John Biggs

Other Events:

• Name: Jan Biks
• Will: 24 Feb 1760, Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America
• Probate: 10 Mar 1761, Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America

Notes:

...John Biggs (1787-1761) was the first leaseholder on "Monocacy Manor." He was of English descent, born in Ulster County in New York Colony. There he married Eva Lambertse Brink, and at Kingston eight of his ten children were baptized. About 1726 the family moved to New Jersey, settling in Somerset County in the Raritan River area. Also in this locale were William Dern, his future next door neighbor on "Dulany's Lot," as well as Cornelius Low, Susanna Beatty, the Middaghs and others with whom he would later associate in Maryland. A ninth child was born in New Jersey, and there his wife Eva died. Then, no doubt encouraged by Susanna Beatty, he moved to Maryland sometime after June 1737, when we have the last record of him in New Jersey. In Maryland he married the widow Mary Stilley and on August 23, 1741 leased Lot No. 2 on "Monocacy Manor." His lot, which he called "Biggs Delight," was leased for the natural lives of his sons Benjamin and William Biggs. It was situated near the southwestern corner of the whole tract, just north of the mouth of Glade Creek, two miles west of today's Walkersville. his land fronted along the Monocacy River opposite "Hedge Hog" on the west bank. Between these parcels the River could be crossed by a ford which today has been replaced by Biggs Ford Bridge.
...In addition to his leased land, John Biggs purchased 50 acres on "Dulany's Lot" which in 1758 he sold to Stephen Ramsburg. Ramsburg combined these acres with the former Farquahar parcel on "Dulany's................continued, pages missing. There is a note: pp. 109, 114, 309: John Bigg's second wife Mary Stilly or Stell was not the widow of Jacob Stilley, who died after John Biggs. (Source: Historical Society of Carroll County (Maryland), "Pioneers of Old Monocacy: the early settlement of Frederick County, Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing County, Inc., 1987, pg. 309)

...In 1726, John and Eva moved to New Jersey and lived near the Rariton river in Somerset County. On December 30, 1728, John Biggs witnessed the will of Thomas Hall's wife "Gheerty". A ninth child, Catherine, was born in New Jersey. Eva (Brink) Biggs died there in about 1735. Sometime after June 1737, John Biggs moved his family to Maryland, where he married Mary Stille and had another daughter: Sarah, born 1750, married Joseph Hedges. In 1845, Lyman Draper interviewed Joseph Hedges, then 78 years old, in Ohio Co., Virginia (now West Virginia)
...In 1741, John Biggs II and his family were living on an estate called Monocacy Manor, located on the Monocacy River near today's city of Frederick, Maryland. He also owned some town lots in Frederick.
...As early as the 1660's, Cecilius Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore and the first Proprietor of Maryland, began setting aside for himself and his heirs prime land intended for leasing but not for patenting (private Ownership). These lands were called "manors". In 1741, most land was owned by the English crown or favored friends of the crown. Monocacy Manor was owned by the fifth or sixth Lord Baltimore. Actual leasing was carried out by his agent, one Daniel Dulany, an English lawyer who made the mistake of remaining loyal to the crown during the Revolution. Rent was set at 10 shillings per 100 acres. A typical lease of the day could require, for example, that the leaseholder build "one good substantial dwelling house, thirty feet long and twenty feet wide, with a brick chimney thereto. The leaseholder might also be required to plant 100 apple trees within five years. Leases often prohibited excessive cutting of timber, which was considered an asset owned by the proprietor. When the lease expired, the land and all improvements reverted back to the Lord Proprietar.
...John Biggs II was the first tenant on Monocacy Manor. Parcels of land were usually leased for a period equal to the natural lifetimes of three individuals selected by the leaseholder. These frequently were for his own life and the lives of two sons, with the hope that one of them would live a long time. John Biggs' lot, which he called B"Biggs Delight", was leased for the natural lives of himself and two of his sons, Benjamin and William. His land fronted the Monocacy River on the east bank directly across from "Hedge Hogg". The river could be crossed between these two parcels of land by Biggs Ford which was later replaced by Biggs Ford Bridge.
...Twice after 1743, leaseholders in Monocacy, despite the fact that their leases had not expired, and not taking
into account die work they had put into developing their parcels of land, were threatened with wholesale eviction. Before the Revolution, the Sixth lord Baltimore decided to sell all "his" manor lands. Lucky for the tenants, the sales were not a success in Monocacy Manor. While some manors were sold in their entirety or nearly so, not a single lot in Monocacy Manor was sold. This was due to the high asking price and the scarcity of money and die fact that sales could not eliminate the unexpired leases of existing tenants.
..."Monocacy" is an American pronunciation of the Shawnee name "Monnockkesey". The land of Monocacy Manor is located along the Monocacy River in the shadow of the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland. The river and mountains stretch southward until they meet the Potomac River. The Monocacy lands end there.
...After the Revolution, in 1781, the new United States government confiscated this manor and sold it in small parcels. A thorough survey of eight Maryland manors, including Monocacy, made after confiscation shows that Monocacy had excellent soil, "none of it as yet exhausted through excessive cultivation." Most all of the lots were heavily wooded and over two-thirds of them had water.
...By the end of the American Revolution, the leases on most manor lots had expired. The lots were sold at auction to the highest bidder rather than by an established asking price. In the case of Monocacy Manor, payment could even be made by soldiers' pay certificates which were accepted at full face value. A traffic in these pay certificates by army officers and person of wealth had resulted in most land ending up in their hands. The poor tenants, who had invested what little capital they had in improving the land, could not successfully bid against these indibiduals and, therefore, lost their land, improvements and all.
...John Biggs II and his sons eventually owned large areas of farm land in Maryland some of it in Monocacy. In addition to his Monocacy land, which he managed to hold on to, he purchased 50 acres on "Dulany's Lot", which he sold in 1758. He also purchased "Good Luck" in 1751, 100 acres on Fishing Creek. It was Biggs only land survey. Some of this land remained in the Biggs family until 1883, when the house built by John Biggs II in Monocacy manor and the cemetery in which he was buried were destroyed and another family took possession of the land. A large stone barn which he built was still standing about 1840. Bernice F. Hathaway in her book Biggs-McGrew and Allied Lines, states: "This land remained in the Biggs family until 1883, at which time the family graveyard stones were buried and the cemetery plowed over and made into a field. John Biggs lies there."
...John Biggs II still had ties to his former home, New Jersey, as evidenced on July 30, 1754, when he received a chattel mortgage from George Sexton for underwriting Sexton's loan of £7/5/0 to Malachi Bonham, a Baptist pastor at Kingwood, New Jersey. Also in 1754, he held a chattel mortgage with Charles Hedges from Robert McPherson to guarantee McPherson's appearance in court the following March. In 1754, he witnessed Susanna Beatty's will (his neighbor in both New Jersey and Maryland).
...In 1760, John Biggs II wrote his own Will, naming two sons and five daughters and appointing his friend and neighbor, Stephen Ramsburg, as executor. In 1761, John Biggs II died on "Biggs Delight" in Monocacy Manor. After his death, neighbor Caspar Devilbiss tenanted his Monocacy parcel. Sons Benjamin and William had earlier moved to the area of present day Carroll County, Maryland. The Will, probated in Frederick County, Maryland, February 21, 1761, is quite long. I include part of it:

"...I give and bequeath to my sons, Benjamin Biggs, William Biggs and to my daughters Elizabeth Pitinger, Hendricka Barton, Mary Doddridge and Catherine Julian the tract of land and plantation whereon I now live being a part of Monocacy Manor, allowing my wife the house and plantation one year after my decease.
"...I give and bequeath to my sons Benjamin Biggs and William Biggs all my wearing apparel and my three guns and three pistols and three swords.
"...I give and bequeath to my wife, Mary Biggs, two lots lying in Frederick town and one tract of land called Good Luck until my daughter Sarah Biggs arive at sixteen years of age, and then only half of the foresaid lots and tract of land during her life.
"...I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah and her heirs and assigns forever when she shall arrive at sixteen years of age the aforesaid lots in Fredericktown and the aforesaid tract of land, allowing my wife Mary one half during her life but if my daughter should die before she arrives at sixteen years of age or leaves lawful issue, that then the aforesaid two lots and the aforesaid tract land after my wife's decease be sold and the arising thereon be equally divided among my children, namely, Benjamin Biggs, William Biggs, Elizabeth Pitinger, Hendricka Barton, Mary Doddridge and Catharine Julian.
"...I give and bequeath to my wife Mary, one peuter tankard, and large peuter dish and three small ditto. One peuter basin, seven peuter plates, two horses, three mares, three milch cows, and all other cow kind excepting one, and also all the winter grain threshed and unthreshed and also all the grain in the ground and also all the Indian corn and oats and also one of my pots and two iron pots, one potrack, one plow, all my swine young and old and all my sheep and also one feather and two chaff beds, bedclothes belonging to beds, bedsteads and also flax both dressed, and also part of the hemp, and one side saddle and bridle and six year old cask and one cider mill in consideration of my wife's paying all the debts I have, that have been contracted within nine years past as also my burial charges and paying my daughter when she arrives at the age of sixteen years the sum of 20 pounds current money.
"...I give to James Stille, my wife's son before I married her, one bay mare, three years old this summer.
"...I give all the remainder of my personal estate to be equally divided among my children namely, Benjamin Biggs, Williams Biggs, Elizabeth Pitinger, Hendricka Barton, Mary Doddridge and Catherine Julian, and lastly do I constitute and appoint my well beloved wife Mary Biggs and my truly friend Stephen Ramsburg to be my executors of this my last will and testament revoking all other and former wills by me before this time made, ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament." (Source: "The Biggs Family", Janet M. Flynn, p2-6 - The American Connection; PDF, Family History Books (http://books.familysearch.org/))

Family/Spouse: Mary Stille. Mary died after 24 Feb 1760. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Eva Lambertse in 1709 in Kingston, Ulster County, New York, British Colonial America. Eva (daughter of Huybert Lambertse and Hendrickje Swartwout) was born before 25 May 1690 in Hurley, New York Colony, British Colonial America; died in 1735 in Rariton, Somerset County, Somerset, New Jersey, British Colonial America; was buried in 1735. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of her father, as daughter Sarah and her heirs

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as daughter Sarah and her heirs.

Family/Spouse: Joseph Hedges. Joseph and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 10 Nov 1710, Kingston, New York Colony, British Colonial America

Other Events:

• Baptism: 7 Dec 1712, Kingston, New York Colony, British Colonial America; Address:
  Old Dutch Church

Other Events:

• Baptism: 6 Dec 1713, Kingston, Ulster County, New York Colony, British Colonial America
• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of her father, John Biggs, as Elizabeth Pitinger

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as daughter Elizabeth Pitinger.

Detour is currently in Carroll County which was created in 1837 from parts of Baltimore and Frederick Counties.

Elisabeth, the elder of John Biggs Sr., married Daniel Pittinger in New Jersey, and they also came to Maryland. Pittinger purchased "Royenton Plains" from Henry Munday in 1745 and also leased Lot No. 3 on "Monocacy Manor" directly north of John Biggs' lot. Another daughter, Henrietta Biggs, married John Beatty, Jr., a son of Susanna Beatty, and after his death Jacob Barton.

Elizabeth married Daniel Pittenger in 1732/3 in Somerset County, Colony of New Jersey, British Colonial America. Daniel (son of Richard Pittenger and Sycha Psyche Hendricksen) was born in 1709 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, British Colonial America; died in Jan 1796 in Detour, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Jan 1796 in Rocky Ridge, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 19 Feb 1716, Kingston, Ulster County, New York Colony, British Colonial America
• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of her father, John Biggs, as Hendericka Barten

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as daughter Hendricka Barten.

Other Events:

• Baptism: 5 Oct 1718, Kingston, Ulster County, New York, British Colonial America; Address:
  First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church

Other Events:

• Name: Benjamin Biks
• Baptism: 28 Apr 1723, Kingston, Ulster County, New York, British Colonial America; Address:
  First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church
• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of his father, John Biggs

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as son Benjamin Biggs.

Benjamin married Henrietta Prudence Deborah Margaretta Munday on 26 Sep 1745 in Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America. Henrietta died on 16 May 1807 in West Liberty, Ohio County, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of her father, John Biggs, as Mary Dodderige

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as daughter Mary Dodderige.

Other Events:

• Name: William Biks
• Baptism: 6 May 1725, Kingston, Ulster County, New York, British Colonial America; Address:
  First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church
• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of his father, John Biggs, as William Biggs

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as son William Biggs.

William Biggs stayed on in Maryland, having initially in 1754 surveyed "Anyting" on the Six's Bridge road to Mumma's.

Other Events:

• Baptism: 18 May 1727, Harlingen, Somerset County, Colony of New Jersey, British Colonial America; Address:
  Harlingen Dutch Reformed Church
• Beneficiary: 24 Feb 1760; in the will of her father, John Biggs, as Catherine Julien

Notes:

Mentioned in the will of John Biggs as daughter Catherine Julien.

Catarina married Jacob Stephen Rene Julian on 11 Sep 1747 in Montgomery Township, Somerset County, Colony of New Jersey, British Colonial Ameirca. Jacob was born on 25 May 1727 in Bohemia Manor, Colony of Maryland; died about 1800. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 1 Sep 1734, Readington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, British Colonial America; Address:
  Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch
• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of her father, Daniel Pittenger, as Elizabeth Devore

Family/Spouse: Abraham Devore. Abraham and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 23 May 1736, Readington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, British Colonial America; Address:
  Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch

Maria married Johann Gerhard Albaugh in 1755 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, British Colonial America. Johann was born on 8 Mar 1728 in Bavaria, Germany; died on 13 Feb 1785 in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his father, Daniel Pittenger
• Executor: 24 May 1794; Daniel, William and Benjamin Pittenger were named executors in the will of their father, Daniel Pittenger

Notes:

Birth:

Mentioned in the will of Daniel Pittenger as son Daniel.

Family/Spouse: Philip Olar. Philip and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his father, Daniel Pittenger

Notes:

Birth:

Mentioned in the will of Daniel Pittenger as daughter Hannah Brown.

Hannah married Thomas Browne about 1766 in Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America. Thomas was born on 16 Apr 1733 in Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America; died on 11 Mar 1814 in Creagerstown, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his father, Daniel Pittenger
• Executor: 24 May 1794; Daniel, William and Benjamin Pittenger were named executors in the will of their father, Daniel Pittenger

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his father Daniel Pittenger
• Executor: 24 May 1794; Daniel, William and Benjamin Pittenger were named executors in the will of their father, Daniel Pittenger

Notes:

Birth:

Mentioned in the will of Daniel Pittenger as son Benjamin.

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Albaugh
• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of her grandfather, Daniel Pittenger, as Mary Albaugh

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of her grandfather, Danial Pittenger, as Elizabeth Olar

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his grandfather, Daniel Pittenger

Notes:

Birth:

Mentioned in the will of Daniel Pittenger as grandson John Brown.

Joseph married Catherina _____ about 1797. Catherina and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph married Margaretha Lohr on 23 Mar 1802 in Taneytown, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Margaretha and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: 16 Nov 1800; William Braun
• Name: 26 Mar 1817; Wilhelm Braun

Notes:

Wilhelm Browne Sr., settled in Foxville. The family of Thomas Browne and Hanna Pittinger and successive generations of his family dropped the final "e" from the surname, including the Christian names, as reflected by the gravestones.

Family/Spouse: Anna Elizabeth Buhrman. Anna was born on 28 Sep 1778 in Frederick County, Maryland, United States; died on 18 Feb 1861 in Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Feb 1861 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Thomas Braun
• Census: 1800, Emmitsburg, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; as Thomas Brown
• Misc: 19 Aug 1817, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was a sponsor at the baptism of Mary Ann Brown; Address:
  Apple's Lutheran and Reformed Church

Thomas married Susannah Rebecca Harman about 1793. Susannah (daughter of Marcus Harman and Christina Leatherman) was born on 30 Apr 1775 in Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America; died on 14 Jun 1831 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Jun 1831 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Michael Swope on 27 Oct 1797 in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, United States. Michael was born in 1774 in Maryland, British Colonial America; died on 13 Jun 1864 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Jun 1864 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Daniel Gordon. Daniel was born on 7 Mar 1757 in Frederick County, Maryland, British Colonial America; died on 5 Jul 1838 in Lantz, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Jul 1838 in Emmitsburg, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of his grandfather, Daniel Pittenger
• Name: 1803; John Braun

Family/Spouse: Mary Nancy Burhman. Mary was born in 1780 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; died in in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

...Owner and operated a waterpower sawmill and was the first large-scale commercial lumberman of Foxville and Deerfield. On October 28, 1802, he was commissioned an ensign in the Frederick county Militia. October 12, 1804, he was commissioned lieutenant. During the of 1812 he formed a company of men at the present Thurmont, MD., trained the men, and, as captain, led the company into action.
...Ignatius Brown served for many years as constable and magistrate for the forth district of Frederick county. Most of his cases were tried at what was then Hauver's tavern. He died of typhoid fever on March 12, 1830, at Foxville, Frederick County, MD.

Ignatius married Elizabeth McAfee in Apr 1802 in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, United States. Elizabeth was born on 22 Apr 1781; died on 17 Sep 1853 in Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Sep 1853 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: 24 May 1794; in the will of her grandfather, Daniel Pittenger

Catherine married Jacob Thomas Caster on 20 Jan 1807 in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, United States. Jacob was born on 15 Oct 1785; died on 6 Sep 1853 in Frederick County, Maryland, United States; was buried in Sep 1853 in Foxville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]