History: Family: Bi-Bo Surnames: Genealogy Tidbits: Monmouth County, NJ. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by various researchers. USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ The information on these surnames is based on lookup requests from the Monmouth County USGenWeb page. This is a means of sharing these efforts. We welcome your contribution. jpatter@epix.net ____________________________________________________________ INDEX BILLS/BILES (also see Williams) BILLS, Thomas and Nathaniel ____________________________________________________________ BILLS/BILES Hi, Joe gave me your reference. I have been researching William BILLS for three years, and have hit a couple of snags. I have a vast amount of information on the BILLS family , and have several branches I would like to hook up. Joe says you use two sources, Horner and Stillwell. Well, in my branch, William who was a patriot (1751 - 1838) and also was orphaned by Nathaniel Bills and wife Mary. He was adopted by a T. Davies of Burlington County. Anyway, Wm had 4 children, sally, john stephen and Sylvanus. I am descended from John, who had James, Johnson, JOHN JR, and George. I am descended from James. He had three children by his first wife, Samuel, Mary and Anne. Samuel was married to phebe ann Stillwell. He also had 5 children by his second wife Rachel, daughter of the above Sylvanus: Catherine, Daniel, John H., Alethia and Laura. I am descended from Catherine. Catherine married Ruliff Van Cleaf in 1842. ANY information on this branch would be appreciated. I am trying to go back farther than the progenitor Wm of Barnstable Ma. I want to fill in all the distant cousins, of which I have hundreds. RESPONSE "HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL MISCELLANY" BY John STILLWELL, M.D. VOL. I pg 256 'The Friends Records of Shrewsbury' "1708, 27th of 11th mo., [in margin, 11th of 4th mo., 1710], George Williams md. to Joanna Bills, both of Shrews., 5th day of week at Quaker Meeting House." pg 277 'Second Book of Shrewsbury, NJ, Friends Records' "1735, 22, 3mo. William Bills md. to Mary Bordin, both of Shrews., at house of Francis Bordin, at Shrews." pg 281 "1736, 27, 3mo. Isaac Hance md. to Content Bills, both of Shrews. at Friends' Meeting House, at Shrews." pg 286 "[Date missing.] Isaac Hance, Jun'r., md to Joanna Bills, both of Shrews., at house of Isaac Hance, in Shrews." {NOTE: the previous entry was for 1740 and the following for 1742--they "appear" to be chronological. Shrews.=Shrewsbury} pg 342 "Thomas Bills desesed his life ye 2 of ye 2 mo., 1721. "Joanna Bills desesed her life ye 4 of ye 4 mo., 1723 VOL II pg 341 'In an Old Burying Ground Allentown, NJ' "In the rear of Nelson & Co.'s store, on the Wilson Wright property, at Allentown, N.J. are the following inscription: among others; "Peter Bills died, Sept 6, 1854, aged 69 yrs. and 19 days" "Sylvester Bills died, Feb. 6th, 1825, aged 66 yrs., 7 mos., and 10 days "Elenor, wife of Sylvester Bills, died, May 27th, 1834, aged 68 yrs., 1 mo., and 28 da "Washington B. Bills died, Feb. 21st, 1832, aged 32 yrs. and 12 days "M.B., daughter of W. B. and C. Bills died Sept. 24, 1832, aged 18 mos. "Christian Bills, relict of W. B. Bills, died, Nov. 22nd, 1834, aged 34 yrs. and 3 mo." pg 425 'Abstracts from the Record Book of the Shrewsbury, NJ, Mens' Monthly Meeting' "1735, 2. 4. William Bills and Mary Bordin married in orderly manner" pg 426 "1736, 5. 2mo. 1st intention of Gershom Bills and Sarah Gardner. "1741, 6. 2. 1st intention of Isaac Hance and Joanna Bills VOL III PG 186 Under Miscellaneous Notes on the Cox family is one entry that appears to be the record of a marriage license? "1749, Sept. 20. Thomas Cox and Elizabeth Bills, aged 26 years. She was the widow of Samuel Corlis, of Shrewsbury whom she married by license dated Aug. 17, 1745." pg 190 "George Crawford, son of John Crawford, 3, died in 1745-6, as per the date of his will. He married Esther Scott, of Shrewsbury, born 13, 3mo, 1701. She was a daughter of John Scott, whose will was made and proved in 1736, and is recorded at Trenton, Vol. C., p. 128, in which he appointed 'his sons, William and Samuel, and his son-in-law, George Crawford, executors.' John Scott was born, at Gravesend, 9, 11 mo., 1679, and married Mary, daughter of Thomas and Joanna Bills, and was a son of William Scott by his wife, Abigail, daughter of John Tilton, whom he married Feb. 7, 1678." pg 231 Naomi Edwards was a witness on Jan 27, 1708, at the marriage of George Williams to Joanna Bills. pg 232 "Samuel Corlies; will dated Dec. 22, 1748, proved Dec. 5, 1749; married, by license dated Aug. 17, 1745, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Content (Woolley) Bills, born 1723; she married, second, by license dated Sep. 20, 1749, Thomas Cox, of Shrewsbury, Longfield Cox as surety on their bond." pg 247 James Bill,Sen'r & Joseph Bill signed as witnesses to a will in Boston, Mass in 1679. VOL IV pg 145 Among the unconnected Mount family members is this reference: "There was a Moses Mount, of Monmouth County, who married Lydia Bills, in 1739, and died in 1748. He had a son, Moses, who was an aide to General Washington. There is little doubt, if any, that this line belongs in George Mount's family, for, to quote Paul W. Mount, in the Newark, N.J., News, 'the late Samuel Mount Schenck, Esq., mentions in his notes on the Mount family, that his mother, both of whose parents were Mounts, and direct descendants of George Mount, referred to Moses Mount, the son, who kept the hotel at Mount's Corner, now West Freehold, as having been a distant relative, but said 'she did not like to acknowledge it, as she did not countenance the business of the hotel.' Pretty hard on Moses, but as he had been an aide of General Washington, we can afford to feel charitable toward him. Mr. Schenck mentions, also, that this Moses Mount was a lover of fast horses and a great rider of race horses.'" pg 173 "Joseph Potter, born, in Shrewsbury, 8, 6mo., 1709-10; married, first, 6, 12 mo., 1736, Rebekah Champlice; second, 12, 2mo., [or 2, 12mo.], 1753, Abigail, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Bills) Tilton, born 7, 2mo. [or 22, 7mo.], 1723. NOTE: from other data in Stillwell, this Lydia Bills did NOT marry Moses Mount above as has been seen, as in Honor below.. pg 332 "1705, July 20. William Crouch, of London, and William Bills [Biles], of Bucks county, sold to Johathan Stout, of Burlington County, one sixteenth of one one-hundredth part of the Province of West Jersey." pg 361 "1816, Mch. 2, Stephen Stout, of Freehold, NJ, made his will, which was proved Mch. 13, 1816, and in which he mentioned: "Brother, John Stout "Sister, Sarah, wife of Thomas Parker, Sr. "'my nephew or sister's son, Sylvenis T. Bills.'" "Sarah Stout, dau. of ?, married first Mr. Bills; second, Thomas Parker, Sr. "issue by first husband "Sylvanus T. Bills "1787, October Term. Monmouth County Orphans' Court. Sarah Parker, mother of Sylvanus Bills, (aged 11 yrs.), petitioned, and Thomas Parker was appointed his guardian. "issue by second husband,[if he had no other wives]" Charles Parker, born 1787; m. Sarah Coward Joseph Anthony pg 367 among unattached Stout lines is this "John Stout, ship-captain, married, June 24, 1714, Abigail, daughter of Benjamin Bill. She was baptized Nov. 13, 1695, and was nineteen years of age at the time of her marriage. In 1718, Abigail Stout was a witness to a New York will." pg 368 still among unattached Stout lines, but obviously a reference to the above "John Stout, son of John Stout,1, and Abigail Bill, was baptized Feb 10, 1720, and married Ann Dodameed, who was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church, of New York City, Aug. 24, 1766. He was a sea captain and commanded the British privateer 'Harlequin,' of 16 guns, in the Revolutionary War." "THIS OLD MONMOUTH OF OURS" BY WILLIAM HORNOR pg 115-116 "BILLS "This family is reputed to have been of Newtown, Long Island. The first of the name in Monmouth County was Thomas, who is said to have sojourned first, for a time, in Burlington County. The name itself, one of those pity Saxon names that does not show its vigor until translated into modern English, is from the Anglo-Saxon word Bil or Bill, meaning a sword. It was in use as a family name as early as the time of Edward the Confessor, and is found among the landholders of England in the Doomsday-Book, compiled about 1080. "THOMAS BILLS (1), by occupation a weaver, bought land in Shrewsbury Township in 1697, of John Starkey. He sold one half of this purchase in 1707 to David Killie, his son-in-law. Thomas died in Shrewsbury 2-2-1721. His wife was named Johanna, who died 4-4-1723. He is said to have had a sister, Johanna, who was married to John Scudder (son of John and Mary King), who was born in 1645. It is quite certain that there were other members of the family who came to Monmouth, and who appear, from time to time without traceable connection. His children were Thomas (3); Johanna ($), died Apr. 1, 1728, married 11-27-1708, George Williams; a daughter (5) whose name may have been Johanna, tho' called Anna, who married before 1700, David Kill'e; Nathaniel (6); and Mary (7), who married John Scott, of Gravesend born 11-9-1769 died 1736. It is thought that there were other children. "THOMAS BILLS (3), son of Thomas (1), died in 1729, leaving real-property in Shrewsbury and in Fairfield, New England. He married, Content Woolley, daughter of Edward and Lydia, who was born 9-9-1694. She married, secondly, in 1736, Isaac Hance. The children of Thomas and Content were: William(8); Sylvanus (9), a mason, who married Rachel Lippencott; Thomas (10), a mason, who died at Squan, 1755, leaving it is supposed, a son, Thomas (23); Johanna, who may have married, 1741, Isaac, Jr.; Lydia (12), said to have married either Moses Mount or Peter Tilton; Elizabeth (13), born 1723, married, first, Aug. 17, 1745, Samuel Corlies, of Shrewsbury, and secondly Sept 20, 1749, Thomas Cox; and supposed, Content (14). "NATHANIEL BILLS (6), son of Thomas (1), died at Shrewsbury in 1729. He is thought to have been the elder brother. His children were Thomas (15); Gershom (16); Daniel (17); Mercy (18); Catherine (19); Joanna (20); Elizabeth (21), and supposed, Nathaniel (22), who married Mary_____, and died in 1755. "WILLIAM BILLS (8), son of Thomas (3), died in 1753. He married, 1735, Mary, daughter of Francis and Mary Borden, who was born 6-21-1717. There was one child, Mary (22 1/2). "GERSHOM BILLS (16), son of Nathaniel (6), died in 1766. He was a cordwainer. He married, first in 1736, Sarah Gardiner. He is supposed to have married, secondly, Margaret______. His children were: Hannah (24), said to have married William Jackson, Jr.; Daniel (25), who was of age 1761; Rebecca (26); Rachel (27); Sarah (28); Sylvanus (29); Thomas (30); and Elizabeth (31). "DANIEL BILLS (17), son of Nathaniel (6), was not yet of age in 1729. He had at least one child, William (32), for whom a guardian was appointed in 1769, he being a minor." The references come from John Stillwell's, "Historical & Genealogical Miscellany". VOL. III pg 286-287 Margaret Hartshorne, dau. of William, b. 3, 9mo., 1704; died 1745; married William, son of Gershom Mott, born Nov. 9, 1699. issue: John Gershom Asher: m. Ann Biles Sarah: m. William Biles VOL. IV pg. 88 - 89 William Mott, as above, died Jan 21, 1760; m. Margaret Hartshorne, dau of William and Catharine (Bowne) Hartshorne. 1741, Feb. 26 William Mott, of Hunterdon Co., NJ, yeoman, conveyed to James Mott, of Middletown, Monmouth Co., NJ . . ... issue (from family bible in possession of descendants in Iowa) John; b. 1/18/1734 Sarah; born Aug. 10, 1735; [married, by license dated Oct. 4, 1780, William Biles] Gershom; born Nov. 18, 1737 Asher; born Feb. 17, 1739 pg 99 June 15, 1750:Gershom, from above entry, is of Hanover Township, Morris Co., and is bound to William Mott ot Trenton township, Hunterdon Co. for 214 pounds. Debt paid off in 1760 & 1761. He m. Anne Godley on May 11, 1773. Also on this page is Asher, noted from above entry, m. Anne Biles-no sources cited. ____________________________________________________________ BILLS, Thomas and Nathaniel Would you be so kind as to look up any documents relating to Thomas Bills, died 2 April 1721 and Nathaniel Bills, died 3 March 1729, both in Shrewsbury? Bills Marriage Records 38 NEW JERSEY COLONIAL, DOCUMENTS. Volume XXIII, Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. 1. 1670-1730 Part I, edited by William Nelson 1728-9 Jan. 24. Bills, Nathaniel, of Shrewsbury Township, Monmouth Co.; will of. Children--Thomas, Girsham, Daniel (under age), Marcey, Catherine, Joanah and Elisabeth. Real and personal estate. Executors--son Thomas and Joseph Gardiner. Witnesses--John West, John Taylor, Mary Johnson. Proved March 3I, 1729. Lib. B, p. 260 1728-9 Feb. 22. BIlls, Thomas, of Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., yeoman, will of. Wife Content. Children--William, Silvanus, Thomas, Joana, Lydia, Elizabeth, all under age. Real and personal estate in Fairfield Township, New England, and in Shrewsbury Township. The wife sole executrix. Witnesses--Preserve Lippincott, John Haskins, Geo. Thornborough. Proved March 24, I728-9. Lib. B, p. 158 Other BILLS marriages - DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, VOLUME XXII. MARRIAGE RECORDS, 1665-1800 EDITED, WITH AN HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION ON THE EARLY MARRIAGE LAWS OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE PRECEDENTS ON WHICH THEY WERE FOUNDED, BY WILLIAM NELSON. PATERSON, N. J.: THE PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO., 269 MAIN STREET. 1900. Bills, Content, Monmouth, and Samuel Trafford, Monmouth 1749 Dec. 29 Bills, Deborah, Monmouth, and Charles Matthews, Monmouth 1760 Feb. 22 Bills, Elizabeth, Monmouth, and Samuel Corlis, Monmouth 1745 Aug. 17 Bills, Elizabeth, Monmouth, and Stoffell Longstreet, Monmouth 1748 Dec. 17 Bills, Elizabeth, Freehold, and Carvel Wells, Freehold 1767 Nov. 24 Bills, Hannah, Monmouth, and William Jackson, Jr., Monmouth 1757 May 19 Bills, Johanna, Monmouth, and Benjamin Roogers, Monmouth 1740 Dec. 10 Bills, Lydia, Monmouth, and Moses Mount, Monmouth 1739 May 15 Bills, Marah, Shrewsbury, and Silas Woolley, Shrewsbury 1754 Nov. 21 Bills, Margaret, Monmouth, and William Garmon, Monmouth 1755 July 12 Bills, Patience, Monmouth, and Nathan Allen, Monmouth 1767 Dec. 24 WILLS OF NATHANIEL AND THOMAS BILLS WILL of NATHANIEL BILLS, of the Township of Shrewsbury, Mon. Co., "Being uerrey Sik and Weak." Dated Jan. 24, 1728-9. Proved by oath of John West and John Taylor; before Lawrence Smyth,Surrogate, Mon. Co., Mch. 31, 1729. Gives: "To my Three sons Thomas Bills and Girshum Bills and Daniel Bills all my Lands and meados To Them Their "heirs .... To be Eaquily Deuided Between Them Three in qontaty and qualyty and .... That my son "Thomas Bills shall have the ufe of all my Lands and meados Till my son Daniel arives To .... Tweenty one years "and .... That all my Lawfull Debts shall be paid out of my mouable Eaftate by my Executors and .... "That The Remaining part of the said mouable Eastate .... shall be Equily Deuided Between my four daughters "Marcey Bills and Catharine Bills and Joanah Bills and Elisabeth Bills To be Eaquily Deuided at the hands or Discretion "of my Executors and I .... Constitute .... my Loueing son Thomas Bills and Joseph Gardiner To be my "Sole Executors ...."; "my Trew Intent .... Is That my son Thomas shall have the use of all my Lands "and meados tell october In the year .... 1737 and my Trew intent .... Is That my three sons afore said "shall Eaqualy Deuide their Land and meado afore said in the year 1737"; ".... if one of my three sons afore said 130 "shall Die Be fore they Deuid their Lands and meado .... that then the Land and meado .... shall be "Eaqualy Deuided Between the Two Suruiveors ...." Wits.: NATHANIEL BILLS [his mark] John west John Tayler [his mark] Marey Johnfon [her mark] Oath of Executor, Thomas Bills; before Lawr. Smyth, Surr., "at the same time." [Meh. 31, 1729.] "Recorded in Book of Wills, Lib. B., folio 260 ...." Administrator's bond signed by Gerfhom Bills, Administrator of Nathaniel Bills, late of the County of Monmouth, Singleman, Deceafed, and David Allen, both of Shrewfbury, Mon. Co., Cordwainers. Dated Mch. 19, 1733-4. Wits.: Samuel forman and Wm Madock. Deposition of Gerfhom Bills, administrator, "that Nathaniel Bills Dyed without a Will as far as he knows ...." before Willm Madock, Surrogate, Mch. 19, 1733-4. INVENTORY of NATHANIEL BILLS, Junr, late of the County of Monmouth, Yeoman, Deceafed, by William Goodbody, [his mark], and Jofeph gifford appraisers. "sworn & attefted" by William Goodbody and Joseph Gifford; before William Madock, Surrogate, Mon. Co., Sept. 9, 1734. Items of Interest: To five Stearf of five or Six yearf old £12--10 -- To two Cows & on Steer 7--10 -- To Cattle & two Maref sold at Vendue 28 -- -- To 1 Gun 2 -- -- To 1 Saddle 2--05 -- To 1 hat 1--05 -- To Wearing Apparel & 1 hat 1--10 -- To one Bond on Richard Gardiner for ye Sum of 18 -- -- [Below appears: "Gerfham Bills administrater."] £73 -- -- WILL of THOMAS BILLS, of the Town of Shrewsbury, Mon. Co., "Yeoman, being weak in body." Dated Feb. 22, 1728. Proved by attest. of Preserve Lipencot and George Thornborough, two of the wits., that at the same time, John Haskins, the other wit., was present; before Lawrence Smyth, Surrogate, Mon. Co., Mch. 24, 1728. Gives: "unto my Loving wife Content All my Real Estate which I now have .... Scituate .... in "the faid Town of Shrewsbury in the said County .... and a[l]so all my Estate Right title .... unto all "my Estate Real and personal in New England in the Township of ffairfeild in and Towards payment of all .... my "Just Debts and to the Intent that my said Loving wife Content her heirs .... shall have full power .... to "make Sale thereof .... of the whole .... as her Councill Learned in the Law shall .... Advise for "the payment of my Debts and the Overplus thereof (if any) .... shall be to and for the Sole benefitt .... "[of] my said wife Content ..."; "unto my Eldest Son William Bills the fum of fix pounds Current money of the "said province of East Jersey when he shall Arrive at the age of one and twenty years ...."; "unto my fecond fon "Silvanus the Like Sum of six pounds of Like money when he shall Arrive at the age of one and twenty years ...."; "unto my third Son Thomas the Like fum of Six pounds of like money when he shall Arrive att .... one and twenty "years ...."; "unto my Daughte[r] Joana the Sum of five pounds of like Current money when she fhall arrive att ".... Eighteen Yeares ...."; "unto my fecond daughter Lydia the like Sum of five pounds of like Current "money when she shall Arive att Eighteen yeares .."; "unto my Youngest daughter Elizabeth the Like fum of Five "pounds of Like Current money when she shall Arrive att .... Eighteen Years ...." Constitutes "my said Loving wife my whole and fole Executrix ...." Wits.: THOMAS BILLS Preserue Lippincott John Haskins [his mark] Geo. Thornborough Affirmation of Executrix, Content Bills; before Lawrence Smyth, Surrogate, Mon. Co., Mch. 24, 1728. "Recorded in Lib. B., book of Wills, folio 158 to 160." ".... D. D. Jacob Dennis, p. Mich. Kearny, D. fur."