BREF HSTORYOF HENRY HOLDREN'SFAMLY t is believed that Henry Holdren was a descendant of William Holdron, a Dutch blacksmith, who lived in Harlem, New York in the mid 1600's with his wife, Elizabeth. His parents are believed to have been Hendrick (Henry) Holdren and Anna, Annaatje or Hamentje, (Decker/Dekker) Holdren. Henry was born in 1853 (some sources say 1854) in Sussex County, NJ and died on April 25, 1854 at the home of Abraham V. Kimble near Honesdale, Wayne County, PA. Church services for his funeral took place at the Presbyterian Church in Honesdale, PA at 3:00 pm on the following day. His death notice also appeared in The Democrat, a local newspaper. He is buried in Old Methodist/Episcopal Church Cemetery on the hill at the top of Chapel Street in Honesdale, Wayne County, PA. The church is no longer their, but, the cemetery still remains. A tombstone does mark his gravesite. t was placed there by the DAR, Wayne Chapter, back on June 19, 1975. Henry married Elizabeth Harris (parents unknown at this time) in July of 1791 in New York City, Manhatten, New York by Rev. Foster, a Methodist minister. Elizabeth was born on September 2, 1771 in New York and died in Madison, Chatham Township, Morris County, NJ on November 22, 1866 at the age of 95 years, 2 months ancj/20 days. She is buried in the Hillside Cemetery located on Main Street in Madison, NJ next to her grandson, Edward Harris Bruen (January 14, 1839 - December 26, 1843). Alfred F. Bruen (October 20, 1814 - March 26, 1897), her son-in-law, and Alfred's other son, David Henry Bruen (December 17, 1845 - November 14, 1913), are also buried the same family plot, but, they do not have tombstones to indicate their exact locations. Elizabeth could also be the sister of Winans H. Harris, another Revolutionary War soldier from New York. Henry and Elizabeth Holdren had a total of 9 children all born in Rahway, Union County, NJ. yet to find any kind of records pertaining to their births or baptisms. They are as follows: have 1. Sally Holdren - born in 1793 and married Simon Whitlock in 1848. 2. Henry Holdren Jr. born in 1794 and died on June 8, 1848, married Mary Polley in 1819. Mary was born in 1807 in Paupack Township, Wayne County, PA and died on November 7, 1865. They had seven children: Henry S. Holdren; Peter Holdren, born on September 20, 1833 and died on August 25, 1851; Elizabeth B. Holdren; William H. Holdren, born 1840; Winans Holdren, born in 1841 and died in the Civil War; Ruth P. Holdren, born and died in 1842 and Mary A. (Holdren) Radney, born on March 13, 1844 and died on January 17, 1931. Henry and Mary (Polley) Holdren, Peter Holdren, Winans Holdren, Ruth P. Holdren and Mary A. (Holdren) Radney are all buried at the Lakeville Cemetery, Route 590, Lakeville, Paupack Township, Wayne County, PA. 3. Richard Holdren - born in 1801, married Catherine Cramer in 1822. They had five children: Susan' Holdren, born in 1825 and married Ramah Barnet Cole in 1845; John Holdren, born in 1828, married Sarah A. Eshback in 1848 and died in 1902; Emma Jane Holdren, born in 1833; Theodore Holdren, born in 1836 and married Sarah (?) in 1852; and James Holdren, born in 1835 and died in 1838. Richard married a second time to Hannah Helm in Frankfort Township, Sussex County, NJ in 1845. They had two children: Edward B. Holdren, born in 1848 and married Caroline (?); and Harris Holdren, born in 1849. He was also living there according to the 1830 census and the 1840 census. They all moved to Big Flats, Chemung County, New York in 1849. He is also living there according to the 1850 census. n 1868, Richard Holdren moved back to Sandyston, Sussex County, NJ to run a tavern. He also ran a tavern there in 1848. 4. Winans Holdren - born in 1802. He enlisted at New York City on January 25, 1814 with his father, Henry Holdren, and his brother, Henry Holdren Jr., for the War of 1812 at age 12 and 4' 3". He was a drummer and a private for Captain Horace H. Watson's Company, Third Artillery. Hospital records reported him "unfit for service on account of disease" and was discharged on February 28, 1814. He was heard from once after the war in Mudfort (later Fort Mufflin), PA located below Philadelphia, but, apparently his family never heard from him again.
5. John Holdren - born in 1804 and married twice. His first wife could have been Rhoda Adams, daughter of Lester Adams, married in 1834. They had one child, Lester Holdren, born in 1836. His second wife was Rachael O. Case, married in 1846. They had five children: Catherine Holdren, born 1848; Sarah Holdren, born 1850; Abigail Holdren, born 1852; Amanda Holdren, born 1855; and Herman F. Holdren, born 1858. 6. Catherine Holdren - born in 1806, married Alfred F. Bruen on February 15, 1838 and died on November 21, 1899 in Schuyler, Colfax County, Nebraska. She moved out there to live with her daughter Matilda (Bruen) DeForest after Alfred died in 1897. They had six children all born in Madison, Morris County, NJ: a. Edward Harris Bruen - (January 14, 1839 - December 26, 1843) - buried in Hillside Cemetery, Madison, Morris County, NJ with his father. b. Sarah Ann Bruen - (July 20, 1840 - May 21, 1927) - a seamstress who married Joshua Kendall of New Providence, Union County, NJ on January 28, 1862 and had 8 children. She is buried in the Springfield Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Springfield, Union, NJ c. James Harvey Bruen - (December 3, 1842 - May 19, 1922) - a street car conductor in Newark, Essex County, NJ who later became a policeman; married twice, first to Mary E. Ennis on January 30, 1867 and then to Mary A. Van Wagoner on October 12, 1887. He had 5 children all from his first wife and is buried with his second wife at the Clinton Cemetery, rvington, Essex, NJ. d. Matilda (Tillie) Bruen - (November 9, 1844 - October 28, 1928) - also a seamstress who married Augustus DeForest on March 5, 1868 and moved to Colfax County, Nebraska in the early 1870's. She is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery or Evergreen Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California. e. David Henry Bruen - (December 17, 1845 - November 14, 1913) - buried in Hillside Cemetery, Madison, NJ with his father; died from Epilipsy in the NJ State Hospital; never married, little information is known about him. f. Frederick Aloysius Bruen - (July 25, 1847 - February 5, 1920) - a jeweler who moved to Newark, Essex, NJ in 1872 and married Sarah Jane Noonan, daughter of Patrick Noonan and Anne Rose Hughes of Belleville, Essex, NJ on November 9, 1872 at St. Peter's RC Church in Belleville. They had 15 children of which only 6 survived to see adulthood. He is buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Newark, NJ with his son William. His wife, Sarah Jane, is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Newark, Essex, NJ with their other two children, Lucy and John C. 7. Susan Holdren - born in 1808 and died in infancy. 8. Mary Holdren - born in 1811, married Henry Pierson or Pearson in 1830 and lived in Wayne County, PA. No further information has been found. 9. Elizabeth Holdren - born in 1816 and married John Hull, possibly of Frankfort Township, Sussex County, NJ. No further information has been found. Henry Holdren Sr. was farming in Hardyston, Sussex County, NJ in 1780 and 1781, according to tax records. He had a log house and livestock. He may have been married to a first wife during this time period which were between enlistments. Henry's military record will be discussed later in this biography. Also farming in Hardyston, Sussex County, NJ at this same time were Jacob Holdren and Daniel Holdren. t appears that Jacob Holdren was born around 1750. t is possible that one or both of these guys could also be brothers of Henry. Henry and Elizabeth Holdren moved the entire family to New York City in 1812 and lived on Governor's sland. They moved to Sussex County, NJ a bit north of the town of Montague around 1818. According to Henry they lived "two miles from the Delaware River, opposite Milford, Pike County,
PA". He was a boatman, as well as, a farmer during this time. From what can determine, he never owned any property there. can't find any records in Trenton to indicate that he did own property in this area. n late 1840, Henry and Elizabeth moved to Honesdale, Wayne County, PA to live with their son, John Holdren, whose wife died at a young age. Then in 1843, they moved back to Sussex County, NJ to live with their son, Richard, who rented land. Then in 1848, they returned to Honesdale, PA to live with their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Henry Pierson. As already mentioned, Henry died and is buried there. Elizabeth must have lived there awhile, at least until 1861, and then lived with her daughter, Catherine, and her husband Alfred F. Bruen, in Madison, NJ until her death in 1866. Henry Holdren's military record for the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 is quite impressive. Prior to 1778 he first served as a private for Captain Simeson's Company, Second Regiment, Hardyston, Sussex County, NJ. Then on May 17, 1778, he enlisted for a 9 month term as a non-commissioned officer. He served as a private in the Continental Army under Colonel srael Shrever and Captain Nathaniel Bowman's Company, Second Battalion, Second Establishment, in NJ. He fought at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778 and re-enlisted again for the duration of the war at Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth), Union County, NJ in November of 1778. n February of 1779 he was transferred back to Captain Nathaniel Bowman's Company and was designated to the light infantry company for the same regiment. He fought at the Battle of Newton in New York on August 29, 1779 under Major General John Sullivan and was held prisoner from April 20, 1780 to sometime between July, 1880 and January, 1781. He was present at the surrender (capture) Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia on October 19, 1781. Henry's name appears on the muster roll, dated March 4, 1783, for February 1783. Other sources, such as NJ in 1793, indicate that he served in the Militia for Essex County, NJ and the records from Mr. Ford Cutter, Deputy Commissioner, indicates that he served in the militia for North Amboy Township, Middlesex County, NJ. His pension record, BLW #83371-100, was issued on June 14, 1791. He received $80.00/year, certificate #8666, according to Pierce's Register 17th Report NSDAR, 1973. He was discharged either on March 3, 1783 according to his burial place card in Honesdale, PA or June 5, 1783 according to Bentley's Letter, BRM Card in Trenton. Henry received 100 acres, land warrant #8371, from the United States Government, also dated June 14, 1791 (Mss. 9903, p. 92). After he died, his wife, Elizabeth, also applied for a widow's pension, claim #25783, but, understand that she was unsuccessful in her attempts to receive more money from the government. These records are all on file in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the National Archives in Phildelphia, PA. Some of the information that she provided about their life and their family is quite interesting. Henry again enlisted as a private for a five year term on January 16, 1814 in New York City to fight in the War of 1812. He was assigned to Captain Londus L. Buck's Company on April 30, 1815 and was later tranferred to Captain Gerald D. Smith's Company, Second nfantry, on September 30, 1815. He was discharged for the final time at Sarckett's Harbor, New York on November 17, 1818. A sale application for pension to receive $8.00/month was dated April 14, 1818, Elizabethtown, Union County, NJ. He was pensioned a Revolutionary War Soldier on June 1, 1840 at the age of 84 (should be 86 or 87) according to the record. After Henry and his wife moved to Honesdale in 1840, he had sent a letter of pension transfer NJ to PA, dated February 15, 1841. t read as follows: from State of Pennsylvania County of Wayne "On this 15th day of February 1841, before me the subscriber, a justice of the peace for the said county of Wayne personally appeared Henry Holdren, who on his oath declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain Nathaniel Bowman in the regiment commissioned by Colonel Crimmins (or Cummins) as aforesaid in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the - state of New Jersey from whense he has lately pensioned; that he now resides in the state of Pennsylvania where he intends to remain and wishes his pensions to be thus payable in the future. The following are his reasons for removing from the state of New Jersey to the state of Pennsylvania.
n the state of New Jersey, he and his wife lived by themselves alone in a very poor, old house which was likely to fall over. He had to bring water about 200 yards all the way up hill. He had to carry his wood and hay by hand. Having a son in the state of Pennsylvania by the name of John Holdren, whose wife was dead, who offered him a house, he concluded to accept it and did so accordingly where he finds himself much more comfortable". Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me Theodore Sprangessburg Justice of the Peace Signed Henry Holdren
BRUEN FAMLY TREE - (as of April 1993) John Bruen - (1560 - January 1, 1625) Obadiah Bruen - (baptized December 25, 1606-1681) Sara or Sarah ( ) Bruen - (1609 - March 25, 1684) John Bruen - (June 2, 1646-1695) Esther or Ester (lawrence) Bruen - (June 1, 1651 - before 1696) ---------------- Deac.on Richard lawrence Joseph Bruen - (1677 - February 1, 1753) ( ) Bruen - David Bruen - (1715 - January 9, 1795) Phobe (Wood) Bruen - (1720 - August ii, 1754) u_u u Captain Christopher Wood Phobe Johns/Johnes Joseph Bruen - (August 15, 1746 - January ii, 1822) Rachel (Carter) Bruen - (December 18, 1748 - December ii, 1824) -------------- Benjamin Carter Sarah ( ) Carter Alexander Bruen - (January 17, 1779 - May 7, 1857) Matilda (Bonnel) Bruen - (February ii, 1784 - November 26, 1860) -------------- Jonathan Bonnel Mary (Burnet) Bonnel Alfred F. Bruen - (October 20, 1814 - March 26, 1897) Catherine (Holdren/Haldren) Bruen - (1808 - November 21, 1899) u Henry Holdren Elizabeth (Harris) Holdren Frederick Aloysius Bruen - (July 25, 1847 - February 20, 1920) Sarah Jane (Noonan) Bruen - (April 7, 1855-57? - March 6, 1925) --------------- Patrick Noonan. Anne Rose (Hughes) Noonan Ann Cecilia (Bruen) Fillhower Reister - (December 1, 1878 - February 4, 1952) Henry George Fillhower - (November,1873 - July 30, 1918) n August Faulhaber/Fillhower Anne (Nordhoff) Fillhower Josephine Eleanor (Fillhower/Phi!hower) Heinle - (April 29, 1907 - LVNG) John Edward Heinle - (May 23, 1881 - October 31, 1968) ----------------------- William Heinle Anna (Brady) Heinle Joan Eileen (Heinle) Sass - (December 5, 1931 - LVNG) John Sass - (January 26, 1923 - LVNG) u u u_ Andrew Sass (Andrzej Sas) Victoria (Pula) Sass John Andrew Sass - (September 18, 1956 - LVNG) AND Jennifer Mary (Sass) Kelm - (May 2, 1964 - LVNG) Paul John Kelm - (March 1, 1964 - LVNG) Paul John Kelm Jr. - (September 17, 1992 - LVNG) u : u u Robert Paul Kelm Grace Marie (Burns) Kelm