Barefoot Brunson

On the Border with Barefoot Brunson
by Ed Belding South Brunswick Historical Society

This historical information comes from the research done for the South Brunswick Historical Society Calendar. We still have a handful for sale at the Borrower Services desk. Get one before they're gone!

Imagine going through life with the first name--"Barefoot." Yes, there actually was a Barefoot . . . Barefoot Brunson (aka--Brunson, Brinton, Brynson, Brimson, Brymson, and so on). He hailed from the west bank of the Millstone River opposite Kingston, New Jersey, in the late 1600's to early 1700's. He was born around 1686 to David Brunson and Frances Greenland, daughter of Dr. Henry Greenland--a man of influence in the area. Dr. Greenland was married to Mary Barefoote, who was related to Greenland's best friend, Dr. Walter Barefoote. Thus, our Mr. Brunson was given a surname for his first name. The Barefoote name was originally "Barford" in England and americanized to Barefoot or Bearfoot in the 17th century. So its meaning was neither "naked feet" nor "bear's paw." Brunson not only inherited his first name from these folks. He also inherited a quick and fiery temper. Dr. Walter Barefoote was a contentious soul in the Piscataqua region of New England where the Brunson's came from after leaving England. He wore many hats--doctor, captain, prison keeper, deputy governor, land speculator, and chief justice; and with each position he made many enemies and left folks quaking in their boots. He always argued for the Stuart position, which irritated Puritans to no end. David Brunson, Barefoot's father, was also a cantankerous sort. He often got physical when he lost his temper. Dr. Greenland had to bring him to court in 1694 on a charge of abusing Frances, the mother of Barefoot. Fiery-tempered David Brunson died two years later. A relieved Frances re-married in 1697. This time she chose wisely, wedding an even-tempered Quaker, named John Hornor, Jr., of Stony Brook. All through the turbulent childhood years, Barefoot Brunson grew up to become just as quick-tempered and domineering as his male predecessors. He was notorious for holding a grudge and getting even. Neighbors in Somerset and Middlesex counties considered him "peculiar in his ways." He did manage to become a successful gentleman farmer and he did earn an "Esquire" after his name. He became Somerset County's first Sheriff (as early as 1709 and as late as 1720). He meted out justice with an iron fist until 1730-31, and seemed well-suited for enforcing the King's Law. He wed Marritje "Mary" Lawrence Pipinga, who was born in New York in 1692. He and Mary had two children, John and Ruth; and possibly another daughter, Frances. John (aka--Daniel John) was born in 1723-25. His descendants eventually migrated to Pulaski County, Kentucky, and intermarried with the Earp family (the ones from whom Wyatt Earp descended). Barefoot Brunswon owned hundreds of acres of land in Somerset County and half that much in Middlesex county. Some of his former holdings now lie in Mercer County and may have included land on which Princeton University stands. On some of the earliest maps of the King's Highway (now Route 27) area, the name Barefoot Brunson appears. Old Barefoot is not considered a "Son of South Brunswick," but at least he is borderline--probably in more ways than one . . .