https://familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/11564062
Thomas Applegate Sr. (born in England, 1600; died at age 62 in 1662, likely in NJ)
Elizabeth Mary Wall (born in England, 1604; died at age 52 in 1656, likely in NJ)
7th Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters and our first direct Applegate ancestor to arrive in America.
Thomas Applegate Sr., the founder of the Applegate Family in America, left Norfolkshire, England and settled in Leiden, Holland with a group of fellow Englishman during the Puritan disorders. He was a ferryman, planter and weaver. His wife was Elizabeth Mary Wall, also of England, and they had five children: Margaret, Thomas Jr., Hannah, Bartholomew, and John. About 1635, Thomas and his family came to Massachusetts Bay Colony. On March 31, 1635, he was licensed for a year by the General Court to run a ferry between Weymouth, MA and Braintree, MA. However, he lost the license when the canoe he was using as a ferry overturned and several persons were drowned. The following was taken from the official records of the MA Bay Colony. Thomas Aplegate was “licensed on Sept. 2, 1635 to ‘keepe a fferry between Wessagascus and Wolliston for which he is to have jd for any persons iijf a horse’”. Thomas Aplegate was discharged of “keepein a fferry of Waymothe and Henry Kingman lycensed to keep said fferry at the pleasure of the Court”. Author John E. Stillwell cites trouble that Elizabeth Applegate, Thomas’ wife, had in the MA Bay Colony as follows: “She appears to have been one of the unfortunate persons who suffered from the ecclesiastical tyranny of that Puritanical age, for she was ‘censured to stand with her tongue in a cleft stick for swearing, reviling, and railing'” (Boston Court Sept. 6, 1636). These experiences were obviously too much for the Applegates and they left the MA Bay Colony in 1640 and went to Rhode Island. There, Thomas appears to have engaged in several real estate endeavors and was identified as a weaver. Thomas was also involved in several Court suits. Thomas sold his 15 acre farm on May 5, 1644 and probably left Rhode Island and came to New Amsterdam, where he settled briefly at Flushing, Long Island. He was one of the original patentees there, receiving a patent on Oct. 10, 1645. Thomas sold this patent and secured a patent of land on Nassau Island at Gravesend, New Jersey on Nov. 12, 1646, where he apparently remained the rest of his life. At Gravesend, both Thomas and Elizabeth were caught up in court cases as they were apparently strong minded and believers in free speech. According to Stillwell, “this brought them (the Applegates) oppressive punishment from their neighbors. But such was the habit of the times. Few or none escaped from conflict of this sort. Their isolated life gave small opportunity for mental development on wholesome and broad lines, and their talk degenerated into gossip of a dangerous, personal nature, readily embellished and circulated over the convivial cup at the tavern.”
Thomas Applegate Jr. (born in England, 1628; died at age 70 in NJ, 1698)
Johanna Gibbons (born in England, 1655; died at age 45 in NJ, 1700)
6th Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
Thomas and Johanna had 7 children: Thomas III, John, Daniel, Joseph, Richard, Elizabeth and Benjamin. The father of Johanna was Richard Gibbons, who was one of the twelve patentees of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Thomas apparently moved to New Jersey sometime in the 1660s, as his cattle mark was recorded in the town book of Middletown on Jan 4, 1668. On March 8, 1674, Thomas petitioned along with his brother, Bartholomew, for land in the Neversink. On Apr 21, 1676, John Fenwick gave a deed to Thomas Applegate, weaver, of New Shrewsberry, New Jersey for 600 acres in Fenwick’s Colony. There was a second deed on Sept 20, 1677 to Thomas Applegate of the Falls in New Shrewsberry in New Jersey, weaver, of 480 acres in the allotment of Cohanzick along the Marsh, part of Edward Boarnes 2000 acres. On Oct. 19, 1677, he secured by a quit-claim deed, two hundred and forty acres of upland and meadow in Shrewsbury Twp, Monmouth County, New Jersey. On Feb. 14, 1679, Thomas Applegate along with 12 others obtained a charter to hunt whales. Thomas made his will on Feb 1, 1698 and it was proved on Mar 29, 1699. His wife, Joanna, and her father, Richard Gibbons, were the executors of his estate. Thomas and Johanna are buried in Monmouth County, NJ.
Benjamin Applegate (born in NJ, 1686; died at age 67 in NJ, 1753)
Elizabeth Morford (born in NJ, 1685; died at age 68 in NJ, 1753)
5th Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
Benjamin marred Elizabeth Morford in 1720 and they had 8 children: Thomas, Benjamin, William, Johanna, Richard, Alse (Alice), Jomime and Daniel. On Feb 2, 1752, Benjamin, a resident of Nottingham Twp in Burlington Co., NJ, made his Will in which he designated Richard Sparks and Walter Wall as his executors in the settlement of his estate. Benjamin was a constable, 1732, New Windsor Twp, Middlesex, New Jersey; he resided 1750 in New Windsor Twp, Middlesex, New Jersey. His Will probated on 16 May 1753 in Nottingham Twp, Burlington, New Jersey. His will stated: “1752, Feb. 3, Appelgate, Benjamin, of Nottingham Twsp., Burlington Co.; will of. Son, Thomas, 5 shillings and demand of 13 pounds; sons, Benjamin, William and Richard, 5 shillings each. Daughter, Johannah, a bed. Real and personal estate. Son Daniel to be put to a trade and, when 21, to have 1-3 of estate. Daughter Alse, when 18 and daughter Jomime, the rest. Executors – Richard Sparkes and Walter Ward. Witnesses – Samuel Redford, Elizabeth Redford, William Miller. Proved May 16, 1753. Burl. Wills, 5137 G.”
William Applegate Sr. (born in NJ, 1729; died in PA about 1823)
Sarah Catherine Wiggins (born in NJ, 1742; died in PA after 1800)
4th Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters and our first direct Applegate ancestor in Corydon, IN.
William married Sarah Wiggins in 1757 and they had 9 children: Robert, Ruth, Catherine, William II, Jemima, Alice, Isaiah, Rebecca and Elizabeth. Between 1763 and 1766, he and his family moved from New Jersey to Elizabeth, Allegheny County, PA. Shortly after 1800, he and his family migrated from PA to Corydon, Indiana. The grandmother of the Applegate sisters, Grace Daniel Applegate, told us stories about our ancestors coming down the Ohio River to Corydon. They would have begun the journey of 400 miles at Pittsburgh, near Elizabeth, and disembarked at Leavenworth, IN, which is 15 miles west of Corydon.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=45291742&ref=acom
New Jersey Settlement papers: “The first tax list of Rostraver Twp, Bedford County, PA in 1772, lists William and his three brothers, Benjamin, Thomas & Daniel. William was listed as a Ranger on the Frontier in the Continental Line, 1778-1783, and served in Hugh Goudy’s company. In 1783, the Westmoreland County, return transcript of property, lists William as possessing 300 acres of land, 3 horses, 5 head of cattle, 8 sheep, and 11 white inhabitants. He received a patent of land formerly owned by James Dean. This tract was surveyed on September 16, 1790 and was patented to William Applegate on June 23, 1794, which was called “Apple Orchard”. In 1791, he was taxed in Elizabeth Twp, Allegheny County. On Apr 15, 1801, William and his wife, Sarah, now living in North Beaver Twp, Allegheny County, transferred this property to sons, Isaiah, William and Robert.
Colorful story: A History of Adams County, Ohio-From its earliest settlement to the Present Time, by Nelson W Evans & Emmons B. Stivers: “Edward Evans wife, Jemima Applegate, died January 7, 1844. Her father, William Applegate, Sr, emigrated from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, and from there to Corydon, Indiana, where he died at the ripe old age of 105 years! When 100 years old, he walked into the woods with his rifle, and without glasses, shot a squirrel in a tree.”
William Applegate II (born in PA, 1766; died at age 78 in Harrison County, IN, 1844)
Mary Walker (born in PA, 1774; died at age 84 in Harrison County, IN, 1858)
3rd Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
William II was born in Pennsylvania and there he married Mary Walker in 1790. They had 9 children: Samuel, Noel, Sarah, Elizabeth, John, William III, Indiana, Charles and Harvey Heth. He and his family came to Corydon about 1812, following his parents who had arrived a few years earlier. William and Mary are buried in the Applegate-Pitman Cemetery, which is about 1.3 miles west of Central and 10 miles south of Corydon.
William Applegate III (born in PA, 1805; died at age 68 in Harrison County, IN, 1873)
Mary Adams (born in KY, 1805; died at age 39 in Harrison County, IN, 1844)
2nd Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
William was about 7 years old when he migrated with his parents and siblings from Pennsylvania to Harrison County, Indiana. William was married to Mary Adams on September 18, 1823, in Bullitt County, KY. They had 8 children: Harbin, Elizabeth, Sarah, Catherine, Henry, Emiline, Mary, and George. Mary was only 39 when she died in 1844 and her youngest child George William, great-grandfather of the Applegate sisters, was only 2 years old. William and Mary are buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Corydon, IN.
George William Applegate (born in IN, 1842; died at age 68 in Corydon, IN, 1910)
Anna Van Zandt (born in IN, 1847; died at age 52 in Corydon, IN, 1899)
Great-grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
George was the first of our direct Applegate ancestors to be born in Indiana. On 30 July 1862, at the age of 20, he enlisted in the Union Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, serving the state of Indiana. He was commissioned an officer in Company C, Indiana 66th Infantry Regiment, on 19 Aug 1862. He mustered out on 1 Dec 1864. (Source: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana.) George married Anna Van Zandt on 20 October 1868 and they had 6 children, only three of whom lived to adulthood: Harry, Mary, Charles, George William II, Elizabeth and Benjamin. In 1899, at the age of 52, Anna died from the effects of Bright’s disease, an inflammation of the kidneys. In 1910, at the age of 68, George suffered a stroke and died a month later.
George William Applegate II (born in IN, 1875; died at age 75 in Corydon, IN, 1950)
Grace Daniel (born in IN, 1877; died at age 79 in Monahans, TX, 1957)
Grandparents of the Applegate sisters.
George W. Applegate and Grace Daniel were married on 12 Oct 1898. They had two sons: George W. Applegate III and Frederick Martin Applegate. George was a graduate of Louisville Male High School, attended Indiana University, and was cashier of the Corydon National Bank. He was a member of the Corydon Presbyterian Church and served as Superintendent of the Sunday School. He was a member of Corydon Lodge Knights of Pythias and filled the official chairs of the Lodge. For the last five years of his life, he was Custodian of Indiana’s First Capitol, located in Corydon. In August of 1950, at the age of 75, George suffered a stroke and died 5 weeks later. After his death, his wife Grace moved to Monahans, Texas, where her younger son, Frederick, lived with his family. In March of 1957, at the age of 79, Grace died in her sleep. She was discovered deceased in her bed by her granddaughter, Fredrica, age 17. George and Grace are buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Corydon, IN.
Frederick Martin Applegate (born in IN, 1903; died at age 55 in Monahans, TX, 1959)
Margaret Patten (born in IN, 1906; died at age 75 in Kermit, TX, 1981)
Frederick Martin (Ted) Applegate was born and raised in Corydon, IN, and married Margaret Patten, of Morristown, IN, secretly in 1928 on Labor Day weekend. They married again, officially, on March 2, 1929. Ted completed medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine. He was a Major in the Army Medical Corps during World War II and was stationed at the American Army Hospital at Kingston Lacy near Dorset, England, for about 14 months. Kingston Lacy is a country house and estate near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, now owned by the National Trust. He was a General Practitioner physician in Corydon, and practiced out of his home office on Walnut Street. Ted and Maggie and their five daughters lived in Corydon until September, 1948. The family then moved to Connecticut while Ted studied ophthalmology at New York Polyclinic. In May of 1949, the family moved to Monahans, Texas. The 4 older girls finished their last few weeks of school for that school year and Ted opened his medical practice, specializing in eye, ear, nose and throat. During his ten years in Monahans, Ted was president of the Monahans-Wickett school board, Monahans Rotary Club, local medical association, and he helped create the Monahans Youth Center. He was a deacon and later a presiding elder of the First Presbyterian church. He was also an avid reader, an accomplished horseman and loved to swim and golf. In his younger years in Corydon, he even loved to go spelunking. Ted had a tremendous zest for life and was kind and generous to a fault. In April 1959, Ted died at the age of 55 from a heart attack. In December 1981, Margaret died at the age of 75.
To get a more personal glimpse of Ted Applegate, see the letters on the Letters page under Ted and Maggie. Some of them are very interesting! Ted was a wonderful writer.
https://applegates.us/ted-maggie-the-girls/letters/
Interesting reading about individual Applegates (PDF files):
GWApplegate_Ned_obit_23Mar1910
Excerpts from The Great Migration_Applegate
Excerpts_from_Early_Settlers_of_New_Jersey
Click on a photo to enlarge; use arrows at right and left to navigate.
Applegate Sisters of Corydon, Indiana 