John Somers Esq

Brief Life History of John

Died at age 75. John Somers was the founder of Somers Point a little over 300 years ago when in 1695 he purchased three thousand acres there. He was born in Worcester, England in 1640. He initially came to America in 1688 and purchased property in Pennsylvania, then called Somerton. A few years later he moved to "the Jersey shore" where he bought much property and became the Commissioner of Roads. After the death of his first wife who died and was buried at sea when John first sailed to America, he married Hannah Hodgskins who was also born in Worcester, England. Although he once belonged to the Church of England, when he came to America he became a preacher, as did his wife, with the Society of Friends (Quakers). John Somers built a log house at Somers Point and resided in it until he died in 1723. He and his wife Hannah had seven sons and three daughters: John (died young); Richard; James; Samuel; Job; Isaac, Edward (or Edmund); Bridget; Hannah; and Millicent. His son Richard was the builder of "Somers Mansion" which is still extant and can be visited by tourists. (Findagrave.com) Name: John Somers Event Type: Burial Event Date: 1739 Event Place: Atlantic, New Jersey, United States of America Event Place (Original): Atlantic, New Jersey, United States of America Age (Estimated): 91 Photograph Included: Y Birth Date: 30 Apr 1648 Death Date: 1739 Cemetery: Somers Family Cemetery Note: Contains Biography Affiliate Record Identifier: 24080426 Affiliate Image Identifier: 24080426

Photos and Memories (30)

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Family Time Line

John Somers Esq
1648–1739
Hannah Hodgkins
1667–1738
Marriage: 2 January 1685
Mr. Somers
1685–
Millicent Somers
1685–1762
John Somers
1687–1715
Job Somers
1690–1744
Hannah Somers
1691–1737
Richard Somers
1693–1760
Isaac Somers
1694–1778
James Somers
1695–1761
Bridget Somers
1696–1737
Miss Somers
1698–
Miss Somers
1700–1700
Bridget Somers
1702–1737
Samuel Somers
1704–1768
Edmund Somers
1706–1743

Sources (12)

  • Legacy NFS Source: John Somers - birth: 1640; Worcester, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom
  • Marriage: Pennsylvania John Somers/Hannah Hodgkins
  • John Somers, "Find A Grave Index"

Spouse and Children

World Events (2)

1693

Historical Boundaries: 1693: Gloucester, New Jersey Colony, British Colonial America 1776: Gloucester, New Jersey, United States 1837: Atlantic, New Jersey, United States

1723

Oldest grave seen in the memorials list.

Name Meaning

Irish: adopted for Ó Somacháin; see Summers .

Irish: in Northern Ireland, adopted for Gaelic Mag Shamradháin; see McGovern . In Irish samhradh means ‘summer’.

English (Somerset): variant of Summers .

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

Story Highlight

John Somers (abt. 1640)

page 1274 State of New Jersey - John Somers, founder of the family name in New Jersey was born in Worcester, England, in 1640, and died in that portion of Egg Harbor township, Gloucester county, …

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