Tuttle Revolutionary Fragments, Morris Co., N.J. — No. 8 (1850; reprinted 1896) — published transcription of the 1776 'Association of Whigs in Pequannock' petition, naming Robert Gaston at the head of the signers list + the four Hoffs (Jos., Garret, John, Charles Jr.) among 177 named signers; Committee of Safety named (Robert Gaston, Moses Tuttle, Stephen Jackson, Abram Kitchel, Job Allen). Robert Gaston = husband of [p.54 Rosanna Cooper Gaston](../../people/p.54%20Rosanna%20%28Cooper%29%20Gaston.md) (Daniel Sr's daughter per [A.9](../A-Probate/A.9.yaml)) = brother-in-law of [p.2 Capt Benjamin Cooper](../../people/p.2%20Benjamin%20Cooper.md). The four Hoff signers = family network of [p.46 Charity (Hoff) Cooper](../../people/p.46%20Charity%20%28Hoff%29%20Cooper.md) (Benjamin's 1st wife).

Transcription and notes

Significance

Tuttle's Fragment No. 8 transcribes a 1776 Morris County Whig petition with 177 signers. Robert Gaston appears at the head of the signers list = primary-source-published attestation of his Pequannock Twp leadership + association with the Continental cause. Robert Gaston is the husband of Rosanna Cooper (p.54 — Daniel Cooper Sr's daughter per A.9 1791 will) — so this fragment primary-source-published-attests Capt. Benjamin Cooper's brother-in-law in a 1776 patriot role.

Additionally, four Hoff signers (Joseph, Garret, John, Charles junior) are named — = Hoff family network around p.46 Charity (Hoff) Cooper (Benjamin's 1st wife, d. 1763) and/or her brothers / nephews.

Source identification

Verbatim — opening + preamble

The Association of Whigs in Pequan- oc Township in 1776.

Not long since, Col. Joseph Jackson of Rockaway, in looking over some old papers, found one of such interest, that it ought to be put into some permanent form, for the gratification of those, whose parents took such a decided stand in 1776. Through Col. J.'s kindness the original paper is now before me, and is no small curiosity of its kind. The terms of agreement are not only of interest, but the names of the subscribers. The paper is as follows:

We, the subscribers, Freeholders, and inhabitants of the township of Pequanock, in the County of Morris, and Province of New Jersey, having long viewed with Concern the avowed Design of the Ministry of Great Britain to raise a revenue in America; being deeply affected with the cruel Hostilities already commenced in Massachusetts' Bay for carrying that arbitrary Design into Execution; convinced that the Preservation of the rights and Privileges of America depends, under God, on the firm Union of its Inhabitants, Do, with Hearts abhorring Slavery, and ardently wishing for a Reconciliation with our Parent State on Constitutional Principles, solemnly Associate and Resolve, under the sacred Ties of Virtue, Honour and Love of our Country, that we will personally, and as far as our Influence extend, endeavor to support and carry into Execution whatever Measures may be recommended by the Continental and Provincial Congress for defending our Constitution, and preserving the same inviolate.

According to the Resolutions of the aforesaid Continental and Provincial Congresses, firmly determined by all means in our power to guard against the Disorders and Confusions to which the peculiar circumstances of the Times may expose us.

We Do Also Further Associate and Agree, as far as shall be consistent with the Measures adopted for the Preservation of American Freedom, to support the Magistrates and other Civil Officers in the Execution of their Duty agreeable to the Laws of the Colony, and to observe the Directions of our Committee acting,

Verbatim — signers list (177 names per Tuttle's count)

The signers are printed in newspaper columns and the text-extracted order interleaves. The first ~20 names per Tuttle's transcription are:

Robert Gaston, John Munson, Moses Tuttle, John Gould, Jos. Conger, Edward Jackson, Elijah Leonard, Benajah Danels, Samuel Martin, Jos. Hoff, Garret Eoff,† John Hoff, Chas. Hoff junior, Robert Wilson, Samuel Blair, Alexander Bales, John Reynolds, Benjamin Fairchild, James Coulter, Jonathan Johnson, John Cardy, Charles Crawley, John Robeson, sen'r, John Robeson, Jun'r, David Vanderpool, Peter Johnson, Eliphalet Lyon, William Cough, Gershon Wiggins, James Nox, John Debow, John White, Wm. Upham, John Wilson, John Galloway, Richard Waucock, James Cardiff, Joseph Holmes, Gillis McPherson, James Ronal, Thomas Price, George G. Barr, John Magie, Jas. Norton, Wm Edwards, John Browne, John Wilson, Isaac Miller, Peter Little, Edward Me Rank, Jonathan Salsburry, Hugh Quigg, Charles Stuart, John Lee, Samuel Harris, Christian Hoffman, John Biard, John Davis, Ada Showen, J. Rose, Louis Demoret, Jackson, William Dunzoy, James McUrdy, James Mitchel, James Daily, Henry Stock, Hugh Davis, John Richardson, Henry Link, John Biglow, James Tharp, Daniel Talmage, Jonathan Carrington, John Wilson, Joshua Mark Walton, Wm. Ross, David Moore, Mieman, Isaac Vandayn, Joseph Harriman, Richard Harriman, Josias Goldsmith, Wm. Drummon, John King, Samuel Lindley, Joseph Porter, Aaron Willis, Job Allen, Stephen Jackson, Israel Youngs, Ebenezer Tuttle, Jabez Biglow, David Allen, Henry Berry, Jr., Joseph Rogers, Seth Mahurin, Silas Hathaway, Joseph Hull, Aaron Biglow, John Harriman, Aaron Hedden, Joseph Bedford, Isaac Ross, John Pierson, Daniel Jackson, William Fisher, Josiah Biglow, John Miller, Michael Montgomery, John McConnel, Peter Hyler, Josiah Beman, William Price, Daniel Biglow, Josiah Beaman, Isaac Kelly, William Howard, Helmer Kent, Hiram Howard, James Hindes, Arthur Young, Jacob Lyon, John Peer, Laben Robeards, Benjamin Wankle, John Marinus, Daniel Hayward, Moses Stiles, Phenihas Farrand, Philip Price, Jr., Peter Prancesco, Philip Dormer, John Doremus, Philip Hiler, Samuel Farrand, Jake Harrison, Henry Young, Samuel Price, Humphre Devenport, Thomas Welshean, Martin Frederick, Mouris Mourison, Peter Hiler, Jr., Brant Jacobus, Philip Holenkous, Abraham Jacobus, Cornelius A. Jacobus, Henry Hennion, John Cone, Martin Frederick, Sen., Abraham Longhenner, John Esseler, Hinery Mourisson, James Jacobus, Nefham Cone, Coon Vreeland, Henery Vanhouten, John Pear, John Parlaman, Abraham Peer, Nicholas Hiler, Edmund Kingsland, John Hiler, Henry Lowerus, Cornelius Jacobus, James Jennings, Peter Tice, John Nix, Conrod Esler, Mertain Young, Jacob Vanduyn, Jacob Hoppon, James Shane, Garrett Farrall, Peter Robards, Jacob Hiler, ‡John Miller, junior of juniors.

(Order partially reconstructed from interleaved columns in pdftotext output. Asterisked names "* His mark" = signed by mark per Tuttle's footnote.)

Verbatim — Tuttle's footnote + commentary on signatures

This paper is signed by one hundred and seventy-seven names. Some of these names are splendid specimens of penmanship, but others are scarcely legible. The four "Hoffs" are written beautifully. "Stephen Jackson" evidently did not learn to write in "Old Harris' School" in which his son Col. Joseph Jackson was taught to "write like a copy book." Many of these signers, I suspect, knew better how to hold a musket than a pen! Eighteen signers have made their marks, but from the resemblance in several signatures, I imagine that several more ought to have made their mark.

The Committee of Safety was composed of Robert Gaston, Moses Tuttle, Stephen Jackson, Abram Kitchel and Job Allen. The name of Abram Kitchel is not signed to this paper, probably owing to an oversight.

Each member of this committee had a paper like the one copied in this "Fragment," which is the one held by Stephen Jackson, Esq. Col. Jackson had the fact from his father that the Association of Whigs in this township had 400 signers. It is possible that I may be able to get the other papers. — Rockaway.

    * His mark.

    † This is the man erroneously called, in "Fragment No. 7," "Ove." The orthography of the name is "Eoff," and It is pronounced "Ove."

    ‡ This junior of juniors is explained by Col. Jackson by saying that "John Miller" was the youngest of three John Millers.

What this source establishes

• Robert Gaston = primary-source-published-attested at 1776 Pequannock Whig leadership level (first-named signer + Chairman of Committee of Safety)
• Four Hoff men (Joseph, Garret, John, Charles junior) signed as Pequannock freeholders 1776 = Hoff family network confirmed at Pequannock Twp Morris Co. NJ at this date
• Tuttle clarifies surname spelling: "Eoff" (= Hoff variant; pronounced "Ove") — important for cross-source reconciliation
• 177 signers total in this Pequannock copy; Col. Jackson reported total Whigs across all Pequannock Committee copies = ~400 (so 3+ similar papers existed)
• Stephen Jackson's copy is the one Tuttle accessed via son Col. Joseph Jackson — = provenance chain primary-source-clear

What this source does NOT establish

• The original 1776 paper's specific date or month (Tuttle gives only year)
• The names of Robert Gaston's wife or family (must combine with other sources, e.g., A.9 Daniel Sr's 1791 will naming "Rosanna Gaston" as his daughter)
• Whether the 4 Hoff signers are siblings or cousins or what their exact relationship to p.46 Charity (Hoff) Cooper is

Cross-references

• I.88 — Tuttle Fragment No. 9 (Robert Gaston biographical anecdote: Scotsman, removed to Mendham, erected grist mill)
• I.89 — Tuttle Fragment No. 12 (Mrs. Gaston = sister of Cooper = primary-source identification of Robert Gaston's wife as Capt. Benjamin Cooper's sister)
• I.90 — Tuttle Fragment No. 16 (Hibernia counterfeiting + Garret Hoff signing the bills + cross-reference to his Pequannock 1776 signature as "elegant specimen of penmanship")
• A.9 — Daniel Sr's 1791 will naming daughter "Rosanna Gaston" = independent Cooper-side attestation of the Gaston-Cooper marriage
• p.54 Rosanna (Cooper) Gaston — Robert's wife; Benjamin's sister
• p.55 Robert Gaston — Pequannock signer; Committee of Safety Chairman
• p.2 Benjamin Cooper — Robert's brother-in-law
• p.46 Charity (Hoff) Cooper — Benjamin's 1st wife; possible kin to the 4 Hoff signers
• J.131-J.134 — newspaper coverage of Benjamin Cooper's 1773 counterfeiting trial (= 3 years before this 1776 petition; Robert Gaston's wife Mrs. Gaston was sister of Benjamin per I.89)

Status notes

• Status [verbatim] — Tuttle's transcript quoted verbatim; signer list interleaving across columns reconstructed (sequence partially uncertain but names match the page)
• Certainty — medium-high published-source for the petition content (Tuttle had the original paper); the catalog of 177 names is itself a primary-source extract from the original 1776 paper now lost from public records