John Tunnicliff, Jr. was born in England about 1750. He was a younger son of John and Elizabeth Tunnicliff. A goldsmith by trade, he came to America during the War for Independence where he was reunited with his father - a then-vulnerable pioneer of the New York wilderness.

He married twice - first to an unknown English woman. His second marriage to Hannah Hudson in 1774 produced fourteen children - many of whom were baptized in St. Peter's church where he was a member.

During the war years, he divided his time between his father's farms at Whitehall and in the Unadilla Valley. He served the revolutionary cause and later was awarded a bounty right as a member of the Albany regiment of the county militia.

After the war, he settled in Albany where he earned a living as a watchmaker. During the 1780s, he was paid by the Albany government for repairing the city clock. His jewelry store at 16 State Street was advertized in the pages of the Albany Gazette. His household was configured on the Albany census of 1790. He also leased land west of Albany from the city government.

After a decade in Albany, in 1793 he removed to a farm in Richfield Springs where he lived out his life. John Tunnicliff, Jr. died in July 1814 in Warren, Herkimer County.

Sources: The life of John Tunnicliff, Jr. is CAP biography number 1700. This profile is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. Although the date or circumstances of his birth are unknown, we have assembled a substantial file on this intriguing newcomer family!