John Rude ¹

  General Notes:

From Norma M. Shepherd:

"It is likely that John came to Washington Co., Pa between 1773-1777 with his brother Samuel in the Demas LINDLEY group of 20+ families that traveled from Morris Co., NJ. In October 1780 John purchased 400 acres "Rude's Intent" from Joseph LINDLEY in Amwell Twsp. in Washington Co., PA warranted February 5, 1785. Surveyed October 11th, 1785. Patented January 6, 1786. John RUDE and his wife Sarah appear to have given or sold 1/2 of their land, 200 acres to their son Jacob by 1783 when he is taxed for this amount of land. The following year they sold another 75 acres of the original 400 acres in Amwell Twsp., Washington Co., PA to John MCVAUGH (MCVAY), leaving then 125 acres. Two of John MCVAY'S sons, Lewis and Luther married daughters of John RUDE. Neither was Edward who was a third son. According to "The History of Washington County, Pennsylvania," Amwell and Morris Townships were orginally settled by groups of families from Morris Co., NJ. Orginally both were Amwell until March 13th, 1788 when Morris Twsp. was erected out of Amwell. After the township was split, the RUDES, MCVAYS, WINGETS, AXTELLS, LIKNDLEYS, BABBITTS, PARKHURSTS and tohers were in Morris Township. The book states, "Demas LINDLEY with his family came (to southwestern PA.) in 1773 to settle west of the Monongahela (River), in the section of country which afterwards became Washington County, and with him came about twenty other families, all from New Jersey, and nearly all from the (co)nty of Morris... Like the RUDES, Demas and Joseph LINDLEY with many others of their respectives families were also a natives of Morris Co., New Jersey. LINDLEY and John COOK led several other expeditions in the years 1774-1780. In 1790, John (or possibly his son John RUDE, Jr. b. ca. 1768) is found listed as a constable for Fayette Co., PA. Interestingly, John's grandfather and namesake, John RUDE, Sr. was a constable in Preston, CT over 100 years earlier. In 1798 John is taxed for 83 acres in Morris Twsp. valued at $303.75. This means that sometime between 1786 and 1798 he has sold another 42 acres to someone else, perhaps to give his other sons money for land in Ohio. In 1800, John was enumerated in Morris Twsp., Washington Co., PA. By 1800, his son, John RUDE, Jr. had already left PA. with his family and is found listed as a taxpayer in Newton Twsp., in Washington Co., Ohio. We know that the John RUDE listed in PA. in 1800 was John RUDE, Sr. because he is given as a male over the age 45 where as his son John, Jr. was only about age 32 at this time. The Samuel RUDE in Morris Twsp., Washington Co., PA. in 1800 (pg 821) must be his sone because his olest boys already in Ohio and this Samuel is age 16-26 with a wife and two children under the age 10. Besides son Samuel, John and Sarah still have another two sons age 16-26 (00201-0001) living in their household in 1800. Since John's oldest sons Jacob and John, Jr. were already married and living in Ohio by 1800, John must have had a total of five sons: Jacob, John Jr., Samuel and the last two still unmarried and age 16-26 living in his home in 1800. These sons could possibly be Abner and Squire RUDE who are later found in Springfield Twsp., in Hamilton Co., Ohio and whose dates of birth (1785-1787) could fit the sone still living in John's household in 1800 being 16-26. Some researchers believe, however, that Squire and Abner were sons of Abner RUDE of Morris Co., NJ, a son of Caleb. The Noah RUDE found in 1820 in Spencer Co., Indiana and in Edgar Co., IL. by 1830 may also be a son oh John. Thomas, Jefferson and Peter RUDE who were in Clinton Co., Ohio before 1820 might also be sons of John or his brother Samuel. John was closely tied to his brother Samuel RUDE in New Jersey and later in Washington Co., PA. It would be only natural that John would name a son after this brother. Mona ROOD'S book says that John died and is buried in Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Prosperity, PA. This nedds to be researched further. Samuel's daughter Phoebe married Luther WINGET, Sr., a son of Caleb WINGET, who lived near the RUDES (Samuel and perhaps John) in Morris Co., NJ and later in Morris Twsp. in Washington Co., PA. Caleb WINGET also had a son Daniel WINGET whose daughter married Lewis MCVAY, a son of Isaac MCVAY. This Isaac MCVAY married Mary RUDE, a daughter of John RUDE. Another daughter of John, Sarah, married John J. MCVAY, a brother of Isaac. Thus two MCVAY brothers, Isaac and John, sons of John MCVAY, Sr., married two RUDE daughters, Mary and Sarah, of John and Sarah. A son of Isaac and Mary, Lewis MCVAY married Ruth WINGET whose uncle (brother of her father Daniel) married Phoebe RUDE, daughter of Samuel RUDE. Got it? (it took me a while to figure this one out.

More about John Rude, Sr.:
1. 1740: John is born in or near Mendham in Morris Co., NJ.
2. January 21, 1762, John is mentioned in town records of Pequannock Twsp. Morris Co., NJ. (bk. 11, part 1).
3. 1741-1768, "Ear Marks and Strays Posted," for "a some gray horse colt coming two years old no brand mark perceavable.
4. 1766-1768: March 13, 1766, John is mentioned in Early Records of Mendham Twsp., Morris Co., NJ by Helen Wright, 1964, pg. 78.
5. 1773-1766: John domes to PA from NJ with his brother Samuel and Demas LINDLEY party and other NJ families.
6. 1780: October 1780, John and Sarah buy 400 acres in Amwell Twsp., in Washington Co., PA.
7. 1781: John is listed as an inhabitant of Washginton Co., PA.
8. 1783: John is taxed for 200 acres in Amwell Twsp., Amwell was split into Morris Twsp. on March 13, 1788.
9. 1784: John is listed on the Assessment Roll for Amwell Twsp., Washington Co.,
PA.
10. 1785: February 5, 1785, "Rude's Intent: is warranted.
11. 1786: January 9, 1786, John patents "Rude's Intent" 400 acres in Morris Twsp.in Washington Co., PA. Joseph LINDLEY later acquires this land.
12. 1790: John (or his son John Jr.) is listed as being a Constable in Fayette Co., PA.
13. 1795: October 6, 1795, John and his wife Sarah sell 75 acres in Amwell Twsp. to John MCVAY.
14. 1798" Morris Twsp., Washington Co., PA. Tax List (Ref. E144) with 83 acres (60P?) value 303.75.
15. 1800: PA. Census: Morris Twsp., Washington Co., PA.
16. 1814: John dies at about age 74 in Newton Twsp., Washington Co., Ohio."

John married Sarah Benger, daughter of Stephen Benger and Hannah Evans. (Sarah Benger was born about 1740 in Burbage, Wiltshire, England ² and died on 8 Jan 1816 ².)