Finding Aid to the Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers, 1700-1964 Finding Aid to the Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers, 1700-1964 North Jersey History and Genealogy Center
Morristown and Morris Township Library One Miller Road Morristown, NJ 07960
Overview of Collection Ralston and Nesbitt Families Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers H929 MSS Ralston 1700-1964 1 linear foot in 2 manuscript boxes Biographical Notes

John Ralston came to Mendham, NJ, from Ireland in 1785. In 1785, he also married Margaret Logan. The following year, he went into partnership with Hugh Nesbitt operating the Ralston General Store from 1786 to 1819.

Ralston owned many acres of farmland in Mendham, and the family retained ownership of much of the property for the next 200 years. Ralston ownership ended in 1995 when Carolyn Ralston Nesbitt Wagenseller sold the last three acres of Ralston property. She is the last of the Nesbitts that lived in Mendham, and currently lives in Florida.

John Ralston also built a cotton and woolen factory and watched Mendham grow into a prosperous industrial area. Despite his properties, however, he died in 1819 with his fortunes depleted as a result of the War of 1812.

Hugh Nesbitt married John's daughter, Mary Ann, and through their children, the records and manuscripts of the collection show what life was like in this area of New Jersey in the early 19th century.

Related Collections:

- Ralston/Nesbitt Family Papers, Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, 9 Main St. Madison, NJ 07940. metc.org

 Scope and Content Note

The Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers consist of two document boxes of material. Box #1 contains information pertaining to land ownership, wills and estates, and businesses. Box #2 contains correspondence, genealogical information, and miscellaneous information pertaining to various family members.

 Important Information for Users of the Collection

Several folders in Boxes one and two contain extremly fragile items that require conservation before they can be safely used. These folders are listed as Unavailable in the container list.

This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center archives access policy. Records may be hand copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Due to its delicate nature, material in the Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers may NOT be photocopied.

 Acquisition Information

Material for the collection was first acquired by the Local History Department in 1997, when Carolyn Ralston Nesbitt Wagenseller presented the family papers to the library.

Carolyn Ralston Nesbitt Wagenseller transcribed most of the papers in the collection before it was donated to the Local History Department. This transcription is included in the original papers of the collection.

 Preferred Citation

Ralston and Nesbitt Family Papers. North Jersey History and Genealogy Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library

 Processing Information

Arranged by Rosemary Riley, Rutgers SCILS '98, Reviewed and revised by Marilyn Stearns.

 Container List 11Finding aid, Correspondence, Original transcript of the papers of the Ralston/Nesbitt collection 2Distances of Tract of Land: John Ralston (deceased), Baldwin Farms, c. 1820 3Map: Land at the Sand Hills, January 17, 1797 4Survey: Thomas Nesbitt, May 18, 1798 5Survey: Rye Township, Cumberland County, PA, 1700 6Survey: Josiah and David Ogden, 1740 17Survey: 8 acres of oil land, Venango County, PA (previously labelled "Columbia County, PA"), January 11, 1862See Box 2 Folder 25 for correspondence 18Deed: Morris County, property to Ralston from the Indians (photocopy of transcript), August 13, 1708 19Deed: Mendham Township, Noadiah Wade/Samuel Wills, December 30, 1776 110Deed: John Ralston/Jacob Arnold, Washington County, Georgia, 1796 111Deed: Mendham Township, Wills / Cooper, 1800 112Deed: Two adjacent pieces of property, Mendham Township, Hugh Nesbitt and George Forsyeth, 1823 113Deed information: Mendham and Chester Townships, John Bryan, Thomas Wills and Samuel Wills, to James Wills, c. 1824-1825 114[Out for Conservation] Deed: Mendham Township, William Maltbie and Francis, his wife, to John Ralston, June 26, 1813 115[Out for Conservation] Deed: Rye Township, Cumberland County, PA, William McKee to Edward Graham, 1780 116 [Out for Conservation] Deed: Rye Township, Cumberland County, PA, Edward Graham to Alex Johnston, 117[Out for Conservation] Deed: For land situated on the waters of the Ruscarora Creek, Luzerne County, PA, Samuel Craft to Eleazer Blackman, 1806 118Deed: Braintrim Township, Luzerne County, PA, Archipus and Phebe Parish to John Ralston, 1816 119[Out for Conservation] Deed: Lycoming County, PA, Joshua Blackwell to John Ralston, November 14, 1818 120Deed: Pine Township, Lycoming County, PA, John Whitlock to John R. Nesbitt, November 8, 1877 121Deed: Mendham Township, John Ralston and wife to Shobal Pitney, December 10, 1805 122Deed: Margaret Ralston, Executrix and John Ralston, Executor, of the Estate of John Ralston, to Hugh Nesbitt, 1823 123[Out for Conservation] Deed and survey: Stevens Tract, Mendham Township, Hugh Nesbitt and Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt to Stephen Thompson, December 29, 1823 124Sheriff's deed: Chester Township, Colin Robertson to Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt, April 23, 1836 125Deed: Mendham Township, Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt to John R. Nesbitt, June 17, 1839 126Deed: Greenwich Township, mill lot, Enoch Green and Mary, his wife, to Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt, April 23, 1841 127Deed: Warrant No. 4356, Lycoming County, PA, Eliza Ralston to John R. Nesbitt, June 17, 1839 128[Out for Conservation] Deed: Chester Township, Mary S. Nesbitt to John R. Nesbitt, March 2, 1866 129Sheriff's Deed: Mendham Township, 20 1/2 acres, seized in judgement against Thomspon S. Dayton; conveyed to John R. Nesbitt at public vendue, September 21, 1844 130Deed: Graveyard Lot, Mendham Township, William and Sarah Ann Forsyth to John R. Nesbitt, April 1, 1863 131Deed: Mendham Township, 77 acres, John Whitlock and Reuben Whitlock to John R. Nesbitt, April 1, 1848 132Deed: Mendham and Chester Townships, 20 1/2 acres, John R. Nesbitt and Harriet B., his wife, to George Dixon, Abraham Manning, and Thomas Mannning, April 1, 1848 133Mortgage: Property in Mendham Township, 77 acres, John R. Nesbitt and Harriet B., his wife, to Thomas A. Hartwell, $4,000, April 1, 1848 134Mortgage: Property in Mendham and Chester Townships, 20 1/2 acres, George Dixon and Jane, his wife, to John R. Nesbitt, $826.55, April 1, 1848 135Mortgage: Property in Mendham and Chester Townships, John R. Nesbitt and Harriet B., his wife, to Henry Hilliard, $2,000, January 1, 1849 136[Out for Conservation] Deed: Chester and Mendham Townships, 20 1/2 acres, George Dixon and Jane his wife to Christopher Killeon, March 28, 1850 137Deed: Chester and Mendham Townships, 20 1/2 acres, Christopher Killeon and Ellen, his wife, to John R. Ralston, April 5, 1856 138Deed: Port Washington, Ohio, John R. Nesbitt and [Mary Ann Ralston] Nesbitt, his wife, to George Ross, 1864 139Deed: Morristown property, William H. McGarry and Elizabeth, his wife, of Bernards Township and Thomas Laughlin, of Newark, Essex County, January 24, 1905 140Deeds and mortgages: Mendham Township, Thomas Dixon Nesbitt, Justus P. Nesbitt, 1923-1929 141Deeds: Morristown, Thomas Dixon Nesbitt and Abbie P. Nesbitt, his wife, and Oscar Vliet, 1912-1919 142Agreement and survey: Mendham Township (Union School House), Elvira W. Nesbitt to Sarah Welford Williams, 1913 143Inventory: Estate of Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt, c. 1863 144Receipts and settlements: Estate of Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt, 1824-1863 145Letter of Administration: Mary Ann Nesbitt (wife of Hugh Nesbitt), 1827 146Inventory and accounting: Estate of Eliza Arrowsmith, d. 1870 147Will, release and discharge: Eliza Arrowsmith, d. 1870 148Accounting: Estate of Esther Amanda King, d. 1877 149Accounting: Estate of Charles Thompson (father of Harriet Thompson Nesbitt), d. 1881 150Appointment of Administrator: Estate of John Ralston, 1822 151Letters Testamentary: Estate of John R. Nesbitt, 1894-1904 21[Out for Conservation] Mortgage: Mendham Township, Hugh H. Ralston, April 3, 1817 22Loan settlement: James Stuart and Margaret Ralston, 1825 23Bond and mortgage: Mary Ann, John and Caroline Nesbitt to Eliza Arrowsmith, August 28, 1843, May 25, 1844 24Mortgage: Mendham Township, John Whitlock and Reuben Whitlock with Thomas Hartwell, $4,000, February 25, 1848 25Mortgage and bond: Mendham and Chester Townships, John R. Nesbitt and Elvira W., his wife, to Caleb L. Howel, February 1, 1881 26Mortgages: Chester and Mendham Townships, John R. and Elvira Nesbitt, September 21, 1891 27Loan: Mendham Township, George Forsyeth to Hugh Nesbitt, 1823 28[Out for Conservation] Agreement: between Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt and Felix Job, to plant 1,000 peach trees, 1843 29Receipts and Tax Bills: Thomas Dixon Nesbitt, 1916-1922 210Account Books with National Iron Bank: John Ralston Nesbitt(?), 1883-1902, not dated. 211Cancelled cheques and promissory notes: Thomas Dixon Nesbitt, 1895 212[Out for Conservation] Bond, receipts and power-of-attorney: John Ralston and Margaret Ralston, with James Wood, with William D. Malthic, with various, and with Gabriel H. Ford, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1820-1823 213[Out for Conservation] Bills of Sale for slaves: to Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt for Abby (14 yrs.); Rachel (46 yrs.) and Harriet (6 yrs.); Bill (7 yrs.), 1830, 1835, 1838 214[Out for Conservation] Bonds and Receipts: John R. Nesbitt with Thomas A. Hartwell; with Henry Hilliard; with Nathan Cooper, with John Conaughton; with John Stiger (Guardian of Henry Williams), and with D. Kaggan, 1848, 1849, 1844, 1850, 1859, 1895, 1862 215Receipts: John R. Nesbitt, 1861-1897 216Correspondence: John Ralston from John Nesbitt, 1815 217[Out for Conservation] Correspondence: John Ralston from [?], Kingswood, VA, September 23, [year?] re: land and equity 218[Out for Conservation] Correspondence: Margaret Ralston from Elias Van Arsdale, 1825, 1826 219[Out for Conservation] Correspondence: John Ralston from James Denison re: Bequeathed Land in VA., November 16, 1835 220Correspondence: John R. Nesbitt and George W. Dickerson, May 24, 1840 221Correspondence: John Ralston and Archipus Parrish, re: land owned by John Ralston in Braintrim Township, Luzerne County, PA, 1845 222Correspondence: Article of Agreement between John Ralston and Mary Ann Nesbitt, Ownership of Mill, June 14, 1848 223Sketch: Thumbnail draft of mill, 1849 224Correspondence: John Whitlock and Reuben Whitlock from W.W. Babb, re: land settlement and stolen timber, February 22, 1849 225Correspondence: Oil well venture between John R. Nesbitt and L.B. Dellicker, 1863-1866See Box 1 Folder 7 for Survey 226Correspondence: John R. Nesbitt from John Conaughton (cousin), 1873, 1881 227Correspondence: John R. Nesbitt - Mary Nesbitt Little, 1874-1881 228Correspondence and receipts: Mary Nesbitt Little, (d. March 21, 1892) 1877-1880 229Correspondence: Emma (Nesbitt) and Harry to John and Elvira Nesbitt, May 16, 1878 230Correspondence: Robert Nesbitt Byle to John R. Nesbitt, re: genealogical notice in newspaper, March 8, 1880 231Correspondence: Witnesses to land/border disputes, John Ralston Nesbitt and Nathan Cooper, 1881, 1894, 1882 232Correspondence: John R. Nesbitt and John R. Nesbitt, Jr., Release of Late Guardian, December 29, 1886 233Correspondence: John R. Nesbitt - H.C. Pitney, Sale of Land, 1895See Box 1 Folder 21 for Deed 234Correspondence: Adelaide DeGroot, great grand-daughter, and John Ralston, c. 1898 235Artifact and correspondence: Samuel H. Nesbitt, Lock of hair (3 mos. and 13 days); Golden Anniversary card from Alma Nesbitt, c. 1946 236Newspaper clipping: Justus P. Nesbitt, promotion, The Wall Street Journal, c. 1956 237Correspondence: Office of the Assessor to Justus P. Nesbitt, 1962, 1963 238Correspondence: Frances Potter Nesbitt to cousin on death of family member, July 28, not dated. 239Correspondence: Husband, in Oregon, to wife, with details of wagon trip, June 20, 1889 240Photograph glass negative (broken): Buckman House, "Knox," (Elizabeth Ralston's house), September 30, 1908 241Photographs: Judd Nesbitt, Carolyn Ralston Nesbitt Wagenseller, c. 1960 242Poetry and obituary: Oscar Cornet, son of Adam and Elvira Ross, d. 1880s 243Poetry: by Emma Crane Nesbitt (Mrs. Samuel H. Nesbitt), c. 1895 244Poetry: Unsigned, "Poetry Miss Their Gave Us," c. 1800 245Obituaries: Welsh/Manwaring (John R. Nesbitt and Elvira Welsh Nesbitt), 1890s 246Obituary: Caroline Nesbitt Hartwell, d. 1894 247Obituary: John R. Nesbitt, November 25, 1904 248Obituary: Katherine Nesbitt Ketcham, d. January 3, 1939 249Newspaper clipping: Nesbitt family history, Newark News, c. May 15, 1915 250Newspaper clipping: "Hopewell Sent Jersey's First Volunteers in Revolution," The Sunday Call, Newark, NJ, [mentions Richard Stout, Colonel Stout], March 1, 1925 251Newspaper clipping: Ralston and Nesbitt Mills, "Our Mendham," Mendham-Chester Tribune, January 10, 1957 252Newspaper clipping: "Queen Caroline Chair: A Relic of Old Portsmouth's [NH] Queer Old Church," re: chair, Vinegar Bible and story of ‘The Country Doctor,' NY paper, not dated 253Book: The Mendhams, published by the Mayor's Tercentenary Committee, Profile of the Ralston area, pp. 83-92, with additional Ralston/Nesbitt mentions throughout book, 1964 254Pamphlet: "The Ralston General Store," by the Ralston Historical Association, not dated. 255Unidentified property dimenions, not dated.