John Somers was the son of Richard Somers who was the son of the founder of Somers Point, John Somers. The property at the Point that his father Richard had built (now known as Somers Mansion) was divided between him and his brother Colonel Richard Somers, along with the island of Peck's Beach, now Ocean City. Apparently John was very different than his brother Colonel Richard Somers who served in the Revolutionary War. According to "A Short History of the Somers Family" by descendants Constantine Somers and Harriet S. Lake, this could be said of John: "Instead of the compass and forest, he preferred his gun and canoe. The bay and islands at this time abounded in wild fowl; and the high-bank, as it was then called where the Club House is now located, being the great graveling ground. Hundreds of them yearly became victims to his English musket; and frequently a flock of wild turkeys, remaining in the forest of his day, found it not a safe place to remain on account of his musket, and like the Red man, a few of which still inhabited their old haunts, sought a wider range in the father West. A few seals also still inhabited the islands between the Point and beach, and frequently one of them succumbed to his unerring aim." When a British Commander named Colonel Proctor got too close to the brick mansion, "Friend John" gathered his stock to keep them from harm's way. Sadly, he forgot his beloved and tame wild geese which the British ended up feasting on one night. He married Hannah Spicer Ludlam and had six sons and four daughters: Richard; Francis; Joseph; John; James; Jesse, Judith Scull, Rachel Reed, Elizabeth Westcoat, and Abigail Freeland. "Friend John" died August 27, 1799.
John Somers was the son of Richard Somers who was the son of the founder of Somers Point, John Somers. The property at the Point that his father Richard had built (now known as Somers Mansion) was divided between him and his brother Colonel Richard Somers, along with the island of Peck's Beach, now Ocean City. Apparently John was very different than his brother Colonel Richard Somers who served in the Revolutionary War. According to "A Short History of the Somers Family" by descendants Constantine Somers and Harriet S. Lake, this could be said of John: "Instead of the compass and forest, he preferred his gun and canoe. The bay and islands at this time abounded in wild fowl; and the high-bank, as it was then called where the Club House is now located, being the great graveling ground. Hundreds of them yearly became victims to his English musket; and frequently a flock of wild turkeys, remaining in the forest of his day, found it not a safe place to remain on account of his musket, and like the Red man, a few of which still inhabited their old haunts, sought a wider range in the father West. A few seals also still inhabited the islands between the Point and beach, and frequently one of them succumbed to his unerring aim." When a British Commander named Colonel Proctor got too close to the brick mansion, "Friend John" gathered his stock to keep them from harm's way. Sadly, he forgot his beloved and tame wild geese which the British ended up feasting on one night. He married Hannah Spicer Ludlam and had six sons and four daughters: Richard; Francis; Joseph; John; James; Jesse, Judith Scull, Rachel Reed, Elizabeth Westcoat, and Abigail Freeland. "Friend John" died August 27, 1799.
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