Descendants of Benjamin GRIGGS

First Generation

1. Benjamin GRIGGS was born estimated 1688 in Gravesend, Kings County, NY. He died in 1762/1768 in Griggstown, Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ. Benjamin resided in Griggstown, Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ.

Benjamin Griggs and his brother, Daniel Griggs, signed the following document on January 4, 1715/16.
“Know all men by these presents, that we the inhabitants of the Town of Gravesend, in Kings County, on the Island Nassau, here underwritten, do nominate, constitute and appoint John Lake and John Simonson elders of said town and by these presents have nominated, constituted John Lake and John Simonson, to compound a league with Mr. Cornelius Van Brunt and Mr. Pieter Cortelyou, deputies of the Town of New Utrecht, for the third part of all their divine services in which they have or will have of Mr. Freeman and Mr. Antonides, ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ; that is to say to have said services in our said Town of Gravesend; and, as the said inhabitants, do promise and engage ourselves to hold for good faith what said elders shall do in agreeing for said services and other considerations in the town's behalf and for the benefit of said ministers. And we promise to perform every article or articles as the said elders shall conclude of with said deputies.” (William Henry Stillwell, "History of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Gravesend, Kings County, NY" [1892])

In 1715, Benjamin Griggs was cited as a member of Capt. Thomas Stillwell's Militia Company at Gravesend ("Documentary History of New York", 3: 115), along with his brother, Daniel Griggs. A Thomas Griggs was identified as a member of Capt. Remsen's Troop.

Benjamin Griggs, for whom Griggstown was named, arrived in the area around 1727 with his three brothers-Daniel, Samuel, and Thomas Griggs. Sometime before 1733 Benjamin built a grist mill on the Millstone River... south of the present-day Griggstown Causeway. Griggs sold the mill to Nicholas Veghte in 1752 and by 1770, it was owned by Abraham Van Doren. In 1831 the mill was removed to make way for the construction of the Delaware & Raritan Canal and a new mill was constructed on the west side of the canal adjacent to the causeway. (Citizens to Preserve Griggstown, "Griggstown History")

The following is the will of Benjamin Griggs:
In the name of God amen I Benjamin Griggs of Griggs Town in Sommersett in the province of East Jersey yeoman being in perfect mind & memory Do make this my last will & Testament in manner & form following. That is to say first I bequeath my soul & spirit unto the hands of Almighty god who gave itt trusting in his grace for Salvation & as for my worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased god to bless me with I give & Dispose of the same in the following manner After All just Debts & funeral charges be paid.
Item- I give & bequeath unto my son Danel Griggs The sum of two hundred pounds light money to him his heirs Exers Admrs or Assigns for ever.
Item- I give & Bequeath unto my Grandson Benjamin Griggs son of John Griggs Late Deceased the sum of twenty five pounds Aforesaid to him his heirs & Assigns forever.
Item- I give & Bequeath Unto my children Samuel Griggs Barrent Griggs Benjamin Griggs Daniel Griggs & Reuben Griggs & My Daughters Martha Vanderbeek wife of Rem Vanderbeek Jane Bennett wife of Aron Bennett & Eleanor Sutpin wife of John Sutpin. All the rest & remaining part of my Estate real & personal moveable or Immoveable of what kind so ever to be Equally Divided Amongst them share & share alike and to their respective heirs & assigns forever. Except and always excepted & Revised Before any such Division be made that my son Benjamin Shall pay unto his Brother Samel Griggs The sum of fifty pounds money aforesd being an Equal proportion to What he the sd Samel hath Already paid to my Estate & Also my son Reuben to pay unto Barrent The sum of fifty pounds money aforsd being also an Equal proportion to What he the sd Barrent hath Already paid to my Estate & then my sd Estate to be Equally Divided amongst them viz Samel Barrent Benjamin Danel Reuben Martha Jane & Eleanor as above sd to their respective heirs & assigns forever. It is my will & the above bequeasts is made on the Condition following that is to say that they Shall Comfortably Support my Loving wife with a Confortable maintainance And I do ordain Nominate Constitute & Appoint my Loving son Samel Griggs Danel Griggs & My son in Law Rem Vanderbeek or any two of them to be the Exers of this my Last will & Testament & I do revoke All former Wills by me made & do declare this to be my Last will In testimony hereof I have here unto sett my hand & seal this 23 Day of March One thousand seven hundred & sixth two.
Signed Sealed & Declared in presence of: Nicholas Veghte, Francis Feurt, Issac Willkins. Signed by Benjamin Griggs
Memorandum that on the Twenty third day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & Sixty Eight Isaac Willkins one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the within written instrument appeared before me John Mackey duly Authorized ___ and he being Sworn on the Holy Evangelists on his Oath declare that on or about the 23d day of March 1762, he this Deponent & Francis Feurt another of the subscribing witnesses to sd instrument, had been Sent for to be Evidenies to the Same Instrument, which this deponent says was executed by Benjamin Griggs the Testor & signed by Nicholes Veghte the other subscribing witness, before he this deponent and said Feurt came in to Room where the Testator was Sick in Bed - that thereupon Veghte Read over the sd Instrument to the sd Testator, who in their hearing acknowledged his hand & Seal & declared the same to be his Last Will & Testament that at the doing thereof he was of sound mind & memory to the best of this deponent knowledge & as he Verily believes & that at the same time the sd Francis Feurt Signed As an Evidence thereto as he the deponent also did in presence of the said Benjamin Griggs - Signed by John Mackey
Also that at the Same time Samuel Griggs one of the Executors in said Will named came before me & was duly Qualified by taking the Oath of an Executor as by Law appointed. Signed by John Mackey
March 5, 1768 Daniel Griggs one other of the Executors in the within will named came before me & was Duly Qualified in manner aforesaid. Signed by John Mackey
Probate Granted by Gov. Franklin (in the usual form) dated the same 23 day of February 1768. Signed by Jos. Reed Secr & Reg
Examined & agrees with the original. The word Samel wrote on an Erazure in four different places on the preceeding page was by mistake in Recording. Signed by John Mackey - Secr & Reg
(Transcription of the original will of Benjamin Griggs located at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton, NJ.)

Benjamin married Margrietje JANSE daughter of Jan Barentsen VAN ZUTPHEN and Jannetje Willemse VAN BARKELO. Margrietje was christened ¹ on 10 Dec 1695 in Flatbush, Kings County, NY. She died after 1762.

Margrietje Janse’s paternal grandparents, Barent Driesen and his wife Aeltie, were killed in1655 as a result of Indian troubles on Staten Island, NY. Margrietje’s father, Jan Barentsen, was seven years old at the time and was the lone family survivor. ("Year Book of The Holland Society of New York";1900;111-112.) The proper form of Margrietje’s father’s name has been misconstrued by many researchers as Jan Barentsen van Driest and that he arrived in this country on May 17, 1658 in the ship De Vergulde Bever (The Gilded Beaver), this is in error. The correct form of his name was Jan Barentsen van Zutphen and he arrived in this country on December 15, 1650 in the New Netherland Fortune as an infant with his parents. The infant Jan Barentsen has been confused with the older Jan Barentsen who arrived on The Gilded Beaver and who identified himself as a carpenter.

Margrietje’s mother, Jannetje Willemse Van Barkelo, was a descendant of Anthony Jansen Van Salee, one of the most interesting and colorful figures in early New Amsterdam. There was an article written on him by Hazel Van Dyke Roberts, PhD entitled “Anthony Jansen van Salee” in “The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record”, 103 [1972]:16-28. This article should be of interest to anyone researching or descending from Margrietje Janse.

They had the following children:

+	2	M	i	John GRIGGS was born estimated 1715. He died in 1758.
+	3	M	ii	Samuel GRIGGS was christened on 20 Sep 1717. He died in 1770/1772.
+	4	M	iii	Barrent GRIGGS was christened on 13 Feb 1718.
+	5	M	iv	Benjamin GRIGGS was born estimated 1719/1736.
+	6	M	v	Daniel GRIGGS was born estimated 1721/1738.
	7	M	vi	Dr Reuben GRIGGS was born estimated 1723/1740. He died in 1765. Reuben Griggs was a physician, owned property in Kingston, Somerset County, NJ and never married. The following is his will: In the name of God Amen I Reuben Griggs of Griggs Town in the county of Sommersett & province of New Jersey physician being weak of body but of sound mind & memory praised be god therefore Do make this my last will & testament in manner & form following that is to say first I commend my soul to the hands of Allmighty god being fully persuaded by his holy spirit through the Death and passion of Jesus Christ to obtain full pardon & remission of All my sins and I will and ordain that all my just & Lawfull Debts & funeral charges be paid att some convenient time after my Decease att the discretion of my Exrs hereafter Mentioned. Item- I give & Bequeath unto my Brother Barrent Griggs one hundred and fifty pounds light money to be deducted from the bonds he gave me for the place he now lives on in Sowerland. Item- I also give & discharge my brother Danel from what book Debts is Due from him to me on Accounting Doctoring & as to the remaining part of my Estate real & personal of what nature or kind soever (excepting my whereing apparel). My will is that they be sold & after such sale itt be Divided in Eight Equal parts viz the money Arising from such sale. Item- I give & bequeath unto my Brother John's children one part or shear to be & remaine to them their heirs & assigns forever. Item- I give to my Brother Samel Griggs one part & also to Brother Barrent one part over & above what I have already given him also to my Brother Daniel Griggs one part & to my Brother Benjamine’s children one part. To my sister Jane's children one part & to my sister Martha one part & to the children of my sister Eleanor which she has by Theodorus Monfort late deceased & the children which she has by John Sulfin one part to Equally Devided amonst the children of T. Monfort & Sutfin to them their heirs and assigns forever. I also give my weareing Apparel unto Benjamin Griggs, James Griggs, Danel Griggs, John Griggs, and William Griggs sons of my Brother, Johns before mentioned & I do ordain nominate & appoint my Loving Brother Samel Griggs & my brothers-in-law, John Sutfin & Rem Van Der Beek to be the Executors of this my last will and testament & do revoke & disannul all former wills by me made in Testimony Where of I have here unto sett my hand & seal this thirty first day of Janry 1765. Sealed & Declared in presence of: Jan Seymesen , Cornelius Simonson, Samuel Smith. Signed by Reuben Griggs To all whome these presents may concern know & that It is my will & purpose To give unto Adrian Bennet’s two Daughters viz Margaret and Barbary Eight pounds apiece over & above what I have already given them & this I do before the Executing of these presents. And also I give my roam horse & saddle to my Brother Danel over & above what I have already given him. Done also before Executing. Memorandum- That on the eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one-thousand seven hundred and sixty five. Jan Seymesen & Samuel Smith two of the within witnesses appeared before me Jonathan Deare duly Authorized. He and they being Sworn on the Holy Evangelists, do declare that they were present and did See Reuben Griggs the testator within named Sign and Seal the within written instrument and heard him publish pronounce & declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament that at the doing thereof the said Testator was of sound mind & memory to the best of their knowledge & as they Verily believe, and that at the Same time Cornelius Simonson was also present & Signed as an evidence thereto as they each did in ther presence of the said Reuben Griggs. Also that at the same time John Suthpin and Rem Vanderbeek, two of the Executors within named came before me & were duly quallifyed by taking the oath of execution by Law appointed. Signed by Jona Deare An accounting was made of the above estate on 1 Jun 1773, signed by Executors: John Sutphen and Rem Van Der Beek. (Transcription of the original will of Reuben Griggs located at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton, NJ.)
+	8	F	vii	Martha GRIGGS was born estimated 1719/1736.
+	9	F	viii	Jannetje (Jane) GRIGGS was born estimated 1721/1738.
+	10	F	ix	Eleanor (Nell) GRIGGS was born estimated 1723/1740.

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