Copyright 1999, Esther Doyle Read

Updated 29 March 2004

READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS

JOSEPH M. READ³

72. JOSEPH M. READ³ (David Read I², Joseph Read¹) was born 19 February 1813 in Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey and died 11 April 1898 (Kern 1938). He married between 1850 and 1857, Mary Jane Lawrence, the daughter of Jane Lawrence. Mary Jane was born circa 1829 (1850 and 1860 United States Federal Census; Kern 1938).

CHILDREN OF JOSEPH M. AND MARY JANE READ:

318. (i.) JERUSHA READ⁴, was born circa 1857 in New Jersey, died possibly between 1860 and 1870. She was a resident of her parents household in 1860, but not in 1870 (1860 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey; 1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 182A, 16 August 1870).

319. (ii.) IZETTA READ⁴, was born 4 May 1862 in New Jersey and died 23 March 1943 (St John's Methodist Church yard). In 1870, she lived with her parents in Hope Township and attended school (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 182A, 16 August 1870). Izetta was still at home in 1880, she was finished with his schooling and worked on the farm with her father (1880 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 199, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 413D, 4 June 1880). Izetta married circa 1883 William S. Mericle, the son of Nathan and Hester Mericle (1910 United States Census, Enumeration District 131, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 2B, 18 April 1910; Latter Day Saints Batch #C50981). He was born 4 July 1858, in New Jersey and died 12 May 1915 (St. John's Methodist Church Yard). In 1900, William and Izetta lived on a farm in Hope Township. The couple rented the farm. Their only child, Viola Mericle lived wih them; as did Alfred Burge. Alfred was a farm laborer. He was born May 1878 in New Jersey (1900 United States Census, Enumeration District 189, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 8B, 17 April 1900). In 1910, the Mericles lived on the Bridgeville Road in Hope Township, Warren County. They were still renting their house. William worked as a laborer on local farms. The census indicates that Izetta and William had been married for 26 years and had one child. There was a boarder living in the household named Wiliam H. Titus. He was born in Pennsylvania circa 1881. He did not know where his parents were born and gave the United States as their place of birth. William Titus was also a farm laborer (1910 United States Census, Enumeration District 131, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 16A, 11 May 1910). After William's death in 1915, Izetta continued to live in Hope. The 1920 census places her in the town of Hope. She owned her home free and clear of all mortgages. She supported her self by baking (1920 United States Census, Enumeration District 159, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 7B, 19 January 1920). The 1929 History and Directory of Warren County New Jersey lists "Iztta Mericle " as a housekeeper who resided in Hope (Shampanore 1929:11P). By 1930, Izetta was working as a housekeeper for a private family. She still lived in Hope and she still owned her own home, which was valued at $1,500 (1930 United States Census, Enumeration District 21-11, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 2B, 3 April 1930). Izetta still lived in Hope in March 1939 when her brother died. She was listed as his only surviving sibling in his obituary (Blairstown Press, 9 March 1939). Izetta died four years later, in March 1943. She was buried with William in St. John's of Hope United Methodist Church Yard (also known as the "Old Moravian Cemetery"), Hope, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Child of Izetta Read and William Mericle:

320. (iii.) WILLIAM L. READ⁴, was born August 1863 in Warren County, New Jersey, probably in Hope Township and died 1 March 1939 in Warren Hospital, Warren County, New Jersey. In 1870, he lived with his parents in Hope Township and attended school (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 182A, 16 August 1870). William was still at home in 1880, he was finished with his schooling and worked on the farm with his father (1880 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 199, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 413D, 4 June 1880). He married circa 1890, Etna Bellis, the daughter of Jonathan L. and Ellen Bellis. Etna was born June 1867 in Pennsylvania and died 1924 (Reuther n.d.). In 1870, she lived in Hope Township with her parents, several siblings (Daniel (age 19), Sarah (age 17), John (age 12), and Mary Ann (age 8)), and Elizabeth Hartman and her two children (Andrew F. (age 10) and Emma (age 7)). According to the census, Etna was 3 in 1870 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Twonship, Warren County, New Jersey, page 176A, 3 August 1870, post office Belvidere). The 1900 United States Federal Census places William and Etna in Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey. They were living with Etna's mother, Ellen Bellis. They did not have children (1900 United States Census, Vol. 67, E.D. 184, sheet I, lines 34 and 35). William and Etna had been married 19 years when the 1910 census was enumerated. William was employed as a laborer. They resided in Marksboro in a rented home. The couple did not have children (1910 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 125, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 9B, 3 May 1910). In 1920, William and Etta were still residents of Marksboro and were still renting their home. William was a laborer on local farms. There were no children listed in the household in 1920 (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 153, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 4A, January 1920). By 1930, William was a widower. He lived alone in a rented house in Marksboro. His rent was $6. He did not own a radio. William was still working in 1930. He was employed as a building painter (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 21-6, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 1B, 14 April 1930). In 1934, William left his farm and moved into the Warren County Welfare Home in Townsbury, Independence Township. He died approximately five years later on 1 March 1939 in Warren Hospital. He was buried Friday, 3 March 1939 in Cedar Ridge Cemetery. His obituary appeared in the Blairstown Press on 9 March 1939:

321. (iv.) HARRIET READ⁴, was born 25 October 1864 in Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey (LDS Batch #C509811) and died before 1 March 1939. She is listed as a resident of her parents household on both the 1870 and 1880 United States Federal Census. She attended school in 1880 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 182A, 16 August 1870; 1880 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 199, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 413D, 4 June 1880). She is not listed as a survivor in the obituary of her brother William Read, who died on 1 March 1939 (Blairstown Press, 9 March 1939).

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Joseph was the fourth child and third son of David Read and Anna Middlesworth. He was born 19 February 1813 (Kern 1938). He is named as a minor child in a petition presented to the Orphans Court in June 1832. The petition was presented by his brother-in-law, John Cummins, Sr. It asked that the court appoint a committee to divide the real estate of Joseph's father, the late David Read of Hope, who had died intestate. The court ordered David's 160 acre farm divided into six equal parts between Joseph and his five surviving brothers and sisters: Isaac, Sallie, Ellen, and Jackson Read and Lavina Cummins (Warren County Surrogate Court Records, hereinafter WCSCR, Orphans Court Minutes, Book 1, page 236).

Joseph appears on the 1850 United States Federal Census (page 435) as a resident of Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey. He was listed as the head of household. Living in the household were Amanda King and two children named Jeremiah and Ann. In the first edition of Read Family connections I interpreted the census to mean that Amanda was Joseph's wife and that the children were their children. However, I now interpret the census to mean that Amanda King was a widow with two children, who was living in Joseph's household. She may have acted as his housekeeper. In checking through other 1850 census entries, I have noted that individuals with a similar surname are grouped together. For instance, the entry for Joseph's brother Isaac S. Read lists:

Read, Isaac
Emma
Ann
Stone, Louisa

Emma was Isaac's daughter and Ann was his mother. Louisa Stone was the family's domestic. In the case of Joseph's household in 1850, the entry is as presented in table 1:

Table 1: Household of Joseph Read in 1850
1850 United States Federal Census
Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 435.

Name	Age	Sex	Birthplace
Read, Joseph M.	33	M	NJ
King, Amanda	30	F	NJ
Jeremiah	10	M	NJ
Ann	7	F	NJ

If the children were Joseph's they should have been listed directly after Joseph, not after Amanda King. This leads me to believe that Jeremiah and Ann's surname was King and that they were the children of Amanda King, who was an unrelated individual living in Joseph's household.

In 1850, Joseph's occupation was listed as farmer. He owned $5,000 worth of real estate. The children, Jeremiah and Ann King both attended school that year. The household was visited on 11 September 1850, they were the 715^th dwelling and the 747^th family ennumerated. Joseph's mother Ann Read, his brother Isaac Read and his sister Lavina Cummins lived close by. Ann and Isaac lived in house number 712 (family number 745) and Lavina was in house number 709 (family number 742).

Joseph married Mary Jane Lawrence after the 1850 census was taken (Kern 1938). The marriage took place before before 1857, as their first daughter Jerusha was born in that year. Mary Jane was born circa 1829 in New Jersey. She appears on the 1850 United States Census as a single, 21 year old female living with her mother Jane Lawrence (age 48) in Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey. By 1860, Joseph's household consisted of his wife, their daughter and his mother-in-law. Amanda King and her children no longer lived in the household. Joseph lived in Hope Township. He was a farmer and possessed $9,000 worth of real estate. His personal estate was worth $1,000. According to the census neither Joseph nor Mary Jane could read or write. The household was visited on 30 June 1860. It was the 100^th dwelling and 99^th family numerated.

Table 2: Household of Joseph and Mary Jane Read in 1860
1860 United States Federal Census
Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 15.

Name	Age	Sex	Birthplace
Read, Joseph	40	M	NJ
Read, Mary Jane	28	F	NJ
Read, Jerusha	3	F	NJ
Lawrence, Jane	57	F	NJ

By 1870, Joseph had changed his profession. He is listed as a miller on the census. Local historian Frank Dale places Joseph's grist mill on the banks on Muddy Brook in an areas of Hope Township known as Feebletown (Dale 2003). The 1874, F.W. Beers County Atlas of Warren County New Jersey shows the location of the mill, as well as the farms of Joseph's brother's Isaac S. and Martin F. Read (see figure to right). In July of 1999, I visited the area depicted on the map. The mill is no longer standing. However, traces of stone walls or fences were still visible in wooded areas off of the highway.

The family was still residing in Hope Township when the 1880 census was taken. Joseph is listed as a farmer, not as a miller. However, the census was probably partially in error, as Joseph appears in the 1887 Weaver and Kern Warren County History and Directory, as a miller in Hope Township. However, Joseph probably did some farming as two of his children, Izetta and William, worked on the family farm. Joseph's wife Mary Jane was still living in 1880. The census indicates that she was keeping house, but that she was "deranged". The family was visited on 4 June 1880 and was house number 3 (1880 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 4). The family consisted of:

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