Collection # 23

DENISE FAMILY PAPERS, 1788 - 1884, 1907

Processed by Doris K. Handzo

Edited by Gregory J. Plunges

Monmouth County Historical Association
70 Court Street
Freehold, New Jersey

February 1981

INTRODUCTION

The Denise family in Monmouth County are descended from Teunis Nyssen who emigrated from Binninck, Utrecht, Holland in 1638. The family members most frequently mentioned in these papers are Daniel Denise (1748 April 18 - 1823 May 2) and his son John Schanck Denise (1796 September 30 - 1880 December 31.

Daniel Denise married Jane Schanck (1754 June 18 - 1800 June 5) on 1771 April 18. The couple had ten children. After his wife's death, Denise married Mary Stillwell on 1806 March 15, and had three more children. He was the collector in Monmouth County for 40 years.

John Schanck Denise married Catherine Thompson (1800 April 1 - 1879 April 19) on 1819 February 3. They had ten children. John S. Schanck was a successful farmer and real estate "operator". He was a director of the First National Bank of Freehold, president and director of the Freehold and Colts Neck Turnpike Co., and a member of the Monmouth County Agricultural Society. Politically, he was an Old Line Whig and then a Republican. He and his family were members of the Second Reformed (Dutch) Church of Freehold.

DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

This collection is primarily comprised of deeds and mortgages for property in Monmouth County. There are also wills and the financial accounting of the executors of these wills. Some of the papers involve the Rhea family whose farm in Freehold (called the Carr Farm after a tenant who had lived there) was owned in 1885 by D. Demarest Denise. Jonathan Rhea was a lawyer admitted to the bar in 1784 and appointed county clerk in 1789. Dr. Samuel Forman, William Forman, Benjamin Sickles and William Thompson are among the other men who were parties to these transactions.

This collection would be valuable to researchers tracing transfers of land in Monmouth County or to genealogists interested particularly in the Denise family.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

1. Legal Documents. 1788 June 27 - 1884 May 27.
36 items, arranged chronologically.

Mortgages and deeds for property in Monmouth County belonging to several families, but primarily the Denise and Rhea families; also includes the will of Daniel Denise (1823 April 22) and his son John Schanck Denise (1873 April 23, Codicil 1879 April 28) with the final executors' accounting of each will. Also in this series is a report of the Monmouth County Circuit Court for a case between the Second Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Freehold and Catherine Smock, et. al.

2. Financial Documents. 1834 March 31 - 1884 July 15
3 items, arranged chronologically.

Loans involving the Denises, Benjamin Longstreth, William Forman and William Thompson.

3. Literary Productions. 1907 May 25, 2 n.d.
3 items.

Includes a certificate awarded to D. Demarest Denise as a member of the Lincoln Farm Association and two documents concerning description and clothes for soldiers.

PROVENANCE: Acquired 1932 March 16, a gift of Garret A. Denise, Freehold, N.J.

RESTRICTIONS: None.

SIZE OF COLLECTION: 42 items.

CONTAINER LIST

BOX / FOLDER # / CONTENTS

1 / 1 / Legal Documents, 1788 June 27 - 1884 May 27. 36 items

1 / 2 / Financial Documents, 1834 March 31 - 1884 July 15. 3 items

1 / 3 / Literary Productions, 1907 May 25. 2 n.d. 3 items

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ellis, Franklin. History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Philadelphia: R.T. Peck & Co., 1885.

Freehold, N.J. Monmouth County Historical Association. Bible Records. (Daniel Denise Bible).