Henry Voorhees (26 Aug 1769 – 20 Feb 1806)

Henry Voorhees was born on 26 Aug 1769, likely in the Hillsborough Township of Somerset County, New Jersey (137, Page 344). He was the first child born to Stephen Petrus Voorhees and his wife Margareta (Van Dyke) Voorhees. At Henry’s birth, Stephen Voorhees was 31 years old, and Margareta was about 25.

On 29 Nov 1792, Henry Voorhees and Margaret Nevius married in the Hillsborough Township of Somerset County, New Jersey (125; 137, Page 344; 302, Page 480). At their marriage, Henry was 23 years old, and Margaret was 24. Margaret Nevius was born on 16 Mar 1768 at Somerville in Somerset County, New Jersey (106; 302, Page 480). She was a daughter of Jacobus Nevius and Pieternellite (Cornell) Nevius.

A daughter, Ellen Voorhees, was born to Henry and Margaret Voorhees on 24 Jun 1796 in Somerset County, New Jersey (302, Page 480; 1348). Ellen Voorhees was also known as Elen Voorhees, Nelly Voorhees, and Sarah Voorhees. A second daughter Margaret was born on 6 Jul 1798, likely also in Somerset County (163, Page 480).

Henry Voorhees appears on 1795, 1796, and 1797 tax lists for the West Precinct of Somerset County, New Jersey (331, 337, 344). In about 1800, the families of Henry Voorhees and his brother, John Steven Voorhees, migrated from Somerset County, New Jersey to the Lodi Township of Cayuga County, New York, where they acquired land in Section 38 (300, Page 143; 513). The father of Henry and John, Stephen Petrus Voorhees, also migrated from Somerset County, New Jersey to Seneca County, New York in about 1810 (137, Page 340).

A daughter Annie Voorhees was born to Henry and Margaret Voorhees on 23 Jul 1800 (302, Page 480). Annie may have been born in New Jersey or in Cayuga County, New York.

The 4 Aug 1800 federal census of the Ovid Township of Cayuga County, New York enumerates the Henry Voorhis household (1317). Henry Voorhees was 26–44 years old. A 26–44 year-old female living in the household was very likely Margaret (Nevius) Voorhees. Three females less than 10 years old were very likely Ellen Voorhees, Margaret Voorhees, and Annie Voorhees.

Henry Voorhees appears on an 1803 tax list for the Ovid Township of Cayuga County, New York (1320). A daughter, Mary Jane Voorhees, was born to Henry and Margaret Voorhees on 1 Feb 1803, probably in the Ovid Township of Cayuga County, New York (302, Page 480). A son, Stephen Voorhees, was born on 3 Sep 1804 in the Ovid Township of then Seneca County, New York (302, Page 480).

On 18 Feb 1806, Henry Voorhees made a will in the Ovid Township of Seneca County, New York (1367). Henry was 36 years old. He bequeathed to his wife Peggy Voorhees property that she deemed proper to keep for the use of herself and family and for the improvement of the farm. Henry Voorhees bequeathed all real estate or land to five children in equal shares: Nelly, Peggy, Annie, and Wally Voorhees, but to son Stephen Voorhees two shares to that of the girls one. Hendrick Venlien, Oliver Miller, and David Bird witnessed the will.

Henry Voorhees died on 20 Feb 1806 in the Ovid Township of Seneca County, New York (137, Page 344). At his death, Henry Voorhees was 36 years old. His wife Margaret was 37 years old, and his oldest daughter Ellen was nine years old. Henry Voorhees is buried in the McNeal Cemetery in Seneca County (1381).

Notes and Comments

Henry Voorhees is not readily apparent in the 1790 U.S. Federal Census. In 1790, he was about 21 years old and likely still living in the Hillsborough Township of Somerset County, New Jersey with his father, Stephen Petrus Voorhees.

Beginning in about 1785, a substantial number of Dutch families living in Somerset County, New Jersey migrated to the lake country of central New York (502). Many traveled along the Susquehanna valley to Binghamton and Owego and then north towards the head of Cayuga Lake and west of the lake into Seneca County. Most of the earlier migrants settled in the Ovid Township of then Cayuga County, between the Seneca and Cayuga lakes.

Assuming that the Henry Voorhees family migrated from Somerset County, New Jersey to the Lodi Township of Cayuga County, New York along this approximate route, they may have traveled through Northampton or Wayne counties of Pennsylvania, possibly encountering Countryman families living in that area of Pennsylvania.

Henry Voorhees made a will in Seneca County, New York on 18 Feb 1806 (1367) and died on 20 Feb 1806 (1366). In his will, Henry bequeathed his estate to his wife Peggy, and to five children: Nelly, Peggy, Annie, Wally, and Stephen Voorhees. The oldest child Nelly Voorhees was nine years old. Nelly Voorhees was almost certainly Ellen Voorhees, and Peggy Voorhees was almost certainly Margaret Voorhees, born on 6 Jul 1798. Wally Voorhees was likely Henry’s daughter Mary Jane Voorhees.

A Henry Voorhees appears on a June 1806 tax list for the Franklin Township of Somerset County, New Jersey. Since Henry Voorhees died on 20 Feb 1806 in the Ovid Township of Seneca County, New York, a listing for him on a 1806 New Jersey tax list may be for property of his estate.

County Boundaries

Seneca County was created from parts of Cayuga County, New York on 24 Mar 1804.

Sources

106. Gravestone, Margaret (Nevius) Voorhees, McNeal Cemetery, Ovid, Seneca County, New York, 25 Jan 1852. Find A Grave Memorial 63749086. (Images: Find A Grave. Image on file.)

125. Marriage of Henry Voorhees and Margaret Nevius, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560–1900. Yates Publishing. (Database: Ancestry.com)

137. Elias W. Van Voorhees, ed. A Genealogy of the Van Voorhees Family in America. New York City, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, 1888.

300. History of Seneca County, New York 1786–1876. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Everts, Ensign & Everts, 1876.

302. A. Van Doren Honeyman. Joannes Nevius and His Descendants, A.D. 1627–1900. Part 2. Plainfield, New Jersey: Honeyman & Company, 1900. (Images: Ancestry.com. PDF file on file.)

331. Henry Voorhees, West Precinct Tax List. Somerset County, New Jersey. 1797. New Jersey Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1643–1890. (Database: Ancestry.com.)

337. Henry Voorhees, August–September 1795 Tax List, Somerset County, New Jersey, 1795. (Database: Ancestry.com.)

344. Henry Voorhees. West Precinct June Tax List, Somerset County, New Jersey. 1796. (Database: Ancestry.com.)

502. Minor Swick. A Dutch Migration from the Raritan Valley to New York State in 1785 and Later. Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Volume 4. Somerset County Historical Society, Somerville, New Jersey. 1915. Pages 21–25. (PDF on file.)

513. Map of Cayuga and Seneca Counties, New York. A. R. Z. Dawson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1859. (Image on file.)

1317. Henry Voorhis Household, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Ovid, Cayuga County, New York, 2 Aug 1800. Series M32, Image 141, Page 556, Roll 28, Family History Library Film 193716. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

1320. Henry Voorheese, Tax List, Ovid, Cayuga County, New York, 1803. Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799–1804. Series B0950. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

1367. Will of Henry Voorhees and Probate of Estate. Ovid Township, Seneca County, New York, 18 Feb 1806. New York Probate Records, 1629–1971. Wills 1804–1838, Volume A, Image 41. Will Book A 1804–1838. (Images: FamilySearch. Image on file.)
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Revised 15 Feb 2020.

Will of Henry Voorhees (1367)
Ovid Township, Seneca County, New York
18 Feb 1806

In the name of god Amen. I Henry Voorhees of the town of Ovid in the County of Seneca and State of New York being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory blessed be almighty God for the same, do make and publish this my last will and testament in maner and form following (that is to say) First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Peggy Voorhees such of my goods and chattels as she may think proper to keep for the use of herself and family and for the improvement of the farm and all the remainder of my goods and chattels may be sold by my executors hereinafter mentioned also my lot of wood land laying near Israel Knight’s to be sold for the discharging of my lawful debts & the over-plus to be put out for the support and education of my children and I do further give and bequeath unto my said beloveded wife Peggy Voorhees the full and sole improvement and use of all my real — or landed estate during her life or as long as she remains my widow except so much as has been before mentioned, and furthermore I give and bequeath all my real estate or land unto my five children in the following manner (viz) my daughters Nelly Peggy Annie and Wally Voorhees are to be made equal in share and my son Stephen Voorhees to have two shares to that of the girls one, to their heirs and assigns forever, to be divided between them in manner aforesaid when the youngest child becomes of age then to be sold and divided and lastly I do hereby ordain and appoint my said wife Peggy Voorhees my executrix, John Voorhees Joshua Coshon & Cornelius Wickoff my executors to this my last will and testament and do hereby authorize and empower my executrix and executors herein above mentioned to sell so much as they shall deem necessary or at their discretion to make deeds in fee simple to the purchaser or purchasers of said land (before mentioned). In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six.

Signed and sealed }
in the presence of }
Hendrick Venlien }
Oliver Miller. }
David Bird. }

The word (children) was interlined in the twenty second line previous to signing and sealing, likewise the twenty eight line —

Seneca County } Henry Voorhees { Seal }
Surrogates Office }
                                        

Be it remembered that Hendirck Venlien & David Bird two of the subscribing witnesses to the preceding will personally appeared before me and being duly sworn did depose and say that they saw Henry Voorhees the testator herein named sign and seal the same and that at the doin thereof he was of sound and disposing mind and memory as far they knew and as they verily believed and that Oliver Miller the other subscribing witness was present at the same time and signed his name as a witness to the said will together with these deponents in the presence of the testator.

Sworn before me at Ovid this 10th day of March 1805 Seneca County Surrogates Office }
Jane Landford Surrogate
                                        

Be it remembered that Peggy Voorhees John Voorhees Cornelius Wickoff and Joshua Coshon executors in the preceding testament named being duly sworn did depose and say that the preceding instrument was the last will and testament of Henry Voorhees the testator therein named as far as they knew and as they verily believed that they would well and truly perform the same by applying first the debts of the said deceased and then the legacies in the said testament specified so far as the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased can hereto extend and that they would make and exhibit into the Surrogates office of said County of Seneca a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased that have or shall come to their possession or knowledge and render a just and true account of administration when thereto required.

Sworn before me at Ovid this March 10th 1805 Seneca County Surrogates Office
Jane Landford Surrogate
                                        

The people of the State of New York by the grace of God free and independent:

To all to whom these presents shall come or may concern send greeting:

Know Ye that at the town of Ovid in the County of Seneca on the eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six before Jared Sandford Esquire Surrogate of our said County the last will and testament of Henry Voorhees deceased (a copy whereof is hereto annexed) was proved and is now approved and allowed of by us: and the said deceased having whilst he lived and at the time of death, goods chattels or credits within this State by means whereof the proving and registering the said will and the granting administration of all and singular the said goods chattels and credits and also the auditing allowing and final discharging the account thereof doth belong unto us the administration of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased and any way concerning his will is granted unto Peggy Voorhees John Voorhees Cornelius Wickoff and Joshua Coshon Executors in the said will named, they being first duly sworn well and faithfully to administer the same and to make and exhibit a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the said goods, chattels and credits and also to render a just and true account thereof when thereunto required.

In testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of office of our said Surrogate to be hereunto affixed: Witness Jared Sandford Esquire Surrogate of the said County at Ovid aforesaid the eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six and of our independence the thirtieth.

Jared Sanford Surrogate
                                                                                                  
Transcribed from images of the original documents by William R. Emanuel, Charlottesville, Virginia, 15 Feb 2021.

Henry Voorhees Census Summary

1800 U.S. Federal Census (1317)
Henry Voorhis Household
Ovid, Cayuga County, New York
2 Aug 1800
Henry Voorhis, a: 26–44
+ Female, a: 26–44 (Margaret Nevius)
Female, a: < 10 (Ellen Voorhees)
Female, a: < 10 (Margaret Voorhees)
Female, a: < 10 (Annie Voorhees)