Isaac Stout (1740): Two Children Go West

Isaac Stout (1740)-(1823)

As I track the movements of members of the Stout family before my 2x great grandfather, Isaiah, who settled in Ohio, I finally run into some fellow wanderers. Isaac Stout (1740), my 5th great-grandfather, was not a wanderer.

The Stouts Who Left New Jersey

  • To review, my 2x great Grandfather, Isaiah Stout (1822), trekked to Ohio in 1839.
  • His father, Isaac Stout (1800) remained in New Jersey. At least one of this Isaac’s brothers, Elisha, had moved to Butler County Ohio by 1830.
  • His grandfather, Isaiah Stout (1773) also remained in New Jersey. Of Isaiah’s brothers, however, one moved to Illinois as an old man to join one of his children; and one brother, Aaron, moved to Putnam County, Ohio in 1820. Aaron’s family deserves a separate post because six of his children scattered around the west.
  • Isaac Stout (1740) Isaiah’s (1822) great-grandfather, and my 5th great grandfather stayed in New Jersey all his life.
  • `However, Isaac (1740)’s brother Obadiah (1735) and Obadiah’s family were adventurers who settled early in Kentucky, Ohio and points west, from as early as 1780. He also warrants a separate post. As does his grandson, Elisha (1837), born in Ohio and wanderer throughout the west.
  • Equally early, Jedidiah (1757) a cousin of Obadiah and his sister Mary (Prall) went to Kentucky.

In other words, there were several related Stout families who had gone “west” from New Jersey by the time that Isaiah (1822) made his journey. None of the other ones, however, settled in the southeastern corner of Ohio as Isaiah (1822) did. Therefore, I will continue to trace, and write about members of the Stout family in hopes of answering my original question. Why did my 2x great grandfather choose to settle in Guernsey County, Ohio?

I have written about Isaiah (1822), his father, Isaac (1800), and his grandfather and namesake Isaiah (1773). It is now the turn of his great-grandfather, Isaac (1740).

The Life of Isaac Stout (1740)

Isaac Stout, my 5th great-grandfather, was born in what would later be known as Cloverhill, Hunterdon County, New Jersey to Freegift Stout (1693-1770) and Mary Higgins (1699-1773). I have not found the source of Isaac’s name, which later was a popular name for Stout sons. There were five children in the family already when Isaac was born: Jedidiah, Rebecca, Freegift Jr., Mary and Obadiah. The family grew by five more after Isaac: Rachel, Sarah, James, Joshua and Jane. Of these siblings of Isaac, by far the most fascinating is Obadiah, and we will be getting better acquainted with him later.

On September 30, 1765, when he was twenty-five years old, Isaac married Mary Quimby (1740-1793). Twenty-five year old Mary was the daughter of Isaiah Quimby and Elizabeth Hall according to a book called Stout and Allied Families. The surname appears as both Quimby and Quinby in records.

Four years after his marriage, Isaac inherited land from his father, and was given the responsibility of maintaining his mother after his father, Freegift, died. The land Isaac inherited occupied most of the home “plantation”, and the house his family had occupied after his marriage.

The Six Children of Isaac Stout (1740)

According to the book, Stout and Allied Families, all of his children were born in that same place, and all survived until adulthood, although the oldest daughter died at 19 years old.

  • Rachel (1768), named for Isaac’s sister Rachel Stout Rounsavell, died at 19.
  • Isaiah (1773), named for his maternal grandfather, Isaiah Quinby, became my 4th great-grandfather.
  • Josiah(1760), Died in Tazewell County, Illinois in 1862 when widowed. Apparently following the death of a child.
  • Aaron (1780), Moved to Ohio and named a son Isaac, which adds to the confusion of the names Isaiah Stout and Isaac Stout. Some of his children continued to wander.
  • Sarah (Birth date unknown, but Find a Grave says 1770)
  • Mary (Birth date unknown but Find a Grave says 1772)

Man Marries Two Sisters

Besides the absence of a birth record, Sarah and Mary have something else in common. They married the same man. Elisha Sharp, a friend of the family, first married Sarah, and when she died in 1790, he married her sister Mary. Her death date is not pinned down. Find a Grave shows Mary’s tombstone and says she died in 1810. However, she was still alive when her father wrote his will in 1823.

Isaac’s Sparse Record

In 1777, Isaac was made executor on the will of Richard Rounsavill, husband of his sister Rachel who describes him as “my beloved brother-in-law”.

Although he lived through the Revolutionary War as a grown man, I cannot prove whether Isaac Stout (1740) was a soldier. It is likely that he at least served in the militia, as that was mandatory, and I have no indication that he had physical impairments that would eliminate him as a soldier.

In 1793, Isaac appears on the tax rolls of Essex County. However, I believe he probably owned land there because I have no indication that he ever lived anywhere other than Hunterdon County.

Isaac’s Will

Nearly everything that I know about Isaac comes from his will. He outlived his wife, Mary Quimby Stout by twenty years and apparently did not remarry. Mary died in 1793 according to the book by Nathan Stout. She is buried in the Stout-Manners Cemetery in Ringoes, New Jersey. Isaac also outlived several of his children–Rachel, Isaiah, and Sarah.

Isaac clearly prospered as a farmer. Based on his will, we know that he raised at the least, grain and flax, and that he raised sheep and at least some hogs. He accumulated enough wealth to own a corner cupboard, Franklin Stove, and an eight-day clock. The first two willed to his daughter Mary Sharp and the clock to his grandson Isaac Stout (my 3rd great- grandfather), son of Isaiah Stout.

It is somewhat unusual that the homestead went to his youngest (and only surviving) daughter, rather than to a son. However, she is required to pay $6000 over three years, and that money presumably goes into the estate of the other surviving children. This is no doubt at least partially because Aaron had left for Ohio, and was not interested in New Jersey land. He therefore is given $4,000 dollars over three years. Aaron’s son Moses is also alloted $200, to be “put on interest” until Moses is 21.

The will also testifies that Isaac helped his children. He was co-signer on a loan with the State Bank of New Brunswick in the name of his son Josiah Stout as well holding a bond for $1000 pounds. His will forgives the bond, but requires payment of the bank loan if Josiah is to inherit full share. The remainder of the estate is divided equally between Aaron Stout and the children of the deceased Isaiah.

A Hint of Slavery

The most intriguing sections of Isaac’s will read:

Eleventh, I give to Sarah Ann Bodine sufficient clothing from a piece of cloth the wool for which is now preparing.

Twelfth, It is my will that my Executors shall permit my black man named Ben begin a search of a place a reasonable length of time at the expiration of three months after my decease or sooner if they choose.

Will of Isaac Stout, 1823

Who is Ben and who is Sarah Ann Bodine? I am assuming that Sarah Ann Bodine is a servant. Whether she is black or white remains a mystery. As for “Ben”, we know he is “a black man”–different terminology than “negro” used in most legal papers I have seen of that period. And if Ben is being given time to “search for a place” rather than being included as part of Isaac’s property, does that mean he was a free black man rather than an enslaved person?

Isaac Stout died some time between writing his will in July of 1823 and the probating of the will in October of that year. He was buried beside his wife Mary in the Stout-Manners cemetery in Ringoes, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The Stout and the Manners families were closely connected, and both were pioneers of that area.

Later, I will devote an entire post to the enslaved people connected to the Stout family of New Jersey. Since I do not have Southern ancestors, and black slavery was not as prevalent in New England or the frontier, I have not previously run into slavery, and was surprised to learn about the extent of very early black slavery in the Northeast and particularly among the Dutch settlers in New Jersey and New York.

How I Am Related

  • Vera Marie Badertscher is the daughter of
  • Harriette Anderson Kaser, who is the daughter of
  • Vera Stout Anderson, who is the daughter of
  • William Cochran (Doc) Stout, who is the son of
  • Isaiah Stout (1822), who is the son of
  • Isaac Stout (1800), who is the son of
  • Isaiah Stout (1773) who is the son of
  • Isaac Stout (1740).

Notes on Research

New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1683-1802 , Isaac Stout and Mary Quimby, 30 Sep 1765, Accessed at Ancestry.com


New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1739-1991, Probate Records, 1785-1919 ; General Index to Estates, 1804-1970; Author: New Jersey. Surrogate’s Court (Hunterdon County); Probate Place: Hunterdon, New Jersey , Isaac Stout, July 1823, Hunterdon, New Jersey. Accessed on Ancestry.com

Will of Richard Rounsvell, accessed as image at Ancestry.com

New Jersey, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1643-1890 , Isaac Stout, 1793, Kingwood, Essex County; Accessed at Ancestry.com

Stout and Allied Families, Herald F. Stout, Capt. USN , Eagle Press: Dover Ohio, 1951. Entire book has been digitized at Ancestry.com

The History of the Stout Family: First Settling in Middleton, Monmouth County, New Jersey; Nathan Stout, 1823 (Continued by Mrs. Sarah Wert) [Link to Family Search.org]

The History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey, James P. Snell, Philadelphia: Everts and Peck 1881. Accessed at archive.org

Find a Grave, Isaac Stout 1740

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About Vera Marie Badertscher

I am a grandma and was named for my grandma. I've been an actress, a political strategist and a writer.I grew up in various places, went to high school in Killbuck, Ohio and graduated from Ohio State University. My husband and I moved to Arizona after graduation and have three adult children. I love to travel and read. I ponder family as I cook. Look for my DNA profile on Ancestry.

9 thoughts on “Isaac Stout (1740): Two Children Go West

  1. Cathy Meder-Dempsey

    Great idea to include the year of birth in parenthesis for the Isaiahs and Isaacs. They were a lot less difficult to keep apart this way. So jealous you have people in your tree with names like Freegift.

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoVera Marie Badertscher Post author

      Cathy: I love the name Freegift, too. I’m talking about him soon. Honestly the year of birth for Isaiahs and Isaacs was for MY benefit. I go absolutely nuts trying to keep those guys straight when I’m writing about the whole family!

      Reply
  2. Amy

    I love all those old Biblical names, but I’ve never seen Freegift before—what a great name! And all those repeating “I” names—it reminds me of my family tree!

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoVera Marie Badertscher Post author

      Not sure what I am looking at here in relation to Isaac Stout and children. The only Stout I see is Richard Jr., who is 17th century. Can you please explain the connection to this post? Thanks.

      Reply
  3. Pingback: The Slaves Name Roll Project - Ancestors in Aprons

  4. Chris Webster

    Hello there, I was wondering if you knew any more information on Issacs brother that left for Ohio in the early 1800s, I am currently doing research regarding my line and so far it seems to be a direct line to Penelope and Richard Stout. It seems that Elisha Stout that left NJ had a father also named Elisha and then went on to have a son named Elisha so it seems there were at least 3 or 4 Elisha Stouts and a lot of information is getting mixed up

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoVera Marie Badertscher Post author

      I am sending you an email, because I may have something to help, but am not sure. I have 5 Elisha Stout’s in my tree and have seen several others in Ancestry, so I know your frustration.

      Reply

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