General Notes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ below is from Dennis Collver's www.collver.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Colver II was born 1673 at Groton, Connecticut and married in about 1698 to Sarah Way, said to be granddaughter of Henry Way the Puritan. I cant actually verify that it was Sarah Way, as I have seen reference several times to a Sarah Long, daughter of Thomas Long and Sarah Wilcox. I tend to lean towards Sarah Long as being the true wife of John Colver. They lived in Groton CN, and he became a leader in the Rogerene faith. The Rogerenes were founded by John Rogers, son of James Rogers. James was an influential man in Connecticut in the area of New London. He occupied the home of John Winthrop Jr. who had moved due to his appointment to Governor. James was a baker and considered one of the richest men in the township. James (like Edward Culver) were involved in various legal disputes with the Winthrops over property boundary lines and water rights.

John Colver I, John Colver II and his wife Sarah, various Lamb family members and John Rogers were arrested on several occasions for disturbing the peace and various acts of religious acts of non-faith. They found themselves at odds with puritan laws and had been jailed and fined on several occasions. After the death of his father in 1727, they moved to Schooleys Mountain, New Jersey (by 1734), taking took a lot of family and cousins and friends. A large group of Lambs went as well. They apparently had a commune like place and were referred to as "Colverites" and their neighbors considered them to be odd. They stayed there for three years, then moved to Monmouth County, New Jersey for eleven years.

From the Newark N.J. Star Ledger of November 20 1955 in an article on Schooley's Mountain Springs:

It is said that the mineral spring that made Schooley's Mountain famous was discovered by a man named Joseph Culver in 1809 and it was he who sold a considerable tract of land to Joseph Heath.

It Makes me wonder who and what the Culverites were. I think I have heard of them but Mrs. Apgar doesn't explain what it is that may lie behind the name. "One Account" She wrote " dates the discovery of the springs by the Culverites in 1734. The Indians knew of the springs in the early days and tried to keep them secret from the white man.

Excerpt from Tercenary Days: History of Pleasant Grove A brief history of Pleasant Grove was written earlier this year by a young student from township school, Clara E. Haid. Her research and essay follows:

In 1732 the first religious body came to Schooley's Mountain from New London Connecticut. The group called the Rogerenes, had as their leader a John Coloer (Collver). The reason behind the Rogerenes move to a frontier so far removed from their original homes, was their desire to be free from religious persecution so that they could practice undisturbed their peculiar religious habits.

These people considered all days alike. They deemed it lawful to labor after worship on the Lord's day, and would sometimes even attend the service of the churches carrying their work along with them into the sanctuary. One description of their worship says:

To the meetings the women took their spinning wheels and stools. The men hats on, seated themselves upon the ground in rows opposite the women. Then came the solemn hush of the period of introspection, which often would be long and impressive. When some one was moved to speak the women would quickly uncross their hands and the men would unfold their arms, neither thereafter would be idle for a minute. The women applied themselves to knitting, sewing and spinning, the men went to basket making or some noiseless occupation until the speaking ended and the assemblage dispensed. Their house of worship was usually the "temple in the grove" a grassy slope in the shade of a cluster of venerable oaks leading down to the edge of a body of water.

In 1748 they returned to Schooley's Mountain, Morris County where John died, and was buried on Mrs. William Martin's place, Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey." He was a saddler ( a maker of saddles ) by trade.

The Children of John and Sarah:


Mercy Colver.

Sarah Colver

Esther Colver.

John Colver.

Thomas Colver.

Timothy Colver.

Samuel Colver.

Robert Colver born June 1713.

Nathan Colver.

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Pioneer families of New Jersey says that John's wife was Sarah Franklin

  Recorded Events in His Life

• He has conflicting birth information of Abt 1673 and Groton, New London County, Connecticut, USA. ²

• He has conflicting birth information of 1674 and prob Connecticut, USA. ³

• He had a residence before 1725 in Groton, New London County, Connecticut, USA. Groton, New London County, Connecticut; then about 1725 moved to Morris County, New Jersey, later to Monmouth County for a period, but 1748 returned to Morris County

• He had a residence about 1725 in Morris County, New Jersey. Groton, New London County, Connecticut; then about 1725 moved to Morris County, New Jersey, later to Monmouth County for a period, but 1748 returned to Morris County

• He had a residence after 1725 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Groton, New London County, Connecticut; then about 1725 moved to Morris County, New Jersey, later to Monmouth County for a period, but 1748 returned to Morris County

• He had a residence in 1748 in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. Groton, New London County, Connecticut; then about 1725 moved to Morris County, New Jersey, later to Monmouth County for a period, but 1748 returned to Morris County

• He has conflicting death information of After 1748 and Morris County, New Jersey, USA. ⁴