Notes:

Charity Gerow....from Mildred Smith's records - June 1973

Charity's land petitions reveal what kind of a woman she was and, to some extent, what her life was like in New Brunswick.

Even after Captain Isaac's death she must have had a certain amount of comfort and security in New York City, the British capital in North America from 1776 to 1783. However, she had a difficult time getting sufficient rations for herself and her family and appealed to Sir Guy Carelton for help.

When the peace was signed to end the American Revolution it was impossible for Charity and her little children to return home. Even before hostilities had broken out they had been forced away from their North Castle farm. Rioting rebel mobs had, from 1770 on, persecuted families with known Loyalist sympathies and especially families with husbands in the British army.

In 1780 the New York Legislature passed a law that Loyalist wives and their children under 10 had 20 days to get out of the state.
When peace was signed in 1783 the families that had fled to New York City had to be taken to land still under the British flag before the British surrendered New York City. Otherwise they would suffer at the hands of mobs.
Even if kin took them into their homes, mobs might drag them out, tar and feather them, cut off their ears etc.....

In 1783 Charity Gerow and her family and a large number of other Loyalists were transported from New York City to New Brunswick. A book called "Early Loyalist St. John" by D.H. Bell, 1983 states "widow Charity Gerow from Westchester County, N.Y. and 4 sons went July 1783 to N.B. on the refugee ship "Montague". Her 2 daughters and their husbands, and her 2 nephews were on the same ship". There she petitioned the Govenrment for land and received a large tract of land alongside Washademoak Lake. She only owned the land until 1805 when she sold the land to James Henry and went to live with her daughter, Phoebe Sherwood.

There is also a record that Charity remarried after 1803 to John Pickett but that this marriage did not last long. There is also a record in New Brunswick of the burial of Charity Rickets buried Oct. 20, 1840 but it is believed to be Charity Pickett. Charity Ricket ( Pickett ) was buried by Rector Harrison of St. Luke's Anglican in Loyalist Cemetery, King's Square, Saint John, New Brunswick. This information provided by records of Mildred M. Smith - 1980.

Charity married Captain Isaac GEROW about 1754 in Westchester County, New York, USA. Captain (son of Daniel (Giraud) GEROW and Catherine SICARD) was born on 11 Sep 1742 in New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York, USA; died on 25 Jul 1778 in New York City, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Isaac GEROW, Jr was born on 2 Jul 1762 in New Castle, Westchester County, New York, USA; died on 5 Apr 1864 in Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.
2. Benjamin GEROW was born on 16 Mar 1768 in North Castle, Westchester, New York, USA; died on 3 Feb 1835 in Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.
3. Henry GEROW was born in 1763 in Courtland Manor, Westchester County, New York, USA; died on 5 Apr 1864 in Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.

Notes:

BIO FROM FIND A GRAVE
Both Benjamin, II and his wife, Rachel (unknown maiden name) lived in Hempstead, New York, USA in 1744.

Benjamin's burial place is unknown, but probably near Newburgh, New York. Benjamin received a land grant in 1765 consisting of 850 acres of land from the Indians with was located 3 miles east of Newburgh on the Hudson River, then Ulster County until 1798, then Orange County, New York. This is 75 miles northwest of Jamaica, Ny. the paperwork still has the Indian Chief's blood signature on it when it was examined by Prof. E. Stone Wiggins who advised that this grant and Benjamin's will be preserved at the Kingston Courthouse. The property was left to his sons, Stephen, John, and Jacob, according to Rev. A.C. Wiggins of WI. In 1884 most descendants still lived near Newburgh. In 1884, this land was owned by Stephen, the son of James Wiggins.

Benjamin married Rachael STAUFFER in 1722 in Jamaica, Queens County, New York, USA. Rachael was born in 1705; died in 1774. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]