Revolutionary War spy for George Washington (b. June 20, 1729, Armagh, Ireland - d. August 18, 1822, Bedminster, Somerset County, New Jersey, USA) He married Mary Henry (1738-1801) of Colerain, Ireland on September 22, 1764 in Philadelphia and had the following children: Jane Honeyman (c1766-?) who married John William Henry (1763-?) and later married George Armstrong (1761-?); Margaret Honeyman (c1767-?); Mary Honeyman (c1769-?); John Honeyman II (1769-1830) born on September 09, 1769 in Bedminster who married Catherine Covert (1773-1859); Eleanor Honeyman (1772-?) born on April 06, 1772 in Griggstown who married Abraham Porter and moved to the western part of New York; James Honeyman (1776-?) born on May 26, 1776 in Griggstown, who married Mary Miller; and Sarah Honeyman (c1780-?) who married Abraham Van Dyke. His wife, Mary died on June 24, 1801, and John then married a widow in 1804: Elizabeth Estelle who was previously married to a Burrows. Donald W. Larson writes: "[He was] born [in] Armagh, Ireland 1729 of Scottish Parents, the son of a poor farmer. Like his brothers and sisters, he received little formal schooling. He worked as a farmer tending cattle, and plowing and planting fields till he was about 29 years old. At that time in 1758 he was conscripted by the English to fight their wars in North America. He was placed aboard the frigate Boyrie, the same boat as Colonel James Wolf, bound for Canada to fight the French. Colonel Wolf stumbled on the stairs and was caught by John. In appreciation of this valor, he took John's name and said he would see him when they landed. He made John his Body Guard, with orders to be with him all the time. He served under Colonel Wolfe and was there at the Siege of Louisburg fortress in Nova Scotia. The Colonel became general after that battle and then commanded the army that attacked Quebec. In 1759 at the Battle of The Plains of Abraham in Canada, Wolfe was shot. John carried him to his shelter where he died. It is possible that the famous painting by Benjamin West, has John Honeyman in it, but he is unidentified. John was given an Honorary Discharge from the Army and came down to the States. Wolfe had told him to look up Washington. He located him and Washington knew about him, as he had been in that battle. He made John his Private Spy. Before this happened he married Mary Henry of Colerain, Ireland, in Pennsylvania. They had several children. After Mary died on June 24, 1801, he married widow Mrs. Elizabeth Burrows in 1804. He died August 18, 1822, at 93 years of age. He is buried in the village churchyard at Lamington, New Jersey. there is a memorial to him in Washington's Crossing State Park, on the New Jersey side of the Delaware, where Washington and his ragged army landed, on the stormy night of December 25, 1776, on their march to the Battle of Trenton. There a plaque stands, put up in 1930, bearing this legend: Dedicated in Memory of John Honeyman Who Served Washington and the Continental Army as a Spy, drink of the fount of liberty let posterity inherit freedom. This man truly helped form what is now the United States of America. Note: There was a place called the Van Doren mill about one mile from the Honeyman home at Griggstown. It is thought that one of John Sr's children married a Van Doren, hence the later name, 'A. Van Doren Honeyman'. When the Revolutionary War was going against Washington, it was decided that John should go back to the British side as a 'Tory', where he could watch all their maneuvers. He worked as his Trades of Weavers, Butcher & Cattle Buyer. He found that the British were planning on a big celebration for Christmas at Trenton, New Jersey; and rules would be relaxed and a lot of drinking would be done. John started for the American side on the pretext of looking for cattle. He soon spotted a cow and ran after it, as he cracked his whip the noise attracted guards, Who had been warned to watch for the 'Tory' and capture him. He stumbled and they caught him. After a tussle, he was taken to Washington, Who dismissed the guards, after congratulating them on their capture. After considerable conversation, Washington recalled the guards telling them to feed the "Tory" and lock him in a small hut called a prison, it had no window, a pad lock was put on the door. Soon after a fire was seen in the vicinity, everyone went to fight it. In the morning the door was still locked but no prisoner was there. He went back to the British side and told of his escape. John went to another town to stay. While John was away until the end of the war, his family were threatened and ill treated by the neighbors, until one day a letter was read to them as follows: New Jersey American Camp, November A.D. 6, 1776. To the Good People of New Jersey and all whom it may concern: It is hereby ordered that the wife and family of John Honeyman of Griggstown, New Jersey; the notorious 'Tory' now within British lines and probably acting as a Spy, shall be protected and hereby are protected from all harm and annoyance, from every quarter, until further orders. This does not provide protection for John, himself. On December 25, 1776, with the information obtained by John, Washington captured Trenton, New Jersey; this was the beginning of the end of the war."