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This is our full knowledge of Captain John Rule, our fist ancestor in America.
"Captain" John Rule
Other Documents: Captain John Rule - The title appears in the several accounts of John Rule's having come from Yorkshire, England to direct the work of some 150 Welsh coalminers employed to nine copper in the Griggstown copper mine near Kingston, New Jersey. He is also called a "foreman" and had full responsibility for the operation of the mine. His birth date is recorded as September 27,1739 and his death as May, 26,1810. The dates shown have been verified by the Daughters of The American Revolution on March 12,1971 accepting Capt. John Rule as a Patriot. Capt. John Rule's name appears in a number of publications reporting the History of the mining of copper at Griggstown, Somerset County New Jersey. Reference "Copper Mines and Mining in New Jersey." by Herbert P. Woodward . [Bulletin 57, Geologic Series, Dept. of Conservation and Development] Trenton, N.J. Also the Pennsylvania. Gazette of January 16, 1753 reported a copper vein and that share were for sale. " A grandson of Captain Rule, the original mine manager said that his grandfather employed 160 Welsh miners and that ore was shipped to England for smelting": The Somerset County Historical Quarterly 1912 - 1918 Volume one and Volume seven page: 284 and pages 128-129 respectively, record:
"RULE, John, of near Kingstown (Kingston) 9.19.0 Losses in the Revolution, Somerset County." The Somerset County Historical Quarterly 1912-1918 Page 109 states "The exact date of Discovery of the Griggstown Mine is not now known "The presence near Griggstown of a valuable copper vein of six foot square" was reported. Mining ceased when the Revolution began and the property was idle for the next forty years." For further detailed information see the attached article taken from "Millstone Valley" by Elizabeth Menzies, published by the Rutgers University Press in 1969. I believe the mine property is now owned by a Mr. Isaac D. Gabel of Bordentown,N.J, and a Mr. Robert Dixon of New York. Capt. John Rule died at Kingstown, N.J. (Kingston) on May 26, 1810. He left a will, a copy of which is made a part of this study. The original will is in the possession of the Register of the Prerogative Court, Trenton, N.J. It is recorded in the Surrogates' office at Somerville, New Jersey in Book of Wills "A" page 255, 1804-1814. It is an interesting will. Two points are worth attention- Page #3 ,"freedom of his Negro man and his future care and also the granting of a room in his homestead and the provision for her to "have firewood at the door" to his housekeeper, 'Catherine Fonk On page 21 of the book " History of the Rule Family" by Walter Stuart Rule," published by the Pentecostal Publishing Co in1941 at Louisville Kentucky we find this " there is record in New Jersey of a John Rule who says-in his bible evidently handed down by his Father;" Charles Rule his bible - to be given to him after the decease of me the subscriber John Rule, January 10, 1810." Another note mentions, "Departed this life John Rule, May 26, 1810 Page (2) Also in the bible is this quotation " Departed this life Sarah, the Wife of John Rule the twenty seventh day of August 1785. Also "Charles Rule departed this life May 4,1832" Others mentioned are Sarah,- 1789, Andrew,-1799 and Joachim, son of Peter 1820, and Sarah Ann 1828. These are birth years. Peter died at 25 and Andrew at 29. " In an undated letter signed by Arthur Rule, presumed to have been written to his brother, the Rev. Lucien Rule of Goshen,Ky. we find a long account of the History of Saint Rule, the Rule Church and the Church of Saint Andrews.[a copy of which is made a part of this study] " That's about all I can tell you on the subject right now. With much love to all, Affectionatly Arthur. P.S. When you have a convenient time hope you can note the entries in the Old Bible and parcel post it to me " I never saw the old Family Bible, either the one given to Charles Rule or the Bible mentioned by my Father, Arthur. It is known that "the Family Bible" was destroyed in the total loss of the Rule house in Goshen, Kentucky by fire in the early 1930's.
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