| Notes |
- The first Oliphant to come to America was William Oliphant, "The Covenanter," who was arrested in June 1685 for attendance at a conventicle, or meeting of the Presbyterians, imprisoned with others at London, Leith and Dunottar Castle, and then exiled to His Majesty's plantation in East Jersey, under sentence of death should he return to his native land. The ship sailed from Perth on Sep 5 1685, reaching New Jersey in December. Shortly after William was sentenced to exile, his parents, John and Janet (Gilchrist) Oliphant of Pencaitland, indentured themselves and their minor daughters, Margaret and Janet, to John Hancock, of Edinburgh, to serve him for four years in New Jersey, for their passage over and room, board and other necessities. After the four years, Hancock was to grant John Oliphant 25 acres of land in America, along with one cow, two sows, and was to plow one acre of land and give him corn to plant. Tradition says that John had lost his property because of the heavy fines imposed on him by the English for his loyalty to the Presbyterian cause. Most researchers assume that the Oliphant family sailed to America aboard the Henry and Francis of Newcastle, which was used to transport various religious prisoners and interested emigrants to New Jersey. It appears that William was among the dissenters, while the other Oliphants joined him voluntarily to seek a new life in America.
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1640 -
