Simon's Family History
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Simon's Family History |
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EIGHTH GENERATION |
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Dr. John STITES was born on 25 Apr 1743
/ 1745 in Elizabeth Town, New Jersey [Bible of Johannes Stites see page.]. Other researchers in the US have John's birthplace as
Springfield. I am not
aware of the evidence used for this, however in his claim for losses
made in London in 1786, John said that he was born in Elizabeth
Town. He resided at Elizabeth Town in New Jersey until 1763, after which he resided in New York until 1775. He then moved back to Elizabeth Town to a farm of 271/2 acres, but returned to New York in 1777 or 1778, after his farm was confiscated on account of his being a British Loyalist. It would appear he was caught out trading behind British lines. He traveled to London, England in 1786 to make a claim for losses suffered in the Revolutionary War (see pages Revolutionary War). John seems to have been both a Merchant and a Doctor. He appears in a
number of records as a Merchant (see The
Merchant page), but he was clearly also practicing as a doctor at
some stage, as the sale of his estate included his practitioners equipment. "He was educated
in New York and was eminent in his profession" ["History of First Baptist Church of Piscataway."].
The
minutes of the New York Court of General Sessions of the Peace, record a John Stiles or
Stites being admitted on 8 Feb 1769 as a Freeman, as a Practitioner in
Physick. John merchant business activities were varied [see newspapers]. He was involved in various land deals [see property dealings page and court cases]. He also had property confiscated by the British during the Revolutionary War. He went to London in 1786 in attempt to receive compensation for the losses. These applications also show John to have been a money lender. Also of interest were the merchant goods he had confiscated, such as silks & rum. [see his claim for losses.] Interestingly he claimed to have a share in 3 privateers, including at least one with a Thomas Shaw(e) of London. In a 1772 account of Solomon Drown jnr's voyage from Providence, Rhode
Island to New York City, he noted that Dr. John Stites inoculated him. At one
time the N.Y. Historical Society manuscript collection held the facsimile, the
original document is in a privately held collection [New York Historical Society - letter 9 Mar 2002, Eric Robinson, Reference
Assistant, to Noreen Oliver]. Sept 1775 - Draft of a Charter for the Baptist Church in New York. Proposed
trustees ..... John Stiles ....(one of 13 named)....... Vol. CI, pg.110. ca.
1775 - "At the age of thirteen he (The Rev. John Gano b. 1762) was
placed under the care of his maternal uncle, Dr. Stites, to be educated for the
medical profession. 21 July 1785 - Letter of Rev James Manning to
Rev. Dr. Evans :- He is mentioned in the said Court Minutes as a Grand Juror in 1785. It would appear that in 1788/89 John relocated from New York back to Elizabeth Town, New Jersey. He sold his N.Y. house in Feb 1789, in which deed he was described as resident in New Jersey (see Property & deeds). He was mentioned as a beneficiary in the will of his uncle Dr. Hezekiah Stites (1796) who left John his plain land on Long Island. In 1796, John is mentioned in correspondence from Jonathan Dayton, to President Adams, re. dealing in
military land warrants (which John Stites and his son-in-law David
Galbreath also speculated in) :- By 1800 John Stites was in financial trouble, as seen by his Court appearances and related newspaper items. He seems to have over extended himself with his land dealings. Whether he was also practicing as a Doctor during his merchant days is unclear, or why he preferred to be a merchant. He is only sometimes referred to as Doctor in the records. There is no doubt that the John involved in land deals being the same person as the Doctor, as in two of the Ohio sale deeds he is referred to as such. It seems his financial problems in New Jersey, prompted his move to the fresh pastures of Kentucky, where he could perhaps again have some status. The newspaper article of 22 May 1804, makes it clear that he had left the state and was not appearing at his court cases, allowing his mortgaged properties to be sold by order of the court. He removed finally to Kentucky in 1802/3. Deeds dated 1802 still record John as being of Elizabeth Town, NJ, however in deeds dated 1803 he is described as of "Franklin Co., Kentucky" and "late of Elizabeth Town" (see Property dealings). Various dates for his move to Kentucky have been given in other references, however the deed dates seem to conclusively give the time of his move as circa 1802/3 - see more on the issue of the date on my page - NJ to Kentucky. His initial choice of Franklin Co., KY, may have have come about because of family connections. John's sister Sarah was married to the Rev. John Gano. John's sister died on the 17 Apr 1792 in Frankfort, KY and was buried near the Baptist Meeting House at the Forks of Elkhorn. [Kentucky obituaries KG 4/28]. And John Gano lived there until his death on 10 Aug 1804 in Frankfort. Elkhorn featured in the first record I have found of John Stites in Kentucky, in a deed of 1803. It would appear that this was where he first intended to live, near his Gano in-laws. He would appear to have moved to neighboring Scott County by 1804, being mentioned as follows (see next para), ending his days there. John Stites is named amongst the voters for an election for Trustees for the town of Georgetown (Scott Co. Kentucky) for the present year, held at the Court House on the 10th March 1804. ['History of Scott County'] On 29 Sep 1804 he was the witness to the will of Elizabeth Benners of Franklin Co., KY. "New Castel Library Company 1810 Census - Georgetown, Kentucky :- He died in 1812 in
Scott County, Kentucky, USA. :- His estate was subject to an administration of probate. He was first married to Susannah BRASHER on 16 Jan 1764 in New York, USA. Marriage License - N.Y. 16 Jan 1764 M.B. VIII - 19. The administration of his estate suggests that John had married for a 2nd time to a wife Ann, as the examination of his estate mentions "..Ann Stites the widow by her consent one third of the rents and profits of the estate as her dower.." Unless Susannah used the shortened name Ann(a). It is commonly assumed that Susannah was the daughter of Luke Brasher but this is not the case as Luke's daughter Susannah died as a baby aged 6 mths. See my paper with the evidence. There is a Susannah Brasier / Brasher the daughter of John Brasier / Brasher & Susannah Baker, and this is a possible lineage for her. Further research is continuing. Children were:
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Stites pages Other pages re. Losses claims as a British Loyalist.
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Copyright © Simon Parker-Galbreath |
i. Elizabeth STITES was born in 1764.
