June 2, 1996
About 15 years ago, my uncle John Applegate contracted with someone to conduct geneology research on the Applegate surname. I do not know if the following history adds to the information found on the internet, but I have placed the history in chronological order. The unique feature of this research is that it gave the source of the information. In many cases, the spellings are either incorrect or were the customary spellings of the day. I have maintained the original spellings and noted the citations wherever possible.
Editorial comments or clarifications added by myself are italicized and enclosed in [ ]'s. I have also attempted to cross reference the descendancy with the record numbers listed on The Applegate Home Page, document arpt02.htm. These cross references are noted as {###}.
Andrew Jackson Applegate, IV
The Applegate of the line are described as having "very large heads and much natural mechanical and mathematical talent" as being quiet stady solid race and were held in high esteem by their neighbors. In regard to the surname of Applegate, Laver, the best authority on surnames says it is from the ancient Saxon word Applegarth. In England were ancient families named Applegarth, Appleyard and Applewaite all meaning substantially the same "an apple orchard" (Salter 1890). Applegarth, Applegath, Applegate. William de Apelgart circa 1115, bury Suffolk; Robert Applegarth 1279. Inquisitiones post mortem (unpub.) Yorkshire; Richard del Appelgarthe. From Applegarth or residience near an apple orchard (Reaney 1961). Three red apples on a white shield are the arms of Applegarth (Scott-Giles 1962).
Thomas {185} was of a party that resided for a short time in Holland before they came to L.I. [the location disagrees with Savage (1860) and other accounts, and is probably incorrect in this regard] and their residence in Holland indicates they left England because of religious or political views were objectionable to the government of Charles I (Salter 1890).
Thomas, Weymouth 1635 was licensee to keep ferry to Braintree, but next year turned out had wife Elizabeth {188} whose gentle tongue was sentenced by the court to be confined by cleft stick (Savage 1860). [Ed. note: Other information on the internet describes Thomas' difficulty with the law, and this citation instead notes court action against his wife, Elizabeth.]
Thomas Applegate {185} in New Amsterdam in 1641 (Bergan 1881). The founder of the Applegates was Thomas {185} an Englishman who is named amoung the patentees of Flushing L.I. in the patent dated Oct. 19 1647 issued by Gov. Kuft (Salter 1890). Jan. 1 1651 he was sentenced to have his tongue bored through with a red hot iron, and to publicly acknowlegde his transgressions in charging Director- Gen. with bribery. After making public acknowlegdement he was pardoned. Sighed Thomas Appelgate (Bergan 1881).
John Applegate {192} on lists of residents Gravesend 1650 (Bergan 1881). Applegate, John. Gravesend, L.I. 1650 with Elizabeth {188}, perhaps his mother, it may be the widow of Thomas {185}, and probable his son John {???} was of Oster Bay 1685 (Savage 1860). John [Jr.] was amoung freeholders of Osterbay Sighed John Appelgate. A John Applegate {192?} was charged with smuggling in New Amsterdam 1663 (Bergan 1881). He [John, Sr.] bought house and land 1662 at Fairfield [CT], and lived there in 1670 as the Conn. jurisdiction, could not be preserv. at L.I. (Savage 1860). [Ed. note - my guess is that John, Sr. from Gravesend committed the smuggling and was relocated to a Connecticut jurisdiction. He was son of Thomas {185} of Braintree, MA and his brother was Thomas, II {184} of Flushing, NY. John, Jr settled in Osterbay.]
Applegate Ares [Avis nee Goulding?] {455?}, Gravesend in 1679 English, Sighed his [her?] name "Ares Appellgate" (Bergan 1881).
Bartholomew {189} of Gravesend in Oct. 1650 married at Gravesend to Hannah Patricke {417}. On list of said town in 1650 Aug. 10 he bought Nathan Whitman plantation. From an entry in Gavesend town rec. Nov. 6, 1671 setting forth that whereas Gov. was pleased to order Wm. Wilkins to pay 10 pounds towards the release of Hanna Applegate {417} and her child, it is inverred that she was in the hands of Indians and the money was ransom.
Applegate. Thomas and Bartholomew are named in Freehold [NJ] records in 1674. They were from Gravesend L.I. (Salter 1890). March 8, 1674 the Gov. Gen. Antony Cober and his council granted leave to Bartholomew Appelgath {189}, Thomas Appelgath {184} and Richard Sadler {454}, purchase a tract of land from the Indians about two leaques this side of Middle Town near the Neversings, for the settlement of 6 or 8 familys "on condition that after purchase a patent be taken out, and the settlements be made within two years on pain of forfeiture." In April John Bowne and Richard Herdshorne and others gave notice that the land was within their patent (The patentees of the large tract including Monmouth County, N.J.) Sighed his name Bartholmel Aplegate (Bergan 1881).
Though Bartholomew visited the country, it is not probable that he settled in it.
Thomas {184} married Johonnah Gibbons {193}, daughter of Richard who was one of the 12 Pattentees [of Freehold]. He [Thomas] died abut the beginning of the year 1699. He left sons, Thomas [III] {195}, John {199}, Daniel {197}, Joseph {198}, Benjamin {183} and Richard {200}. His wife [Johonnah] survived him and she and her father Richard [surname unknown] were executors (Salter 1890).
Desendants of Thomas {184} and Johannah Applegate {193} must noe number many thousands and are widely scattered throughout the country. His eldest son Thomas {195} settled at Perth Ambouy. He [eldest son Thomas] had wife Ann {202} and sons Thomas {456}, John 3002}, James {???} and Andrew {???}.
Richard Applegate {200} m. Amy Fenton [this disagrees with the descendancy chart] and then had 12 children. The family moved to Westmoreland [PA] county and thance to Louisville Ky. where he died in 1782 (Salter 1890).
One of the name was at Fairfield 1697 and a John A {192} made will 1704 naming no children, but gave estate to his wife Avis {455} and brother Thomas and his children. A John was complain of at Milford for selling liquor and Barthelomew at same time (Savage 1860).
Benjemin Applegate {576} of Middlesex to Elizabeth Parent {577} of same county, [married] July 18, 1729. John Applegate of Middlesex to Sarah Pittitt of same [, married] October 6, 1736. Ebenezer Applegate of Monmouth, to Marry Imlay [, married] July 9, 1743. James Applegate of Middlesex to Elizabeth Buckalew [, married] Feb, 21 1744. Daniel Applegate of Monmouth to Elizabeth Hulett [, married] Jan. 31, 1745. Willaim
Applegate to Hannah Potter [of] Monmouth [, married] Oct, 28 1747. John Applegate {3002} of Monmouth to Mary Cottrell {3003} Sept 27, 1747 (Salter 1890, from Trenton, NJ records).
In the Patriot Army in the Revolution were the following Applegates: Daniel, John Bartholomew, Benjamin, Robert (Capt. Hankinson Co. 1'st teg't Monmouth), James, Joseph, Nathaniel, Noah, Robert, and William from Monmouth. Andrew, Asher, Charles, Joseph, Nathanlel, Robert, Thomas, William, and Zebulon form Middlesex. Daniel from Morris (Matoss, Capt. Huddy's Co. artil'y states troops and Cont'l Army), William from Huntendon; another William from Burlington (Salter 1890). [Another] Daniel of Shelby Co. Ky. b. near Albany, N.Y. 1768 d. St. Louis Mo. 1825 was a fifer boy in Cont'l Army during the Revolution (American Ancestry date unknown).
In the old Dover Town Book the name Applegate frequently occurs. Applegates of Ocean County. Ebenezer and Sarah w. had Apollo b. May 25,1798, Salem b. 1800, Angeline b. 1802, Ebenezer b. 1805, Joseph 1808, Moses b. 1810, Sarah b. 1813, James b. 1815, Amanda b. 1818, Helen b. 1821. Of the above, Helen m. Judge Wm. L. James, Sarah m. James Robinson; Angeline first Clayton Robins, second Col. Samuel C Dunham. Joseph well remembered Justice of the Peace, Toms River. The following was also in this Bible:
Ebenezer d. Oct. 3, 1851, Sarah d, April 24, 1861, Jacob d. Oct. 6 1818. Moses was living in 1887 (Salter 1890). Jacob Applegate, Jr. to Margaret Luker [, married] July 10 1796. John Applegate to Sarah Hudson [date unknown] (Salter 1890, from Freehold, NJ
records). Applegate Jessie b. in Kentucky July 5, 1811 d. April 2 1988. American surveyor, legislator, and pioneer to Oregon. In 1843 he emigrated to Oregon, where he became at once influentcial in public affairs becoming (1845) a member of the provisional government which lasted until the territory was attached in 1849 to the U.S. A member to the state constitutional convention, he withdraw when his leadership was challenged.
First a Whig then a Republican he had much to do with upholding Lincoln and the cause of the North in Oregon. He is though to have refused a seat in the U.S. Sentate because acceptance would have required a degree of subserverence to the railroads, which he himself helped to develop. He is importnat author of documents and newspaper articles pertaining to the settlement of Oregon (Barnhart 1954) [, hence the Applegate River].
Literature cited:
American Ancestory. Date unknown. v. 8, p. 41.
Barnhart, Clarence L., ed. 1954. New Century Cyclopedia of Names.
Appleton-Century-Crafts, Inc. New York. v. 1.
Bergan, Tennis. 1881. Early Settlers of Kings County. S.W. Greens & Sons Printer, Long Island.
Reaney, P.H. 1961. A Dictionary of British Surnames. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London.
Salter, Edwin. 1890. Salters History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties N.J.
E. Gardner & Son, Bayonne, N.J.
Savage, James. 1860. Generalogical Dictionary of New England. Litter
Brown & Co., Boston. v. 1, p. 60.
Scott-Giles, C.W. 1962. Looking at Heraldry. Roy Publishers, New York.
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