History of Bucks County, Pa Volume 3 by William H. Davis
Names and Page # Index

The LaRue family is of French origin, the name being originally Le Roy, and the immediate ancestors of the members of the family who came to New York province about 1680 were probably among the millions of French Huguenots who fled from their mother country about 1666 and took refuge in Switzerland and the Palatinate, many also migrating direct to America and England. About 1680 Franz, Jacques, and Abraham Le Roy, probably all, and at least the last two brothers came from Manheim "In the Palz" and located in the Province of New York; Franz at or near the present site of Albany, New York, where there was a considerable colony of Huguenots under the leadership of Lois Du Bois, otherwise "Louis the Walloon," who had himself fled from France to Manheim in 1658 and from there to America in 1660; Jacques, on the Hackensack, in Bergen, later Essex county, New Jersey; and Abraham, on Staten Island.

Franz Le Roy married Celia Janse Damen, and his sons, Jonas and George went with the Ferrees to the Conestoga valley, and later located in York and Lebanon counties. He was also probably the father of Abraham LaRue, who settled near Mifflinburg, in 1754, though tradition makes him a brother of Jean Jacques Le Roy, who was killed by the Indians in 1755, and his daughter Barbara carried into captivity as related by her and made part of the state archives. This Jean Jacques Le Roy came direct from Switzerland to America in 1750. Some of the descendants of Franz Le Roy Germanized the name into "Koenig" and later Anglicized it to "King." Bergen in his "Early Settlers of Kings County" makes the curious mistake of supposing that Franz Le Roy's wife Celia Janse Damen was twice married, first to Franz Koenig and later to Franz Le Roy, because his name is given in the two forms on the Dutch records of baptisms of his children.

The marriage of Jacques Le Roy, at Bergen Dutch Reformed church, January 2, 1681, to Wybregh Hendricks, states that he was "of Manheim in the Palz," as does also that of his sister Susanna to Thones Hendricks, May 20, 1683, at the same church. This might mean that he was born at Manheim, or that he had recently arrived from there; the common practice with the Dutch being to give the place of birth. About the time of his marriage, with other Huguenots, he helped to organize a "French Church" at Bergen, but later affiliated with the Dutch church where his six children were baptized. He died in 1730, leaving ten children, all of whom seem to have remained in Bergen and Essex counties, New Jersey, and in New York.

Abraham La Roe, as both he and his brother Jacques came later to spell their name, located on Staten Island where he was still residing when he made his will in 1702, though prior to 1712, when it first offered for probate, he had removed to the neighborhood of Hopewell, then Burlington county, later Hunterdon, and now Mercer county, New Jersey. His will mentions his children, but not by name. From contemporary records we learn that his sons were: Peter, Abraham, Daniel, David and Isaac. The witness to the will, William Tillyer, Francis L'Roe, Louis DuBois, and William Grassett, being all either deceased or removed to such distance that their testimony could not be obtained, his will failed of probate and letters of administration were granted on June 14, 1712, to his widow Olshe (Alice) who had been named as executrix and almost sole legatee in the will. Olshe, Alshe, or Alken, the wife of Abraham La Roe, was prior to her marriage to him the widow of Joshua Cresson, youngest son of Pierre Cresson, a native of France, who had come to America from Holland, where he had married a Dutch woman, and located on Long Island. Joshua Cresson was baptized in 1658, and died prior to 1690, which later date is approximately that of the marriage of his widow to Abraham La Roe. The names of Peter, Abraham, Isaac and David La Rue appear on the tax lists of Hopewell township, in 1722, and the first and last were contributors to a fund to purchase a plantation as a home for the pastor of Hopewell Presbyterian church in 1731. Abraham died in Hopewell "in the corporation of Trenton" leaving a will dated February 26, 1747, and proved February 15, 1749. It mentions his wife Harmekie, and children; Abraham, Isaac, Susannah, wife of Cornelius Slack; Altie, Catren (Catharine); another daughter, without giving her name, and Jacob. It devises his plantation in Hopewell to his sons, Abraham and Isaac, jointly at the death or marriage of his wife. Isaac was yet a minor. These sons, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are doubtless the three brothers referred to by Stapleton in his "Memorial of Huguenots," page 136, as the ancestors of the southern family of the name of La Rue; the first and last of whom he states were "pioneers in Kentucky, where LaRue county commemorates their name." If this be true, however, the date of their removal was considerably later than there given, as Isaac was still a minor and all were residents of Hunterdon county at the death of their father in 1747. "Isaac," he states, "born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in 1712, removed in 1743 to the Shenandoah valley and established the Virginia family of the name." David LeRue died intestate in Hopewell township, and letters of administration were granted on his estate to Abraham LaRue, February 18, 1732; nothing is known of his descendants. The remaining three brothers: Peter, Daniel, and Isaac LaRue, all settled, at least for a time, in Bucks county. "Peter La Row," of Hopewell in the western division of New Jersey Yeoman, on December 11, 1738, purchased of Abel Janney 288 acres in Makefield, and settled thereon, later purchasing 216 acres adjoining. On May 16, 1749, he conveyed 258 acres, part of both tracts, to Nicholas Larzelere, the ancestor of the Bucks county family of that name, who at that date removed from Staten Island to Bucks county. No further record appears in Bucks county of Peter LaRue. Isaac LaRue evidently located in Bucks county at about the same date as his brother Peter. On October 6, 1743, he married, at Abington Presbyterian church, Rebeckah Vansant, daughter of Jacobus Vansant, of Middletown. (See Vansant Family). He purchased land in Bensalem in 1745, and died there about 1760, leaving children: Rebecca, who married James Van Arsdalen; Abraham, Isaac and David, all of whom left descendants.

Daniel LaRue, with whose descendants this narrative is chiefly interested, was without doubt a son of Abraham and Alshe (Alice) Cresson LaRoe, or Le Roy of Staten Island, later of Hopewell, New Jersey. He was born on Staten Island in the year 1697, and was reared at Hopewell, where, as before stated he contributed to the support of Hopewell Presbyterian church in 1722. On June 15, 1751, the executors of Mark Watson, convey to "Daniel La Roe, of Hunterdon county, Province of West Jersey," 300 acres in Falls township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and on January 26, 1763, John Plumley conveys to "Daniel La Roe, of Falls township, Bucks county" 200 acres in Middletown township. He died in Middletown township, February 1, 1795, at the age of ninety-eight years, and is buried in the old Presbyterian burying ground in Bensalem. His wife was Ann Praul, who died October 23, 1776, at the age of sixty-two years, and is buried in the same cemetery. The will of "Daniel Larrew, the elder, of Middletown township, dated March 19, 1786, and proven February 16, 1795, devised to son Abraham, five pds, "he already having had his share" Son Daniel the plantation where the testator then lived, 200 acres "bought of John Plumley;" Son Moses the northeasterly part of the plantation in Falls, 212 acres; Son Peter and Daughter Mary Stillwell the balance of the Falls plantation; Daughter-in-law Apama, widow of son David, 200 pounds if she have issue. The children of Daniel and Ann (Praul) LaRue were: I. Peter LaRue, eldest son of Daniel and Ann, was born in 1732, and died August 3, 1797, is buried at the Larzelere burying ground near Hulmeville, now Beechwood cemetery. He lived and died on the homestead in Falls township, was probably never married, at least had no children. II. Abraham, born 1734, died March 26, 1790, married Alice, daughter of Folekert Vandegrift, born April, 1731, died died September 24, 1801. They had children: Abraham; Anna, baptized at Southampton church in 1757, married John Larzelere; Elizabeth, married Garret Vansant; and Eleanor, married Joseph Sackett. III. Mary LaRue, married, April 25, 1769, Captain Richard Stillwell, of the revolution, and had son Daniel. IV. Daniel LaRue, born 1737, died February 27, 1819, married, May 21, 1763, Elizabeth Sutton, daughter of Daniel Sutton, of Burlington county, New Jersey, no issue. V. Moses La Rue, born 1744, died February 28, 1795, less than a month after the death of his father. He lived on a part of his father's plantation in Falls long before the decease of his father; probably from the date of his marriage, October 19, 1769, to Catharine Larzelere, daughter of Nicholas, before referred to as coming from Staten Island to Makefield. They were the parents of six sons: Jesse, Daniel, John, Moses, Nicholas and Aaron. See forward. VI. David LaRue, died late in 1785 or early in 1786 as his unborn child is referred to in the will of his father, March 19, 1786. He was a private in the company of his brother-in-law, Captain Richard Stillwell, Bucks county militia, in 1781. His widow Apama, married a Parsons. He had one child, Rebecca, born after his death.

Of the children of Moses and Catharine (Larzelere) LaRue, Elizabeth, the only daughter, married a Mr. Carlile. Jesse, the eldest son, lived on the homestead in Falls, where he died in 1814, leaving a widow Barbara, and eight children: Catharine, wife of John W. Vandegrift; Elizabeth, wife of Jonas Cox; Samuel; Mary Ann, wife of William Doble; Sarah Vandegrift; Julianna; Jesse and Martha. Daniel, the second son, was born September 9, 1774, and died April 29, 1853. He was a carpenter, and a considerable land owner in Falls township. He married, February 8, 1798, Elizabeth Vandegrift, born October 16, 1777, died June 30, 1871, in her ninety-fourth year. They were the parents of eleven children. William, who married Sarah Palmer and is still living; John, who married Rebecca Burton and died at the age of ninety years; Sarah, who married William Biles; Ann Eliza, died December 9, 1867, at the age of sixty-four years; Mary, who married Jonathan Burton and died at the age of eighty-eight years; Moses, who married Elizabeth Russell and is living in Philadelphia at the age of ninety-seven years; Harriet, died at the age of nineteen years; Caroline, who married Abraham English, of Trenton, New Jersey; Elizabeth, who married Jesse Hellings and is living at the age of eighty-eight years. Susan, who married Tunis Hellings, brother of Jesse, and is living at the age of eighty-six years; and Catherine, who married Abraham Howell and is living at the age of eighty-five years. John, third son of Moses and Catharine LaRue, was a stone mason and lived in Byberry. He had children: Daniel, Marmaduke, Mary, wife of Joseph Knight, Ezra, Carey, Moses and Ann. Moses, the fourth son, mentioned hereinafter; Aaron, the fifth son, resided at Yardleville; he was county treasurer of Bucks county in 1827. Nicholas, the youngest son, married Elizabeth Kensey, and also resided at Yardley; they had children: John Kensey, and Mary.

Moses La Rue, fourth son and fifth child of Moses and Catharine (Larzelere) LaRue, was born in Falls township, Bucks county, November 11, 1779, and died at Newportville, Bristol township, August 7, 1860. He learned the trade of a coach maker early in life, and carried on an extensive business in carriage building at Newportville for many years. He was a prominent man in the community, serving for many years as a justice of the peace and filing the office of county treasurer in 1838. He married Rachel Johnson, born June 6, 1785, died July 19, 1852, and they were the parents of ten children as follows: 1. Mary, born August 28, 1803, married Lewis Reeder and removed to Muncy, Pennsylvania. She died at Bridesburg, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1879. Children: Kate, Annie and Sarah. 2. Catharine, born August 5, 1805, married 1864, John Wright, of Tullytown, died August 31, 1883. No children. 3. Nicholas, born October 14, 1807, died Philadelphia, August 9, 1849, married Catharine M. Bunting, see forward. 4. Daniel, born August 25, 1809. 5. Peter Johnson, born January, 1812, died young. 6. George, born September 15, 1813, died March 8, 1890, succeeded his father as carriage maker at Newportville, but later removed to Bristol where he died. He married first Christianna Headly, one child, John H., of Bristol township. Married second, Sarah A. White, one child, Mary Elizabeth, who married Dr. James Osman. 7. Sarah, born February 14, 1816, died February 10, 1896, married J. Hibbs Goforth, of Hulmeville. One child, Catharine, single. 8. Rachel Ann, born April 22, 1819, died May 30, 1865, married Kinsey Krewson. Children, Rachel Florence, William Emley, single, and Kate L., wife of James V. Randall, of Newtown. 9. Edward W. born May 30, 1822, died Virginia City, Nevada, married Mary Lemon, no surviving issue. 10. Aaron, born March 30, 1827, died March 5, 1879, was a merchant in New York