23 December 2018

Benjamin Schoonover

BENJAMIN SCHOONOVER  he was born 23 Oct 1781 (bible record G. Schoonover 1837)  in Smithfield Township, which was Northampton Co then. His parents Rudolph Schoonover 1758-1828 & Hannah Hyndshaw 1758-1829 owned the first grist mill in Bushkill before the Revolution. They had Benjamin baptized at the Walpack church in Walpack, NJ on 25 May 1783. The family is of Dutch/Holland descent and trace their parent ancestors to Henrick Van Schoonhoven arriving in the USA before 1652. 

The families started living in N.Y. and spreading out across the USA. The next generation dropped the Van from the surname and can be seen in records as Schoonhoven. It was the 1st Rudolph Schoonover that moved into Smithfield Township in about 1750s. Interesting notes: James Hyndshaw record says " In 1752 James was a witness to the will of Redolphus Schoonoven of Lower Smithfield." This was the father of Rudolphus Schoonover who married Hanna Hyndshaw, the daughter of James Hyndshaw. He also served in the Revolutionary as a private in the 5th & 6th Battalions, Northampton County Militia-in Capt. Johannis Van Etten's Co. 6th Battalion, May 14, 1778, and 5th Battalion, 1780,81,82. There was a mention of Rudolph in the Dansbury Diaries Moravian Travel Diaries 1748-1755; The Schoonoven (Schoonover) family resided in the Walpack area of
New Jersey and received the ministerial attention from the Dansbury
preachers. The families of three brothers-- Nicholas, Henry, and Rudolph-- were hospitable to the Moravian messengers, even though they had been reared in the Dutch Reformed tradition.


Benjamin married Sep.1805 Elizabeth Swartout she was born 20 Dec 1785 and died on 5 May 1857. Her parents were Bernardus and R. VanEtten Swartout. Her family also has Revolutionary veterans. Their surname can found spelled in a number of ways; Swartwout Swartout & Swartwoods. They have children; Simon, Samuel, John S., Catherine, Jane, George, Sarah, Hannah & William. Benjamin died 11 Feb. 1887 in Bushkill, Pa. he and Elizabeth and their daughter Catherine are buried in the Schoonover plot or Indian Cemetery located along the Hogback road aka Freeman tract road.
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