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Ephraim McDowell, of Somerset County, NJ
Facts and Events
Disambiguation
NOT to be confused with Ephraim McDowell (abt. 1672-abt. 1770) of Augusta County, Virginia.
Will Abstract
- 1760, April 10. Will of McDowel, Ephraim, of Bedminster, Somerset Co., yeoman.
- Sons, John, Ephraim and Mathew, all my lands and chattels; and John and Mathew are to have this place I live on. Said sons to pay the legacies I leave to my wife, Ben and Elizabeth. To wife, £50, and £10 that Mathew Adems owes me, and I allow her the room that John Hanna lived in. Daughter, Elizabeth, £60. Son, Benjamin, £30. Son, Peter, the best cow. Daughter, Mary Simonton, a cow, and Ephraim Simonton a heifer. Daughter, Peggy, £10.
- Executors: my wife and son, John; and I appoint William Colavel to superintend them.
- Witnesses—John Sloan, Henry Sloan, John Hanna.
- Proved Sept. 14, 1762. Lib. H, p. 182.
- Source: New Jersey Calendar of Wills page 267
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikitree.com.
Biography
Ephraim McDowell was born in 1688 in County Antrim, Ireland. He, being from Connor (south of Ballymena), emigrated possibly from Raloo near Larne to Lamington, New Jersey.[1].
Some sources say Ephraim sailed from Londonderry, Ireland on May 9 1729 on the George and Ann and landed in Philadelphia, but ship records do not mention him among the other McDowells onboard. He likely emigrated a little later, about 1730. He settled first in Hunterton County, New Jersey then moved to Somerset County on the Raritan. He is buried in the Lamington Churchyard. Egle's Notes and Queries goes on to say that his son John, in 1736, brought settlers to the Borden Tract in Berkeley County, Virginia. This is not likely and is probably where the two different Ephraim McDowells become confused. The names of all the sons of Ephraim McDowell are given in The History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey as John, Matthew, Ephraim, Peter and Benjamin. It says "Ephraim and Peter removed to the west. Benjamin became a settled minister in Dublin, Ireland, having gone there to finish his education. He had pursued his preparatory course at the grammar school kept by Rev. Mr. Hannah on the McDowell estate in Bedsminster - an old school quite noted in its day." [2]
The father of Ephraim McDowell is not certain. Abraham McDowell (1648-1741) one possibility, is only speculative. It is very possible that Ephraim is the son of Alexander McDowell and Margaret Loveridge. This Ephraim is sometimes confused with the Ephraim McDowell (1673-1763) McDowell-124 who was married to Margaret Irvine, and is cited as the son of Thomas McDowell and Ann Locke, and sometimes as the son of Abraham McDowell and Ann? Calhoun. It is also possible that Ephraim of Bedminster is the son of Alexander McDowell who purchased land in Somerset County, New Jersey in 1681. Little is known about his origins but he may be the Alex McDowell who appears on Hearth Money Rolls (1669) in County Antrim. His residence is given as the Townland of Tannaghmore, Drummaul Parish, Toome Upper Barony in County Antrim. Drummaul borders to the west of Connor Parish, where Ephraim was in residence before coming to America.
It has been stated that Ephraim McDowell's family may have emigrated with the "Clinton emigration party" on the "George and Ann" which sailed from Dublin for Philadelphia on 29 May 1729. This party was led by Charles Clinton (1690-1773) of Corbey, County Longford, Ireland, whose father had received a grant of land in Ireland from Queen Anne. After a disastrous voyage of 135 days, they bargained with the captain for a landing at Cape Cod. Two years later he established Little Britain, New York. William Henry Egle's Notes and Queries says that Ephraim McDowell and party departed from Londonderry on the "George and Ann" on 9 May 1729, indicating that the ship proceeded to Dublin before coming to America. This Ephraim, however, was said to be the one who settled in Augusta County, Virginia.
A blog regarding the Presbyterian Exodus from County Longford, in 1729, has a transcription of Colonel Charles Clinton's diary. Colonel Clinton left his home county on 9 May 1729, arriving in Dublin on 12 May. The "George and Ann" set sail on 20 May and anchored at Glenarm, County Antrim on 24 May where four members of the Matthew McClaughry family disembarked. They set sail again on 25 May and anchored again the next day at Greencastle, Lough Foyle, County, Donegal. They set sail again accompanied by the ship "John of Dublin" 0n 29 May bound for New Castle, Delaware. Among those who died enroute, as noted by Clinton, were the following: 8 June - a child of James McDowell, 7 July - a child of James McDowell, Aug/Sep - a brother of Andrew McDowell, September - a daughter of James McDowell, September - John McDowell's sister, and Sep/Oct - a brother of Andrew McDowell. [3]
Another source gives an account of the voyage of the George and Ann" as well as the arrest, trial and execution of Captain Rymer. [4]
The Somerset Historical Quarterly (1912) says, in reference to early settlers of Somerset County, that Ephraim McDowell, born 1688 in Londonderry, came (perhaps) to Long Island about 1720, and later settled near Vliet's Mills, Bedminster Township, and still later (1750) on land subsequently owned by various of his descendants. The article incorrectly says that his wife is supposed to have been Margaret Irving [Irvine]. An Alexander McDowell was a landowner between Somerville and Pluckemin in 1727, and may have been a brother to Ephraim, but no further trace of him seems to be on local records.
Ephraim McDowell married twice. The name of his first wife is unknown and she is often confused with Margaret Irvine who married the other Ephraim McDowell.
Second spouse: Margaret Adams b. about 1714, died before 1790.
Ephraim McDowell died in 1762 in Bedminster, Somerset, New Jersey and is buried Lamington Cemetery, Bedminster, NJ
His will, abstracted: 1760, April 10. McDowel, Ephraim, of Bedminster, Somerset Co., yeoman; will of. Sons, John, Ephraim and Mathew, all my lands and chattels; and John and Mathew are to have this place I live on. Said sons to pay the legacies I leave to my wife, Ben and Elizabeth. To wife, £50, and £10 that Mathew Adems owes me, and I allow her the room that John Hanna lived in. Daughter, Elizabeth, £60. Son, Benjamin, £30. Son, Peter, the best cow. Daughter, Mary Simonton, a cow, and Ephraim Simonton a heifer. Daughter, Peggy, £10. Executors: my wife and son, John; and I appoint William Colavel to superintend them. Witnesses—John Sloan, Henry Sloan, John Hanna. Proved Sept. 14, 1762. Lib. H, p. 182. [5]
Five Children of Ephraim and Unknown:
1 F Mary MCDOWELL Birthdate: 1713 - Connor, County Antrim, Ireland Death date: 17 May 1738 Buried: Spouse: Robert Simonton ( - )
2 M Peter MCDOWELL Birthdate: 1716 - Connor, County Antrim, Ireland Death date: 1767-1770 Buried: Spouse: Mary ( - ) Spouse: Mary Camble ( - ) Marr: 8 Feb 1764
3 F Ann MCDOWELL Birthdate: Abt 1719 Death date: Buried: Spouse: James Curry ( - )
4 F Margaret MCDOWELL Birthdate: Abt 1721 - Connor, County Antrim, Ireland Death date: Buried: Spouse: David Burnet ( d. Bef. 1767)
5 M John MCDOWELL Birthdate: After 1722 - Connor, County Antrim, Ireland Death date: Abt. 1784 Buried: Spouse: Unknown MCCOLLUM ( - ) . [6]
Four children of Ephraim and Margaret:
1 F Elizabeth MCDOWELL Birthdate: 1737
2 M Matthew MCDOWELL Birthdate: 1738
3 M Benjamin MCDOWELL Birthdate: 25 Dec 1739
4 M Ephraim MCDOWELL Birthdate: 1743
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McDowell-2662
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