HomeMy WebLinkAboutBiographies of Revolutionary War Veterans of Tompkins Co Jacob Updike
Name: Jacob Updike
Date of birth: Jan. 1752 (Twin of Abraham Updike and brother of Burgoon and Roliph Updike)
Birthplace: Cherry Valley, Somerset, NJ
Parents: John Updike and Mary Bragaw
Spouse: Anna Savage b. Sept. 11, 1751 Princeton, Mercer, NJ d. Jan. 19, 1822 aged 70 years, Enfield, Tompkins, NYDaughter of John Savage and Elizabeth Runyon
Marriage date: 1777
Place of marriage: Somerset Co., NJ
Date of death: Sept. 26, 1827
Place of death: Enfield, Tompkins, NY
Place of burial: Old Log Meeting House Cemetery (aka Updike Settlement Cemetery)
Children:
1) Foster b. Aug. 8, 1778 Somerset Co., NJ d. Oct. 3, 1845 Daggett Mills, Potter, PA m 1803 Nancy Skellorn b.1780Philadelphia, PA d. Daggett Mills, PA
2) Abraham b. Jan. 1, 1781 Somerset Co., NJ d. 1872 m.1802 Catherine Harrington
3) Reuben b. Feb. 19, 1783 Somerset Co., NJ d.1845 m. 1805 AlteyeRappleye
4) Elizabeth Updike b. July 29, 1785 d. Dec. 4, 1811 Jackson, Tioga, PA m. Nov. 27, 1802 TheodorusLarrison b. Aug. 26, 1773 d. Mar. 1857 Jackson, Tioga, PA
5) Henry Updike b. Jan. 28, 1788 d. May 28, 1843 Ulysses, Tompkins, NY
6) John S.Updike b. Apr. 26, 1790 PrincetownTwp, NJ d. 17 April 1831 m. 1808 Mary “Polly”
7) Jacob , Jr.b. Jan. 1, 1792 d. 1872 Dryden, Tompkins, NY
Pension File #:None listed
Place of enlistment: Somerset County, NJ
Service record:
Served as private in Capt. James Moore’s Co., 2nd Battalion of the New Jersey Militia
DAR Record:
UPDIKE, JACOB
Patriot #A118004
NEW JERSEY
PRIVATE
CAPT JAMES MOORE COMPANY
Notes:
From Shaw Hamilton Family Tree at www.ancestry.com
JACOB UPDIKE.
http://www.heritagepursuit.com/OpDyck/OpDyck5thGen.htm
Rev. Dr. John F. Hageman of Princeton says, "There was a Jacob Updike who owned a great deal of land in the neighborhood now called Cedar Grove, about four miles north of Princeton,
one hundred years ago." It is well known that this Jacob was the brother of Abraham, Burgoon, Roliph, William, Peter, Isaac and Lawrence. His homestead farm lay between that of William
and the old Hunterdon County line. After Jacob's removal to the Lake Country, his homestead was occupied by his son John S., who married William's daughter Mary, and remained in New
Jersey, alone of all his father's children. This farm lay just south of the Updike road, between that road and Stony Brook.
Jacob appears to have moved to Bethlehem, Hunterdon County, in 1795; but he sold his property there again in 1802, the year in which he is said to have removed to Tompkins County, N.
Y. His grandson, William M. Updyke, of Elmira, N. Y., has furnished the following interesting sketch.
"Previous to Gen. Sullivan's campaign in 1779 against the Six Indian Tribes of Central New York, this portion of country was very sparsely settled. But the power of these tribes, who
had heretofore given the early settlers so much trouble, was then completely broken up. As soon as this fact was fully demonstrated and became generally known, many settlers soon found
their way from the thickly populated States to the more fertile lands near the pure and beautiful waters of the Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. In the year 1800, my grandfather, his wife, five
sons and one daughter, started from near Princeton, N. J., with an emigrant wagon drawn by oxen, driving along with them their cows, sheep and other stock necessary to form a settlement
in this then wilderness. After a long and tedious journey, they arrived at Trumansburg, Tompkins Co., having lost one of their oxen on the way and being compelled to replace it with
one of the cows. In this manner they finally reached their destination, locating about four miles south of Trumansburg, in what is still known as the Updike Settlement. About the same
time, four brothers of my grandfather also came from near Princeton and settled in the same vicinity. In the old grave-yard, where the old Log Meeting-house once stood, are the graves
of most of these early settlers. I recollect, a number of years ago, going there to visit the graves of my parents who died when I was very young. I was much surprised to see so many
rows of graves marked with plain brown slabs bearing the names of Updikes, many of whom died before my recollection, the inscriptions showing their ages from 60 to 80 years.
"The older members of the Updike families in New York State were described to me 30 years ago by an old lady, at that time 80 years old, who was one of the very first settlers from New
Jersey in this section, as follows. The old Updikes were, she said, mostly well-to-do farmers and usually good-appearing people, above medium height, well proportioned, broad shouldered,
large boned, heavy and muscular men, many of them weighing from 175 to 250 pounds. Some of them were noted, within my own recollection, as the very strongest men in the country. With
few exceptions they were regarded as sober, steady, honest and industrious people. They generally had light brown hair, and a tendency to become corpulent at the age of 50 years. It
was a common saying that the Updikes were `like the fiddlers in Tophet' all Abrahams, Isaacs and Jacobs. When I was quite young I knew, (without naming my grandfather who was then dead),
five Jacobs, distinguished from each other as ` Big Jake,' `Little Jake,' `Jake,' ` Gentleman Jake,' and ` Little Jakee.'"
The expedition of General Sullivan, above mentioned, was sent by Gen. Washington to avenge the horrible ravages and massacres perpetrated by the Six Nations, in their attack on Wyoming
and Cherry Valley. Gen. Sullivan with 5,000 troops started from the desolated region of Wyoming and moved up the west branch of the Susquehanna into the Seneca country; easily defeated
the Indians and their Tory allies in a battle at Newtown, and then pushed forward into the heart of the Iroquois country as far as the Genesee river, laying everything waste, setting
fire to deserted villages, destroying corn fields, orchards, gardens, everything that could give sustenance to man, with the design of starving the savages out of the country. The latter
retreated with their families, and at length took refuge under the protection of the British garrison at Niagara.
Mr. Jacob S. Updike of Binghamton, N. Y., a grandson of Jacob, has taken a very warm interest in the genealogical work with the N. Y. State Updikes, and has written thus:
"My grandfather Jacob moved from near Princeton in 1802 to Enfield, Tompkins Co., N. Y., with several of his brothers and neighbors. He started in May with three yoke of oxen and one
span of horses, driving his cattle, and was three weeks on the road. The cows were milked night and morning and the milk strained into a churn lashed to the rear end of the wagon; the
jolting of the wagon through the day churned the milk into butter. At that time Ithaca had only three log-cabins. * * * Grandfather bought 640 acres for $1,800. At his death he left
100 acres to each son and 40 to his daughter. He was a man of fine presence, sober, honest, intelligent and industrious; respected and beloved by all who knew him.
"My father has often spoken to me of his uncles Burgoon, Roliph, and Abraham who was a twin of grandfather. Their brother Lawrence died in New Jersey, but his son Lawrence moved to Tompkins
County and assisted on my grandfather's old homestead.
"The N. Y. State Updikes have been with rare exceptions, tall, strong, long-lived, prolific and unassuming. My father was the youngest of six brothers, the shortest of the lot, and stood
six feet in his stockings. His brother John S. was six feet, four inches. I visited Tompkins County last week and spent three days in calling on 15 Updike families' for the purposes
of the Genealogy. I was well received wherever I went. I found them all intelligent, respectable, first-class people, all in comfortable circumstances, and interested in your work. Without
being egotistical, I think from what I have seen and heard, that the Updikes as a race will compare favorably in intelligence, energy, honesty and liberality of thought, with any other
families whatever.
"The family record in my old bible commences with the date 1817. It contains the death of my grandfather and his wife.
`Jacob Updike died Sept. 26, 1827, aged about 75 years.'
`Anna, wife of Jacob Updike, died Jan. 19, 1822, aged 70 years.'
It also gives the death, 1827, of my grandfather's brother Abraham, aged 75, and his wife, and son Peter. Two leaves are lost from this record; I think Burgoon and Tunis and many others
were on those leaves."
Mr. Henry L. Updyke, of Hillsdale, Mich., writes that he has often heard a story of his grandfather Jacob being dressed in new and tight leather knee-breeches on the afternoon after
his wedding, when a mad dog, which was pursued by men on horseback, chased him and his father-in-law Mr. Savage as they were out walking in the fields. This of course occurred in New
Jersey, and before 1778, when leather knee-breeches were in style. The father-in-law was perhaps "John Savidge" whose name appears on old New Jersey records as owning an adjoining farm.
Records.
1794. "Jacob Updike and Anna his wife of Western Precinct of Somerset Co." sell 69 acres in Somerset Co., adjoining Peter Updike, Isaac Updike, Thos. Stockton, Lewis Huguenott, Larraillets,
Zebulon Leigh, Isaac Van Zandt and John Heath; for 430 Pounds. (S)
1795. "Jacob Updike of Western Precinct of Somerset Co." buys 133 acres in Bethlehem township, Hunterdon Co., between Muscouetcong Creek and Johnson's Furnaces, from L. W. Stockton,
late the property of Rev. Phillip Stockton; for 320 Pounds. Witnesses John
Updike Jr. and Abraham Updike. (F)
1802. "Jacob Updike and Anna his wife of Bethlehem, Hunterdon Co.," sell the above 133 acres in Bethlehem to John Fritz, for $1,866. (F)
1807. Jacob Updike is mentioned, in the Deed to Peter Updike, as owning land adjoining Peter and William Updike and the Great Road from Rocky Hill to Pennington. (S)
1818. Jacob Updike of Ulysses township, Tompkins Co., N. Y., and his wife Anna, appear on the Tompkins county records.
1827. Sept. 26. Jacob Updike of Enfield township, Tompkins Co., dies; Letters of Administration issued to his son Jacob on Oct. 10, 1827. (Records of Tompkins Co., N. Y.)
Sources:
DeWall Family Tree
Larry Hall Family Tree
Walker/Grether Family Tree
Helen Finch Smith Genealogical Papers 1788-1974, Carl A. Kroch Library, Rare and Manuscript Collection, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS) online at www.dar.org