Hi Evelyn, I suspect that the Adam BELLIS homestead near Copper Hill is most likely the parcel of land referenced in the 1897 newspaper article. There were several branches of BELLIS in the immediate surrounding area and, because I'm not intimately familiar with the historical changes of township/county lines, I wasn't sure if I was dealing with one or two distinct land tracts. I'll know for sure when I read the history of the deed transfers. But...I don't think I've ever heard of a 1721 survey which mentioned "the palatin's land". Hhhmmm! Might there be a source which shows the geographic plot of this survey and/or the "palatine" surnames associated with the survey/plot, or list of the 22 landholders as of 1754? Thanks! Roz Bellis Alexandria VA -----Original Message----- From: Evelyn Cataldi [mailto:evelyn15@cox.net] Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 6:05 PM To: NJHUNTER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] BELLIS farm sold to Enoch W. DRAKE in 1897 Hi Roz, Can this be the BELLIS property in question? From the book "Rural Hunterdon" by Hubert G. Schmidt Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick 1946 Page 33: "Traditions which say that the early settlers of the Ringoes area were German are given some support by a survey of 1721 which mentioned "the palatin's land." But it is probable that most of the Germans came in later than the English and Scotch settlers. However, by 1747 there were thirty members of the German Reformed faith in that locality. The settlement was evidently scattered, as Johann Adam BOELLISFELDT (John BELLIS), one of the pillars of the church, lived at Copper Hill, where he had settled about 1730. A list of the twenty-two landholders located on the Field tract in 1754 contains many German names, though there were a few English, one Dutch, one French, and two or three of doubtful origin. There is an index to Snell's "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties", although it is elusive to obtain. The index to Hunterdon County alone runs to 174 pages! I have one, and if anyone with access to this book needs a lookup for page references, I will be happy to send the page numbers. The Somerset index runs to 76 pages. If you wish to reach me personally, evelyn15@cox.net Evelyn

Roz wrote: But...I don't think I've ever heard of a 1721 survey which mentioned "the palatin's land". Hhhmmm! Might there be a source which shows the geographic plot of this survey and/or the "palatine" surnames associated with the survey/plot, or list of the 22 landholders as of 1754? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I overlooked a footnote listing as reference - Early Germans of New Jersey, page 31. The information is actually on page 36 and states: "As the Germans were, predominately a religious people we may locate them by their churches. In Amwell township, Hunterdon county, there was a German church in the present village of Ringoes. There was a settlement of Germans in this vicinity as early as 1711 as appears from a road survey of that date in which there is mention of "the palatines' land." A few names of those who belonged to the stone church built here in 1749 are Woolever, Hoffman, Kase, Rockafellow, Young, Kuhl, Ballisfelt, Trimmer, Dietz, Winter, Snider, Mingus. Perhaps also, Fisher, Bearder, Fulper, Hoppock, Hann, Diltz, Risler, Boss, Bishop, Servis, Snook, Werts, Lyst, Wombock." It would seem that the Hunterdon Court House records would be the place to look for old road surveys....unless someone has a better idea. Evelyn