Benjamin HULL ⁸⁹²

  General Notes:

Colonial Families of the United States of America: Volume 3
[p.258] ISSUE

CAPT. BENJAMIN HULL, b. 24th Mar. 1638-39, in Hingham, Mass.; d. after 1700. Settled at Portsmouth, N. H. In 1688 the settlement at Piscataway, N. J., was made, and Capt. Benjamin HULL then removed from Portsmouth. He and his brother, Hopewell, were among the original Carteret grantees. He was yeoman, tavern-keeper, Justice, and Military Officer, and a prominent colonist. m. 1668, Rachel YORKE, dau. of Richard YORKE, of Portsmouth, N. H.

These town records offer some curious and interesting contributions to our knowledge of the beginning of things at Piscataway. From them we learn that Benjamin Hull, the first inn-keeper, figured in the two very different roles of judge and transgressor. Notwithstanding his occupation, in December, 1692, as foreman of the grand jury he indicted several persons for drunkenness and breach of Sabbath; while in June, 1694, he, himself, was "presented by ye grand jury for keeping and allowing gaming at Cards, and Bowle and pins at his house."

THE OLD, FAMOUS BENJAMIN HULL
TAVERN OF PISCATAWAY
(Vide, ante, this PART, p. 735.)
CAPTAIN BENJAMIN HULL, the First, of PISCATAWAY was given a license "to keep an Ordinary at New Piscataway, Sept. 2, 1678," (ARCH., Vol. XXI, p. 42), and subsequent records show that this was a continuous, famous hostelry for succeeding generations, many years.

Does not the following indicate that in 1751 it was still standing and the stone building was the original tavern?


1751
"TO be sold at publick Vendue, on Tuesday, the first Day of October next, two good Dwelling-Houses, with the Land thereunto belonging, in Piscattaway in East-New-Jersey: One is a good large Stone-House, formerly belonging to BENJAMIN HULL, and lately to Israel Folsom, SITUATE TWO MILES AND A HALF FROM NEW-BRUNSWICK, ON THE HIGH ROAD TO WOODBRIDGE, THE OTHER IS ADJOINING, AND LATELY BELONGED TO PHINEAS POTTER, AND HAS BEEN A NOTED TAVERN FOR SEVERAL YEARS; there are good Orchards adjoining to both Places, with about 20 Acres of good land: Also about 100 Acres of Land, one Mile back, of which 20 Acres is cleared, and the rest all Wood-land: The Houses are within three Quarters of a Mile of a Landing, and both or either very convenient for a Merchant, Tavern, or Tradesman, and will be sold all together or separate as may be agreed on, at the Day of Sale. Any Person inclining to purchase before the Time of Sale, may apply to Timothy Conner, now living on the Premisses, and know the Title and Conditions of Sale.--The N. Y. Gazette Revived in the Weekly Post Boy, Sept. 2, 1751."
(New Jersey Archives, First Ser., Vol. XIX, pp. 97-8.)

He, with his brother, HOPEWELL HULL, were the prominent FIRST SETTLERS and GRANTEES of Piscataway. Their brother, SAMUEL HULL, came soon--all from Piscataqua, N. H., the sons of the REV. JOSEPH HULL.

CAPTAIN BENJAMIN HULL, was bapt. Mar. 22, 1639, at Hingham, Mass., and received his title of Captain for services in the Colonial Wars of N. H., (Soc. of Col. Wars, Reg., 1922, p. 258), where he was in Captain Robert Mason's troop of horse. He m. Rachel Yorke, dau. of Richard Yorke, of Dover, (vide, ante, PART THREE, p. 442, and many refs., ante, this SERIES).

He was the father of ENSIGN BENJAMIN HULL of Piscataway, (1680-1732), who m. in 1704, SARAH DRAKE, (1686-17--), (vide, ante, this PART, p. 602). This is emphasized for the interesting record, in PROCS., (N. J. Hist. Soc. n.s., Vol. XIII, p. 286), where in 1683 "the Indian Cowaukeen, professing great affection for BENJAMIN HULL and his son, BENNIE," and, showing, that BENJAMIN HULL was a "half a mile above Raritan Landing in 1679," with Doctor Greenland, John Langstaff, and John Smalley, as neighbors at The Landing.

Benjamin married Rachel YORKE in 1667 in Oyster River, Strafford Co., New Hampshire, USA. (Rachel YORKE was born in 1647 in Dover Neck, , New Hampshire, USA.)