Background
John Fenwick, the second son of Sir William Fenwick, was born at Stanton Manor, Northumberland, England to an ancient family of wealth and influence.
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John Fenwick
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In 1648, John Fenwick married Elizabeth Covert, who gave birth to three daughters: Elizabeth, Anne and Priscilla. They had no children. Prior to 1674, West Jersey had been partitioned by English colonists into five territories, each called a Tenth.
The five Tenths, stretching from Assunpink Creek southward to an area inclusive of the Cohansey River, fronted the east bank of the Delaware River.
John Fenwick acquired title to the Fifth Tenth, which occupied much of the present-day counties of Salem and Cumberland. In the third quarter of 1675, John Fenwick and the other emigrants departed London aboard the Griffin, Robert Griffith in command.
The Griffin reached its destination prior to October 8, 1675. That day John Fenwick recorded a land deed with the local Native Americans (Lenape people).
Fenwick gave his new home the name of New Salem, meaning peace.
