YARD- John Yard was a witness, 1717, 6th of 9th mo., to marriage of
Daniel Tilton to Elizabeth Powell, both of Monmouth, at Friends' Meeting
House, Shrewsbury. William H. Yard was taxed in Upper Freehold
in 1758. William Yard, ancestor of this family, came from Exeter, in Devonshire,
England, about 1688, and settled first in Philadelphia and afterwards
at Trenton. He had four sons, two of whom, Joseph and William,
accompanied him to Trenton. It was at one time proposed to call this
place Yardtown but finally Trentstown, since shortened to Trenton, was
settled upon. The son William had five children. The name Yard was
originally De Yarde, and the family is very ancient in Devonshire, and it is
said the founder came over with the Normans. In the Cromwell wars,
John Yard, a valiant gentleman, is noted in the chronicles of Devonshire
for his heroism in leading Lord Gray's forces across a bridge in the face
of the enemy. The original surname of this family, De Yard, suggests
that its founder was a superintendent of the grounds or yard, or perhaps
quartermaster of a castle or place occupied by soldiers.