James Brintzinghoffer ← Theodore C. Brintzinghoffer ← Catherine Forman ← William Spencer Forman ← Robert Forman ← William Forman ← Lewis Forman ← Aaron Forman ← Samuel Forman
Samuel Forman is my 8th great-grandfather. He was born in Hempstead, Long Island in 1662 and moved with his brothers, Thomas and Alexander, to Freehold, Monmouth County, Province of East Jersey. He was a prominent settler and left a long trail of records before he died on 13 OCT 1740.
This is from the Petition of the inhabitants of East Jersey asking to be taken under the government of the King should the Proprietors not appoint a suitable person as Governor, 17 JUL 1701. The settlers in East Jersey were unhappy with the Proprietors of their government and wrote to the King multiple times to to this effect. They eventually took the Governor prisoner believing he was governing illegally and this is the letter to the King which followed a few months later.
Opening Address
To the King’s most Excellent Majesty. The humble Petition of Your Majesty’s Loyall Subjects inhabiting in your Majesty’s Province of East New Jersey in America
We chose Jeremiah Basse to govern us in 1697 because many of us opposed the way the government was being run, and he wanted the King’s blessing to govern, as required by law. There has been a lot of unrest.
Humbly Sheweth: That Mr. Jeremiah Basse was sent over by the Proprietors of this Your Majesty’s Province In the year 1697 with a Commission from them to govern the said Province whose Authority was by many opposed for that as it was alleged he wanted our Majesty’s Royall approbation as by Act of Parliament is required whereupon very great disturbances have arisen amongst the Inhabitants of this Your Majesty’s Province.
We told the Proprietors about the unrest and also that no Governor would be acceptable to the people unless he had the King’s blessing.
That the Councill here did give an account to the said Proprietors of those disturbances & at the same time did advise and assure them that no Governor by them commissionated would satisfy the People here without Your Majesty’s Royall approbation.
The Proprietors chose to make Col. Hamilton Governor under their own authority, without the King’s blessing. They maintain authority and hold court by force. They fine and imprison people who refuse to be pressed into service against their neighbors.
That yet notwithstanding in contempt of your Majesty’s known Laws and against the advice of the Councill aforesaid They the said Proprietors have sent over Colonell Andrew Hamilton in the year 169? to govern the said Province by virtue of a commission from themselves only not having your Majesty’s Royall approbation who has thereupon assumed the Government and by force of arms holds Courts to the great terrour of your Majesty’s good Subjects and has pressed Sundry Persons to his assistance therein some of whom he has imprisoned and fined for no other cause but for refusing Obedience to his illegall Authority commanding them to take up Arms against their peaceable Neighbours
Please unify East and West Jersey, and please send us an impartial Governor to handle all our disputes with the Proprietors.
We Your Majesty’s Loyall Subjects labouring under these and many other grievances and oppressions by the Proprietor of this your Majesty’s Province of East New Jersey do in most humble manner lay ourselves prostrate before your Majesty’s fountain of Justice humbly imploring your Majesty’s will be graciously pleased according to your Princely Wisdome to take into consideration Our evill circumstances under the present Proprietors And that Your Maj will be graciously pleased to give Your Royall Command to the said Proprietors if the Right of Government is invested in them that with Your Majesty’s Royall approbation they commissionate for Governor a fitt Person qualifyed according to Law who as an indifferent Judge may decide the Controversies arising between the Proprietors and the Inhabitants of this Your Maj Province and settle all the differences which at present they labour under or if otherwise Your Majesty be graciously pleased to take the Government immediately into Your Majesty’s own hands.
We humbly pray if it may be for your Majesty’s Service That East and West New Jersey’s may be one distinct Government And Your Petition as in duty bound shall ever Pray etc…