Person:Duncan Oliphant (1)

There is some disagreement among researchers as to the identity of Duncan Oliphant's parentage. Many genealogists have him as the son of John Oliphant and Janet Gilchrist, who came to this country in 1685 to escape religious persecution in Scotland. They lost everything they owned for supporting the Presbytarian Church. Their son William was banished to the colonies for same. William died unmarried and his property was divided among his parents and siblings. There was no Duncan mentioned. The children of John and Janet are all listed in the OPR indexes, yet Duncan is not among them. John and Janet indentured themselves and their daughters for passage to this country. They were destitute. On the other hand, Duncan Oliphant was a member of the Anglican Church, and an active supporter of it even after he came to this country. He was well thought of enough to be appointed Constable of Staten Island. This indicates he was not in the same dire straits as John and Janet Gilchrist Oliphant. He had the money to buy the property in New Jersey, though admittedly this could have come from the dowry of his wife.

He named his eldest son David. Naming patterns followed in Scotland in that time period dictated that the eldest son be named after the father's father. This supports the other prevalant theory that he was the son of David Oliphant, born abt 1648 in Perthshire, Scotland, son of Sir Laurence Oliphant and his wife, Lillias Oliphant. Sir Laurence and his cousin, Lillias, married in 1634. She was the daughter of Patrick Oliphant & his wife, Elizabeth. David died in 02 Feb 1707 in Edinburgh and is buried at Greyfriars Abby. The OPR's are incomplete and there is no record of the birth of Duncan Oliphant in Scotland, so proof of a tie to this family would have to come from family papers or a Bible, neither of which have been found.

1706 Colonial Census of Staten Island N.Y.

Olyphant Dunkan (age) 24 pg 6 #5 Man

olyphant David (no age listed) pg 6 #6 Boy

Olyphant Mary (no age listed) pg 6 #7 Woman

Duncan Oliphant (1682-1734), of Staten Isl., NY, and Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ, One of the founders of W. New Jersey and an owner of a large plantation, “Oliphant Mills,” he was, according to most recent researchers, most probably the son of David Oliphant not his brother John and wife Janet Gilchrest, as has long been asserted whose parents, Laurence and Lilias Oliphant, were both part of the Oliphants of Gask, in Scotland. Born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1682, Duncan reportedly arrived in Staten Isl. around 1695. Sometime during the first decade of the 18th century, he m. Mary Garrison, with whom he had 9 children. His name appears on the Staten Isl. census of 1706 and records indicate that he was appointed constable of North Precinct in 1709. He moved to East Amwell, NJ, sometime between 1721 and 1723, and seems to have spent the remainder of his life in one Hunterdon Co. location or another. In 1726, he was appointed overseer of the poor for Amwell Twp.

Following is a tentative chronology for Duncan Oliphant, one that I hope will grow as other researchers contribute their findings. It was compiled from both on-line and published sources.

Duncan Oliphant: Chronology (1682-1734)

1682: Born, Perthshire, Scotland

About 1695: Arrived at Staten Island, NY (there, attended Old Dutch Church)

1702: Married Mary Garrison, Staten Island, NY (some sources give date as 1707/1708)

1706: Census, Staten Island, NY

1709: Birth of daughter Margaret, Staten Island, NY (19 Apr.)

1709: Appointed Constable of North Precinct, Staten Island, NY (5 Apr.)

1712/1713: Birth of son David, Staten Island, NY (1 Mar.)

1715: Birth of son John, Staten Island, NY; was in the north company of militia

1717: Birth of son Ephraim

1721: Birth of daughter Mary, Staten Island, NY

1721/1723: Moved to East Amwell, Hunterdon Co., NJ; reportedly purchased a large tract of land in Hopewell Twp., Burlington Co., NJ

1723: Birth of daughter Ann, Hunterdon Co., NJ

1724: Birth of son James, Hunterdon Co., NJ

1724: Tax List, Hunterdon Co., NJ

1725: Tax List, Hunterdon Co., NJ; living in Ringoes, Hunterdon Co., NJ; received in trust, along with Jno Know les, a grant of 11 acres from Wm. Lummox for the construction of an Anglican church

1726: Tax List, Hunterdon Co., NJ; with John Holcombe, chosen a Freeholder, Amwell Twp., NJ (14 Mar.)

1726: Birth of son Jonathan

1726: Overseer of the poor, Amwell, Hunterdon Co., NJ (14 Mar.)

1727: Tax List, Hunterdon Co., NJ; witness, will of John Knowles of Amwell, Hunterdon Co., NJ (28 May)

1728: Birth of son Samuel

1728: Tax List, Hunterdon Co., NJ

1732: Mention of a Wm. Allen living on his farm in Amwell Twp., NJ; will (12 Feb.; proved 7 Aug. 1734)

1734: Died, Amwell, Hunterdon Co., NJ (7 Aug.; bur. in St. Andrews Graveyard, NJ)

If this 1717 record does pertain to Duncan Oliphant, then it is the *last* mention of him that I have found of him in association with Staten Island. On 22 April 1721, Duncan Oliphant purchased 411 acres of land in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey from the estate of Thomas Stevenson of Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Duncan was certainly a resident of Amwell Township by 22 January 1725 when he purchased additional land there.

Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. II 1730-1750, Part II:

Abstract of the Will of Duncan Oliphant - Written 12 Feb 1732 Proved August 7, 1734 -Amwell Township, Hunterdon Co. NJ

Eldest son, David, the long gun, large Bible, and a book called the Conductor Generalis.

Wife, Mary, entire estate to bring up children.

Four sons--David, John, Ephraim and James.

Three daughters--Margaret (wife of Thomas Gordon), Mary and Ann, the plantation where William Allen lived, when youngest daughter is aged 18.

Executors - son, David, brother-in-law John Garrison,and friend Peter Praul. Friend, John Reading, trustee.

Witnesses - Thomas Lake, William Job, Jacob Reeder.

Children of DUNCAN OLIPHANT and MARY GARRISON are:

i.    JAMES OLIPHANT, b. 1719, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; d. June 17, 1816.

ii. MARGARET OLIPHANT, b. April 19, 1709, Staten Island, New York; m. THOMAS GORDON, 1731, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

iii. DAVID OLIPHANT, b. March 01, 1712/13, Staten Island, New York; d. September 03, 1774, Burlington County, New Jersey; m. HANNAH STOUT.

iv. JOHN OLIPHANT, b. Abt. 1711, Staten Island, New York; m. JEAN.

v. MARY OLIPHANT, b. Abt. 1714, Staten Island, New York.

vi. ANN OLIPHANT, b. Staten Island, New York.

vii. EPHRAIM OLIPHANT, b. Abt. 1717; d. 1794.

Citations

http://www.stagge.net/Site/database/wc01/wc01_362.htm