The first Pharo known in New Jersey, came from England, in the year 1678, and was among the first settlers in Burlington, after it was decided by the purchasers of Byllynges trustees to establish a city at that place. "On the 10th day of December, 1678, the ship Shield came from Hull, commanded by Daniel Towns; she came to Burlington, being the first vessel that came so far up the Delaware river. The next morning after she arrived, the Delaware river was found to be frozen over, and the passengers came ashore on the ice." Among the passengers of the adventurous Shield, was James Pharo, wife and children. They came from Lincolnshire, England. Timothy Pharo, Sr., made a record in his Bible as follows. "The Pharos (meaning James Pharo's children) were born near the great Minster, in the city of Lincolnshire, Old England." James Pharo's wife's name was Ann. The children were Jarvis Pharo, born the 31st day of May, 1675, Amos Pharo, born the 12th day of January, 1677, and Ann, born the 21st day of February, 1678; all born in England, before the departure of the said James Pharo to this country. The Pharos say that Jarvis Pharo had but one child, and that Amos never married, and also that the above-named children were all of the children of the first James Pharo; but there must be a mistake in some one of these statements, or else there were other Pharos in early times in New Jersey, for in the year 1740, William Pharo prosecuted Jeremiah Bennet for stealing his shingles, and the suit was brought before John Mathis, Justice of the Peace. I have a paper (concerning the lawsuit) in John Mathis' handwriting, I have also seen a printed account of a transaction pertaining to the Revolutionary War, and this paper had William Pharo's name signed to it, and these papers are positive proof that there was a William Pharo living in Burlington county, more than an hundred years ago.

Jarvis, the eldest son of James Pharo, Sr., married Elizabeth, daughter of Hope Willits, of Jerusalem, Queens county, Long Island.

Jarvis Pharo appears to have settled on a farm in Springfield, N.J., for on the 24th day of March, 1706, he sold one hundred and fifty-four acres of land to his brother-in-law, Richard Ridgway, and this tract constituted about half of the farm that Richard Ridgway, 2d, owned at the time of his death, in the year 1718. It is probable that soon after the sale of this land, Jarvis Pharo removed to West Creek, Monmouth county, near the line between Burlington and Monmouth counties. James Pharo (who is said to have been his only child) was born the 28th day of May, 1702, before his father removed to West creek. Jarvis Pharo settled at West creek, on the farm now owned by Joseph B. Cox, he purchasing a large tract of land which included nearly all of what is now called West creek. At the first Monthly Meeting, established in Little Egg Harbor, Jarvis Pharo was appointed an elder in the men's meeting, and his wife, Elizabeth, an elder in the women's meeting. Jarvis Pharo died the 18th day of the 11th mo., 1756, aged 81 years, and his wife Elizabeth, died the 15th day of 10th mo., 1769, in her 88th year.

At his death, Jarvis Pharo left his son James all of his possessions, but he becoming involved in pecuniary difficulties was compelled to sell his father's homestead to John Ridgway, Sr., who bequeathed it to his son, Jacob Ridgway, the millionaire of Philadelphia, and thus James Pharo's farm became a part of the foundation on which he built his immense fortune. James Pharo married Ruth, daughter of Thomas Smith, of Cape May. She, I think, was a sister to Marjorie Smith, who married James Belangee, Sr. James and Ruth Pharo's children were Jarvis, born 11th day of 9th mo., 1735, Amos Pharo, was born 24th of 12th mo., 1737, James, age not recorded, Ann Pharo, born ______ , her age not given, Elizabeth, no date given, Timothy Pharo, Sr., born 15th day of 8th mo., 1742.

Ruth, wife of James Pharo, was born 4th day of 6th mo., 1711, at Cape May, and died 23d day 3d mo., 1747, aged 36 years.

First Branch. - Jarvis Pharo, 2d, married and lived in the upper part of Burlington county. No account of his posterity.

Second Branch. - Amos Pharo married in Rahway, N.J. His wife's name was Elizabeth, and she is said to have been one of the most beautiful women of her time. Amos Pharo was a Justice of the Peace, a surveyor, and the most prominent man of West creek. He was the father of James Pharo, (called by way of distinction Burr Pharo) Amos, John and Phoebe.

James, son of Amos Pharo, married Ruth Cranmer, and had children: Jonathan, William, James, Stephen, Benjamin, Amos, John, Miriam, Elizabeth, Julia, Mary, Ruth and others, who died young, enough to make up a family of sixteen children.

Jonathan Pharo married Phoebe Sprague, and had children: Rachel, Elizabeth, Borden and Samuel.

James Pharo married Mary Ellsworth, and had children: Julia, Ann, James and Catharine.

Stephen Pharo married Mary Jones, and had several children.

Benjamin Pharo married Sarah Cole, and had children: Catharine, Mary, George and Augustus.

Amos Pharo married Desire Birdsall. John Pharo married Edith Cranmer and Rebecca Shinn.

Miriam Pharo married Samuel Seaman and had children: Benjamin, Elizabeth, Samuel, Maria, James, Amelia, Phoebe and Mary Emily.

William and Elizabeth Pharo died unmarried, and Ruth is still living and unmarried.

Julia Pharo married Captain Joseph Hansel of New Brunswick, N.J.; they had several sons and daughters.

Mary Pharo married Captain William Ellsworth, and among their children are Philip, Joseph and William.

Amos, son of Amos Pharo, Sr., married Letitia, daughter of Samuel Rose, Jr. Their children: John, William, Charles, Aaron, Hannah, Ann, Catharine Letitia, Lydia, Louise and Abigail.

John Pharo married Zilpha, daughter of Mercy Ivins, and had children: Artemisia, Samuel, Job, Hazleton, Thomas, Robert, Birdsall, Melvina, John Fletcher and Charles.

William Pharo married Mary Ann, daughter of Mercy Ivins, and had children: Charles Budd, Charlotte, Ann Eliza, Martha, Anna, Margaret, Letitia, Mary Ann, Catharine, William, Edgar, Marion and Aaron.

Charles Pharo married Eliza, daughter of Thomas Haywood, and had children: Timothy, John, Joseph and Jane.

Aaron Pharo married Sarah, daughter of William Ivins, and had children: Mercy, Sarah Elizabeth, and another daughter.

Hannah Pharo married Willits Cranmer.

Ann Pharo married ______ Lippincott.

Catharine Pharo had two husbands, one of their names was Wilsey and the other Woolsey.

Letitia Pharo married Robert Turner.

Lydia Pharo married Joel Haywood and among their children were: William P. Haywood, Lucy Ann, Catharine and Louisa.

Louisa Pharo married ______ Freeman.

Abigail Pharo married, first, Captain Joseph Haywood, and, second, Captain Philip Rutter.

Phoebe, daughter of Amos Pharo, Sr., married Uriah Naile, and had children: James, Mary, Amos, John and Elizabeth.

James Naile married Mary, daughter of Abraham Cranmer. Mary Naile married ______ Fisher. Amos Naile married Jane Langdon. John Naile married Elizabeth Langdon. Elizabeth Naile went to the West.

Third Branch. - James, son of James Pharo, Sr., married Mary, daughter of Richard Devinney, Sr., and sister of Phoebe, wife of Eli Mathis, Sr., of Bass River, and likewise sister to Eunice, who married Isaac, son of Stephen Cranmer, Sr., of Bass River.

James Pharo had children: Jarvis, John, Asa, Matthew, Mary, Ellen and Phoebe.

Jarvis Pharo married Elizabeth Cranmer, and had children: Phoebe, Ellen, Barton, Jarvis, Sarah, Phila and Beulah.

Ellen Pharo married William Oliphant, of Barnegat.

Phoebe Pharo married Joseph Ridgway, of Barnegat.

Sarah Pharo married Hazelton Seaman.

Phila Pharo married James Lane.

Jarvis Pharo married Rebecca Hazleton.

Beulah Pharo married Orrin Gaskill.

John Pharo married Hester Parker, and among their children were James, Wesley, Mary and Rebecca.

Asa Pharo married Phoebe Seaman.

Martha Pharo married John Cranmer, son of Isaac Cranmer, of Burlington, a native of Bass River. Their children: Lavinia, Rebecca, Eliza, Elma and Sarah.

Ellen, daughter of James, 3d, married Michael Reynolds.

Phoebe, daughter of James Pharo, 3d, married Jacob Fowler.

Mary, daughter of James Pharo, 3d, married Josiah Jones, and had children: Jarvis, Fountain, Lloyd, Josiah, Asa, John, Rebecca, Ellen and Martha.

Fourth Branch. - Timothy, son of James Pharo, 2nd, married Hannah, only daughter of Robert Ridgway. She was born 14th, 12th mo., 1752, and in her husband's Bible is the following record: "My dear wife, Hannah Pharo, departed this life on the 9th day of 3d month, called March, in the year 1801, aged 48 years 2 months and 23 days, and was a woman of a bright understanding and a very industrious and a kind mother, and also an affectionate wife and a peaceable woman among the neighbors." It is not every husband who thus appreciates the good qualities of their wives, therefore I thought such a record as the above ought to go down to posterity.

It appears that after Timothy Pharo, Sr.'s marriage, he resided several years at Barnegat, for he has made the following record, or very nearly in those words: "Our eldest daughter Sykee was born the 17th of 3rd mo., 1781. Samuel, our eldest son, was born 25th, 2nd mo., 1783. Anna was born 10th, 1st mo., 1785. Robert, our second son, was born 3rd day of 3rd mo., 1787. These four children all born at Barnegat. Hannah, fifth child, was born 11th, 6th mo., 1789, and deceased 20th, 9th mo., 1791."

Further records from the above Bible:

Timothy Pharo, his Bible, the 26th day of the 11th mo., 1793. Price 30--. Bought at Trenton for four silver dollars.

Wherein as it so happened by accident that we had our house and two Bibles - one large and one small - and chief of our household goods consumed with or by fire on the 9th day of the 9th mo., 1791, between the 10th and 11th hour of the evening the second day of the week, and we built again in the spring following, raised the 12th day of the 5th month, 1792, and moved in the fall into the new house, and had a son born (the third and last son Timothy,) on the 3rd day of 10th mo., 1792. I do give this Bible to my son Timothy Pharo, and to his live heirs forever, as witness my hand this thirteenth day of the 9th month, 1802.

TIMOTHY PHARO, Senior.                                                                

The above said Timothy Pharo departed this life 9th mo., 15th, 1810, aged 68 years and 1 month.

The above designated house is the place now known as the old tavern at West Creek, Ocean county, N.J. It stands in the angle of two roads, a short distance from West Creek stream. It is an old-fashioned structure with small eight paned windows, they being few and far between; it has a large kitchen fire-place and two corner fire-places, one in the bar-room and one in the parlor, one chimney serving for both fire-places. It is a ghostly looking edifice, and it is the house where the Roman Catholic priest laid the ghost that made midnight visits to one of its former owners.

Sykee (which in English is called Sophia) Pharo, married James Collins; this marriage took place in the year 1804.

Samuel Pharo married Phoebe Collins (in the year 1805,) their children Orrin, Robert, Mary, Hannah, Anne, Phoebe Ann and Matilda.

Robert, son of Timothy Pharo, Sr., in the year 1807, married Anne Collins, and had children Allen R. and Charlotte. Allen R. Pharo married Phoebe B. Willits. Charlotte Pharo married John Tilton, father of Allen P. Tilton.

In the year 1813, Anne Pharo, daughter of Timothy Pharo, Sr., married Japhet Leeds, of Atlantic county, N.J., and had children Elizabeth, Timothy, Josiah, Lucy Ann, Martha, Caroline and Allen T. Leeds.

In the year of 1812, Timothy, son of Timothy Pharo, Sr., married Hannah, daughter of James Willits, 3d. Hannah was born the 11th day of 3d month, 1787. Timothy and Hannah Pharo's children were as follows:

Joseph W. Pharo was born the 14th of 3d month, 1813.

Archelaus Ridgway Pharo was born the 21st of 12th month, 1814.

Phoebe Pharo was born the 31st of 10th month, 1817.

Eliza Pharo was born the 27th of 10th month, 1819.

Lucy Ann Pharo was born the 1st of 2d month, 1823, and died the 18th of 4th month, 1825.

Another young daughter born the 12th of 1st month, 1825, and died the 8th of 3d month, 1825.

Albert Pharo was born the 20th of 7th month, 1826.

Samuel Pharo was born the 7th of 6th month, 1829, and died the 13th of 9th month, 1829.

Soon after his marriage, Timothy Pharo, Jr., had the good fortune to have a farm given him by his uncle, Joseph Ridgway, and this farm was the foundation of his large fortune. He was enterprising, and after Simeon Haines' death he purchased Haines' interest in the store and mills which had constituted the business firm of Oliphant & Haines. Oliphant & Pharo continued together for a few years and then Eayre Oliphant sold out to Pharo, and went to reside at New Lisbon. This change made Timothy Pharo sole owner of the mills and store, and soon he embarked in vessel building and other branches of trade, and also various devices by which he accumulated a large fortune. He died the 14th day of 8th month, 1854, aged 62 years.

Joseph W. Pharo, son of Timothy Pharo, Jr., was possessed of extensive knowledge, of a sound and vigorous judgment, of upright principles and unusual business capacity. During the early part of his life he was in his father's store, in Tuckerton, where he acquired the confidence and respect of the hundreds with whom he dealt. After his marriage he removed to New York City, where he entered into the wholesale dry goods business with George Barnes, which connection lasted for some years. After his father's death he returned to Tuckerton where he joined his brothers in the multifarious business which had devolved upon them after their father's decease. Years of practice and experience had made him a thorough business man and he was a finished gentleman and Egg Harbor men were proud to own him as one of their countrymen. After his return from New York he erected a commodious and tasteful dwelling house, on the site of the late Ebenezer Tucker's homestead, and surrounded it with useful and ornamental gardens, trees, shrubs and plants. In the fall of 1861 he was chosen State Senator, from Burlington county, but he was not permitted to finish his senatorial career. He was taken sick while engaged in his official duties, and returned to his pleasant home shortly to bid it an everlasting adieu. This death was deeply regretted by all who knew him. He was educated in the Quaker faith, in which he lived and died an honorable and consistent member. He left an ample fortune to his widow and four children. He married Beulah H. Oliphant, daughter of Benjamin Oliphant, of Mannahawkin. Mrs. Pharo is a highly respected lady, noted for her benevolence and other excellent qualities, Joseph W. Pharo's children are Marion Virginia, Rebecca, Joseph and Eliza.

Marion Virginia Pharo married Elijah M. Cook, of New York city, and had a daughter Helen.

Rebecca Pharo married Franklin Hilliard, of Vincentown, N.J., and has several children.

Joseph J. Pharo married Kate Napier, of Kentucky.

Eliza Pharo married ______Crossley. They have one child, Paul.

Archelaus R. Pharo, son of Timothy Pharo, Jr., was for many years the principal business man of Tuckerton, and greatly assisted in the construction of the Tuckerton railroad. He married Louisa, daughter of Joseph Willits, and their living children are Lousia P., Lydia, Ella and Walter.

Louisa P. Pharo married Doctor Samuel Ashurst.

Albert, son of Timothy Pharo, Jr., married Elizabeth Stiles, daughter of Samuel Stiles, Jr., and has children: Timothy, Franklin, Hannah, Elizabeth, Albert Edward.

Phoebe, daughter of Timothy Pharo, Jr., married George Browning, and left children: George G., and Eliza Frances Browning.

Phoebe Browning, died 9th 1st mo., 1857, aged 39 years.

Eliza, daughter of Timothy Pharo, Jr., married Doctor Theophilus T. Price, of Cape May, and had children: Theophilus and Eliza Florence.

Fifth Branch. - Anne, daughter of James Pharo, 2d, married David Seaman, Sr., and had children: Jerusha, Jemima, Anne and Maurice.

Sixth Branch. - Elizabeth, daughter of James Pharo, 2d, never married. She was the mother of Sarah, who married Josiah Cranmer, and the mother of Ruth, who married ______ Salmons. Many of the Pharos of past generations were Quakers.

Ephraim Morse, Sr., is said to have been the first white man who settled on Tucker's or Short Beach, and the following is a tradition concerning his residence on the beach. He was living in Egg Harbor as early as the year 1746.

Ephraim Morse was settled on the beach years before it was purchased by Reuben Tucker. He built a small house in which he lived for several years without experiencing any misfortune from the sea or the many storms which swept over the beach, but at last there came a northeast storm of unusual violence; it snowed and the wind blew as it was never known to have blown across the beach, and the sea rose as it had never risen since his sojourn on the coast. The mountain like billows rolled over the beach, and in their strength and depth lifted his house from its foundation and he was compelled to look for a more elevated situation. His wife was indisposed but in this emergency he wrapped quilts around her and the youngest child, and placing them on the back of his horse transported them to the summit of the highest eminence on the beach, and then returned and conveyed his four children in like manner to the hill of refuge, where he had placed his wife, and during the remainder of the cold storm, they sat on the top of that bleak sand hill, benumbed with the cold, blinded with the snow flakes, and almost deafened with the howling of the blast and the roaring of the breakers. After a time the snow ceased to fall, the winds sank to rest, and the waves went back to their home in the ocean, and then the storm-scathed family were discovered and taken off to Tuckerton. The tide robbed Ephraim Morse of everything but his horse; his house, furniture, boat and all, were swept away. In consequence of exposure to the cold and storm, his five children sickened and died with inflammatory sore throat, leaving their parents childless. Ephraim Morse was like Job, of patience and affliction bearing notoriety, for in process of time he became the owner of another house and the father of five other children whose names were, Ephraim, Jonathan, Amy, Sarah and Abigail.

Ephraim Morse, Jr., married Elizabeth Lippincott, and went to the West. Ephraim Morse had a daughter Hannah, who married Joseph Berry, Sr., and had children: Atlantic, John, Ira, Sarah and Chalkley.

Jonathan, son of Ephraim Morse, Sr., settled in the West.

Amy, daughter of Ephraim Morse, Sr., married a Devinney. I suppose it was young Richard Devinney.

Sarah, daughter of Ephraim Morse, Sr., married Samuel Deacon, Esq., one of the prominent men of Tuckerton, in former times.

Abigail, daughter of Ephraim Morse, Sr., was the first wife of Jediah Line.

Gershom Perdue, of New Martinsburg, State of Ohio, married an Abigail Morse. She must have been Ephraim Morse, Jr.'s, daughter.

John Berry, Sr., was located in Egg Harbor, before the Revolutionary War. He lived nineteen years on a part of the farm now called the Kennady place, Mathistown. He married Prudence, daughter of Mordecai Andrews, Jr., and had children: Joseph and Jane.

Joseph Berry married Hannah, daughter of Ephraim Morse, Jr., and had children: John, Atlantic, Ira, Sarah and Chalkley.

John Berry married Mary, daughter of John Cranmer, and had children: Joseph, John, Maja, Chalkley, Ephraim, Samuel, Hannah, Eliza, Mary, and a daughter who died a young woman.

Atlantic Berry married Samuel Mathis, and had children: Charles, Hannah, Hiram, Judith, Mary and Eli.

Ira Berry married Mary Holmes, and had children: George, William, Charles, Hester, Mary Emily and Hannah.

Sarah Berry married Elijah Palmer, and had children: Azenath, Charles, Hannah, Clayton and Mary.

Chalkley Berry married Mary E. Fithian, and had children: Walter, Hannah and Frank.

Jane, daughter of John Berry, Sr., married Maja Ireland, and had children: Joseph, John, Hugh, Jacob and Martha.

Joseph Ireland married Mary Ireland, and had sons: William and Edward.

John Ireland married away from his native place.

Hugh Ireland married Rebecca Jones, and had children: Maja, Mahlon, Josiah, Mary Jane, Jarvis, Hugh, Henry and Elizabeth.

Jacob Ireland is a prominent, enterprising and worthy citizen of Tuckerton. His first wife was Mary Campbell, of Philadelphia, and their children were Helena, Horace and Deborah. Jacob Ireland's second wife is Ursula, daughter of Doctor Sawyer.

Martha Ireland married Job Smith, and had children: Joseph, John, Samuel, Sarah Jane and Mary Elizabeth.

Joseph I. Smith married Mehitabel Andrews.

Samuel Smith married Rebecca Peacock.

At a very early date, there was an Edward Higbee who was a resident of Suffolk county, Long Island, where he owned a large landed estate. He had a son, John Higbee, who married Alice, daughter of Edward Andrews. John Higbee died in the year 1715, leaving a widow and two children whose names and ages were as follows: - Abigail Higbee was born the 22d day of the 5th mo., 1713, and in the year 1732 she married Robert Leeds, son of Japhet Leeds, 1st, and had children: Solomon, Rebecca and Mary.

Edward Higbee was born 4th day of the 5th mo., 1714.

In about a year after John Higbee died, his widow married John Mathis, Sr., who brought up the two Higbee children, and when Edward Higbee became of legal age he sold his step-father, John Mathis, the real estate which he inherited from his father. There is no account of who Edward Higbee married; he settled in Atlantic county, N.J., and was the forefather of the Higbees of that place. One of his sons married his mother's bound girl and ran away with her and settled on Long Island, where his descendants live.