Conklin Westchester Branch

Joseph Conkling was born in February, 1729, probably in New York or in the Elizabethtown area of New Jersey. Conklin Mann states that Joseph lived in an area called West Farms. Other records show that this family may have lived at Williams Farms. Names like Williams Farms or West Farms generally referred to an area of farms, located perhaps near one large farm. These names functioned much as our neighborhood names do today. It is quite possible that Williams Farms and West Farms were nearby or adjacent areas. Williams Farms was located between Elizabeth and Westfield, three miles east of Westfield.

Joseph married Mary Cory, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Meeker) Cory. Joseph is listed on the 1755 Elizabeth Town Freeholder List along with David and Joshua Conkling. Joshua is believed to be the brother of Joseph. The relationship with David is undetermined. This is probably the Joseph Conkling who witnessed the 1758 will of Joshua Clark of Elizabeth. Joseph’s tombstone inscription states that he died on 24 February 1779 in the fiftieth year of his age. His death is also recorded in the Sexton’s book of the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth. Considering his date of death, he may have died as a result of disease or injury caused by military involvement.

An index of New Jersey Revolutionary War soldiers shows that Joshua Conkling of Essex County, Joseph Conkling, and Joseph Conklin of Gloucester County all took part in the Revolutionary War. Joseph Conkling’s county is not listed. A certificate for depreciation of his Continental pay in the Essex County Militia was issued to Joseph Conklin of Essex County on 5 October 1784. This is probably Joseph Conklin, husband of Mary Cory. Joseph Conkling (b. 1729 d. 2-24-1779 m. Mary Cory, Pvt. NJ) is listed in the Centennial Edition of the DAR Patriot Index. In the New Jersey state archives, there is a receipt certifying that Joseph Concklin furnished the States with Twenty Hundred -- of good hay for the use of the army. Joseph Concklin, private appears on the Muster Roll of the 2nd Battalion of Captain William Shute’s Company, Second New Jersey Troops, commanded by Colonel William Maxwell for the month of 17 January, 1776. Joseph enlisted on 9 November 1775.

Joseph’s will was dated 22 February 1779 and was proved on 1 January 1784. His will identifies him as Joseph Conkling of Elizabeth Town, Essex County, New Jersey. He names Isaac, Moses, and Benjamin as his three eldest sons and leaves them land which he purchased from Elihu Spencer, John Clawson, and Abraham Clark. This land, he states was bound by the land of Jonathan Williams, John Spinning, deceased, John Miller, Joseph Cory, and Samuel Winans. To sons Joseph and Stephen, he leaves, “ the plantation where I live and the salt meadow when they are of age.” This land was sold by Joseph, Jr. to Stephen on 24 May 1791. On 6 April 1802 Stephen sold this same land to his brother-in-law, Peter Martin. The land was described as bound by lands of Isaac Wickham(?), David Williams, and Samuel Halse, deceased. The land was also described as running along the High Road to Halsey’s Lane. Sale of Joseph’s estate lands shows that he owned property in Elizabeth town ward, Westfield, and Rahway Meadow. At the time of the Revolutionary War, the borough of Elizabeth included both Westfield and Rahway.

Joseph’s will also provides 100 pounds each for daughters Mary, Phebe, and Sarah. Executors of his estate were his wife, Mary, son Isaac, and friend, Abraham Clark. Witnesses included Samuel Williams, Robart Clark, Joshua Conkling, and Abraham Clark.

Mary Cory Conkling was born in 1733, in Westfield, New Jersey. On 30 January 1801, “Mrs. widow Mary Conkling” sold land in Westfield Township. The land was bound by that of Edward Connett on the north and Matthias Clark and John B. Clark. Mary signed the transaction with her mark. Mary died in her 72nd year on 7 February 1805 in Westfield or Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Her will is dated 1 February 1805 and names children: Mary Pangburn, Sary, Stephen, and Pheby. In her will she identifies herself as the widow of Joseph. Records suggest that all of their children were born in the Elizabeth or Westfield area of New Jersey. Although some records show this family as affiliated with the Presbyterian church in Westfield, a book of cemetery inscriptions for the graveyard of the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, New Jersey shows that Joseph and Mary were buried in that cemetery in lots 982 and 983. Part of the cemetery still exists, but their tombstones were not located in a visit to the cemetery in September, 1993. The tombstone inscriptions for Joseph and Mary are recorded as:

No. 982 "Here lies the body of Joseph Conkling who departed this life Febry ye 24th ano Domini 1779. In the fiftieth year of his age "The Grave in Silence teach More than Divine can preach" No. 983 "M.C. In Memory of Mary widow of Joseph Conklin who died Feby the 7th 1805 in the 72nd year of her age "Death is the debt to mortals due. I have paid that debt & so must you". The gravestones were no longer there on a visit to the cemetery in 2004.

The families of three of the sons of Joseph and Mary (Cory) Conklin; Stephen, Joseph, and Isaac moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in the early 1800's. Stephen's family was there by December, 1804 as his son, Amos was born in Cincinnati in that month. Joseph's family followed closely as Joseph purchased land in Cincinnati in April, 1806 and his son, Aaron was born in Cincinnati in December, 1806. Both Stephen and Joseph are listed as Hamilton County taxpayers in 1810, but Isaac's name does not yet appear.

Y-DNA testing on a descendant of this Joesph shows that he is a descendant of the immigrants, John and Elinor Conklin. John and Elinor or at least their children settled in Rye NY.

Isaac Conkling, son of Joseph and Mary (Cory) Conkling was born 27 February 1752 in the Westfield/Elizabeth area of Essex County, New Jersey. The New Jersey Tax List of 1778-80 shows Isaac Conkling living in the Elizabeth town ward of Elizabeth. The New Jersey Journal of 7 August 1782 names Isaac Conkling of William's Farms as a Trustee to settle the accounts of the estate of his grandfather, "Joseph Cory, dec'd." Isaac was received into the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth in 1786. By 1800 Isaac was a ruling elder of the church. Isaac's name appears on the 1793 Essex County Militia Roll. In May, 1811 Isaac witnessed the will of his brother, Benjamin. Both Isaac and his son, Isaac, Jr. appear on the 1815 census of Union Township, New Jersey. It was also in 1815 that Isaac and his wife Joanna sold land in Essex County, New Jersey to Ezekiel Williams. It was probably shortly after this that Isaac, his wife, Joanna, and the families of their sons, Isaac and Abner Conkling moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Isaac died at the age of 76 years on 20 February 1828 in Cincinnati (Hamilton County), Ohio. Early Cincinnati death records show that he died of palsy. The First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, New Jersey also records his death in their records. Isaac's will was written on 25 January 1827 and filed on 25 February 1828. In his will he states that he lived in Millcreek Township of Hamilton County. The will names his wife Joanna Conkling, an unnamed daughter, sons Isaac and Abner, and Abner's son, Aaron. Joanna was born on 12 March 1755 in New Jersey and died on 15 June 1831 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Joanna is recorded as a member of the First Church of Elizabeth (Presbyterian) from 2 February 1794 until 18 August 1828. Both Joanna and Isaac were buried in the First Presbyterian Church 12th Street Cemetery in Cincinnati, but in 1858 they and other family members were re-interred at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. Re-internment of the family was ordered by Charles Ross. Joanna's burial records at Spring Grove cemetery refer to her parents as Clark not Williams. This information was given by Joanna's grandson-in-law, Charles Ross 30 years after her death. The information may be incorrect or Joanna may have been married to a Mr. Clark prior to her marriage to Isaac.