Library & Archives

Manuscript Collections

Collection 16

Conover Family

Papers, 1700-1897

Processed by

Doris K. Handzo

Edited by

Gregory J. Plunges

Monmouth County Historical Association
70 Court Street
Freehold, New Jersey 07728

January 1981

INTRODUCTION

The papers in this collection are those of the descendents of Albert Couvenhoven. He was born on December 7, 1676 and lived in Flatlands, NY. He was a descendent of Wolfert Gerretse Van Kouwenhoven who came from Holland in 1630.

Albert Couvenhoven married twice -- first to Neeltje Schenck and then to Annetje Wyckoff. He had twelve children. The family were communicants of Brick Church, Marlboro, NJ in 1709. Three of his sons are important to this collection. Cornelius A. Covenhoven was born on October 29, 1728 and died on January 23, 1802. His first wife was Antje Williamson. His second wife was Mary Logan, whom he married on July 12, 1770. His son, Cornelius C. Conover, was born May 18, 1771 and died December 20, 1814.

Garret Covenhoven, son of Albert, was born June 12, 1721. He married Sarah Van Voorhees on November 18, 1742. He had a second wife named Eleanor.

Albert Couvenhoven's son, William Albertse Couvenhoven (1702 March 2 - 1790), settled in Freehold. He married Elizabeth Van Cleef who was baptized on May 19, 1705. It was he who, in 1752-53, built the main part of the Covenhoven House on Main St., Freehold, NJ. This property is presently owned by the Monmouth County Historical Association. He may have employed the same builder who built Old Tennent Church.

There are several other names mentioned prominently in this collection. Among these are William Lawrence, Jr. and Peter Le Counte (Le Conte, Lacount). William L. Lawrence, Jr. (1688 Nov 5 - 1729) was the son of William L. Lawrence, Sr., and the grandson of William L. Lawrence I, an Englishman who came to America in 1661. Lawrence served as a Collector in Monmouth County. He married Mercy Hartshorne and had six children.

Peter Le Counte (1702? - 1768 January 29) was the son of William Le Counte (1659 - 1720) who emigrated from Rouen, Normandy, to Martinique in 1685 after Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes. He married Margaret de Valleau and moved to New Rochelle, New York. Their second child was Peter who became a medical doctor and a resident of Monmouth County as early as 1734. He married Valeria Eatton and had three children.

DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

The collection consists primarily of deeds, wills, cash accounts by executors of wills and loans of money. There are miscellaneous items, such as a letter to Cornelius Conover asking for overdue payment for a female slave. The collection also includes genealogical research notes on the Conover family.

PROVENANCE:

Miss Ellen S. Conover, Freehold, NJ,, 1931

G. R. Conover, 1932.

RESTRICTIONS: None.

SIZE OF COLLECTION: 54 items

SERIES DESCRIPTION

1. Legal Documents. 1700 May 17 - 1841 September 7.
22 items. Arranged chronologically.

Primarily deeds to land in Monmouth County. The earliest deed, between John Bowne and Albert Couvenhoven, has a surveyor's map in Dutch. Also included are the will of Garret Covenhoven and accounts of the settling of the will of Cornelius C. Conover.

2. Financial Documents. 1750/51 March 15 - 1825 February 26; n.d.
25 items. Arranged chronologically

Contains bonds for loans of money and a few miscellaneous transactions. Several of the loans are between William and Cornelius Covenhoven and their bothers and brothers-in-law for money borrowed at the time William was building his house in Freehold. Four of the papers included are concerned with payment for slaves [1752 July 29, 1751/2; 1809 Sep 15; 1813 July 23]. There is also a financial account of horsetrading by William and Sidney Conover.

3. Literary Productions. 1885 - 1897 July 1; 3 n.d.
7 items. Arranged chronologically

These papers are genealogical notes on the Covenhoven family including a description of the family burying ground in Brooklyn. There is also a hand-drawn map of Atlantic Township (now Colts Neck) showing the location of a Conover homestead.

CONTAINER LIST

BOX # / FOLDER # / CONTENTS

1 / 1 / Legal Documents. 1700 May 17 - 1841 September 7. 22 items

1 / 2 / Financial Documents. 1750/51 March 15 - 1825 February 26; n.d. 25 items

1 / 3 / Literary Productions. 1885 - 1897 July 1; 3 n.d. 7 items

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beekman, George C. Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County. Freehold, NJ : Moreau Brothers, 1901.

Stillwell, John C. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany, Vol. 3 New York: The Author, 1914

Wickes, Stephen. History of Medicine in New Jersey and its Medical Men, from the Settlement of the Province to AD 1800. Newark, NJ : Martin R. Dennis & Co., 1879

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