This is another family I know very little about.
A lot of the information comes from Steve Swires (I think his info was on Rootsweb’s World Connect), corrected and emended by information from www.hurlbut.info and from various postings on the Aber GenForum site. [And by the way, the people who visit that particular site seem to suffer fools not at all - they want sources for any information posted, but often decline to provide it themselves - I suppose they figure if they found it you should too. The site has a different flavor from most GenForum sites I’ve visited.]
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John Aber I | John Aber II | John II's children |
[Eliza] Hopewell
her children
Census Listings for Abers
As far as I can tell, the original Aber in America was John, born in about 1695 (Sandy Walk, Aber GenForum message 44, dated 31 Aug 2001, said that he was born in 1692 in Wales, but gave no source for the information. The Hurlbut site also uses the 1692 Wales info but also provides no source.) He settled on Long Island where he married Mary Hulse in 1717 (one researcher claimed a source proving this marriage, which took place, she said, in Jamaica, L.I. - another researcher corrected her, and said it was in Riverhead.) (Do you begin to get a feeling for the tenor of the Aber site?) Mary was the daughter of one Richard Hulse (b. 1669) and the granddaughter of another (b bet. 1640-65); she and father Richard were born in Brookhaven, Suffolk County (Long Island), New York; grandfather Richard was the immigrant - from England.
John and Mary had possibly four children - John (~1722 our next ancestor), Morris (~1724), Israel (~1726 - or 1731) and possibly Christian. They lived in Brookhaven at least until Israel was born and then apparently moved to New Jersey - or possibly only their children did (two of the sons were married at the Morristown 1st Presbyterian Church, John in 1742, Israel in 1756). Oddly enough, since all their children seem to have moved on, there is a John Aber in the 1830 census still in Brookhaven:
1830 New York, Suffolk, Brookhaven 181
John Aber 0000000001 (70-80) 000000001 (60-70)
At that age, he would have been born in 1750-60, which doesn’t really fit any descendant of his - that I know about at least.
And that’s all the information I’ve found on John Aber I.
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About his children - I have no information on Morris or Christian. About Israel:
He was born in about 1726 (Swires) or 1731 (Hurlbut - which also gives the place as Brookhaven).
He married Mary Unknown (Swires) or Dorothea Leonard (Hurlbut - which also gives place - 1st Presbyterian, Morristown - and date - 29 Feb 1756.)
His children (provided by Hurlbut) were Israel, Morris, Abner, Mahlon, Hiram, Jonas, Silas, Darah, Dorothy, Charity, Mary, Hercules (b 1785 - d 25 Aug 1865). [The Hurlbut site is not user-friendly, so I didn’t look up all the children’s dates. I looked up Hercules, because of the name - Israel’s niece was married to Charles Harkless/Hercules.]
Some of Israel’s children apparently moved back to New York (although with only the names to go on, I can’t be positive):
1790 New York, Orange, Minisink 143 (364)
Abner Aber 10300
(363) Jonas Aber 20400
1800 New York, Orange Minisink 326
Abner Aber 20010 22010
Hiram 21010 10010
Jonas 00110 21010
327 - Mahlon Aber 21010 20010
1810 New York, Seneca Romulus 219
Jonas Aber 00110 20110
1830 New Jersey, Morris, Randolph
Aber, Abner / Hezekiah / Morris / Morris jr/ Samuel / Samuel T
1830 New York, Orange, Minisink
Aber, Benjamin, Pbal
Our next ancestor, John Aber II, was born in about 1722 in New York. He married Mary Hulberd (b~1729) at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Morristown, (Morris Co), New Jersey on 21 Jan 1742/3. They apparently lived in or near Morristown (some of the children are given the birth-place of Mendham, which is a not far from Morristown) all of their lives. They had 9 children:
1745/6 Jan 2 - son John III born (Morristown)
m ~1773 Elizabeth Dalrymple (~1753-1831)
1747 Oct 3 - son Aaron born (Mendham, Morris Co, NY)
m ~1765 Susan Marsh (1750-aft 1822 Seneca Co, NY)
d 3 Nov 1822 Seneca Co, NY
~1749 - daughter Experience born
m Unknown McHarfy
~1750 - daughter Joanna born (Morris Co)
m William Budd
(1753) ~1743 - son Matthew born (Morris Co, NJ)
m (2)1. Martha Unknown
(1) 2. Elizabeth Unknown (~1760-1810) (1st Presbyterian, Morristown)
(children: Ezra, Matthew, Jacob, William S 1787-1874)
d. 10 Dec 1817 Plumb Twp, Allegheny Co, PA
1752 Dec 5 - daughter Mary born (Morris Co)
1772 July 20 m Samuel Campfield (1748-1812) (1st Presbyterian, Hanover, NJ)
d 1788 Oct 27 - Hanover, ?
1756 (1760) - son Abisha Sebastian born (Mendham Twp, Morris Co, NJ)
m 1780/1 Abigail Hosey Lacey (~1762-1817)
~1758 - son Jabesh born (Morris Co)
m 1 Mary Morehouse
2 Juliaelma
d Oct 1845
~1760 - daughter Eliza Hopewell born (our next ancestor) - Mendham Twp, Morris Co
m ~1781 Charles Harkless (1760-1830)
d ~1839 Westmoreland Co, PA
There are no censuses available for New Jersey until 1830, and I wasn’t working on this family when I was at the library, so I haven’t got any more information on John. He died in 1801, in Morris County.
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About his (John II's) children:
I. John - no further information
1745/6 Jan 2 - born (Morristown)
m ~1773 Elizabeth Dalrymple (~1753-1831)
It is barely possible that he is the John Aber in Brookhaven in 1830. ???
II. Aaron - moved to Seneca Co, NY
1747 Oct 3 - born (Mendham, Morris Co, NY)
m ~1765 Susan Marsh (1750-aft 1822 Seneca Co, NY)
1820 New York, Seneca, Romulus 350 - Aaron?
Aaron Aber 001101 00101
1820 New York, Seneca, Fayette 375 - Aaron's sons?
Aaron Aber 010010 02101
Himothy 100100 10100
d 3 Nov 1822 Seneca Co, NY
III. Experience - no further information
~1749 - born
m Unknown McHarfy
IV. Joanna - no further information
~1750 - born (Morris Co)
m William Budd
V. Matthew - born ~1743 - OR 1753 - moved to Allegheny Co, PA
(1753) ~1743 - born (Morris Co, NJ)
m (2)1. Martha Unknown
(1) 2. Elizabeth Unknown (~1760-1810) (1st Presbyterian, Morristown)
researchers disagree about the order of the wives - hurlbut.info make Elizabeth wife #1
(Hurlbut gives names of the children as: Ezra, Matthew, Jacob, William S 1787-1874)
1800 Pennsylvania, Allegheny, Plum 39
Matthew Ebers 22201 10001
next to Charles Hartness
1809
Legal document "Abisha Aber to Morris Grammar Jr. "This indenture made this twenty-seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine between Abisha Aber and Charles Harclas of this township of Franklin in the County of Westmoreland and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Matthew Aber Plumb township in the County of Allegeny and Commonwealth of this one part and Morris Grammar Jr. of Mencham in the County of Morris . . ."
1810 Pa Allegheny Plumb 170 (same page as Jabes and William Harklis)
Matthew Abers 02001 10100
Abm Abers 00100 10000
d. 10 Dec 1817 Plumb Twp, Allegheny Co, PA
I wonder if someone (me?) made a typo - it seems odd for his will to be recorded before he died.
Will Abstracts - Allegheny Co
Aber, Matthew v.2, p. 121, #109 - dated 9 Oct 1817 recorded 1 Nov 1817
eldest son. William, Eliza, John, Matthew
mentions: Alexander McMurray
ex - William McClelland, David Boggs
wit - Sarah McGlaughlin, Sarah Elliott
These might be his sons:
1820 Pennsylvania
Allegheny, Mifflin 134
Jacob Aber 100010 20101
Matthew 000100 00100 (John McGowan)
Allegheny, Plum 195
John Ebers 100010 00100
next to Jabes Hartless 200010 50010
1830 Pennsylvania
Allegheny Plum 173
William Aber 2222001 100201
same page as Mary and George Brown
Westmoreland, Allegheny 214
Joseph Aber 21001 00001
I don’t know who this is.
I'm looking for information on the children of Matthew Aber who was born in Morris County, NJ, and died in Plum Boro, Allegheny County, PA. He is said to have raised upwards of 9 to 16 children. I have the names of four: Ezra, Jacob, Matthew & William. I am attempting to link him to my Aber lineage beginning with John Aber, born 1800 in Allegheny County, PA, and Rachel Beatty, also born 1800 in Allegheny County. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Janet English message 71 - 1 March 03
Since posting this message, I have found Matthew Aber's will which names two more children, Eliza and John. I am interested in this John Aber as I believe he is my ancestor, husband of Rachel Beatty. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Janet English message 72 - 1 March 03
VI. Mary - no further information
1752 Dec 5 - born (Morris Co)
1772 July 20 m Samuel Campfield (1748-1812) (1st Presbyterian, Hanover, NJ)
d 1788 Oct 27 - Hanover
VII. Abisha - moved to Westmoreland Co, PA
1756 (1760) - Abisha Sebastian born (Mendham Twp, Morris Co, NJ)
m 1780/1 Abigail Hosey Lacey (~1762-1817)
1790 Pennsylvania Westmoreland Franklin 262 (72)
Elisha Eber 13300 - indexed as Ebishi
same page Charles Hartless 13100
1809
Legal document "Abisha Aber to Morris Grammar Jr. "This indenture made this twenty-seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine between Abisha Aber and Charles Harclas of this township of Franklin in the County of Westmoreland and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Matthew Aber Plumb township in the County of Allegeny and Commonwealth of this one part and Morris Grammar Jr. of Mencham in the County of Morris . . ."
1810 PA Westmoreland Franklin 784
Abigail Ebers 12101 01001
Charles Harkless 00001 02000
d 1817 Murrysville, Franklin Twp, Westmoreland, PA
VIII. Jabes - Hopewell named her (1st, I think) son Jabes - moved to western New York?
~1758 - born (Morris Co)
m 1 Mary Morehouse
2 Juliaelma
1820 New York, Genesee, Ridgeway 264
Daniel Aber 000100 00100
Jabez 001201 02001
Pierson 200010 00010
d Oct 1845
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IX. Hopewell (our next ancestor)
~1760 - born - Mendham Twp, Morris Co
m ~1781 Charles Harkless (1760-1830)
Some of the people on the Aber GenForum site are quite snippy about Hopewell’s name and marital status. Here is a sample:
I am searching for John Aber who married Mary Hubert. Their daughter Elizabath Hopewell Aber married Charles Harkless Sr.1782-1782 and settled in Westmoreland Co. Pa (Kathy Eide, message 8, 12 Oct 2000)
John Aber married Mary Hulbard January 21, 1744 or 45 in the First Presbyterian church in Morristown, NJ. That John's parents were John Aber and Mary Hulse. John and Mary Hulse had several children, one of which was Israel. He had children. Abisha and his sister Hopewell moved to PA. Hopewill married Charles Harkless. Elizabeth is someone else. Hope that clears things up. (Beth Cappiali - message 67, 12 Oct 2002)
Actually, it’s not clear at all. It sounds as if she is saying that Abisha and Hopewell were NOT the children of John and Mary Hulbard, but of his brother Israel. ???
Per John Aber's will, the wife of Charles Harkless is Hopeful Aber. We have evidence that Elizabeth is Charles's second wife. (Roberta Duran, message 46 - 23 Sep 2001)
Kathy then asked Roberta if she would post the evidence for everyone to share. Roberta declined, but left her email address. This is the final entry in the thread:
Roberta Duran was kind enough to come to my house and give me all kinds of evidence regarding the two wives of Charles Harkless. (Kathy Eide - message 68 12 Oct 2002)
Which is all very well for Kathy, but meanwhile the rest of us are left in the dark.
Hopewell and Charles apparently stayed in New Jersey for the first few years after they were married, moving to western Pennsylvania in about 1783 and settling in the Westmoreland/Allegheny County area. Her brothers Abisha and Matthew (if he is her brother) moved to Allegheny County at about the same time. (There was a Conrad Harlas there in 1780, but I don’t know how he was related. A number of Hulses also settled in the area.)
They had about 10 children:
Elizabeth (~1781) - may have died young
Jabes (~1782) - Hopewell had a brother Jabesh
George (~1783, New Jersey)
Aaron or Sidney (~1783, Westmoreland Co, PA) - Hopewell had a brother Aaron
William (~1789)
Charles (15 Mar 1793 or 1789)
Susanna (~1797)
Mary Aber (6 May 1797) - Hopewell’s mother was Mary
Henry (17 July 1799, Westmoreland Co, PA)
James (17 July 1802, Allegheny Co, PA)
They are on the 1790 census for Westmoreland County (living near Abisha Aber) and the 1800 census for Allegheny (living next to Matthew).
1790 Pennsylvania Westmoreland Franklin 262 (72)
same page Elisha Eber 13300 // John McGowan 11700
Charles Hartless 13100
1m born before 1774 Charles 1761
3m born after 1774 Jabes 1782, George 1783, Aaron 1783, William 1789
1 female wife Eliza Hopewell?
daughter Elizabeth 1781 - missing?
1800 Pennsylvania Allegheny Plum (p. 3/4)
Charles Hartness 23110 20010
2m, 1f 1790-1800 Charles 1793, Henry 1799
Susanna, Mary 1797 (both give the birthdate of ~1797)
3m 1784-90 William 1789, George 1783, Aaron 1783)
1m 1774-84 Jabes 1782
1m, 1f 1755-74
In 1810, things fall apart. Charles is alone on the (Westmoreland County) census except for two young girls, possibly Mary and Susanna; sons Jabes and William are on their own, living in Allegheny Co; the rest of the children are not found. Oddly enough, there is also a Betsey Harkless in Westmoreland County, but if Betsey is a possible nickname for Eliza (likely???), she does not have Hopewell’s youngest child living with her.
1810 Pennsylvania Westmoreland Franklin 216 (785)
Charles Harkless 00001 02000
1m over 45 b. before 1765 Charles b. 1761
2f 10-16 b. 1794-1800 Mary, Susanna?
Betsey Harkless 01100 01001
1m, 1f 10-16 b. 1794-1800 Henry 1799, Mary or Susanna ~1797
1m 16-26 b. 1784-94 Charles 1793?
1f over 45 b. before 1765 Hopewell b. ~1760
missing James 1802
But there was a Betsey Harkless in Maryland in 1800, so this could have been her. ???
Because of this falling-apart (I presume), many researchers give Hopewell a death date of ~1810. However, there are others who say she lived on until 1839. That may be a confusion with the second wife of Charles, whose name was supposedly Elizabeth. However, there is an older woman living with one of the Harkless sons in both 1820 and 1830:
1820 Pennsylvania Allegheny Plumb 198
William Hartless 200230 40011
2m, 4 f under 10 b 1810-20
2m 16-26 b 1794-1804 brothers Henry (1799) and James (1802)?
3m, 1f 26-45 b 1775-1804 William 1789, wife - 2 brothers?
1f over 45 b bef 1775 mother?
??1830 Ohio Warren Palmyra 211
James Harkelus 101001 0000100001
1m under 5 1825-30
1m 10-15 1815-20 - just barely possible as a child of James and wife, if born in 1820
1f 20-30 1800-10 wife?
1m 30-40 1790-1800 James 1802 = 28
1f 70-80 1750-60 - mother? Hopewell b 1760, d 1839. mother-in-law?
On the third or fourth hand, however, I am not certain that the James in 1830 is one of the sons - there are other possibilities.
Charles died in 1830. And according to those who don’t think Hopewell died in 1810, she died in 1839.
So that’s it. More questions than answers, more speculations than facts.
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