Holbrook line: George Pack, Immigrant

 I'm considering George Pack an immigrant until I'm shown otherwise.  He was born about 1634 but he wasn't born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as many sites say, because Elizabethtown Tract, which I believe to be the reference, wasn't even formed until 1664, when the tract of land was purchased from the Lenape natives.  Some sites give his parents as William and Grace Greene Pecke, who were in New Haven, Connecticut early.  If this is correct, then George may have been born in Nottinghamshire, England. The site "Descendants of Founders of New Jersey" says that George was born in England and emigrated to America in the 1650's, probably with his (unnamed) parents and likely settled in the Mitford area of Connecticut. . This makes sense, but means more research needs to be done.   

In 1665, he was one of eighty Associates who purchased a large tract of land west of the Hudson River and then settled the first English town in eastern New Jersey. George had 118 acres there, and   took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in the town on February 19, 1665.  The only other record I've found of him was that he signed a letter of remonstrance to the King in 1700, asking for a more competent Governor for the colony. We also have record of several land sales that he made, and ofthe witnessing of at least one will. 

George married Anna, who was more likely than not Anna Cranmer, about 1660, and they had six children together.  Anna died about 1681.  George may have moved to Rahway, N.J. where he married Elizabeth Moore in March of 1683.  They had four children.  He was a yeoman (a land owning farmer) when he died October 2, 1704.

I wish we knew more about George, especially who his parents were, and what role he might have played in local government or in church life.  There are more records to explore, and there may be more facts to this story.  A man who immigrated to America, helped found his town, and lived 70 years surely has more to his story than what I've found so far. And since he is an ancestor twice-over, he's doubly important!

One line of descent is:

George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethiah Robins-John Nation
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jeretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

The other line is:

George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethia Robins-John Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Marmaduke Vickery
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation

Joseph Nation and Jeretty Vickery were first cousins, it appears.  That was not unusual in that time and place.