Person:Peter Donnelly (5)

He married Elizabeth Cole on 15 December 1826 at the Second River Dutch Reformed Church. She was born in New Jersey say 1810 and died sometime after 1888. She is very likely the 82-year-old Elizabeth Donnelly who died 15 February 1892.

Peter Donnelly was naturalized on 1 July 1834. William Dow testifified that he had been in the US at least five years. Peter signed by mark.

The first deed that has been located for him is one dated 15 October 1832. Peter Donnelly “of Bloomfield” bought for $50 a plot of land “at Belleville” but “being in the township of Bloomfield” from Solomon I. Isaacs and his wife Elizabeth of the city and state of New York. This is identified in the deed as “Lot #169 on Isaacs Street.” This Solomon Isaacs was a co-owner, with Harmon Hendricks, of the copper mill at Soho. It was at this time that Solomon sold his part in the copper mill. This lot was contiguous to one owned by one Murtaugh, who was, judging by his name, another Irishman.

On 11 June 1835, Peter Donnelly bought another piece of land in Bloomfield. This 4 65/100 acre piece of land, bought from John H. Farrand and his wife Isabella W. of Bloomfield for $100, was at the intersection of the branch brook and the Morris Canal. In 1848, he added to this piece of land a piece contiguous to it. By deed dated 17 July 1848, “Peter Donally” of Belleville bought of Robert Baldwin and his wife Mary D. of Newark, for $650, 90/100 acres of land to the east of the land bought in 1835. On the same day, according to this same deed, Robert and Mary Baldwin sold a piece of land contiguous to this one to Peter Kahoe [Kehoe]. On 9 October 1849, Peter Donnelly and Peter “Kohoe” jointly bought another piece of land contiguous to both of their lots, containing four acres and situated to the east of the Morris Canal.

His death is listed twice in the 1880 Mortality Schedules. According to the Bloomfield schedule, he died from a fractured rib. This report, taken from physician returns, mistakenly gives his birthplace as N.J. His death is also reported in the Belleville returns, which gives his birthplace correctly as Ireland, and says he died of pneumonia. At the time of his death, he was living on Montgomery Street.

1. ↑ Solomon Isaacs & ux to Peter Donnelly [1].