New Hampshire was first settled by Europeans in 1623. It was separated from Massachusetts in 1679.
An early American tavern (or ordinary) was an important meeting place and they were strictly supervised. Innkeepers were respectable members of the community. Taverns offered food and drink. An inn also offered accommodation.
She married John Langstaff about 1697. John was born in 1664 in Dover, New Hampshire. His parents were John Langstaffe and Elizabeth Fitz Randolph (daughter of Edward Fitz Randolph).
In 1699/1700, John Langstaff and Edward Slater who was Priscilla's sister, Elizabeth's husband were involved in anti-English, pre-revolutionary activities. The court wanted to hold proceedings in the Piscataway Public house. The townspeople were opposed to this and nailed the door shut.The sheriff attempted to break the door open and John and Edward stopped him forcibly. One account of this incident is below and another is on the Elizabeth and Edward Slater page.
John died November 13, 1745 in Piscataway. Priscilla died in 1710.
First printed in Boston 1745
This civil disobedience was an early example of the shift to Enlightenment thinking. Enlightenment philosophers such as John Locke said that the people gave the power to the government. Before that people believed that God gave the power to the government and that it was heresy to challenge it.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
New Jersey's first permanent European settlement was in 1660.
The First Baptist Church of Piscataway
is in Edison, New Jersey and was formed in 1689.
The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) was between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the 13 colonies which became the newly formed United States.
Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey, by New Jersey Historical Society, 1881
A Record of ye Justices of Midlsex Proceedings for Piscataway ye 3rd of March 1699/1700
Att A Meeting Of ye Justices Of ye Court Or
Court Of Sessions For sd County Of Middlesex
In ye Town Of Piscataway This 19th March
1699.
Present Justices Samuel Dennis
Capt John Bishop
Samll Hale
Benj Griffith
Machiell Vanweghtie
Whereas this day being ye day appointed by Act of ye Generall Assembly of this province for holding ye County Courts for ye sd Town of Piscataway in ye Publick meeting house there they ye sd Justices went to ye sd publick meeting house And finding ye dooer thereof shutt they Inquired who had the Keyes of it.
Answer was made by Some of ye Inhabitants of sd Town ye sd house belonged to their Town & ye they had nayled the doores thereof to wch ye Justices Replyed the house belonged to ye Country so as to keep Court there by Act of Generall Assembly & so demanded Entrance wch being Refused ye sd Justices commanded ye Sheriff to break open ye doore of sd house wch he attempting & Endeavouring to do
Edward Slater of sd Towne layd violent hands on him & John Longstaff wth other Persons of sd Town stood close by ye doore to hinder ye Sheriff to Obey ye Justices Command, and the Sheriff & sdEdward Slater wrestling together ye people Called out let them have room & fair play, & ye Sheriff geting Clear of sdEdward Slater went to ye house doore & pushed it up with his foot & went into ye house
& Severall others crouded in after him amongst whom were John Langstaffe Thomas Higgens Joseph & Benjamin Mannen with others of sd town and ye sdJohn Langstaff said let us turn ye Sheriff out again for wee are men Ennough here to do it and there being a great noise & confusion in ye house Severall persons said to Justice Dennes will you stand here and lett ye Sheriff be murdered in ye house, upon wch ye sd Justice went to another doore of ye sd house & pushed it open with his foot & Entring in
Some persons of sd Towne whom he knew not layd hold on him & Edward Slater Came to him & took him by the Coller wth design as he Supposed to Strick him & said what do you come here for to whom ye sd Justice answered only in peace to keep his Majties Court but finding ye not acceptable he called Yelverton Crowell & Wm Englie to his Assistance who accordingly Relieved him from ye sdEdward Slater. Also John Keyse & Sam" Walker asked Severall times by what author itie they came to keep Court there and when it was answered to them by ye Kings authoritie they Replyed ye they had no Lawfull authoritie to keep any Courts there & ye ye house was ye towns & ye Justices had nothing to do with it, and so ye Justices finding such Resistance & opposition withdrew from ye sd house and went to ye Constables house of sd towne & made this Record of their proceedings.
In contracts and pleadings usually people and things mentioned before are designated by the term said (sd ) for clarity.
Aforesaid (afd, afsd, aforesd ) means it was already mentioned.
A constable was an elected official who was responsible for upholding the law in Colonial America. His duties were more limited than the sheriff's. He apprehended and punished offenders, helped settle estates, and collected taxes.
from History of the First Baptist Church of Piscataway
Stelton, New Jersey, 1889, by Oliver B. Leonard, Esq.
Henry Langstaff, the founder of the family in New Jersey, was the son of Henry, who emigrated to New Hampshire with the colony sent out by Mason, the patentee, in 1630. He lived on the Piscataqua River up to the time of his removal to Piscataway township in 1668-9. Through his son John, born in New England in 1647, the name has been handed down to posterity in this latitude. The marriage of many of the female members into other pioneer families, has given some of the best representatives of this mother Church. The original male line was distinctly identified with the Episcopal Church.
