Submitted by afaTechnology on
b. 1745, d. 19 October 1832, bured in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Alexandria Township, NJ,
m. (1) 1768, Anna Maria Nixon,
m. (2) 22 January 1818, Mary Groendyke.
Children:
5.1. Henry Apgar, Jr., b. 1769
5.2. Ana Eva Apgar, b. 1770, m. … Cole
5.3. David Apgar, b. 1772, m. (2) Catherine Rockafellow
5.4. Frank Apgar, b. circa 1776
5.5. Catherine Apgar, b. circa 1782, m. … Furman
5.6. Elizabeth Apgar, b. circa 1784, m. … Ross
5.7. William Apgar, b. 1786, m. (1) Elizabeth, m. (2) Elizabeth Bloom (9.2.3.)
5.8. Annie Apgar, b. circa 1789, m. Samuel Schuyler
5.9. Sarah Apgar, b. circa 1892, m. … Baker
5.10. Nancy Apgar, b. 1794, m. Solomon Hoppock
5.11. Mary Apgar, b. 1797, m. Isaac Bloom (9.2.2.)
Heinrich, being an interstate personality, has proven difficult to trace. He left his native Cokesbury, and purchased land in Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County, NJ, largely to escape the Allen and Turner domains. From there, Heinrich went to Philadelphia, and ran a hotel. In 1791, his two oldest sons were able to be independent, so Heinrich returned to his native Hunterdon. Here he bought one hundred acres of farm land in Palmyra on 30 March 1791. He paid to John Stevens five hundred pounds in gold and Spanish milled silver dollars, valued at seven shillings sixpence apiece.
This land was in two lots, the first lot consisting of ninety one acres of farmland, bordering the road leading to Baptistown, the balance a woodlot. Palmyra is a very quiet village near Everittstown in Hunterdon County, NJ Here, Henry and Anna Maria settled down to farming, had several more children, and attended the church at Mt. Pleasant in Alexandria Township, NJ Here too, Henry had to part with his beloved wife, Anna Maria. In March of 1832 Heinrich lost his younger brother, Frederick. Then, in October, Heinrich died. Both of these brothers lie in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Alexandria Township, NJ When Heinrich died, only two of the first generation of American born Apgars were left surviving.
Heinrich Apker, as he was known while in Pennsylvania, has shown up in the records of the "Federal Land Series", Volume 2, 1799 - 1835, by Clifford Neal Smith, published 1973. In his four volumes on this topic, C. N. Smith reveals the following facts: On 9 July 1788, the Continental Congress authorized the Secretary of War to issue bounty-land warrants to all eligible veterans on application. On 1 June 1796, Congress authorized the locating of land in a 4000 square mile tract in the Northwest Territory, which became known as the United States Military District. This tract was subdivided into quarter townships, containing 4000 acres each. The location of this Military District was in the heart of what is now known as the State of Ohio.
On 18 January 1797, Henry Apker was granted 100 acres of land in this Military District. The author feels that these lists of recipients of bounty-land warrants give proof of service in the Revolutionary War, predating the records of Revolutionary War pension applications.
As the author points out, the majority of the veterans of the Revolutionary War were in their forties or fifties by the late 1790's. Like Heinrich, they were comfortably settled by that time, and probably not anxious to go to the rough frontiers of civilization, start chopping down trees, all the while being at the mercy of hostile Indians. They then sold their acreage to entrepreneurs, many of whom were most anxious to profiteer on this venture.
As will be noted, we have no record of any children born to Henry and Anna Maria during the Revolutionary War years. Perhaps Anna Maria ran the hotel while her husband was in service. This would provide a means of livelihood for the family. Perhaps Heinrich felt that the land grant was sufficient recompense for his years in military service, and so did not apply for a pension, especially if he had to go to Flemington every month to collect the money. He died in October, 1832.
Heinrich Apgar's will was written 30 April 1831, and probated 23 October 1832. Executors were Samuel Schuyler and Amos Opdyke. To his surviving wife, Mary Groendyke Apgar, he left his property, real and personal. To the heirs of his daughters, Catherine Furman, Sarah Baker, and Elizabeth Ross, he bequeathed $1.00 each. These daughters must have predeceased him. To his daughter, Ana Eva, he left $10.00. If Eva did not survive him, then each of her heirs was to receive $5.00. Heinrich's son, William, was to receive two fifths of the estate on the death of his step mother; while daughters, Amy Schuyler, Nancy Hoppock, and Mary Bloom, were to receive one fifth each. Probably sons Henry, Jr., and David had received their inheritance when Heinrich left Philadelphia, and so were not mentioned in his will. Heinrich and Mary Groendyke had sold off some small lots of their farmland at various times during his later years. The result was that the farm consisted of only seventy acres at the time of his death.
While his father was still living, William had built a house on two acres of his father's farm. Heinrich neglected to give his son William a deed to this two-acre lot. After the death of Heinrich, William persuaded his three sisters to let him have a clear title to this lot for the sum of $1.00. This was officially transacted on 27 February 1835, and recorded in Deed Book #63, page 402. This was signed by the three women and by each of his three brothers-in-law.
On 9 January 1826, Heinrich and his wife, Mary, had sold to their son-in-law, Samuel Schuyler for $50.00, two and half acres of land from their farm, said land being along the road from Pittstown to Everittstown, NJ.
On 24 January 1832, Heinrich and Mary, his wife, sold to their son-in-law, Isaac Bloom, 40/100 of an acre of their farm for $100.00. Apparently Solomon Hoppock, their third son-in-law surviving, already possessed land of his own, elsewhere.
The end result of such real estate negotiations was that the farm of Heinrich Apgar did not remain intact, but was transferred, bit by bit, into the hands of at least ten different owners.
References:
"Federal Land Series" , by Clifford Neal Smith, Amer. Library Ass'n., 1973.