Edward Detmars

Edward Ditmars (also spelt Ditmars, Ditmas, Ditmus, Dytmus and Ditmore) was born 1782 to Jane Ditmus and Perrine Ditmus. He passed in 1846, and he, therefore, has the the first recorded burial and the oldest stone in the segregated section of Brainerd Cemetery. At the time of his burial, his grave was the farthest from the main section of the cemetery. 

Edward was married to Nancy Freeman, and together they had five children.

Jane Ditmas, along with Edward and her four other children children, were baptized on December 15, 1791 by the pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Jane was thusly considered a member of the church. See her name listed here. 

Both Jane and her husband Perrine were enslaved by Charles Barclay, a local leader in the South Brunswick area. Charles Barclay was a member of the South Brunswick Committee of Observation, which sought to uphold the Continental Association's boycott of British goods. Interestingly, article two of the Continental Association prohibits the importation and purchasing of enslaved peoples and sought to end the slave trade altogether. Despite supporting this document, Charles Barclay continued to enslave peoples.  In 1810, Charles Barclay did free a Ned Didmus. It's unclear who Ned Didmus is. Could this possibly be Edward? View the manumission record here.

Edward's brother, Enoch Ditmas, was an American seaman. View his citizenship affidavit here.