Charity WIGGINS
1746 - 1840 (94 years)-
Name Charity WIGGINS Born 1746 Westchester County, New York, USA 
Gender Female Died 20 Oct 1840 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Person ID I18765 Patrick Goodmurphy Family Tree Last Modified 2 Aug 2020
Father Benjamin WIGGINS
b. 1702, Jamaica, Queens County, New York, USA
d. 17 Sep 1776, Jamaica, Queens County, New York, USA (Age 74 years) Relationship natural Mother Rachael STAUFFER
b. 1705
d. 1774 (Age 69 years)Relationship natural Married 1722 Jamaica, Queens County, New York, USA Family ID F11377 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Captain Isaac GEROW
b. 11 Sep 1742, New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York, USA
d. 25 Jul 1778, New York City, New York, USA (Age 35 years) Married Abt 1754 Westchester County, New York, USA Children 1. Isaac GEROW, Jr
b. 2 Jul 1762, New Castle, Westchester County, New York, USA
d. 5 Apr 1864, Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (Age 101 years) [natural]2. Benjamin GEROW
b. 16 Mar 1768, North Castle, Westchester, New York, USA
d. 3 Feb 1835, Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (Age 66 years) [natural]3. Henry GEROW
b. 1763, Courtland Manor, Westchester County, New York, USA
d. 5 Apr 1864, Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (Age 101 years) [natural]Last Modified 2 Aug 2020 Family ID F11368 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map 
Born - 1746 - Westchester County, New York, USA 
Married - Abt 1754 - Westchester County, New York, USA 
Died - 20 Oct 1840 - Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada = Link to Google Earth
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.