Rebecca Hallett (1675-1730)

Rebecca Hallett was born on 31 Aug 1675 in Astoria, Queens, New York (it was then called Hallett’s Cove) as the third child of William Hallett and Sarah Woolsey. She had nine siblings, namely: William, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, George, Charity, Mary, Elizabeth, and Richard.

Rebecca Hallett grew up at Hallett’s Cove, a place that is now called Astoria, Queens, New York. Rebecca’s grandfather, William Hallett, was the first to settle there in 1652, after receiving a land grant for the area which was then part of New Amsterdam and controlled by the Dutch. Nothing remains from the original Hallett settlement, but the cove there still bears the Hallett name. And, there is a New York City Park with that name. Today, at the park, you can launch your canoe or kayak to enjoy some time on the East River.

31-10 Vernon Blvd, Queens, NY 11106

When she was 18, Rebecca Hallett married James Jackson, son of John Jackson and Elizabeth Seaman, in 1694 in Astoria, Queens, New York (Hallett’s Cove, Long Island).

James Jackson and Rebecca Hallett had at least the following twenty, yes twenty, children. This researcher has not yet tried to trace all of the children, so we just have a few bits information about them.

1. Thomas Jackson was born on 04 Dec 1694 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York (Long Island). He married Mary Townsend.
2. Mary Jackson was born on 20 Nov 1696 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York (Long Island). She married Jacob Willets on 26 Dec 1717 in Flushing, Queens, New York. She married Nathaniel Townsend in 1739.
3. Sarah Jackson was born on 11 Dec 1697. She married Samuel Clement.
4. Rebecca Jackson was born on 20 Feb 1699. She married Sylvanus Seaman.
5. John Jackson was born on 09 Mar 1701 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York. He married Sarah Doty before 1724. He died in 1772 in Anson, North Carolina.
6. Charity Jackson was born on 26 Feb 1702. She married John Dingee in 1732 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York (Queens).
7. Elizabeth Jackson was born on 20 Mar 1703 in New York. She married Nathan Field in 1725 in Flushing, Queens, New York.
8. James Jackson was born on 04 Jun 1704. He married Sarah Thorne on 10 Feb 1726. He married Mary Fitz Randolph in about 1736.
9. William Jackson was born on 06 Jul 1705 in New York, USA. He died in 1706 in New York.
10. William Jackson was born between 1706–14 Oct 1707 in New York. He married Prudence Smith.
11. Hannah Jackson was born on 05 Aug 1706 in New York. She married John Hicks.
12. Martha Jackson was born on 26 Jan 1709 in New York. She married William Green.
13. Joseph Jackson was born on 09 Feb 1710 in Flushing, Queens, New York (Long Island). He married Anna. He married Mary Rogers. He died in 1769 in Rockaway, Morris, New Jersey.
14. Richard Jackson was born on 20 Mar 1711 in Flushing, Queens, New York. He married Mary Wright. He died in 1739.
15. Phebe Jackson was born on 03 May 1712 in Flushing, Queens, New York.  She married Edward Fitz Randolph on 23 Oct 1734 in Flushing Monthly Meeting, New York. She died on 11 Sep 1777 in Plainfield, Union, New Jersey.
16. Robert Jackson was born on 15 May 1713 in New York. He married Sarah Hewlet.
17. Jemima Jackson was born on 25 Nov 1714 in New York. She married Henry Hicks.
18. Samuel Jackson was born on 21 Jul 1716 in New York. He married Sarah Carpenter.
19. Stephen Jackson was born on 17 Aug 1717 in New York. He married Mary Lewis.
20. Benjamin Jackson was born on 26 Jul 1719 in New York. He married Mary Lively Rushing. He married Amy Paul about 1767 in Anson, North Carolina. He died in 1805 in Chesterfield county, South Carolina.

When her father wrote his will in 1727, he left a majority of his estate to Rebecca’s oldest brother, Joseph, but she and her siblings were gifted a few things.

I leave to my sons, George and Richard, and to my grandson, Joseph Hallett, and to my daughters, Sarah Phillips, Rebecca Jackson, Sarah Blackwell, and Charity Moore, certain negroes.

…

I leave two thirds of my movables to my five daughters, Sarah Phillips, Rebecca Jackson, Charity Moore, Mary Blackwell, and Elizabeth Fish. And my son Joseph is to keep for his mother, four head of cattle, winter and summer.

We don’t usually think of our Northern ancestors being slave owners, but in the early years of our country, they were. The practice of enslaving African people in America started with the Dutch slave trade in New Amsterdam. When the English took over the city of New Amsterdam in 1664, the slave practice continued. In 1703, more than 42% of New York City households held slaves. It wasn’t until a century after Rebecca’s life, on 4 Jul 1827, that the last slaves were freed in New York. Both as a child in her father’s house, and as a wife in her husband’s house, Rebecca likely had slave domestic servants at her disposal. Bearing at least twenty sons and daughters, we can imagine that she used slave labor to help care for her house and children.

Queens, NY

Rebecca Hallett Jackson died on 12 Apr 1730 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York at the age of 54. She was originally buried at Hallett Burial Ground but, her body was later moved to Mount Olivet Cemetery , Maspeth, Queens, New York.

When she died, Rebecca left behind her husband, and children ranging in age from ten to 35.

Where is she in the tree?

Selected Sources:

Ancestry.com, New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015), ancestry.com, Wills and Administrations (New York County, New York), 1680-1804; Author: New York. Surrogate’s Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York. Record for James Jackson.

“Astoria, Queens,” Wikipedia, Web, 29 Aug 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria,_Queens.

“Astoria Street Necrology,” Forgotten Queens, Web, 29 Aug 2017, http://forgotten-ny.com/2002/02/astoria-necrology/.

“History of slavery in New York,” Wikipedia, Web, 29 Aug 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_New_York.

Will Hallett, “William Hallett, Jr. (b. 1648)”, Will Hallett, Descendants of William Hallett and Elizabeth Fones of Newtown, Astoria, Long Island, Web, 29 Aug 2017, http://williamhallett.com/william-hallett-b-1616/william-hallett-jr-b-1648/.