Holdren Family History

The Holdren families referred to in my genealogical research are not to my knowledge related to the Millville, Columbia County Holdren families.  There is a possible link since both patriarchs were born in New Jersey.

My family of Holdrens originate with two patriarchs, William Holdren and first wife, Nancy French who raised their families in the northeastern townships of Lycoming County, such as Franklin Township and Davidson Township in Sullivan County, and Pine Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania.  The census records state that William was born in New Jersey. The other Holdren family traces to Henry Holdren originally of Sussex Co., New Jersey and his wife, Elizabeth Harris.

Henry Holdren, a Revolutionary War patriot, of Sussex Co., New Jersey later settled in the Clinton Township and Honesdale, Wayne Co., PA areas where he died in 1854.  He had 9 children. His son, John Holdren born in 1806 first married Rhoda Adams who died young, then married Rachel Case.  From this second marriage six children were born.  Their daughter, Catherine Holdren born in 1848 (our 3rd great-grandmother) married Ambrose Stewart Winder, whose brother William Winder married a Sarah E. Holdren in 1856.  Sarah's father was William Holdren of eastern Lycoming Co., PA.  

During the 1870 census Catherine (Holdren) Winder lived near Lairdsville as a young mother with her mother-in-law, Phoebe Winder.  We know that Catherine's husband, Ambrose Winder, was incarcerated at the time in the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for burglary from 1868 to April 1871.  Lairdsville is in Franklin Township, however, I cannot find any living relatives in close proximity at the time, but in 1880 Catherine's mother lives in Davidson Township, Sullivan Co., PA north of Lairdsville.  The 1880 census lists "Stewart Winder" and his family living in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We know that Ambrose spent much time after his Civil War service in the area with his brothers John R. Winders of Jordan Township, and William Milnor Winder of Franklin Township, who eventually moved to Plymouth and Jackson Townships in Luzerne County.

There are other coincidental marriages to descendent members of the William Holdren family, namely Ruth E. Holdren to Richard Bertram Nichols.