Yard
2 June 2012
VIRGIN ISLANDS FAMILIES
Yard
Origin: North America
Related Families: Ebbesen, Frelinghuysen, Furman, Kortright, Kuhn, Spencer
V.I. Location: St. Croix
Contributor: Svend E. Holsoe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Joseph Yard was born in about 1707.
He was married to Ann Spencer.
He died in about 1763 in Trenton, New Jersey.
Children of Joseph and Ann (Spencer) Yard:
(not complete)
1. i.
Joseph Yard, d. 1779
2. ii. Nahor Yard, d. as a child
4. iii. Archibald William Yard, b. c1732, d. 10 March 1810
4. iv. Mary Yard
5. v. Margaret? Yard
6. vi. Isaiah Yard, b. 21 October 1752, d. 18 August 1832
7. vii. Daniel Yard
8. viii. Benjamin Yard, d. c21 August 1787
9. ix. Achsa Yard, b. c1744, d. 2 October 1823
1. Joseph Yard was married to Sarah Furman.
Children of Joseph and Sarah (Furman) Yard:
10. i.
11. ii.
12. iii.
13. iv.
Furman Yard, d. bef. 1787
Anne Yard, d. aft. 1838
John? Yard
James Yard, b. 17 June 1760, 4 February 1835
[No Yards on St. Croix prior to 1772.]
8. Benjamin Yard was recorded in January 1774 as living in Samuel Thomssen's
house at 64 King’s Street, Christiansted with a capable slave rented from Mrs. Spencer.1
1
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1772, Christiansted, 64 King's Street.
1
By January of 1776, he had moved to William and Samuel Newton's house at 2
Hospital Street, Christiansted.2
He was married on 8 January 1784 at Mr. Samuel Newton's residence on St.
Croix by the Anglican Minister to Elizabeth Kortright,3 daughter of Cornelius and
Hylleborg Margaretha Juliana (von Walterstorff) Kortright, who was born in October
c1765 and was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church on St. Croix on 21 October
c1765.4
He was buried on 21 August 1787 by the Anglican Minister at the West End
[Frederiksted], St. Croix.5
In late 1787, she was living with her son, Cornelius Kortright Yard, at 1 Hospital
Street, Christiansted.6
In 1788, Mrs. Yard moved to 48 King Street, Christiansted, where she was with
her son and daughter, along with Polly Kortright.7 She remained there in 1789 with her
son and daughter, but in 1790, she and the family were not there, however, enslaved
people were.8
She was remarried in Christ Church, Philadelphia, on 12 January 1791 to James
Yard (see below).
She died on 13 April 1824 in Philadelphia, PA.
Child of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Kortright) Yard:
14. i. Cornelius Kortright Yard, b. 13 November 1784, d. 18 September 1803
15. ii. Samuel Newton Yard, b. 10 May 1786, c16 May 1786
16. iii. Elizabeth Hester Yard, b. 24 January 1788, d. 12 March 1870
11. Anne Yard. She may have stood at the baptism of Elizabeth Hester Yard in
1788.9
She was married on 30 May 1795 to Frederick Frelinghuysen, who was born in
1753.
He died in 1804. She died after 1838.
13. James Yard was born on 17 June 1760 in Princeton, New Jersey.
He appeared in the Christiansted tax list for 1787 (taken on the 27th November
1787), living in the house of William and Samuel Newton at 1 Hospital Street,
2
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1775, Christiansted, 2 Hospital Street.
St. John's Anglican Church, Christiansted, Church Book, Baptisms, 1765-1786, 21 November 1784;
ibid., Marriages, 1761-1787, f. 13.
4
St. Croix Dutch Reformed Church, Church Book, baptism of Hester & Elizabeth Kortright, 25 October
c1765.
5
St. John's Anglican Church, Church Book, 1761-1787, Burials, 27 August 1787.
6
RA, VILA, St. Croix Matricle, 1787, f. 4 0, Christiansted, 1 Hospital Street.
7
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1788, Christiansted, 48 King Street, f. 5.
8
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1789 & 1790, Christiansted, 48 King Street.
9
St. Croix Danish Lutheran Church, Church Book, 1780-1793, f. 62.
3
2
Christiansted.10 Also residing there, among others, were the widow Yard [that is
Elizabeth Kortright] and a son [Cornelius Kortright Yard].11
He may have stood at the baptism of Elizabeth Hester Yard in 1788.12 He was
also listed in the tax list for 1788, residing at 4a Strand Street, Christiansted and owning 3
capable slaves.13
In January 1789, he purchased an African designated, Charles, from the Guinea
Trading Company's vessel, General Huth.14
By December 1789, he had moved back to William and Samuel Newton's
property at 1 Hospital Street, Christiansted, where he was living with another man, and
his four capable slaves.15
He was married on 12 January 1791 in Christ Church, Philadelphia, PA, to
Elizabeth Kortright,16 who was born on 29 October 1765 on St. Croix, the widow of
Benjamin Yard.
He was not on St. Croix in November 1790 when the taxes were taken, but he had
returned by May 1791, when he granted freedom to one of his slaves, Ann alias Nancy
Cruse.17 He was listed in November 1791 with his wife, but no children.18
She died on 13 April 1824 in Philadelphia, PA and was buried at St. Peter's
Churchyard, Philadelphia. 19
He died on 4 February 1835 in Philadelphia, PA and was buried with his wife. 20
14. Cornelius Kortright Yard was born on 13 November 1784 on St. Croix and
was baptized on 21 November 1784 in the Christiansted Anglican Church.21
He died 18 September 1803 in Pennsylvania.
15. Samuel Newton Yard was born on 10 May 1786 on St. Croix. He was
buried on 16 May 1786 by the Anglican Minister at the West End [Frederiksted].22
16. Elizabeth Hester Yard was born 24 January 1788 and was baptized on 3
February 1788 in the St. Croix Danish Lutheran Church.23
She was married on 28 July 1808 in Philadelphia, PA to Charles Kuhn, who was
born on 12 April 1785.
10
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1787, Christiansted, 1 Hospital Street, f. 40.
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1787, Christiansted, 1 Hospital Street, f. 40.
12
St. Croix Danish Lutheran Church, Church Book, 1780-1793, f. 62.
13
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1788, Christiansted, 4a Strand Street, f. 16.
14
RA, VILA, Christiansted Byfoged, Panteprotokol, vol. T, f. 39.
15
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1789, Christiansted, 1 Hospital Street.
16
Henry B. Hoff, “Some Americans in the Danish West Indies,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly,
74/1 (March 1986), 36.
17
NARA, RG55, Box 723, Fri Brev Protokol 1815, no. 268.
18
RA, St. Croix Matricle, 1791, Christiansted, 1 Hospital Street, f. 43.
19
Henry B. Hoff, “Some Americans in the Danish West Indies,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly,
74/1 (March 1986), 36.
20
Henry B. Hoff, “Some Americans in the Danish West Indies,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly,
74/1 (March 1986), 36.
21
St. John's Anglican Church, Christiansted, Church Book, Baptisms, 1765-1786, 21 November 1784.
22
St. John's Anglican Church, Church Book, 1761-1787, Burials, 15 May 1786.
23
St. Croix Danish Lutheran Church, Church Book, 1780-1793, f. 62.
11
3
He died on 22 September 1842. She died on 12 March 1870 in Philadelphia, PA.
--------------------------Maria Elizabeth Yard was born in about 178024/178825 on St. Croix.26 She was
classified as a mulatto, and she was a member of the Lutheran Church.27
She received her freedom certificate from Governor Lindemann on 23 May
28
1800.
In 1815, she was living at 9 King Street, Christiansted in Mouritzen's household
and she was listed as a seamstress by profession.29
In 1838, Johannes Wolby [Woldbye] Mouritzen, who died on 10 March 1839,30
wrote a will in which he left to his housekeeper, Maria Elizabeth Yard, the contents of his
household, the properties 1,2,3 Fisher Street in Christiansted and an annuity of 1100 Rds.
Danish West Indian currency.31
In 1841, she was living at 1,2,3 Fisher Street, Christiansted. 32
In 1846, she was living at 1,2,3 Fisher Street, Christiansted in a property which
she owned and was supported by an annuity.33 At the time, she also owned two other
properties in Christiansted, namely 9 Church Street and 5 Hill Street.34
-------------------------Elizabeth Yard was born in about 1783 on St. Croix.35
In was living in 1804 as a free colored adult at 45 Hill Street, Christiansted, St.
Croix.36
She married37 on 14 May 180538 to Axel Wilhelm [William] Ebbesen.39 In
1808, she was living with her husband and two sons at 24 East Street.40 They were both
described at this time as a free mustice.41 They had three children.
24
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street; or born in 1783, see: RA, VILA,
Vestindiske Regering, Udtagne Sager, nr. 59, 1815 Christiansted Free Colored Census, no. 24.
25
RA. St. Croix Census, 1841, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
26
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street; or born in 1783, see: RA, VILA,
Vestindiske Regering, Udtagne Sager, nr. 59, 1815 Christiansted Free Colored Census, no. 24.
27
RA, VILA, Vestindiske Regering, Udtagne Sager, nr. 59, 1815 Christiansted Free Colored Census, no.
24.
28
RA, VILA, Vestindiske Regering, Udtagne Sager, nr. 59, 1815 Christiansted Free Colored Census, no.
24.
29
RA, VILA, Vestindiske Regering, Udtagne Sager, nr. 59, 1815 Christiansted Free Colored Census, no.
24. Her freedom recorded in the Christiansted city court on 20 February 1820. The location is based on
the previous reference and the 1815 St. Croix Matricle for Christiansted, f. 2.
30
R. H. Rasmussen, Personalhistoriske Samlinger om Dansk Vestindien, card file, RA.
31
RA, VILA, Christiansted Byfoged, Panteprotokol, Lit. LL, 1838-1841, ff. 71v-72v.
32
RA, St. Croix Census, 1841, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
33
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
34
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 9 Church Street & 5 Hill Street.
35
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
36
RA, VILA, 1804 Christiansted Free Colored Census, 45 Hill Street, adult female no. 417.
4
In 1846, she was living at 1,2,3 Fisher Street, Christiansted in Maria Elizabeth
Yard's home.42 She was listed as 63 years old, a member of the Anglican Church,
married and "Keeping School."43
37
At the baptism of son in October 1808, he is listed as a legal [Echt] child, and the father is stated as Axel
Wilhelm Ebbesen, see: St. Croix Dutch Reformed Church, Church Book, Baptisms, 1788-1814, 2 October
1808.
38
Christiansted Lutheran Mission Church, Church Book, 1805-1818, f. 4.
39
He appears in the 1808 Christiansted Free Colored Census as William Ebbesen, Senr., and in the baptism
of his daughter Louisa, as well as. See: RA, VILA, 1808 Christiansted Free Colored Census, 24 East
Street, adult male no. 192; 11? May 1814.
40
RA, VILA, 1808 Christiansted Free Colored Census, 24 East Street, adult female no. 480.
41
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
42
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
43
RA, St. Croix Census, 1846, Free, Christiansted, 1,2,3 Fisher Street.
5