24. (i.) JOHN HETTY READ³, was born 16 December 1791 in Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey, and died 14 August 1862 in Warren County, New Jersey.

25. (ii.) ELIZABETH READ,³, was born by 1795; died after 1807, but before 1862.

26. (iii.) DAUGHTER READ³, was born by 1795; died before 1807.

27. (iv.) UNKNOWN READ³, was born by 1795; died before 1807.

James Read was the second child and second son of Joseph and Sarah Read (Chase n.d.; Ellis 1997). James resided in Knowlton Township, Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey. He married Mehitable Coleman (Chase n.d.:50). They had at least two children, John Hetty Read, who was born in 1791 (Union Brick Cemetery) and Elizabeth Read (Sussex County Surrogate Court Records, hereinafter SCSCR, Minutes Liber A-1, folio 114). Stewart (1998) suggests that there were at least two other children, one of whom was a girl. Both of these children were probably dead by 1807. as they do not appear in guardianship proceedings for the children of James Read (SCSCR Letters of Administration and Guardianship Liber A, folio 71; SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 119).

In 1792, James, and his brother, Isaac Read, acted as estate administrators for their parents (SCSCR Wills Liber 34, folio 168, 185; SCSCR File 537S, 538S; Hutchinson 1942:293). James died intestate in 1794. He was about thirty years old. His estate was admitted for probate on 23 October 1794, under the name of James Reed. It was administered by Esther Reed, Thomas Hazen, and Isaac Lanning. Hezekiah Philips acted as a bondsman for the estate (SCSCR Liber 35, folio 181; Hutchinson 1942:293). The estate was inventoried on 20 October 1794 by Abraham Swisher and Nicholas Dennis. Total value of the estate was £421.16.8 (SCSCR File 608S; Hutchinson 1942:293).

In February 1807, John and Elizabeth Read, the minor children of James and Mehitable Read, both petitioned the Surrogate Court of Sussex County to appoint guardians for their person and estate until they came of age. Two of the children's uncles were appointed as guardians. Samuel Read, the younger brother of James, was assigned the guardianship of John Read. Samuel's bond was set at $1,600.00 (SCSCR Letters of Administration and Guardianship Liber A, folio 71; SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 114). John Coleman of Morris County, New Jersey, the brother of Mehitable Read, was appointed as the guardian of Elizabeth Read. John Coleman's bond was set at $1,800.00 (SCSCR Letters of Administration and Guardianship Liber A, folio 71; SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 119). This may be the John Coleman who appears in the 1830 United States Federal Census as a resident of Chester, Morris County, New Jersey (page 17).

During the same court term in 1807, Isaac Lanning, the administrator of James Read's estate, appeared before the Sussex County Surrogate Court. Lanning had been the administrator of the estate of James Read for a little over 12 years when he appeared before the court. Lanning petitioned the court for an order to sell "certain land tenements herediaments and real estate in the county of Sussex" in order to pay the estate debts, as the value of the personal estate was insufficent to cover these debts (SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 114). I interpret this petition to mean that the money arising from the sale of James Read's personal estate in 1794 had been completely depleted by 1807. Both John and Elizabeth Read, the heirs-at-law of James Read, were still minors. John was 15 years old in February 1807, Elizabeth's age is unknown. As the children were too young to sell any of the land on their own, the administrator of the estate would have to sell the property for them, and then only with the court's permission. The sale of the land would provide cash to support the children. The Surrogate Court issued an order for all persons who could show cause as to why the land should not be sold to appear before the court at the May 1807 term (SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 114). As no one appeared before the court to argue againist the sale of the land, the surrogate issued an order for the sale of an undivided one ninth interest in a tract of land laying in Knowlton and Hardwick Townships in Sussex County. This tract contained 200 acres and was in the possession of Isaac Read (the children's uncle) in May 1807 (SCSCR Minutes Liber A-1, folio 124). By the February 1808 term of the Surrogate Court, Isaac Lanning had sold the tract. There was a balance of $63.77 remaining after all the debts of the estate had been paid (SCSCR Minutes liber A-1, folio 183).