RUE, John

Notes:

From Albert Stokes "The Rue Family":

John Rue (Matthew) was, according to the records of Rev. Elisha Boudinot Stockton (*), born in 1679. The source of Stockton's information is not stated, but since this John Rue received a grant of land near the falls of the Delaware on Nov. 17, 1699 (NJD, Book B, p. 719), he may well have been born before 1679. In the Staten Island census, believed to have been taken about 1706, his age is given as forty-three. The same census gives Matthew Rue, age 25; Matthew Rue, age 20; and a boy Matthew. John's wife Petrnell is listed but no age is given. The Stockton records give her birth year as 1686 without revealing the source.

John Rue was a freeholder on Staten Island in 1702 and a constable in 1707. In a deed for a lot in Perth Amboy, dated 1716, he is called a cordwainer of Richmond County, NY (NJD). This lot was sold in 1732 to Matthew and James Rue of the Province of Pennsylvania. There is strong possibility that these are brothers of John.

In his will, dated Jan 6, 1756, and proved Mar 6, 1775 (NJW)(**), he refers to himself as a yeoman of Matchaponex, Middlesex County, in the Eastern Division of the Province of New Jersey. His wife Peternell is mentioned and provided for but she is not further identified, a task which has stumped the experts for several generations. Besides sons Matthew, William, John, and Joseph, grandchildren Joseph, William, John, sons of son Matthew deceased are specifically mentioned and bequeathed land at Manalapan. These in addition to other four sons of son Matthew are to support Margaret Rue, the wife of son Matthew. No daughters are mentioned and there is no indication that there were any. There is no inventory, which may indicate that John had been dead some years before probate.

Children of John and Peternell Rue as listed in will (order uncertain; dates of birth not found):

Matthew
William
John
Joseph

(*) New Jersey Historical Society
(**) Abstracted erroneously in the "New Jersey Archives" under the name James Rue

Family/Spouse: ?, Peternell. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. RUE, Matthew was born in 1706 in Shrewsbury, NJ; died on 13 Nov 1755 in Monmouth Co, NJ.
2. RUE, William was born about 1707; died on 4 Oct 1761.
3. RUE, John was born about 1709; died about 1795.
4. RUE, Joseph was born about 1711; died about Jun 1795.

Notes:

From Albert Stokes, "The Rue Family":

Matthew Rue, the progenitor of this family in New Jersey, was on Staten Island as early as July 1679 when he witnessed a deed of gift from Estienne Gayneau to his son Stephen, about to wed Sussannah Usselton (Book 6, page 168, Div. of Land Records, Albany, and AG 19:17). Subsequent to 1679 he owned and undoubtedly lived on a tract of land near the mouth of the Kenebec River, in the present state of Maine but then in York County, Massachusetts. A deed of Matthew Rue, dated Nov. 20, 1683, was recorded Mar 5, 1721/2 -- "Between Matthew Rew Late of Kenebeck River In Ye Province of Maine to the Eastward, Yoeman Now Resident of Staten Island In ye Province of New York on ye one Part and Richard Pateshall of Boston in New England, Merchant on the other Part." It further mentions "where Matthew Rew built his dwelling house." Matthew signed with a mark. As no wife joined in the deed, it is reasonable to assume that he was a widower. The property was located opposite Lee's Island in the Kennebec River.*

It is assumed that this Matthew was the immigrant ancestor but from whence he came has not been ascertained. Rue is a name occurring in many western European countries including England, where even a Matthew Rue is mentioned in the records of the Walloon Church at Canterbury: "Pierre du Riew son of the late Matthew, native of Lille, and Marie du Bois, widow of Francois Jaquesman, native of Canterbury, married May 18, 1685."

On Staten Island, Matthew La Rue received a grant from Govenor Dongan on Dec 23, 1685. Of course Matthew had this land before the grant, which merely confirmed title already passed, but there is no record of any deed in the land records (Book A, the earliest, is missing). Matthew died before Oct 30, 1722, as evidenced by a survey of that date referring to "Land laid out for John Rue which was due him by virtue of a grant to his father Matthew Rue formerly of Staten Island, deceased" (Staten Island deeds, Book C, p. 100). This proves that John Rue was the son of Matthew. The relationship of this John to Matthew and James Rue, obviously his contemporaries, is not clear, but it is supposed that they are brothers. In 1732 they were of the Province of Pennsylvania.

(*) York Deeds, Book 10. The writer is indebted to the late Mrs. Sarah Rue Powers, who supplied him with a copy of the deed and also pinpointed the location of the property conveyed.

Matthew married ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]