Difference between revisions of "William Stoughton biography"

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The name Stoughton is an old English name, said to derive from the Anglo-Saxon word "Stoctun", which means a large fenced dwelling (as a stockade perhaps).  The Stoughton line in England is traced back to one Godwin de Stocton, born in Normandy France in 1125 and died in Stocton, Surrey, England in 1200.  The Stocton name was adopted because the family owned the manor of Stocton in Surrey.  By 1300 the name spelling changed to Stoghton, and by 1440 to Stoughton. A descendant of this family, Thomas Stoughton, born in 1592 in England, came to America on the ship "Mary and John" in 1630 and settled in Connecticut. The second son of this Thomas Stoughton, named Isreal Stoughton, came with his father to America in 1630 but returned to England to fight on the side of Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War. Israel Stoughton died there in 1644, but his parents and siblings remained in America.  One of his nephews named a son Oliver, probably to honor both the uncle's participation, and Cromwell, the leader of the Protestant partisans in England.
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Return to [[William Stoughton]].<br><br>
  
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The Stoughtons of Butler County, Pennsylvania, have not as yet been traced back to a connection with the Stoughtons of England, nor to those who arrived in 1630 on the ship "Mary and John".  Our Stoughtons first appear in the 1740s in Connecticut, then migrate to New York and New Jersey. The community in New York and New Jersey included Dutch families with whom the Stoughtons intermarried (William Stoughton married a Voorhees; John Stoughton married Catherine Covert).  Furthermore, Catherine Covert's mother, Cornelia VanZandt, was the granddaughter of one Maria Waldron, and the Waldron line appears to trace back to English landholders in the early 1500's.  (Significance unknown: there is a Waldron "castle" listed on the British website,CastleUK.net.  It lies in Sussex, and is described as a medieval earth ringwork fortress founded by the de Walderne family. It lies in an area known as the Walderne Forest.)
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The name Stoughton is an old English name.  By 1300 the name spelling changed to Stoghton, and by 1440 to Stoughton. A descendant of this family, Thomas Stoughton, born in 1592 in England, came to America likely on the ship "Mary and John" in 1630 and settled in Connecticut. One of the brothers returned to England to fight on the side of Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War. One of Isreal Stoughton's nephews is named Oliver, probably to honor both the uncle's participation, and Cromwell, the leader of the Protestant partisans in England. The tradition continues, as an [[Oliver W. Stoughton]] was born to [[Mathew S. Stoughton]] in 1853, in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
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Our Waldron family apparently fled England in the late 1500's and took up residence in Holland for three generations, where they married Dutch women.  It is possible that while there they lived within a community of expatriate Englishmen, who may have immigrated with their Dutch neighbors and families to America in the mid-sixteen hundreds, and maintained the Dutch-English community in New Amsterdam and New Jersey. The Stoughtons of New Jersey certainly lived among Dutch families.   Finally, it is interesting to note that the Stoughton family in Butler County included more than one protestant minister, and that one of the great-grandsons of John Stoughton and Catherine Covert was named Oliver. This may be coincidental, or it may signify a long family tradition of English Protestantism.
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As to what is known of our line, William Stoughton was born about 1742 in New York.  His parents are unidentified, but were from Connecticut, per the research of Jeanne Eichelberger. William is reported to have been in the Revolutionary War, serving  with troops fron New York until the close of the war.  Per Eichelberger, "He served in Washington's Army in the battle of Monmouth and was with Lee's division when Lee ordered a retreat.  He is said to have related afterward that the only time he ever saw Washington angry was when he came upon Lee's retreating division. He asked "What means this ill timed prudence?"  They were turned back to the charge and victory finally was won." 
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Our Stoughtons first appear in America in New York, and later in Somerset County, New Jersey.  [[William Stoughton]] married a 'Miss Voorhees' of unknown lineage, and his son [[John Stoughton|John]] married [[Catherine Covert]], the Coverts having also settled first in what was New Amsterdam when they arrived, and then Somerset County, New Jersey.  Catherine's mother, [[Cornelia Van Zandt]], descended from an English Waldron family.  The Waldrons apparently fled England in the late 1500's and took up residence in Holland for three generations, where the men married Dutch women.  It is of interest that the Stoughton family in Butler County included more than one protestant minister, and that one of the great-grandsons of [[John Stoughton]] and [[Catherine Covert]] was named Oliver. This name use began with the Stoughtons in England who were Oliver Cromwell supporters, and began a long family tradition of Protestantism, and use of the name Oliver.
  
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<br>William Stoughton moved to New Jersey where in about 1770 he married a Voorhees woman who was also originally from New York. It is possible that these two families knew each other in New York and migrated together to New Jersey, although that is speculation. William and his wife had nine children, all born in New Jersey.  The older children were of marriagable age before the family left New Jersey.  The oldest son, William Stoughton Jr., is thought to have possibly married and stayed behind in New Jersey when the famiy migrated westward, as he has not been found in the records in Pennsylvania.  The second son, John Stoughton, married Catherine Covert in New Jersey.  Catherine was of Dutch heritage, though her famiy had lived in America for two generations. Catherine's father, Lucas Covert, moved westward to Northumberland County, PA, after the Revolution, and in 1796  settle near Slippery Rock Creek in Butler County, PA.  He was one of the first white settlers in the area. The Stougnton parents and children, excepting possibly the oldest son, followed his lead.  They resided for a time in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (then in Northumberland County, now in Union County).  The Stoughtons continued west in 1802 to Butler County (six years after the arrival there of Lucas Covert), and by 1804 were in Middlesex Township.  Members of the Voorhees family also migrated westward to Butler County. They were part of a migration of several of the old English and Dutch families of the northeast, moving westward in search of land for their growing families.
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As to what is known of our line, [[William Stoughton]] was born about 1742 in New York.   William is reported to have been in the Revolutionary War, serving  with troops from New Jersey.  
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<br>William Stoughton married Miss Voorhees in about 1770. They had nine children, all born in New Jersey.  The older children were of marriagable age before the family left New Jersey.  The oldest son, William Stoughton Jr., is thought to have possibly married and stayed behind in New Jersey when the family migrated westward, as he has not been found in the Pennsylvania records.  
  
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<br>William was a farmer, and a shoemaker.  He died without a will in April of 1822, and an inquest of sudden death was held. Families besides Stoughton mentioned in his estate settlement were Timblin, Gilgrist, Badger, Thompson and Rose.  Some of these names are no doubt his sons-in-law.
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<br>The second son, John Stoughton, married Catherine Covert in about 1795, probably in Lewisburg PA area, as the Covert family had lived there since 1790.  <br>The William Stoughton family also resided for a time in Lewisburg (then in Northumberland County, now in Union County). William 'Stotan' is recorded as an inhabitant of West Buffalo Twp. in 1796.
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<br>(This biography is based largely on the research of Jeanne Bortmes Eichelberger; ''Pedigree of the Stoughton Family'', prepared by Sir Nicholas Stoughton;on the oral history from Nancy Stoughton Patterson, as transcribed by Eva Coulter Conlan in her "History of the Stoughton Family", unpublished manuscript; and on ''Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630'', by The Mary & John Clearing House.) Written by Elizabeth Wilson Williams
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<br>The Stoughtons continued west in 1802 to Butler County, Pennsylvania and by 1804 were recorded in Middlesex Township.  Members of the Voorhees family also migrated westward to Butler County, part of a migration of several of the old English and Dutch families of New England, moving westward including the Stoughtons, Coverts, Wigtons, Vorhees, & VanZandts.
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<br>William was a farmer and a shoemaker, as was his grandson [[Barnard VanZant Stoughton]]. William died without a will in April of 1822, and an inquest of sudden death was held. Families besides Stoughton mentioned in his estate settlement were Timblin, Gilgrist, Badger, Thompson and Rose.  Some of these names are possibly his sons-in-law.
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<br>(This biography is based on research by myself; by Jeanne Bortmes Eichelberger; on ''Pedigree of the Stoughton Family'', prepared by Sir Nicholas Stoughton; on the oral history from Nancy Stoughton Patterson, as transcribed by Eva Coulter Conlan in her unpublished manuscript,"History of the Stoughton Family"; on ''Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630'', by The Mary & John Clearing House. The connection to Timothy Stoughton and the English line was totally based on research of James Voltz,via web sources and DNA mapping results. Written by [[Elizabeth Ann Wilson|Elizabeth Wilson Williams]]

Latest revision as of 11:42, 27 January 2022

Return to William Stoughton.

The name Stoughton is an old English name. By 1300 the name spelling changed to Stoghton, and by 1440 to Stoughton. A descendant of this family, Thomas Stoughton, born in 1592 in England, came to America likely on the ship "Mary and John" in 1630 and settled in Connecticut. One of the brothers returned to England to fight on the side of Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War. One of Isreal Stoughton's nephews is named Oliver, probably to honor both the uncle's participation, and Cromwell, the leader of the Protestant partisans in England. The tradition continues, as an Oliver W. Stoughton was born to Mathew S. Stoughton in 1853, in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Our Stoughtons first appear in America in New York, and later in Somerset County, New Jersey. William Stoughton married a 'Miss Voorhees' of unknown lineage, and his son John married Catherine Covert, the Coverts having also settled first in what was New Amsterdam when they arrived, and then Somerset County, New Jersey. Catherine's mother, Cornelia Van Zandt, descended from an English Waldron family. The Waldrons apparently fled England in the late 1500's and took up residence in Holland for three generations, where the men married Dutch women. It is of interest that the Stoughton family in Butler County included more than one protestant minister, and that one of the great-grandsons of John Stoughton and Catherine Covert was named Oliver. This name use began with the Stoughtons in England who were Oliver Cromwell supporters, and began a long family tradition of Protestantism, and use of the name Oliver.

As to what is known of our line, William Stoughton was born about 1742 in New York. William is reported to have been in the Revolutionary War, serving with troops from New Jersey.
William Stoughton married Miss Voorhees in about 1770. They had nine children, all born in New Jersey. The older children were of marriagable age before the family left New Jersey. The oldest son, William Stoughton Jr., is thought to have possibly married and stayed behind in New Jersey when the family migrated westward, as he has not been found in the Pennsylvania records.


The second son, John Stoughton, married Catherine Covert in about 1795, probably in Lewisburg PA area, as the Covert family had lived there since 1790.
The William Stoughton family also resided for a time in Lewisburg (then in Northumberland County, now in Union County). William 'Stotan' is recorded as an inhabitant of West Buffalo Twp. in 1796.


The Stoughtons continued west in 1802 to Butler County, Pennsylvania and by 1804 were recorded in Middlesex Township. Members of the Voorhees family also migrated westward to Butler County, part of a migration of several of the old English and Dutch families of New England, moving westward including the Stoughtons, Coverts, Wigtons, Vorhees, & VanZandts.


William was a farmer and a shoemaker, as was his grandson Barnard VanZant Stoughton. William died without a will in April of 1822, and an inquest of sudden death was held. Families besides Stoughton mentioned in his estate settlement were Timblin, Gilgrist, Badger, Thompson and Rose. Some of these names are possibly his sons-in-law.


(This biography is based on research by myself; by Jeanne Bortmes Eichelberger; on Pedigree of the Stoughton Family, prepared by Sir Nicholas Stoughton; on the oral history from Nancy Stoughton Patterson, as transcribed by Eva Coulter Conlan in her unpublished manuscript,"History of the Stoughton Family"; on Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630, by The Mary & John Clearing House. The connection to Timothy Stoughton and the English line was totally based on research of James Voltz,via web sources and DNA mapping results. Written by Elizabeth Wilson Williams

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