Samuel Gooldy was born Abt. 1685 in Possibly Scotland, and died 11 July 1725 in Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey. He married Dorothy Brooks on Abt. 1715 in New Jersey, daughter of John Brooks and Elizabeth Unknown.
Deed extract; 1-29-1707 "Samuel Goldy and Elizabeth, his wife, formerly the wife of Eleazer Fenton, in the Twp. of Springfield, Co. of Burlington, Western Division of the Province of Nova Cesaria, to Thomas Branson."
Found in the Burlington County Court Book 1705/06 A Record of Quaker Jurisprudence In West Jersey 1680-1709 John Ogbourn versus Samuell Gooldy and Elizabeth his wife Caled both Appears Deferred til the Afternoon. The Defendants Craves Oyer of the Deed-Granted and to put in their Plea Twenty days before next court. The Plaintiff Move for Speciall bayle to be given in. The Bench Ordered that he Should Stand and Abide the order and Determination of the Next Court or Surrender his body.
Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. 1 1670-1730. Part 1 pg 189 Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey
Newspaper Article;1716 "Samuel Goldy, Coroner of Burlington County, during court proceedings, was rather outspoken-surprising due to him being a Quaker.
11-June-1725, yeoman, bondsman, justice, overseer of the poor, Burlington County coronor, and served on the Grand Jury 1707-1708. He was first married to Elizabeth Stacy Fenton (widow of Eleazer Fenton). Samuel and Elizabeth did not have children of their own. When Elizabeth died, in court papers the three minor children requested that Samuel Goldy and Daniel Leeds be their guardians.
Bond of Dorothy, widow of, as administratrix of the estate of her husband; John Brooks of Evesham, said Co., fellow bondsman.
11 Aug., 1725 Inventory of the personal estate, l 141.9.11, incl. bonds and bills l 73. 1.6, 2 great bibles, other books and things l 5.15.6; made by Philo Leeds and John Burr
Colonial Conveyances of East/West Jersey: 1664-1794 "Samuel Goldy purchased property on the Rancocas Creek and Jade's Run-1709" Purchased over 700 acres, Burlington County, New Jersey, between Vincentown and Mt. Holly. Listed in 1711 as part of a Protest against the Proceedings of the Council of Proprietors of West Jersey, along with Daniel Leeds and others. (From NY Col. MSS. Vol. LVII, p.25) during admin. og Gov. Hunter
The negotiations which led to the 'surrender" of the Proprietors also led to major changes in the structure of New Jersey, notably the creation of a single government which operated under the influence (often unwieldy) of the various agencies of the English government that administered the affairs of other English colonies. A firm English bureaucracy was established and the basis laid for much of the record keeping which may still be seen today
The final years of the Colonial era, from 1702-1776, saw a succession of royal governors, some of whom were also governors of New York: Edward, Lord Cornbury, Robert Hunter, William Burnet and, notably Lewis Morris who served from 1738 until his death in 1746
Early West Jersey Conveyances-Bass Book
# 11- 170 acres October 7, 1709 Between Br of Rancocas # 20- 193 acres April 1710 N Br Rancocas Co # 106- 400 acres Burlington March 29, 1715 Coxen
A New Jersey Timeline:
· 1609 - Sighting of New Jersey by Henry Hudson
· 1629 - First Dutch settlement at Pavonia (Jersey City)
· 1638 - Swedish colony established on lower Delaware River
· 1664 - English defeat of Dutch interests and initial grant of New Jersey
· 1675 and 1682 - Town clerks legally required to register vital records
· 1676 - Creation of East and West Jersey Provinces through Quintipartitie Deed
· 1702 - Surrender of Proprietors government rights; New Jersey becomes a Crown Colony
· 1776 - First New Jersey State Constitution
· 1787 - New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the Constitution
· 1795 - County clerks began keeping marriage records
· 1846 - Slavery abolished
· 1848 - New Jersey became the second state to require statewide registration of births, deaths and marriages
Goldy's Run Stream. A Small stream which flows north into Pemberton Lake and is part of Rancocas Creek at Pemberton Borough. Named for a family, samuel Goldy (1707) and Dorothy Goldy (1729) owned property in area.
I find it very interesting to see how our ancestors lived during these times. Here are a few interesting facts;
One aspect of Colonial life in which manners and behavior were especially important was dining. Stated bluntly, when it came to eating, the Colonial Americans were real sticklers for detail. For instance, drinks in these days were not put onto table by the server, but presented to each of the guests on a serving tray, ladies first. Also, a white tablecloth was required to be changed after the first and second courses, but, believe it or not, when dessert was served, the table had to be bare. A traditional Colonial meal required at least twice as many servers as in today's restaurants, and all communication between the hostess and the waiters, who she directed, was non-verbal. It was pretty amazing that one woman could direct so many people without even speaking. Starting with the person sitting directly to the left of the host, the servers had to work clockwise around the table, placing only one thing at a time in front of the diners, serving the host last. For example, a server would move around the table once, putting a cup in front of each person, then around again, putting a plate in front of each person, and so on.
Why, you may ask, didn't they just save time by putting everything down in front of each person at one time? The answer to that is simple. It was not considered proper in these times. It was also improper for ladies to speak or communicate with the waiters. Instead, the men would take the responsibility of tending for them. For all of you girls out there, imagine what it would be like if you never got to order food or tend for yourselves in restaurants. Waiters were very low in society and meant neither to be seen nor heard (Sampling). Social guidelines such as these went beyond just dining, but into everyday life and interaction with others.
When George Washington was sixteen years old he wrote a list of one hundred and ten rules for proper manners, entitled, "Rules of Civilty and Decent Behavior In Company and Conversation." Seems like a strange thing for a teenager to write, doesn't it? These guidelines include many perfect examples of some of the strict rules Colonial Americans were forced to follow. These guidelines include the following (with their original spelling and punctuation).
5th If you Cough, Sneeze, Sigh, or Yawn, do it not Loud but Privately and Speak not in your Yawning, but put Your handkerchief or Hand before your face and turn aside.
53d Run not in the Streets, neither go too slowly nor with Mouth open go not Shaking yr Arms kick not the earth with yr feet, go not upon the Toes, nor in a Dancing fashion.
95th Put not your meat to your Mouth with your Knife in your hand neither Spit forth the Stones of any fruit Pye upon a Dish nor Cast anything under the table (Exercise).
It's pretty amazing to me that people were still able to live well and accomplish the great feats that they did in this time with such rules, manners, and limitations to always worry about. If I ever had to live in such a way, I couldn't bear it. Imagine not being able to kick the ground or dance as you walked. However, if you were to brake any of these rules, the punishment would be much less severe than if you were to commit a felony.
Justice and Law
Justice and behavioral codes played an extremely important role in the daily life of Americans during the Colonial times. The laws and punishments were strict and harsh, especially for slaves, free blacks, and mulattos. By the middle of the eighteenth century, a unique legal system had been developed in Colonial America which incorporated both the authority of the British Crown and the new, emerging ideas of liberty and self-government. The courts enforced law and punishment, and courthouses were essential to the social, economic, and political development of the new nation of America. White offenders had the right to a jury trial, however, non-whites did not, and non-whites could only testify against each other, but not against any white. A non-white always received a harsher punishment than a white who committed the same crime. It is scary to think about what a huge role racism played in the world, especially in these times. Punishments for even minor crimes were extremely harsh, and the theft of any property worth more than one shilling could be punished by death. Most punishments were heavily based on public shame. Some of the most common punishments were branding, lashing, and being locked in the pillory (Order).
Though it was harsh and biased toward non-whites, the justice system of Colonial America was very effective and there were very few criminals and serious crimes, mostly because people learned at a young age, by witnessing punishments like lashings in the public square, that mischief is never good and that it will bring you only terrible pain and suffering.
I have a new appreciation for the people who worked, lived, and thrived during the Colonial times in America. That they were able to excel through such social standards and harsh law amazes me, and I now know that I would never make it in Colonial America.
Occupations
There were many aspects of daily life for Europeans and European Americans in the 1700's. A lot has changed since then, but the importance of career still stands. The economy was based on trade -- most occupations were available through these trade positions. Only men could attain jobs; women were supposed to work in the home for their families.
In Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, one of those jobs was the Apothecary. The apothocary made, sold and traded drugs. Basketmakers made white-oak baskets. The blacksmith practiced the making tools, wagon hardware, nails and more. Brickmakers made bricks out of sandy clay, and cabinetmakers made furniture and harpsichords, while the carpenter made shingles floorboards and rafters. Gunsmiths fashioned silver, iron, wood, steel and brass to produce functional firearms. The townspeople depended on the miller to grind grain. Since bread was a large part of their diet, the miller was often an important person. The milliner was the merchant of fashionable household goods and accessories. You could see the latest fabrics, dresses and linens at the milliner's. Saddlers made saddles and harnesses that were always in great demand. Printers and binders printed copies of newspapers, books and gazettes (early magazines). As you can see, there were many options available for the working man.
Children's lives during the 1700's were not dissimilar to our lives today. They had daily chores, playtime, music, dance, and of course, school. Education was available to all, regardless of whether they could afford it or not. Some of their lessons were writing or practicing letters. Learning to sew was considered a very important part of a young girl's education.
There were many activities for the children to engage in when they were not in school. If toys and games were available, the children played board games, puzzles and cards. Many of these games were handmade by their fathers. There were also many games that were available for them outside, such asa rolling hoops, walking on hoops and so forth.
Families in colonial Williamsburg were the political, religious, social and economical units of the larger society. The father was typically the head of the family. Everyone, including kin, hired help, apprentices and slaves were considered to be a member of the family. It was very common for the adult children to live with their parents even after they were married if they could not afford their own homes. Adult sons often continued to help their fathers on the farm or in business. Sundays were a popular family day. First, they would all attend church together, and then have a large meal.
An individual could belong to several families in his or her lifetime. If one was an apprentice for a family, s/he would have been considered a part of that family. If a person married, his or her in-laws were also family. Just like today, people had "extended families." Family was a very important part of life because of the great gift of love that they had for one another -- just like today!
Samuel Gooldy (b. Abt. 1685, d. 11 July 1725)
Notes for Samuel Gooldy: