6. DAVID58, b. Oct. 3, 1727 (at Perth Amboy); d. Jan. 24, 1783; m. (license dated), Dec. 9, 1751, Mary Rosbrugh (dau. of Robert Rosbrugh and Mary (???), of Somerset co.), who was b. about 1737; and d. Nov. 8, 1809, at Lexington, Ky. This Mary Rosbrugh, who was, apparently, but fourteen when she married, was sister to Catherine, the second wife of the Rev. James McCrea, of Lamington. (As to her father, Robert Rosbrugh, see preceding portion of article on "The Rev. James McCrea Family").

David's family was the best known of the Bedminster Henry families, being that to which Col. James Henry, of Lamington, Robert R. and John (both physicians), and Michael D., lawyer, belonged, and the succeeding data I have collected relates chiefly to David's descendants.

David's first purchase of Bedminster land was prior to Oct. 9, 1756, as, on that date, he deeded to Jacob Van Derveer 104 acres adjoining Peapack river, William Sloan and said Van Derveer. (Recorded 1802; Somerset Deeds, Book F, p. 57). On Feb. 20, 1759, David purchased, what appears to have afterwards become his residence, 102 38/100 acres of George Forman, near "the Cross Roads," for œ332.14.8, being a former Derrick Longstreet tract, adjoining lands of Guisbert Sutphen and Samuel Longstreet. (Trenton Deeds, Book I-2, p. 410). This land descended, at his death, to his heirs, who, by John Carle, of Morristown, and David Kirkpatrick, of Bernardstown, as trustees, conveyed it to John Todd, Feb. 13, 1789 (Somerset Deeds, Book G, p. 61).

On April 18, 1775, he purchased of Nathaniel Marston, of New York City, 286 1/4 acres "beginning at the mouth of Muddy brook on the north side of Lamington river." (Somerset Deeds, Book A, p. 98). This second tract of land was at Lamington, and after his death was sold by the trustees of his estate to Hendrick Field, Jan. 10, 1788. (Somerset Deeds, Book A, p. 99).

It seems to be uncertain just where David Henry lived. From an advertisement of his of a runaway negro, June 27, 1781, he lived at or near the "Cross Roads." There is a tradition that he, and certainly his widow after him, resided in a house on land near to and just north of the Lamington church (present site). If so it was on the Marston tract.

After David's death two tracts were advertised by his trustees described as containing respectively 60 and 286 1/2 acres. The advertisement appeared in the "New Jersey Gazette" of Mar. 7, 1785.

In 1756 "David Henary" subscribed œ1.15.0 to the Pluckemin Lutheran church, although he was a Presbyterian and attended the Lamington church. His usual signature was "David Henarie," following his father in this spelling.

David also owned Hunterdon county land. For a time he was owner of his father's homestead, Michael having willed it to Nathaniel, brother to David, and Nathaniel having willed it to David. The latter owned it from 1763 to Feb. 3, 1779, when he sold it to Jonathan Hill, of Amwell (grandfather of Joakim Hill, the celebrated clockmaker), for œ2,700. He also purchased, on Nov. 14, 1767, of his sisters Margaret Martin and Sarah Crawford, 105 acres adjoining, doubtless the John Rubert tract willed by Michael to those two daughters, and this also was conveyed in the 1779 deed to Jonathan Hill. He also appears to have been possessed of 267 1/2 acres of land in Readington twsp., adjoining John Finley, Henry Carcoff and Cornelius Wyckoff, on the north side of the South Branch river, as, on Oct. 4, 1787, the trustees of his estate sold the same to Severes Verebome (Vlerebome).

That David had at least one slave a Court record proves. In January, 1779, his negro, Caesar, was indicted, tried and convicted for theft in the Somerset Quarter Sessions, the sentence being that he receive thirty-nine stripes on his bare back, at Hillsborough (Millstone), and the same number at Pluckemin.

Although a plain farmer, David was a successful business man, and had a true appreciation of the value of education. He sent his oldest son, Robert R., to Princeton, and doubtless to a medical school; he educated another and very bright son, John, to become a physician; and his daughters must have been well educated, as one married a physician and two of them married ministers.

At his death in 1783 he left no will, his estate being administered on by his wife, Mary, and his sons Dr. Robert R. and Michael D. (Trenton Wills, Book 25, p. 196). He was buried in the Lamington churchyard. After his death, by Legislative Act (1784), two trustees were appointed to dispose of his real estate, discharge debts and distribute surplus money to his heirs (Acts, 8th Session, p. 91). These trustees were John Carle, of Morristown, and David Kirkpatrick, of Bernards twsp. The widow, Mary Henry, took up, however, the care of the minor children, and proved herself a superior woman in executive ability and general character. Through the marriage of her daughter Mary, who at first wedded the pastor of Lamington church, Rev. Jeremiah Halsey (immediate successor to Rev. James McCrea), and then, after his death, the noted Revolutionary patriot and patentee of the great Miami Purchase in Ohio, Col. John Cleves Symmes (see post, under Mary, 12), she made investments in that Miami Purchase.

The Somerset records show that, in 1802, she probably made an exchange of lands in the Miami country with her sister Catherine (McCrea) McDonald for 200 acres of land "on the Peapack river" in Bedminster twsp. While this deed of Catherine to Mary (recorded in Somerset Deeds, Vol. C, p. 35) does not state that the lands were exchanged, (consideration given being $2,933) it seems so to appear from an account of the executors of Catherine McDonald filed at the October Term, 1815, in which they charged themselves "to cash received from Col. James Henry" (Mary Henry's son) "for deficiency in Miami lands sold by Mary Henry to Catherine McDonald, $183," pursuant, we suppose, to an agreement that, in case of loss on the Ohio tract, Mary Henry would compensate her sister.

From her father, Robert Rosbrugh, Mary Henry inherited one-half of all his estate. This included the 307 1/2 acres her father purchased in 1743 of Alexander and Dunster in Bedminster twsp. She sold her share in that farm Apr. 1, 1797, to Simon Suydam, of Middlesex. (Somerset Deeds, Book B, p. 906). Mary Henry also owned, at her death, some lands in Kentucky, or at least some interest in Kentucky lands, (worth $3,853.63 if collectible) as shown by the inventory of her estate, June 25, 1810, in the Somerset surrogate's office.

Mary Henry survived her husband twenty-six years, and died, not at Lamington, but at Lexington, Ky., she having gone there in 1804 to visit her youngest living daughter, Jane, wife of Major Peyton Short. It is said she took thither with her six granddaughters. Major Short then resided on his plantation "Greenfields," in Woodward co., Ky. The visit being protracted, Jane died in 1808, whereupon Major Short removed to Lexington, the county seat. The next year, 1809, Mary planned to return to New Jersey, the Major to accompany her, but she died before starting, and was buried beside her daughter in the Presbyterian churchyard at Lexington. Her will of Oct. 30, 1789, was registered in Somerset co., Feb. 1, 1810. In it she names her children Michael D., James and John (not of age in 1789); and granddaughter Elizabeth King, wife of Thomas King. Her executors were her sons Robert, Michael D., James and John (Somerset Wills, Book A, p. 226). Only Colonel James acted as executor, as, when the will was proved in 1810, Robert and Michael D. were deceased, and John was in the State of New York. As it was necessary for Col. James Henry, of Lamington, to go to Kentucky to bring back the grandchildren who had accompanied his mother to that State, he took someone with him, and the journey to and fro occupied nine weeks, as is shown by the final account of the estate on file at Somerville. The expenses of the journey were $623, as charged in the account.