Joshua Waterhouse
"Joshua Waterhouse came to this country about 1730 from Yorkshire, England, and first settled in Bucks County, Pa. Here he was a fuller and cloth finisher. Later he removed to Hunterdon County, New Jersey, where he took up several hundred acres." So says the account of him in a Waterhouse genealogy of 1934, contributed by John W. Lequear, a descendant.
A fuller finished woollen cloth after it came off the loom. The cloth was soaked and beaten in water, often at a water-driven fulling mill, until it shrank, thickened and felted, and then it was stretched and dressed.
He married Elizabeth Ingham, the daughter of another fuller, Jonas Ingham, who had a fulling trade in Bucks County and later at Kingwood. Jonas thought well of his son-in-law. His will of 1753 made Joshua his executor and residuary legatee, the man who received whatever was left after the other bequests.
In 1746 Joshua bought land of George Fox Sr., a mile east of the Kingwood tavern, in Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He built a house there that year on what is now the Kingwood-Locktown Road. In 1763 he bought another 247 acres. A book of 1957, Traditions of Hunterdon, printed a photograph of the house with the caption "Original residence of Joshua Waterhouse and Elizabeth Ingham, erected 1746." It was "one of the few in the area that was never remodeled."
He was part of the neighbourhood's business. In 1754 and 1760 he witnessed and appraised the wills of the Fox family together with Richard Green of Amwell. His son Henry later married Richard Green's daughter Elizabeth.
He and Elizabeth had a large family. The sons were Ambrose, born in 1739, Jonas, Henry, John, Hezekiah, Ingham and William, who became a Baltimore merchant and died in 1807. The daughters were Elizabeth, who married Samuel Green, Mary and Alice. Others died young.
He made his will on 29 September 1772. "1772, Sept. 29. Waterhouse, Joshua, of Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., yeoman; will of. Wife, Elizabeth, use of house and some goods. Son, Ambrose, 100 acres of my plantation. Son, Jonas, 100 acres. Son, Henry, 100 acres. ... Son, Hezekiah, £70. Son, Ingham, £90, when he is of age. Son, William, £80, when of age. Daughter, Elizabeth Green, £20. Daughter, Mary Waterhouse, £30. Grandson, Jonathan Bercroff, £5. Son, Jonas, is to provide for his mother. ... Proved Oct. 27, 1772." The inventory of his estate came to £596.17.9.
He died between the making of the will and its proof on 27 October 1772. The 1934 genealogy gives his death as 1 October 1773, a year after the will was proved.
Children
Sources
If Joshua Waterhouse is in your family, start your own tree.
Cite: Heirology, "Joshua Waterhouse (d. 1772)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/joshua-waterhouse-1772-27dd24.