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Facts and Events
Land Acquisition
- Prior to 1742, John Blaw purchased 400 acres of farmland from Abraham Van Horn, a merchant of New York City and a large New Jersey landholder, and 95 acres adjacent to this tract from Nicholas Lake of New Brunswick, NJ. This land is located about one-half mile south of Blawenburg, Montgomery Twp., Somerset Co., NJ, on the Great Road leading to what is now Mercer Co. On 10 January 1741/2, John Blaw sold the east half of this plantation (247.5 acres) to his son, Michael Blaw. This gave Michael the part of the tract that lay east of the Great Road and John kept the land to the west of the road. Michael ran a mill at the point where the Great Road crosses Beden's Brook, and it is believed that Blaw's Mill was the origin of the name Blawenburg. On the same day, John sold the west half of his plantation to his son Frederick. This fact was discovered from a record of a mortgage deed signed by Frederick in 1768. Rootsweb.com
Will Abstract
- Will and inventory of John BLAW, dated 1756, proved 1757; New Jersey Archives File
- It is through John Blaw's will that the identity of his son, John, is established. He named John co-executor of his will, and in accepting the duties, son John signed the paper using a distinctive mark. A similar mark is found on the will of John Blew. Furthermore, John Blaw willed to his son,John, a silver "drink beker". This later appears as a "Silver Cup" in the 1790 will of his grandson, John Blue. An additional connection is established by the mentioning of silver spoons in the wills of John Blaw (1.) and John Blew (1.1). John (1.1.1) was the only one of four sons of John (1.1) who did not receive a silver spoon. This was probably because he, as the eldest son, had already been given the most important family heirloom, the Silver Cup. His personal estate was valued at almost £1000. Included in this estate were "a negroe man & woman" valued at £30.
Rootsweb.com
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