Born
~1685
Birthplace
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Died
~1741
Death Place
New Jersey
Vital Information
- Parents
- Robert Holman (father)
- Spouse
- Thamson (most likely maiden name was Ellison)
- Children
- Father of Aaron Holman Sr. (~1714–1782)
Biography
Joseph Holman was the son of Robert Holman, the believed original immigrant ancestor of this family's Holman line. Born around 1685 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Joseph grew up in one of the earliest English-settled regions of the colony, a landscape still being shaped by the competing claims of Quakers, Presbyterians, and Anglican settlers.
Joseph married and established his own household in New Jersey, continuing the family's presence in Monmouth County. He is the connecting generation between the immigrant Robert and the better-documented Aaron Holman Sr., who would go on to raise a family that eventually would produce one Charles Ray Soergel.
Joseph died around 1741, leaving behind his son Aaron Holman Sr. (born ~1714), who would carry the Holman name into the Revolutionary War era and beyond. The line from Joseph through Aaron Sr. to Thomas Holman — Revolutionary War veteran and Pennsylvania pioneer — is the direct ancestral path to Grandma Ruby.
Joseph's 1741 Will
Joseph's will lays out the family structure - here is a summary of who got what.
Real Estate / Land:
He bequeaths all of his land to be divided equally among his six sons:
- Joseph Holman
- Robert Holman
- Aaron Holman
- John Holman
- Richard Holman
- Francis Holman
Condition:
The land is to be held by them as they reach the "age of maturity" (21 years old). If any of the younger sons die before reaching maturity, their shares are to be divided equally among the surviving sons.
Specific Bequests to the Sons
- To his son Robert Holman, he leaves his "black mare."
- To his son Richard Holman, he leaves "a loom and tackling" (indicating weaving equipment).
Bequests to the Daughters:
He leaves specific items to three of his daughters:
- To Thany Holman, one cow.
- To Martha Holman, two cows.
- To Mary Holman, one cow.
The Remainder / Movable Estate:
After his debts are paid, the rest of his movable estate is to be split equally among his four daughters: Thamsey Holman, Martha Holman, Mary Holman, and Phoebe Holman (written as Phehe or Phebe). This distribution is ordered to take place immediately after the decease of his wife.
Provisions for the Wife:
He gives the remainder of his estate to his "beloved wife Thamson Holman" (likely a phonetic spelling of Thomasin or Thomazin) for her use during her lifetime.
Executors Named in the Will:
He appoints his wife Thomson, his sons Joseph and Robert, and his friend Gawin Watson to act as joint executors.
