Notes for: John Bodine, Sr.
He resided at Castleton, Staten Island and died at the Dongan Manor house which he had bought from his oldest son. In his will, he left legacies to nine children. His will was proven on April 6, 1835.
In Ira K. Morris's Memorial History of Staten Island, NY (v. 1), he says John married Catherine Britton, the sister of Nathaniel Britton. The following also comes from that book. It is talking about John and Catherine. It is more than a little confusing, but here it is word for word: Their sons were John (usually recognized in local history as "Squire John"), Jacob (the father of William H. J. and Edmund Bodine), the late Captain John, James, Jacob, Albert, and Vincent. There were three daughters, who removed from the Island. James was the father of the late Abraham Bodine, of Mariners' Harbor, and of several sons and daughters now dead.
Note from Dave: I have no idea why this appears to say that John and Catherine had two sons named John and two sons named Jacob. The article makes no mention, it seems, of their sons Nathaniel, Abraham, and Edmund. There could be mistakes in my data here or mistakes in the article.
I had a birth date of Feb. 3, 1753 for this John, but the Britton genealogy says he died on March 22, 1835 at the age of 81 years, 10 months, and 2 days. That would make his birth date May 20, 1753. I'll go with that date.
The obituary of his grandson Albert Z. Bodine says that John was a colonel in the War of 1812.
From Ronny Bodine:
Both John and Catherine Bodine were members of the Dutch Reformed Church, Catherine being admitted on confession of faith on 20 Feb 1805 and John on 31 Oct 1807. John Bodine served as a Private in the 2nd Company of Captain Abraham Jones, Colonel Christopher Billopp's Staten Island Militia, 29 March 1776. On 9 July 1776, he took the oath of allegiance to King George III. He owned and resided at Dongan Manor, a tract of ninety acres on the Manor Road in Castleton, which he had bought from his son, John Bodine Jr. The will of John Bodine, dated 29 Sept 1829, was proven 27 May 1835. Therein he devised his farm to his wife, Catherine, and made bequests to his children, John, Nathaniel, Vincent, Jacob, Abraham, Mary (wife of Joseph Lake), Patty (wife of Egbert Lisk), Ann, and Phebe. The probate proceedings further named the children of his deceased son, John: John, Cornelius, Peter, Abraham, David, Catherine, Mary, Lois and Ann Elizabeth, and to the children of his now deceased son, Nathaniel: James, Catherine, Susan, Mary, Harriet and Albert. Son Jacob Bodine was named one of the executors (Richmond Co. Wills E: 102). Catherine Britten was the daughter of Nathaniel Britten, of Castleton, in whose will of 29 Dec 1791 she was named as his daughter and the wife of John Bodine (Richmond Co. Wills A: 53). Catherine Bodine's will of 26 May 1836 was probated, after the delay of a contest by her sons Jacob and Vincent, on 5 March 1841. Therein she gave her estate to her daughters Martha and Ann, then living with her (Richmond Co. Wills F: 70). John and Catherine Bodine were buried in the cemetery of the Dutch Reformed Church at Port Richmond.
The church's burial records show that John Bodine died on 22 March 1835 aged 81 years, 10 months and 2 days thus establishing his birth at 20 May 1753. Catherine Bodine died 29 Dec 1838 at age 79 years, 3 months and 8 days setting her birth at 21 Sept 1759.
The following story was related by Joanna Elmira Van Name and published in Elmer Garfield Van Name's "Britton Genealogy: Early Generations from Somersetshire, England to Staten Island, New York," Gloucester County Historical Society Publications, October 1970, p. 18.
"When General Washington heard the Hessian soldiers were to be sent from New York to Staten Island, he sent out scouts to warn the people. When Mr. Bodine heard of it, he packed a large chest with the most valuable things in the house and buried it in a snow bank in a fence corner, and, as it was snowing at the time, no trace of it could be seen. When the soldiers arrived at the house, they searched it, and demanded money and valuables, and when Mr. Bodine or his wife would not tell, they hung him to the rafters of a shed, and burned him with hot irons, but still he would not tell, so after the soldiers had taken what they wanted, they left, and Mr. Bodine was cut down in time to save his life. Many of the articles in the chest are now heirlooms among his descendants. The chest was in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. Joshua Van Name (nee Alletta Bodine Lake) as late as 1874, when it became so worm eaten that it fell into decay. Mr. Bodine owned, and resided at , the Dongan Manor, a tract of ninety acres, on the Manor Road at Castleton, Staten Island, New York."
and some more on the will:
The will of John Bodine, Sr., of Castletown reads: To my wife Catharine Bodine, as long as widow, my farm. Remaining personal property among my children: John, Nathaniel, Vincent, Jacob, Abraham, Mary, Patty, Ann and Phebe. To Rev. Peter I Van Pelt one third of $500 and he shall look after the share of my daughter, Patty, with Isaac Housman.
Named in the probate proceedings are: Catharine Bodine, widow; Jacob Bodine; Vincent Bodine; Mary, wife of Joseph Lake; Phebe, wife of Egbert Lisk; Ann Bodine, Martha Bodine; also the children of son John decd-John, Cornelius, Peter I. V., Abraham, David, Catharine, Mary, Lois and Ann Eliza Bodine. Also the children of son Nathaniel, decd-James, Catharine, Susan, Mary; Harriet and Albert.
So, John Bodine wrote his will 29 Sept 1829 and it was proved 27 May 1835. In the interim son John died 28 Jan 1831 and son Nathaniel died 31 Oct 1830. Sons Vincent, Jacob and Abraham all survived their father. As to the four daughters, Mary (1779-1839) was the wife of Joseph Lake; Martha, aka Patty, was the wife of William Edwards; Ann became the wife of Jabez Cooley and Phebe was the wife of Egbert Lisk. You spotted my typo in mixing up Patty and Phebe (sorry, sorry). There is no Martha or Patty Post or Peter Post mentioned in the probate records.
Here below is something Ronny put together from a notice in the 1846 Albany Argus that named all the surviving heirs of this John Bodine.
ALBANY ARGUS (Albany, New York) of Monday, 13 April 1846
The following legal notice was published in several successive issues of the Albany Argus as a prelude to the sale and division of proceeds from a tract of land owned by the late John Bodine (1753-1835) of Richmond County, New York. It is a perfect snapshot of his surviving heirs as of 12 March 1846. Of his nine children, only his two youngest daughters survived in March 1846. Of the others, one left no heirs and the six who were deceased were represented by their own surviving heirs. In the following list, the heirs are named in the order as they appeared in the notice. Their relationship to John Bodine is noted to the right of the colon in each line. This information was not part of the notice and is included here for identification purposes. Three could not be identified as to why they were included in this division. Their names are marked. Abbreviations: d/o = daughter of ; s/o = son of ; gd/o = granddaughter of ; gs/o = grandson of
In Chancery-Before the Vice Chancellor of the first circuit.
Tract of land whereof John Bodine, senior, was seized, and whereon he resided at the time of his death, situate, lying and being in the town of Castleton in the county of Richmond, it being a part of the well known farm, formerly Dougan's Farm" (lengthy legal description is omitted here) "...containing thirty-eight acres, be the same more or less. Dated March 12, 1846. Any liens or encumbrances, judgments, claims, etc. must be submitted before 27 April 1846.
John Bodine: s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
and
William H. J. Bodine: s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
vs.
Peter J. Van Pelt: Executor of the will of Catharine Britten Bodine.
Richard Conner (unidentified)
Paul Morrill and Mary Morrill, his wife: Mary Bodine d/o John (1781-1831), gd/o John Bodine
Peter Roff and Catharine Roff, his wife: Catharine Bodine d/o John (1781-1831), gd/o John Bodine
John Bodine and Myrtilla Bodine, his wife: John Bodine s/o John (1781-1831), gs/o John Bodine
Peter J. V. Bodine and Mary Bodine, his wife: Peter Bodine s/o John (1781-1831), gs/o John Bodine
William Daniels and Lois Daniels, his wife: Lois Bodine d/o John (1781-1831), gd/o John Bodine
Franklin S. Kinney (unidentified)
Ann Eliza Bodine: d/o John (1781-1831), gd/o John Bodine
David Bodine and Mary Jane Bodine, his wife: David Bodine s/o John (1781-1831), gs/o John Bodine
Abraham Bodine and Elizabeth Bodine, his wife: Abraham Bodine s/o John (1781-1831), gs/o John Bodine
Daniel L. Wood and Catharine Wood, his wife: Catherine Bodine d/o Nathaniel (1793-1850), gd/o John Bodine
Edward Egbert and Susan Egbert, his wife: Susan Bodine d/o Nathaniel (1793-1850), gd/o John Bodine
Harriet Bodine: d/o Nathaniel (1793-1850), gd/o John Bodine
Albert Bodine: s/o Nathaniel (1793-1850), gs/o John Bodine
Sarah Ann Bodine: widow of Vincent (1783-1841) who was s/o John Bodine.
John M. Bodine and Mary Bodine, his wife: John s/o Vincent (1783-1841), gds/o John Bodine
Garret M. Bodine: s/o Vincent Bodine (1783-1841), gs/o John Bodine
Hannah Bodine: widow of Jacob Bodine (1790-1845) who was son of John Bodine
Jacob Post and Mary Post, his wife: Mary Bodine d/o Jacob (1790-1845), gd/o John Bodine
Edmund Bodine: s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
Catharine Bodine: d/o Jacob (1790-1845), gd/o John Bodine
Ellen Bodine: d/o Jacob (1790-1845), gd/o John Bodine
James Bodine: s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
Jacob Bodine: s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
Albert Bodine (son of Jacob Bodine): s/o Jacob (1790-1845), gs/o John Bodine
Joseph Lake: widower of Mary Bodine (1779-1839) d/o John Bodine
John Lake and Hetty Lake, his wife: s/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gs/o John Bodine
Nathaniel Lake and Sarah Lake, his wife: s/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gs/o John Bodine
Jacob Lake and Ann Lake, his wife: s/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gs/o John Bodine
Cornelius Lake: s/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gs/o John Bodine
Joshua Van Name and Aletta Van Name, his wife: Aletta Lake d/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gd/o John Bodine
Elias Price and Mary Ann Price, his wife: Mary Ann Lake: d/o Mary Bodine (1779-1839), gd/o John Bodine
Egbert Lisk and Phebe Lisk, his wife: Phebe Bodine d/o John Bodine
Isaac R. Housman (unidentified)
Jabez B. Cooley and Ann Cooley, his wife: Ann Bodine d/o John Bodine
Charles Hitchock and Mary Hitchock, his wife: Mary Bodine d/o Nathaniel (1793-1830), gd/o John Bodine