"The exact date of the landing of the Shinns in England may never be determined. The name is proved to be Anglo-Saxon. This conclusion is fortified by the fact that the name "Schyn," and "Shyn," has been found in Bavaria, Holland and Bohemia. One of the earliest historians of the Moravians was Herman "Schyn," "Shyn" or "Schynn." He was a resident of Holland, and brought out his work about 1728. The various spelling of names need not give us much trouble, inasmuch as each record is but an effort of a different man to reproduce in type or in letters the sounds which come to his ear. In an early English record of births, deaths and marriages, taken from the Church at Mildenhall, Suffold, England, the name Shinn is spelled in three ways between 1636 and 1670. And at an earlier day than that which knew Herman Shinn the "Schynns" are found among the knights of Bohemia, engaged up on both side of the struggle known as the "Hussite Wars."" Place names of the early Saxon settlements: Anglo-Saxon = Sinningas; German = Siningas. "Sinningas means descendants of Sinn or Sinna. The addition of the `h' was misused, which is common in English, such as the same principle of Washington being from Wassengatun. Research of the name Shinn came in with the Saxons and has lived in England for more than twelve hundred years. The prior history is in the Teutonic tribes in the early centuries of life North of the Rhine."
The change from "Senn" to "Schin" is happily illustrated in the present village "Schinsnach," in the Canton Aargan, Switzerland, one of the old seating places of the Cenni. One of the noble families of Switzerland is still known by the name Schein." Its English antiquity is of the highest rank, and covers a period of fifteen centuries."
"I conclude this chapter with a series of variations, originating in the old Saxon word Sinn, and passing through successive mutations of pronunciation and orthography, and culminating by its own inherent power into the final form Shinn. This series is: Shinn, Shin, There are four large volumes of census records taken during the eleventh century, immediately after the Conquest, in England. This was so the Lords and Landers (land owners), would have the number of serfs and peasants, to know how much he would be collecting in taxes. But, the peasant's point of view was: if your name was written in the book it could doom you, even to death. Mr. Josiah Shinn found the name Sinn, Scnne, and Sinna in the Domesday of time. Designating close enough the name Shinn of that time. Mr. Josiah Shinn continues with: "In the nineteenth century the spelling crystallized into the Shinn in England and America; for the first twenty years of the eighteenth century it was Sheen or Shene, after which it became Shinn; in the seventeenth century it was Sheen or Shene; in the fourteenth and the early part of the fifteenth century it was anything that pleased the fancy of the writer, and appeared as Shyn, Shin, Shine, Shene, Sheen Sheene, Shynn, and Shynne. In the latter part of the eleventh century, as is shown by Book of Domes, it was Shinn, Sinne or Sinna."
THE ARMS AND CRESTS OF THE FAMILY
In the Royal Book of Crests for Great Britain and Ireland, edited by Jos. McLean, published by Knight & Butler, London, the family crest of the Sheen family is registered in England. "Heraldry is a relic of the feudal ages, where it was employed to display the exploits of chivalry. Armorial bearings were the symbolic language of Europe. The plume of "Royal Crests" above referred to has this language: A crest is the uppermost part of an armory. The crest is deemed a greater mark of nobility than the armory, as it was worn at tournaments, to which none were admitted until they had given strong proofs of their magnanimity. Hence the word crest is, figuratively, used for spirit or courage. The original purpose of a crest was to make a commander known to his men in battle. The crest was worn by the knight on his helmet and was sometimes adopted as the sole armorial bearing. "The SHANNS of Tadcaster, York, whose pedigree begins in 1726, have similarity of the crest that would indicate a family tie of some kind. The revel's head enfiled upon a sword seems to set a value to a tradition of Germany that the `Scheins' were the fiercest knights in the Hussite Wars. It is said that they literally `skinned' their victims alive." " Vanity on the part of the descendants enabled them to adopt any armory they chose, and in after years when the right to use a crest and armory was brought under some kind of regulation, the blandishments of these descendants were strong enough to overcome the scruples of the herald." An explanation: "A manor was a landed property held by a lord or a great personage, who lived on a part of the land and sublet the remainder by what was called a copyhold, or lease. The Conqueror granted all Suffolk to a few of his great lords. They in turn created many copyhold estates. The extravagance of their descendants led them, or forced them to convert many of this copyhold in freehold, or fee simple estates. The SHINNS acquired wealth by peaceful pursuits, and thus became freeholders in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire and Devonshire."
SHINN FAMILY HISTORY
There is no better source for the Shinn family than HISTORY OF THE SHINN FAMILY IN EUROPE AND AMERICA, by Josiah H. SHINN, A. M., published by The Genealogical and Historical Publishing Company in 1903. The following history of the Shinn family is from Mr. Shinn's book. New family lines have been added from where he finished his history in 1903 and include our immigrant, John Shinn.
FIRST SHINN FAMILY IN NEW JERSEY
In 1664 Charles II, of England, granted to his brother, James, Duke of York, a part of the territory wrested from the Dutch in the American colonies. On June 23rd of 1664, the Duke conveyed a portion of this land to John Lord BERKELEY, Baron of STRATTON, and Sir George CARTERET of Satrum, in the County of Devon. This "deed" was the first to put down lines for boundaries of New Jersey. They named this area, "Nova Cesarea, or New Jersey." The Baron and Sir George, drew up a constitution, which they called "The Concessions and Agreements of the Lords, Proprietors of the Province of New Caesarea, or New Jersey, to and with All and Every of the New Adventurers and All Such as Settle or Plant There," for the colony, which gave equal privileges and liberty to all. This continued in effect until the division of the province, in 1676. It appointed Philip CARTERET as Governor. To encourage growth of the population, lands were almost given away to anyone who would settle there. Those signing this concession were: William PENN, William EMLEY, Henry STACY, John THOMPSON, Andrew THOMPSON, Thomas OLIVEl, Mahlon STACY, Robert STACY, Thomas EVES, Samuel JENNINGS, Thomas BUDD, among 151 that signed. In 1677, spring of that year, two hundred and thirty Quakers left London on the ship Kent for West Jersey. The emigrants were from London and Yorkshire in England. They named the settlement New Beverly, later named Bridlington after a town in Yorkshire, before the final name of Burlington was settled upon. The general list of emigrants in the years of 1678 and 1680, John Sheen is a passenger, along with a Clement SHEEN. In the minutes of the Mens Monthly Meeting of Quakers of Burlington, New Jersey, in 1680, dated "7th of ye 12th Month." Jno. SHIN is among the names. Others named were: Thomas BUDD, Willm PEACHEE, Wm BRIGHTWEN, Tho. GARDNER, Robt STACY, John HOLLINGSHEAD, Robt POWELL, Jno. BURTON, Saml JENNINGS, Jno WOOLSTON, Daniel LEEDS, John BUTCHER, Henry GRUBB, Wm. BUTCHER, Seth SMITH, Walter PUMPHREY, Tho. ELLIS, James SATERTHWATE, Mahlon STACY, Thos. LAMBERT, Jno. KINSEY, Jno. STACY, Jon. PAYNE. "There is always room for error in conjectural pedigrees, but in this case the conjecture is reduced to a minimum, viz., the marriage of Clement SHINN, who is recorded on the register as born 11/12/1593; the register says nothing of his marriage nor of his death. He evidently removed from the parish, married elsewhere, and had children; this view is strengthened by the fact that John Shinn, the emigrant to New Jersey, who was accompanied by a Clement SHEEN, lived at Albury in Hertfordshire. Clement may have lived in Essex or Hertfordshire. The Soham register shows his marriage and death. From the above information, plus other clues, it is certain that a John and Clement Shinn were in New Jersey during this period of time. And from this area, time leads us back to England to look for a John and Clement Shinn. Mr. Josiah Shinn found only two Parishes that yielded these names: Mildenhall and Freckenham. After researching and examining the Mildenhall Parishes, Mr. Shinn eliminated these Parishes for several reasons. In the Freckenham Parishes the following information was located and I will duplicate his findings as he wrote them:
FRECKENHAM PEDIGREE OF FRANCIS SHINN (1520-1525)
Francis SHEENE (b. 1525); lived in Freckenham Parish. The register shows these births:
1. ____ ____, daughter of Francis SHEENE; baptized 1551.
2. Mary SHEENE; baptized 1564.
3. John SHEENE;
married (1) Anne ____, who died in 1617;
(2) Marie ____ who died 1620;
(3) Marie SPATKES, who died 1628;
(4) ____ ____, and had by first marriage:
1. Edward SHEENE, b. 1588; rector of Little Fransham 1610; had:
1. Elizabeth SHENE, b. 1617. 2. Lucas SHENE, b. 1623. 3. Edward SHENE, 1625; married Dorothy JERMYN, daughter of Sir Thomas JERMYN, children:
2. Clement SHEENE, son of John SHEENE, baptized 11/24/1593; m. at Soham, Grace, and had children:
1. Margaret SHIN, b. 1624; d. 1626. 2. Henry SHIN, b. 1627; d. 1674. 3. Thomas SHIN, b. 1630. 4. John SHIN, b. 1632; m. Jane. 5. Francis SHIN, b. 1634; m. Alice CARTER, 1663, and had Mary, Francis and Alice. 6. Clement SHIN, b. 1637. 7. Grace SHIN, b. 1640; m. John HOWLETT, 1663. The next is a transcript of the Soham register, and shows the removal of Clement from Freckenham, and accounts for the fact that no mention of his marriage or burial occurs on that register. These items appear on the Soham record.
3. Francis SHEENE, b. 1595; married Joan ____; she d. 1631;
1. Elizabeth SHEENE, b. 1616. 2. Francis SHEENE, b. 1618. 3. John SHEENE, b. 1623; ob. 1631. 4. Thomas SHEENE, b. 1627. All noted on the register as children of Francis.
4. William SHEENE, b. 1604; married ____ and had children:
1. Anna, b. 1642. 2. Mary, b. 1645.
5. Anna SHEENE, b. 1608.
6. Margaret SHEENE, b. 1610.
7. John SHEENE, b. 1614; ob. 1614.
8. Nicholas SHEENE, b. 1614;
9. John SHEENE, b. 1619. By second marriage.
10. Anne SHEENE, b. 1621. By third marriage
11. Thomas SHEENE, b. 1630; ob. 1631. By fourth marriage.
4. Francis SHEENE, (fourth child born) md and had children:
1. Clement, b. 1592, who m. Sarah ____ at Soham and had:
1. John SHEEN, of New Jersey, who m. Jane. "In every case where a child is placed in the above pedigree (save where enclosed in a parenthesis) the register shows that he or she was a son or daughter of the name under which the name is placed." States Mr. Josiah Shinn. All this is summed up with: "Hertfordshire, England, in 1662, John SHEEN was sent to jail for not paying his parish fees; and the John SHEEN that appeared in New Jersey wearing the name John SHEEN in 1678, and in 1680, John SHEEN as a grand juror at Burlington, and that this was the same John SHINN that died in 1711." 1684. JOHN SHINN SENIOR John SHINN Sr., bought from William EMLEY, one hundred shares of West Jersey. John Shinn, listed as being from Springfield Township, Burlington County, wheelwright, conveys on 17 Jul 1697, by deed, to his son, James Shinn, of 120 acres. Stating that this is the same parcel that John Shinn Sr., bought from William EMLEY in 18 Sep 1680. Adjoining Eleazer FENTON a survey was made for John Shinn on 26 Sep 1680, for 200 acres on Assincunk Creek, and another survey, on 1 Feb 1681, for 100 acres on Brook of Assincunk, adjoining his own land and that of Thomas BUDD. Again, a survey on 22 Sep 1682 was made for 120 acres between John BUTCHER and Eleazer FENTON on the West Branch of Assincunk Creek. Eleazor FENTON sold to John SHINN 1/16th of a share of the original 100 shares in West New Jersey, a wharf lot in the town of Burlington and a house lot on Romb Street, in the same town on 6 Sep 1686. Counting a share at 32,000 acres, as is done by Hon. John CLEMENT, a Judge of the Court of Error and Appeal of New Jersey, this transaction gave John SHINN the right to locate 2000 acres of land. "The list shows 89 freeholders. Samuel BARKER is the only one that shows 1,000 acres; 12 others show from 450 to 650; 8 own 400 acres; the remainder had from 50 to 350. John SHINN at that early day stood among the well-to-do men of Burlington County. The immediate neighbors of John Shinn were men of wealth and of great political and religious influence. Some of these were Samuel JENNINGS, Eleazer FENTON, Thomas BUDD, Robert STACY and John BUTCHER." On 14 Dec 1687, John SHINN, of Springfield Lodge, deeded to John CROSBY, millwright, husband of daughter Mary, ½ of a 300 acre lot on Birch Creek. On 10 Apr 1693, John SHINN deeded to Thomas ATKINSON, husband of daughter Sarah, 195 acres of land. On 17 Jul 1697, John SHINN, wheelwright, deeded to son, James SHINN, 120 acres Birch Creek.
On 15 Jul 1711, John SHINN,...etc deeds John SHINN Jr., 1/7th of a share of propriety. Thus....John SHINN is recorded in 1680 in New Jersey, as owner of several thousand acres of land; gave land to his children: Mary, Sarah, Thomas, James and John, Jr., and died in 1712. There were 2 other boys: Francis and George SHINN that had estates and died before their father. The other girls: Martha and Esther may have received money to help purchase their lands. John SHINN was a member of Burlington Monthly Meeting of Friends and signed a memorial address to the London Yearly Meeting on the 7th day of the 12th month (Feb. 7, 1681), 1680. This establishes his connection with the Friends and raises a strong probability that he was a Friend in England, and brought his certificate of clearness with him." On the 5th of the 4th month, 1699, in the minutes of the Springfield Meeting of the Friends is recorded as: "Springfield Meeting House is done." The minutes continue with: The removing of the Springfield Meeting from John SHINN's to the New Meeting House was the 24th of the 3d month (May 24), 1699. John Shinn's home had been for years the meetinghouse for the church and had gathered such men as Thomas JENNINGS, the Quaker Governor of the province; Richard RIDGWAY, Thomas OLIVE, Daniel WILLS, James NEWBOLD and others of importance. It was the house of John SHINN that was described in deeds of that period as "Springfield Lodge" in honor of the home he had left in England. The exact date of death of John SHINN is not recorded but must be between the date of writing his will, 14th of the 11th month, 1711 (Jan 1712) and the probated date of 30th of 12th month (Feb 1712). The following is an exact copy of his will.
LAST WILL OF JOHN SHINN
"The fourteenth day of the eleventh Month Called January Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eleven. I John Shinn Senior of ye Township of Springfield and County of Burlington in the province of West New Jersey (being sick and weak of body) but of sound disposing minde and memory praised be God doe make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in Writting in manner and forme foullowing--------first and principally of all I Give and Recommend my Soul and Spirit into the hands of Almighty God that gave and my body to the Earth to be buried In a Christian like & desent manner att the discretion of my Executors hereafter named and as touching the disposition of all such temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow up mee I give and dispose thereof as followeth first I will that my Just Debts and funerall shall be paid and Discharged------
Item I give to my son Thomas ATKESON and Sarah his wife and their Heirs for Ever one hundered pounds of good silver Money att nine Shillings and two pense pr ounce upon these Conditions as followeth that is to say that the Sayed Thomas ATKESON Shall give good lawfull and Sufficient Security unto Richard FENIMORE and Mary his Wife and there Hiers &c. forever of and from all manner of Charges burthens or Incombers whatsoever In Relation toward the Caire and Mentainance both for victals and Clothes and al other necessaryes for my grand child Mary CROSBY being an Idiott and not capeble to take care of herself so long as she shall live which sd sort of an Agreement I made with my daughter Mary before she was Married for me to take the sayed Care of sayed Idiott Child in order thereunto I had my Daughter Mary's plantation Conveyed to mee for Sixty five pounds and Twenty five pounds more I received in Money and bills for goods sould att a Vendue of my Daughter which made up the Sum of ninty pounds and ten pound more I gave out of one Estate for to make up the sum of one hundred pounds as afore sayed.
All the Rest of my Estate both Reale and personall I give to Jane my Dear and well beloved Wife during her natural life and no longer and after her decease
I give and bequeath as followeth Item I give to my son John SHINN twenty pounds which he hath in his hand already upon bond to pay interest
Item I give to my son James SHINN twenty pounds in Moneys which he hath in his hands already upon bond
Item I give to my Son in law Joshua OWEIN and Martha his Wife twenty pound
Item I give to my Son in law Thomas ATKESON and Sarah his Wife twenty pounnds as al the littel House that I have built upon his land as also one bedd and al the furniture belonging to itt that is to bee under Shed and aforesayed after the decease of My Wife
I give to my Son in law Richard FENIMORE and Mary his Wife two shillings in moneys my sayed Daughter Mary being before this time advanced by mee
Item I give to my grandson Thomas SHINN my boulting Mills and fifty pounds in Moneys and
all the Rest and Remainder of my Estate both Reale and Personall that is left after the decease of My Wife She haveing a good Comfortable liveing out of the Same Wilest She liveth and al our debt and funerall Charges is defrayed
I give unto my two Sons John SHINN and James SHINN Equally to be divided between them
and also to nominate and appoint my two sons John and James SHINN as aforesayed to by my onely and Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament Ratifying this and onely this to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal ye day and year above sayed. signed........John Shinn L. S."
INVENTORY OF JOHN SHINN'S ESTATE
"A True Inventory of the good Chattels and Personall Estate of John SHINN of ye Twonship of Springfield and County of Burlington and Province of West New Jersey yeoman viewed taken and apraised this thirteenth day of the twelfth month called february Anno domi one thousand and eleven/twelve by us whose names are hereunto subscribed." 1712.
"Vis..................................................................lb......s......d. ..his purse and Apparrel...................................16.....10......0 ..Moneys upon bonds.......................................132.....00......0 ..Lonings..........................................................003......0......0 ..one bed & furnitre..........................................14......0......0 ..another bed and beding with bedstead............10......0......0 ..pewtor.............................................................00.....10......0 ..one Iron Cettol and brass Cettol with Scillit....2.....10......0 ..one fryin pan with Sum other Iron..................00.....16......0
..one Shovell and tongs and Tramels and grid Iron
and other od things.....................................05.....00......0 ..one Chest and Desk.........................................00......6......0 ..one Chest .......................................................00.....18......0 ..Sum ould tubs.................................................00.....06......0 ..one box Iron and money Skails.......................00......6......0 ..one glass and Hone.........................................00.....18......0 ..one Chear ......................................................00.....06......0 ..four ould Chairs.............................................00......6......0 ..Trencher and Dishiss.......................................00......5......0 ..one brass Cettel with ould Iron.......................00.....15......0 ..one ould Char and three Iron wedges..............00.....12......0 ..one ould Cart..................................................1......6......0 ..More money upon bond..................................105......0......0
signed.. Richard RIDGEWAY....Matthew CHAMPION....Burlington 20 Feb 1711
I John Shinn doe sollemnly declare in the presence of Almighty God the witness of the truth of what I say that the within writing Conataines the full and Just inventory of all and singuler the Goods Chattles and Credits of John SHINN deceased soe far as came to my view possession or knowlege or to the view possession or knowledge of any person for my use...signed......John Shinn...."
FIRST BOLTING MILL
"Writers of early Jersey affairs credits the construction of the first bolting mill in Burlington County to Thomas OLIVE. Except in John SHINN's will he provides an owner for his mill as his grandson, Thomas SHINN. When his mill was erected is not certain but was probably about 1700. Thomas Olive established a water mill on Rancocas Creek in 1680. Mahlon STACY, about the same time, built one at Trenton but in the Penn Gazette, in 1756 it states that:
"To be sold--seven eights of a good grist mill with two pair stones, two boulting mills for country work, by Thomas ATHINSON, Miller in Mt. Holly. Also, the whole of a good large convenient merchant's boulting house with two good boulting mills, which go by water. Likewise a quarter of a sawmill with two saws, both situated in Mt. Holly aforesaid, on a very constant and plentiful stream of water and attended with a very good business."
Mr. Shinn writes: "This Thomas ATKINSON was a grandson of John SHINN, Sr., and the increase on a plant indicates thrift and good management on the part of the children and grandchildren. But these qualities rarely remain in a family more that three generations, and therefore the mills, as well as the lands of John SHINN, his children and grandchildren with a few exceptions, have passed into other hands, leaving but a memory, which at times seems but the filmy fabric of a passing dream." In summing up John SHINN's life, Mr. Shinn writes the following:
"Such was the life of John SHINN, the progenitor of nearly every SHINN in the United States. An Englishman born; reared within the fold of the Established Church; a follower of George FOX from choice; persecuted and imprisoned in Hertfordshire; an emigrant with a large family from the home of his birth; one of the settlers of Nova Caesarea in America; a freeholder and proprietor; and of affairs, chiefly within the Society of Friends; a man of thrift; a man of nobility and honor, a man trusted and esteemed by all who knew him. John SHINN did his part. He left the family name untarnished and gave his family place among the best of his time. He died a worker, with his armor girded about him. Have his descendants improved the talent he left them? Have they equaled him in character and vigorous life? If so, there is reason for the pride of birth, and genealogy ceases to be a vain chimera."
Friends (Quakers) required the young people to who wanted to marry to appear publicly at the meeting and make the announcement. A committee was appointed to see if the contracting parties were free from all engagements and that the parents approved. The next month the couple were to appear again at the meeting, announce their intentions, and receive the response of the committee. If approved the couple would be married, usually, within a few days at the home of the bride. To be married by a minister or by a civil officer was cause for disownment or excommunication from Friends. With this rule of the Quakers, it was easy to follow the marriages in the genealogy of John Shinn Senior.
I. Francis SHEENE of Freckenham Parish, b. England, 1520-1525.
II. Clement SHEENE, b. England 1593; married Grace _____. III. John SHINN, Sr. b. England 1632; married Jane ____. Children of John and Jane SHINN: 1685. John SHINN Jr., b. England; married 1/ 3 Mar 1686 Ellen STACY; md. 2/ 1 Jul 1707 to Mary. 1686. George SHINN, b. England; married 6 May 1691 to Mary THOMPSON. 1687. Mary SHINN, b. England; married 1/ 8 Sep 1686; married 2 1691 to Richard FENMORE. 1688. Thomas SHINN, b. England; married 1/ 1 May 1687 to Sarah SHAWTHORNE; married 2/ 6 Jan 1692/3 to Mary STOCKTON. 1689. Sarah SHINN, b. Eng. 1669; md Thomas ATKINSON. 1690. Esther SHINN, b. England; never married. A witness to Wm. ATKINSON's marriage in 1686. 1691. Francis SHINN, b. England; never married. 1692. Martha SHINN, b. England; married 1/ 3 Jan 1696/7; married 2/ 1729 to Restore LIPPINCOTT. 1693. James SHINN, b. Eng.; md 3 Mar 1697 to Abigail LIPPINCOTT.(Refer Lippincott Family History)
1685. JOHN SHINN JUNIOR 1684. JOHN SHINN SENIOR
In 1685 John SHINN Jr., son of John and Jane SHINN, started acquiring land in Burlington County, New Jersey.
On 13 May 1685, John SHINN of Birch Creek bought 200 acres from John RENSHAWE, in the First Tenth.
On 6 Jan 1706/7, John SHINN bought from John and Mary CROSBY, (John's sister), 550 acres, the land John Sr. left Mary.
On 17 May 1716, John bought from Joseph AMBER 100 acres.
On 27 Aug 1718, John conveyed to John OGBOURNE 30 acres.
On 11 Jan 1713/4, John sold to BICKLEY 100 acres in Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey.
On 30 Jun 1722, John sold a "Meadow" to Thomas BUDD.
In 1725, John SHINN and his four sons, Clement, Joshua, Jacob and Caleb, located land in Burlington.
On 1 Jun 1726, John sold 618 acres on the Raritan River, Huntington County, to Widow Sarah DIMSDALE.
On 11 May 1726, John sold to his sons, William and Clement, several tracts of land.
On 20 Oct 1736, William SHINN, of Springfield, brother and heir of Clement SHINN, late of same place, conveyed to John SHINN, father of William and Clement, the land which John SHINN, the father, sold to William and Clement on 11 May 1726.
On 21 Oct 1736, John sold the same land to David LEWIS, of Lebanon, Huntington County.
On 21 Oct 1736, the same day as above, John deeded his son, William 426 acres.
John Jr. must have married a second time because, the meeting of Friends sent for John in 1707 and ended up condemning his action for "the disorderly way of taking her." Which he must have had a preacher of some other church, or a heathen such as a Justice of the Peace marry them. Her name has not been located other than, Mary. In the Quakers records, she is referred to as "Anathema Marenatha". John Shinn, Jr., died in 1736/7, a very wealthy man for the day and time. Not as conspicuous as his father in public and religious life, he inherited the bulk of his estate, and managed it frugally and well. John Shinn, Sr., died in 1711, and after that period the title senior passed to John, Junior, his son, and the title junior passed to another John, the son of the first John Shinn, Jr. Mr. Josiah Shinn does not clearly name the children of John Jr. and his wife, nor the children by his wife. Since John married the second time out of the Quakers belief, the records are not as clear or obvious to find. The following listing of children is certain to be John SHINN Junior's but of which wife is in doubt. Children of John Shinn, Junior: 1694. George SHINN, married "2nd day 4th month 1712", Elizabeth, daughter of Restore 1695. Elizabeth SHINN, married, "5th day 9th month 1716", Robert, s/o Edward ROCKHILL Sr. 1696. Clement SHINN, died without issue. 1697. John SHINN, died without issue. 1698. William SHINN, married "2nd day, 11th month, 1728" to Martha, daughter of Joshua William married second Exorcise CORLISS, in 1739. 1699. Joshua SHINN. 1700. Jane SHINN, married 4 May 1732 to Jonathan GASKILL. 1701. Jacob Shinn, born 13 May 1715; married 12th month, 1745/6, to Hannah (RAKESTRAW) LIPPINCOTT, widow of Freedom LIPPINCOTT. 1702. Sarah Shinn, married 12 Jun 1739, to Thomas ATKINSON, son of Thomas and Sarah (SHINN) ATKINSON. 1703. Mary SHINN, married Abraham BUNNELL in 1731. They moved to Hunterdon County onto property given to her by her father in Lebanon. They reared a large family. One son, Abraham BUNNELL, became Lieutenant-Colonel of the Battalion raised by Somerset, Essex and Hunterdon, under an Ordinance passed by the Convention of
1686. GEORGE SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
George SHINN, son of John and Jane SHINN Sr., born prior to 1669 in England. With permission from his Church, he married Mary THOMPSON, shortly after 5 Jun 1691. John THOMPSON, father of Mary, was a freeholder and a man of public affairs. As an Assemblyman, under Governor Lord CORNBURY of New Jersey, sat in the assembly of 1707. He was a proprietor and a signer of the "Concessions,"; a member of the General Assembly in 1698; and a member of the Colonial Council in 1701. George SHINN died before 27 Jan 1694, when his will was probated. His inventory of property was £124.4.3. Mary Thompson Shinn married second Daniel WILLS most prominent man of Burlington County. The elder Daniel WILLS was one of the proprietors and one of the Commissioners sent from England. He came with a large family and many indentured servants, who afterwards became a leading citizen. He was chosen a member of the Governor's Council. Children of George and Mary (THOMPSON) SHINN: 1704. Levi SHINN, born 1692; married Ann WILLS, daughter of Daniel WILLS Sr. 1705. Martha SHINN married Daniel GASKILL, 1735. 1706. Mary SHINN married Samuel EVES, son of Thomas and Mary (ROBERTS) EVES. Marriage of the widow, Mary THOMPSON SHINN, to Daniel WILLS Jr., and the marriage of her son Levi SHINN to Ann WILLS brought about the following relationship: Levi became the brother-in-law to his mother; Mary became mother-in-law to her sister-in-law; Daniel became father-in-law to his sister and grandfather to her children.
1687. MARY SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
Mary SHINN, daughter of John and Jane SHINN Sr., was probably the oldest child, married John CROSBY after passing meeting the 8th of the 9th month (Nov), 1686. Mary married second Richard FENIMORE, son of Richard. Children of John and Mary CROSBY: 1707. Mary CROSBY, an idiot, provided for in the will of John SHINN Sr., as his granddaughter. 1708. John CROSBY, married Elizabeth WILSON in 1737. 1709. Nathan CROSBY, married Elizabeth GARWOOD in 1726. 1710. Rebecca CROSBY, married Samuel GARWOOD in 1728. Children of Mary SHINN CROSBY FENNIMOE and Richard FENNIMORE: 1711. Mary Fennimore, married Abraham BRYAN in 1728. 1712. John Fennimore, married Sarah Bryan, sister to Abraham, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (COLLINS) BRYAN.
1688. THOMAS SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
Thomas SHINN, son of John and Jane SHINN, born in England in Hertford County. He married Sarah SHAWTHORNE, she must have died soon after this marriage, as no children are made in reference to this union. The church then gave permission for Thomas to marry again, to Mary STOCKTON, daughter of Richard STOCKTON. Thomas lived scarcely 2 years after this marriage. His will is dated 4 Nov 1694 and was proven by John SHINN, Sr., on 15 Dec 1694. His states he had one son and one posthumous, that he was a freeholder and a slaveholder, one of the earliest slaveholders, if not the very earliest in New Jersey. Mary STOCKTON SHINN was given permission to marry Silas CRISPIN and did so on 28 Dec 1697, who was the 2nd son of Rear Admiral William CRISPIN of the English Navy by his wife Annie, daughter, of William JASPER, an English merchant of Amsterdam and sister of Margaret, wife of Admiral Sir William PENN, and mother of William PENN, the founder of Pennsylvania. Children of Thomas and Sarah (SHAWTHORNE) SHINN: 1713. Thomas SHINN married Martha EARL and became the head of a distinguished family in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 1714. Samuel SHINN, married 1/ Sarah SCHOOLY; 2/ Provided GASKKELL; and
The children by the first two wives became the heads of families in New Jersey, while Samuel and his third wife, Abigail moved to North Carolina and founded the SHINN's in the Southern States.
1689. SARAH SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
Sarah SHINN, daughter of John and Jane SHINN Sr., born in England in 1669; married Thomas ATKINSON. It is questioned where and when Sarah SHINN married Thomas. Could have been in England or America. What is known is that Thomas ATKINSON died in Northampton Township, Burlington, New Jersey, in 1739, being about 78 years old, with Sarah surviving him by several years. "The ATKINSONS are a Scotch family, but they have long had a residence in England. In a parish of Berkshire on a plate in the chancel is the usual "Hic Jecet," followed by the name and title, "William ATKINSON, Professor of Divinity in the Chapel of Windsor Castle." In latin he commands all passersby "Orate pro anima Will Atkinson" ("Pray for the soul of William Atkinson").
Source: History of the Shinn Family in Europe and America, by Josiah Shinn.
Children of Thomas and Sarah (SHINN) ATKINSON: 1715. Jean or Jane ATKINSON, born 1694; married Benjamin JONES Jr. 1716. Martha ATKINSON, born 1695. 1717. Francis ATKINSON, born 1696. 1718. John ATKINSON, born 1698; married Mary SMITH. 1719. Thomas ATKINSON, born 1700; married Hannah. 1720. Mary ATKINSON, born 1702; married Caleb SHREVE Jr. 1721. Sarah ATHINSON, born 1704; married Mr. HARRIS. 1722. Christiana ATKINSON, born 1706; married Mr. WILSON.
1692. MARTHA SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
Martha SHINN, daughter of John and Jane SHINN Sr.; married after 5 Mar 1697 to Joshua OWEN, a respectable landholder of Burlington County, New Jersey. Joshua died before 1729 for that year Martha SHINN OWEN married Restore LIPPINCOTT, with no issue. Children of Joshua and Martha (SHINN) OWEN: 1723. Martha Owen, married Benjamin MERRIOTT. 1724. Joshua Owen, married 1/ 29 Jul 1730 to Mary BUTCHER; married 2/ 5 Jan 1743 to Sarah BRANSON. 1725. Rowland OWEN, married 17 Mar 1738 to Prudence POWELL. 1726. Rebecca OWEN, married 4 Apr 1730 to Thomas EVINS. 1727. Sarah OWEN. 1728. Mary OWEN, married Henry BURR. 1729. Margaret OWEN, married 21 Jun 1722 to Benjamin CRISPIN.
1692. FRANCIS SHINN 1684. JOHN SHINN
Francis SHINN, son of John and Jane SHINN Sr. From his will dated "March ye 11th 1704", Francis never married and left his land of 120 acres, to his brother, James SHINN, along with the "meadow with all the building, fensing and improvements." Also his "Personall estate that is all my cattle and horses all my swine all my emplyments of husbandry and all my wearing apparell and all things whatsoever that is mine." And appoints James his executor. Nothing else is known about Francis Shinn.