I can find virtually no documentation about Deborah Wiltsey or her family in New Jersey records. My father's genealogy chart shows Deborah's parents only as Martin and Sarah but every generation of the various Wiltsey families seems to have a Martin. I had hoped that the rather uncommon name of Deborah would help me identify her but so far I have nothing definitive.

A website by an unknown author (contact page and home page links are invalid) details a Wiltse family in New Jersey that is the most promising. They were of Gloucester Co and consisted of parents John Wiltse and Deborah ___.

This John Wiltse was born about 1748 in Egg Harbor, Gloucester Co NJ and died about 1797 in Galloway Twp, Gloucester Co NJ. He was the son of Martynus Wiltse (b. abt 1721 - d. abt 1814, son of Johannes Wiltse and Teuntje Haff) and Hannah Lucas (d. abt 1790, daughter of Simeon Lucas and Hannah Lane). John married Deborah ___ abt 1769, also in Galloway Twp, Gloucester Co NJ. Their children are named as:

Martin - b. abt 1775

John - b. 4 Feb 1777 Galloway Twp, Gloucester Co NJ, d. abt 1825 possibly in Posey Co, IN; 1m. Mary Ashcraft and 2m. Martha Ashcraft, both daughters of Gibson Ashcraft and Deborah Smith.

Daniel

James

Charles - m. Elizabeth Beebe

Joseph - b. abt 1795; m. Mariah Beebe

Rachel - m. ___ Horn

The son Martin above would have been the right age to be my Deborah's father. Most of the few web sites I've seen concerning this family have additional descendant information about the sons John or Charles. Any additional information about this family, particularly about Martin, would be very welcome.

1. Martin Wiltsey. Martin married Sarah (Wiltsey).

Child:

+ 2 F    i. Deborah Wiltsey was born about 1798 in New Jersey ^{1 2} and died after 1890.

2. Deborah Wiltsey (Martin¹) was born about 1798 in New Jersey ^{1 2} and died after 1890.

There is a 73 year old Deborah Nace listed in the 1870 census, 12th ward Philadelphia, residing with 33 year old Joseph Wagner and 28 year old Margaret Wagner. Margaret would have been born about 1842, very close to the age of the Margaret Nace in the Tobias Nace family listing of the 1850 census, Northern Liberties. Margaret may have been a daughter of Tobias and Deborah and could have married Joseph Wagner. There are no other details in the listing, no occupations and, more importantly, no birth places, so I cannot yet identify this as "my" Deborah.

• Census: 1880 Philadelphia census, ED 237, 11th Election District 14th Ward living with her daughter and son-in-law at 663 N. 11th St.:
Robert Williamson - age 42, b. NJ, Sec. Guardian Poor
Anna E. - age 41, b. PA
Ella - age 22, b. PA
Robert - age 10, b. PA
Deborah Nace - age 82, widowed, b. NJ, mother-in-law; F b. unknown, M b. unknown
Hannah Doyle - age 27, b. Ireland, domestic

Listed in Philadelphia City Directory of 1890: Deborah Nace, widow of Tobias, home address: 959 N 6th.

Birth year of Deborah in the census records corresponds to the age written on a photograph I have, noted as taken in May 1886, labeled as Mrs. D. Nace and Ella Leedom, 88 and 28.
 

Deborah married Tobias Nace, probably a son of a Jacob Nace, before 1819.² Tobias was born about 1797 in Pennsylvania ² and died before 1880.³ See Nace family page for more information.

• Census: PA, 1850, Ward 3, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia PA. p. 171, Dwelling 587, Visitation 726:
Tobias Nace - age 53, b. PA, Dealer
Deborah - age 52, b. New Jersey
Joseph - age 31, b. PA, Coppersmith
Catherine - age 30, b. PA
Stephen - age 29, b. PA, Laborer
Esther Harris - age 20, b. PA
Margaret Nace - age 72, b. PA
Joseph Haines - age 25, b. PA, Tin Smith
Elizabeth - age 2, b. PA
Anna E. Nace - age 12, b. PA
Margaret - age 9, b. PA
Jacob Nace - age 79, b. PA

Sources

1. Family Records (letters, notes, books, etc.)

2. Misc Public Records, 1850 PA Census, North Liberties 3rd Ward.

3. Ibid, 1880 census Philadelphia Co.