W. B. and C. Bills died Sept. 24, 1832, aged 18 mos.
"Christian Bills, relict of W. B. Bills, died, Nov. 22nd, 1834, aged 34 yrs.
and 3 mo."
pg 425 'Abstracts from the Record Book of the Shrewsbury, NJ, Mens' Monthly
Meeting'
"1735, 2. 4. William Bills and Mary Bordin married in orderly manner"
pg 426
"1736, 5. 2mo. 1st intention of Gershom Bills and Sarah Gardner.
"1741, 6. 2. 1st intention of Isaac Hance and Joanna Bills
VOL III
PG 186 Under Miscellaneous Notes on the Cox family is one entry that appears
to be the record of a marriage license?
"1749, Sept. 20. Thomas Cox and Elizabeth Bills, aged 26 years. She was the
widow of Samuel Corlis, of Shrewsbury whom she married by license dated Aug.
17, 1745."
pg 190
"George Crawford, son of John Crawford, 3, died in 1745-6, as per the date of
his will. He married Esther Scott, of Shrewsbury, born 13, 3mo, 1701. She
was a daughter of John Scott, whose will was made and proved in 1736, and is
recorded at Trenton, Vol. C., p. 128, in which he appointed 'his sons,
William and Samuel, and his son-in-law, George Crawford, executors.' John
Scott was born, at Gravesend, 9, 11 mo., 1679, and married Mary, daughter of
Thomas and Joanna Bills, and was a son of William Scott by his wife, Abigail,
daughter of John Tilton, whom he married Feb. 7, 1678."
pg 231
Naomi Edwards was a witness on Jan 27, 1708, at the marriage of George
Williams to Joanna Bills.
pg 232
"Samuel Corlies; will dated Dec. 22, 1748, proved Dec. 5, 1749; married, by
license dated Aug. 17, 1745, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Content
(Woolley) Bills, born 1723; she married, second, by license dated Sep. 20,
1749, Thomas Cox, of Shrewsbury, Longfield Cox as surety on their bond."
pg 247
James Bill,Sen'r & Joseph Bill signed as witnesses to a will in Boston, Mass
in 1679.
VOL IV
pg 145
Among the unconnected Mount family members is this reference: "There was a
Moses Mount, of Monmouth County, who married Lydia Bills, in 1739, and died
in 1748. He had a son, Moses, who was an aide to General Washington. There
is little doubt, if any, that this line belongs in George Mount's family,
for, to quote Paul W. Mount, in the Newark, N.J., News, 'the late Samuel
Mount Schenck, Esq., mentions in his notes on the Mount family, that his
mother, both of whose parents were Mounts, and direct descendants of George
Mount, referred to Moses Mount, the son, who kept the hotel at Mount's
Corner, now West Freehold, as having been a distant relative, but said 'she
did not like to acknowledge it, as she did not countenance the business of
the hotel.' Pretty hard on Moses, but as he had been an aide of General
Washington, we can afford to feel charitable toward him. Mr. Schenck
mentions, also, that this Moses Mount was a lover of fast horses and a great
rider of race horses.'"
pg 173
"Joseph Potter, born, in Shrewsbury, 8, 6mo., 1709-10; married, first, 6, 12
mo., 1736, Rebekah Champlice; second, 12, 2mo., [or 2, 12mo.], 1753, Abigail,
daughter of Peter and Lydia (Bills) Tilton, born 7, 2mo. [or 22, 7mo.], 1723.
NOTE: from other data in Stillwell, this Lydia Bills did NOT marry Moses
Mount above as has been seen, as in Honor below..
pg 332
"1705, July 20. William Crouch, of London, and William Bills [Biles], of
Bucks county, sold to Johathan Stout, of Burlington County, one sixteenth of
one one-hundredth part of the Province of West Jersey."
pg 361
"1816, Mch. 2, Stephen Stout, of Freehold, NJ, made his will, which was
proved Mch. 13, 1816, and in which he mentioned:
"Brother, John Stout
"Sister, Sarah, wife of Thomas Parker, Sr.
"'my nephew or sister's son, Sylvenis T. Bills.'"
"Sarah Stout, dau. of ?, married first Mr. Bills; second, Thomas Parker, Sr.
"issue by first husband
"Sylvanus T. Bills
"1787, October Term. Monmouth County Orphans' Court. Sarah Parker,
mother of Sylvanus Bills, (aged 11 yrs.), petitioned, and Thomas Parker was
appointed his guardian.
"issue by second husband,[if he had no other wives]"
Charles Parker, born 1787; m. Sarah Coward
Joseph
Anthony
pg 367
among unattached Stout lines is this
"John Stout, ship-captain, married, June 24, 1714, Abigail, daughter of
Benjamin Bill. She was baptized Nov. 13, 1695, and was nineteen years of age
at the time of her marriage. In 1718, Abigail Stout was a witness to a New
York will."
pg 368
still among unattached Stout lines, but obviously a reference to the above
"John Stout, son of John Stout,1, and Abigail Bill, was baptized Feb 10,
1720, and married Ann Dodameed, who was baptized in the First Presbyterian
Church, of New York City, Aug. 24, 1766. He was a sea captain and commanded
the British privateer 'Harlequin,' of 16 guns, in the Revolutionary War."
"THIS OLD MONMOUTH OF OURS"
BY
WILLIAM HORNOR
pg 115-116
"BILLS
"This family is reputed to have been of Newtown, Long Island. The
first of the name in Monmouth County was Thomas, who is said to have
sojourned first, for a time, in Burlington County. The name itself, one of
those pity Saxon names that does not show its vigor until translated into
modern English, is from the Anglo-Saxon word Bil or Bill, meaning a sword.
It was in use as a family name as early as the time of Edward the Confessor,
and is found among the landholders of England in the Doomsday-Book, compiled
about 1080.
"THOMAS BILLS (1), by occupation a weaver, bought land in Shrewsbury
Township in 1697, of John Starkey. He sold one half of this purchase in 1707
to David Killie, his son-in-law. Thomas died in Shrewsbury 2-2-1721. His
wife was named Johanna, who died 4-4-1723. He is said to have had a sister,
Johanna, who was married to John Scudder (son of John and Mary King), who was
born in 1645. It is quite certain that there were other members of the family
who came to Monmouth, and who appear, from time to time without traceable
connection. His children were Thomas (3); Johanna ($), died Apr. 1, 1728,
married 11-27-1708, George Williams; a daughter (5) whose name may have been
Johanna, tho' called Anna, who married before 1700, David Kill'e; Nathaniel
(6); and Mary (7), who married John Scott, of Gravesend born 11-9-1769 died
1736. It is thought that there were other children.
"THOMAS BILLS (3), son of Thomas (1), died in 1729, leaving
real-property in Shrewsbury and in Fairfield, New England. He married,
Content Woolley, daughter of Edward and Lydia, who was born 9-9-1694. She
married, secondly, in 1736, Isaac Hance. The children of Thomas and Content
were: William(8); Sylvanus (9), a mason, who married Rachel Lippencott;
Thomas (10), a mason, who died at Squan, 1755, leaving it is supposed, a son,
Thomas (23); Johanna, who may have married, 1741, Isaac, Jr.; Lydia (12), said
to have married either Moses Mount or Peter Tilton; Elizabeth (13), born 1723,
married, first, Aug. 17, 1745, Samuel Corlies, of Shrewsbury, and secondly
Sept 20, 1749, Thomas Cox; and supposed, Content (14).
"NATHANIEL BILLS (6), son of Thomas (1), died at Shrewsbury in
1729. He is thought to have been the elder brother. His children were
Thomas (15); Gershom (16); Daniel (17); Mercy (18); Catherine (19); Joanna
(20); Elizabeth (21), and supposed, Nathaniel (22), who married Mary_____,
and died in 1755.
"WILLIAM BILLS (8), son of Thomas (3), died in 1753. He married,
1735, Mary, daughter of Francis and Mary Borden, who was born 6-21-1717.
There was one child, Mary (22 1/2).
"GERSHOM BILLS (16), son of Nathaniel (6), died in 1766. He was a
cordwainer. He married, first in 1736, Sarah Gardiner. He is supposed to
have married, secondly, Margaret______. His children were: Hannah (24),
said to have married William Jackson, Jr.; Daniel (25), who was of age 1761;
Rebecca (26); Rachel (27); Sarah (28); Sylvanus (29); Thomas (30); and
Elizabeth (31).
"DANIEL BILLS (17), son of Nathaniel (6), was not yet of age in
1729. He had at least one child, William (32), for whom a guardian was
appointed in 1769, he being a minor."
The references come from John Stillwell's, "Historical & Genealogical
Miscellany".
VOL. III
pg 286-287
Margaret Hartshorne, dau. of William, b. 3, 9mo., 1704; died 1745; married
William, son of Gershom Mott, born Nov. 9, 1699.
issue:
John
Gershom
Asher: m. Ann Biles
Sarah: m. William Biles
VOL. IV
pg. 88 - 89
William Mott, as above, died Jan 21, 1760; m. Margaret Hartshorne, dau of
William and Catharine (Bowne) Hartshorne.
1741, Feb. 26 William Mott, of Hunterdon Co., NJ, yeoman, conveyed to
James Mott, of Middletown, Monmouth Co., NJ . . ...
issue (from family bible in possession of descendants in Iowa)
John; b. 1/18/1734
Sarah; born Aug. 10, 1735; [married, by license dated Oct. 4, 1780,
William Biles]
Gershom; born Nov. 18, 1737
Asher; born Feb. 17, 1739
pg 99
June 15, 1750:Gershom, from above entry, is of Hanover Township, Morris Co.,
and is bound to William Mott ot Trenton township, Hunterdon Co. for 214
pounds. Debt paid off in 1760 & 1761.
He m. Anne Godley on May 11, 1773.
Also on this page is Asher, noted from above entry, m. Anne Biles-no sources
cited.
____________________________________________________________
BILLS, Thomas and Nathaniel
Would you be so kind as to look up any documents relating to Thomas Bills, died 2
April 1721 and Nathaniel Bills, died 3 March 1729, both in Shrewsbury?
Bills Marriage Records
38 NEW JERSEY COLONIAL, DOCUMENTS.
Volume XXIII, Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. 1. 1670-1730
Part I, edited by William Nelson
1728-9 Jan. 24. Bills, Nathaniel, of Shrewsbury Township, Monmouth Co.; will of.
Children--Thomas, Girsham, Daniel (under age),
Marcey, Catherine, Joanah and Elisabeth. Real and personal estate.
Executors--son Thomas and Joseph Gardiner.
Witnesses--John West, John Taylor, Mary Johnson.
Proved March 3I, 1729. Lib. B, p. 260
1728-9 Feb. 22. BIlls, Thomas, of Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co.,
yeoman, will of.
Wife Content.
Children--William, Silvanus, Thomas, Joana, Lydia, Elizabeth, all under age.
Real and personal estate in Fairfield Township, New England, and in Shrewsbury Township.
The wife sole executrix.
Witnesses--Preserve Lippincott, John Haskins, Geo. Thornborough.
Proved March 24, I728-9. Lib. B, p. 158
Other BILLS marriages -
DOCUMENTS
RELATING TO THE
COLONIAL HISTORY
OF THE
STATE OF NEW JERSEY,
VOLUME XXII.
MARRIAGE RECORDS, 1665-1800
EDITED, WITH AN HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION ON THE
EARLY MARRIAGE LAWS OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE
PRECEDENTS ON WHICH THEY WERE FOUNDED,
BY WILLIAM NELSON.
PATERSON, N. J.:
THE PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO., 269 MAIN STREET.
1900.
Bills, Content, Monmouth, and Samuel Trafford, Monmouth 1749 Dec. 29
Bills, Deborah, Monmouth, and Charles Matthews, Monmouth 1760 Feb. 22
Bills, Elizabeth, Monmouth, and Samuel Corlis, Monmouth 1745 Aug. 17
Bills, Elizabeth, Monmouth, and Stoffell Longstreet, Monmouth 1748 Dec. 17
Bills, Elizabeth, Freehold, and Carvel Wells, Freehold 1767 Nov. 24
Bills, Hannah, Monmouth, and William Jackson, Jr., Monmouth 1757 May 19
Bills, Johanna, Monmouth, and Benjamin Roogers, Monmouth 1740 Dec. 10
Bills, Lydia, Monmouth, and Moses Mount, Monmouth 1739 May 15
Bills, Marah, Shrewsbury, and Silas Woolley, Shrewsbury 1754 Nov. 21
Bills, Margaret, Monmouth, and William Garmon, Monmouth 1755 July 12
Bills, Patience, Monmouth, and Nathan Allen, Monmouth 1767 Dec. 24
WILLS OF NATHANIEL AND THOMAS BILLS
WILL of NATHANIEL BILLS, of the Township of Shrewsbury, Mon. Co., "Being
uerrey Sik and Weak." Dated Jan. 24, 1728-9. Proved by oath of John West and
John Taylor; before Lawrence Smyth,Surrogate, Mon. Co., Mch. 31, 1729.
Gives: "To my Three sons Thomas Bills and Girshum Bills and Daniel Bills
all my Lands and meados To Them Their "heirs .... To be Eaquily Deuided
Between Them Three in qontaty and qualyty and .... That my son "Thomas Bills
shall have the ufe of all my Lands and meados Till my son Daniel arives To
.... Tweenty one years "and .... That all my Lawfull Debts shall be paid out
of my mouable Eaftate by my Executors and .... "That The Remaining part of
the said mouable Eastate .... shall be Equily Deuided Between my four
daughters "Marcey Bills and Catharine Bills and Joanah Bills and Elisabeth
Bills To be Eaquily Deuided at the hands or Discretion "of my Executors and I
.... Constitute .... my Loueing son Thomas Bills and Joseph Gardiner To be my
"Sole Executors ...."; "my Trew Intent .... Is That my son Thomas shall have
the use of all my Lands "and meados tell october In the year .... 1737 and my
Trew intent .... Is That my three sons afore said "shall Eaqualy Deuide their
Land and meado afore said in the year 1737"; ".... if one of my three sons
afore said 130 "shall Die Be fore they Deuid their Lands and meado .... that
then the Land and meado .... shall be "Eaqualy Deuided Between the Two
Suruiveors ...."
Wits.: NATHANIEL BILLS [his mark]
John west
John Tayler [his mark]
Marey Johnfon [her mark]
Oath of Executor, Thomas Bills; before Lawr. Smyth, Surr., "at the same time."
[Meh. 31, 1729.]
"Recorded in Book of Wills, Lib. B., folio 260 ...."
Administrator's bond signed by Gerfhom Bills, Administrator of Nathaniel
Bills, late of the County of Monmouth, Singleman, Deceafed, and David Allen,
both of Shrewfbury, Mon. Co., Cordwainers. Dated Mch. 19, 1733-4. Wits.:
Samuel forman and Wm Madock.
Deposition of Gerfhom Bills, administrator, "that Nathaniel Bills Dyed
without a Will as far as he knows ...." before Willm Madock, Surrogate, Mch.
19, 1733-4.
INVENTORY of NATHANIEL BILLS, Junr, late of the County of Monmouth, Yeoman, Deceafed, by
William Goodbody, [his mark], and Jofeph gifford appraisers. "sworn & attefted" by William Goodbody
and Joseph Gifford; before William Madock, Surrogate, Mon. Co., Sept. 9, 1734.
Items of Interest:
To five Stearf of five or Six yearf old
£12--10 --
To two Cows & on Steer
7--10 --
To Cattle & two Maref sold at Vendue
28 -- --
To 1 Gun
2 -- --
To 1 Saddle
2--05 --
To 1 hat
1--05 --
To Wearing Apparel & 1 hat
1--10 --
To one Bond on Richard Gardiner for ye Sum of
18 -- --
[Below appears: "Gerfham Bills administrater."]
£73 -- --
WILL of THOMAS BILLS, of the Town of Shrewsbury, Mon. Co., "Yeoman, being
weak in body." Dated Feb. 22, 1728. Proved by attest. of Preserve Lipencot
and George Thornborough, two of the wits., that at the same time, John
Haskins, the other wit., was present; before Lawrence Smyth, Surrogate, Mon.
Co., Mch. 24, 1728.
Gives: "unto my Loving wife Content All my Real Estate which I now have ....
Scituate .... in "the faid Town of Shrewsbury in the said County .... and
a[l]so all my Estate Right title .... unto all "my Estate Real and personal
in New England in the Township of ffairfeild in and Towards payment of all
.... my "Just Debts and to the Intent that my said Loving wife Content her
heirs .... shall have full power .... to "make Sale thereof .... of the whole
.... as her Councill Learned in the Law shall .... Advise for "the payment of
my Debts and the Overplus thereof (if any) .... shall be to and for the Sole
benefitt .... "[of] my said wife Content ..."; "unto my Eldest Son William
Bills the fum of fix pounds Current money of the "said province of East
Jersey when he shall Arrive at the age of one and twenty years ...."; "unto
my fecond fon "Silvanus the Like Sum of six pounds of Like money when he
shall Arrive at the age of one and twenty years ...."; "unto my third Son
Thomas the Like fum of Six pounds of like money when he shall Arrive att ....
one and twenty "years ...."; "unto my Daughte[r] Joana the Sum of five pounds
of like Current money when she fhall arrive att ".... Eighteen Yeares ....";
"unto my fecond daughter Lydia the like Sum of five pounds of like Current
"money when she shall Arive att Eighteen yeares .."; "unto my Youngest
daughter Elizabeth the Like fum of Five "pounds of Like Current money when
she shall Arrive att .... Eighteen Years ...."
Constitutes "my said Loving wife my whole and fole Executrix ...."
Wits.: THOMAS BILLS
Preserue Lippincott
John Haskins [his mark]
Geo. Thornborough
Affirmation of Executrix, Content Bills; before Lawrence Smyth,
Surrogate, Mon. Co., Mch. 24, 1728.
"Recorded in Lib. B., book of Wills, folio 158 to 160." "....
D. D. Jacob Dennis, p. Mich. Kearny, D. fur."