History of Walker Combs Hartshorne (Oakley) Farm (cont.)

1686-1701
During the proprietary period of government the farmstead property was owned by, John Barclay, Robert Barclay, John Reid and John Bowne. The proprietors of East New Jersey sold the tract of land (acreage unknown) to John Barclay in 1686. John Barclay then transferred it to Robert Barclay in the same year. John Barclay was a Scot and the receiver-general of quitrents for the proprietary government. Robert Barclay was a Scots Quaker from Edinbugh and one of the 24 proprietors of East New Jersey. He owned an entire propriety plus 5,000 acres and was the Governor of East New Jersey for life. A learned man and leading advocate of the friends (Quakers) Barclay published a dozen tracts including the Gamouse Apology. Barclay was the chief architect of Scottish resettlement of East New Jersey. Robert Barclay sold the farmstead tract of 500 acres to John Reid in 1699. Robert Barclay and other Scottish proprietors of East New Jersey employed Reid, a Scots Quaker, in 1683 as overseer in charge of a party of emigrants from Scotland. Reid was appointed surveyor general of the province in 1702 and was a member of the General Assembly in 1703. John Reid sold 200 acres of the tract to John Bowne in 1701. John Bowne, son of Captain John Bowne-a patentee and one of the five original settlers of the Monmouth patent granted by Governor Nicolls, was a member of the Provincial Assembly, taking part in the Second Assembly in 1704 and the Third Assembly in 1707. Although both John Ried and John Bowne resided in Freehold, it is not likely that either resided on the farmstead tract.

1706-1720
John Bowne sold the 200-acre farmstead tract to Richard Clark in 1706. Nothing is known about Clark; he was probably a farmer and most likely resided on the property as his deed to the following owner mentions a house.

1720-1801
During this period, the farm was owned by George Walker and his descendants. His son, George Walker, Jr., Inherited the property in 1748. Little is known of either Walker, except that the son served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Waddell’s 1st Regiment Company. Captain George Walker, Jr., died intestate in 1794 leaving Aaron Frman Walker, the administrator of the estate which was sold in 1801 to Elijah Combs..

1801-1832
During this period, Elijah Combs actively farmed the property, which consisted of 289.90 acres. A man of some means, Combs was probably responsible for developing the farm to its present appearance. His 1831 probate inventory accurately describes the farmhouse as it was at that time.

1832-1842
The farmstead was sold by the Commissioners of Monmouth County for the estate of Elijah Combs to Rulif R. Schanck. The total acreage at the time was 226.45 acres. Schanck proceeded to sell off some of the acreage. By the time he sold the farm to Richard S. Hartshorne, Jr. in 1842, the tract was reduced to 143.23 acres. It remained this size until the Route 33 By-pass was built through the northern edge of the farm. This reduced its size to 115.34 acres.