Aaron Van Cleave

• Son of Isabrandt Van Cleef and Janneke Aertse Vanderbilt
• Aaron was named after his Grandfather Aert VanDerBilt
• Aaron was the first of the family to change the spelling of the family name from Van Cleef to Van Cleave (anglicized)
• Aaron settled in New Brunswick, Middlesex co., New Jersey with his brother Benjamin
• Aaron was appointed Chimney Viewer for New Brunswick
  • this occupation entailed inspecting the chineys to be sure they were free of soot, which caused fires
• Aaron and Benjamin entered into a shipping business together
  • Benjamin handled business affairs while Aaron captained their ship in this coast-wide trade venture
  • Many newspaper articles in the Boston Weekly Newsletter and NY Weekly Post--Boy mention Aaron skippering vesels along the northeast coast
  • Aaron and Benjamin terminated their shipping biz because of scepticism in one of their shipping ventures involving a security debt, to which Aaron had to pay. This caused the selling of their business and reduction of both their wealths
• Aaron moved his family to the Forks of the Yadkin River, in Rowan Co., Noth Carolina, arriving May 1, 1750
  • Here, he took up farming
  • On May 2, 1763, he purchased 766 acres of land located near the Jersy Baptist Church in Rwan NC (now Davidson County) for 57L 10s, from Henry McCulloh, who received the land in 1745 as a part of a 100k acre tract from King George II.
    
  • He mortgaged the same on Dec. 7, 1763
  • Aaron's neighbor was Squire Boone,Sr., formerly from Schuylkiln, PA.
    
  • On Dec 29, 1753 John, Earl of Granville, conveyed to Squire Boone, SR. a 640 acre tract of land received in a patent granted by King George II. Squire sold this Granville Tract to his son Daniel on Oct 12, 1759. Daniel Boone and his wife Rebecca sold this 640 acres, located on the east side of Bear Creek in St. Luke Parish to Aaron van Cleave on Februaryy 21, 1764 for 80L. The deed was witnessed by Aaron's son Benjamin on April 11, 1764. Daniel Boone sold this tract of land, located at the Forks of the Yadkin River, in Rowan Co., NC, so he could venture to the new lands of Kentucky.
    
• On Jan 16, 1768/9, Aaron was appointed Constable of the lower end of the Forks of Yadin River, Rowan Co., NC
  • On Feb 15, 1769 he was fined, as Constable, for non-appearance in court
  • On feb 17, 1769 his appointment as Constable was rescinded
• He served on a jury at the court in Salisbury on Nov 5, 1771
• In the Moravian records, Aaron is mentioned; "Old South-German man named Von Cleft"
• In other records, he is mentiond as, "Van Cleft - a Dutchman of 60 years is leader of a group that gathered at Dutchman's Creek Meeting House," 1772-1773
• This meeting house was the Heidelberg Evangelical Lutheran Church, located a few miles esat of Mocksville. Cleft is the spelling of the name found in may o the records. The meetigs at the Dutchman's Creek Meeting House led to the attendance and participation in the Mecklenburg Convetion of NC, which resulted in the Appointment of a "Committee of Patriots" (Delegates to the Continental Congress) who drafted the famous "Mecklenburg Resolves" on May 20, 1775. Some historians consider this doc to be the first Declaration of Indeendence.
  
• On Feb 19, 1778 Aaron sold to his son Benjamin 200 acres of the land of the Granville Tract, located on the west side of Bear Creek for 520L. This sale was witnessed by Aaron's son John.
  
• Aaron and Rachel are buried in the Burying Ground Ridge Cemetery (now the Old Joppa Presbyteran Church Graveyard Cemetery) located at the Forks of the Yadin River, near Mocksville