Jabez Harger, Jr.

Burial record:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107569569/jabez-harger

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History of Jabez Harger (ca.1634 - 1678) 5 October 2014 by Garry Bryant

Traditions state that the Harger family is of ancient origin having its beginning in Denmark during the Viking age of 700 A.D. - 1066 A.D. Some unknown Danish Viking came with an army and conquered the middle counties of England. One of these counties was Yorkshire, the largest shire (county) in all of England. This time would be during the Dane Law period. At this time the Danish Vikings intermarried with the British women and settled down to enjoy their conquest.

As for the Harger family, the name can be found spelled several different ways; Argur, Arger, and Argar; also Hargar, Hardyear, Hardiger and Hargier. This family is very prominent in Yorkshire, and it is from this area that the immigrant Jabez Harger came from.

Lois Harger Parker, while a student at De Peuw University from 1947 - 1949, researched and wrote a history of her ancestors while attending this school. In 1948 she published The Harger and Other Allied Families.1

Jabez Harger (ca.1634 - 1678)

Lois states that Jabez Harger was from Settle, West Riding, Yorkshire, England, born about 1634. In 1654 he boarded a ship at Plymouth, England. This ship was carrying French Huguenots to New England, and had stopped at Plymouth to take on fresh water. Somehow during the voyage, Jabez Harger became a counselor on the ship and various individuals would seek him out asking for his advice on various matters.

This ship of Huguenots landed in the New Netherlands where the future town of New Rochelle would be built in New York in 1688 by Huguenot refugees. Lois Parker writes that Harger brought with him iron and other metals to help him in the construction of a sawmill. In several histories on New Haven County, Connecticut, it is written that “Jabez Harger, a Huguenot, came from the Westchester area of New York and settled at Stratford where he married Margaret Tomlinson on 5 November 1662.”2 Stratford town records record, “Margarett, dau Henery, m Jabez Hoodgeir, Nov 5, 1662.”3

Jabez Harger obtained a home lot in Stratford and the lot is recorded in the town ledgers on 3 June 1669. Also during this same year he met with the Indian Chiefs of the Paugasset tribe and bargained with them for land that they possessed in the Paugasset area. Here a small village was being built called Paugassett then later Derby (13 May 1675). The founding fathers of Derby are; Edward Wooster, Francis French, Stephen Pierson, John Hulls, Joseph Hawkins, Samuel Riggs, Ephraim Smith, Abel Gunn, Jeremiah Johnson, Ebenezer Johnson, John Tibballs and Jabez Harger. Henry Tomlinson and ten others were to settle there at a later time.4

Having obtained an agreement with the Indians, Jabez moved his family to Derby the following year. Jabez spent the rest of his life at Derby where he died much to soon in 1678.5

In 1681, the Harger land was prized at 14£ (pounds), 15 s., 1 d., and the personal possessions at 64£. An assessment of property reads, one person, 14£., two horses, 8£, 2 oxen, 10£, 2 cows, 8£, 10 swine, 10£, and the land at 10£.

Also the ear mark for cattle was recorded by Margaret Harger:

“Eare marke for cattle is a slitt in ynere or left eare and a hool in y offer or Rightt eare.”

Margaret Harger died at Derby on 17 March 1698.6

Jabez and Margaret (Tomlinson) Harger had eight children, four were born at Stratford ,and the last four at Derby:7

Children:

1. Samuel Harger - Born 29 September 1663. Married on 9 May 1693, to widow Hannah (Rose) Stiles at Derby. He died 18 February 1697.

2. Sarah Harger - Born 5 February 1665/1666.

3. Anna Harger - Born 23 February 1667/1668. Married on 5 February 1684/1685, to John Chatfield.

4. Mary Harger - Born 17 February 1669, died about 17 September 1672/1673.

5. Abigail Harger - Born 2 March 1671/1672. Married to John Davis before 1692.

6. Ebenezer Harger - Born 25 December 1674. Married on 15 September 1698, to Abigail Tibbals (b. abt. 1677, d. 25 December 1733. She is buried in the Derby cemetery.8

7. Abraham Harger - Born 1 April 1677. Married on 19 May 1703, to Hannah Riggs (b. 24 January 1704/1705). He died in 1721 at Huntington, Connecticut.

8. Jabez Harger, (Jr.) - Born 1678/1679, after his father’s death. Married to Anna Gilbert on 24 January 1704/05, at Stratford. He died before 1738 at Derby.

ENDNOTES

NOTE- The biographical histories of Henry and Charles Harger, were found in the History of Delaware County, Iowa And Its People. (Chicago: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914) Pp. 234-235, & 370-371. (FHL-USA/CAN 977.7385 H2m V. 2.) Henry and Charles parents were Alfred Harger and Ruth Beardslee.Their grandparents were Elijah Harger and Sarah Ruth Lattin. Elijah Harger was a private in the Revolutionary War serving from 10 July 1780 - December 1780, with the 8th Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Line. In the brothers history it mentioned that they were the sixth generation in descent from Jabez Harger, a Huguenot.

1 Lois Harger Parker, The Harger and other Allied Families. (Hinsdale, Illinois: 1948) NOTE- only 100 books were published of this history. Compiler’s copy was obtained from Norma Calkins Harger, of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hers was only a partial copy of the book pertaining to the Hargers. She obtained her copy from several removed and remote individuals.

2 Rev. Samuel Orcutt, A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. (:Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor for the Fairfield County Historical Society, 1886) Pp. 242-243, Volume I; also Volume II, p. 1211. (BYU-HBLL-974.6 Gr1b V.1 & V.2.)

3 Online, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/barbour/stratford_....

4 Orcutt, p. 1211.

5 Samuel Orcutt and Ambrose Beardsley, M. D., The History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. (Springfield, Massachusetts: Springfield Printing Co., 1880) P. 724. (FHL-USA/CAN 974.67/D1 H2o.)

6 Orcutt & Beardsley, p. 724.

7 Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield. Volume I. (Fairfield, Connecticut: The Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, 1930) Pp. 260-261. (FHL-USA/CAN 974.69/F1 D2j 1976 v. 1.); NOTE - another child “Margaret Harger - Born __ March 1673,” is added as the sixth child in the following source: Rev. Samuel Orcutt, A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. (:Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor for the Fairfield County Historical Society, 1886) P. 1211, Part 2. (FHL-USA/CAN 974.69 H2o Pt. 2.)

8 Online, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/source_files/derby..., tombstone reads, “Here lies ye body of Mrs. Abigail HARGER, wife of Mr. Ebenezer HARGER, died Dec ye 25 1735 in the 56 year of her age.” His tombstone reads, “Here lies ye body of Ebenezer HARGER, died Mar 31, 1736 in ye 69 year of his age.”

Jabez Harger (1662-1678) obtained a home in Stratford, Connecticut recorded in the town ledgers on June 3,1669.

First Settlers Map reads: Lot 59. Jabez HARGER, who went to Derby at its settlement, 1670.

Please Click to view:

First Settlement Map of Stratford

Early History of Stratford

Jabez Harger and Margaret Tomlinson (1642-1698) were married Nov 5,1662 in Stratford, Connecticut. Margaret was the daughter of Henry Tomlinson (A Weaver & member of the landed Gentry, born in England in 1606) and Alice Birdseye (Born in England in 1606). Henry and his wife Alice came to New England with two or three children, probably living in New Haven first before settling in Milford, Connecticut by 1652. Jabez and Margaret had ten children: Stratford: 1663-1697 Samuel Married Hannah Rose Stratford: 1666-???? Sarah Died at age 8 Stratford: 1668-1748 Anna Married John Chatfield Stratford: 1670-1673 Mary Died at age 3 Stratford: 1672-???? Abigail Married John Davis Stratford: 1673-???? Margaret Possible Infant Death Stratford: 1673-???? Mary Married Stephen Pierson Derby: 1674-1736 Ebenezer Married Abigail Tibbals Derby: 1677-1721 Abraham Married Hannah Riggs Derby: 1678-1738 Jabez Married Hannah Gilbert

Stratford began to be settled in 1639 under the name of Cuheage, became a plantation in 1640, and town records began in 1650. In the mid 1660's, Stratford township was twelve miles long and eight to ten miles in width, containing about 120 square miles, or more than 76,000 acres of land. A census of the town made in 1668, by order of the General Court of Connecticut showed the number of inhabitants as 74 in number with their families. A number of important purchases were then or already had been made from the Indians and as a consequence, the settlement expanded. The town records of Stratford and Derby indicate that Jabez Harger and his father-in-law Henry Tomlinson were active in the acquisition of land in both townships.

For example, a 1665 Woodbury, Connecticut deed engaged in with local Indians sets forth:

"Known all men by these presents: that I Ockenonge, the only Sachem of Pagassett, do freely give and bequeath unto my loving friends Ensign Joseph Judson, Jr, Joseph Hawley, and Mr. John Minor, of Stratford in the Colony of Connecticut, a parcel of land, be it more or less, lying on the West of the Land which afores town of Stratford hath purchased of me, and Pagassett Indian: that I give the above tract of Land to the aforementioned, to have and to hold without molestation or trouble by any Indians whatsoever. I sat to them and their heirs forever, as my witness my hand this 22d of April, 1665."

Witnessed by us Henry Tomlinson and Jabez Hardgen (Jabez Harger) Ockenonge, Nansanyaways, Chipps Exactly recorded from the original the 20th day of April 1670 Land Purchase in Oronoke

During the few year Jabez Harger remained at Stratford he purchased a number of pieces of land at Oranoke. One piece was purchased from the Indians and the acreage was handed to his son Abraham Harger who lived there for many years. On May 13,1714, Abraham obtained an additional 20 acres of Indian land at Coram. It was that soil that the Indians considered to be poor, for it was stony, thus not too many Indians would live there. Abraham bought the land for 9 pounds Abraham also bargained for some land near Stratford Township at a place called Quorum which was bordered on the North by a brook and on the East by a river. This deed was was signed by ten Paugasset Indians by the names of:

• Tom (Son of Cockapotane, final Chief of the Paugasset Tribe)
• Windham
• Ackomie
• Tackamore
• Pequet
• Mishallim
• Robin
• Curan
• Rauneton
• Chipps

1668 Stratford Census:

During all of this time in which the work of extending and purchasing new territory had been going forward, most of the inhabitants were residing in the Village of Stratford. It is possible that not more than two or three families were residing further than two miles from the meeting house. In accordance with the recommendation of the General Court, a complete list of the Proprietors of the town was made in 1668, In this list, there were recorded five persons living beyond the two-mile limit, three at Oronoke and two at the east end of Old Mill Green. A list of the inhabitants of Stratford was drawn up by the Townsmen and recorded by Order from the Governor, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Fenn on March 27,1669 and was diligently recorded by the order from the present townsmen on March 28,1669. Jabez Harger was included in the list of 74 individuals in Stratford, including those in Oronoke and Old Mill Green.

1669 Stratford Census: By 1669 the Colony of Connecticut was only lightly populated: A List of the Freemen of Stratford of August 7,1669 included Jabez Harger among 64 individuals in Stratford in 1669. Other settlements reporting included Windsor at only 124, New Haven 91, Hartford 87, Wethersfield 58, Milford 52, Fairfield 44, Farmington 43, Guilford 36, Norwalk 33, Norwich 25, Saybrook 23, New London 21, Killingworth 19, Stonington 17, Stamford 8, Branford 8, and Haddam 7 (Middletown , Lyme and Rye not reporting at that time).

1681 Value of Harger Land and Possessions: In 1681, Harger land was prized at 14 pounds 15 shillings, and personal possessions at 64 pounds. Margaret Harger, sixth child of Jabez Harger #1 recorded the following:

14 Pounds One Person

 8 Pounds     Two Horses 10 Pounds     Two Oxen

 8 Pounds     Two Cows

10 Pounds    Ten Swine

10 Pounds     Land

1702 Value of Harger Land and Possessions: Derby town records of June 26,1702 recorded a land transaction by Abraham Harger (Son of Jabez1 of Stratford in ye County of Fairfield in his Majesty's Colony of Connecticut in New England." The transaction provided for a consideration of 75 pounds to brother Ebenezer and Jabez2.

1718 Value of Harger Land and Possessions: The "List of Estates in Derby in 1718 by Authority of the Town" includes Jabez2 Harger for 22 pounds and Ebenezer Harger for 91 pounds.