Person:John Hand (26)

A CAPE MAY, N.J. HAND LINEAGE Prepared by: George C. Williston, M.A.

John and Mercy Crowell Hand Third generation in these English colonies

JOHN HAND was the son of Thomas and Mary Talmage Hand born at Easthampton, LI. about l668. John registered his ear mark for cattle at Easthampton in l688 which would be about the time he was an adult. At any rate, he would be one of the oldest- if not the oldest- of the children of Thomas and Mary Talmadge Hand. John died without a will before the 27th of April, l736 when letters of administration for his estate were granted to his son, Elisha (uncle of the ancestor below). John is assumed to have had two wives. John first married an unknown lady by whom he had Nathaniel. Neither the child or the mother lived very long. Secondly, John is said to have married Mercy Crowell, daughter of Barnabas6* and Abigail Crowell. That wedding and Mercy's parentage have not been conclusively proven, but this relationship is attributed by people who have made an investigation. The marriage is apparently not recorded or if recorded is not published. Mercy Hand outlived John by ten years as we shall see and made her will the 9th of Feb, l744. In that will Mercy named their children as follows:

Nathaniel: died before the will of Mercy John died 18 Jan, l743 Elisha died 29 Jan, l754 Abigail married Thomas Buck Mary married James Page Jane married James Whildin (Mayflower desc.) Silas-our ancestor- died May, l770 Isaiah-born l723, died 28 Feb, l765 married Susanna Elihu died March, l768- married Lydia

John and his father, Thomas, were among the prominent and powerful whaler yeomen who gave leadership and shared in the control of Cape May in their time as shown by Dorwart. Men from these first families ran Cape May during the eighteenth century to their satisfaction- if not to their gain. This is not an unusual arrangement in society. John Hand was appointed in l701 a member of the Assembly of the Proprietary Government- a group of freeholders that met yearly with the West New Jersey Proprietors or their representative at Burlington to advise and consult with the Proprietors on matters of governing their part of the colony. He was a representative of Cape May to the provincial government- a place of responsibility and public trust. John Hand and his wife were among the organizers of the Presbyterian Church at Cold Spring in l714. This is mentioned by Dorwart and in a l989 article in the American Presbytrians. The location of a clear and cold spring was in fact a reason to bring people there on Sunday for fresh water. A log meeting house was built in l718 which was replaced by a frame building in l762 and the present brick building7* in 1823. In the first years a drum was beaten as a way to remind people of their religious responsibilities. The cemetery today has 14,000 graves with many Hands and people of the early families. Stones of 19th century Hand family members flank the front door on both sides.

LAND TRANSACTIONS OF JOHN HAND; John had land from his father in l700, and may have bought land himself earlier which is recorded in Burlington in Book B,p 423 . In fact there is a deed at Cape May in Book B, page 147 of the 20th July, l713 which says that John Hand, Yeoman, purchased 340 acres from Jeremiah Bass, agent of the West Jersey Society in 1695. This may have been a purchase by Thomas given to his sons John and George in equal shares. This 1713 deed could be a transfer of title to John for his share. There is an article in the Cape May Star and Wave newspaper of the 9th of August, l958 which describes an existing house at 1129 Washington St., Cape May City known then as the Bachman House. The article says that a lady had found original deeds hidden in the house which said that the land was platted and bought of Oliver Russell in l699; and sold to John Hand in l709 recorded in Burlington. John's second wife, Mercy, also signed the deed which would prove they were married before l709. The parcel included 170 acres bought for 300 pounds. The tract went back to a creek known as Cape Island Creek- through an old golf course to another creek then called John Hand's Creek. These creeks are now covered over by diversion through pipe, and seem not to exist. The present (1997) house at 1129 Washington St. includes according to the 1958 article a log house dating to 1714 or before under the modern cover. It is now a long house with a porch along one side which isn't very distinctive. The house is set forward of the line of its neighbors, and in that way stands out. It is marked 1714, and is privately owned. .John and Mercy Hand probably lived and died there in that log house.

ESTATES OF JOHN AND MERCY HAND; Since John Hand died without a will everything that he owned seems to have been inherited by Elisha, the oldest son. [Was primogeniture working here when it didn't prevail in Kent ?] At least Elisha got the land and the debts to settle. That business is represented below, but was avoided by Thomas through his will. There is no estate record for John. Mercy Hand made a will in 1744 disposing of her personal property; and her land was passed onby deed..The will of Mercy opens in a formal statement of her belief in the Resurrection- the `General Resurrection', in fact. And that she will receive the same by the `mighty power of God.' Then each son and daughter is listed, and what she is leaving them of her personal property which was appraised by Barnabas Crowell Jr., (her brother ?), and Elijah Hughes. It is also signed by Elisha Hand, the administrator of the estate, and Henry Young- the Cape May County Surrogate. The inventory is as follows in English money: Cash Wearing Apperall Animal libestock] One Negro Man (slave) Household goods Grain 8 pounds 4.6 14 pounds 4.6 28 pounds 6.4 22 pounds 12 " 19 31 " 12.6 Total 92 pds 6.10

The following are the bequests as listed in Mercy Hand's will.

To her son, Elisha, ten shillings (and probably the land) To Richard Smith, her son in law, one two year old heifer; To her son, John Hand, one cow and calf and a pair of sheets To her daughter, Abigail Buck, a chest of drawers, a warming pan And a linen wheel; To Mary Paige, her daughter, three sheep and one side saddle; To her daughter, Jane Whildin, one box trap (cart?), and four shays To her son, Juaiah Hand, one bed with the furniture (may mean the Bedding that went with it) and also MY NEGRO MAN NAMED WILL, to hold him my son, Isaiah, (?), on condition that he or They shall pay my youngest son, Elihu Hand, at his arrival to the Age of 21 years, the sum of five pounds; To Elihu Hand, her son, one bed with the furniture; also one two year old Horse on the Two Mile beach, one cow and calf and five pounds Money; To her daughters, Abigail Buck, Mary Paige and Jane Whildin all my Wearing apparrel to be equally divided; To her sons; Silas Hand, Isaiah Hand and Elihu Hand all the remainder To be equally divided; Elisha Hand and Richard Smith to be sole executors,

1736 ESTATE OF JOHN HAND; It appears that the son, Elisha Hand, who was appointed administrator took over all debts of the deceased for land he acquired. Elisha made an accounting in l746 for paying the following debts for the estate of the deceased:

For digging the grave, coffin and grave posts; Giving bond to the Surrogate at Cape May, and the Registar at Burlington; Paying debts of the deceased due Nath Norton, Thomas Hand, James Page, John Crandall, Thomas Ross, John Hand and Ebenezer Newton; For some animal being lost in the woods, For two three year old steers which didn't get returned to him- Being also lost in the woods For sixty pounds paid to Mercy Hand, widow of the deceased, For her share of the personal estate; For nineteen pounds paid Jane Hand, daughter of the deceased, for Her part of the estate; For nineteen pounds paid Rachel Hand, daughter of the deceased, For five pounds paid to Thomas Buck "in right of his wife, Abigail, one Of the deceased's children; For five pounds paid John Hand, son of the deceased, the remainder For one pound paid James Page `in right of his wife, Mary,' one of the For ten pounds for his trouble in doing this business;

Silas, another son, is not mentioned nor are Juiah, Elihu, or Isaiah. [We have to assume that they got land owned by their father].

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} LDS Family Search.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Williston, George, A CAPE MAY, N.J. HAND LINEAGE.
3. ↑ Colonial Families of Cape May via Alan Tompkins
   As per COLONIAL FAMILIES OF CAPE MAY, Jane Hand, wife of JAMES WHILLDIN, was born about 1719 @ Cape May, the daughter of John Hand and Mercy Crowell. She, Jane Hand, died 8 Nov 1760 @ Cape May and was buried in the Cold Spring Cemetery. John Hand born <1686> son of Thomas Hand and Catherine Stubbs Thomas Hand born 1646 son of John Hand, the immigrant and Alice Grandsden Catherine Stubbs born 1645 daughter of John Stubbs (b 1622) John Hand,the immigrant 1611-1660 son of John Hand and Joan Simmons Alice Grandsden (no dates) daugh of Henry Gransden and Alice Harris John Hand, father of the immigrant, brn 1580; died at sea; Joan Simmons, his wife, 1581-1623.