Letters Waiting for Jonas Long

During the life of Jonas Long in the early 1800s, mail was not delivered to individual houses; rather, letters and such were sent a local establishment designated as a post office. Recipients were published in the local paper to notify them that mail awaited them.

I found a few such notices for Jonas Long. There may be more, but poor copy of these newspapers, combined with the automated indexing, has not linked them.

The earliest notice appeared in 1818 in The Washington Whig, a newspaper for Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey. (The town appears as "Bridgetown," not "Bridgeton," in the article. The W was often used in this time period for this town.) This is curious because Jonas Long lived in Middlesex County, New Jersey and Richmond County, New York. These locations are over 100 miles northeast of Bridgeton. It is possible that this letter was meant for a different Jonas Long in that region.

The Washington Whig newspaper
Bridgetown/Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Letter remains at the post office for Jonas Long

A notice of a letter for Jonas Long appeared in 1823 in the Fredonian in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. This is more consistent with where Jonas was living.

The Fredonian newspaper
New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey
Letter remains in the post office for Jonas Long

A notice appeared in 1838 in The Evening Post of New York City. This is curious for two reasons. First, this was after his death in 1835 or 1837. Second, a middle initial P was used. This is the only time I found a middle initial for Jonas Long. The location is appropriate for my Jonas Long. Maybe the sender did not realize that Jonas had died. Or maybe Jonas had not died yet- I have found no contemporaneous records documenting a death in 1835 or 1837.

The Evening Post newspaper of New York City
April 14, 1838
Letter remains in the post office for Jonas P Long

To find old newspapers, I use Newspapers and GenealogyBank. These are pay sites. You can also find newspapers by visiting the website of the local town library to see if they digitized historical newspapers for that town. For example, newspapers for Newark, New Jersey are available for the years 1872-1972 via the library's website with no paywall. Also try searching for the county instead of the town. For example, newspapers from 1814-1950 in Sussex County, New Jersey are available without a paywall.

What became of Catherine Long, wife of Mr Cook?

What became of Catherine Long, daughter of Jonas Long and Elizabeth Merrell?

She was born about 1826, probably in Middlesex County, New Jersey. She married around age 16 or 17, had at least one child, who produced grandchildren and great grandchildren of Catherine.

I don't know the full name of Catherine's husband and I do not know when or where she died.

Family tree of Jonas Long, Elizabeth Merrell, and their seven children

Catherine resided in Northfield, Richmond County, New York. This small island is now popularly known as Staten Island and lies east of New Jersey, separated by narrow waterways (Arthur Kill, Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, Raritan Bay, and New York Bay).

Map of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York, 1839.
To the west was Essex County (now Union County)
and Middlesex County in New Jersey.

Modern map showing location of Staten Island in the northeastern United States

In 1850, Catherine resided with her mother, Elizabeth (Merrell), her step-father, William Owen (1788-1852), her sibling, Abraham Long (1830-1896), Abraham's wife, Martha Sperling, and Catherine's son, John W Cook. Relationships were not asked for in the 1850 census. We know how this collection of surnames relates because of other records. Catherine Long, widow, was named as a daughter of Elizabeth Long, deceased daughter of Richard Merrill in 1865.

We can surmise that Catherine married a man with the last name Cook and that he died between the conception of his son, John William Cook, circa 1844, and the recording of the 1850 census.

1850 United States federal census. Northfield, Richmond County, New York.
William Owen. Age 62. Farmer. Born in Massachusetts.
Elizabeth Owen. Age 54. Born in New York.
Catherine Cook. Age 24. Born in New Jersey.
Abraham Long. Age 23. Boatman. Born in New York.
Martha Long. Age 17. Born in New York.
John W Cook. Age 5. Born in New York.

In the 1860 census, Catherine was still with her son, who went by William instead of John. Note the nearby family of Jacob Brastead and Lavinia.

1860 United States federal census. Northfield, Richmond County, New York.
Jacob Brastead. Age 79. Retired farmer. Real estate $1000. Personal estate $25. Born in New York.
Lavinia Brastead. Age 81. Born in New York.
Sarah Heath. Age 70. Real estate $1000. Personal estate $500. Born in New York.
Catharine Cook. Age 35. Washerwoman. Personal estate $20. Born in New York.
William Cook. Age 15. Boatman. Born in New York.

In 1870, Catherine was in the household of her son, John William Cook, his wife, Mary E, and their two sons, Charles and William. Mary was the daughter of Jeremiah Lisk (1814-1902) and Jane Marie VanPelt (1816-1900).

1870 United States federal census. Northfield, Richmond County, New York.
John William Cook. Age 24. Oyster dealer. Born in New York.
Mary E Cook. Age 27. Keeping house. Born in New York.
Charles E Cook. Age 5. At home. Born in New York.
William E Cook. Age 3. Born in New York.
Catherine Cook. Age 43. Laundress. Born in New Jersey.

In the 1875 New York State census, Catherine was with her widowed daughter-in-law, Mary Eliza, and her two grandsons. This probably indicates that Catherine's son, John William Cook, died between 1870 and 1875.

1875 New York State census. Northfield, Richmond County, New York.
Mary Eliza Cook, head. Age 32. Widowed. Born in Richmond County.
Charles E Cook, son. Age 10. Born in Richmond County.
William L Cook, son. Age 8. Born in Richmond County.
Catherine Ann Cook, mother. Age 49. Born in Richmond County.

Charles E Cook (1864-1945) married Bertha Moore (1866-1947). I did not find any children of this couple.

William Ellwood Cook (1867-1937) married Ida May Braisted (1867-1931). She is perhaps related to the elderly couple residing near Catherine and John William Cook in 1860. Her paternal grandmother was Sarah Jane Merrell (1821-1903). They had four children who lived to adulthood, who in turn had children and grandchildren.

Catherine Long has living descendants.

Family tree of Catherine Long, born about 1826, probably in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Questions:

-Which Mr Cook did Catherine Long marry? When? Where?

-Did Catherine Long remarry after the death of Mr Cook?

-When did Catherine Long die?

-Are descendants of Catherine in my DNA matches?

John Long Merrell, Son of Mary Long

How did my 5th great grandparents, Jonas Long and Elizabeth Merrell, meet before marrying in 1816 on Staten Island, New York?

I do not know at this point in the research.

Jonas would have known Elizabeth's family through the neighborhood, business, and/or place of worship. Jonas likely lived and/or worked in either Middlesex County, New Jersey and Richmond County, New York. Merrells are plentiful in these counties.

A clue is in the will of Lambert Merrell. He signed his will on November 7, 1826. It was proved November 18, 1826 in Richmond County. He named his wife, Marry, and two sons, John Long and Daniel Levi.

Will of Lambert Merrell, 1826
Richmond County, New York

These children were not of age, so a guardian was appointed. This was common practice of the time and was concerned with the preservation of the estate and not with the actual care or welfare of the children. As such, the mother of these children would not usually serve as the guardian.

Index of guardianships Richmond County, New York
Entry for Merrell, John Long, age 14 and Daniel Levi age 12.

Several men share the name Lambert Merrell in this time and place. This Lambert Merrell was the uncle of Elizabeth Merrell, wife of Jonas Long. We know this because the children's guardian changed in 1834 to Jacob VanPelt. The aunts of the children were listed. They were the grandaunts of Elizabeth Merrell.

Elizabeth Merrell and Jonas Long named their final known son Jacob VanPelt Long. He was born about 1836 in New York. I don't know which Jacob VanPelt inspired this name, as Jacob VanPelt was a popular name in this time and place.

I do not know what became of John Long Merrell or his mother, Marry/Mary.

Stillwell family genealogy by John E Stillwell, 1931.
Seven children listed for Catharine Ann Stillwell and Daniel Levy Merrill.
Daniel's parents are given as Lambert Merrill and Mary Long.

Daniel Levi Merrell married Catharine Ann Stillwell. This union and their children were listed in a Stillwell compiled genealogy. In this work, the birth name of Mary was given as Long.

Is this accurate? I don't know. John Levy Merrill was born in 1862, not 1882. This was a typo.

I have found no other source of Mary's birth name. It is possible that John Long was the name of her father and not a morphed tribute to Jonas Long, husband of Elizabeth Merrell. And it is entirely likely that Mary Long and Jonas Long were related and crossed paths with the Merrell family in the 1810s.

Below is the portion of the family tree with Mary Long and Jonas Long highlighted.

Family tree
Mary Long married Lambert Merrell, probably late 1810s.
Jonas Long married Elizbeth Merrell in 1816.

Jonas Long: War of 1812 Bounty Land for His Widow

In the prior article, I mentioned that Elizabeth Merrill, widow of Jonas Long, filed an equipment claim for $50 in 1860 stemming from Jonas's service in the War of 1812.

In 1855, Elizabeth filed for 160 acres of bounty land based on Jonas's service as authorized under the "Act approved March 3, 1855."

I obtained copies of these papers in hopes of uncovering genealogical information. I used the company Civil War Records to retrieve the records from the National Archives.

Jones Long's service in the War of 1812 was through both New York and New Jersey. In her application, Elizabeth only mentioned three months of service from September 3, 1814 - December 4, 1814 with Captain Abraham Webb of the 2nd Regiment of New Jersey. She wrote that he was "draughted" at Perth Amboy on Sept 3, 1814 for the term of three months.

Declaration of the Widow of a deceased person who has not before had a Land Warrant.

These dates of service are consistent with the muster roll card.

Muster Roll. Captain Abraham Webb's Company,
2 Reg't New Jersey Detached Militia.
Card of Private Jonas Long.
Present in Hoboken [New Jersey] November 8, 1814 - November 24, 1814.

Company Pay Roll. Captain Abraham Webb's Company,
2 Reg't New Jersey Detached Militia.
Card of Private Jones Long.
Paid 24 dollars and 52 cents for service of 3 months and 2 days.

Jonas also served December 18, 1812 - March 2, 1813 and March 1, 1813 - May 22, 1813.

Muster Roll. Captain James Bruce's Company,
1 Regiment United States Artillery Volunteers.
Card of Private Jonas Long.
Present on Bedlow Island [New York] March 1, 1813.
[Now called Liberty Island]

Muster Roll. Captain Charles Lawton's Company,
1 Regiment United States Artillery Volunteers.
Card of Montross Jonas Long.
Present in New York May 22, 1813.

Note that Elizabeth provided Jonas' date of death as the 13th day of August 1835 (five overwrote another number) in Richmond County. I have not uncovered any contemporaneously created record of his death. The other date of death is from Elizabeth's application for Letters of Administration, which she filed in 1860. On this probate document, the year of death was 1837.

The correct date of death of Jonas Long has not been verified with contemporaneous records.

The date of marriage, October 13, 1816, matches the typed transcript I found for the church in Staten Island.

Elizabeth Owen, widow of Jonas Long, was granted 160 acres of land in Missouri for his service in the War of 1812.

Elizabeth did not relocate to Missouri. She assigned or sold the property, as was common practice. Through the Bureau of Land Management you can search these property records.

Online search
Bureau of Land Management
General Land Office Records

Jonas Long: His Estate 23 Years Later

Jonas Long was my my fifth great grandfather. His parents are a mystery.

Family tree of Jonas Long (died 1837) and Elizabeth Merrell (1800-186x)

In 1816 Jonas Long and Elizabeth Merrill, my fifth great grandmother, married in Northfield, Richmond County, New York.

Typed transcript
Marriages Reformed Protestant Dutch Church on Staten Island
Northfield, New York

By the time the 1850 census was recorded, Elizabeth had remarried to William Owen or Owens (1788-1852). William is listed on Find A Grave at the now defunct Merrell Family Cemetery in Bulls Head, Richmond County, New York. Elizabeth herself and Jonas Long are not listed in online transcripts of the missing headstones. I do not know where they were buried.

For years, the only other record easily available for Jonas Long was an index of probate records of Richmond County. In 1860, action was made in Richmond County on the estates of Elizabeth's two husbands. These entries appeared in a typed index at Ancestry. This typed index provided a date of death for Jonas Long as August 13, 1837.

Index to Probate Records for Richmond County, New York.

Jonas Long's children as listed in this index were consistent with other records: Richard, Susan, Letitia, John, Jacob, Catherine, and Abraham.

William Owens' children were from his first marriage to Mary Delinda Whitlock: Albert, Frendl, Ashley, Fanny, Pauline, Arnesia, Sabrina.

I sought the originals. There could be more information in these files. Always seek the underlying record instead of relying on information in an index.

As far as I could find, these files for Richmond County are not scanned online for this time period. I emailed the court, called them, and sent them snail mail. The physical letter produced a response. The procedure is that the files are located, the pages counted, and a total cost calculated at 25 cents per page. I sent in a money order for $1.50 for six pages. The money order cost more than the $1.50 court fee.

Statement by Elizabeth Owens dated February 27, 1860
to become administrator of the estate of her late husband, Jonas Long

Statement by Elizabeth Owens dated February 27, 1860
to become administrator of the estate of her late husband, William Owen(s)

Did the contents of the files provide any additional information? No, I don't think so. I am amazed that the transcriber was able to read the names of the children.

Why did Elizabeth file in 1860? I don't know. We don't know when she died, only that she predeceased her father, Richard Merrell, who died in 1864. Maybe she was sick and advised to put her affairs in order?

Elizabeth's children were named in the estate papers of their grandfather
because Elizabeth had died.
Six of her seven children signed this release on October 4, 1865.

From Richard Merrell's estate papers, we see the names of the children of Elizabeth. (Richard, the oldest, was omitted because they were not able to reach him in Virginia during the Civil War.) These names, save for the missing Richard, match the names in Jonas' sparse estate papers.

The month after Elizabeth filed to become administrator of the estate of Jonas Long, dead over 22 years, she filed a claim for $50 for equipment he used in the War of 1812. I ordered a copy from the New York State Archives. Images are also now available at Ancestry (New York, War of 1812 Certificates and Applications of Claim and Related Records, 1858-1869).

Elizabeth's affidavit seeking reimbursement for equipment
used by Jonas Long in the War of 1812

In the next article, we will look at Elizabeth's application for bounty land based on Jonas Long's service in the War of 1812.

Children of John Lutter and Rhoda Gant

John F. E. Luther (1854-1915) and Rhoda A Gant (1858-1923) married March 1, 1876 in Newark, Essex County New Jersey. He was 22 years old. She was 18. His occupation was carpenter.

John F E Luther and Rhoda A Gant
married March 1, 1876 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.
Volume BP, Marriages, Atlantic through Hudson Counties, 1875-1876, viewable at Ancestry

John's parents were Ernst Lutter and Margaret Alfke. They married in 1851 in Newark. Ernst was likely the earliest Lutter to arrive in Newark.

Johann Christian Ernss Lutter and Anna Margaretha Alfken married March 23, 1851
in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.
This marriage was recorded at the county level, not state.
New Jersey, County Marriages, 1682-1956, viewable at FamilySearch.org.

John died May 30, 1915 in Secaucus, Hudson County New Jersey at the Hudson County Hospital for the Insane. Cause of death was cerebral apoplexy. Parents "unknown." Burial was at New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City.

Rhoda died December 16, 1923 in Bayonne, Hudson County. Cause of death was chronic endocarditis. Burial was also at New York Bay Cemetery.

John and Rhoda had at least nine children. Five lived into adulthood.

NAME	DATE OF BIRTH	DATE OF DEATH
Lucy	Feb 15, 1877	June 11, 1939
Rhoda Ann	Feb 1879	Sep 10, 1941
Catherine Perkins	Mar 3, 1880	Nov 23, 1880
Antoinette	Sep 1881	Mar 10, 1886
John Ernest	Apr 1884	Dec 6, 1944
Margaret	May 1885	Jan 20, 1959
Charlotte Nathanie	1888	Dec 23, 1934
Ruth	Nov 24, 1890	Aug 24, 1894
Winefred	Sep 8, 1893	Sep 8, 1893

The links are to their pages on Find A Grave.

I located birth records for three of these nine children. Only Ruth was named at birth.

Child Number 1

Lucy was the first child of John and Rhoda. She was born February 15, 1877 in Newark. Births at this time were recorded in ledger books. Lucy's entry does not name her and mislabeled her as male.

Male child born to John and Rose Luther
February 15, 18777 in Newark.
Volume CM, Births Atlantic through Hudson Counties, 1866-1877, viewable at Ancestry

In 1912, Lucy married Martin Lang (1848-1933), widower of Anna Petrany. His children were from this earlier marriage and not from Lucy. Lucy died in 1939 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery in Newark.

Child Number 2

Rhoda Ann was born in February of 1879. No record of birth was found.

She was married twice. In 1899 she married Frank Clarkson in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey. After Frank's death, Rhoda remarried to Alexander J Cross in 1909 in Bayonne. Her children were delineated in a previous article.

Child Number 3

Catherine Perkins was born March 3, 1880 in Newark at 65 Fairview Avenue. She has a birth certificate, but was not named on this document. The midwife was Mary Staehle of 20 Belmont Avenue. She was the third child according to this birth certificate. 

Female Lutter born to John Lutter and Rodi Gerndt
March 3, 1880 in Newark.
Copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

We know Catherine's full name from her death certificate. On November 23, 1880 Catherine Perkins Lutter died from croup at 63 Fairview Avenue. She was buried in Woodland Cemetery, Newark.

Catherine Perkins Lutter
died November 23, 1880 in Newark.
Death certificate copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

When Catherine died, John and Rhoda were left with two children.

Child Number 4

Antoinette was born around September of 1881. No birth certificate was located.

She died March 10, 1886 in Newark at the age of four years and six months from acute bronchial pulmonary edema. She was buried in Woodland Cemetery, Newark.

Antoinette Lutter died March 10, 1886 in Newark.
Age four years, six months.
Copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

Child Number 5

John Ernest was born around April 1884. No birth certificate was located.

In 1905 in Bayonne John married Annie Mary Emma Otto (1885-1964). They had four children.

John died in 1944 in Staten Island, Richmond County, New York.

Child Number 6

Margaret was born around May 1885. No birth certificate was located.

In 1911 in Bayonne Margaret married Frank Schreiner. They had one son, Raymond.

Margaret died in 1959 in Jersey City.

Child Number 7

Charlotte Nathanie was born around 1888. No birth certificate was located.

In 1907 in Bayonne Charlotte married William Gerhard Kontje. They had at least six children.

Charlotte died in 1934 in Bayonne. 

Child Number 8

Ruth was born November 24, 1890 in Newark at 664 South 12th Street. She received a birth certificate. On this document, she was child number 8 with 6 still living. This tracks with what I found up to 1890. The midwife was Wilhelmine Belz of 122 Morton Street.

Ruth Lutter born November 24, 1890 in Newark.
Copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

Ruth died August 24, 1894 at 454 Bergen Street in Newark. She was aged three years, nine months, and 26 days. The cause of death was convulsions. She was buried in Woodland Cemetery.

Ruth Lutter died August 24, 1894 in Newark.
Age three years, zero months, and 26 days.
Copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

Child Number 9

Winefred was the final child found for John and Rhoda. She has no birth certificate; instead, she received only a death certificate for September 8, 1893- age fourteen hours. The cause of death was atelectasis pulm; probably premature birth with insufficient lung functioning. She was buried at Woodland Cemetery.

Winefred Lutter died September 8, 1893 in Newark.
Age fourteen hours.
Copied from microfilm at New Jersey State Archives.

How does one find these birth records in New Jersey?

There are indexes.

Where are these indexes? They are in the Archives and online at FamilySearch and Ancestry. (Currently not on the website of the New Jersey State Archives.)

Physically there are books in the Archives in Trenton, New Jersey.

Books of indexes at New Jersey State Archives

There are three sets of books to cover three different periods:

1848-1878

1878-1890

1890-1900

(There are additional indexes for 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1901-1929. These Lutter children were born before that time, so I will not delve in to those years here.)

These bound books are copies of typed indexes. I do not know who created them, when, or how. Maybe someone could chime in with a helpful comment.

Copy of paper index of births 1848-1878
available at the New Jersey State Archives.
This entry is actually for a female child who became known as Lucy.

Entries in the index for 1848-1878 refer to ledger books. No individual certificates exist. The first child, Lucy, a female, was born February 15, 1877 in Newark. An official record of her birth was made with the City of Newark. This record eventually made its way into a ledger book stored at the state level.

Entry at FamilySearch for male child born to John Luther and Rose Luther
in Newark on February 15, 1877

This same entry at FamilySearch lists the full date of birth and names of parents, but the image is not viewable at home. I had to travel to a Family History Center to look at the image. It was the image that I copied from the book in the Archives. Again, this is not the birth ledger, but rather the index.

Underlying image linked to the index at FamilySearch for male child born to John Luther and Rose Luther in 1877 in Newark

Note that this index lists the father's first initial, J, and does not list the mother. Yet the entry at FamilySearch spells out John's full first name and gives the first name of the mother.

Ancestry's entry is a bit different. The full date is missing; however, the image is viewable. The image is not the index, as on FamilySearch, but rather the actual birth ledger.

Search result at Ancestry for male child born to John Luther and Rose Luther in 1877 in Newark.

The underlying image is viewable.
This is the actual birth ledger book, same as the microfilm in the New Jersey State Archives.

Microfilm at the New Jersey State Archives

In 1878, New Jersey shifted from entries in a ledger book to individual certificates. Below is the entry in the index for Catherine Lutter, not named at birth, born March 3, 1880.

Copy of paper index of births 1878-1890
available at the New Jersey State Archives

The index at Ancestry has issues. I suspect that this index was not derived from the books in the Archives nor from the actual certificates. A film number is provided.

Entry at Ancestry for Lutter birth 1880 in Newark.
A film number is provided. FamilySearch describes this film as births 1879-1880.

This film is not viewable at home, but is viewable through the FamilySearch website at a Family History Center. This film does NOT contain birth certificates; rather, it is a handwritten index of births.

Image linked to index at Ancestry for Lutter birth March 3, 1879

At the top of this page is "Index Register of Births in Newark, Essex County, 1879-1880." Pages must be flipped to find the start of births in the middle of 1879. Thus the dates on this page are for the year 1880, not 1879.

FamilySearch indexed the correct year.

Entry for Lutter birth March 3, 1880 at FamilySearch. This is the correct year.

Users can request a correction to the date of birth in Ancestry's index, but please do not do this until the date is confirmed on the actual record (not another index).