1. John BELCONGER was born on 8
Sep 1633 in Suffolk, England, died about 27 Aug 1712 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ about age 78, and was buried about
Sep 1712 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
General Notes:
John Belconger
COMMENT: Ancestral File shows, John Belconger (Conger); b. 8 Sep
1633, Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, Great Britain; d. 27 Aug 1712,
Woodbridge, Mddlsx, [sic], NJ; Christening, 8 Sep 1633, Great
Yarmouth, England
AKA: John Conger; John Conger "primus" by Charles G.B. Conger.
What does "primus" in italics mean?
BIRTH: Abt. 1633 in England, perhaps in Norfolk County. Other
dates of birth of 1640 and 1641 have also been listed. In CFAII,
Maxine Leonard disputes the date of Abt. 1633.
QUESTION: Can anyone cite a source for the birth date?
MARRIAGE: "A Mary Kelly, m. April 12, 1666, John Belconger. She
may have been a dau. of John."
(Source: Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, found in, The
Conger Family of America, Vol. II, p. 18 - Maxine Crowell Leonard)
BIOGRAPHY:
John Belconger came to Newbury, Massachusetts from England in
1665. He and his first wife, Mary Kelly, had first two children in
Newbury and then moved to Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1667 or 1668.
Shortly after moving to Woodbridge he shortened his name to
Conger. He was illiterate and always signed his name with an "X".
It has been reported by some researchers that John (Belconger)
Conger is the ancestor of all Congers in America. They also report
that the name, Conger, does not exist in present-day England and
that the name, Belconger, is very rare, existing only in County
Norfolk.
(Source: According to Karen Halter Werry in Feb 1990 this
information was written by Darrell Conger of Parkersburg, WV.)
BIOGRAPHY:
In 1665, John Conger came from England to Newbury, Mass. On Jan.
12, 1666 he married Mary Kelley, b. in Newbury, Feb. 12, 1641, the
only daughter of John Kelley.
John Kelley came from Newbury, England to Old Newbury, Mass. with
the original founders of the town in 1635. His only other child
was a son, John Jr., who married Sarah Knight, the daughter of
Deacon Richard Knight. John Jr. and Sarah had five children who
had numerous descendants.
The Kelley Ferry operated for many years by father and son was a
popular mode of travel in the early days of Newbury.
Daniel Pierce, a prominent citizen, well known throughout Mass.
colony was organizing a group of citizens to move to a newly
acquired Province of New Jersey which King Charles had wrested
from the Dutch in 1664. In 1667, Pierce with nine associate owners
and forty-six other men, many with families, arrived in New Jersey
and founded the township of Woodbridge, located on an estuary that
flows between Staten Island and the mainland and between Rariton
and Rahway Rivers. Woodbridge, traditions says, was named for the
Presbyterian minister they left back in the Newbury home.
John Conger and his wife, Mary, and their infant son were among
this company. Tradition is, and can be proved by some facts, that
the Conger family came from Alsace, then a French province, to
Holland (the name being Koeniger about thedate of the massacre of
St. Bartholomew 1572), and then from Holland to England, the name
being anglicized into the English, Conger.
(Source: "Conger History 1664-1941," p. 2, by Ethel Conger Heagler
- furnished by Robert Guilinger)
LAND:
In 1702 John Conger deeded to his three motherless grandchildren,
eighty acres of land as a token of "love and affection." He named
the children as: John (b. 15 Feb 1685), Allen (b. 12 Jun 1687) and
Edward, sons of Edward Wilkison of Woodbridge. [Note: No source
citation given. REH]
(Source: The Conger Family of America, Vol. II, p. 16 - Maxine
Crowell Leonard)
DEATH: According to Robert Guilinger a death date of Sep 1712 is
recorded in New Jersey.
WILL: 11 Jan 1711 with Codicil of 14 June.
He left a will, dated 11 Jan 1711, proven before Thomas Gordon on
27 Aug 1711, approved and sealed by Col. Hunter on 17 Oct 1712.
(Source: J. Bass. Liber I, Folio 382, New Jersey Wills, Sec. of
State Archives)
PROBATE: Will of John Conger, 11 Jan 1711
In the name of God, Amen, the 11th day of January 1711. I JOHN
CONGER of Woodbridge, in the county of Middlesex, and Province of
East New Jersey, Planter, being in bodily health and in perfect
mind and memory, thanks be given to God, therefore: Calling in
mind the mortality of this body, and knowing that it is appointed
for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and
Testament, that is to say, principally and first of all, I give
and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it, and for
my body I recommend it to the earth, to be buried in a
Christian-like and decent manner, at the discretion of my
Executors, nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I
shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, to bless
me in touching such worldly estate, wherewith it has pleased God
to bless me in this life. I give, devise, and dispose of the same
in the follow mannerand form:
ITEM: My will is that my farm or plantation on which I now dwell
to be equally divided into two parts, beginning at the River and
running with a direct line through the whole length of my said
farm or plantation, the Eastern division whereof I will and
bequeath to my son BENJAMIN CONGER, to be by him quietly and
peacable possessed, and enjoyed as soon as he shall arrive at the
age of 21 years, and if my son JOSEPH please, he shall have the
liberty to live upon it 10 years after my decease, paying the
charge arising thereon.
ITEM: The use and improvement of the western division of my said
farm or plantation, and my dwelling house standing thereon I give
to my wife during her state of widowhood and when her condition
shall change either by marriage or death I will and bequeath the
said western division of my farm together with my now dwelling
house and all other buildings thereon to my son JOB CONGER.
ITEM: I will and bequeath to my son JOSEPH all my freehold right
in the towne of Woodbridge (Will also specifies as conveyed to
Joseph his rights to Woodbridge common lands yet to be divided.) I
give to my son my Carts and Ploughs with all the tackling
belonging to them to my son JOSEPH to have liberty to use them
when they can be spared so long as he lives upon the place, he
being at equal charge at repairing them.
ITEM: My will is that if either of my three sons above mentioned,
JOSEPH, JOB or BENJAMIN, shall die without issue, then what land I
have willed to them do descend to the survivor or survivors, and
be equally divided between them.
ITEM: I give to my son JOHN ten schillings; to my son JONATHAN
five schillings; to my son GERSHOM five schillings; and to each of
my daughters five schillings, all to be paid by my son JOB, if
demanded.
Lastly, I give all my cattle, horses, sheep and household stuff,
to my faithful and beloved wife, SARAH CONGER, whom I do nominate
and appoint my sole Executrix, to see that this, my last will, be
punctually fulfilled, and I do declare this to be my last Will and
Testament, hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me
formerly made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the day and year above written.
JOHN CONGER X (His Mark)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said John Conger, as
his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, the subscirber
viz:
--James Connet, James Connet Jr., Richard Pangbourner, John Bishop
CODICIL: June 14, I the above name John Conger, being very sick in
body and not expecting many hours of this life, and my son GERSHOM
being born since the making of this my Will, above written, do
declare that my will & desire is that my three sons, JOSEPH,
JOB and BENJAMIN, as they come to age, give unto my son GERSHOM,
ten schillings, each of them and that seven pounds out of my
movable estate be put out for his use when he comes to age, this I
declare to be my desire before thise witnesses.
--John Stille, John Moore and John Bishop
Proved before Thomas Gordon, the 27th of August, and approved and
sealed by his Excellency, Col. Hunter, the 17th day of Oct 1712.
(Some say he died on 27 Aug 1712. Maxine Leonard states he died in
September 1712.)
(J. Bass. Liber I, folio 382, New Jersey Wills, Secretary of
States Office.)
(Source: The Conger Family of America, Vol. II, p. 19-20 - Maxine
Crowell Leonard)
CONFLICT: Codicil Confusion
The naming of a youngest son, Gershom Conger, in the Codicil has
caused confusion and conjecture among Conger researchers, owing to
the fact that an elder son of John Conger, named Gershom who had
been born in 1685, was listed in the last "ITEM" of the 11 Jan
1711 will. At the time the will was written, the elder Gershom was
married and was father of David, born in 1707 and Phoebe, born in
1708.
Researcher, Charles L. Conger, believed that the Gershom Conger,
born in 1711, was the son of Gershom Conger, born in 1685. Gershom
Conger, b. 1685, supposedly died before his father, a date of
death of, Abt. 1710/1711 in Union Co., NJ, has been listed by some
researchers.
It seems highly unlikely that John Conger would have had a son in
1711. At that time, his health was probably already failing, since
he had drawn up a will. And, his second wife, Sarah Cawood, who
had been born in 1660, would havebeen 51 years old.
It seems more reasonable that either the person drawing up the
Codicil made a mistake when he wrote, "... my son Gershom being
born since the making of this my Will..." or that John Conger was
confused in his last days, and that the family pampered him in his
belief that his grandson was indeed his son. If the Gershom,
mentioned in the Codicil, was indeed the grandson of John Conger
this would raise the question of why this grandchild was the only
one that John Conger chose to mention, by name, in his will.
[Note: This discussion from CFA II, p. 20, has been editted by
Richard E.Henthorn in order to clarify and expand on some of the
points made.]
(Source: The Conger Family of America, Vol. II, p. 20 - Maxine
Crowell Leonard)
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5403 76th Avenue
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Email: Dick.Henthorn@gmail.com
John married Mary KELLY,
daughter of John KELLY and Unknown, on 12 Apr 1666
in Newbury, Essex Co., MA. Mary was born on 12 Feb 1641 in
Newbury, Essex Co., MA, died between 1685 and 1689 in Woodbridge,
Middlesex Co., NJ, and was buried between 1685 and 1689 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
Children from this marriage were:
2 F i. Mary
CONGER was born about 29 Dec 1666 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA.
3 M ii. Enos
CONGER was born about 1667 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA and
died between 21 Nov 1687 and 1689 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co.,
NJ.
+ 4 F iii. Sarah CONGER was born in Jan 1668
in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died on 28 Dec 1692 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ at age 24.
+ 5 F iv. Johannah CONGER was born on 1 Aug
1670 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died on 26 Jun 1742 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ at age 71.
+ 6 M v. John CONGER Jr. was born on 24
May 1674 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died about May 1727
in Morris River, Salem Co., NJ about age 53.
+ 7 F vi. Elizabeth CONGER was born on 1
Jan 1678 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ, died on 10 May 1731 in
Piscataway, Middlesex Co., NJ at age 53, and was buried in May
1731 in Piscataway, Middlesex Co., NJ, Baptist Church.
8 U vii. Lediah
CONGER was born on 1 Jan 1679 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co.,
NJ and died in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
+ 9 M viii. Jonathan CONGER was born on 29
May 1683 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died on 8 May 1733
in Newark, Essex Co., NJ at age 49.
+ 10 M ix. Gershom CONGER was born about
1685 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died about Jan 1710 in
Union Co., NJ about age 25.
John next married Sarah CAWOOD,
daughter of Thomas CAWOOD I and Unknown, about
1689 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. Sarah was born in 1660 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died after 1710 in Woodbridge,
Middlesex Co., NJ.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 11 F i. Abigail CONGER was born on 8 May
1690 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died in Woodbridge,
Middlesex Co., NJ.
+ 12 M ii. Joseph CONGER was born on 17 May
1692 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died on 22 Dec 1767 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ at age 75.
+ 13 M iii. Job CONGER was born on 9 Jun 1694
in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died in 1758 in Woodbridge,
Middlesex Co., NJ at age 64.
+ 14 F iv. Rachel CONGER was born on 12 May
1696 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died before 1747 in
Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
15 F v. Lydia
CONGER was born on 28 Apr 1698 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co.,
NJ and died on 10 May 1762 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ at age
64.
Lydia married Robert MITCHELL. Robert was born about 1695.
+ 16 M vi. Benjamin CONGER was born about
1700 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ and died about 10 Mar 1762
in Morristown, Morris Co., NJ about age 62.
+ 17 F vii. Tryell CONGER was born in 1702
in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
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