Person:Patrick Falconer (1)

Patrick Falconer of New Haven and Newark

"Patrick¹ Falconer came to America, probably from Scotland, about 1684. He is said, in his epitaph written by his friend the Rev. Abraham Pierson, Jr.. to have 'suffered much for Christ,' but when and where does not appear. It has been conjectured, however, that it was in Scotland, during the religious difficulties of that period.

In 'The Model of Government of the province of East New Jersey in America and encouragement of such as design to be concerned there,' published in Edinburg in 1685, reprinted in Whitehead's 'East Jersey,' is a letter from Patrick Faulkner to Maurice Trent, dated 'Elizabeth Town, East Jersey, 28th October, 1684.' This is among 'letters to different individuals in Europe (Scotland) from sundry individuals in America.' The letter was written shortly after his arrival, and praises the country highly. He also speaks of having travelled through Maryland and Pennsylvania. Where Mr. Falconer spent the three or four intermediate years after the date of this letter does not appear. In 1688. Patrick Falconer, then of Woodbridge, was administrator of Robert Adam. The next year, 1689, he was at New Haven, where he married Hannah, daughter of Governor William Jones and grand-daughter of Governor Eaton. They were both about 30 years of age at that time.

Patrick Falconer could not have remained long at New Haven, for June 20, 1690, he was at Newark, New Jersey, administrator on the estate of Samuel Kitchel, who left a will dated Feb. 11, 1683, but whose wife, Grace, named as executrix, had died before him; and he appears as a witness to the will of David Ogden, Dec. 26, 1691, but when the will was proved, Feb. 27, 1691-2, "Patrick Falconer being deceased," the other witness testified alone. He was called "merchant." On his gravestone in the old burying-ground is this inscription: "Here lyeth the body of Patrick Falconer, who died January 27th, 1691/2, aged 33 years." In his will, recorded in Trenton, New Jersey, he provided that his daughter, Hannah, be maintained till she arrive at the age of eighteen, and then that she should have fifty pounds in money; his wife, Hannah, was to enjoy the whole estate in any part of Europe, New England, New Jersey, or elsewhere, and to be sole executrix with power to sell, etc,: his honored father Wm. Jones, and his loving brother John Jones to be overseers, and his "brother James Falconer to be the overseer to take care to preserve what I have in Europe for my wile and child," also James Emmett to he overseer to assist in settling accounts in New York, Long Island, New Jersey, or elsewhere west of the Hudson River.

Sometime subsequent to Patrick Falconer's death, a John Falconer of London gave a power of attorney to David Falconer to act and do for him in East Jersey as a proprietor, but there is no evidence that either of these were relatives of Patrick.

It appears that Mrs. Hannah Falconer sold her interest in her husband's property and returned to New Haven, where she was in 1695. Subsequently she married James Clark of Stratford, and removed to that place."^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Falconer, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. Families of Ancient New Haven. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1974)
   3:597.

   Patrick (Falconer. Variant, Faulkner), b c. 1660, d 27 June 1692 æ. 33 (Newark, N. J.).

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Smyth, Ralph D., and Dr. Bernard C. Steiner. Mr. Patrick Falconer of Newark, N. J., and His Descendants. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jan 1906)
   60:21-22.